Week commencing 9 November 1992

Before writing this post, I had only heard one of this week in 1992’s new entries peaking in the 101-150 region of the chart.  Perhaps they are new to you, too?  Let’s take a look.

The Cure could only ‘wish’ their latest single made the ARIA top 100 in 1992.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 120 “Always Tomorrow” by Gloria Estefan

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Chart run: 174-120-117-107-113-121-131-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

Gloria Estefan last graced our presence in 1991.

“Always Tomorrow” was issued as a new track to promote Gloria Estefan’s Greatest Hits (number 21, November 1992) compilation album, which also contained singles released as Miami Sound Machine or Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine.  The track is somewhat different from Gloria’s other singles that I am familiar with, in that it is acoustic guitar-based, and Gloria is shown playing the guitar (I was not aware that she played an instrument) in the music video.

Internationally, “Always Tomorrow” peaked at number 24 in the UK in October 1992, number 27 in Ireland in October 1992, number 15 in the Netherlands in November 1992, and number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992.  The song also reached number 5 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in November 1992.

Locally, “Always Tomorrow” was most popular in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 90 on the state chart.

I remember seeing this single reviewed in Smash Hits magazine at the time, but did not hear it until writing this post.

We will next see Gloria in 1993.

Number 128 “A Letter to Elise” by The Cure

Peak: number 103

Peak date: 30 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Known chart run: 161-128-138-105-103-112-117-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

English band The Cure formed in 1976.  Up until this point in 1992, they had placed 19 singles on the Australian top 100, including two different versions of "Boys Don't Cry" (number 26, August 1986).  Their highest-charting single in Australia was "High" (number 5, March 1992), although "The Lovecats" (number 6, March 1984) and "Close to Me" (number 7, February 1986) are probably better-known.  My favourite Cure singles are probably "Lovesong" (number 82, October 1989), "Just Like Heaven" (number 89, November 1987) and "Never Enough" (number 22, October 1990).

"A Letter to Elise" was issued as the third single from The Cure's ninth studio album Wish (number 1, May 1992), following the aforementioned "High" and "Friday I'm in Love" (number 39, June 1992), which surprisingly only scraped into the top 40 here.

Internationally, "A Letter to Elise" peaked at number 28 in the UK in October 1992, number 23 in Ireland in October 1992, number 39 in Sweden in October 1992, and number 13 in New Zealand in November 1992.  The song also registered on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, where it reached number 2 in August 1992.

Within Australia, "A Letter to Elise" performed strongest on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 76.  The single also peaked 36 places higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 67.

I don't think I heard this one until buying The Cure's Galore: The Singles 1987-1997 (number 45, November 1997) compilation album.  I don't mind it, but it's not one of their best.

We'll next see The Cure in 1996.

Number 134 “Shuffle It All” by Izzy Stradlin and The Ju Ju Hounds

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 134-123-117-139-141

 

Born Jeffrey Dean Isbell, Izzy Stradlin came to fame as Guns N' Roses' rhythm guitarist.  Izzy quit the group in November 1991 at the height of their fame, forming Izzy Stradlin and The Ju Ju Hounds.  Their debut single "Pressure Drop" (number 47, October 1992), crept into the lower region of the ARIA top 50.  I hadn't actually heard that song until writing this post - it did not air during the rage top 60 chart, as no music video was filmed for the track.

 

"Shuffle It All" was released as the second single from the Izzy Stradlin and The Ju Ju Hounds (number 42, November 1992) album.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 54 in Canada in December 1992, and at number 85 in the UK during the same month.

This would be the last Izzy Stradlin release to trouble the ARIA top 150.

Number 140 “She’ll Be Right, Mate” by Slim Dusty

Peak: number 129

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 140-142-129

Aussie country music legend Slim Dusty has previously paid us a visit in 1981.

"She'll Be Right Mate" was lifted from Slim's 83rd (!) album - according to a chronological list on Wikipedia - That's the Song We're Singing (number 123, November 1992).  No music video is available for this track on YouTube, but you can view a live performance of it here.

 

Slim will join us next in 1994.

Number 144 “Sliding” by Living Daylights

Peak: number 144

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 144

From what I can gather, Living Daylights were an Australian band, containing members Boyd Wilson and Denise Di Marchi,  They released an album Living Daylights  in Japan in 1994, but this does not appear to have been released in Australia.  I hadn’t heard, or even heard of, this one before.

 

We will see Living Daylights again in 1993.

Number 146 The Mark Curry EP by Mark Curry

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 146-(out for 1 week)-147

American singer-songwriter Mark Curry started out in the band Crystal Sphere before going solo in 1992.  "Sorry About the Weather", the lead track from The Mark Curry EP, reached number 20 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart in October 1992.  I cannot find evidence of it charting elsewhere.

I had never heard of Mark Curry before writing this post.  "Sorry About the Weather" isn't bad, although I find it annoying that the music video (embedded below) plays in the background while a couple talk in front of the television.  You can hear the track more clearly here.

 

Mark's debut solo album It's Only Time was released in Australia in November 1992, but missed the top 150.  This EP would be Mark's only ARIA top 150 entry.

