As a child born and raised in Canada, I grew up listening to four of the seven Mini Pops albums. I got into them at a VERY young age. For reasons I will never understand, I was wary of other kids at the age of five. I remember seeing ads for the first Mini Pops album on TV and thinking it was stupid. However, a visit to one of my mother's friends changed all that. They had a daughter and she was obsessed with that Mini Pops album. Since enthusiasm is infectious, I became excited about the album and bugged my parents to buy it for me on our next trip to Woolco. I think it's fair to say that The Mini Pops influenced my genuine love of music and opened the door for an entire generation of other music lovers. The Mini Pops were many kids' exposure to the songs represented here, and some remain as such due to many of these songs only being popular in the UK.
The Mini Pops started as a TV show in the UK. It never aired in Canada. The show ran for one season and immediately stirred up controversy due to the children wearing a ton of makeup and singing risque lyrics of the then-current pop stars. For this entry (which has been a long time coming), I'm not going to focus on the controversy that erupted in the UK over the TV show. All we got over here in Canada was the albums and some home video releases. I'll be covering the positives and negatives of all the releases as well as giving you stellar transfers of formerly sealed or near-mint copies of all the albums. And now, on with the show...
Mini Pops
Track listing:
Side 1:
Video Killed The Radio Star
Medley:
Japanese Boy / Nine To Five / My Boy Lollipop / Japanese Boy
Abba Medley:
Gimme Gimme Gimme / Knowing Me Knowing You / Super Trouper / Money Money Money / Mamma Mia / SOS / Waterloo / Dancing Queen
Disco Medley:
DISCO / YMCA / In The Navy / Go West / Celebration / Happy Birthday
Medley:
Una Paloma Blanca / Brown Girl In The Ring / Daddy Cool / Swinging On a Star / Loop De Loop
Birdie Song
Side 2:
Stupid Cupid
Novelty Medley:
Green Door / Turning Japanese / Baggy Trousers / Stop The Calvary / You Drive Me Crazy / There's a Guy Works Down The Chip Shop
Rock 'n' Roll Medley:
Under The Moon of Love / When / This Ole House / Rip It Up / Hound Dog / Rock Around The Clock
Blondie Medley:
Call Me / Sunday Girl / Denis Denis
Knock On Your Door
Can Can
This is the album that most people associate with the Mini Pops. Dare I say that the album cover is striking and iconic with it's neon logo, rainbow background, and the picture of Joanna Fisher in the upper right hand corner. The kids on this album are quite young and it really shows in their vocal performances. However, the band backing up the singing children is absolutely stellar. It's a shame that there is NO CREDIT given to the musicians on this or any other Mini Pops albums. The quality musicianship from the band on the subsequent albums (whoever they may be) remains consistent and is quite excellent. If you can't take joy in the screechy children singing, then at least take joy in how well the band plays.
K-Tel acquired the rights to release and distribute the first four Mini Pops albums.
The roots of this album mainly belong to Joanna Wyatt and her father. Joanna had released a few singles before this album (most notably "Stupid Cupid" which topped the music charts in France). As a side note, Joanna Wyatt has had a very lengthy career since The Mini Pops. She had done a ton of voice acting in both television and video games. She is still working in the industry to this day.
The format of the album contains songs from the TV show which appear to have been re-recorded along with medleys which are spliced-together snippets of full-length performances.
Best Song: Stupid Cupid
It's the song that started it all. It's a cover of a fairly unknown song by Connie Francis. Joanna's vocals just work for this cutesy-poo song and the band (specifically the saxophone player) is absolutely smoking on this song.
Worst Song: Birdie Song
The Bird Dance is fairly detested among many people. It's a crappy novelty song by The Emeralds and has been over-played at every wedding in existence. The song adds absolutely NO SUBSTANCE to the album since it's an instrumental and has the kids singing "daaaaa da da da da daa daa" along with the synthesized accordion. I would have preferred this track to be dropped and substituted for a full length song from the TV show.
