Thank you to those of you who have commented or sent me messages after I put this blog on hiatus in April due to illness. I thought I would post a brief update. I was hesitant to post details previously, because I didn’t/don’t intend to turn this site into a personal blog about my health.
For those of you wondering… I was diagnosed with cancer in April 2023. I decided to stop my weekly posts to the blog for a year at the time, as I knew I could not commit to new posts reliably while I underwent treatment, and that has turned out to be the case.
I have spent about seven weeks in hospital since my diagnosis. Back in May/June I underwent 27 sessions of radiotherapy, combined with oral chemotherapy, which often resulted in me needing to nap for a few hours in the afternoon. I was in no state back then to e.g. research posts, though it would have been a welcome distraction.
I’m scheduled to have my twelfth and (for now) final cycle of intravenous chemotherapy just after Christmas. I have coped much better than I thought I would with my treatments (i.e. there has been no nausea/vomiting, mental fog or general feeling of being unwell), though have had some setbacks along the way; the worst of which has been a fracture in my spine (an unforeseen complication of radiotherapy).
Scans have revealed that I am responding well to treatment, although I still have some way to go, including further surgery.
I am not going to pretend that the last eight months have been easy, but they could have been much worse. I intend to resume my 1992 and 1983 chart recaps in April 2024, when - hopefully - I will be in a better position health-wise.
When I return, I have a stack of newly-uncovered singles that peaked outside the ARIA top 100 from 1989-1992 to add to my earlier posts. See you then!
Regretfully, I have decided to put this blog on hold for the time being - probably until April 2024. I have been diagnosed with a serious illness and need to focus on my health over the next several months. I will hopefully resume my posts from where I left off next year. Thank you for reading.
Unfortunately, my posts will be on halt for at least the next week due to unforeseen personal circumstances. My posts will resume as soon as I am able to do so. Thank you for your patience.
I didn't hear one of this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100 at the time. Perhaps they are new to you, too? Let's take a look (and listen) together.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince: looking so early 90s it hurts.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 110 "The Things That U Do" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Peak: number 109
Peak date: 11 May 1992
Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks
We last saw DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince in 1989.
"The Things That U Do" was the third single lifted from their fourth studio album Homebase (number 110, October 1991), following "Summertime" (number 52, September 1991) and "Ring My Bell" (number 58, February 1992).
Internationally, the single peaked at number 21 in the Netherlands in March 1992, and number 29 in New Zealand during the same month.
Number 127 "The Concept" by Teenage Fanclub
Peak: number 110
Peak date: 27 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Scottish band Teenage Fanclub formed in 1989. "The Concept", their first release to chart in Australia, was lifted from the band's third album Bandwagonesque (number 116, March 1992).
"The Concept" peaked at number 51 in the UK in November 1991.
We'll next see Teenage Fanclub in 1995.
Number 134 "Hooked on the Memory of You" by Neil Diamond (duet with Kim Carnes)
"Hooked on the Memory of You" was a song originally recorded solo for Neil Diamond's 1988 album The Best Years of Our Lives (number 85, March 1989). Neil re-recorded the song as a duet with Kim Carnes for his Lovescape (number 15, March 1992) album.
I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere.
We shall next see Neil in 1993, and Kim in 1997.
Number 139 "Thinking About Your Love" by Kenny Thomas
Peak: number 125
Peak date: 25 May 1992
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Weeks on chart: 10 weeks
English soul singer Kenny Thomas started his career as a boxer and a technician for British Telecom before embarking on a singing career.
"Thinking About Your Love" was the second single Kenny released in Australia, following "Outstanding" (released January 1992, failed to chart). Both tracks were taken from his debut album Voices (number 133, May 1992).
Internationally, "Thinking About Your Love" peaked at number 4 in the UK in June 1991, number 22 in Sweden in September 1991, and number 50 in Germany in September 1991.
Within Australia, "Thinking About Your Love" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 100.
"Lightning" was the second single lifted from Zoë's debut album Scarlet Red and Blue (number 193, May 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 37 in the UK in November 1991, and number 28 in Ireland.
Locally, "Lightning" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 125.
This was Zoë's last charting entry in Australia. She had one further single released locally, "Hammer", in July 1996.
A third single from Scarlet Red and Blue, "Holy Days", was issued in Europe, reaching number 72 in the UK in March 1992.
Next week (27 April): Five top 150 debuts, and one bubbling WAY down under entry.
