Week Commencing 31 August 1992

I can't identify a theme linking this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100, other than they all missed the top 100.  Let's take a look...

 

Curve might have been 'horrified' by the chart peak of this single in Australia in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 123 "Eyes on Fire" by John Schumann

Peak: number 123

Peak date: 31 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 123-132-126-132-142-134

 

Hailing from Adelaide, Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist John Schumann was the front man in Redgum, who landed five Australian top 100 singles between 1983 and 1987.  Their biggest hit was the Vietnam War-inspired  "I Was Only 19 (A Walk in the Light Green)" (number 1 for 2 weeks in May 1983).  Although I probably knew that song at the time, when I was in kindergarten, I was not aware of Redgum until I had to listen to "I've Been to Bali Too" (number 16, May 1984) in Indonesian class in year 10.  In 1994, anything from 1984 sounded practically ancient to my ears.

John launched his solo career in 1987, with the single "Borrowed Ground" (number 91, August 1987) and the album Etched in Blue (number 63, November 1987).  John landed a second charting solo album with John Schuman Goes Looby Loo - A Collection of Songs for Little Kids (number 116, January 1989), but "Eyes on Fire" was his only other single to trouble the ARIA top 150.

 

"Eyes on Fire" would eventually appear on John's third solo studio album True Believers, which was released October 1993, but missed the top 150.

John later tried his hand at politics, becoming chief of staff for Australian Democrats' then-leader Meg Lees in 1998, before running for the Division of Mayo in the 1998 Federal election, coming a close second behind then-Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.  John decided not to contest the seat at the 2001 Federal election, however, and stepped away from politics.

 

 

Number 130 "This Is Not the Way Home" by The Cruel Sea

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 31 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Known chart run: 174-130-138-141-142-135-146-149-148

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

We last saw Sydney band The Cruel Sea in 1991.  Since then, the band scored their first top 100 single with "4 x 4" (number 82, May 1992).  "This Is Not the Way Home" was issued as the third and final single from the band's second album This Is Not the Way Home (number 62, October 1992).

 

On the state charts, "This Is Not the Way Home" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 93.

 

The Cruel Sea would have their commercial breakthrough in 1993 with the single "Black Stick" (number 25, May 1993) and album The Honeymoon Is Over (number 4, June 1993).

We shall next see The Cruel Sea in 1995.

 

Number 133 "Little Black Book" by Belinda Carlisle

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 28 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 133-107-108-115-106-121-141-(out for 5 weeks)-120-142

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

We last saw Belinda Carlisle in April 1992.

 

"Little Black Book" was issued as the fourth and final single from Belinda's fourth solo studio album Live Your Life Be Free (number 27, November 1991).  While I wasn't aware of this one being released at the time, I did hear it on her first greatest hits compilation album The Best of Belinda Volume 1 (number 14, November 1992) a few months later, which oddly did not contain any new tracks to promote it.  Belinda co-wrote this track with Marcella Detroit (real name Marcy Levy) from Shakespears Sister, and Marcy's songwriting partner at the time, Richard Feldman.  This was the first Belinda Carlisle single on which she receives a writing credit.

Internationally, "Little Black Book" peaked at number 28 in the UK in September 1992, and number 69 in Germany in October 1992.

Locally, "Little Black Book" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 80.  The single peaked within the top 100 on four of the five state charts, with South Australia/Northern Territory being the only exception.

I hadn't seen the music video for "Little Black Book" until viewing it while writing this post.

We shall next see Belinda in 1994.

Number 148 "Church of Logic, Sin, & Love" by The Men

Peak: number 143

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 148-143-148

 

Here's one I hadn't heard until writing this post.  The Men, who contain two female members, hail from Santa Monica, California.

"Church of Logic, Sin, & Love" (yes, the oxford comma followed by the ampersand is part of the title) was lifted from the band's only album The Men, which was released locally in August 1992 but missed the ARIA top 150 albums chart.  The single reached number 8 on the meaningless US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.  I cannot find evidence of the single charting elsewhere.

This was The Men's only single to trouble the ARIA top 150.  The group disbanded shortly afterwards.

