Week commencing 27 July 1992

There's no common theme I can identify linking this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100.  Before diving in, I have updated the following earlier posts:

* 21 January 1991 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Pop Will Eat Itself;

* 8 July 1991 - with new bubbling WAY down under entries from Pop Will Eat Itself and Soul Family Sensation.

Ce Ce Peniston kept on walkin' in the opposite direction from the top 100 this week in 1992.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 109 “Beds Are Burning” (live) by Midnight Oil

Peak: number 108

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks 

 

It's kind of fitting that I would finally lose my hair (after a year of chemotherapy) during the week that Australian band, Midnight Oil, fronted by famous baldie Peter Garrett, would be the first entry I have to write about.  The Oils formed in 1972, though were originally known as The Farm (not to be confused with the UK band of the same name).  This is the first occasion Midnight Oil appear in the below number 100 section of the chart, although we have a seen the band's drummer, Rob Hirst, as a member of Ghostwriters previously.

Although the original 1987 studio version of "Beds Are Burning" (number 6, September 1987) was technically not their highest-charting single in Australia, it is without doubt their signature track, and biggest international hit, reaching the top 10 across Europe and the top 20 in the US.

Midnight Oil's biggest Australian hit was their Species Deceases EP (number 1 for 6 non-consecutive weeks in December 1985 and January 1986), which became the first release to debut at number 1 on the Australian singles chart.  My favourite track of theirs would be "The Dead Heart" (number 4, August 1986), which, together with the studio version of "Beds Are Burning", was taken from their sixth studio album Diesel and Dust (number 1 for 6 weeks in August-September 1987).

Fast forward to 1992, the Oils released the live album Scream in Blue - Live (number 3, May 1992).  This live version of "Beds Are Burning" was issued as the second single from it, following "Sometimes" (number 33, May 1992).  The track was recorded in Darlinghurst in 1989, from the Our Common Future concert.  Skip to 1:25 in the video embedded below if you just want to get to the music.  I don't recall hearing this version before.

We shall next see Midnight Oil in 1993.

Number 122 “Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)” by Deborah Blando

Peak: number 122

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

Brazilian songstress Deborah Blando, born in Italy, seemed to come out of nowhere in 1992 with her single "Innocence" (number 31, May 1992), which I rather like, though had not heard until it entered the top 60 on rage.  There were a few curiosities like that around mid-1992; I suspect heavily-discounted singles (of which "Innocence" was one), which was a new marketing strategy in Australia at the time (during a recession), was a factor at play - not to say that I think "Innocence" didn't deserve to do well.  Indeed, I can see a copy of the Australian CD single with a $1.95 price tag on it (as opposed to the regular $7.95 or even $8.95 price of CD singles at that time) on eBay; I am guessing the cassette single was sold for $0.95, as was a Shakespears Sister cassingle I bought in July 1992.  To my eyes, Deborah looked like the new Cyndi Lauper, and even had a similar voice in some ways.

"Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" is a cover of a song by The Temptations, originally titled "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)", from 1964.  The track was apparently Deborah's debut single overseas, but her second released in Australia, lifted from her debut album A Different Story (number 182, April 1992).

I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere, though it presumably charted in Brazil, assuming they had charts at the time.  In Australia, the single performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 107.

I don't recall hearing this one at the time, though caught a brief preview of the video (though I think without audio) on Video Smash Hits.  It's OK, but I much prefer the moody eeriness of "Innocence".

This would be Deborah's last foray onto the Australian chart, though I remember seeing her appear on some Rio festival on Hey Hey It's Saturday towards the end of 1993.

Number 130 “Keep on Walkin’” by Ce Ce Peniston

Peak: number 123

Peak dates: 10 August 1992 and 17 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

American singer and former beauty pageant winner Ce Ce Peniston, born Cecilia Veronica Peniston, launched her recording career with the enduring "Finally" (number 8, March 1992), which she co-wrote.  I first heard that track while on a family holiday in Canberra just after Christmas 1991.  She followed up that track with "We Got a Love Thang" (number 36, June 1992), which originally peaked at number 68 in May 1992 and dropped out of the top 100 for two weeks before miraculously climbing back up to number 36, and then dropping to number 72 again the following week!  I assume the bounce in sales was due to maybe a short promotional visit to Australia from Ce Ce, heavy discounting (as mentioned for Deborah Blando above), or perhaps the record company just buying up copies themselves?  Whatever the reason, it saved Ce Ce from becoming a one-hit wonder in Australia.

"Keep on Walkin'" was issued as the third single from Ce Ce's debut album Finally (number 95, March 1992).  I first became familiar with the track via the American Top 40 radio show.  This track was co-written by Kym Sims, whom we have seen bubble under twice in 1992 in her own right.  Both she and Ce Ce worked with producer Steve "Silk" Hurley.

 

Internationally, the single peaked at number 10 in the UK in May 1992, number 17 in Ireland in May 1992, number 31 in the Flanders region of Belgium in June 1992, number 41 in the Netherlands in July 1992, number 67 in Canada in August 1992, and 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992.  It also topped the meaningless US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in June 1992.

In Australia, "Keep on Walkin'" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 92.

We shall next see Ce Ce in 1994.

Number 131 “Karmadrome”/“Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me” by Pop Will Eat Itself

Peak: number 121

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

We last saw English band Pop Will Eat Itself in 1991.

 

"Karmadrome"/"Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me" was issued as the lead single from Pop Will Eat Itself's fourth studio album The Looks Or the Lifestyle? (number 165, October 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 17 in the UK in May 1992.

In Australia, "Karmadrome"/"Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 106.

 

I don't recall hearing either track before.

We'll next see Pop Will Eat Itself in October 1992.