This week in 1992's debuts peaking outside the top 100 are an eclectic bunch. Let's take a look.
Chaka Khan: Big voice, big hair, but not that many big hits in Australia.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 131 "Big Thing" by Among Thieves
Peak: number 117
Peak date: 18 May 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Among Thieves were an Australian band, formed in Melbourne. During their tenure, they released only one album, Among Thieves, in April 1993. It missed the ARIA top 150 albums chart.
The group had more success on the singles chart, however, placing one single in the ARIA top 100 - "Faith in Love" (number 72, January 1992).
"Big Thing", which I hadn't heard before, climbed to its peak of number 117 before falling out of the top 150 the following week. It was the final top 150 entry from Among Thieves.
Number 145 "Can't Get Love with Money" by Schascle
Peak: number 138
Peak date: 18 May 1992
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
I can't tell you much about Schascle Yochim, who dropped the surname for her stage name. But "Can't Get Love with Money", which I hadn't heard before, was her only ARIA top 150 single. The track is lifted from the album Haunted by Real Life (number 140, May 1992). I cannot find evidence of the single charting elsewhere.
Number 150 "Like a Rolling Stone" (Live) by Bob Dylan
Peak: number 150
Peak date: 13 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
This live version of Bob Dylan's 1965 single "Like a Rolling Stone" appears to have been an Australian-only release, issued to promote the Australasian-only re-issue of his 1978 compilation Masterpieces, which belatedly peaked at number 35 in March 1997. The album originally peaked at number 2 in Australia in April 1978.
Unfortunately, I am unable to determine which is the 'correct' live version of this track to embed below, short of buying the CD single (which I do not wish to do), as the single sleeve does not specify when or where the live recording was made. Nevertheless, I have embedded a live version of the song below.
We shall next see Bob in 1993.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 193 "Love You All My Lifetime" by Chaka Khan
Peak: number 193
Peak date: 13 April 1992
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
We last saw Chaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens, in 1989.
"Love You All My Lifetime" was the lead single from Chaka's eighth studio album The Woman I Am (number 159, April 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 49 in the UK in April 1992, and number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1992.
Within Australia, "Love You All My Lifetime" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 179.
I don't recall hearing this one at the time. It's decent.
We'll next see Chaka in 1997. Before then, she placed another album outside the ARIA top 100 - The Remix Project (Greatest Hits) (number 157, April 1994).
Next week (20 April): Four top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.
Eight of this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the ARIA top 100 have lead male vocals. Let's take a look at them.
Marky Mark: so skint he had to make do without a shirt.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 128 "I Need Money" by Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch
Peak: number 121
Peak date: 13 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Mark Wahlberg, known in the early 90s as Marky Mark, was an original member of New Kids on the Block, at age 13, alongside his older brother Donnie. Mark soon quit the group, however, and launched his 'solo' musical career (of sorts) in 1991 together with The Funky Bunch.
Marky Mark's debut single "Good Vibrations" (number 4, October 1991) was an international hit, followed up by the more moderately-successful "Wildside" (number 28, January 1992). "I Need Money" was the third and final single lifted from the debut Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch album Music for the People (number 67, November 1991).
Internationally, "I Need Money" peaked at number 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1992.
I did not hear this one at the time, but remember it being reviewed in Smash Hits magazine.
Number 134 "Poison Girl" by Chris Whitley
Peak: number 133
Peak date: 22 June 1992
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
We last saw American blues/rock singer-songwriter Chris Whitley in January.
"Poison Girl" was the third and final single lifted from Chris' debut album Living with the Law (number 109, November 1991). I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere, even on the subsidiary genre-specific Billboard charts. It was his final ARIA top 150 entry.
Number 135 "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" by Tears for Fears
Peak: number 130
Peak date: 27 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks
We last saw Tears for Fears, who were now essentially just Roland Orzabal, in 1990. We also saw a side project of theirs in 1991.
"Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" originally appeared as a largely instrumental B-side on the "Sowing the Seeds of Love" (number 13, October 1989) single in 1989, titled "Tears Roll Down". This version of the track was recorded for the Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92) (number 101, July 1992) compilation. Although that album curiously just missed the top 100 in Australia, it performed considerably better in Western Australia, where it reached number 16 on the state chart.
Internationally, "Laid So Low..." peaked at number 17 in the UK in February 1992, number 40 in Germany in March 1992, number 27 in the Netherlands in April 1992, number 15 in France in May 1992, and number 49 in the Flanders region of Belgium in May 1992.
