1992 - the chart year in review

As I have done in previous years, here's a list of all of the singles that peaked between numbers 101 and 150 on the ARIA singles chart during 1992.  Before we get to those, here's a preview of what's coming up in my 1993 posts, commencing on 4 January 2025:

 

Also, I have now added top 150 chart runs for all of my posts, going back to January 1989.

ARTIST	TITLE	PEAK	ENTRY DATE		WEEKS IN (top 150)
ABBACADABRA	Dancing Queen	104	2/11/1992		6
ADAMSKI featuring NINA HAGEN	Get Your Body	114	8/06/1992		5
ADORE	Lowdown	109	7/09/1992		7
ALEX SMITH	This Time Tomorrow	121	15/06/1992		11
ALTERN 8	Evapor 8	124	20/07/1992		6
AMBASSADORS OF FUNK featuring M.C. MARIO	Supermarioland	126	23/11/1992		9
AMONG THIEVES	Big Thing	117	13/04/1992		6
APOTHEOSIS	O Fortuna	104	11/05/1992		15
ARMY OF LOVERS	Obsession	108	10/02/1992		7
ATOMIC DINING CLUB	Love U Love Me	129	18/05/1992		7
AZTEC CAMERA	Spanish Horses	143	3/08/1992		3
BABYFACE (featuring TONI BRAXTON)	Give U My Heart	110	28/09/1992		6
BASS CULTURE featuring GEENA	Love the Life	130	20/07/1992		6
BASSHEADS	Is There Anybody Out There?	140	6/01/1992		5
BB STEAL	Big Love	145	15/06/1992		2
BEASTS OF BOURBON	Just Right (EP)	121	10/02/1992		11
BEATFISH	Out of Control (Round and Round)	110	16/03/1992		5
BEATS INTERNATIONAL	In the Ghetto	142	11/05/1992		1
BELINDA CARLISLE	Half the World	129	27/04/1992		5
BELINDA CARLISLE	Little Black Book	106	31/08/1992		9
BETTE MIDLER	In My Life	107	17/02/1992		6
BILLY FALCON	Power Windows	136	27/01/1992		7
BILLY JOEL	Shameless	133	20/01/1992		5
BIZARRE INC featuring ANGIE BROWN	I'm Gonna Get You	127	23/11/1992		3
BJÖRN AGAIN	Santa Claus Is Coming To Town	106	14/12/1992		4
BLUR	There's No Other Way (re-entry)	120	24/02/1992		9
BOB DYLAN	Like a Rolling Stone (Live)	150	13/04/1992		1
BOB GELDOF	Room 19 (Sha La La La Lee)	143	21/09/1992		3
BOOTSAUCE	Whatcha' Need	150	9/11/1992		1
BOY GEORGE	The Crying Game	142	23/11/1992		2
BRAHMS 4 featuring the music of JOHN FARNHAM	The Full House Mega Mix	109	6/07/1992		5
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN	57 Channels (And Nothin' On)	107	6/07/1992		9
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN	Leap of Faith	133	16/11/1992		2
BUFFALO TOM	Taillights Fade/Velvet Roof	140	16/11/1992		2
CANDY HARLOTS	What Are We Fightin' For	132	3/08/1992		5
CARTER THE UNSTOPPABLE SEX MACHINE	After the Watershed	124	2/03/1992		8
CARTER THE UNSTOPPABLE SEX MACHINE	Do Re Me, So Far So Good	136	17/08/1992		2
CATHY DENNIS	You Lied To Me	112	26/10/1992		4
CE CE PENISTON	Keep On Walkin'	123	27/07/1992		6
CHOICE	Pump This House Boy	123	20/01/1992		7
CHRIS DE BURGH	Separate Tables	139	1/06/1992		1
CHRIS WHITLEY	Big Sky Country	125	20/01/1992		5
CHRIS WHITLEY	Poison Girl	133	6/04/1992		8
CHRIS WILSON	The Big One	143	18/05/1992		1
CLIFFS OF DOONEEN	Through an Open Window	123	28/09/1992		5
