This week in 1993's new entries peaking outside the top 100 are an interesting bunch. Among them, we have two live releases for which a lip syncing music video was made, a cover version featuring the artists who recorded the original song, and some underappreciated in Australia at the time R&B acts. Before taking a look at them, I have updated the following earlier posts:
* 29 October 1990 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Archie Roach;
* 1 February 1993 - now with an audio clip for Paul Kelly and others’ "He Can't Decide".
Simply Red: love for sale... but was anyone buying?
Top 150 debuts:
Number 124 "Hold Back the Night" by K.W.S. featuring The Trammps
Peak: number 118
Peak date: 1 March 1993
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Chart run: 124-121-118-125-135
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
British band K.W.S. originate from Nottingham, England, and were named after the surnames of the group's three members, Chris King, Winston "Winnie" Williams, and Delroy St. Joseph... except singer Delroy only sang lead on their first two singles, "Please Don't Go" (number 2 for 4 non-consecutive weeks in July-August 1992; it topped 3 of the 5 state charts) and "Rock Your Baby" (number 38, November 1992). Those tracks were cover versions of KC & The Sunshine Band and George McCrae, respectively.
All of K.W.S's singles were cover versions, and "Hold Back the Night", the third single from their debut and only album Please Don't Go (The Album) (number 148, February 1993) - released as KWS in Europe, Japan and South America - is another. This time, however, the song was originally recorded by American band The Trammps, who perform on this version, in 1975. The Trammps' original of this track did not chart in Australia; their only charting single here was "Disco Inferno" (number 32, June 1978).
Internationally, the K.W.S. version of "Hold Back the Night" peaked at number 30 in the UK in December 1992, and number 20 in Ireland during the same month.
In Australia, "Hold Back the Night" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 102 on the state chart.
One thing I didn't realise until researching this post is that the two guys who play the instruments in K.W.S., Chris King and Winnie Williams, passed away in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
We shall see K.W.S. once more, in 1995.
Number 130 Montreux EP by Simply Red
Peak: number 130
Peak dates: 15 February 1993 and 22 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 130-130-138-150
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
We last saw English band Simply Red in 1992.
As those of you familiar with the annual Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland might have guessed, the Montreux EP is a collection of songs recorded live at the aforementioned festival. The four songs in question, recorded live on 8 July 1992, are:
* "Love for Sale" - this track was originally a B-side on Simply Red's "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" single, which was released in Australia in
December 1987, but did not chart. This song is a cover version of Waring's Pennsylvanians from 1931, written by Cole Porter.
* "Drowning in My Own Tears" - a cover version of Sonny Thompson from 1951, exclusive to this release.
* "Granma's Hands"
- this track was originally a B-side on Simply Red's "Come to My Aid" single, which was released in Australia in December
1985, but did not chart. This song is a cover version of Bill Withers from 1971.
* "Lady Godiva's Room" - an original track that was originally a B-side on Simply Red's "Infidelity" (number 54, June 1987) single. This appears to have been the main track on the Montreux EP, despite being track 4, as a music video (embedded below) was filmed for it.
Internationally, the Montreux EP peaked at number 11 in the UK in November 1992, and number 21 in Ireland during the same month.
In Australia, the Montreux EP performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 96 on the state chart. The EP debuted nationally at number 185 on 18 January 1993, and took almost a month to crack the top 150.
We'll next see Simply Red in 1996.
Number 138 "From Paradise" by Archie Roach
Peak: number 107
Peak date: 22 March 1993
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 138-138-137-130-142-107-(out for 2 weeks)-139-150
Weeks on chart: 12 weeks
We last saw Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Archie Roach in 1990.
"From Paradise" was Archie's third single, and first release from his second album Jamu Dreaming (number 55, April 1993). It was, surprisingly, his only single to dent the top 150. On the state charts, "From Paradise" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 55.
We'll next see Archie in October 1993.
Number 140 "The Harder They Come" by Madness
Peak: number 136
Peak date: 1 March 1993
Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks
Chart run: 154-140-143-136
Weeks on chart: 4 weeks
We last saw zany English band Madness in 1992.
Taking a leaf out of Simply Red's book above, the "The Harder They Come" single consists of four live recordings, taken from the band's first live concerts since disbanding in 1986, on 8-9 August 1992. Also like Simply Red, a music video was filmed for "The Harder They Come", despite it being a live recording! The track, which is a cover version of the Jimmy Cliff song from 1971, was lifted from Madness's live album Madstock! (number 169, March 1993). The group never made a studio recording of "The Harder They Come".