Number 150 “Whatcha’ Need” by Bootsauce

Peak: number 150

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 150

It seems quite a week for obscure artists I've never heard of before, and here's yet another.  Bootsauce were a Canadian band, formed in Montreal in 1989.  "Whatcha' Need" was lifted from their second album Bull, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.

Internationally, "Whatcha' Need" peaked at number 50 in Canada in July 1992.

I didn't mind this one.  Bootsauce split in 1996, and this would be their only Australian top 150 entry.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 189 “Lovin’ You” by Shanice

Peak: number 189

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks 

We last saw American songstress Shanice in July 1992.

"Lovin' You" was issued as the third single from Inner Child (number 111, May 1992) in Australia.  The song is a cover version of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" (number 5, May 1975).  We saw another cover version of this song bubble under in 1990. Shanice's version updates the song for the early 90s, with an R&B sound.

 

Internationally, Shanice's version of "Lovin' You" peaked at number 54 in the UK in November 1992.  The song also reached number 59 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

 

Domestically, "Lovin' You" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 164 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard Shanice's version of "Lovin' You" before, but liked it.  It translates into an early 90s R&B track better than I was expecting it to.

 

We shall next see Shanice in 1993.

Number 190 “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths

Peak: number 190

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

The Smiths last graced our presence in September 1992.

 

Continuing the re-release campaign to promote their Best ...1 (number 64, October 1992) compilation, "How Soon Is Now?" was originally released in Australia in March 1985, but failed to chart.  The 1985 release of the single peaked at number 24 in the UK in February 1985, number 5 in Ireland in February 1985, and number 39 in New Zealand in June 1985.  It also reached number 36 on the US Billboard Dance Singles Sales chart in March 1985.

The 1992 release of "How Soon Is Now?" peaked at number 16 in the UK in September 1992, and at number 16 in Ireland during the same month.  Domestically, the single performed strongest in Queensland, reaching number 174 on the state chart.

I first heard "How Soon Is Now?" when catching the music video on rage among the new releases airing before the top 60 chart began, in late 1992.  My first encounter with the song was via it being sampled prominently on Soho's "Hippychick" (number 21, January 1991).

 

I concur with the comments on YouTube, where people state that the "I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does" chorus lyrics on this song hit hard.  I also like to think I can do a quite reasonable impression of Morrissey's voice on the chorus of this track. 

It's a testament to "How Soon Is Now?"'s enduring popularity that the track reached number 4 on the US Billboard Alternative Digital Song Sales chart in November 2023.

We shall see The Smiths with another re-release in early 1993.

Number 206 “Soul Inspiration” by Simon Climie

Peak: number 206

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

Simon Climie came to fame as one half of English duo Climie Fisher, whom we last saw in February 1989; although they were essentially one-hit wonders in Australia, with "Love Changes (Everything)" (number 23, October 1988).  Before that, Simon had some success as a songwriter for other artists, co-writing Pat Benatar's "Invincible" (number 23, October 1985) and Aretha Franklin & George Michael's "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (number 1 for 4 weeks in March-April 1987).

"Soul Inspiration" was Simon's debut solo single, lifted from the Soul Inspiration album, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 60 in the UK in September 1992, number 44 in the Netherlands in November 1992, and number 60 in Germany in December 1992.  The track was later remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow, formerly of PWL, and re-released as "Shine a Light (Soul Inspiration)", peaking at number 87 in the UK in July 1993.

 

Locally, "Soul Inspiration" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 188 on the state chart.

 

I wasn't familiar with this track until ripping the music video from a German VHS compilation about 15 year ago.  It could have become a hit with better promotion, I think.

 

This would be Simon's only solo charting release in Australia.

Number 207 “Only Love” by Maybe Dolls

Peak: number 207

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw Aussie band Maybe Dolls in May 1992.

"Only Love" was issued as the fourth and final single from the band's debut - and only - album Propaganda (number 25, March 1992).  The single was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 189 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before, but like it.  If a music video exists, it has not yet made its way onto YouTube.

This would be Maybe Dolls' final chart entry.  They released another single, "Goodbye", in August 1993, but it seems to have disappeared without a trace, and cannot be found anywhere to listen to online.

Number 210 “Strange Weather” by Glenn Frey

Peak: number 210

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw Glenn Frey in September 1992.

"Strange Weather" was issued as the fourth and final single in Australia from Glenn's fourth solo album Strange Weather (number 120. September 1992).  I cannot find evidence of the single charting elsewhere.  In Australia, "Strange Weather" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 179 on the state chart.

No music video appears for this track on YouTube, but you can view a live TV performance of the song here.

 

This would be Glenn's last charting single in Australia.  He had later low-charting albums with Live (number 224, August 1993), After Hours (number 180, October 2012), and Above the Clouds: The Very Best of (number 769, June 2018).

Next week (16 November): Six top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 2 November 1992                     Next week: 16 November 1992 >

Week commencing 7 September 1992

This week in 1992 saw the second-highest number of new top 150 entries peaking between number 101 and 150 for the year, with 11; although the only week that beats it, in November, contains a single that would later go on to peak within the top 40, and a combined re-release of two singles that also peaked within the top 40.  To be fair, this week in 1992 contains a single that peaked within the top 60 in 1984.  It also contains four singles that dented the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart.