CLIVE YOUNG	Friends & Lovers	123	28/09/1992		4
CLUB HOY	Not Like That	106	16/03/1992		9
COLOR ME BADD	Heartbreaker	101	30/03/1992		5
COLOUR BLUE	Rockwell Street	102	3/02/1992		8
CONCRETE BLONDE	Walking In London	142	30/11/1992		2
COREY HART	Baby When I Call Your Name	139	27/04/1992		5
CRACKER	Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)	148	16/11/1992		2
CRYSTAL WATERS/SABRINA JOHNSTON	Gypsy Woman/Peace (Remixes)	150	23/11/1992		1
CURIOSITY	Hang On In There Baby	127	8/06/1992		5
CURVE	Fait Accompli	121	4/05/1992		6
CYNDI LAUPER	The World Is Stone	106	6/07/1992		7
DADDY COOL	Eagle Rock (The 1992 Mixes)	104	22/06/1992		15
DAN REED NETWORK	Mix It Up	139	22/06/1992		4
DANNII	Show You the Way To Go	104	7/09/1992		6
DAVID BOWIE	Real Cool World	131	14/09/1992		3
DAVID BYRNE	Girls On My Mind	119	30/03/1992		9
DAVID FAUSTINO ("D" LIL)	Balystix (EP)	133	23/11/1992		9
DEBORAH BLANDO	Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)	122	27/07/1992		3
DEEE-LITE	Runaway	112	20/07/1992		7
DEF FX	Water (EP)	149	16/03/1992		1
DEFINITION OF SOUND	What Are You Under	116	19/10/1992		6
DEGENERATES	Play Dinosaur	142	18/05/1992		4
DES'REE	Why Should I Love You?	102	13/07/1992		7
DIED PRETTY	Sweetheart	129	2/03/1992		7
DIMPLES D (DIMPLES & SPICE)	Sisters Keep On Doin' It	116	3/02/1992		4
DIRE STRAITS	On Every Street	109	17/02/1992		4
DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE	The Things That U Do	109	20/04/1992		4
DJ POWER	Everybody Pump	147	25/05/1992		1
DONNA SUMMER	Work That Magic	147	3/02/1992		1
DREAM FREQUENCY featuring DEBBIE SHARP	Feel So Real	113	8/06/1992		7
DWIGHT YOAKAM	Suspicious Minds	129	30/11/1992		10
ED KUEPPER	The Way I Made You Feel	144	18/05/1992		2
ED KUEPPER	Real Wild Life	132	6/07/1992		11
EDRENALIN	I Believe	129	7/09/1992		5
EMF	Unexplained EP	136	29/06/1992		6
ENYA	Book of Days	111	22/06/1992		5
ERASURE	Who Needs Love (Like That)	120	30/11/1992		8
EVE	What a Lover	120	18/05/1992		4
EVERYTHING BUT THE GIRL	Covers E.P.	136	6/04/1992		3
F.A.B. featuring MC PARKER	Thunderbirds Are Go!	135	30/11/1992		12
FALLING JOYS	Incinerator	131	17/08/1992		6
FILTHY LUCRE featuring HUNTERS & COLLECTORS	Talking To a Stranger	141	26/10/1992		3
FIREHOUSE	When I Look Into Your Eyes	140	23/11/1992		5
FISHBONE	Sunless Saturday	135	17/02/1992		1
FISHBONE	Everyday Sunshine	112	24/02/1992		5
FREAKED OUT FLOWER CHILDREN	Beautiful People	102	30/03/1992		6
GARTH BROOKS	Shameless	103	15/06/1992		6
GARY MOORE	Story of the Blues	124	1/06/1992		13
GENESIS	Tell Me Why	110	30/11/1992		13
GHOSTWRITERS	Runaway Bay	117	17/02/1992		7
GHOSTWRITERS	World Is Almost At Peace	135	1/06/1992		3
GIRL OVERBOARD	Chain of Fools	138	5/10/1992		4
GLENN FREY	I've Got Mine	137	20/07/1992		6
GLENN FREY	River of Dreams	137	7/09/1992		5
GLORIA ESTEFAN	Always Tomorrow	107	9/11/1992		8