 

While "Church of Logic..." is not something I would actively seek out, I didn't mind this one.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 182 "Who Do You Think You Are?" by Kim Wilde

Peak: number 159

Peak date: 14 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

Kim Wilde last graced our presence in 1990.

 

Despite Kim having her most-consistent career success in her native UK with her 1988 album Close (number 82, November 1988), the follow-up album Love Moves (number 126, August 1990) and its associated singles pretty much flopped worldwide.  As record companies weren't as gung ho with dropping artists after a flop release back in those days, Kim was given a chance to redeem herself commercially, and she experienced greater, although still somewhat middling, success with her eighth studio album Love Is (number 92, July 1992).  The album's lead single, "Love Is Holy" (number 29, July 1992), gave Kim her first Australian top 40 hit since "You Came" (number 34, November 1988).

 

As good as I think "Love Is Holy" - on which Kim sounds more like Belinda Carlisle than herself - is, I suspect the single's chart performance benefited from heavy discounting in Australia, as I was not even aware of its existence until it crept into the lower region of the top 60 on rage, and I am a casual Kim Wilde fan.  If I remember correctly, I think I saw the cassingle for sale in Brashs for $0.99, when the standard price at the time was $5.99.

While "Who Do You Think You Are?" was released as the second single from Love Is in Australia, it was the third release from the album in the UK, with "Heart Over Mind" (which I prefer) being the second single there.  I am not sure why the Australian record company skipped "Heart Over Mind", considering it performed better than "Who Do You Think You Are?" in the UK.

Internationally, "Who Do You Think You Are?" peaked at number 66 in the Netherlands in August 1992, number 49 in the UK in September 1992, and number 58 in Germany in September 1992.

Domestically, "Who Do You Think You Are?" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 139.

While I heard "Heart Over Mind" at the time on the UK Chart Attack radio show, I didn't hear "Who Do You Think You Are?" until the mid-2000s, though was aware of its release as it was reviewed in the Australian edition of Smash Hits magazine.  It has never been my favourite Kim Wilde song - I can barely remember how it goes most of the time.

We'll see Kim next in November 1992 with what I think is a much better single of hers.

 

 

Number 196 "Horror Head" by Curve

Peak: number 195

Peak date: 26 October 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

English band Curve last joined us in May 1992.

 

"Horror Head" was the second and final single from the band's debut album Doppelgänger (number 136, May 1992).  Internationally, "Horror Head" peaked at number 31 in the UK in July 1992.  It also reached number 23 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

In Australia, "Horror Head" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 151.

I think I caught the music video for "Horror Head" on rage some months after its release.  Interestingly, the graphic pattern at the start of the video was used as the backdrop for the US and UK top 5 charts displayed on Video Smash Hits.

We'll next see Curve in 1996.

 

Number 212 "Elvis on Velvet" by Stray Cats

Peak: number 197

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

We last saw Stray Cats in 1991.

 

"Elvis on Velvet" was the lead single from Stray Cats' seventh studio album Choo Choo Hot Fish, which was released locally in September 1992 but missed the ARIA top 150 albums chart.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 66 in the Netherlands in July 1992.

Domestically, "Elvis on Velvet" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 155 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard this one before.  The drum pattern during the intro reminded me of The Cure's "Close to Me" (number 7, February 1986).

This was Stray Cats' final charting single in Australia.

 

Next week (7 September): A mammoth week, with 11 new top 150 entries and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 24 August 1992                         Next week: 7 September 1992 >

Week commencing 4 May 1992

It became apparent as I was writing this post that one thing all but one of this week in 1992's new entries have in common is that I did not hear them at the time - at least that I remember!  It's quite possible that I heard those that dented the US top 40, as I used to listen to the American Top 40 radio show with Shadoe Stevens back then, but I have no recollection of the songs in question.  Perhaps you heard them in 1992?  Let's take a look...

 

Lenny Kravitz: draggin' around just outside the ARIA top 100.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 116 "Stop Draggin' Around" by Lenny Kravitz

Peak: number 101 

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 159-116-111-101-124-125

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

American singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz, born Leonard Albert Kravitz, burst onto the Australian chart in November 1989 with his debut single "Let Love Rule" (number 36, January 1990), and the Let Love Rule album the following month (number 45, February 1990).  He followed it up with the singles "I Build This Garden for Us" (number 83, March 1990) and "Mr. Cab Driver" (released in Australia in May 1990, did not chart).

