Special post: State chart-only number 1 singles June-December 1988

It has been quite a while since I've made a post outside of the weekly top 150 recaps.  Writing this one has been on my mental 'to do' list for quite a while.  Although this blog normally deals with flops that missed the ARIA top 100, for a change, in this post I will write about singles that went to number one on at least one of the five state charts, but did not top the national chart.

 

Avid collectors of the printed ARIA top 50 charts that used to be available freely in record stores may recall that ARIA started including the state top 10 charts on those on the chart dated week ending 29 April 1990 (which reflects the chart survey conducted 23 April 1990).  Here's a refresher (hopefully it will be at a readable size font if you right click View Image, or open it in a new tab):

 

Then, in December 1991, ARIA switched to posting the state top 50 singles and albums chart on the reverse of the national chart, with each state having their own state chart printed on the back.  I do wonder what happened at/near border towns...  Here's an example I collected at the time, showing the Victoria/Tasmania state chart on the reverse.  I have split the image into two halves so that it (hopefully) displays more clearly below:

 

 

Then, of course the printed top 50 chart underwent a re-design in August 1992.  Here's one with a Queensland state chart, provided by the late Craig MacGregor:

 

 

Top 50 state chart information was also provided in a table within The ARIA Report, with an example below:

 

ARIA state chart data from June 1988 (when ARIA commenced producing the chart in-house) to December 1989 inclusive has never been publicly available.  While I don't have a complete set of state charts, I am reasonably confident that I now have all of the state chart number 1 singles spanning this period.

 

 

State chart-only number one singles - June 1988 to December 1988:

 

1. "Blue Monday 1988" by New Order

State(s) that it went to number one in: Victoria/Tasmania

Known dates it was number one: 6 June 1988

National chart peak: number 3 

National chart debut: 29 May 1988

National chart run: 31-3-4-5-7-7-13-14-14-16-20-28-35-37-54-53-72-75-96

 

Topping the very first Victoria/Tasmania state chart produced by ARIA is New Order's "Blue Monday 1988".  During the same week, it climbed from number 31 to number 3 nationally.  While the English band never scored a national number one single in Australia, "Bizarre Love Triangle" (number 5, March 1987) also topped the Kent Music Report state chart for four weeks in Victoria in 1987.  Excellent taste, Victorians and Tasmanians!

 

 

2. "Underneath the Radar" by Underworld

State(s) that it went to number one in: Western Australia

Known dates it was number one: 6 June 1988

National chart peak: number 5

National chart debut: 11 April 1988

National chart run: 82-68-52-49-40-36-28-26-13-5-16-9-10-7-12-11-10-7-10-10-16-23-28-35-36-44-45-46-46-55-56-60-70-75-90

 

British band Underworld landed a state chart number one in Western Australia on the first chart survey ARIA conducted.  Surprisingly, this one was only really a hit in Australia, where it reached number 5 nationally, and in New Zealand, where it reached number 14.  "Underneath the Radar" crept into the lower region of the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 74 in May 1988.  Astonishingly, the single did not even register on the UK top 200, which is quite a travesty!

 

3. "The Perfect Day" by Fischer-Z

State(s) that it went to number one in: Western Australia

Known dates it was number one: 13 June 1988

National chart peak: number 12

National chart debut: 2 May 1988

National chart run: 95-90-87-68-60-55-22-82-47-45-37-31-21-18-12-13-16-17-14-21-20-26-33-34-33-57-58-57-96

 

Like Underworld above, English band Fischer-Z were two-hit wonders in Australia, (almost) eight years apart, with "So Long" (number 15, December 1980) and this one.  Also like Underworld, the line-up of the band had completely changed in between the two Australian hits, with the lead singer being the only constant.  Narrowly missing the top 10 nationally, Western Australia had the good sense to make this a number one hit.  The single had a rather yo yo-like chart run for a period, climbing from 55 to 22 on the second ARIA-produced chart (the week it was number one in Western Australia), before dropping back down to 82 then climbing back up the chart slowly again.  I wonder what was going on there.

 

4. "Better Be Home Soon" by Crowded House

State(s) that it went to number one in: Queensland and Western Australia

Known dates it was number one: 4 July 1988 (WA); 11 July 1988 (QLD)

National chart peak: number 2

National chart debut: 13 June 1988

National chart run: 36-3-3-2-2-3-2-2-4-5-6-6-10-17-18-23-37-43-52-62-61-71-84-96-95

 

Probably thought of as a number one hit by most people, "Better Be Home Soon" surprisingly only peaked at number 2.  Having said that, I was not a fan of the song at the time, but have since grown to like it over the years.

