The Pointer Sisters - Automatic. Top Of The Pops 1984

Nice quality video recorded from Top Of The Pops 1984. The Pointer Sisters are an American pop/R&B recording act from Oakland, California that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Spanning over three decades, their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, disco, jazz, bebop, blues, soul, funk, dance, country and rock.

The group had its early origins when sisters June and Bonnie Pointer began performing in clubs in 1969 as "Pointers, a Pair". The line-up grew to a trio when sister Anita Pointer joined them. They scored a record deal with Atlantic Records and released several unsuccessful singles. The trio grew to a quartet when sister Ruth joined in December 1972. They then signed with Blue Thumb Records, recorded their debut album, and began seeing more success. The group achieved its greatest commercial success as a trio during the 1980s consisting of the line-up of June, Ruth, and Anita. Bonnie had left the group in 1978 to commence a solo career with only modest success.
By 1977, both June and Bonnie had left the group. June wanted to take a break and Bonnie left to start a solo career. Bonnie married Motown Records producer Jeffrey Bowen in 1978. She subsequently signed a contract with Motown and this led to a brief moderately successful solo career. Her first self-titled album produced the disco song "Heaven Must Have Sent You". The album was produced by Jeffrey Bowen (her husband at the time) and Berry Gordy. The song became a top 20 pop hit in September 1979.

On January 22, 1978, Ruth had given birth to her second daughter and, now a duo, Ruth and Anita cut back their schedules and concentrated on raising their families. They began talking about the future of the group and what direction it should take. They agreed to dispense with the 1940s nostalgia and go in a contemporary direction. Later in July of that year, June married William Oliver Whitmore II.

The two sisters now signed a deal with producer Richard Perry's Planet Records, which was distributed by Elektra Records. After contributing guest vocals on the group's cover of Sly Stone's "Everybody Is A Star", June was convinced to return to the group, making it a trio. With Perry, the trio began working on an album of west coast soft rock which was released in 1978 with the title Energy. The first single, a cover version of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire" climbed to No.2 on the US singles charts in early 1979, and a third Allen Toussaint cover, "Happiness", also charted.

In 1979 they released an album with a harder edged rock sound entitled Priority, and while it was not a huge commercial success, it received very positive critical reviews and further strengthened the group's reputation for being versatile.
In recent years many Pointer Sisters songs were covered by contemporary artists, such as "Jump (for My Love)" by Girls Aloud, which reached number two at the UK singles chart in 2003, "Dare Me" was turned into the dance smash "Stupidisco" by Belgian DJ Junior Jack, indie band Le Tigre covered in 2004 "I'm So Excited" on their third album This Island, and French DJ Muttonheads sampled "Back In My Arms" on his 2005 club hit "I'll Be There". Most recently in 2007, Tommy Boy recording artist Ultra Naté has released a dance-pop cover of "Automatic" that reached #1 at the US Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts. In 2005, "Pinball Number Count" was re-edited for Coldcut's Ninja Tune label, becoming a surprise dance hit. The same song has also been remixed by Venetian Snares of the Planet Mu record label.

The band is currently experiencing a successful revival in Europe due to their performance at the annual Night of the Proms, a highly successful series of concerts combining pop and classical music, taking place in the Benelux, France and Germany. The group received the highest audience ratings of all participating Night of the Proms acts in 2002. In addition, their collaboration with Belgian pop star Natalia on "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves," placed them on the charts in Europe (the single peaked at No.2 in the Belgian charts) and resulted in ten sold out dates in Antwerp in January 2006 with the "Natalia Meets The Pointer Sister" concerts, selling out 130.000 tickets for the 10 date concert run.

On June 7, 2006 Anita guest-starred on Celebrity Duets singing with Olympic gymnast Carly Patterson on "I'm So Excited".

Since August 2009 Ruth, Anita and Bonnie have reunited. On August 4, 2009 they stopped by The Kibitz Room at Canter's in LA and jammed with the band and Ruth's son Malik Pointer. They sang Fire, Yes We Can Can and Going Down Slowly. On November 4, 2009, The Pointer Sisters played "I'm So Excited" and "The Neutron Dance" on CBS morning show The Early Show with Ruth's granddaughter, Sadako Johnson. Issa Pointer is currently pursuing a solo career.
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Music

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• The Pointer Sisters
• automatic
• jump. I'm so excited
• top of the pops 1984

[sisterpepperspray]

How has this only got 2,618 views? I came here because I wondered if there was a video for one of my favorite songs. How have I lived this long without knowing all the dances to do? I love this, thank you for posting it.

[memorylane1980s]

@sisterpepperspray Thx glad you like it, its one of my Facourite 80s songs as well.

Keep Rockin!

Ian

[lllzenithlll]

@RetroCool73 loll i like how u worded that u made me smirk. n id have to agree with you 100%

[RetroCool73]

Is there another video on youtube more abusrdly "80s" than this spectacle? Surely not...

[altobiotero]

Funny vid... 110% style... Thanx !!