Honourable Mention: Can Can
This is another instrumental track, but holy shit is the band ever smoking on this one! The keyboard player is fucking amazing. It sounds like the band actually had fun recording this one. What ruins the track is the kids singing "laaa la la la la la la" at the end, but since it's modelled after the version by Bad Manners, it makes sense.
We're The Mini Pops
Track Listing:
Side 1:
We're The Mini Pops
Fame
Medley:
Shy Boy - Mirror Mirror - Land of Make Believe - Happy Talk
Eye of the Tiger
Kids in America
Medley:
Doo Wah Diddy Diddy - Yesterday Man - Clap Your Hands
Mickey
Ebony & Ivory
Side 2:
I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Satisfaction
Medley :
The Lion Sleeps Tonight / The Clapping Song / Don't You Want Me / I Want To Be Free
Bette Davis Eyes
Mini Motown Medley:
ABC / Baby Love / Dancing In The Street / My Cherie Amour
Abracadabra
Medley:
House of Fun / Go Wild In The Country / Stand & Deliver
Sugar Sugar
Medley:
Simon Says / Yellow Submarine
We're The Mini Pops (Reprise)
There are two versions of this album; the North American version and the UK one. The UK version has some different medleys and full length songs. I'll naturally be touching on the North American version.
This album is pretty much more of the same; songs from the TV show re-recorded and edited and such. This is also the longest Mini Pops album which clocks in at almost 55 minutes. K-Tel were no strangers to jamming a ton of songs onto one LP. To accomplish this feat, the album needs to be mastered at a much lower volume which in turn increases the vinyl's surface noise. The copy that I acquired is absolutely stellar, so it wasn't an issue to turn up the volume for the transfer.
The album is sandwiched by the theme from the Mini Pops TV show at both the beginning and the end of the album.
Best Song: Bette Davis Eyes
This was my first exposure to the song. I can't tell you how disappointed I was to hear the Kim Carnes version. Kim sounds like she's struggling to hit the high notes and falls flat on many of them. I have no clue who the Mini Pop is singing on this track, but she absolutely nails it, and dare I say sings it better than Kim. I will take hearing this version over Kim's any day. I nominate this as the best overall Mini Pops song in the entire original run.
Worst Song: Abracadabra
Okay, I get it. I was a big fan of Abracadabra when I first heard it at age five. What kid wouldn't be? It's a cool word that kids my age used for casting magic spells. My mother was absolutely furious with me for listening to the original song. The problems with the Mini Pops version is very apparent if you're familiar with Steve Miller's original version. They left out the verse that mentions black panties (and rightly so), but left in the verse "I hear the magic in your sighs". The entire idea of having a child sing this song should have been scrapped from day one. The lyrical content is far too mature for a child to comprehend. But here it is, for better or for worse (it should always be worse).
Let's Dance
Track Listing:
Side 1:
Medley:
Let's Dance / The Loco-Motion / Let's Twist Again / Hippy Hippy Shake / Twist and Shout / Do You Wanna Dance
Karma Chameleon
Too Shy
Cruel Summer
Medley:
I'm Still Standing / Our House / Come Dancing
Motown Medley:
I'll Be There / I Can't Help Myself / Stop In The Name of Love / The Tears of a Clown
Charlie Brown
Side 2:
Don't Try To Stop It
Rock This Town
Rock 'n Roll Is King
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
Gloria
Blue Suede Shoes
Medley:
Let's Go Dancin' / Friends / Give It Up
Busy Doing Nothing
We're The Mini Pops
The outlandish attire of the child in the middle of the album cover is supposed to be mimicking Boy George. Regardless, the album retains it's top-notch quality and clocks in at 51 minutes in length. The massive success of the song Karma Chameleon (which I remember very well) helped drive the sales of this album. As a result, there are two Culture Club songs here.
The band is smoking as usual and you can tell it from the first track. This album also initiates the trend of starting off with a medley which continues through the rest of the original run.