Number 148 “Galileo” by Indigo Girls

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

 

Amy Ray and Emily Sailers, better known as Indigo Girls, hail from Atlanta, Georgia.  The pair met in primary school, and began performing as Indigo Girls in 1985, while attending university.

 

Their debut Australian release was the single "Closer to Fine" (number 57, August 1989), lifted from their second album Indigo Girls (number 64, September 1989).  I remember catching that one on rage before the top 50 chart in 1989.  It would be the only Indigo Girls single to dent the top 100 in Australia.

"Galileo" was issued as the first, and in Australia, only, single from the duo's fourth studio album Rites of Passage (number 110, October 1992).

 

Internationally, "Galileo" peaked at number 89 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992, and number 86 in the UK in November 1992.  It also reached number 10 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in June 1992.

 

We will next see Indigo Girls in 1994.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 196 "It Only Takes a Minute" by Take That

Peak: number 191

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw British boy band Take That in March 1992.

 

"It Only Takes a Minute" is a cover version of a track originally performed by Tavares in 1975, which did not chart in Australia.  Take That's version was released as the fourth single in their homeland from their debut album Take That & Party (number 104, May 1993), where it became their first major hit, and first release to peak within the top ten.  In Australia, "It Only Takes a Minute" was Take That's second release.

Internationally, "It Only Takes a Minute" peaked at number 7 in the UK in June 1992, and at number 11 in Ireland during the same month.

Domestically, "It Only Takes a Minute" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 172.

I first heard this one on the UK Chart Attack radio show, where it was played for several weeks, appearing in their top 5 (songs charting in the UK that had not yet crossed over or been released in the US).  The song is catchy and probably one of my favourite Take That singles, although I do not consider myself a fan of theirs.  I did not realise until researching this post that "It Only Take a Minute" was a cover.

Given that my interest in the charts wanes significantly towards the end of the 1990s, and subsequently I will almost certainly not be writing posts about 2007 charts here, I can tell you that Take That had further singles peaking outside the top 200 here from 2007 onwards, following their reformation in 2006 - but I have zero interest in those tracks.  If you really want to know, they are: "Rule the World" (number 209, November 2007), "Greatest Day" (number 202, December 2008), "The Flood" (number 300, November 2010), and several lower-charting singles I care even less about in the 2010s.

 

Take That also had later low-charting albums in Australia with The Circus (number 180, December 2008), The Greatest Day - Take That Present: The Circus Live (number 820, January 2010), Progress Live (number 524, December 2011), and III (number 263, December 2014).

Number 197 "Best of You" by Kenny Thomas

Peak: number 197

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw English singer Kenny Thomas in April 1992.

 

"Best of You" was issued as the third single from Kenny's debut album Voices (number 133, May 1992).  Internationally, "Best of You" peaked at number 11 in the UK in October 1991, number 27 in Ireland in October 1991, number 66 in Germany in December 1991, number 87 in the Netherlands in December 1991, number 31 in New Zealand in May 1992, and number 23 in France in July 1992.

Locally, "Best of You" performed 'best' in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 179.

Kenny will join us one more time, in 1994.

 

 

Next week (3 August): Six top 150 entries and five bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 20 July 1992                                Next week: 3 August 1992 >

Week commencing 20 July 1992

This week in 1992 was another busy week on the charts, with 12 new entries for me to write about.  Before taking a look, I have updated the following earlier posts:

* 10 September 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Arthur Baker and The Backbeat Disciples;

* 1 October 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Adam Ant;

* 5 November 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from 2 Static featuring Nasty Cat;

* 17 December 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Aswad.

That takes me up to the end of 1990 with updating my earlier posts - they should all now be up to date with added weeks on chart listings and state chart peaks where I have this information.  I still have 1991 and the first couple of months of 1992 to update.

 

Now onto this week in 1992...

 

Gina G was too 'cultured' for the Australian charts in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 115 "I Need Love" by Olivia Newton-John

Peak: number 109

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

We last saw Olivia Newton-John in 1989.

 

"I Need Love" was recorded for inclusion on Olivia's Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 (number 15, September 1992) compilation, and released as its lead single.  Unfortunately, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 1992, on the weekend her father died from liver cancer, resulting in her cancelling her planned tour to promote the album while she underwent treatment.  While Olivia survived her initial bout with the disease, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to her shoulder in 2013, following X-rays after a minor car accident.  She would ultimately die from the disease in August 2022, aged 73.

Internationally, "I Need Love" peaked at number 74 in the UK in June 1992, and number 96 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992.

In Australia, "I Need Love" found greatest success in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 64.  The single also performed better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 89.

Interestingly, "I Need Love" spent the first ten weeks of its 11-week chart run hovering between numbers 109 and 119.

 

While I was aware of this release at the time, I don't think I heard the song or saw the video, probably partly because there was more media interest in Olivia's recent cancer diagnosis at the time than her new music.  Olivia was very much women's gossip magazine fodder at this stage in her career.

 

We will next see Olivia in October 1992, and a cover version of this song (with a new title) will also bubble under in 1995.

Number 117 "Runaway" by Deee-Lite

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Deee-Lite last graced our presence in 1991.

 

"Runaway" was issued as the lead single from Deee-Lite's second studio album Infinity Within (number 117, August 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 45 in the UK in June 1992, number 25 in Switzerland in July 1992, and number 70 in Canada in August 1992.  While the single missed the US Billboard Hot 100, it topped the meaningless US Dance Club songs chart.

In Australia, "Runaway" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 94.

 

I remember catching the video for "Runaway" on rage as a new release, and the "why don't we, why don't we, why don't we..." lines sung by Lady Miss Kier at the start of the video got stuck in my head.  I actually chose "Runaway" as one of my video selections when I won a competition to program an hour of the Australian music video show rage in 2010.  I deliberately chose videos they had not aired in many years.  The "we'd like to conduct a fax orgy" line always makes me laugh.

