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.
25 April 2023
20 April 2023
Week commencing 20 April 1992
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)
Peak: number 116
Peak date: 18 May 1992
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
"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.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 181 "Judge Fudge" by Happy Mondays
Peak: number 181
Peak date: 20 April 1992
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
We last saw Happy Mondays in 1991.
"Judge Fudge" was a non-album single. The single peaked at number 24 in the UK in November 1991.
Domestically, "Judge Fudge" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 151.
Number 191 "Lightning" by Zoë
Peak: number 156
Peak date: 11 May 1992
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
We last saw Zoë in 1991.
"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.
13 April 2023
Week commencing 13 April 1992
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.
Another single, "My Heart Just Bleeds", was released in October 1992.
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.
Next week (20 April): Four top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.
06 April 2023
Week commencing 6 April 1992
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.
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.
As you might expect from the title of the E.P., Covers consists of cover versions of other artists' songs. The four cover versions on this E.P. are "Love Is Strange" (originally recorded by Mickey & Sylvia), "Tougher Than the Rest" (originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen), "Time After Time" (originally recorded by Cyndi Lauper), and "Alison" (originally recorded by Elvis Costello).
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
Peak: number 153
Peak date: 25 May 1992
Weeks on chart: 11 weeks
We last saw Definition of Sound in 1991.
"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.
We shall see Definition of Sound next in October.
Number 179 "I'll Cry for You" by Europe
Peak: number 179
Peak date: 6 April 1992
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
We last saw Swedish rock band Europe in 1991.
"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).
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