Week commencing 22 February 1993

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.

 

< Previous week: 15 February 1993                Next week: 1 March 1993 >

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 9 December 1991

One thing this week in 1991's debuts peaking outside the ARIA top 100 have in common is that I didn't hear any of them at the time.  Perhaps they are new to you, too?  Let's take our first listen together...

 

Tone Lōc: Lōced out of the top 100.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 118 "Send Me an Angel" by Scorpions

Peak: number 108

Peak date: 10 February 1992

Weeks in top 150: 12 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 118-109-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-125-120-125-113-113-108-145-149

Weeks on chart: 13 weeks

 

German rock band Scorpions (no 'The') formed in 1965 in Hanover.  Their first taste of chart success in Australia, however, did not come until whistling anthem "Wind of Change" (number 7, October 1991) became a top 10 hit in 1991.  Prior to that, their tenth studio album Savage Amusement came close to cracking the top 100 nationally, peaking at number 86 on the South Australia/Northern Territory state albums chart in July 1988, and number 91 on the Western Australia state albums chart in August 1988 (before the national chart extended beyond number 100).

 

"Send Me an Angel" was issued as the third single in Australia from Scorpions' eleventh studio album  Crazy World (number 49, September 1991).  The album's lead single, "Tease Me Please Me", was released in Australia in February 1991, but missed the ARIA top 150.

Internationally, "Send Me an Angel" peaked at number 8 in France in July 1991, number 4 in the Netherlands in August 1991, number 4 in the Flanders region of Belgium in September 1991, number 5 in Germany in November 1991, number 14 in Switzerland in November 1991, number 27 in the UK in November 1991, number 8 in Austria in December 1991, number 4 in Sweden in December 1991, and number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1992.

Domestically, "Send Me an Angel" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 44 on the state chart.  Its next-highest state chart peak was number 85 in Queensland.

 

"Send Me an Angel" found slightly greater success nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 96. 

I don't recall hearing "Send Me an Angel" at the time, but I enjoyed it.  I don't mind rock power ballads from this era.  Something about the singer, Klaus Meine's, non-native English-speaker accent is endearing.

 

We will next see Scorpions in 1993.

 

 

Number 123 "Way of the World" by Tina Turner

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 10 February 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

Chart run: 123-128-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-122-132-132-129-122-117-126

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

 

We last saw pop veteran Tina Turner in May 1990. 

 

"Way of the World" was released as the second single from Tina's compilation album Simply the Best (number 12, November 1991), following "Nutbush City Limits (The 90's Version)" (number 16, November 1991). 

 

Overseas, "Way of the World" peaked at number 13 in the UK in November 1991, number 12 in Ireland in November 1991, number 33 in Germany in December 1991, number 12 in Austria in January 1992, number 16 in the Flanders region of Belgium in January 1992, number 15 in the Netherlands in February 1992, number 25 in France in February 1992, and number 29 in Switzerland in March 1992.

 

Within Australia, "Way of the World" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 74.

 

I don't recall being aware of this single's release at the time.  To me, it's a bit like Tina's "Two People", released locally in November 1986 but failed to chart - disappearing without a trace, despite being sandwiched between two hits from the same album, "Typical Male" (number 20, November 1986) and "What You Get Is What You See" (number 15, April 1987).  Not that the next single from Simply the Best, "Love Thing" (number 62, March 1992), was much of a hit - but it at least dented the top 100.

 

I can only surmise that "Way of the World" was a flop in Australia because it's quite a dull song, with a similarly boring video to match.

Tina will next grace our presence in 1994.

 

 

 

Number 133 "All Through the Night" by Tone Lōc

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 6 January 1992

Weeks in top 150: 10 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 133-124-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-106-121-126-118-148-150

Weeks on chart: 13 weeks

 

American rapper Tone Lōc, born Anthony Terrell Smith, scored two major hits in Australia in 1989, when rap was not that commercially successful here, with "Wild Thing" (number 15, May 1989) and "Funky Cold Medina" (number 8, August 1989).  Both singles ended up in the top 50 best-selling singles in Australia for the year.  Both hits were co-written by Marvin Young, better known as Young MC.