Best Song: Don't Try To Stop It
This song wasn't a hit in North America. I had to search out the original, but I honestly prefer to hear the Mini Pops version. It's a catchy tune and the kid singing it has a really cool voice that is full of personality. He sings it really well!
Worst Song: Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
Not only is the instrumentation pretty abysmal, but the song is miserable even in it's original form. The fact that it's being sung by a child gives the impression that the child is being beaten to a pulp. That is how I've always associated with this song. I generally skipped this one because I didn't need to hear a song about a child suffering.
Christmas
Track Listing:
Side 1:
Medley:
Hark The Herald Angels Sing / Good King Wenceslas / The Holly and the Ivy / Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Little Donkey
Deck The Halls With Boughs of Holly
The Christmas Song
Mary's Boy Child
Frosty The Snowman
Medley:
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer / Winter Wonderland
Medley:
Ding Dong Merrily On High / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Wish You a Merry Christmas
When You Wish Upon a StarSide 2:Sleigh Ride
Medley:
Jingle Bells / Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus
Medley:
Silent Night / Away in a Manger / First Noel
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
White Christmas
Here Comes Santa Claus
Why Can't We Love Each Other All Year Round
I didn't own this album as a child because my family didn't celebrate Christmas. Therefore, feel free to take my opinion of this one with a grain of salt. Due to the lack of Christmas in my life, I'm not overly familiar with these songs let alone how to fucking spell the name "Wenceslas". Regardless, I think it was absolutely appropriate for the Mini Pops to record a Christmas album.
Release history is interesting for this one. This was K-Tel's final Mini Pops release before they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The distribution for this along with the previous three Mini Pops records was handed over to Quality Records. The Quality release comes on transparent red vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve containing all the lyrics. The "Let's Dance" album got the same gatefold treatment for it's re-release. The Christmas album is also the only Mini Pops album that was released on Compact Disc in 1990 (which I've never seen).
Best Song: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
It's fine. It's fun and catchy enough.
Worst Song: Frosty The Snowman
This one is done in a funk style and it just doesn't fucking work. I'm guessing it's modelled after someone else's recreation of the song, but I could care less about trying to find it.
Mini Pops Wanna Have Fun
Track Listing:
Side 1:
Wham Medley:
Wake Me Up / Young Guns / Bad Boys
Medley:
Flashdance / I Feel For You / Jump
Ghostbusters
Medley:
All Cried Out / Rio
Medley:
Frankie / Rage to Love
Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Dead Ringer For Love
Side 2:
Madonna Medley:
Lucky Star / Holiday / Into The Groove / Material Girl
Beat It
Medley:
Since Yesterday / Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Medley:
Wouldn't It Be Good / Look Mama / Easy Lover / Wide Boy
Medley:
Smooth Operator / Rhythm Of The Night / All Fall Down
Shout
I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the transition between K-Tel and Quality Records wasn't exactly smooth. I saw the ads for this album on TV, but never saw it in any of the retail stores that we frequented. The exception for this was during a trip to Thompson Manitoba to visit my uncle. I saw it on the racks in the stores there and begged my mother to buy it for me, but she was in a bad mood that day and refused to let me have it. Therefore, this is yet another Mini Pops album that I didn't grow up with. This also seems to be one of the more difficult albums to find in the wild.
Despite the record label mess that was going on in Canada, the albums were still being recorded in the UK with a steady core of kids who were on most of the albums from the beginning while others came and went. It seems the recording process was well established because for the most part there is absolutely no deviation in quality. However, the master created by Quality Records sounds a bit wimpy in comparison to all the K-Tel releases. This album also retains the lyrics inside the gatefold that was done for the Christmas album. This is also the first Mini Pops album that was released in Canada only, a trend that would continue for the rest of the run. I'm guessing the UK was fed up with the whole Mini Pops fiasco that erupted there.