Domestically, "Laid So Low..." was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 95.
I remember seeing this single in the shops, but never actually heard the track until listening to it to write this post. While I think the song is OK, it does not rank among Tears for Fears' best.
We shall next see Tears for Fears in 1995.
Number 136 Covers E.P. by Everything but the Girl
Peak: number 136
Peak date: 6 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
We last saw English duo Everything but the Girl in 1990.
None of the above tracks appear on the then-current Everything but the Girl album Worldwide (number 164, December 1991).
Internationally, the Covers E.P. peaked at number 13 in the UK in March 1992, and number 18 in Ireland during the same month.
Within Australia, Covers performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 121.
We'll next see Everything but the Girl in 1993.
Number 141 "Lover, Lover, Lover" by Ian McCulloch
Peak: number 141
Peak date: 6 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
English singer-songwriter Ian McCulloch is best known as the lead singer of Echo & The Bunnymen. He launched a solo career in 1984.
"Lover, Lover, Lover" was the lifted from Ian's second solo studio album Mysterio. It was Ian's first solo release to chart in Australia.
Internationally, "Lover, Lover, Lover" peaked at number 47 in the UK in March 1992.
I hadn't heard this one before. I liked it.
We shall see Ian again with Echo & The Bunnymen in 1997.
Number 148 "What My Baby Likes" by Push Push
Peak: number 118
Peak date: 25 May 1992
Weeks in top 150: 12 weeks
New Zealand rock band Push Push formed in 1985. Their debut single "Trippin'" topped the New Zealand singles chart for six non-consecutive weeks in April-May 1991, and peaked at number 25 locally in July 1991. Their second single "Song 27" (number 62, September 1991) was less-successful.
"What My Baby Likes" was the third and final single released from Push Push's only album A Trillion Shades of Happy (number 105, June 1992). The single peaked at number 4 in New Zealand in March 1992.
Number 149 "James Brown Is Still Alive!!" by Holy Noise featuring The Global Insert Project
Peak: number 148
Peak date: 4 May 1992
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
Not having heard this one before, as I expected from the title, "James Brown Is Still Alive!!" is an answer-song of sorts to L.A. Style's "James Brown Is Dead" (number 7, May 1992).
Internationally, "James Brown Is Still Alive!!" peaked at number 5 in the Netherlands in November 1991, number 7 in the Flanders region of Belgium in December 1991, and number 29 in Germany in February 1992.
"James Brown Is Still Alive!!" performed much better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, reaching number 90.
Of course, James Brown is dead now. He died on Christmas day 2006, aged 73.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 171 "Moira Jane's Café" by Definition of Sound
"Moira Jane's Café" was the fourth and final single lifted from the duo's debut album Love and Life (number 97, August 1991). The single peaked at number 34 in the UK in February 1992, and at number 50 in the Netherlands in April 1992.
Domestically, "Moira Jane's Café" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 108.
"I'll Cry for You" was the second single lifted from the band's fifth studio album Prisoners in Paradise (number 197, November 1991). Internationally, "I'll Cry for You" peaked at number 28 in the UK in February 1992.
Within Australia, "I'll Cry for You" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 126.
This was Europe's final single to peak outside the ARIA top 100. They landed another chart hit in late 1999 with "The Final Countdown 2000" (number 33, January 2000).
Europe had three further albums peak outside the top 100 in Australia: Last Look at Eden (number 926, August 2010), War of Kings (number 646, January 2016), and The Final Countdown 30th Anniversary Show - Live at The Roundhouse (number 839, January 2018).
Next week (13 April): Three top 150 debuts and one bubbling WAY down under entry.
Again there is no easily-identifiable common thread running among this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100, so let's just dive straight in.
Color Me Badd: their first 'badd' chart position in Australia.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 101 "Heartbreaker" by Color Me Badd
Peak: number 101
Peak dates: 30 March 1992 and 6 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
American vocal quartet Color Me Badd formed in 1985. Coincidentally, I recently watched a YouTube video on the band, whom I did not know much about previously. To my surprise, the group formed while still at school - I would have assumed that the members auditioned to be in the band.