"Runaway" would be Deee-Lite's final single to chart in Australia, although they had later charting albums with Dewdrops in the Garden (number 140, September 1994), Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities (number 151, December 1996), and The Very Best of Deee-Lite (number 416, January 2002).

 

While Deee-Lite would not trouble the ARIA singles chart again, band member Towa Tei would land a minor 'hit' with "GBI (German Bold Italic)" featuring Kylie Minogue (number 50, November 1998) in 1998, and would also chart with his albums Future Listening! (number 229, August 1995), Sound Museum (number 195, June 1998), and Last Century Modern (number 245, July 2000).

 

 

Number 134 "Evapor 8" by Altern 8

Peak: number 124

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

 

Rave-orientated dance tunes were slowly infiltrating the ARIA singles chart in 1991-2, even if they usually peaked outside the top 100.   Here's another one of those, this time from British electronic duo Altern 8, who were Mark Archer and Chris Peat.  While "Evapor 8" was their first, and seemingly only, Australian release, it was the duo's fifth charting single in the UK.  "Activ 8 (Come with Me)" was Altern 8's biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 3 in November 1991.  That song contains a vocal sample from Peech Boys' "Don't Make Me Wait", from 1982 - we will see another song later in the year that uses the same sample.

 

Internationally, "Evapor 8" peaked at number 6 in the UK in April 1992, and number 9 in Ireland during the same month.  The track would appear on the duo's only album Full on... Mask Hysteria, and features the vocals of P.P. Arnold, whom we saw as a featured artist for another act in 1989.

 

In Australia, "Evapor 8" would be Altern 8's only release to trouble the top 150.

Number 140 "Love the Life" by Bass Culture featuring Geena

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Weeks on chart: 21 weeks (1992 and 1996 releases combined) 

Bass Culture were Australian production duo Mark James and David Berman.  They roped in then-unknown Australian singer Gina Gardiner, who would be better known later on as Gina G, for this, their debut single, "Love the Life".  Gina was credited as 'Geena' though for this release.

Despite promoting the single with a performance on light entertainment variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday, and the song being used prominently as background music in the Summer Bay Diner on Home and Away, "Love the Life" stalled outside the top 100 in Australia.  Interestingly, the single also took nearly two months to dent the top 150, after debuting at number 160 on 25 May 1992.

On the state charts, "Love the Life" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 99.  The track appeared on Bass Culture's only album B.C. Nation (number 155, July 1995).

 

Gina G's vocals on "Love the Life" remind me of Cathy Dennis.  Stupidly, the record company have blocked the music video for "Love the Life" on YouTube (it used to appear on one of my channels) - so I have had to resort to uploading it to embed within this post, below.  In it, you can watch Gina running through a field of sunflowers...

Bass Culture would eventually land a top 100 entry, with their cover of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" (number 100, August 1993), featuring Kate Ceberano on vocals.

Gina would, of course, go on to bigger and better things when she teamed up with Motiv 8 for her debut solo release, "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" (number 5, June 1996), which was selected as the UK's entry in the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest.  The success of that single prompted a remix and re-release of "Love the Life" in Europe and Australia in 1996, and we will see that release bubble under in 1996.

We shall next see Bass Culture in 1994, and Gina G solo in 1997.

 

Number 144 "I've Got Mine" by Glenn Frey

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Glenn Frey (pronounced 'fry') was a member of Eagles, sharing lead vocal duties with Don Henley, as well as playing guitars and keyboard.  The Eagles songs Glenn sings lead on that I am most familiar with are "Take It Easy" (number 49, 1972) and "New Kid in Town" (number 16, March 1977).  I remember the latter being played regularly on radio in the early 1980s - so much so that I assumed it was a then-new/current song!

 

Glenn embarked on a solo career in 1982, landing two solo top 40 hits in Australia, with "The Heat Is On" (number 2, May 1985) and "You Belong to the City" (number 20, February 1986), taken from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack and Miami Vice, respectively.

"I've Got Mine" was the second single lifted from Glenn's fourth studio album Strange Weather (number 120, September 1992).  It followed "Part of Me, Part of You" (number 97, August 1991), which also appeared on the soundtrack album for Thelma & Louise (number 76, October 1991).

Internationally, "I've Got Mine" peaked at number 91 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992, and number 51 in Germany during the same month.

In Australia, "I've Got Mine" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 99.

 

Sadly, Glenn passed away in January 2016, aged 67, from the combined effects of ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and pneumonia.

We will next see Glenn in September 1992.

Number 150 "Kids Are Wired" by Strongheart

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

 

I couldn't find a whole lot of information about Strongheart online - surprisingly, they do not even have a Wikipedia page.  They were an American band who relocated to the UK, and appear to have released a mere two albums and two singles, of which "Kids Are Wired" is obviously one.  I also could not find evidence of this single, which I had not heard before, charting anywhere else.

"Kids Are Wired" was lifted from Strongheart's debut album Hard Wired, which was released in Australia in April 1993 but missed the top 150.  A second single, "Smooth As Silk", was also released in Australia in April 1993 and missed the top 150.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 176 "Feel" by The Church

Peak: number 176

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

Australian band The Church formed in Sydney in 1980.  Their first charting single was "The Unguarded Moment" (number 22, July 1981), and their highest-charting single was "Metropolis" (number 19, April 1990).  My favourite single from The Church would be "Under the Milky Way" (number 22, May 1988), which was also their biggest international hit, reaching number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1988.  Between 1981 and 1992, The Church placed 13 singles in the Australian top 100.

"Feel" was the second single issued from the band's eighth studio album Priest = Aura (number 25, May 1992).  It followed "Ripple" (number 62, April 1992).