GUY	D-O-G Me Out	148	6/01/1992		1
HAPPY MONDAYS	Stinkin Thinkin	110	21/09/1992		7
HARRY CONNICK, JR.	You Didn't Know Me When	103	9/03/1992		5
HELVELLN	Cruelest Plague	118	17/02/1992		8
HI-FIVE	Just Another Girlfriend	107	3/02/1992		5
HOLY NOISE featuring THE GLOBAL INSERT PROJECT	James Brown Is Still Alive!!	148	6/04/1992		2
HONEYMEN	Felt Like a Kiss	113	28/09/1992		6
HOODOO GURUS	Castles In the Air	113	13/01/1992		6
HOWARD JONES	Lift Me Up	131	18/05/1992		5
IAN McCULLOCH	Lover, Lover, Lover	141	6/04/1992		2
IAN MOSS	Never Give Up	128	10/02/1992		5
ICE CUBE	Steady Mobbin'	147	27/01/1992		1
INDECENT OBSESSION	Rebel With a Cause	122	12/10/1992		5
INDIGO GIRLS	Galileo	130	27/07/1992		6
INNER CITY	Pennies From Heaven	122	7/09/1992		6
IRON MAIDEN	From Here To Eternity	109	21/09/1992		7
IZZY STRADLIN AND THE JU JU HOUNDS	Shuffle It All	117	9/11/1992		5
JAMES	Born of Frustration	134	22/06/1992		5
JENNY MORRIS	Crackerjack Man	125	18/05/1992		3
JO BETH TAYLOR	You Don't Own Me	137	20/01/1992		5
JOAN ARMATRADING	Wrapped Around Her	148	6/07/1992		4
JOE COCKER	Now That the Magic Has Gone	107	13/07/1992		11
JOE COCKER	Night Calls	133	19/10/1992		5
JOHN LEE HOOKER	This Is Hip	150	16/03/1992		1
JOHN SCHUMANN	Eyes On Fire	123	31/08/1992		6
JOHN WILLIAMSON	This Is Australia Calling	123	21/09/1992		6
JOHN WILLIAMSON	I'll Be Gone	131	23/11/1992		2
JUDITH DURHAM	Australia Land of Today	124	10/02/1992		5
JULIAN LENNON	Get a Life	104	6/07/1992		6
k.d. lang	Constant Craving	138	22/06/1992		5
K.I.C	Bring Me On	135	7/09/1992		3
KARYN WHITE	The Way I Feel About You	150	17/02/1992		1
KATHY TROCCOLI	Everything Changes	106	6/07/1992		8
KEITH RICHARDS	Wicked As It Seems	136	30/11/1992		8
KENNY THOMAS	Thinking About Your Love	125	20/04/1992		7
KISS	Domino	110	12/10/1992		5
K-KLASS	Rhythm Is a Mystery	138	20/01/1992		3
KYM SIMS	Take My Advice	123	1/06/1992		4
L.A. GUNS	It's Over Now	133	11/05/1992		2
LENNY KRAVITZ	Stop Draggin' Around	101	4/05/1992		5
LEON K AND THE KNOCKOUTS	The Marrickville Mauler	148	24/02/1992		1
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM	Countdown	131	19/10/1992		5
LIONEL RICHIE	My Destiny	125	5/10/1992		4
LISA EDWARDS	So Dangerous	106	19/10/1992		6
LISA STANSFIELD	Time To Make You Mine	114	25/05/1992		5
LIVE	Pain Lies On the Riverside	142	10/08/1992		1
LIVING DAYLIGHTS	Sliding	144	9/11/1992		1
LLOYD COLE	She's a Girl and I'm a Man	149	6/01/1992		1
LONDONBEAT	You Bring On the Sun	135	29/06/1992		4
LOVE DECADE	So Real	121	17/02/1992		7
MADNESS	My Girl (re-issue)	145	26/10/1992		1
MANIC STREET PREACHERS	Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)	139	2/11/1992		3
MARC COHN	True Companion	117	20/01/1992		9
MARC COHN	Ghost Train	121	23/03/1992		5
MARIAH CAREY	If It's Over	115	30/11/1992		9
MARK CURRY	The Mark Curry E.P.	146	9/11/1992		2
MARKY MARK & THE FUNKY BUNCH	I Need Money	121	6/04/1992		5