Color Me Badd burst onto the Australian chart with back-to-back top ten hits "I Wanna Sex You Up" (number 4, August 1991) and "All 4 Love" (number 9, November 1991). From then, however, it was all downhill for their chart fortunes in Australia, with their third local release "I Adore Mi Amor" (number 27, February 1992) being their only other ARIA top 50 single. In contrast, all three singles reached the top two on the US Billboard Hot 100.
While the US went with "Thinkin' Back" as the fourth single from the band's debut album C.M.B. (number 17, February 1992), Australasia and Europe went with "Heartbreaker", which was not released as a single in the US.
Internationally, "Heartbreaker" peaked at number 58 in the UK in February 1992, number 32 in New Zealand in April 1992, and number 61 in the Netherlands in April 1992.
Without giving much away, if you are interested in what happened to Color Me Badd since their split in 1998, it is well worth viewing this 15 minute video I caught recently on YouTube.
We will next see Color Me Badd in 1996.
Number 112 "Beautiful People" by Freaked Out Flower Children
Peak: number 102
Peak date: 13 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Freaked Out Flower Children were essentially the two guys (Tricky and Gumpy) behind Mighty Big Crime, whom we last saw in 1991, with Australian TV host of The Bugs Bunny Show and Sex (!), Sophie Lee, plus a few other model-type women. What contribution the latter group and Sophie had, other than to stand around pouting while looking 'hot' and apparently providing minimal backing vocals, I am not entirely sure. Though we are led to believe that Sophie played some recorder-type instrument in the music video for the group's debut single, a cover version of Eric Burdon & War's "Spill the Wine" (number 31, February 1992).
"Beautiful People" was issued as the second and final single from the only Freaked Out Flower Children album Love In (number 81, February 1992). A music video for the track exists, but has not made its way online at the time of writing, and I know of know source for it.
The track was also remixed for single release, but I've had to resort to asking an online contact for a rip of the LP version, as - short of buying the CD single myself and ripping the track - the song is not otherwise online.
This was Freaked Out Flower Children's final release.
"Girls on My Mind" was first single lifted from David's second solo studio album Uh-Oh (number 67, April 1992). Internationally, "Girls on My Mind" peaked at number 39 in New Zealand in May 1992.
This would be David's last solo single to crack the ARIA top 150.
Number 133 "Money Worries" by MC OJ & Rhythm Slave
Peak: number 133
Peak date: 30 March 1992
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
MC OJ & Rhythm Slave were a New Zealand hip-hop duo. "Money Worries", which I had not heard before, was their only ARIA top 150 entry. "Money Worries" peaked at number 36 in New Zealand in January 1992. The track was lifted from the duo's only album What Can We Say.
"Steel Bars" was released as the fourth single from Michael's seventh studio albumTime, Love & Tenderness (number 11, August 1991). The song, however, was a radio-only single in Michael's native US, rendering it ineligible to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 at the time. I first heard this song on the American Top 40 radio show.
Elsewhere, "Steel Bars" peaked at number 17 in the UK in February 1992, number 22 in Ireland in February 1992, and number 57 in Germany in April 1992.
Within Australia, "Steel Bars" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 116.
I don't remember "Steel Bars" receiving any promotion, and never saw the music video at the time, which probably explains its lack of chart success. While I'm not always a fan of Michael's ballads, I am somewhat partial to his more-upbeat singles from this era, and "Steel Bars" is one I enjoy, and I thought it should have done much better commercially.
Unrelated, really, but if you've ever wondered what a Michael Bolton song might sound like with Stock Aitken Waterman-style production, Tee Webb released this version of the song in 2021.
"Was It Worth It?" was the second new track recorded for Pet Shop Boys' Discography (number 6, December 1991) compilation, and was much better than the other new song, "DJ Culture", which I am not a fan of. However, "Was It Worth It?" performed equally-bad or worse on the chart than "DJ Culture" almost everywhere it was released! Sometimes (OK, often...) the record-buying public get it completely wrong.
"Was It Worth It?" peaked at number 24 in the UK - the duo's lowest-peaking single there since the 1985 release of "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" - in December 1991. It also peaked at number 25 in Ireland in December 1991, number 19 in Germany in January 1992, number 50 in the Netherlands in February 1992, and number 23 in Sweden in February 1992.
Locally, "Was It Worth It?" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 118.
We won't see Pet Shop Boys again until 2000 - assuming I am still writing these chart recaps in 2031 (my interest in charts wanes severely in 1999).
"Who's Crying Now" was lifted from Randy's tenth studio album Through the Eyes of Love (number 113, August 1992). The song was originally recorded by American rock band Journey, which peaked at number 65 in Australia in October 1981.