The core of kids who made up The Mini Pops are getting older and their singing talent is obviously improving with every release. They're no longer the wobbly awkward vocalists who sang on that first album. At this stage, they're actually quite polished vocalists.
Best Song: Medley: Flashdance... What A Feeling / I Feel For You / Jump
Overall great performances. The song "Jump" isn't the Van Halen song, but the Pointer Sisters one. Everyone and their fucking dog was jumping in the 1980s and writing songs about it.
Worst Song: Dead Ringer For Love
This song is only the worst because I had to choose a bad one and I fucking hate Meat Loaf.
Magic Jukebox
Track Listing:
Side 1:
Beatles Medley:
Please Please Me / From Me To You / She Loves You
Medley:
Be My Baby / Then He Kissed Me / Baby I Love You
Don't You Just Know It
Medley:
Where Did Our Love Go / Ain't Gonna Wash For a Week / Da Doo Ron Ron
Don't Stop
System Addict
Keep On Running
Tell Him
Please Mr Postman
Side 2:
Monkees Medley:
Theme From The Monkees / I'm a Believer / Last Train To Clarksville / Day Dream Believer
Too Good To Be Forgotten
Medley:
Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Backseat / Sweet Talkin' Guy
Walking On Sunshine
Medley:
California Girls / Bye Bye Baby / Beach Baby.
True Blue
Venus
Grease Medley:
You're The One That I Want / We Go Together
Just look at that cover. The kids are becoming young adults. There is no vocal awkwardness on this release. It's a very polished-sounding album. All of the Mini Pops who performed on this album should be very proud of it. For anyone who has never heard the Mini Pops, this will be the easiest one on the ears.
This is the last Mini Pops album I owned as a child. It came with an error-ridden lyric sheet tossed inside the album jacket as opposed to a gatefold. One of the most notable things about this album is the list of the first names of the Mini Pops on the back (which they should have been doing from day one.) This album also got very heavy promotion in Canada. I have two copies which are signed by Joey Gregorash who hosted the Winnipeg children's TV show "S'kiddle Bits" in the 1980s. He often gave away copies of this album as prizes and autographed them.
Best Song: Don't Stop
This version very closely aligns with the Fleetwood Mac version. The instrumentation is nearly perfect and the vocal format arrangement of the original caters really well to the Mini Pops. Not only that, the vocal performances are perfect. I nominate this track as the 2nd best Mini Pops song in the entire original run.
Worst Song: Walking On Sunshine
Either the band is playing too fast, or the track was sped up to cram it onto the album's 50 minute runtime. It's also the weakest performance by both the singer and the band on the entire album. It gives the impression that nobody wanted to record it.
Rocket To The Stars
Track Listing:
Side 1:Heaven is a Place on EarthShattered DreamsMedley:Girlfriend / I Want You Back / I Should Be So LuckyMedley:Rocket 2 U / Sonic Boom Boy / When Will I Be FamousEverywhereTogether ForeverAnything For YouNothing's Gonna Change My Love For YouI'm Into Something GoodSide 2:I've Had The Time Of My LifeMedley:I Think We're Alone Now / Out of the Blue / I Heard a RumourHeartCross My HeartGive a Little LoveMedley:I Wanna Dance With Somebody / Pink Cadillac / Mony MonyBadWhen I Think Of YouThe Power of Love
After a three year break, the Mini Pops are back! Or are they? It's been seven years since the first album and most of the kids since then have turned into teenagers. Judging from the pictures and the list of Mini Pops members between this album and Magic Jukebox, the only surviving members were "Melissa". "Daniel" and "Tommy". At least there's a bit of consistency here, but the original core (mainly consisting of Kelly East, Joanna Fisher and Zoe Hart) are now gone. The album is also more synth-heavy as that was the direction of pop music at the time.