MASSIVE ATTACK	Safe From Harm	132	3/08/1992		5
MAXI PRIEST	Groovin' In the Midnight	120	19/10/1992		4
MAYBE DOLLS	Never Look Back	114	25/05/1992		8
MC OJ & RHYTHM SLAVE	Money Worries	133	30/03/1992		2
MELISSA	My House	119	16/11/1992		7
MELISSA ETHERIDGE	Dance Without Sleeping	145	23/11/1992		1
MESSIAH	Temple of Dreams	105	26/10/1992		10
MIDNIGHT OIL	Beds Are Burning (Live)	108	27/07/1992		7
MIKE OLDFIELD	Sentinel	134	16/11/1992		3
MINISTRY	Jesus Built My Hotrod	134	23/03/1992		6
MINISTRY	N.W.O	118	10/08/1992		7
MONIE LOVE	Full Term Love	150	14/09/1992		1
MY FRIEND THE CHOCOLATE CAKE	A Midlife's Tale (Get It Back Now)	134	24/02/1992		7
MYLENE FARMER	Je T'aime Mélancolie	142	4/05/1992		2
NATURAL SELECTION	Hearts Don't Think (They Feel)!	106	10/02/1992		7
NEIL DIAMOND	Don't Turn Around	117	9/03/1992		6
NEIL DIAMOND (duet with KIM CARNES)	Hooked On the Memory of You	116	20/04/1992		7
NEIL YOUNG	Harvest Moon	117	23/11/1992		11
NEW EDITION	Boys To Men	134	6/01/1992		5
NIKOLAJ STEEN featuring MELLE MEL and SCORPIO	The New Message	134	17/08/1992		5
NOMAD	Your Love Is Lifting Me	149	22/06/1992		1
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN	I Need Love	109	20/07/1992		11
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN	Deeper Than a River	136	19/10/1992		3
OSMOND BOYS	Boys Will Be Boys	132	24/02/1992		6
OZZY OSBOURNE	Mama I'm Coming Home	127	4/05/1992		8
P.M. DAWN	Reality Used To Be a Friend of Mine	118	27/04/1992		4
PAUL BEGAUD	Everybody	130	2/11/1992		6
PAUL KELLY AND THE MESSENGERS	When I First Met Your Ma	131	9/03/1992		6
PAUL WELLER	Uh Huh Oh Yeh	121	28/09/1992		6
PETER COUSENS	Love Changes Everything	136	14/12/1992		8
POISON	So Tell Me Why	142	6/01/1992		2
POP WILL EAT ITSELF	Karmadrome/Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me	121	27/07/1992		5
PSYCLONE SMYLE	Real Soul Pleaser (EP)	140	27/01/1992		1
PUBLIC ENEMY	Hazy Shade of Criminal	116	26/10/1992		4
PUSH PUSH	What My Baby Likes	118	6/04/1992		12
QUADROPHONIA	The Man With the Mastermixes	145	6/07/1992		2
QUEEN LATIFAH	Fly Girl/Nature of a Sista'	110	13/01/1992		7
REN	How Does It Feel	112	26/10/1992		5
RICK VITO duet with STEVIE NICKS	Desireé	147	13/07/1992		1
RIDE	Twisterella	105	1/06/1992		10
RIGHT SAID FRED	Those Simple Things/(What a Day For a) Daydream	121	14/09/1992		7
RINGO STARR	Weight of the World	142	6/07/1992		1
ROGER WATERS	What God Wants, Part I	103	14/09/1992		6
ROY ORBISON	I Drove All Night	132	18/05/1992		2
ROY ORBISON	Heartbreak Radio	103	23/11/1992		13
SABRINA JOHNSTON	I Wanna Sing	115	3/08/1992		6
SCHASCLE	Can't Get Love With Money	138	13/04/1992		5
SEPULTURA	Third World Posse (EP)	116	6/07/1992		9
SEX PISTOLS	Pretty Vacant	126	7/12/1992		9
SHANICE	I'm Cryin'	140	6/07/1992		4
SHAWN CHRISTOPHER	Don't Lose the Magic	124	18/05/1992		4
SIMPLE MINDS	Real Life	103	27/01/1992		6
SIMPLY RED	Thrill Me	109	29/06/1992		9