 

Before taking a look at this week's new entries, I wish to bring to your attention that there's a new electronic Australian singles chart book out authored by bulion from the australian-charts.com forum.  The book, which is a large Excel spreadsheet file sold on a USB stick, contains Australian chart peaks dating back to 1940, covering through to the end of 2020, including peaks from the Go-Set charts, the Australian Music Report charts (through to 1998), and the ARIA-produced charts (June 1988 onwards).  For the first time, this book contains ARIA top 100 singles chart peaks between numbers 51-100 from June 1988-December 1989 inclusive, as well as ARIA top 150 singles chart peaks from January 1989 through to December 1998.  That's right - you can skip ahead a few years on my chart recaps if you are so inclined, to find out whether some of your favourite 90s flops charted locally!  Also included are week by week chart runs for each release, as well as hyperlinks to where you can listen to each single/view the music video online.  If you are interested in purchasing this book, scroll down to the bottom of this thread on the australian-charts.com forum, and send a private message to bulion (you may need to register an account there).

I have also updated the following earlier post:

* 27 July 1992 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Delbert McClinton.

Now, onto this week from 1992...

 

Dannii Minogue showed us the way not to go on the ARIA charts in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 104 "Show You the Way to Go" by Dannii Minogue

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 104-113-107-105-125-127

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Danielle Jane Minogue, better known as Dannii, first came to the attention of Australia when she appeared as one of the young singers on the TV program Young Talent Time between 1982 and 1988.  It seemed inevitable that she would launch a recording career, and that turned out to be the case, although older sister Kylie, who initially gained fame as an actress on The Henderson Kids and Neighbours, beat her to it by three years, with the release of "Locomotion" (number 1 for seven weeks in August-September 1987).  Due to Kylie's sustained international success, Dannii's recording career always seemed to be in the shadow of Kylie's, even though Dannii is the more-gifted vocalist of the two.

After leaving Young Talent Time, Dannii launched a range of children's clothing and landed an acting gig on Home and Away as the rebellious Emma Jackson.  Dannii launched her recording career in 1990 with "Love and Kisses" (number 4, April 1990), which would oddly be her only top 10 hit in Australia, although she scored 20 ARIA top 100 singles between 1990 and 2007.  "Love and Kisses" reached number 1 on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, which was the only time Dannii achieved a number 1 single anywhere in the world.

Dannii followed up "Love and Kisses" with "Success" (number 28, October 1990).  I will always remember a comment about that single in the Australian edition of Smash Hits magazine: "After not having much success with, er... Success...".  Her debut album Dannii (number 24, November 1990) achieved moderate success in Australia, but had a short chart life, spending 11 weeks on the chart, with only two of those in the top 50.  A third single from the album, "I Don't Wanna Take This Pain" (number 92, December 1990), barely scraped into the top 100.

Dannii launched her music career in the UK in 1991, with a remix of "Love and Kisses" reaching number 8 there in April of that year.  For her European releases, Dannii would regain the Minogue surname - something that did not happen with her Australian releases until 2001.  I guess she didn't want to be forever known as Kylie's little sister.  A reworked version of the Dannii album, Love and Kisses, was released in Europe, containing two new recordings - which were both covers - that were released as singles: "Jump to the Beat" (number 48, October 1991) and "Baby Love" (number 26, April 1992). A slightly different version of this album, with some 12" mixes tacked on to the end, titled Love and Kisses and... was released locally in February 1992 and reached number 98 on the ARIA albums chart in May 1992.

"Show You the Way to Go", a cover version of a song originally recorded by The Jacksons in 1977, was recorded for UK music newspaper NME's Ruby Trax (The NME's Roaring Forty) compilation, to raise funds for The Spastics Society (a somewhat politically incorrect name now).  Forty artists recorded cover versions of 40 different UK number 1 singles to contribute to the compilation.  I bought this 3-CD compilation in the late 90s from the now defunct Au Go Go bricks and mortar store (they still have an online presence) in the Melbourne CBD for Tori Amos' version of "Ring My Bell", which was exclusive to this release.  If my memory serves me correctly, the mix of "Show You the Way to Go" used on Ruby Trax is slightly different to that released on the single. Another track recorded for Ruby Trax will bubble under in November 1992.

Internationally, Dannii's version of "Show You the Way to Go" peaked at number 30 in the UK in July 1992.

Locally, "Show You the Way to Go" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 77.  It also made the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart, peaking at number 87.

I would not have been aware of this song at the time if not for hearing it on the UK Chart Attack radio show.  The song went on to appear on Dannii's second album proper, Get Into You (number 53, November 1993), which was preceded by another cover version, "This Is It" (number 13, September 1993).  In between these two covers, Dannii released an original track, co-written by Cathy Dennis - whom we'll see next month - and D Mob's Danny D, "Love's on Every Corner".  That single was not released in Australia, however; probably because it bombed in the UK, peaking at number 44 there in December 1992.  Cathy would, of course, go on to co-write Kylie's biggest career hit, "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (number 1 for 4 weeks in September-October 2001).

Because I have no intention of still writing these chart posts when it gets to the 2010s, this will be the only time we see Dannii bubble under.  She had two later low-charting singles, however, with "Holding On" (number 604, August 2017) and "Galaxy" (number 692, November 2017).