 

Tone also released a third, flop single that year: "I Got It Goin' On" (number 52, October 1989), which stalled just outside the ARIA top 50.  "I Got It Goin' On" was not co-written by Young MC; I see a pattern here.

 

"All Through the Night", the lead single from Tone's second - and final, to date - album Cool Hand Lōc (number 129, January 1992) was also not co-written by Young MC, and flopped everywhere.  The only other chart I can find that it registered on was the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 80 in December 1991.

In Australia, "All Through the Night" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 71 on the state chart - the only state chart where it made the top 100.

 

I remember reading a review of "All Through the Night" in December 1991, but never actually heard the song until listening to it to write this post.  It's quite different to Tone's earlier hits - he tries to be smooth and 'sexy', rather than cheeky and funny.  On the whole, I found the track boring and can see why it wasn't a hit.

 

"All Through the Night" features vocals from El DeBarge, although he does not receive a featured artist credit on the single cover.

"All Through the Night" would be Tone's last single released in Australia.

 

 

 

Number 134 "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" by Natalie Cole

Peak: number 104

Peak dates: 16 December 1991 (chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Chart run: 134-104-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-105-135

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

We last saw Natalie Cole in January 1990.

 

Before writing about this song, one thing I neglected to mention last time is that a friend from high school I kept in touch with for nearly a decade later (we have since fallen out) and I used to have a theory that no matter how big a recording artist is, the general public will only know/remember you for "3 hits" at most.  There were a handful of artists we thought were an exception to this 'rule', and, oddly enough, Natalie Cole was one of them!  Her "hits" the public remembered were: "Pink Cadillac" (number 6, June 1988), "Miss You Like Crazy" (number 34, October 1990), "Wild Women Do" (number 37, September 1990), and "Unforgettable" (number 2, August 1991), bringing her tally to an impressive four! 

 

OK, that silliness out of the way, "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" was originally released by Natalie in 1988, recorded for the Scrooged soundtrack (number 114, January 1989).  The single came out in Australia in December 1988, but failed to chart.

 

The song is a cover version of The King Cole Trio's "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)", which was recorded in 1946.  Natalie's father, Nat "King" Cole, was obviously part of that trio, and, given her recent success with the Unforgettable with Love (number 1, July 1991) album - where Natalie sang 'duets' with her late father, thanks to studio wizardry - it was obviously timely to re-issue the single for the Christmas 1991 market.

 

The single was also released to promote Natalie's Christmas Box (number 127, December 1991), which was the Unforgettable with Love album re-packaged with "The Christmas Song..." single and a VHS.

Natalie certainly had more success on the Australian albums charts with her jazz/easy listening material.  Her more-recent pop albums Everlasting (number 68, July 1988) and Good to Be Back (number 87, September 1989) stalled in the lower half of the ARIA top 100.

 

Oddly, Natalie's rendition of "The Christmas Song..." does not appear to have charted anywhere else.  On the ARIA state charts, the single performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 93. 

"The Christmas Song..." performed marginally better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it crept into the top 100, reaching number 98.

 

Natalie recorded two later versions of the song, in 1999 as a duet with her late father and The London Symphony Orchestra, and in 2009 with Andrea Bocelli.

Natalie will join us again in 1993.

 

 

 

Number 147 Fairydust (EP) by The Welcome Mat

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 9 December 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 147

This EP peaked at number 141 on the ARIA albums chart on 24 February 1992, spending one week on the ARIA top 150 albums chart.

 

Sydney band The Welcome Mat formed in Sydney in 1989.  The Fairydust EP was their first charting entry, although it had a somewhat unusual chart history, spending a solitary week in both the ARIA top 150 singles and albums charts!  Obviously, ARIA couldn't decide whether it was an EP or an album, with Fairydust peaking six places higher, at number 141, on the ARIA albums chart in February 1992.