On the state charts, "Feel" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 164.

We will next see The Church in 1994.

Number 181 "Rough Boy" by ZZ Top

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

This single originally peaked at number 85 in June 1986, spending 4 weeks in the top 100.

We last saw American bearded trio ZZ Top in 1991.

"Rough Boy" originally appeared on ZZ Top's ninth studio album Afterburner (number 6, December 1985).  The track was released as the third single from that album, peaking at number 85 in Australia in June 1986.  Having had recent success with their Greatest Hits (number 2, June 1992) compilation and the single "Viva Las Vegas" (number 28, May 1992), presumably the record label decided to re-release this older track that wasn't a hit here the first time around from it.

Internationally, the 1992 release of "Rough Boy" peaked at number 49 in the UK in June 1992, number 81 in the Netherlands in July 1992, and number 38 in Switzerland in July 1992.

Domestically, "Rough Boy" performed strongest on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart, where it reached number 148.

We shall next see ZZ Top in 1994.

Number 184 "Got to Be Free" by 49ers

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw Italian dance act 49ers in 1990.

 

Despite being a fan of the singles from 49ers' debut album, I hadn't actually heard "Got to Be Free" until listening to it/watching the music video while writing this post - although I remember seeing the CD single in the shops in 1992.  It was the lead single from 49ers' second album Playing with My Heart (number 179, October 1992).  The track features the vocals of Ann-Marie Smith, who would front the project from this point onwards.

 

Internationally, "Got to Be Free" peaked at number 46 in the UK in May 1992, and number 38 on the meaningless US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

In Australia, "Got to Be Free" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 150.

We shall next see 49ers in 1994.

Number 188 "The Sound of Crying" by Prefab Sprout

Peak: number 188

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw English band Prefab Sprout in 1990.

"The Sound of Crying" was one of two new songs recorded for the band's compilation album A Life of Surprises: The Best of Prefab Sprout (number 194, September 1992).  The other new song, "If You Don't Love Me", was released locally in November 1992 but failed to chart.  "If You Don't Love Me" would be covered by Kylie Minogue as a B-side on her "Confide in Me" (number 1 for 4 weeks in September-October 1994) single.

 

Internationally, "The Sound of Crying" peaked at number 23 in the UK in June 1992, and number 79 in Germany in August 1992.

In Australia, "The Sound of Crying" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 161 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it.  It doesn't sound terribly '1990s' though, to my ears.

 

"The Sound of Crying" would be Prefab Sprout's final single to chart in Australia, although they had a later low-charting album with I Trawl the Megahertz (number 1049, February 2019).

Number 207 "Two Worlds Collide" by Inspiral Carpets

Peak: number 177

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

We last saw English band Inspiral Carpets in May 1992.

"Two Worlds Collide" was released as the second single from the band's third studio album Revenge of the Goldfish (number 123, June 1993).  Internationally, "Two Worlds Collide" peaked at number 32 in the UK in May 1992, and number 8 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

Domestically, "Two Worlds Collide" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 164 on the state chart.

 

I remember catching the video for this one on rage as a new release.  It is one of my favourite Inspiral Carpets singles.

We shall see Inspiral Carpets next in October 1992.

 

Number 209 "Tired of Being Alone" by Texas

Peak: number 173

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw Scottish band Texas in 1990.

 

"Tired of Being Alone" was issued as the third and final single in Australia from the band's second studio album Mother's Heaven (number 74, November 1991).  It followed the singles "Why Believe in You" (number 73, October 1991) and "In My Heart" (number 92, March 1992).  The song is a cover version of a track originally recorded by Al Green in 1971.

 

Internationally, "Tired of Being Alone" peaked at number 19 in the UK in May 1992.

 

In Australia, "Tired of Being Alone" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 161.

 

The guitar riff on this track sounds very similar to my ears to the one Texas used on "Say What You Want" (number 11, June 1997).

 

Texas will join us next in 1994.

Next week (27 July): Five new top 150 entries and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 13 July 1992                                     Next week: 27 July 1992 >

Week commencing 13 July 1992

Among this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100, we have two variants of the word 'desire' as a name, as well as songs about unconscious desires and setting your loving free.  Ooh-er!  Shall we take a look?

 

Des'ree looking pained at the fact that Australia didn't seem to love this single in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 119 "Ballroom Blitz" by Tia Carrere

Peak: number 101

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks 

 

American actress Tia Carrere (pronounced 'career'), born Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo, had her first taste of fame as an actress on US soap opera General Hospital.  She landed the role of Cassandra Wong in the movies Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, which led to her recording 'career', with this cover version of The Sweet's "The Ballroom Blitz", which reached number 1 on the Go-Set chart (then Australia's official chart) for one week in January 1974, appearing on the Wayne's World: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack album (number 15, August 1992).  Although I have never seen either Wayne's World movie, I do a double-take every time I see Garth from the movie, as he bears an uncanny resemblance to the maths teacher I had at school in 1992 (and 1994 and 1996).

Internationally, Tia's version of "Ballroom Blitz" peaked at number 26 in the UK in June 1992, and number 14 in Ireland in June 1992.

This single would be Tia's only foray into the ARIA top 150.

 

Number 125 "Why Should I Love You?" by Des'ree

Peak: number 102

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

English singer-songwriter Des'ree, born Desirée Annette Weekes, made a small splash on the Australian chart with her debut single "Feel So High" (number 28, March 1992), which had no fewer than three different music videos filmed for it, and took four months to reach its peak here after debuting at number 166 in November 1991.  She followed it up with "Mind Adventures" (number 89, May 1992), the title track from Des'ree's debut album Mind Adventures (number 39, August 1992).

"Why Should I Love You?" was issued as the third and final single from Mind Adventures.  Naturally, being my favourite single from the album, it performed the worst on the chart, just falling short of the ARIA top 100.