 

Even though the 2000s were not really my era musically, my favourite Dannii single is "You Won't Forget About Me" (number 20, November 2004).  Another underappreciated single of hers I quite like is "Rescue Me", a collaboration with Eurogroove in 1995 that was only released in Japan.

Dannii went on to have a sucessful career as a judge on TV 'reality' contest shows, like The X Factor UK (she had the good fortune of seeing X Factor audition reject legend Rachel Lester's verbal tirade uncensored and in person, in 2007 - for which I am extremely envious), Australia's Got Talent and The Masked Singer.

 

 

Number 105 "California Here I Come" by Sophie B. Hawkins

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 14 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 105-104-109-115-113-118-117

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

New York singer-songwriter Sophie Ballentine Hawkins, shortened to Sophie B. Hawkins for her recording career, landed a top 10 hit in Australia with her debut single "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" (number 7, August 1992).  Like Dannii above with her debut release, the single reached number 1 on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart.

"California Here I Come" was issued as the second single from Sophie's debut album Tongues and Tails (number 38, November 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 39 in Canada in September 1992, number 53 in the UK in September 1992, number 43 in New Zealand in September 1992, and number 77 in Germany in November 1992.

In Australia, "California Here I Come" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 67.  The single peaked within the top 100 on all of the state charts, other than New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory.  "California Here I Come" performed stronger nationally on the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart, where it reached number 99.

I didn't actually hear "California Here I Come" in full until the second half of the 2000s decade, when it appeared on a German VHS compilation I bought.  I only heard a snippet of the song in 1992 as a preview on the Take 40 Australia radio show, so it presumably suffered from a lack of promotion, which seems odd given that it was the follow-up to a top 10 hit and radio staple at the time.  Sophie would have to wait until 1995 to score her second hit proper hit here.  Before then, it seemed like Sophie might end up a one-hit wonder in Australia.

We'll next see Sophie in November 1992.

 

Number 116 "This Charming Man" by The Smiths (1992 re-issue)

Peak: number 108

Peak date: 28 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 204-116-114-119-108-112-122

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

This single originally peaked at number 52 in Australia in April 1984, spending 12 weeks in the top 100.

 

English band The Smiths formed in Manchester in 1982.  While they accumulated 18 UK top 40 hits during their career, only two of their singles troubled the Australian top 100, with the biggest of those being the 1984 release of "This Charming Man", which peaked at number 52 in Australia in April of that year.  The Smiths had two additional singles that registered on the Australian Music Report's list of singles achieving significant sales reports beyond the top 100.  The band fared slightly better on the albums chart locally, achieving four top 40 albums, though none peaked higher than number 25 - that being The World Won't Listen (number 25, April 1987).

The Smiths split up in 1987, somewhat acrimoniously, with growing tensions between lead singer Morrissey and guitarist/pianist/keyboard and harmonica player Johnny Marr.  The band's other two members at the time of the split, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, later sued Morrissey and Marr for their share of the band's royalties.

Morrissey embarked on a solo career after the dissolution of The Smiths, and we last saw him in 1991.  Johnny Marr joined Pretenders in 1987, performing on a 1989 single of theirs, before leaving to join The The from 1989 until 1994.  During 1989, he also formed Electronic with New Order singer Bernard Sumner, with Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tenant occasionally collaborating with them.  We saw Electronic in 1991.

"This Charming Man", which tells the tale of a young male cyclist accepting a ride from an older man he flirts with after puncturing his bicycle tyre, was re-issued in 1992 to promote the release of The Smiths' compilation album Best ...1 (number 64, October 1992).  Internationally, the 1992 release of "This Charming Man" peaked at number 8 in the UK in August 1992, bettering its original peak of number 25 there in November 1983.  It also peaked at number 9 in Ireland in August 1992, where the original 1983 release did not chart.

In Australia, the 1992 release of "This Charming Man" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 88.

 

The Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke died in May 2023, aged 59, from pancreatic cancer.

We shall next see The Smiths in November 1992.

 

 

Number 127 "Your Mirror" by Simply Red

Peak: number 120

Peak date: 28 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Chart run: 127-133-123-120-127-139-144

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

It was a little over two months ago that English band Simply Red graced our presence, and here they are with the second of three consecutive single releases to fall short of the top 100 in Australia.  "Your Mirror" was issued as the fifth and final single from the band's fourth studio album Stars (number 7, April 1992). Unusually, there does not appear to have been a music video filmed to promote the single, although two live performances have been uploaded to Simply Red's official YouTube channel - one of which, from Hamburg in 1992, you can view here.

Internationally, "Your Mirror" peaked at number 17 in the UK in July 1992, number 28 in Ireland in July 1992, and number 59 in Germany in September 1992.

Locally, "Your Mirror" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 97 on the state chart.

 

I don't recall hearing this one before, although the chorus seemed vaguely familiar.

We will next see Simply Red in 1993.

 

 

Number 130 "Lowdown" by Adore

Peak: number 109

Peak date: 5 October 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 130-110-121-113-109-133-141

Adore were Australian trio David Wilson, Jo Offe, and Susie Ahern.  David had previously been the lead singer in Go 101, whom we saw bubble under in 1990.  "Lowdown", which was the band's only release, was a cover version of the Boz Scaggs song, which surprisingly only peaked at number 94 in Australia in October 1976, before bettering its peak as the AA-side on the "We're All Alone" single, which reached number 54 in October 1977.