SIMPLY RED	Your Mirror	120	7/09/1992		7
SINÉAD O'CONNOR	Don't Cry For Me Argentina	138	30/11/1992		6
SINITTA	Shame Shame Shame	135	12/10/1992		3
SLAUGHTER	The Wild Life	130	29/06/1992		5
SLIM DUSTY	She'll Be Right, Mate	129	9/11/1992		3
SONIC YOUTH	Youth Against Fascism	123	16/11/1992		4
SOPHIE B. HAWKINS	California Here I Come	104	7/09/1992		7
SOUTHERN SONS	I Can't Wait Any Longer	111	7/12/1992		9
SPLINTER	Splinter (EP)	135	20/01/1992		3
STEPHEN CUMMINGS	Keep the Ball Rolling	125	17/08/1992		5
STRONGHEART	Kids Are Wired	146	20/07/1992		3
SUGAR	Helpless	111	19/10/1992		5
SUGAR	A Good Idea	108	14/12/1992		8
SUNSCREEM	Pressure	137	27/04/1992		5
SUNSCREEM	Walk On	143	3/08/1992		2
SUNSCREEM	Love U More	141	21/09/1992		1
S-WITCH	Sensual Motion	135	3/08/1992		7
TALKING HEADS	Lifetime Piling Up	108	7/12/1992		8
TEARS FOR FEARS	Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)	130	6/04/1992		7
TECHNOTRONIC featuring REGGIE	Money Makes the World Go Round	117	10/02/1992		5
TEENAGE FANCLUB	The Concept	110	20/04/1992		7
TEVIN CAMPBELL	Tell Me What You Want Me To Do	116	16/03/1992		6
THE B-52's	Tell It Like It T-I-Is	120	28/09/1992		6
THE BEACH BOYS	Hot Fun In the Summertime	122	23/11/1992		7
THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES featuring N'DEA DAVENPORT	Never Stop	140	9/03/1992		6
THE CELIBATE RIFLES	Cold Wind	138	1/06/1992		3
THE CHEVELLES	Girl For Me	144	18/05/1992		1
THE CRUEL SEA	This Is Not the Way Home	130	31/08/1992		8
THE CURE	A Letter To Elise	103	9/11/1992		8
THE FARGONE BEAUTIES	Highway To Hell (Ballad of Jed Clampett)	106	2/11/1992		6
THE FARM	Don't You Want Me	115	23/11/1992		11
THE KILLJOYS	Spin (EP)	136	6/01/1992		5
THE LIGHTNING SEEDS	Sense	107	6/07/1992		8
THE MEN	Church of Logic, Sin, & Love	143	31/08/1992		3
THE NEW ROCKY HORROR SHOW (AUSTRALIAN CAST RECORDING)	The New Time Warp	106	14/12/1992		10
THE PASADENAS	I'm Doing Fine Now	143	23/03/1992		5
THE PRODIGY	Everybody In the Place	125	22/06/1992		9
THE REELS	Bad Moon Rising (Remixes)	125	23/11/1992		10
THE SMITHS	This Charming Man (re-issue)	108	7/09/1992		6
THE SOUP DRAGONS	Divine Thing	133	22/06/1992		6
THE TEMPTATIONS	My Girl (re-issue)	104	2/03/1992		12
THE TIN LIDS	School	131	7/09/1992		7
THOMAS DOLBY	Close But No Cigar	107	15/06/1992		7
TIA CARRERE	Ballroom Blitz	101	13/07/1992		7
TONI CHILDS	I Want To Walk With You	110	10/02/1992		6
TORI AMOS	Silent All These Years	128	2/03/1992		6
TUMBLEWEED	Theatre of Gnomes (EP)	116	27/04/1992		3
TUMBLEWEED	Weedseed (EP)	111	24/08/1992		9
VANESSA WILLIAMS	Running Back To You	111	31/08/1992		5
VIC REEVES AND THE ROMAN NUMERALS	Born Free	130	11/05/1992		4
W.A.S.P.	The Idol	126	7/09/1992		2
WARRANT	Machine Gun	124	14/09/1992		6
WET WET WET	Make It Tonight	110	15/06/1992		5
XTC	The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead	132	5/10/1992		1