 

 

5. "Doctorin' the Tardis" by The Timelords

State(s) that it went to number one in: Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland

Known dates it was number one: 29 August 1988 (VIC/TAS); 19 September 1988 (QLD)

National chart peak: number 2

National chart debut: 1 August 1988

National chart run: 57-8-4-3-3-3-3-2-3-3-7-12-13-25-35-51-52-53-78-83-94-(2 week Xmas break)-98

 

Another one many people probably assume was a number one hit is The Timelords' (an alias of The KLF) novelty hit, "Doctorin' the Tardis".  It seemed there were more Doctor Who fans in Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland than the rest of the country.

 

 

6. "Don't Be Cruel" by Cheap Trick

State(s) that it went to number one in: Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland

Known dates it was number one: 19 September 1988 (VIC/TAS); 12 September 1988 (QLD)

National chart peak: number 4

National chart debut: 27 June 1988

National chart run: 50-29-20-25-16-14-9-8-5-5-4-4-5-5-6-12-19-23-28-44-46-43-74-75-75-97-(2 week Xmas break)-96 

Deciding to follow-up a massive number one hit "The Flame" (number one on the first ARIA-produced national singles chart, no less) with a safe Elvis cover was a choice... but it paid off for Cheap Trick, giving them back-to-back top 5 success in Australia.

 

 

7. "All Fired Up" by Pat Benatar

State(s) that it went to number one in: Queensland and Western Australia

Known dates it was number one: 3 October 1988 (QLD); 26 September 1988 (WA)

National chart peak: number 2

National chart debut: 1 August 1988

National chart run: 70-41-20-15-7-5-5-4-2-2-5-7-9-11-14-19-20-33-50-66-(2 week Xmas break)-71-75-83-95-101

 

American singer Pat Benatar landed a number one hit in Australia in early 1984 with the brilliant "Love Is a Battlefield".  While she never replicated that feat, she came close with "All Fired Up"; another song I wasn't particularly fond of at the time, but has since grown on me.  A little known fact about this track is that it's a cover version of a 1987 single from Australian country band Rattling Sabers, which peaked at number 94 in Australia in November 1987.

 

 

8. "The Only Way Is Up" by Yazz and The Plastic Population

State(s) that it went to number one in: New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory

Known dates it was number one: 17 October 1988 (NSW/ACT)

National chart peak: number 2

National chart debut: 19 September 1988

National chart run: 86-34-14-8-2-5-5-5-6-5-4-4-5-7-(2 week Xmas break)-6-9-8-13-17-21-22-36-46-48-60-65-79-83-84

 

English singer Yazz (born Yasmin Evans) was backed up by Coldcut, for whom she was a featured artist on "Doctorin' the House" (number 45, August 1988), using the pseudonym 'The Plastic Population', for this track, which is another cover of an obscure song, originally recorded by Otis Clay.  Yazz's version spent a respectable 16 weeks in the Australian top 10.  Sometimes incorrectly referred to as a one-hit wonder, Yazz had another top 30 hit in Australia, minus The Plastic Population, with "Stand Up for Your Love Rights" (number 22, December 1988), which I prefer slightly to this one, and, er, another three solo top 100 'hits'.

 

 

9. "A Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins

State(s) that it went to number one in: all except South Australia/Northern Territory!

Known dates it was number one: 24 October 1988 (NSW/ACT); 31 October 1988 (VIC/TAS); 31 October 1988 (QLD); 24 October 1988 (WA)

National chart peak: number 2

National chart debut: 3 October 1988

National chart run: 31-10-5-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-5-(2 week Xmas break)-8-11-14-17-23-27-64-47-45-68-81-82

 

Spending a mammoth seven consecutive weeks at number 2, Phil Collins' "A Groovy Kind of Love", recorded for the soundtrack of the film Buster (which Phil also starred in), somehow managed to top four of the five state charts, but not the national chart.  In the odd state chart-out, South Australia/Northern Territory, "A Groovy Kind of Love" only managed to reach number 5.