Internationally, "The Harder They Come" peaked at number 44 in the UK in November 1992, which was a bit surprising and must have been a disappointment for the band, given that their Divine Madness compilation album had topped the charts there for three weeks in March 1992.
Locally, "The Harder They Come" performed strongest in Queensland, reaching number 120 on the state chart.
Despite being a casual Madness fan, I hadn't actually heard "The Harder They Come" before. I like it.
We won't see Madness again until 1999. Before then, lead singer Suggs will bubble under with solo releases in 1996 and 1998.
Number 145 "Let This Housebeat Drop" by Ya Kid K
Peak: number 125
Peak date: 22 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 145-125-142-143
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
We last saw Congolese rapper Ya Kid K in 1991.
"Let This Housebeat Drop" was Ya Kid K's second solo single, where she was not credited as a featured artist. The track appears on Ya Kid K's debut and only solo album One World Nation (The Kids Shall Overcome), which does not appear to have been released in Australia. Interestingly, the album contains the Technotronic song "Move This", which peaked at number 67 in Australia in October 1993 after initially peaking at number 98 in February 1993, on it. "Move This" originally appeared on the first Technotronic album Pump Up the Jam (number 22, April 1990), but became a belated number 6 hit in the US in September 1992 after the song was used in a Revlon TV commercial.
I cannot find evidence of "Let This Housebeat Drop" charting anywhere else. On the state charts, "Let This Housebeat Drop" was most popular in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 104.
Only the video for the extended version of "Let This Housebeat Drop", embedded below, is available online. Although I have a copy of this video in my collection, I hadn't actually listened to the track before. I was surprised to see Lonnie Gordon appear in the video, and as an uncredited background/additional vocalist on the song.
Ya Kid K would rejoin Technotronic after the commercial failure of her debut solo album. We will see her bubble under with them again in 1994.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 151 "These Are Days" by 10,000 Maniacs
Peak: number 151
Peak date: 15 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs previously paid us a visit in 1989.
"These Are Days" was the lead single from the band's fifth studio album One Time in Eden (number 171, November 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 58 in the UK in September 1992, number 35 in Canada in December 1992, and number 66 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1992. "These Are Days" also peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in November 1992, number 40 on the Pop Airplay chart in December 1992, number 34 on the Adult Contemporary chart in December 1992, and number 70 on the Radio Songs chart in December 1992.
In Australia, "These Are Days" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 139 on the state chart.
I've heard "These Are Days" before, but couldn't remember how it went. It's nice enough, but doesn’t really stand out as a lead single.
10,000 Maniacs will next join us in April 1993.
Number 192 "Reminisce" by Mary J. Blige
Peak: number 192
Peak date: 15 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
American R&B singer Mary J. Blige last joined us in 1992.
"Reminisce" was the second and final single released in Australia from Mary's debut album What's the 411? (not released in Australia). Internationally, "Reminisce" peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1992, and number 31 in the UK in February 1993. "Reminisce" registered on numerous US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 46 on the Radio Songs chart in December 1992, number 21 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in January 1993, number 34 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in January 1993, number 5 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in January 1993, number 6 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in February 1993, and number 3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in February 1993.
In Australia, "Reminise" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 182 on the state chart.
I hadn't heard "Reminisce" before. It sounds a bit too R&B to have been a big hit in Australia in 1993, but might have done better if it was released here a couple of years later.
We'll next see Mary J. Blige in 1995.
Number 216 "I'm Overjoyed" by Nona Gaye
Peak: number 216
Peak date: 15 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 1 week
As you might have guessed, Nona Gaye is the daughter of Marvin Gaye, whose biggest hit in Australia was "Sexual Healing" (number 4, March 1983). Marvin was fatally shot by his father following an argument, a day before what would have been Marvin's 45th birthday, in 1984. Nona was a mere 9 years old at that time.
"I'm Overjoyed" was Nona's debut single, lifted from her debut album Love for the Future (released in Australia in March 1993, did not chart). Internationally, "I'm Overjoyed" peaked at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992, and at number 39 in New Zealand in December 1992. The song also registered on several US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 64 on the Radio Songs chart in October 1992, number 36 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in November 1992, number 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in November 1992, and number 46 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in December 1992.
Locally, "I'm Overjoyed" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 197.
"I'm Overjoyed" would be Nona's only charting release in Australia. A promotional single dueting with (then The Artist Formerly Known As) Prince, "Love Sign", was released in 1994, but did not receive a commercial single release. Nona released a second album, Language of Love, in 2008, and acted in several movies in the 2000s. Nona has since retired from acting.
I hadn't heard "I'm Overjoyed" before listening to it to write this post. It's quite pleasant, and reminded me a little bit of Shanice.
Next week (22 February): Six top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.