Internationally, "Why Should I Love You?" peaked at number 44 in the UK in June 1992.  Within Australia, the single was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 86.

I remember catching the video for this one on rage as a new release before the top 60 chart aired, and liking it.

We'll next see Des'ree in 1995.

Number 130 "Now That the Magic Has Gone" by Joe Cocker

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks 

We last saw Joe Cocker in 1990.

 

"Now That the Magic Has Gone" was issued as the second single from Joe's thirteenth studio album Night Calls (number 23, September 1992), following "Feels Like Forever" (number 74, June 1992).  A memorable story I can tell about the Night Calls album is that my sister bought it for my mum as a present that year (on cassette, no less), and the price tag detector thing in JB Hi-Fi went off when she walked out of the store with the tape in a bag, even though she had paid for it.  Unfortunately, I was not there to witness...

 

Internationally, "Now That the Magic Has Gone" peaked at number 28 in the UK in May 1992, and number 71 in Canada in October 1992.

 

Joe will join us next in October 1992.

Number 147 "Desireé" by Rick Vito duet with Stevie Nicks

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 13 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

 

From Des'ree above to now "Desirée"... this track was a duet between Rick Vito and Fleetwood Mac stalwart Stevie Nicks, whom we last saw in February 1992, which I had never heard before and was not aware of at the time.

American guitarist and singer Rick, born Richard Francis Veto, was part of Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991, taking over from lead guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. Although Rick had been performing as a session musician since the early 1970s, "Desirée" was the lead single from his debut solo album King of Hearts.  I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere at the time of writing.

 

While this will be the only occasion we'll see Rick on his own, Stevie will join us again in 1994.

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 171 "Cool As Ice (Everybody Get Loose)" by Vanilla Ice featuring Naomi Campbell

Peak: number 171

Peak date: 13 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

By this point in 1992, American rapper Vanilla Ice, whom we last saw in 1991, was pretty much universally perceived as a joke whose career was over, a mere 18 months or so since it had begun.  Although his chart 'career' was not quite over yet in Australia, with this title track from Vanilla's film debut, Cool As Ice, which bombed at the box office, yielding less than one quarter of its US$6 million budget.  Not even teaming up with supermodel Naomi Campbell, who also appeared in the film, helped.

The only other place "Cool As Ice (Everybody Get Loose)" charted was on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number 81 in October 1991.  I guess the later Australian chart-entry date is due to the film's release being delayed here (like just about everything else back in those days).

On the state charts, "Cool As Ice..." performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 157.

We shall see Vanilla Ice once again, in 1994, and Naomi will bubble under on her own too that year.

 

 

Number 197 "Set Your Loving Free" by Lisa Stansfield

Peak: number 164

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

Poor English songstress Lisa Stansfield, whom we last saw a mere seven weeks ago, didn't normally have much luck on the Australian chart, with only two of her fifteen charting singles (not including one with Blue Zone and one with Coldcut, which also missed the top 50) in Australia denting the top 50! Still, you have to admire the Australian branch of her record company for their persistence, and not just giving up on her.

 

"Set Your Loving Free" was released as the fourth and final single from Lisa's second solo studio album Real Love (number 40, January 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 28 in the UK in May 1992, number 42 in the Netherlands in July 1992, and number 57 in Germany in July 1992.

In Australia, "Set Your Loving Free" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 143.

I am pretty sure I heard/saw this one at the time, either on UK Chart Attack, or the video on rage.  While it's a nice enough song, it doesn't really stand out among Lisa's catalogue for me.

Lisa will join us next in 1993 with yet more Aussie flops.

Number 204 "The Male Monster from the Id" by The Chills

Peak: number 163

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

We last saw Kiwi band The Chills in 1990.

 

"The Male Monster from the Id" was the lead single from the band's third studio album Soft Bomb (number 99, August 1992).

 

Internationally, "The Male Monster from the Id" peaked at number 8 in New Zealand in July 1992.

 

In Australia, "The Male Monster from the Id" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 133.

 

I have heard/seen this one a couple of times over the years on rage, but could barely remember how the song went.

 

In case you're wondering what the "id" is, in Freudian psychology, it's the part of our psyche that harbours our unconscious desires, particularly aggression and libido - essentially without conscience (that being the superego).  Yay, I learnt something semi-useful in psych class at uni...

 

We shall next see The Chills in October 1992.

Next week (20 July): Six new top 150 entries, plus six bubbling WAY down under debuts.

 

< Previous week: 6 July 1992                               Next week: 20 July 1992 >

Week commencing 6 July 1992

This week in 1992 has to be one of the most jam-packed weeks I have ever had to write about, with no fewer than fifteen new songs to write about/listen to!  Shall we take a look?

 

Julian Lennon: getting a life didn't help him get a hit with this single in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 109 "The Full House Mega Mix" by Brahms 4 featuring The Music of John Farnham

Peak: number 109

Peak date: 6 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

When you think of dance music, Aussie singer John Farnham, whom we last saw in 1989, is not exactly an artist that springs to mind, although I do like the extended version of "Age of Reason" (number 1 for four weeks in July-August 1988).  Someone, using the name Brahms 4, obviously thought it was a good idea to put together this megamix, using several John Farnham tracks, including "Age of Reason", "That's Freedom" (number 6, October 1990), and "Pressure Down" (number 4, February 1987).  Looking at the videos I have embedded for those three tracks, the stupid record company have cropped the original 4:3 picture so that it appears widescreen, cutting off a good chunk of the image in the process.  Ugh.

Listening to this track for the first time as I write this post, a great dance megamix it is not, using only three tracks (and one of those, the "Pressure Down" segment, is quite short) but lasting more than 7 minutes.