 

The factors affecting whether an extended play's sales are counted towards the singles or albums chart is, presumably, determined at least partly by the retail price of the EP, and how many tracks it contains.  The Fairydust EP contained six tracks, pushing it into a grey area of being a mini-album rather than an EP.  Ratcat's Tingles EP (number 1 on the singles chart, April 1991) also contained six tracks, and while ARIA counted its sales towards the singles chart (with its $4.99 retail price, even on CD), the Australian Music Report (stupidly, in my opinion) counted it as an album.

 

Not being a huge fan of Australian indie rock bands from this era, I am not certain which track was promoted as the lead one from this EP, but I have embedded track one from it, "10,000 People with the Same Idea", below.  A music video was filmed for track five on the EP, "Cake", which I have also embedded below.

 

If you are so inclined, you can listen to the whole EP here. 

The Welcome Mat will next join us in 1993.

 

 

 

Number 148 "Shadowtime" by Siouxsie & The Banshees

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 9 December 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Chart run: 148

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

We last saw Siouxsie and The Banshees in January 1989. 

"Shadowtime" was the second single lifted from the band's tenth studio album Superstition (number 55, September 1991).  It followed "Kiss Them for Me" (number 40, September 1991).

 

"Shadowtime" peaked at number 57 in Siouxsie and The Banshees' native UK in July 1991.  Within Australia, the single was most successful in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 135.

I have never delved into Siouxise and The Banshees' work other than paying a view/listen to the videos of theirs that rage have aired in the last decade or so.  This one is decent.

Siouxsie and The Banshees will next join us in 1992, with a song I did hear at the time.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 158 "Both Sides Now" by Clannad & Paul Young

Peak: number 158

Peak date: 9 December 1991

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

Paul Young last joined us in October 1991.  Irish band Clannad formed in 1970, and only ever placed one single in the Australian top 100, "In a Lifetime" (number 72, April 1986), which featured U2's Bono.  A pre-solo fame Enya was also part of Clannad between 1980 and 1982, together with three of her siblings.

 

"Both Sides Now" was a song written by Joni Mitchell, but first recorded by Judy Collins in 1967.  Joni recorded her own orchestral version of the song for her 2000 album Both Sides Now (number 110, June 2000).  The track appeared on Paul's From Time to Time: The Singles Collection (number 6, June 1992) compilation.

 

Internationally, "Both Sides Now" peaked at number 74 in the UK in August 1991, number 3 in Ireland in September 1991, and number 41 in the Netherlands in March 1992.

 

Domestically, "Both Sides Now" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 137.

 

Paul Young will next join us in 1997.  We will not see Clannad in the top 150 again.

Also debuting this week:

Number 170 "Cruise Control" by Headless Chickens

Peak: unknown

Peak date: unknown

Weeks on chart: 34 weeks (including tally from 1994 re-release)

The ARIA database, unfortunately, tends to combine separate releases of the same title into one entry.  So, in this instance, the original 1991 release of Headless Chickens' "Cruise Control" is counted as being the same release as the radically different Eskimos in Egypt remix of the song, which peaked at number 26 in December 1994.  Since the 1991 release peaked outside the ARIA top 150, I am unable to give you a peak for it - I can only give you the debut position.

"Cruise Control" appeared on the New Zealand band's second studio album Body Blow (number 45, July 1993).  The 1991 release of the single peaked at number 6 in New Zealand in November 1991.

Anyone who watched Neighbours or Home and Away circa late 1994-early 1995 would have heard the Eskimos in Egypt Mix of "Cruise Control" pumping out of the coffee shop/diner jukebox.

Headless Chickens will next visit us in 1992.

Next week (16 December): The final chart survey for 1991, with three top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.

< Previous week: 2 December 1991                                     Next week: 16 December 1991 >