 

 

 < 1991 - the chart year in review             1993 - the chart year in review >

Week commencing 14 December 1992

Welcome to the final chart survey of 1992.  Fittingly, there's a Christmas song among the list of new entries below.  In other news, I have added top 150 chart runs for my posts covering February 1990 to September 1990 inclusive.

Bjӧrn Again: Santa Claus was coming to town, but not the top 100.

Top 150 dubuts:

Number 106 “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Bjӧrn Again

Peak: number 106 (1992-3 chart run); number 105 (1994-5 chart run)

Peak dates: 14 December 1992 (1992-3 chart run); 19 December 1994 (1994-5 chart run)

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks (4 weeks in 1992-3; 4 weeks in 1994-5)

Top 150 chart run: 106-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-109

Re-entered 12 December 1994: 130-105-(chart repeated for 1 week Xmas break)-141

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

The ABBA revival was well and truly underway by the end of 1992, with the ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits compilation atop the ARIA albums chart for Christmas 1992.  It all kicked off with Erasure's Abba-esque EP (number 13, August 1992) topping the UK singles chart in June 1992.  As a response to that, Australian ABBA tribute band Bjӧrn Again, cleverly named after ABBA founding member Bjӧrn Ulvaeus, covered two Erasure singles, "A Little Respect" and "Stop!", in ABBA style, released as the Erasure-ish EP in the UK, where it reached number 25 in October 1992. Oddly, the single was not released in Australia - perhaps because the Erasure originals of those songs were not hits locally.

"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" did receive a local release, however, just in time for Christmas.  Unlike most tribute acts, Bjӧrn Again did not merely perform ABBA covers, but rather, often re-interpreted others' songs in ABBA style, which was part of their novelty appeal.  Their version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" begins with a "Waterloo" (number 4, August 1974) mash-up, and contains their attempt at a Swedish accent, particularly noticeable on the word "Claus".  A version of "Little Drummer Boy" appeared as the single's B-side.

 

Internationally, "Santa Claus..." peaked at number 55 in the UK in December 1992.

 

Locally, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 66 on the state chart in December 1994.   The single was re-released for Christmas 1994 after the success of their "Flashdance... What a Feeling" (number 27, August 1994) single and Flashback! (number 40, August 1994) album.  It stalled just outside the top 100 on both occasions, however, with the 1994 release bettering its original chart peak by only one place.

Bjӧrn Again had various line-ups over the years, but the original line-up was by far the best, and most commercially-successful.

We shall see Bjӧrn Again next in 1994.

Number 132 “A Good Idea” by Sugar

Peak: number 108

Peak date: 18 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 132-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-119-112-108-122-114

We last saw American band Sugar in October 1992.

 

"A Good Idea" was the second single lifted from their debut album Copper Blue (number 92, October 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 62 in the UK in October 1992.

I hadn't heard this one before.  While it's not something I would seek out, it wasn't bad.

This was Sugar's last top 150 single in Australia.

Number 146 “The New Time Warp” by The New Rocky Horror Show (Australian Cast)

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 18 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 10 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 146-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-118-109-106-135-127-135-142

 

OK, you know from the song title and artist credit above that this is going to be a (probably bad) version of the famous Rocky Horror Show song, "The Time Warp", from 1973, which originally peaked at number 3 in Australia for 5 non-consecutive weeks in December 1980 and January 1981.  Before that, an Australian cast recording of the same song peaked at number 85 in November 1977.  We also saw Damian's version of the song bubble under in 1989.

The New Rocky Horror Show Australian cast was made up of Ally Fowler (of Chantoozies), Alyssa Jane Cook, Craig McLachlan, Frankie J Holden, Gina Riley (the comedienne), Glenn Butcher, Linda Nagle, Peter Rosethorn, Red Symons, Steve Kearney and Wilbur Wilde.  There was an accompanying album, The New Rocky Horror Show (Australian Cast Recording) (number 124, January 1993). 

I hadn't heard this one before.  It's interesting to see Gina Riley (Kim from Kath & Kim) on the charts.