 

 

10. "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Jimmy Barnes

State(s) that it went to number one in: South Australia/Northern Territory

Known dates it was number one: 14 November 1988

National chart peak: number 3

National chart debut: 31 October 1988

National chart run: 24-6-4-3-3-3-6-11-(2 week Xmas break)-14-20-27-39-61-63-71-77-109-97

 

I've never been a big fan of Scottish-Australian pub rock legend Jimmy Barnes' screaming vocals, and they're cranked up to 11 on this live rendition of the Percy Sledge song, which South Australia/Northern Territory obviously loved.  The song could alternatively be titled "How to Destroy Your Vocal Cords Permanently in One Easy Lesson".

 

 

11. "Nothing Can Divide Us" by Jason Donovan

State(s) that it went to number one in: South Australia/Northern Territory

Known dates it was number one: 21 November 1988

National chart peak: number 3

National chart debut: 24 October 1988

National chart run: 4-4-4-3-4-6-8-7-10-(2 week Xmas break)-16-15-24-29-29-47-52-73-82-92-82

 

Rejected by Rick Astley, "Nothing Can Divide Us" was recycled by Hit Factory maestros Stock Aitken Waterman to give 'our' Jason his first hit.  It's a bit of a stretch to think that Jason, who could barely hold a note at this point, could manage a song written with Rick Astley in mind, but here it is.  Jason's voice sounds a bit like it came out of a computer, but this was the pre-Auto-Tune era, and the studio wizardry wasn't quite as good.  Having said that, I do like this.

 

For years, I thought this was a legitimate national ARIA chart number one, as it was number one for a week on the chart used (based on what, I don't know) by Take 40 Australia prior to 1989.  They did switch to using the ARIA chart in January 1989.

 

 

12. "If I Could" by 1927

State(s) that it went to number one in: Victoria/Tasmania

Known dates it was number one: 28 November 1988

National chart peak: number 4

National chart debut: 7 November 1988

National chart run: 64-29-9-5-5-4-4-(2 week Xmas break)-4-5-5-6-11-7-10-10-14-16-17-22-25-31-45-38-42-56-65-77-86-97

 

Aussie band 1927's second single seems like it was a national number one; and it indeed was... on the bogus chart used by Take 40 Australia in 1988.  So, yes, it's another one that I thought was a legitimate number one for years.  FM radio in Melbourne certainly loved this one, and it's quite good, if not a little on the sappy side, lyrically.

 

 

13. "Bring Me Some Water" by Melissa Etheridge

State(s) that it went to number one in: South Australia/Northern Territory

Known dates it was number one: 28 November 1988

National chart peak: number 9

National chart debut: 24 October 1988

National chart run: 55-29-24-11-10-10-9-10-13-(2 week Xmas break)-13-14-12-20-19-24-34-33-38-52-53-62-79-74

 

Another one FM radio in Melbourne flogged to death is American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge's "Bring Me Some Water".  So much so that I believed for many years that Melissa was an Australian!  Indeed, Australia seems to have given Melissa her first taste of real chart success.  Fox FM were playing this one for weeks before it hit the chart, and it's one of those songs I could never work out the title to, assuming it might be "Sweet Devil's Got My Soul."

 

 

14. "Especially for You" by Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan

State(s) that it went to number one in: South Australia/Northern Territory

Known dates it was number one: 19 December 1988 (chart repeated 26 December 1988 and 2 January 1989)

National chart peak: number 2

National chart debut: 19 December 1988

National chart run: 2-(2 week Xmas break)-2-2-2-3-4-7-11-15-17-30-29-28-31-42-49-52-58-58-80-86-99

In retrospect, it seems quite shocking that a Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan duet, considering how big they were at the time, didn't go to number one in Australia.  It did, however, debut at number one on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, the only state chart it reached the top.  "Especially for You" was also number one for one week in January 1989 on the chart used by Take 40 Australia before they switched to using the ARIA chart the following week - so it's another one I assumed was a legitimate Australian number one single for years.  I'm sure you've heard/seen "Especially for You" umpteen times before, so here's a parody of the video that's worth checking out (or so I think), from two British comedians who decided to make use of their wig collection during COVID lockdowns by uploading videos to YouTube.

 

 

Part two of this post will cover the state chart-only number one singles for the first half of 1989.  Stay tuned!

 

                                      Part two: State chart-only number 1 singles January-June 1989 >

Week commencing 8 February 1993

Among the new entries peaking outside the Australian top 100 this week in 1993, we have a re-release of a song from the late 1970s, a live version of a song originally released in the 1970s, and two singles that spent some time on the ARIA albums chart!  Shall we take a look?