I remember seeing Adore perform "Lowdown" live on Hey Hey It's Saturday.  Although I was aware of the song at the time, I had completely forgotten about it until picking up the music video for it on a VHS compilation I bought on eBay about 18 months ago, to upload it to one of my YouTube channels.

"Lowdown" fared better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 95.

Renegade Funktrain would incorporate the chorus of "Lowdown" into their single "I Wonder...", which originally peaked at number 68 in Australia in August 1995, before being re-issued as a AA-side single with  "Renegade Funktrain", reaching number 49 in March 1996.

 

 

Number 131 "Pennies from Heaven" by Inner City

Peak: number 122

Peak date: 21 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Known chart run: 170-131-132-122-128-139-150

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

We last saw American duo Inner City in October 1990.

 

"Pennies from Heaven" was released as the first and only single in Australia from Inner City's third studio album Praise (number 135, September 1992).   Four other singles from the album were released internationally, including "Let It Reign", "Hallelujah '92", "Praise", and "Follow Your Heart".

Internationally, "Pennies from Heaven" peaked at number 24 in the UK in June 1992, and number 51 in the Netherlands in August 1992.

Within Australia, "Pennies from Heaven" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 58.

I remember seeing this single being reviewed in the Australian edition of Smash Hits magazine, but don't think I actually heard it until getting hold of the video on a UK VHS compilation in the 2000s.  The song is quite uplifting, and should have had much more commercial success.  Again, a lack of promotion was no doubt at play, at least in Australia.

"Pennies from Heaven" would be Inner City's last single released in Australia until the 1999 version of "Good Life" (number 52, March 1989) - the duo's biggest 'hit' in Australia, re-titled "Good Life (Buena Vida)".  While I assume the 1999 single charted in Australia, based on the weeks in tally listed for "Good Life" (28 weeks, versus the 16 weeks the original spent in the top 150), I am unable to give you a chart peak for it at present, as the ARIA database unfortunately tends to combine separate releases of the 'same' title into one entry, and I do not currently possess the top 150 charts for 1999 to be able to tell you whether or not it made the top 150.

Inner City would have one further charting album in Australia, however, with Testament 93 (number 166, July 1993), which contained remixes of tracks from their first three studio albums.

 

 

Number 133 "I Believe" by Edrenalin

Peak: number 129

Peak date: 21 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 133-137-129-148-141

I can't tell you much about Edrenalin, other than they were an Australian act containing Greg Hopping and Jamie White.  "I Believe", which I hadn't heard before, was their only release to trouble the ARIA top 150, and appeared on the album Carpe Diem.

 

 

Number 135 "Bring Me On" by K.I.C.

Peak: number 135

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 135-139-(out for 2 weeks)-150

K.I.C. was Australian artist Cristian Saliadarre.  "Bring Me On", which I hadn't heard before, was one of two singles he released - the other being "The Right Way", which was released in July 1993 but missed the top 150.  Both videos have been uploaded to Cristian’s YouTube channel, and if he is to be believed, the latter single made the top 10 in both Hong Kong and Singapore, though I have no way of verifying that.

"Bring Me On" performed better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 99.

 

 

Number 137 "River of Dreams" by Glenn Frey

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 7 September

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Known chart run: 215-137-142-146-145-(out for 1 week)-147

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

Former Eagle Glenn Frey last joined us in July 1992.

"River of Dreams" - another one I hadn't heard before - was issued as the third single from Glenn's fourth solo studio album Strange Weather (number 120, September 1992), and matched the peak of the previous single in Australia.

Internationally, "River of Dreams" peaked at number 59 in Canada in October 1992.

Locally, "River of Dreams" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 105.

We will next see Glenn in November 1992.

 

Number 145 "School" by The Tin Lids with The Yunupingu Kids

Peak: number 131

Peak dates: 28 September 1992 and 5 October 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 145-144-145-131-131-143-143

 

Australian band The Tin Lids - which, despite having Scottish heritage, I didn't know until recently was rhyming slang for 'kids' - were the offspring of Jimmy Barnes; namely, Mahalia, Eliza-Jane, Elly-May and Jackie.  At this point in time, their ages ranged from 3 to 10.  I strongly suspect that Elly-May is the youngest 'artist' to have ever made the ARIA chart - she was a mere 2 years and 6 months old when the group's debut single "Christmas Day" (number 40, December 1991) debuted on the chart in November 1991!

The Tin Lids followed that up with the Christmas-themed album Hey Rudolph! (number 6, December 1991).  A second album Snakes & Ladders (number 54, October 1992) followed, led by the single "Walk the Dinosaur" (number 64, July 1992), which was a cover version of the Was (Not Was) track which peaked at number 9 in Australia in February 1988.  I had forgotten I uploaded the video for The Tin Lids' version on of my YouTube channels.

"School" was issued as the second single from Snakes & Ladders, and was a collaboration with The Yunupingu Kids, which I assume were the offspring of the Yothu Yindi members with that surname.  The track accordingly features some didgeridoo.  I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it more than I was expecting to.  Naturally, I think the song would be better if the vocals were performed by adults and sounded less like a school choir performance.

