This week in 1993's new entries peaking outside the ARIA top 100 singles chart are quite a mixed bag. Before we take a look at them, I have updated a few earlier posts with new bubbling WAY down under debuts:
* 1 May 1989 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Tom Cochrane & Red Rider;
* 7 August 1989 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Mark Williams and Karen Boddington;
* 25 February 1991 - with new bubbling WAY down under entries from Candy Dulfer and Stereo MC's;
* 18 March 1991 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Harry Connick, Jr.;
* 22 April 1991 - with new bubbling WAY down under entries from Tom Jones and John Waite.
Dr. Alban: one love, and only one real hit in Australia.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 115 "Drift Away" by Michael Bolton
Peak: number 104
Peak date: 1 March 1993
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Known chart run: 223-115-104-109-119-123
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
We last saw the God of flowing locks, Michael Bolton, in 1992.
"Drift Away" was the second single released in Australia from Michael's covers album Timeless (The Classics) (number 2, January 1993). The song was originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz in 1972, and a version by Dobie Gray reached number 44 on the Kent Music Report singles chart in 1973 - I don't, however, consider David Kent's charts prior to May 1974, when the Kent Music Report started, as being 'official', as he back-calculated these pre-1974 charts for his 1992 book, i.e. they were not published at the time. "Drift Away" followed Michael's version of "To Love Somebody" (number 39, January 1993). While I don't recall hearing "Drift Away" at the time, I do remember an excerpt of the chorus being used on the TV advertisement for the Timeless... album. Footage from a live performance, similar to the "To Love Somebody" video, was used in the commercial - but I cannot find this on YouTube.
Internationally, Michael's rendition of "Drift Away" peaked at number 18 in the UK in December 1992, number 15 in Ireland in December 1992, and number 23 in New Zealand in April 1993. Oddly, it does not appear to have received a single release in North America.
Locally, "Drift Away" performed strongest on the Western Australia state chart, where it reached number 66.
We shall next see Michael in 1996.
Number 123 "Juice" by Headless Chickens
Peak: number 104
Peak date: 3 May 1993
Weeks in top 150: 16 weeks
Known chart run: 206-123-124-137-136-122-128-121-116-116-106-104-111-106-113-119-126
Weeks on chart: 25 weeks
We last saw Kiwi band Headless Chickens in 1992.
"Juice" was issued as the fourth single from their debut album Body Blow (number 45, July 1993), although it did not appear on the original 1991 pressing of the album. I didn't think I knew this song, from the title, but I was familiar with the more electronic-sounding version of the song, titled “Dreamchild”, that appears on Strawpeople's second album Worldservice, from 1992, which was later repackaged as Broadcast (number 46, August 1995). Fiona McDonald, who was involved with both bands, sings vocals on both tracks. One of the things I love about writing this blog is making discoveries like this, and "Dreamchild"/"Juice" is a song I like a lot.
Internationally, "Juice" peaked at number 7 in New Zealand in February 1993.
In Australia, "Juice" was most popular in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 81 on the state chart. The single peaked within the top 100 on four of the five state charts, only just missing out (number 103) in Queensland.
"Juice" definitely deserved to chart much higher here. Despite narrowly missing the top 100, it had a decent chart run, though, spending nearly six months on the chart, with almost four of those inside the top 150.
Headless Chickens released a fifth single from Body Blow, "Mr Moon" (number 93, August 1993), which gave them their first Australian top 100 single.
We will next see Headless Chickens in 1997, but before then, we'll hear Fiona McDonald's voice on a Strawpeople track that bubbles under in 1996.
Number 129 "Back to the Light" by Brian May
Peak: number 123
Peak date: 1 March 1993
Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks
Chart run: 129-123-135-138
Weeks on chart: 4 weeks
We last saw Queen guitar maestro and astrophysics PhD Dr Brian May in 1992.
"Back to the Light" was the title track and third single lifted from Brian's first solo album proper, Back to the Light (number 94, December 1992). It followed "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (number 18, November 1992).
Internationally, "Back to the Light" peaked at number 19 in the UK in November 1992, number 20 in the Netherlands in December 1992, and number 39 in the Flanders region of Belgium in January 1993.
In Australia, "Back to the Light" performed strongest in Queensland, reaching number 107 on the state chart.
I don't recall hearing this one before, though it probably received an airing on the UK Chart Attack radio show.
Brian made a new video for "Back to the Light" in 2021, which you can view here.
This would be Brian's last solo charting single in Australia, although he had later low-charting albums with Live at Brixton Academy (number 190, April 1994) and Another World (number 165, July 1998).
Two further singles from Back to the Light were released in the UK, but not Australia - "Resurrection" (UK number 23, June 1993) with Cozy Powell, and "Last Horizon" (UK number 51, December 1993).
We will see Brian bubble under as part of Queen next in 1996. Meanwhile, another member of Queen will bubble under next week!
Number 135 "One in Ten" by 808 State Vs UB40
Peak: number 135
Peak date: 22 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
Known chart run: 159-135-141
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
English electronic group 808 State last joined us in 1991, and we last saw English reggae band UB40 in 1990. The two bands collaborated for this release - or rather, 808 State reworked the original UB40 single "One in Ten" (number 87, October 1981) from 1981. UB40 are known for their cover versions, but "One in Ten" was one of their self-penned hits, written about the approximate 10% unemployment rate in the West Midlands of England, where the band originate from, in mid-1981. Featuring cutting lyrics such as "I am the one in ten, a number on a list", "nobody knows me but I'm always there, a statistic a reminder of a world that doesn't care", “I'm the child that never learns to read, 'cause no-one spared the time", and “I’m another teenage suicide, in a street that has no trees”, this song packs a punch and paints a bleak picture. Piercing social commentary isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when one thinks of UB40, even though the band’s name stems from the name of the British unemployment benefit.