Internationally, Randy's rendition of "Who's Crying Now" peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard R&B chart.
On the ARIA state charts, "Who's Crying Now" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 160.
We shall see Randy again in 1998.
Number 194 "Something 'Bout Love" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
"Something 'Bout Love" was lifted from the band's fourth and final studio album Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen (number 129, October 1991).
"Something 'Bout Love" did not chart anywhere else that I can ascertain. The single performed strongest on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 176.
This was the final Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam release to chart in Australia.
Next week (6 April): Seven top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.
"Ghost Train" was issued as the fourth single in Australia from Marc's debut album Marc Cohn (number 31, September 1991). Internationally, "Ghost Train" peaked at number 74 in Germany in December 1991.
I hadn't heard this one before. It's nice.
Marc will join us again in 1993.
Number 142 "Jesus Built My Hotrod" by Ministry
Peak: number 134
Peak date: 30 March 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
American industrial metal band Ministry formed in 1981.
"Jesus Built My Hotrod" was the lead single from the band's fifth studio album ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ (number 54, August 1992), which is also known as Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs. It was Ministry's first single to chart in Australia.
"Jesus Built My Hotrod" peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay (known as Modern Rock Tracks at the time) chart in January 1992.
To say I do not enjoy this kind of music is an understatement.
We will next see Ministry in August.
Number 149 "I'm Doing Fine Now" by The Pasadenas
Peak: number 143
Peak date: 13 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
English vocal group The Pasadenas formed in 1988. "I'm Doing Fine Now" is a cover version of a song originally recorded by New York City in 1973.
The Pasadenas' version of the track was the lead single from their third studio album Yours Sincerely, which was also a covers album. While "I'm Doing Fine Now" was the group's first ARIA top 150 single, they previously charted with the album To Whom It May Concern (number 149, March 1989).
I don't recall hearing this one before, but liked it.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 155 "The Statue Got Me High" by They Might Be Giants
"The Statue Got Me High" was the lead single from They Might Be Giants' fourth studio album Apollo 18 (number 59, April 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.
Domestically, "The Statue Got Me High" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 135.
I don't recall hearing this one before, but enjoyed it.
"Keep It in Your Pants" was the second and final single lifted from Young MC's second album Brainstorm (number 141, October 1991). It followed "That's the Way Love Goes" (number 63, September 1991).
Internationally, "Keep It in Your Pants" peaked at number 18 in New Zealand in February 1992.
Within Australia, "Keep It in Your Pants" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 131.
I have a vague memory of hearing this one at the time, but am not certain. One memorable thing I recall about the song is Australian comedian John Safran wanting to include this song, as the anti-"Bust a Move" (in contrast to that song, this one is about how you shouldn't just sleep with someone you met), in his 2010 rage guest programming playlist - but as the video was unavailable, he went with "Bust a Move 2002" (number 96, March 2002) instead, which was Young MC's only later single to chart in Australia.
Number 187 "Don't Let It Show on Your Face" by Adeva
"Don't Let It Show on Your Face" was issued as the second single from Adeva's second album Love Or Lust? (number 114, January 1992). It followed "It Should've Been Me" (number 83, January 1992). The track underwent a radical reworking by Perfecto for single release, and I much prefer this single mix to the LP version.
Internationally, "Don't Let It Show on Your Face" peaked at number 34 in the UK in February 1992.
Within Australia, "Don't Let It Show on Your Face" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 171.
Despite being a casual Adeva fan (I bought several of the singles from her debut album), I didn't hear this one until picking up a VHS compilation of hers in 2006. It's a pity, as it's probably my favourite Adeva track, with a sensational video to boot. The song deserved to do much better on the charts.
A third single from Love Or Lust?, "Until You Come Back to Me", was released in Australia in June 1992, but failed to chart.
While this would be the last occasion Adeva had a charting single in Australia in her own right, she will grace our presence again in 1995, when she collaborates with another artist. Adeva also charted with the compilation album Hits! (number 251, November 1992).
Number 198 "Too Blind to See It" by Kym Sims
Peak: number 161
Peak date: 27 April 1992
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
American singer-songwriter - although she did not write this track - Kym Sims started out as a jingle writer, before making her foray into dance music. "Too Blind to See It" was her debut release, and I first became aware of her after hearing the song on the American Top 40 radio show, with the single reaching number 38 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1992.