Number 149 “Love Changes Everything” by Peter Cousens

Peak: number 136

Peak date: 11 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 149-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-137-136-140-150-141

Australian singer and actor Peter Cousens guest-starred in a number of TV soap operas, including Sons and Daughters, which I was too young to have watched the first time around, but viewed the repeats on 7Two starting in 2009.  I had to google who he played, as I couldn't place it, but he portrayed Luke Carlyle, who had a brief stint on the show in 1984.

Peter also landed the role of The Phantom for the Australian leg of the musical theatre production The Phantom of the Opera.  "Love Changes Everything" was recorded for another Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Aspects of Love, in which Peter performed in for its Australian shows.  The original London Cast recording of Aspects of Love peaked at number 86 on the ARIA albums chart in November 1989.  We saw Michael Ball's recording of “Love Changes Everything” bubble under in 1989.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 167 "Morning Has Broken" by Neil Diamond

Peak: number 154

Peak date: 18 January 1993

Wees on chart: 6 weeks

 

Neil Diamond last graced our presence in April 1992.

 

"Morning Has Broken" is lifted from Neil's The Christmas Album (number 30, January 1993).  Neil's version of the Christian hymn was released just in time for the festive season.

Internationally, "Morning Has Broken" peaked at number 36 in the UK in November 1992.  Locally, the single was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 38.

Neil will next join us in 1993.

 

Number 180 “Love, Oh Love” by Lionel Richie

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 11 January 1993

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks 

We last saw Lionel Richie in October 1992.

"Love, Oh Love" was the third new recording released as a single from Lionel's greatest hits album Back to Front (number 1, June 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 52 in the UK in November 1992, number 25 in Ireland in November 1992, number 15 in the Netherlands in December 1992, number 13 in the Flanders region of Belgium in January 1993, and number 71 in Germany in February 1993.  "Love, Oh Love" does not appear to have been released as a single in North America.

Locally, "Love, Oh Love" performed strongest in Western Australia, reaching number 157 on the state chart.

We shall next see Lionel in 2000 (if I am writing recaps for that year).  Before then, he had an album peak outside the top 100 in Australia with Time (number 174, June 1998).

Number 181 “Slow and Sexy” by Shabba Ranks featuring Johnny Gill

Peak: number 181

Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks 

We last saw Shabba Ranks in June 1992, and Johnny Gill in 1991.  The unlikely pair (given Shabba's stance on homosexuality at the time and Johnny's rumoured sexual orientation) teamed up for this track, lifted from Shabba's X-tra Naked (number 188, February 1993) album.

 

Overseas, "Slow and Sexy" peaked at number 17 in the UK in November 1992, and at number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1993.

 

"Slow and Sexy" also registered on a bunch of genre-specific Billboard charts in the US, reaching number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in November 1992, number 36 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in November 1992, number 63 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992, number 4 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in December 1992, number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in December 1992, and number 7 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in December 1992.

 

Domestically, "Slow and Sexy" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 125 on the state chart.

I don't recall hearing this one before, though probably caught it on the American Top 40 radio show at the time.  Shabba's vocals are a bit too abrasive for my liking on this track.

Johnny would go on to finally land a major hit, his only real one, in Australia with "The Floor" (number 6, October 1993) the next year.

We will see Shabba next as a featured artist in 1993, and Johnny in 1996.

Number 186 “Who Pays the Piper” by Gary Clail On-U Sound System 

Peak: number 177

Peak date: 18 January 1993

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks 

 

English artist (I'm reluctant to call him a singer) Gary Clail last graced our presence in 1991.

 

"Who Pays the Piper" was the lead single from Gary Clail On-U Sound's third album Dreamstealers (number 180, August 1993).  As with his hit "Human Nature" (number 38, August 1991), "Who Pays the Piper" deals with social issues... this time illicit drug use.

Internationally, "Who Pays the Piper" peaked at number 31 in the UK in November 1992.  In Australia, "Who Pays the Piper" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 156 on the state chart.

I first heard this one on the UK Chart Attack radio show, and caught the video as a new release on rage at the time.

We'll next see Gary in 1993.