 

A music video for "School" was made, but has not yet found its way onto YouTube.

While The Tin Lids would not trouble the ARIA top 150 singles chart again, they had a later top 150 album with their final studio album Dinosaur Dreaming (number 128, January 1994).

 

 

Number 150 "The Idol" by W.A.S.P.

Peak: number 126

Peak date: 21 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 150-(out for 1 week)-126

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw American metal band W.A.S.P. in 1990.

"The Idol" appeared on the band's fifth studio album The Crimson Idol (number 104, September 1992).  Internationally, "The Idol" peaked at number 41 in the UK in May 1992.

 

Locally, "The Idol" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 74 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before.  While I don't mind some metal ballads, this one didn't strike me as anything special.

 

"The Idol" would be the final W.A.S.P. release to dent the ARIA top 150, although we will see them bubble WAY down under in 1993.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 163 "Dondé Esta La Pollo" by Headless Chickens

Peak: number 161

Peak date: 14 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Kiwi band Headless Chickens received a mention previously in December 1991, with the 1991 release of "Cruise Control" - a single I was unable to give a peak for, given the way the ARIA database tends to combine separate releases of the same title.  I cannot ascertain a peak for anything that peaks outside the top 150 (the lowest number a weekly chart can be extracted from their database) in such circumstances.

"Dondé Esta La Pollo", which translates from Spanish as "where's the chicken?", was the third single released from the second Headless Chickens album Body Blow (number 45, July 1993), following "Gaskrankinstation"/"Crash Hot" (released here in April 1990, did not chart) and the aforementioned "Cruise Control" (released August 1991).

 

Overseas, "Dondé Esta La Pollo" peaked at number 4 in New Zealand in July 1992.  In Australia, the single performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 140.

I have seen the music video for this track a couple of times on rage over the years, but couldn't remember how it went until listening to it again to write this post.  It's not bad.

We'll next see Headless Chickens in 1993.

Number 180 "Slowly" by Stacy Earl

Peak: number 180

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

American singer Stacy Earl hails from Newton, Massachusetts.  "Slowly" was her third single, though her second in Australia, following "Romeo & Juliet" (released May 1992, did not chart), which was a duet with The Wild Pair, who performed on Paula Abdul's "Opposites Attract" (number 1 for two weeks in April 1990).  Stacy's debut single in her homeland, "Love Me All Up", did not receive a local release.  All three tracks would appear on Stacy's debut and only album Stacy Earl (released locally in June 1992, did not chart).

Internationally, "Slowly" - which is another one I had not heard before - peaked at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992.

Locally, "Slowly" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 101.

 

I had heard Stacy's debut single "Love Me All Up" (linked above) before, due to it appearing in a 'song contest' (where participants enter a song from an obscure-ish artist for others to listen to and rate, Eurovision style, where you cannot vote for your own entry) I participate in on the Pop Justice forum, and quite like that one, but "Slowly" does not grab me.  It's a shame the Australian record label didn't release "Love Me All Up", as I believe that one could have been a hit.

This would be Stacy's only release to chart in Australia.

 

 

Next week (14 September): Five top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 31 August 1992                        Next week: 14 September 1992 >

Week commencing 20 July 1992

This week in 1992 was another busy week on the charts, with 12 new entries for me to write about.  Before taking a look, I have updated the following earlier posts:

* 10 September 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Arthur Baker and The Backbeat Disciples;

* 1 October 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Adam Ant;

* 5 November 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from 2 Static featuring Nasty Cat;

* 17 December 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Aswad.

That takes me up to the end of 1990 with updating my earlier posts - they should all now be up to date with added weeks on chart listings and state chart peaks where I have this information.  I still have 1991 and the first couple of months of 1992 to update.

 

Now onto this week in 1992...

 

Gina G was too 'cultured' for the Australian charts in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 115 "I Need Love" by Olivia Newton-John

Peak: number 109

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

Chart run: 115-110-114-117-113-119-113-109-119-117-125

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

 

We last saw Olivia Newton-John in 1989.

 

"I Need Love" was recorded for inclusion on Olivia's Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 (number 15, September 1992) compilation, and released as its lead single.  Unfortunately, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 1992, on the weekend her father died from liver cancer, resulting in her cancelling her planned tour to promote the album while she underwent treatment.  While Olivia survived her initial bout with the disease, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to her shoulder in 2013, following X-rays after a minor car accident.  She would ultimately die from the disease in August 2022, aged 73.

Internationally, "I Need Love" peaked at number 74 in the UK in June 1992, and number 96 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992.

In Australia, "I Need Love" found greatest success in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 64.  The single also performed better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 89.

Interestingly, "I Need Love" spent the first ten weeks of its 11-week chart run hovering between numbers 109 and 119.

 

While I was aware of this release at the time, I don't think I heard the song or saw the video, probably partly because there was more media interest in Olivia's recent cancer diagnosis at the time than her new music.  Olivia was very much women's gossip magazine fodder at this stage in her career.

 

We will next see Olivia in October 1992, and a cover version of this song (with a new title) will also bubble under in 1995.

Number 117 "Runaway" by Deee-Lite

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Chart run: 166-117-112-125-122-124-129-143

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Deee-Lite last graced our presence in 1991.