Kym's greatest success came in Europe, however. "Too Blind to See It" reached number 20 in Ireland in December 1991, number 5 in the UK in January 1992, number 21 in Sweden in February 1992, number 28 in the Netherlands in February 1992, and number 14 in the Flanders region of Belgium in March 1992. The single also peaked at number 45 in New Zealand in March 1992.
Domestically, "Too Blind to See It" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 127.
The single was lifted from Kym's debut and only album Too Blind to See It, which was released locally in April 1992 but failed to chart.
We will see Kym again in June. A song she wrote for another artist will also bubble under in July.
Next week(30 March): Four top 150 debuts and five bubbling WAY down under entries.
Once again I cannot identify a common theme linking this week in 1992's debuts peaking outside the top 100, so let's just dive straight in...
Take That: this marketing strategy didn't quite work...
Top 150 debuts:
Number 110 "Out of Control (Round and Round)" by Beatfish
Peak: number 110
Peak date: 16 March 1992
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks
Beatfish was a collaboration between James Freud, whom we last saw in 1989, and Martin Plaza from Mental As Anything, whom we saw in 1990. The pair recorded only one album, Beatfish (number 79, November 1991). Unlike the pair's previous solo/band work, the Beatfish project was electronic in sound.
"Out of Control (Round and Round)" was the third single lifted from the Beatfish album. It followed "Wheels of Love" (number 26, September 1991) and "All Around the World" (number 58, November 1991).
"Out of Control..." was most successful on the Western Australia state chart, where it reached number 54.
Beatfish will join us again in August.
Number 133 "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do" by Tevin Campbell
Peak: number 116
Peak date: 6 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
American R&B singer Tevin Campbell started his recording career in 1990 as a 13 year-old, when he was the featured vocalist on Quincy Jones' "Tomorrow (A Better You, A Better Me)". That single was released in Australia in June 1990, but failed to chart.
"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do" was Tevin's solo debut single in Australia, lifted from his debut album T.E.V.I.N., which initially peaked at number 134 in Australia in April 1992, but reached a new peak of number 98 in April 1994, following renewed interest after the success of Tevin's "Can We Talk" (number 12, April 1994).
Internationally, "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do" peaked at number 9 in New Zealand in February 1992, number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1992, number 63 in the UK in April 1992, and number 31 in the Netherlands in May 1992. It was Tevin's best-charting single in both the US and the UK.
I don't recall hearing this one before. The chorus melody reminds me a little bit of Whitney Houston's "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" (number 48, May 1988) - both tracks were produced by Narada Michael Walden.
"Not Like That", which became the Club Hoy's biggest 'hit', was lifted from the band's only album Thursday's Fortune (number 96, March 1992).
I don't recall hearing this one before. It has nice harmonies and could have become a hit with better promotion.
While we won't see Club Hoy again, lead singer Penny Flanagan will appear in 1995.
Number 149 Water EP by Def FX
Peak: number 149
Peak date: 16 March 1992
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Weeks on chart: 14 weeks
Australian band Def FX formed in Sydney in 1990. I became aware of them through seeing them perform "Surfers of the Mind", which is the lead track on the Water EP, on MTV. To me, their sound seemed to be quite avant-garde for Australia at the time, merging the genres of dance and rock/alternative. "Surfers of the Mind" samples one of the keyboard riffs used on Black Box's "Ride on Time" (number 2, January 1990), to boot.
The Water
EP debuted at number 191 on 22 July 1991, taking almost eight months to
dent the ARIA top 150 singles chart for a solitary week. The EP's chart life was quite protracted, as it was still lurking around in January 1993, when it peaked in Queensland.
I caught the video for "Surfers of the Mind" several times in 1991 on Coca-Cola Power Cuts, where it seemed to always be featured in the Alternative top 10. The track does not appear on Def FX's debut album Light Speed Collision (number 96, December 1992).
Def FX will next join us in 1996.
Number 150 "This Is Hip" by John Lee Hooker with Ry Cooder
"This Is Hip" was originally a 1963 song recorded by John Lee Hooker. He re-recorded the track with Ry Cooder for his 1991 collaborations-with-other-artists album Mr. Lucky (number 22, October 1991). I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere.
We shall next see John Lee Hooker in 1993.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 176 "Marilyn Dean and James Monroe" by John Kilzer
Peak: number 176
Peak date: 16 March 1992
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
American singer-songwriter John Kilzer last graced our presence in 1989.