Number 193 Can't Get Started EP by You Am I

Peak: number 177

Peak date: 22 February 1993

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

Aussie band You Am I formed in Sydney in 1989.  The Can't Get Started EP was the band's second single release, following the Snake Tide EP in May 1991, which did not chart.  Although it was track 3 on this 5-track EP, a music video was made for "Goddamn" (embedded below), and therefore I assume that this was the track used to promote this release.  Confusingly, however, the band earlier released an album titled Goddamn (number 150, June 1992), which does not contain the song "Goddamn"!

 

On the state charts, the Can't Get Started EP performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 159 on the state chart.

 

We'll next see You Am I in 1993.

 

 

Number 205 “Real Love” by Mary J. Blige

Peak: number 205

Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks 

 

Hailing from New York, "Real Love" was Mary J. Blige's (the J stands for Jane) second single, and first Australian release, from her debut album What's the 411?, which oddly does not appear to have been released in Australia.  It followed "You Remind Me".

Elsewhere, "Real Love" peaked at number 68 in the UK in November 1992, number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1992, and number 34 in Canada in December 1992.

The song also registered on a bunch of US Billboard's subsidiary charts, reaching number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in September 1992, number 2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in October 1992, number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in October 1992, number 36 on the Dance Club Songs chart in October 1992, number 5 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in October 1992, number 4 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992, number 1 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in November 1992, and number 8 on the Pop Airplay chart in November 1992.

Locally, "Real Love" performed strongest on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 185.

I heard this one several times on the American Top 40 radio show, and knew it quite well.  Although R&B was generally making only small inroads on the Australian chart in 1992, its presence would increase in 1993.  I am surprised this was not a bigger hit, though I don't recall the song receiving any air or video play here at the time.

Mary would have to wait until 2001 to land a breakthrough hit on the Australian chart, with "Family Affair" (number 8, January 2002); a song which I could probably be caught doing some dad dancing to if I was on my own and did such things...

We'll next see Mary in 1993.

Number 217 “To Hell with Love” by Suzanne Rhatigan

Peak: number 195

Peak date: 11 January 1993

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks 

 

Irish songstress Suzanne Rhatigan last paid us a visit in November 1992.

 

This song was the title track from her debut and only album To Hell with Love, which was released locally in February 1993 but did not chart.

 

"To Hell with Love" did not chart anywhere else.  It performed strongest on the Western Australia state chart, where it reached number 159.

 

I think I did hear this one at the time, probably as a new release video on rage.

 

We shall see Suzanne once more in 1993.

Number 220 “The Bitter Pill” by Warrant

Peak: number 220

Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

We last saw American glam metal/rock band Warrant in September 1992.

 

"The Bitter Pill" was the second single lifted from the band's third studio album Dog Eat Dog (number 105, October 1992).   I cannot find evidence of this track charting elsewhere.

On the state charts, "The Bitter Pill" peaked highest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 192.

I hadn't heard this one before.  It's not the sort of thing I would seek out, but I didn't mind it.

This would be Warrant's final chart entry in Australia.

Number 221 “Siva”/“Window Paine” by The Smashing Pumpkins 

Peak: number 216

Peak date: 1 March 1993

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks 

American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins formed in Chicago in 1988.  Their first Australian singles chart entry was the Lull EP (number 74, August 1992), led by the track "Rhinoceros".  Both "Siva" and "Window Paine" were lifted from the band's debut album Gish (number 51, March 1996), which initially peaked at number 98 in July 1992.  Like most Australians, I first became aware of The Smashing Pumpkins when their single "Disarm" (number 16, August 1994) became a chart hit.

 

Internationally, "Siva"/"Window Paine" peaked at number 45 in New Zealand in February 1993.

 

Domestically, the single performed strongest on the Western Australian state chart, where it reached number 166.

A random memory I have involving The Smashing Pumpkins is my incredibly uncool audiology lecturer at uni put a question on the exam in 1998 regarding the loudness of the music at a “Roaring Pumpkins” concert.  I don’t know if he was that clueless he didn’t know the correct name of the band, or if he just got it wrong.

 

We'll next see The Smashing Pumpkins in 1995.

Next chart (4 January 1993): The new year kicks off with four new top 150 entries, and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.

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