 

"Runaway" was issued as the lead single from Deee-Lite's second studio album Infinity Within (number 117, August 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 45 in the UK in June 1992, number 25 in Switzerland in July 1992, and number 70 in Canada in August 1992.  While the single missed the US Billboard Hot 100, it topped the meaningless US Dance Club songs chart.

In Australia, "Runaway" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 94.

 

I remember catching the video for "Runaway" on rage as a new release, and the "why don't we, why don't we, why don't we..." lines sung by Lady Miss Kier at the start of the video got stuck in my head.  I actually chose "Runaway" as one of my video selections when I won a competition to program an hour of the Australian music video show rage in 2010.  I deliberately chose videos they had not aired in many years.  The "we'd like to conduct a fax orgy" line always makes me laugh.

"Runaway" would be Deee-Lite's final single to chart in Australia, although they had later charting albums with Dewdrops in the Garden (number 140, September 1994), Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities (number 151, December 1996), and The Very Best of Deee-Lite (number 416, January 2002).

 

While Deee-Lite would not trouble the ARIA singles chart again, band member Towa Tei would land a minor 'hit' with "GBI (German Bold Italic)" featuring Kylie Minogue (number 50, November 1998) in 1998, and would also chart with his albums Future Listening! (number 229, August 1995), Sound Museum (number 195, June 1998), and Last Century Modern (number 245, July 2000).

 

 

Number 134 "Evapor 8" by Altern 8

Peak: number 124

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 134-129-135-124-135-135

 

Rave-orientated dance tunes were slowly infiltrating the ARIA singles chart in 1991-2, even if they usually peaked outside the top 100.   Here's another one of those, this time from British electronic duo Altern 8, who were Mark Archer and Chris Peat.  While "Evapor 8" was their first, and seemingly only, Australian release, it was the duo's fifth charting single in the UK.  "Activ 8 (Come with Me)" was Altern 8's biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 3 in November 1991.  That song contains a vocal sample from Peech Boys' "Don't Make Me Wait", from 1982 - we will see another song later in the year that uses the same sample.

 

Internationally, "Evapor 8" peaked at number 6 in the UK in April 1992, and number 9 in Ireland during the same month.  The track would appear on the duo's only album Full on... Mask Hysteria, and features the vocals of P.P. Arnold, whom we saw as a featured artist for another act in 1989.

 

In Australia, "Evapor 8" would be Altern 8's only release to trouble the top 150.

Number 140 "Love the Life" by Bass Culture featuring Geena

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 140-139-130-141-131-150

Weeks on chart: 21 weeks (1992 and 1996 releases combined) 

Bass Culture were Australian production duo Mark James and David Berman.  They roped in then-unknown Australian singer Gina Gardiner, who would be better known later on as Gina G, for this, their debut single, "Love the Life".  Gina was credited as 'Geena' though for this release.

Despite promoting the single with a performance on light entertainment variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday, and the song being used prominently as background music in the Summer Bay Diner on Home and Away, "Love the Life" stalled outside the top 100 in Australia.  Interestingly, the single also took nearly two months to dent the top 150, after debuting at number 160 on 25 May 1992.

On the state charts, "Love the Life" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 99.  The track appeared on Bass Culture's only album B.C. Nation (number 155, July 1995).

 

Gina G's vocals on "Love the Life" remind me of Cathy Dennis.  Stupidly, the record company have blocked the music video for "Love the Life" on YouTube (it used to appear on one of my channels) - so I have had to resort to uploading it to embed within this post, below.  In it, you can watch Gina running through a field of sunflowers...

Bass Culture would eventually land a top 100 entry, with their cover of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" (number 100, August 1993), featuring Kate Ceberano on vocals.

Gina would, of course, go on to bigger and better things when she teamed up with Motiv 8 for her debut solo release, "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" (number 5, June 1996), which was selected as the UK's entry in the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest.  The success of that single prompted a remix and re-release of "Love the Life" in Europe and Australia in 1996, and we will see that release bubble under in 1996.

We shall next see Bass Culture in 1994, and Gina G solo in 1997.

 

Number 144 "I've Got Mine" by Glenn Frey

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-142-140-137-144-(out for 1 week)-140

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Glenn Frey (pronounced 'fry') was a member of Eagles, sharing lead vocal duties with Don Henley, as well as playing guitars and keyboard.  The Eagles songs Glenn sings lead on that I am most familiar with are "Take It Easy" (number 49, 1972) and "New Kid in Town" (number 16, March 1977).  I remember the latter being played regularly on radio in the early 1980s - so much so that I assumed it was a then-new/current song!

 

Glenn embarked on a solo career in 1982, landing two solo top 40 hits in Australia, with "The Heat Is On" (number 2, May 1985) and "You Belong to the City" (number 20, February 1986), taken from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack and Miami Vice, respectively.

"I've Got Mine" was the second single lifted from Glenn's fourth studio album Strange Weather (number 120, September 1992).  It followed "Part of Me, Part of You" (number 97, August 1991), which also appeared on the soundtrack album for Thelma & Louise (number 76, October 1991).

Internationally, "I've Got Mine" peaked at number 91 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992, and number 51 in Germany during the same month.

In Australia, "I've Got Mine" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 99.

 

Sadly, Glenn passed away in January 2016, aged 67, from the combined effects of ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and pneumonia.