I became familiar with the UB40 original after catching the video on rage in 2009, when Suggs from Madness was guest programming an episode, and liked the song. I hadn't heard the 808 State remix of the song until writing this post. It's a shame that the official YouTube channel upload of UB40's "One in Ten" video has mono audio and tape artefacts - my digital TV copy from rage is better quality than this.
The 808 State version of "One in Ten" was the first single issued in Australia from their fifth studio album, and third major label release, Gorgeous (number 131, March 1993). However, it was the second single from the album in the UK, following "TimeBomb" (UK number 59, August 1992), which did not receive an Australian release. This version of "One in Ten" contains a musical riff sampled from Kraftwerk's "The Model" (number 33, May 1982).
Internationally, "One in Ten" peaked at number 17 in the UK in December 1992, number 19 in Ireland in December 1992, and number 22 in the Netherlands in March 1993.
Locally, "One in Ten" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 118 on the state chart.
We'll next see 808 State in May 1993, and UB40 in 1994.
Number 139 "No Tomorrow" by Atomic Dining Club
Peak: number 139
Peak date: 22 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Top 150 chart run: 139
We last saw Aussie band Atomic Dining Club in 1992. Unfortunately, this one wasn't available to listen to anywhere online, and I do not know the song. This was the band's final top 150 single.
Number 146 "Starting to Believe" by Images
Peak: number 144
Peak date: 8 March 1993
Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 146-146-144
Another obscure Australian band, and another one where I cannot find the song online anywhere to listen to. I have been in touch with someone who owns the album this is taken from, Images (which missed the top 150), and I may be receiving an audio rip of the track to upload here... one day. Watch this space! This was the band's only single to trouble the top 150.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 193 "One Love" by Dr. Alban
Peak: number 193
Peak date: 22 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 1 week
We last saw Nigerian-born but Sweden-based Dr. Alban in 1991. Since then, he broke through into the ARIA top 100 with the lead single from his second album One Love (The Album) (number 149, November 1992), "It's My Life" (number 97, November 1992), which would later reach a higher peak of number 43 in Australia in May 1994 when re-issued after his major hit "Sing Hallelujah!" (number 5, March 1994). "One Love" was released as the second single from the album, sandwiched between the two aforementioned singles, the latter of which we received somewhat belatedly in Australia.
Internationally, "One Love" peaked at number 19 in Sweden in August 1992, number 10 in Norway in September 1992, number 27 in Austria in September 1992, number 11 in Switzerland in October 1992, number 7 in Germany in October 1992, number 14 in the Netherlands in October 1992, number 8 in the Flanders region of Belgium in November 1992, number 45 in the UK in November 1992, number 3 in Ireland in November 1992, and number 42 in New Zealand in February 1993.
In Australia, "One Love" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 151 on the state chart.
I didn't hear "One Love" at the time, but the music video appeared on a VHS tape I digitised about 10 years ago. I like it, but it doesn't really stand out like "It's My Life" or "Sing Hallelujah!".
We'll next see Dr. Alban in 1994.
Number 211 "Take Me to Heart" by The Neville Brothers
Peak: number 200
Peak date: 1 March 1993
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
American R&B/funk/soul band The Neville Brothers last joined us in 1990.
"Take Me to Heart" was the second single released from the band's sixth studio album Family Groove (number 70, July 1992). It followed their cover of Steve Miller's "Fly Like an Eagle" (number 44, July 1992), which was The Neville Brothers' biggest hit and only top 50 single in Australia.
I cannot find evidence of "Take Me to Heart" charting anywhere else. Locally, "Take Me to Heart" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 173 on the state chart.
While we won't see The Neville Brothers bubble under again, they had a few later lower-charting albums in Australia: Live on Planet Earth (number 209, July 1994), Greatest Hits (number 219, September 1998), and Walkin' in the Shadow of Life (number 275, March 2005). We will see band member Aaron Neville bubble under in May 1993.
Number 213 "Feed the Tree" by Belly
Peak: number 158
Peak date: 7 June 1993
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
Alternative rock band Belly formed in Rhode Island in 1991. "Feed the Tree" was the third single issued in Australia from their debut album Star (number 74, June 1993). It followed "Dusted" (released in Australia in July 1992, did not chart) and "Gepetto" (released in Australia in November 1992, did not initially chart but will later on in 1993).
Internationally, "Feed the Tree" peaked at number 32 in the UK in January 1993, and number 95 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1993. The track also reached number 1 on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in March 1993, for what that is worth (not much in my book).
Locally, "Feed the Tree" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, reaching number 149 on the state chart.
Belly never landed a top 100 single in Australia, but two of their albums dented the top 100. Interestingly, "Feed the Tree" did not reach its peak until early June 1993, one week after their next charting single peaks!
I did hear "Feed the Tree" at the time, probably when switching radio stations to Triple J.
We'll next see Belly in May 1993.
Next week (1 March): Six top 150 entries and four bubbling WAY down under debuts.