This is probably the most uncommon Mini Pops album. The main fan base from the first three albums had aged out and was now into mainstream music. The three year gap between this album and Magic Jukebox didn't do it any favours either. However, I think the worst thing this album has going for it is the lack of North American hits on it. This album contains WAY too many songs that were only hits in the UK. I'm only familiar with 12 out of the 26 songs represented here. Perhaps this is a snapshot of the different directions the two countries were going with regards to music tastes. The fact that Mini Pops albums weren't released in the UK from 1984 onward really amplifies the separation between the recording and release. Also, a lot of the tracks represented here are shortened and jammed back to back with another song which makes it a lot less enjoyable as a whole.
The quality of the record itself sounds kinda lousy. I don't think this is a very good pressing, but it's the only one in existence (other than the cassette) so we're stuck with it.
Best Song: Heaven is a Place on Earth
An absolutely stellar performance. It's the first track on the album and gets cut off early for a rendition of "Shattered Dreams" which is by no means terrible, but I would have preferred a full rendition.
Worst Song: Bad
The performance of this Michael Jackson hit isn't very good.
Music Video #1
Track Listing:
We're The Mini Pops
I Love Rock and Roll
Gertcha
A Little Peace
Video Killed The Radio Star
Morning Train (Nine to Five)
Message In A Bottle
Shy Boy
Bachelor Boy
My Way
I Want To Be Free
Green Door
Motown Medley:
ABC / Baby Love / Dancing In The Street / My Cherie Amour
Happy Talk
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Stand & Deliver
Yesterday Man
Mirror Mirror
Ebony & Ivory
Fame
The original UK TV show was compiled and released in Canada as two home video releases. It was mentioned as a blurb on the back of the "Let's Dance" album which would lead me to assume that these home videos were released in 1984. I have the first video. I have never seen a copy of the second video, although there are pictures of it floating around online. K-Tel generally released their home videos on both VHS and Beta. Given that K-Tel filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy later that year, that would give these releases only a few months on the market. Given that VCRs in 1984 were more of a luxury than a common household item, there likely aren't very many copies of these video tapes floating around.
After watching the video, I can understand the outrage in the UK. The most controversial thing on here is Joanna Fisher's performance of Sheena Easton's "Nine to Five". Yeah, that was a bad choice for airing on television. However, if you were lucky enough to catch the documentary "What Ever Happened To The Mini Pops" (before it was removed from Youtube), you'll know that the intention of the show was directly aimed at children. It was meant for the performers to have fun, and it was meant for children to watch. There was no ill-intent to manufacture anything for sick individuals (although it probably inadvertently did).
Some of the songs included on the video are not available on any of the albums. However, the video performances are pretty fun with my favourite being the adorably hilarious rendition of "My Way". As a concept, I don't think there's inherently anything wrong with any of this. I just think the song selection should have been more thoroughly screened. As for the caked-on makeup, it's done regularly for television, movies, and on a lesser extent, Halloween. Let the kids have fun dressing up as long as it's tasteful. There's nothing wrong with that.
Posters
For a time during the run of "Wanna Have Fun" and "Magic Jukebox", the Post company included a free poster inside their boxes of cereal. As a child, I ended up with a poster of Zoe Hart that ended up hanging on my wall. Recently, I found and acquired two never-opened posters from Facebook Marketplace. Sadly, both posters were the same but on the plus side, it's one of the better posters you can get. It contains three core members of the Mini Pops. I scanned and assembled the poster, then got AI to remove the creases. It looks great! It also has a coupon for 50 cents off my next Mini Pops album purchase. Thrift stores beware!
The bio's on the back of the poster are interesting to say the least.
So now you have the most complete Mini Pops discography on the internet! I've put all the albums and the video into a playlist on Youtube for those who want non-stop Mini Pops action (you probably don't), but I hope it brings back some great nostalgia for not only the kids who grew up listening to the albums, but also for the kids who grew up performing on them.
Stay tuned.... I plan on finally finishing the 2022 Junq Tour now that my health isn't suffering as much as it had been when I fell behind on entries. I now feel that I can finally get back to doing this semi-regularly again.