We will next see Glenn in September 1992.

Number 150 "Kids Are Wired" by Strongheart

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 150-150-146

 

I couldn't find a whole lot of information about Strongheart online - surprisingly, they do not even have a Wikipedia page.  They were an American band who relocated to the UK, and appear to have released a mere two albums and two singles, of which "Kids Are Wired" is obviously one.  I also could not find evidence of this single, which I had not heard before, charting anywhere else.

"Kids Are Wired" was lifted from Strongheart's debut album Hard Wired, which was released in Australia in April 1993 but missed the top 150.  A second single, "Smooth As Silk", was also released in Australia in April 1993 and missed the top 150.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 176 "Feel" by The Church

Peak: number 176

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

Australian band The Church formed in Sydney in 1980.  Their first charting single was "The Unguarded Moment" (number 22, July 1981), and their highest-charting single was "Metropolis" (number 19, April 1990).  My favourite single from The Church would be "Under the Milky Way" (number 22, May 1988), which was also their biggest international hit, reaching number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1988.  Between 1981 and 1992, The Church placed 13 singles in the Australian top 100.

"Feel" was the second single issued from the band's eighth studio album Priest = Aura (number 25, May 1992).  It followed "Ripple" (number 62, April 1992).

On the state charts, "Feel" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 164.

We will next see The Church in 1994.

Number 181 "Rough Boy" by ZZ Top

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

This single originally peaked at number 85 in June 1986, spending 4 weeks in the top 100.

We last saw American bearded trio ZZ Top in 1991.

"Rough Boy" originally appeared on ZZ Top's ninth studio album Afterburner (number 6, December 1985).  The track was released as the third single from that album, peaking at number 85 in Australia in June 1986.  Having had recent success with their Greatest Hits (number 2, June 1992) compilation and the single "Viva Las Vegas" (number 28, May 1992), presumably the record label decided to re-release this older track that wasn't a hit here the first time around from it.

Internationally, the 1992 release of "Rough Boy" peaked at number 49 in the UK in June 1992, number 81 in the Netherlands in July 1992, and number 38 in Switzerland in July 1992.

Domestically, "Rough Boy" performed strongest on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart, where it reached number 148.

We shall next see ZZ Top in 1994.

Number 184 "Got to Be Free" by 49ers

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw Italian dance act 49ers in 1990.

 

Despite being a fan of the singles from 49ers' debut album, I hadn't actually heard "Got to Be Free" until listening to it/watching the music video while writing this post - although I remember seeing the CD single in the shops in 1992.  It was the lead single from 49ers' second album Playing with My Heart (number 179, October 1992).  The track features the vocals of Ann-Marie Smith, who would front the project from this point onwards.

 

Internationally, "Got to Be Free" peaked at number 46 in the UK in May 1992, and number 38 on the meaningless US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

In Australia, "Got to Be Free" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 150.

We shall next see 49ers in 1994.

Number 188 "The Sound of Crying" by Prefab Sprout

Peak: number 188

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw English band Prefab Sprout in 1990.

"The Sound of Crying" was one of two new songs recorded for the band's compilation album A Life of Surprises: The Best of Prefab Sprout (number 194, September 1992).  The other new song, "If You Don't Love Me", was released locally in November 1992 but failed to chart.  "If You Don't Love Me" would be covered by Kylie Minogue as a B-side on her "Confide in Me" (number 1 for 4 weeks in September-October 1994) single.

 

Internationally, "The Sound of Crying" peaked at number 23 in the UK in June 1992, and number 79 in Germany in August 1992.

In Australia, "The Sound of Crying" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 161 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it.  It doesn't sound terribly '1990s' though, to my ears.

 

"The Sound of Crying" would be Prefab Sprout's final single to chart in Australia, although they had a later low-charting album with I Trawl the Megahertz (number 1049, February 2019).

Number 207 "Two Worlds Collide" by Inspiral Carpets

Peak: number 177

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

We last saw English band Inspiral Carpets in May 1992.

"Two Worlds Collide" was released as the second single from the band's third studio album Revenge of the Goldfish (number 123, June 1993).  Internationally, "Two Worlds Collide" peaked at number 32 in the UK in May 1992, and number 8 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

Domestically, "Two Worlds Collide" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 164 on the state chart.

 

I remember catching the video for this one on rage as a new release.  It is one of my favourite Inspiral Carpets singles.

We shall see Inspiral Carpets next in October 1992.

 

Number 209 "Tired of Being Alone" by Texas

Peak: number 173

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw Scottish band Texas in 1990.

 

"Tired of Being Alone" was issued as the third and final single in Australia from the band's second studio album Mother's Heaven (number 74, November 1991).  It followed the singles "Why Believe in You" (number 73, October 1991) and "In My Heart" (number 92, March 1992).  The song is a cover version of a track originally recorded by Al Green in 1971.

 

Internationally, "Tired of Being Alone" peaked at number 19 in the UK in May 1992.

 

In Australia, "Tired of Being Alone" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 161.

 

The guitar riff on this track sounds very similar to my ears to the one Texas used on "Say What You Want" (number 11, June 1997).

 

Texas will join us next in 1994.

Next week (27 July): Five new top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 13 July 1992                                     Next week: 27 July 1992 >