 

Patty Smyth: sometimes being a one-hit wonder (twice!) just ain't enough.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 102 "Bad Boy for Love" by Rose Tattoo

Peak: number 102

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 102-105-118-127-138

 

Australian band Rose Tattoo formed in Sydney in 1976.  "Bad Boy for Love" was their first release, and first single to chart, reaching number 19 in January 1978.  It was also the group's biggest hit on the Australian chart, although "We Can't Be Beaten" (number 28, December 1982) is the song I most associate with the band.  Between 1977 and 1987, when the band split, Rose Tattoo placed 11 singles on the Australian top 100.  Lead singer Angry Anderson (real name Gary Stephen Anderson), whom we saw bubble under in 1990, then embarked on a solo carer, and is best known for singing Scott and Charlene's wedding song from Neighours, "Suddenly" (number 2, August 1987).

Originally appearing on the band's debut album Rose Tattoo (number 40, December 1978), "Bad Boy for Love" was re-issued to promote their Nice Boys Don't Play Rock 'n' Roll (number 121, February 1993) best of compilation album.

 

Rose Tattoo reformed in 1992-1993, supporting Guns N' Roses on the Australian leg of their Use Your Illusion tour, and would again reform in 1998.  Five of the band's former members have died of various forms of cancer, between 1991 and 2009, outdoing Ramones on that grim metric.

 

Number 125 "99.5°F" by Suzanne Vega

Peak: number 125

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Chart run: 125-133-137-140

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega in 1990.

"99.9°F" was the second single released in Australia from Suzanne's fourth studio album 99.9°F (number 56, November 1992).  It followed "Blood Makes Noise" (number 61, October 1992), which would become Suzanne's final top 100 single in Australia.  In the UK, "In Liverpool" was issued as the first single from 99.9°F, but it did not receive a single release in Australia.  "99.9°F” deals with the subject of male erectile dysfunction.  Oo-er!

Internationally, "99.9°F" peaked at number 46 in the UK in October 1992.  It also registered on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, reaching number 16 in January 1993.

In Australia, "99.9°F" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 91 on the state chart.

I didn't know "99.9°F" at the time, but became well-acquainted with the song after picking up Suzanne's Tried and True: The Best of (number 96, November 1998) compilation album in 2000.  This led me to purchase Suzanne's previous studio albums.  The 99.9°F album is notable for it being the first time Suzanne had really incorporated electronica into her music.  Presumably, this was inspired by the success of the DNA remix of "Tom's Diner" (number 8, November 1990).  I think "99.9°F" could have charted better had it received more promotion.

We shall next see Suzanne in June 1993.

Number 127 "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (live) by AC/DC

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 127-112-128-149-146

Legendary Australian band AC/DC formed in Sydney in 1973.  Between 1974 and this point in 1993, the group had placed 26 singles on the Australian top 100, with "Thunderstruck" (number 4, October 1990) being the highest-charting of those.

The studio recording of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" was released as a single in Australia in 1976 as the band's seventh single.  It reached number 29 on the Kent Music Report singles chart in December 1976.  The track was sung by then lead singer Bon Scott (real name Ronald Belford Scott), who died from acute alcohol poisoning in February 1980, aged 33.  England-born Brian Johnson was then recruited to front the band.  Joan Jett released a cover version of "Dirty Deeds" (with shortened title) in 1990, which peaked at number 59 in Australia in May 1990.

 

This live version of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", recorded in Birmingham, England, on 23 April 1991, was taken from the live album AC/DC Live (number 1 for 2 weeks in November 1992).  It followed a live version of "Highway to Hell" (number 29, November 1992), recorded in Glasgow, Scotland on 20 April 1991.

 

Internationally, this live version of 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" peaked at number 68 in the UK in February 1993, and number 34 in New Zealand in April 1993.

 

AC/DC will next join us in 2000.

Number 128 "It Ain't Love" by 1927

Peak: number 123

Peak date: 5 April 1993

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 128-131-131-126-142-148-131-130-123

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

Aussie band 1927 formed in Melbourne in 1987, started by Garry Frost, previously a member of Moving Pictures, who scored a number 1 hit in Australia with "What About Me?" (number 1 for 6 weeks in March-April 1982).  Garry started writing songs for an as yet unformed band in 1986.  He recruited singer Eric Wiedeman in 1987 after catching his performance of The Police's "Roxanne" (number 34, June 1979) on the comedic 'Red Faces' segment of Hey Hey It's Saturday, and contacting the show to get hold of Eric.

