The Originals - Prequel of the hits

In February 1982 a two hour radio show was first aired from Brussels, with nothing but the original versions of hits of the day. Made for a change for Soft Cell's Tainted Love, Capt. Sensible's Happy Talk, Fun Boy Three & Bananarama's It Ain't What You Do and Sting's Spread A Little Happiness. Instead of sifting through average early eighties TOTP regulars, in came the mid sixties, late forties, thirties and even twenties, linking a Northern soul classic to a Rodgers & Hammerstein composition, a Jimmie Lunceford theme song and a West End showtune from musical Mr. Cinders.

That was only the beginning. Soon as The Originals' own bag o' goodies ran out, audience participation filled it up again and never stopped doing so. 582 separate The Originals radio shows followed, and counting.