 

Looking at discogs.com, Brahms 4 released another John Farnham megamix in 1996, titled "Ten Year Anniversary Mega Mix".  I had assumed the ten year anniversary meant that of John's Whispering Jack (number 1 for 25 weeks between November 1986 and June 1987) album, but it contains "That's Freedom" and "Chain Reaction" (number 6, August 1990), which were not on that album.  The track appeared as a B-side on John's "A Simple Life" (number 29, June 1996) single.

We shall next see John in 1994.

 

 

 

Number 111 "Get a Life" by Julian Lennon

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 13 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

Julian Lennon first appeared on the Australian charts with his debut single, "Too Late for Goodbyes" (number 13, December 1984), in November 1984.  Between then and 1992, Julian notched up nine top 100 singles in Australia, with "Saltwater" being the biggest of those, spending four weeks at number 1 in March 1992, though taking 25 weeks to get there from its debut at number 145 in September 1991.  My favourite Julian single is possibly the underrated "Say You're Wrong" (number 31, June 1985).  Taking another swipe at clueless record labels, someone badly needs to replace these 240p videos on Julian's official YouTube channel.  Ugh (again).

"Get a Life" was the third single released locally from Julian's fourth studio album Help Yourself (number 5, March 1992), following "Saltwater" and "Help Yourself" (number 30, April 1992).

 

Internationally, "Get a Life" peaked at number 56 in the UK in April 1992.

 

In Australia, "Get a Life" was most popular in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 91.

 

I hadn't heard this one before.  I think it's OK, but not great, and not something I would seek out to listen to again, though I did like some of Julian's singles.  If a music video was filmed for this track, it has not yet made its way onto YouTube.  It is listed as an added track to the playlist on the Australian version of MTV (remember that?) in The ARIA Report; so I assume a video was made.

 

We'll next see Julian in 1999.

 

Number 115 "The World Is Stone" by Cyndi Lauper

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

We last saw Cyndi Lauper in 1989.

 

"The World Is Stone" is a cover version of  "Le Monde est Stone" by Fabien Thibeault, with lyrics re-written in English.  The French version of the song was recorded for the 1978 Candian-French musical Starmania.  Cyndi recorded her rendition for an English version of the show, Tycoon, with lyrics by Tim Rice.

Internationally, "The World Is Stone" peaked at number 15 in the UK in June 1992, number 16 in Ireland in June 1992, number 100 in Germany in July 1992, number 2 in France in September 1992, and number 41 in the Flanders region of Belgium in November 1992.

In Australia, "The World Is Stone" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 81.  The single fared better nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 96.

 

While I liked most of Cyndi's singles released in the 80s, I didn't find anything she released in the 90s that I have heard particularly memorable.  Granted, that was a cursory listen for the most part.  While I have heard "The World Is Stone" before, I couldn't remember how the song went.  Listening to it now, the song isn't bad, though it's hardly among her best.

 

Cyndi will join us next in 1993.

 

Number 117 "Sense" by The Lightning Seeds

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

We last saw English band The Lightning Seeds in 1991.  Since then, they scored their second, and final, ARIA top 100 single in Australia, with "The Life of Riley" (number 98, May 1992).

 

"Sense" was the title track and second single issued from The Lightning Seeds' second studio album Sense (number 83, July 1992)

 

Internationally, "Sense" peaked at number 31 in the UK in June 1992, and number 39 in New Zealand in September 1992.

 

In Australia, "Sense" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 74.

 

I wasn't aware of this song, or The Lightning Seeds, at the time, but have seen the video for "Sense" a couple of times over the years.  I like it.

 

The Lightning Seeds will join us next in 1995.

 

Number 123 "Everything Changes" by Kathy Troccoli

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 13 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Kathy Troccoli, born Kathleen Colleen Troccoli, is an American Christian contemporary singer-songwriter.  While I am an atheist, I can appreciate some 'Christian' pop music, as long as it's not preachy (or I pretend I am not a native English speaker).  "Everything Changes" fortunately does not fall into the 'preachy' category, perhaps because it was written by beige songwriter extraordinaire Diane Warren.

I first became acquainted with this song, and Kathy, via the American Top 40 radio show.  "Everything Changes" has that oh-so-American, polished/over-produced, middle of the road pop sound typical of the early 90s, but is quite enjoyable, nonetheless.  The kind of thing they might have used when cutting to an ad break on The Ricki Lake Show or even The Oprah Winfrey Show.  Something that could put you in a in a good mood on a cloudy, rainy day (though I actually love those!).  I'm not going to lie - this is my favourite new entry this week, and I have listened to it about five times in a row while writing this post...

 

Vocally, Kathy reminds me a little of Taylor Dayne.  While researching this post, I learnt that Kathy actually sang backing vocals on Taylor's "I'll Be Your Shelter" (number 4, November 1990), and that "Everything Changes" was produced by Ric Wake, who produced that Taylor track.  According to Kathy, "Everything Changes" was first offered to Taylor Dayne - how stupid was she to turn this track down?!  I had not seen the music video for "Everything Changes" until writing this post.

Despite being lifted from Kathy's fourth studio album Pure Attraction (released in Australia in April 1992, missed the top 150) - her first in five years, "Everything Changes" appears to be Kathy's first, and only, single released commercially in Australia; although at least two earlier albums were released here (but did nothing on the charts).

Internationally, "Everything Changes" peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1992.

In Australia, "Everything Changes" was much more popular in Victoria/Tasmania than anywhere else, reaching number 44 on the state chart.  I recall seeing this one printed on the reverse of the ARIA chart in my state (Victoria), and assuming it probably just missed the top 60 on the national chart (which aired on rage).  How wrong I was!  "Everything Changes" also performed much better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 47.