"Stop Draggin' Around" was issued as the fourth single from Lenny's second album Mama Said (number 10, July 1991). It was preceded by the singles "Always on the Run" (number 43, June 1991), "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" (number 10, August 1991), and "Stand by My Woman" (number 46, October 1991).  Interestingly, this single does not appear to have received a commercial release anywhere other than in Australia and New Zealand.  It did not chart elsewhere.

On the state charts, "Stop Draggin' Around" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 89.  I don't recall hearing this one at the time, though probably caught the video, which uses a live performance, on rage.  You can listen to the studio version here.

We shall next see Lenny in 1996.

Number 131 "Fait Accompli" by Curve

Peak: number 121

Peak dates: 18 May 1992 and 25 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 131-124-121-121-131-141

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

We first saw English duo Curve in November 1991.  "Fait Accompli" was the lead single from the band's first album Doppelganger (number 136, May 1992).  It was the pair's only single to crack the ARIA top 150, performing strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 94.

 

Internationally, "Fait Accompli" peaked at number 29 in Ireland in February 1992, and number 22 in the UK in March 1992.  If the Wikipedia page for the single is accurate, this was apparently one of the first singles to chart in the UK without being available on the 7" vinyl format.

I don't recall hearing this one at the time, but have seen the video on rage a couple of times in the interim years.

We will next see Curve in August 1992.

 

 

Number 144 "Je T'aime Mélancolie" by Mylène Farmer

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 144-(out for 1 week)-142

French singer, or should that be chanteuse, Mylène Farmer, born Mylène Jeanne Gautier, released her first single in France in 1984.  "Je Taime Mélancolie", which translates as 'I love you melancholy', appears to have been Mylène's first release in Australia, and her only one to crack the ARIA top 150.

 

I did actually hear/see this one at the time, catching an airing of the video on Video Smash Hits.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 3 in France in February 1992, and number 70 in Germany in March 1992.  The track was lifted from Mylène's third studio album L'autre..., which translates as 'the other'.

 

Mylène released another single in Australia in August 1992, "Disénchantée", but that missed the top 150.

Perhaps the most interesting thing I can tell you about this release is that I received a follow request from Mylène (her official account) on Instagram, on my 'personal' account, some years ago, which I found rather... intriguing!

Songs sung in French are a rarity on the Australian chart, though we have seen two singles sung in French bubble under previously, in December 1989 and April 1990.  The only other examples from around this time I can think of are Enigma's "Sadeness Part 1" (number 2, March 1991), which was only partly in French, and Vanessa Paradis' "Joe Le Taxi" - which missed the national chart (before it extended beyond number 100), but made number 79 on the Western Australia state chart in July 1988.  Of course, Plastic Bertrand scored a number 2 hit here in January 1979 with "Ça Plane Pour Moi".  There was also Kylie Minogue's "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" (number 11, December 1988), but only the title was sung in French.

Edit - a reader reminded me of Jordy's "Dur Dur D'être Bébé!" (number 37, January 1994), another song sung in French that charted in Australia.  How could I have forgotten that one?!  We will actually see Jordy bubble under at the end of 1993.

Number 147 "Mama I'm Coming Home" by Ozzy Osbourne

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 22 June 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 147-(out for 1 week)-141-134-137-(out for 1 week)-137-127-145-141

We last saw Ozzy Osbourne bubble under in October 1991.  This was his final solo single to crack the ARIA top 150, though he would score several later charting albums.  "Mama I'm Coming Home" was lifted from Ozzy's sixth solo studio album No More Tears (number 49, October 1991).

 

Internationally, "Mama I'm Coming Home" peaked at number 46 in the UK in November 1991, number 27 in Germany in February 1992, number 42 in Austria in February 1992, number 62 in Switzerland, number 28 in the US in April 1992, and number 48 in New Zealand in June 1992.

I don't recall hearing this one before.  I actually enjoyed it more than I was expecting to, though it's not something I would actively seek out.

Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which a family member of mine has also recently been diagnosed with, in 2019.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 185 "On a Sunday Afternoon" by Lighter Shade of Brown featuring Shiro and intro by Huggy Boy

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

American hip-hop duo Lighter Shade of Brown, also known as A Lighter Shade of Brown and LSOB, formed in California in 1989.  "On a Sunday Afternoon" was lifted from the group's debut album Brown & Proud, which did not chart in Australia.

Internationally, "On a Sunday Afternoon" peaked at number 39 in the US in February 1992, number 1 in New Zealand for two weeks in April and May 1992, and 49 in the Netherlands in September 1992.  I find it interesting that New Zealand seemed much more receptive to hip-hop tracks than Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Within Australia, "On a Sunday Afternoon" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 140.

I don't recall hearing "On a Sunday Afternoon" before, but the music sounded familiar to me, as it samples The Rascals' "Groovin'", which peaked at number 4 in Australia in 1967, and I must have heard before.

Lighter Shade of Brown would eventually crack the top 100 in Australia with "Spill the Rhyme" (number 90, July 1993), and landed their biggest hit with "Hey DJ" (number 12, July 1994).

We shall see Lighter Shade of Brown bubble under next in 1993.

 

Number 192 "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" by Mint Condition

Peak: number 192

Peak date: 4 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

American r&b group Mint Condition formed in Minneapolis in 1985.  Their first recordings, however, were not released until 1991.  "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" was the second single, and their first Australian release, from their debut album Meant to Be Mint, which does not appear to have been released locally.  This track was the band's only charting release in Australia, performing strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 183.

Internationally, "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1992.

As with Ozzy Osbourne above, I enjoyed this track more than I was expecting to, though it's not something I would actively seek out.

Next week (11 May): Four new top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 27 April 1992                                        Next week: 11 May 1992 >

Week commencing 11 November 1991

Four of this week in 1991's six new entries debuting and peaking outside the ARIA top 100 are from artists we have seen before.   Let's take a look at them.

 

Lisette Melendez: a few weeks in the top 150.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 125 "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Michael Bolton (1991 release)

Peak: number 122 (1991 release); number 100 (1996 release)

Peak dates: 25 November 1991 and 2 December 1991

Weeks in top 150: 13 weeks (in 1991); 21 weeks (1991-2 and 1996 chart runs combined)

Top 150 chart run: 125-123-122-122-124-123-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-124-124-123-145-146

Re-entered 18 March 1996: 123-123-119-135-100-106-113-123

Weeks on chart: 27 weeks (1991-2 and 1996 chart runs combined)

This single peaked at number 100 in Australia on 15 April 1996, when re-issued, spending another 8 weeks in the top 150.

We last saw Michael Bolton in August 1991.

 

"When a Man Loves a Woman", a song originally recorded by Percy Sledge in 1966, was a number 3 hit in Australia in November 1988 when Jimmy Barnes released a live version as a single.  I suspect that this relatively recent hit is one reason why Michael Bolton's rendition of the song did not take off in Australia.

"When a Man Love a Woman" was released as the third single from Michael's seventh studio album Time, Love & Tenderness (number 11, August 1992). 

 

Internationally, Michael's version of the song peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for one week in November 1991, number 12 in Ireland in November 1991, number 8 in the UK in November 1991, number 21 in New Zealand in December 1991, number 4 in Canada in December 1991, number 52 in Germany in December 1991, number 34 in Sweden in January 1992, number 17 in the Netherlands in January 1991, number 21 in the Flanders region of Belgium in February 1992, and number 34 in France in May 1992.

In Australia, "When a Man Loves a Woman" had an interesting chart run, spending the first 11 weeks of its top 150 chart run hovering between numbers 122 and 125.  Given that the single was not a hit the first time around, it was re-issued in Australia in 1996 following the release of Michael's Greatest Hits 1985-1995 (number 6, September 1995) compilation.  The 1996 release of "When a Man Loves a Woman" just scraped into the ARIA top 100, peaking at number 100 in April 1996.

On the ARIA state charts, "When a Man Loves a Woman" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 69 in 1996.  The single peaked in early 1992 in Queensland and Western Australia, and in 1996 in all other states.