1927 scored back-to-back top 10 hits in Australia with their first two singles "That's When I Think of You" (number 6, September 1988) and "If I Could" (number 4, December 1988) - both singles spent nearly six months inside the top 50.  Their debut album ...ish (number 1 for 4 weeks in April-May 1989) was the second best-selling album of 1989 in Australia.  Founding member Garry Frost quit the band before the release of their second album The Other Side (number 3, July 1990).  The singles from The Other Side were not as successful as those from their debut, with only lead single "Tell Me a Story" (number 17, June 1990) peaking within the top 40.

 

After a two-year hiatus, 1927 returned in 1992.  Their third album 1927 (number 40, November 1992) only yielded one top 50 single, "Scars" (number 46, November 1992).  "It Ain't Love" was the second and final single lifted from the album.

On the state charts, "It Ain't Love" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 90.

1927 disbanded in 1993, eventually reforming in 2009.  In the interim, singer Eric Weideman embarked on a solo career, with limited commercial success.  Eric's only solo single to dent the ARIA top 150 was "Nothing I Can Do", which peaked at number 73 in February 1997, after initially peaking at number 132 in October 1996 and falling out of the top 150 after three weeks.

While we won't be seeing 1927 again, they had two later charting albums: The Essential 1927 (number 94, July 2013), and Generation-i (number 100, August 2013).

Number 133 "Just Wanna Know" by Maxi Priest

Peak: number 122

Peak date: 1 March 1993

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Chart run: 133-136-134-122-127-146-124-141-139

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

Maxi Priest last joined us in 1992.

 

"Just Wanna Know" was issued as the second single from Maxi's fifth studio album Fe Real (number 130, May 1993).  Internationally, "Just Wanna Know" peaked at number 33 in the UK in November 1992.

Locally, "Just Wanna Know" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 91 on the state chart.

We'll see Maxi again in 1997.

Number 134 Broken EP by Nine Inch Nails

Peak: number 115

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 134-115

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Nine Inch Nails formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988.  Lead singer Trent Reznor (born Michael Trent Reznor) was the only permanent member of the band until Atticus Ross, who Trent first worked with in 2002, became an official member in 2016.

The group first dented the ARIA chart in 1992 with the single "Head Like a Hole", which debuted at number 224 on 31 August 1992.  As "Head Like a Hole" did not climb into the top 150 upon its initial release, I am unable to tell you whether it climbed higher than its debut position.  It did, however, climb to number 57 in May 1995, when re-released after the success of "Closer" (number 3, November 1994).  "Head Like a Hole" was lifted from Nine Inch Nails' 1989 debut album Pretty Hate Machine (number 190, April 1995), which debuted on the ARIA albums chart at number 217 on 5 October 1992.

 

The Broken EP consisted of newly-recorded tracks that were not on Pretty Hate Machine.  Containing eight songs and clocking in at just under 32 minutes, the EP was more like a mini-album.  A short, 20 minute horror musical film was made, containing tracks from the EP, including the music videos for "Wish", "Happiness Is Slavery" and "Gave Up" (tracks 2, 5 and 6 from the EP).

 

It seems that ARIA were undecided on whether Broken should appear on the singles or albums chart.  The EP initially registered on the singles chart for its first two weeks, before being moved over to the albums chart, debuting at number 187 on 22 February 1993.  The EP spent four weeks on the ARIA albums chart, peaking at number 156 on it in January 1994.  Based on the state chart peaks, I can determine that three of the four weeks Broken spent on the albums chart were 22 February 1993, 31 January 1994 (when it peaked), and 16 January 1995 - so its chart life, although relatively brief, was over a long period.

When Broken charted on the singles chart, it was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 101 in February 1993.  When Broken charted on the albums chart, it was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 118 in January 1994.

Internationally, Broken charted as a single in New Zealand, where it reached number 46 in April 1993.  Broken charted as an album in the US, where it peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200 in October 1992, and in the UK, where it reached number 18 in October 1992.

We'll next see Nine Inch Nails in 1996.