 

"Everything Changes" took its sweet time to creep into the ARIA top 150, having been released locally on 23 March 1992.  This would be Kathy's only top 150 charting entry in Australia.

 

 

Number 129 "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" by Bruce Springsteen

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 17 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks 

We last saw Bruce Springsteen as an uncredited featured artist in 1991.

Bruce made his debut on the Australian singles chart in 1975 with "Born to Run" (number 38, December 1975).  Between then and now, Bruce amassed 22 top 100 singles chart entries in Australia, with the biggest of those being "Dancing in the Dark" - which, despite 'only' peaking at number 5 in September 1984, ended up the number 1 single of 1984 in Australia (based on chart runs, as the Kent/Australian Music Report annual charts were), as it spent a mammoth 53 weeks in the top 50, and 64 weeks in the top 100.  Bruce had higher-peaking singles here, however, with "Born in the U.S.A." (number 2, February 1985) and "Streets of Philadelphia" (number 4, April 1994).

My favourite Bruce songs are probably "Streets of Philadelphia", the middle-8 section (the "ain't no angel gonna greet me here" part) of which can give me chills, "Brilliant Disguise" (number 17, November 1987), and "I'm on Fire" (number 12, April 1985) - though I kind of like Tori Amos' live rendition of "I'm on Fire" even more.

Taking a leaf out of Guns N' Roses' book, Bruce released two new albums simultaneously in early 1992, Human Touch (number 3, April 1992) and Lucky Town (number 6, April 1992); his first new studio albums since Tunnel of Love (number 5, October 1987).

"57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" was released as the second single from Human Touch, although the third single from the two-album project overall.  It followed "Human Touch" (number 17, March 1992) and "Better Days" (number 75, June 1992).

 

Internationally, "57 Channels..." peaked at number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1992, number 32 in the UK in July 1992, number 26 in Ireland in July 1992, number 32 in Sweden in August 1992, number 9 in Norway, and number 39 in the Netherlands in August 1992.

In Australia, "57 Channels..." performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 49.  Its next-highest state chart peak was number 78 in Queensland.

 

I caught the video for "57 Channels..." as a new release on rage.  If I remember correctly, it was the first video shown that night as part of the new releases section.

We will next see Bruce in November 1992.

 

 

Number 131 Third World Posse EP by Sepultura

Peak: number 116

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

 

Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, which is the Portuguese word for grave, formed in 1984.  The Third World Posse EP, which appears to have only been released in Australia, contained five songs, lead by the track "Dead Embryonic Cells", which I have embedded below.  This track originally appeared on their fourth studio album Arise, which was released in Australia in June 1992, but missed the top 150.

I cannot find evidence of "Dead Embryonic Cells" charting elsewhere.  Despite generally not liking the heavier side of metal much at all, I didn't actually hate this one.

The Third World Posse EP performed stronger on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it just crept into the top 100, spending one week at number 99 in August 1992.

We shall next see Sepultura in 1994.

 

 

Number 142 "Weight of the World" by Ringo Starr

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 6 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

As the drummer in The Beatles, Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey) needs no introduction.  His solo work, however, isn't exactly known by the masses - at least not my age-group.  Ringo notched up six Australian top 100 singles, however, between 1971 and 1976, with 1973's "Photograph" being the biggest of those, spending two weeks at number one in January-February 1974.

In more-recent times, Ringo made an appearance playing drums in the music video for Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" (number 16, July 1989), which does not currently appear to be available on YouTube (stupid record companies again...).  For my generation (Xennial/MTV), Ringo is perhaps best known for narrating the TV series Thomas & Friends, based on Thomas the Tank Engine.

"Weight of the World" was issued as the lead single from Ringo's tenth solo studio album Time Takes Time, which was released in Australia in June 1992 but missed the top 150.

Internationally, "Weight of the World" peaked at number 74 in the UK in May 1992, number 37 in Sweden in May 1992, number 21 in Switzerland in June 1992, and number 51 in Germany in June 1992 - where it oddly spent five non-consecutive weeks at that position.

I don't recall hearing, or being aware of this one at the time.

 

 

Number 144 "I'm Cryin'" by Shanice

Peak: number 140

Peak date: 13 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

Shanice Wilson made her debut appearance on the Australian charts in August 1988, at the tender age of 15, with "I'll Bet She's Got a Boyfriend" (number 69, August 1988).  She would return three years later, minus the surname, with "I Love Your Smile" (number 8, May 1992), which took almost six months after its debut at number 183 in November 1991 to reach its peak in Australia, initially stalling at number 135 in January 1992.

 

Although it was her biggest career hit, Shanice apparently was not happy about "I Love Your Smile" - another one I first became acquainted with via the American Top 40 radio show - being released as the lead single from her second studio album Inner Child (number 111, May 1992), and cried when she had been told this news.  Shanice instead wanted to go in more of an r&b direction than the poppy sound of "I Love Your Smile".

"I'm Cryin'" was issued as the second single from Inner Child in Australia, stalling in the lower region of the top 150.  It performed strongest on the Queensland state chart, where it reached number 122.

Internationally, "I'm Cryin'" peaked at number 69 in the Netherlands in April 1992, and number 47 in Germany in April 1992.  The track also peaked at number 11 on the meaningless US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in May 1992.

I don't recall hearing this one before.  It's much more subdued than Shanice's previous two charting singles in Australia.  Not bad, but it doesn't quite grab me either.  I liked "Silent Prayer", her duet with Johnny Gill, which reached number 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1992, much better - that's another one I became familiar with via American Top 40, but it was not issued as a single in Australia.

 

I recently watched a short biographical video on Shanice's career on YouTube, which suggests she fell on some rough times earlier this century, including a period of homelessness.  Thankfully, Shanice has gotten her life back together since then.