"Marilyn Dean and James Monroe" was lifted from John's second album Busman's Holiday, which was released in Australia in March 1992 but missed the ARIA top 150.
John's biggest hit in Australia came with "Red Blue Jeans" (number 57, October 1988), which performed much stronger in South Australia/Northern Territory than other states, where it reached number 13.
On the state charts, "Marilyn Dean and James Monroe" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 146.
John died from suicide in 2019, aged 62. John had struggled with alcohol addiction for much of his life.
"Marilyn Dean and James Monroe" was John's final single to chart in Australia.
Number 188 "Once You've Tasted Love" by Take That
Peak: number 188
Peak date: 16 March 1992
Weeks on chart: 1 week
British boy band Take That formed in Manchester in 1990. I first heard of them in an artists-to-look-out-for article in the Australian edition of Smash Hits at the end of 1991.
It took Take That four single releases to land a proper hit in their native UK. "Once You've Tasted Love", their third UK release, was the group's Australian debut. I hadn't actually heard this one until listening to it to write this post. Gary Barlow's fright peroxide hair really stands out (in a not good way) from this era... If you haven't seen it before, it's worth checking out the trying-desperately-to-appeal-to-the-gay-market video for Take That's first UK release "Do What U Like".
"Once You've Tasted Love" was lifted from Take That's debut album Take That & Party (number 104, May 1993). The single peaked at number 47 in the UK in February 1992.
Domestically, "Once You've Tasted Love" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 178.
Take That would eventually go on to land some chart success in Australia, but before then, we'll see them again in July.
"Am I Right?" was the third single from Erasure's fifth studio album Chorus (number 93, November 1991) in their native UK, but was the second single in Australia, following the title track "Chorus" (number 77, October 1991). It appears that we skipped the "Love to Hate You" single.
Internationally, "Am I Right?" peaked at number 15 in the UK in December 1991, number 9 in Ireland in December 1991, number 46 in the Flanders region of Belgium in December 1991, and number 21 in Austria in January 1992.
In Australia, "Am I Right?" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 162 on the state chart.
Erasure scored a major (for them, in Australia) hit later in the year with Abba-esque (number 13, August 1992), an EP of four ABBA cover versions, from which "Lay All Your Love on Me" is my favourite.
"Every Kinda People" is a track that originally appeared on Robert's 1978 albumDouble Fun (number 75, June 1978). The single peaked at number 82 in Australia in August 1978.
"Every Kinda People" was remixed for inclusion on Robert's "Addictions" Volume 2 (number 167, April 1992) compilation album. The 1992 remixed version of "Every Kinda People" peaked at number 43 in the UK in March 1992, and number 26 in Canada in July 1992.
Within Australia, the 1992 remix of "Every Kinda People" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 124.
Robert will next join us in 1994. Before then, he had another studio album, Ridin' High (number 175, January 1993), which peaked outside the ARIA top 100.
Next week (23 March): Three new top 150 entries, and four bubbling WAY down under debuts.
This week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100 are an eclectic bunch, with everything from a 60's rocker your parents might have been fans of to a young big band crooner and pioneering electronic acts. Shall we take a look?
Blue Pearl: passion for playing with knives.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 103 "You Didn't Know Me When" by Harry Connick, Jr.
Peak: number 103
Peak date: 9 March 1992
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
American singer Harry Connick, Jr. made his Australian chart debut with the album We Are in Love (number 120, July 1991). His ARIA top 150 singles debut came with "It Had to Be You" (number 70, June 1992), which was first released locally in November 1989, and initially peaked at number 76 in October 1991. That song was the title track to an Australian-only compilation of some of Harry's earlier recordings, It Had to Be You (number 4, March 1992), which became his commercial breakthrough in Australia.
"You Didn't Know Me When" was lifted from Harry's third studio album Blue Light, Red Light (number 10, March 1992).
Harry's biggest hit in Australia came with "(I Could Only) Whisper Your Name" (number 15, December 1994), which I always associate with the Hey Hey It's Saturday band playing before heading to an ad break.
Last I was aware, Harry was currently a judge on the reboot of Australian Idol - I would not encourage any readers to watch that rubbish.