Number 137 "Washed Away" by Tom Cochrane

Peak: number 129

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Chart run: 137-129-140-143

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

Canadian singer-songwriter Tom Cochrane began his solo career on the Australian chart in 1992 with "Life Is a Highway" (number 2, September 1992), though it took nearly four months for the single to dent the top 50.  He followed that up with "No Regrets" (number 26, November 1992), and the album Mad Mad World (number 46, October 1992), which was his second solo studio album.

 

Tom's recording career began long before his Australian breakthrough, however, with his debut album being released in 1974.  Tom was also lead singer in the Canadian band Red Rider, whom we saw bubble under in 1989, and whose debut album was released in 1979.  Red Rider landed a minor hit in Australia in 1982 with "Lunatic Fringe" (number 52. May 1982).  "Boy Inside the Man", credited to Tom Cochrane and Red Rider, bubbled under the Australian top 100 in March 1987, reaching fifth place on the Kent Music Report's list of singles with significant sales reports beyond the top 100.

"Washed Away" was issued as the third single from Mad Mad World in Australia, although it was the fifth single from the album in Tom's native Canada.  Internationally, "Washed Away" peaked at number 7 in Canada in November 1992, and number 88 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992.

In Australia, "Washed Away" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 72 on the state chart.  The single missed the top 100 on the other four state charts.

 

Tom will join us again in March 1993.

Number 138 "I Will Be Here for You" by Michael W. Smith

Peak: number 138

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 138-(out for 1 week)-149

Weeks on chart: 12 weeks

American contemporary Christian singer Michael W. Smith last joined us in 1991.

"I Will Be Here for You" was the lead single from Michael's sixth studio album Change Your World, which was released in Australia in November 1992 but did not chart.  The single took some time to climb into the ARIA top 150, after debuting at number 228 on 23 November 1992.

Internationally, "I Will Be Here for You" reached number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992, number 8 in Canada in November 1992, and number 233 (number 141 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992.  The song also reached number 1 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in October 1992, number 19 on the Pop Airplay chart in November 1992, and number 36 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992.

Locally, "I Will Be Here for You" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 77 on the state chart.  The single peaked higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 57.  It is interesting that the ARIA singles chart peak for "I Will Be Here for You" is 81 places lower than its AMR peak.

I didn’t think I knew this one, but the chorus seems vaguely familiar.  I probably heard it on the American Top 40 radio show at the time.

We'll next see Michael in 1998.

Number 141 "Cruel Little Number" by The Jeff Healey Band

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 141

We last saw Canadian band The Jeff Healey Band in 1990.

 

"Cruel Little Number" was the lead single from the band's third studio album Feel This (number 37, February 1993).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 83 (number 79 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992, and number 17 in Canada in December 1992.

This was The Jeff Healey Band's last single to dent the ARIA top 150.

Number 144 "Wasting Love" by Iron Maiden

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 1 March 1993

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-135-141-132

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

English metal band Iron Maiden last joined us in 1992.

 

"Wasting Love" was issued as the third and final single from the band's ninth studio album Fear of the Dark (number 11, May 1992).  It appears that the single was only released in continental Europe, North America and Australasia - not in the band's native UK.  Interestingly, "Wasting Love" does not appear to have charted anywhere else.

In Australia, "Wasting Love" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 117 on the state chart.

I wasn’t expecting to like this one, but it’s not bad.

We'll next see Iron Maiden in November 1993.

Number 146 "No Mistakes" by Patty Smyth

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 22 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 146-134-127-130-149-147

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

American singer-songwriter Patty Smyth - not to be confused with Patti Smith - was the lead singer of the band Scandal, formed in 1981.  Scandal landed two top 100 singles in Australia, one being much bigger than the other, with "The Warrior" (number 6, November 1984) and "Hands Tied" (number 83, February 1985).  Curiously, both singles were credited to Scandal featuring Patty Smyth, rather than just Scandal, suggesting that Patty had her sights set on a solo career.  Indeed, Scandal disbanded in 1985, though would reform in 2004.

Patty launched her solo career with the album Never Enough (released in Australia in June 1987, did not chart) in 1987.  The title track, "Never Enough", was released as a single locally in March 1987, but failed to chart.  The album's second single, a cover of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train", was not released in Australia, but Rod Stewart's version of that song would go on to become a number 29 hit here in March 1990.

Patty's duet with former Eagles co-lead singer/drummer Don Henley, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" (number 5, November 1992), gave Patty a second hit, and her only solo top 100 single, in Australia, effectively making her a one-hit wonder here twice!