We shall next see Michael in 1992.

Number 129 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Oleta Adams

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 18 November 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 129-107-123-125-130

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

We last saw Oleta Adams in February 1991.

 

"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me " was originally recorded by Elton John, and reached number 13 in Australia in September 1974.  Oleta's version was recorded for the various artists tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin (number 15, November 1991). 

Internationally, Oleta's version of the track peaked at number 33 in the UK in October 1991, and number 32 in the Netherlands in November 1991.

Within Australia, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 86.

Oleta's version of the song was soon after eclipsed by the live George Michael/Elton John duet version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (number 3, January 1992).

We will next see Oleta in 1993.

Number 139 "What About Now" by Robbie Robertson

Peak: number 133

Peak date: 6 January 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks 

Chart run: 155-139-134-140-145-137-138-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-133-134-136

Weeks on chart: 12 weeks

 

Canadian musician Robbie Robertson was born Jaime Royal Robertson.  He was the lead guitarist and a songwriter for The Band before launching his solo career in 1987.

 

Robbie's only Australian singles chart entries to date had been "Showdown at Big Sky" (number 95, February 1988) and "Somewhere Down the Crazy River", which peaked at number 100 on the Australian Music Report in June 1988, during the week before ARIA commenced producing the chart in-house (it otherwise went on to peak at number 83 on the AMR chart).

"What About Now" was the lead single in Australia from Robbie's second solo album Storyville (number 113, November 1991).

 

While I cannot find evidence of "What About Now" charting on any other sales-based chart, it registered on two meaningless subsidiary US Billboard charts.  "What About Now" peaked at number 15 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, and number 28 on the Alternative Airplay chart in November 1991.

 

Domestically, "What About Now" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 87.

This was Robbie's last single to chart in Australia.  A second Storyville single, "Go Back to Your Woods", was released in Australia in March 1992.

 

Robbie had a couple of later albums that peaked outside the top 100 in Australia: Contact from the Underworld of Redboy (number 189, April 1998), and How to Become Clairvoyant (number 129, April 2011).

 

 

Number 147 "A Day in My Life (Without You)" by Lisette Melendez

Peak: number 135

Peak date: 18 November 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Chart run: 185-(out for 2 weeks)-147-135-139-140-144

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

We last saw Lisette Melendez in April 1991. 

"A Day in My Life (Without You)" was issued as the second single from Lisette's debut album Together Forever (number 199, December 1991). 

 

Internationally, "A Day in My Life..." peaked at number 49 in the US in November 1991.

 

Within Australia, "A Day in My Life..." was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 125.

 

Listening to this track, the first thing that strikes me is that the backing music is almost identical to Corina's "Temptation" (number 57, October 1991), which was an observation I made with the last Lisette track we saw.

 

Lisette will join us again in 1992.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 177 "Coast Is Clear" by Curve

Peak: number 172

Peak date: 25 November 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

English duo Curve are made up of singer Toni Halliday and instrumentalist/programmer Dean Garcia.  The pair were signed to Dave Stewart's, whom we saw last week, label Anxious Records.

"Coast Is Clear", which does not appear on Curve's debut album Doppelgänger (number 136, May 1992), was Curve's debut release in Australia.  The single became the pair's first top 40 entry in the UK, where it reached number 34 in May 1991.

 

In Australia, "Coast Is Clear" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 145.

 

Curve never had a top 100 entry in Australia, but we will see them bubble under on five more occasions on the singles chart, between now and 1998.  We shall next see Curve in 1992.

 

 

Number 184 "Top of the World" by Van Halen

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 25 November 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

We last saw Van Halen in August 1991.

 

"Top of the World" was released as the third single from Van Halen's ninth studio album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (number 5, July 1991). 

Overseas, "Top of the World" peaked at number 61 in the UK in October 1991, and number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1991.

On the ARA state charts, "Top of the World" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 149.

Van Halen will join us next in 1995.

 

 

Next week (18 November): Three top 150 debuts and one bubbling WAY down under entry.

 

< Previous week: 4 November 1991                                     Next week: 18 November 1991 >