Number 130 "Don't Turn Around" by Neil Diamond
Peak: number 117
Peak date: 13 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond is someone I'd never heard of until his albums started appearing in the ARIA top 50 in the early 90s, but he landed 28 charting singles in Australia between 1969 and 1982. If I remember correctly (I can't really be bothered looking it up), Neil's renewed popularity in the early 90s was due to him touring Australia - I recall seeing TV commercials for his shows. In particular, I remember hearing Neil's 1966 song "Cherry, Cherry", with its "she got the way to move me" chorus, in the adverts. We have seen Neil previously in 1981.
"Don't Turn Around" was lifted from Neil's Lovescape (number 15, March 1992) album. Internationally, the single peaked at number 79 in Canada in March 1992.
Neil's rendition of "Don't Turn Around" took six weeks to climb to its peak of number 117 in Australia, before falling out of the top 150 the following week.
Number 146 "Never Stop" by The Brand New Heavies featuring N'Dea Davenport
Peak: number 140
Peak date: 13 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
British acid jazz and funk band The Brand New Heavies formed in 1985. American singer N'Dea Davenport, who receives a featuring credit on this release, was the band's lead singer between 1990 and 1995, before rejoining them in 2005. "Never Stop", lifted from the brand's debut album The Brand New Heavies (number 139, August 1992), was their first Australian release.
Internationally, "Never Stop" peaked at number 43 in the UK in October 1991, and number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1991.
The Brand New Heavies never landed an ARIA top 100 single, but we shall see them bubble under on several occasions in the coming years, with the next instance being in 1994.
Number 148 "When I First Met Your Ma" by Paul Kelly and The Messengers
Peak: number 131
Peak date: 6 April 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Weeks on chart: 10 weeks
We last saw Paul Kelly and The Messengers in 1991.
"When I First Met Your Ma" was the only single released from the Hidden Things (number 29, April 1992) compilation album, which collated non-album tracks recorded by Paul Kelly and The Messengers (formerly Paul Kelly and The Coloured Girls) between 1986 and 1991.
On the state charts, "When I First Met Your Ma" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 89.
We shall next see Paul Kelly and The Messengers in 1994, but before then, Paul will appear on his own as part of a collaboration with other artists in 1993.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 176 "Instruments of Darkness (All of Us Are One People)" by The Art of Noise
Peak: number 170
Peak date: 16 March 1992
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
We last saw English syth-pop act The Art of Noise in 1989.
"Instruments of Darkness..." originally appeared as a largely instrumental track on the 1986 albumIn Visible Silence (number 55, July 1986). This remixed version was lifted from the compilation The FON Mixes (number 180, March 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 45 in the UK in January 1992.
Domestically, "Instruments of Darkness..." was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 121.
Listening to this track for the first time, my initial impression was that it sounds very much like The Prodigy. Then I discovered that The Prodigy's Liam Howlett co-produced this version of the track.
We shall next see The Art of Noise in 1995.
Number 180 "(Can You) Feel the Passion" by Blue Pearl
Peak: number 166
Peak date: 16 March 1992
Weeks on chart: 4 weeks
Blue Pearl were English producer Youth (real name Martin Glover) and American singer Durga McBroom, who had been a long term backing singer for Pink Floyd - both on their studio recordings and their live concerts.
The pair released their debut single "Naked in the Rain" in 1990, which reached number 4 in the UK, but failed to chart in Australia upon its local release in September of that year. A second single, "Little Brother", was issued in Australia in June 1991, but similarly failed to chart, as did the album both singles were lifted from, Naked, which was released locally in June 1991.
The duo's third single, "(Can You) Feel the Passion", finally registered Blue Pearl a placing on the ARIA singles chart, albeit a rather low one. The single fared better internationally, where it reached number 14 in the UK in January 1992, number 24 in Ireland, number 32 in Sweden in February 1992, number 34 in the Flanders region of Belgium in March 1992, and number 49 in the Netherlands in March 1992. "(Can You) Feel the Passion" also topped the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in May 1992.
Locally, "(Can You) Feel the Passion" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 134.
While "In My Dreams" was the lead single from the band's second album In the Meantime, In Between Time, curiously their debut album The Party (number 189, June 1992) peaked a few months after this in 1992 - although it is possible that this track was added to the Australian pressing.
Internationally, "In My Dreams" peaked at number 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1992.
Within Australia, "In My Dreams" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 172.
I don't recall hearing this one before. I wasn't expecting to like it, but it's actually quite decent.
This was The Party's final single to chart in Australia.
Next week (16 March): Five top 150 debuts, and four bubbling WAY down under entries.