"No Mistakes" was the second single lifted from Patty's second solo studio album Patty Smyth (number 94, November 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 149 (number 108 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992, number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1993, and number 3 in Canada in February 1993.  The song also reached number 33 on the US Billboard Radio Songs chart in February 1993, number 15 on the Pop Airplay chart in February 1993, and number 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart in February 1993

Domestically, "No Mistakes" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 89.

We'll see Patty once more in June 1993.

Number 148 "Revolution Earth" by The B-52's

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 206-(off chart for 1 week)-148-146-147-150-148

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

We last saw zany American band The B-52's in 1992.

"Revolution Earth" was issued as the third single in Australia from the band's sixth studio album Good Stuff (number 36, July 1992).  I cannot find evidence of this single, which appears to have not been released in the UK, charting anywhere else.

 

Similar to the Nine Inch Nails EP discussed above, this single registered on the ARIA albums chart for one week, debuting at number 170 on 1 February 1993, one week after it debuted at number 206 on the singles chart!  This was presumably an error made by ARIA, as there are only 4 tracks on the CD single.  On the state charts, "Revolution Earth" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 110.  When the single charted for one week on the albums chart, it also performed strongest in Western Australia, reaching number 149.

 

I hadn't heard "Revolution Earth" before.  The song only contains vocals from Kate Pierson, and not the two male members of the group, in a similar fashion to "Roam" (number 11, March 1990) - although Cindy Wilson, who was not part of the group for the Good Stuff album, sang in unison with Kate on that track.

 

Two further singles from Good Stuff were released overseas, but not in Australia: "Is That You Mo-Dean?" (UK number 78, November 1992) and "Hot Pants Explosion" (UK number 81 [number 78 on the compressed chart], February 1993).  Somehow, I heard "Is That You Mo-Dean?" at the time, but not "Revolution Earth".

 

The B-52's will join us next in 1999.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 166 "Walk on the Ocean" by Toad the Wet Sprocket

Peak: number 152

Peak date: 8 March 1993

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

American band Toad the Wet Sprocket formed in Santa Barbara, California, in 1986.  Their 1989 debut album Bread and Circus was released in Australia in March 1990 - oddly, no singles were released here from it - but failed to chart.  Their second album, Pale, followed swiftly in June 1990, along with the single "Come Back Down", but they also failed to chart locally.

"Walk on the Ocean" was the second single issued in Australia from the third Toad the Wet Sprocket album Fear (number 179, March 1993).  It followed "All I Want" (number 99, February 1993), which debuted on the ARIA singles chart at number 163 in late September 1992, but took more than three months to reach its peak.  "All I Want" was the only release from the band to trouble the top 100 in Australia.  The single found greater success in the band's homeland, where it reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1992.

Internationally, "Walk on the Ocean" peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1993, number 10 in Norway in February 1993, number 22 in Canada in February 1993, number 67 in Germany in February 1993, and number 22 in New Zealand in April 1993.  The track also reached number 27 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in November 1992, number 10 on the Pop Airplay chart in January 1993, number 21 on the Radio Songs chart in February 1993, and number 31 on the Adult Contemporary chart in February 1993.

In Australia, "Walk on the Ocean" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 110 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it.  I didn't know what a 'sprocket' was, so looked up its definition: it's a chainwheel, or "a toothed wheel engaging with a conveyor or power chain."

We shall see Toad the Wet Sprocket next in 1994.

Number 205 "Slam Jam" by The WWF Superstars

Peak: number 202

Peak date: 5 April 1993

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Regular readers will know that I am a fan of English producers Stock Aitken Waterman, or Stock Waterman as they were at this point, who were effectively a 'British Motown' for the 1980s (and early 90s).  But I concede they are responsible for some dross, and "Slam Jam" here is a prime example.

 

The WWF in WWF Superstars stands for World Wrestling Federation.  As you may have guessed, I am definitely not a wrestling enthusiast; nor am I a fan of most 'sports' tie-in songs.  Mike Stock and Pete Waterman, whose chart fortunes were dwindling in the early 90s, saw an opportunity to score a hit by writing a novelty song for The WWF Superstars, and this track gave them their first UK top 10 hit that was not sung by Kylie Minogue or Jason Donovan since early 1990.

Internationally, "Slam Jam" peaked at number 4 in the UK in December 1992, and number 3 in Ireland in December 1992.

Domestically, "Slam Jam" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 164.

Next week (15 February): Five top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

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