Shanice will next join us in November 1992.

 

Number 145 "The Man with the Mastermixes" by Quadrophonia

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 6 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

 

Dutch/Belgian electronic group Quadrophonia formed in the late 1980s. They landed two Australian top 100 'hit' singles, with "Quadrophonia" (number 73, September 1991) and "The Wave of the Future" (number 83, September 1991).  A third single, "Find the Time", was released in Australia in March 1992, but missed the top 150.  An album, Cozmic Jam (number 93, October 1991) dented the top 100 locally.

"The Man with the Mastermixes" was issued as the band's fourth single in Australia, containing mixes of the track "The Man with the Master Plan" from the Cozmic Jam album.  The Second Wave mix, embedded below, was the main single version.  Interestingly, I cannot find evidence of this one charting anywhere else.  It appears that Australia was very slowly catching on to the emerging clubbier, 'rave choon' tracks coming out of Europe, though few troubled the upper region of our charts in 1992.

 

 

Number 149 "Wrapped Around Her" by Joan Armatrading

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

We last saw England-based singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading in 1990.

 

"Wrapped Around Her" was the first release from Joan's thirteenth studio album Square the Circle (number 106, August 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 56 in the UK in May 1992.

 

In Australia, "Wrapped Around Her" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 124 on the state chart.

To my surprise, the music video for "Wrapped Around Her" was not on YouTube until I uploaded the video embedded below from my collection for this post.  I remember catching the video as a new release on rage.

A second, and final, single from Square the Circle, "True Love", was released in Australia in October 1992, but failed to chart.

We shall next see Joan in 1995.

 

 

Number 150 "Real Wild Life" by Ed Kuepper

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

We last saw Australian-based singer-songwriter Ed Kuepper a mere seven weeks ago.

"Real Wild Life" was issued as the lead single from Ed's sixth solo studio album Black Ticket Day (number 45, August 1992).  The single had an interesting top 150 chart run, falling out out for a week after its first week in, then returning for six weeks, before falling out for five weeks, bouncing back for one week, dropping out again for two, before its final top 150 run of three weeks.  The single was still in the top 150 as late as 9 November 1992, which is not bad for a release that climbed no higher than number 132.

 

To my surprise, I have actually heard this one before, and like it... and after listening to it to write this post, "Real Wild Life" is now stuck in my head.  Its flute (?) riff during the intro sounds like it has been used in a TV advertisement, though I can't place my finger on it.

This would be Ed's final top 150 single.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 175 "Feed My Frankenstein" by Alice Cooper

Peak: number 169 

Peak date: 13 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

We last saw Alice Cooper in 1991.  "Feed My Frankenstein", a cover of a track originally performed by Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction, was released as the belated third and final single from Alice's twelfth studio album Hey Stoopid (number 15, July 1991), after being featured in the 1992 film Wayne's World, the soundtrack of which peaked at number 15 in August 1992.

Internationally, "Feed My Frankenstein" peaked at number 27 in the UK in May 1992.

In Australia, "Feed My Frankenstein" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 149.

While Alice would go on to have further top 100 'hit' singles in Australia with "Lost in America" (number 65, July 1994) and "It's Me" (number 77, August 1994), "Feed My Frankenstein" would be his last to peak within the number 101-200 region of the chart.

Alice would have one later low-charting single, with his number 83 single from 1972, "Elected" (number 1346, July 2016) re-charting in 2016.

 

Alice had further low-charting albums in Australia, including Welcome to My Nightmare (number 217, June 1993), Alice Cooper Classicks (number 133, September 1995), Brutal Planet (number 213, April 2001), Dragontown (number 182, November 2001), Killer (number 450, January 2002), The Life and Crimes of.... (number 424, February 2002), The Best of Alice Cooper (number 332, July 2007), Lace and Whiskey (number 464, May 2008), Along Came a Spider (number 147, August 2008), Spark in the Dark: The Best of Alice Cooper (number 397, August 2009), Theatre of Death Life at Hammersmith 2009 (number 507, October 2010), and more I can't be bothered typing out.

 

 

 

Number 191 "Please Don't Go" by Boyz II Men

Peak: number 191

Peak date: 6 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

We last saw American vocal quartet Boyz II Men in May 1992.

"Please Don't Go" was released as the third single in Australia from the group's debut album Cooleyhighharmony (number 4, January 1993).  I hadn't heard this one before, and although I am not generally a huge Boyz II Men fan, this one wasn't too bad - probably because it's missing some of the vocal histrionics that would typify their later, bigger, sappier hits.

Internationally, "Please Don't Go" peaked at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1992, and number 3 in New Zealand - where they seemed to lap up early 90s r&b - in February 1993.  The single also peaked at number 10 on the meaningless US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in April 1992, number 38 on the Radio Songs chart in May 1992, and number 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in May 1992.

Domestically, "Please Don't Go" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 157 on the state chart.

If a music video was filmed for "Please Don't Go", it has not yet made its way onto YouTube.

Boyz II Men will join us next in 1998.

 

 

 

Number 198 "Androgynous" by Crash Test Dummies

Peak: number 198

Peak date: 6 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

We last met Canadian band Crash Test Dummies in 1991.

 

"Androgynous" was the band's second single released down under, lifted from their debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me (number 110, April 1992).  The single was released in mid-April 1992 locally, but took almost three months to scrape into the ARIA top 200.  "Androgynous" is a cover version of a song originally performed by The Replacements, on their 1984 album Let It Be, telling the tale of a gender non-conforming couple.  Listening to both versions as I wrote this post, I prefer the original, which I quite like.

Internationally, "Androgynous" peaked at number 73 in Canada.

In Australia, "Androgynous" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 171.

Crash Test Dummies will join us next in 1995.

 

 

Next week (13 July): Four top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

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