Week commencing 9 September 1991

This week in 1991's new batch of songs peaking outside the ARIA top 100 are an interesting bunch.  Among them we have a 'hit single' that wasn't, a song that spent 30 weeks (!) on the chart despite climbing no higher than number 147, and two singles that had two separate chart lives, with slightly different artist credits each time.  We also have two artist names beginning with the letter Z.  Shall we take a look?

 

Zoë trip trip tripped away for 30 weeks outside the ARIA top 100.

  

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 115 "The Eve of the War" (Ben Liebrand Remix) by Jeff Wayne

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 30 September 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 115-116-122-112

This single peaked at number 118 on 19 March 1990 and spent 8 weeks in the top 150 then, when credited to Ben Liebrand.

 

We saw Dutch DJ and remixer Ben Liebrand chart with this track, where he received the sole artist credit, in February 1990.   This time, for reasons I cannot ascertain, "The Eve of the War" was credited to Jeff Wayne, with a Ben Liebrand Remix tag, although the song is exactly the same as the previous Ben Liebrand release.  The re-release of this track presumably had something to do with the War of the Worlds soundtrack, from which the song is lifted, peaking at number 4 on the ARIA albums chart in September 1991, after originally peaking at number 1 for 7 weeks in October-November 1978.  One thing I just learnt is that this soundtrack was number 1 on the Australian charts when I was born.

The Ben Liebrand remix of "The Eve of the War" peaked at number 9 in the Netherlands in June 1989, number 38 in the Flanders region of Belgium in June 1989, number 3 in the UK in December 1989, and number 3 in Ireland.

To me, this mix of "The Eve of the War" sounds very much like Rock Eisteddfod music.

 

 

Number 117 "Miles to Go" by Nick Barker and The Reptiles

Peak: number 103

Peak date: 23 September 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 117-106-103-121-131

 

Between 1989 and 1991, Australian rock band Nick Barker and The Reptiles placed six singles on the ARIA top 100.  Their version of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" was the only one to dent the top 50, however, reaching number 30 in November 1989.

 

"Miles to Go" was the third single lifted from Nick and the gang's second studio album After the Show (number 33, April 1991).  It followed "Won't Get You Loved" (number 53, April 1991) and "Can't Hold On" (number 84, May 1991).

I don't recall hearing this one before.

We'll next see Nick, solo and credited as just 'Barker' (taking a leaf out of Diesel's book?), in 1994.

 

Number 126 "Promise Me" by Beverley Craven

Peak: number 117

Peak dates: 23 September 1991 and 30 September 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 126-131-117-117-129

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

 

Sri Lankan-born British singer-songwriter Beverley Craven released her debut album Beverley Craven (number 141, July 1991) in Europe in 1990.  Initially, the album was not a success in the UK, but her debut single "Promise Me" became a top 10 hit in the Netherlands (number 7, October 1990) and the Flanders region of Belgium (number 2, November 1990).

 

After continental European success, "Promise Me" eventually peaked at number 3 in the UK in May 1991, and the album reached number 3 the following month, spending a year on the chart and selling over 600,000 copies.  "Promise Me" would also go on to peak at number 6 in France in June 1991.

In Australia, Beverley's chart success was much more subdued, and "Promise Me" would become her only single to dent the ARIA top 150.  I don't recall hearing this one at the time, but it could have been a hit if it had radio support (which I am assuming it didn't).  "Promise Me" peaked at number 98 on the Australian Music Report singles chart.

"Promise Me" was re-issued in Australia in March 1992, but did not re-enter the top 150.  Beverley released her last album in 2018, and was also treated for breast cancer in the same year.

We shall next see Beverley in 1992.

 

 

 

Number 137 "Hit Single" by Joe Jackson

Peak: number 129

Peak date: 23 September 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Chart run: 137-134-129-131-132-133

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

We last saw English singer-songwriter Joe Jackson in April 1991. 

The ironically titled "Hit Single", which only charted in Australia - and outside the top 100 at that - was the second release from Joe's eleventh studio album Laughter & Lust (number 57, September 1991).

 

On the state charts, "Hit Single" was the biggest 'hit' in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 110 on the state chart.

 

While "Hit Single" may not have become a hit, Joe embarked on a tour of Australia in September 1991, prompting his 1990 compilation Stepping Out - The Very Best of Joe Jackson (number 13, September 1991) to re-enter the chart and reach a new peak.

"Hit Single" would be Joe's last single to dent the ARIA top 150.

 

 

Number 147 "Senza Una Donna (Without a Woman)" by Zucchero & Paul Young

Peak: number 113

Peak date: 23 September 1991

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks (1991 release); 14 weeks (1992 release)

Top 150 chart run: 143-144-113-119-121-125-128-130 

Re-entered 25 May 1992: 115-69-65-56-42-47-62-76-66-61-68-71-84-90

Weeks on chart: 17 weeks (1992 release)

This single peaked at number 42 on 22 June 1992, and spent 17 weeks on the chart, when re-released as a Paul Young single in 1992.

 

Italian singer-songwriter Adelmo Fornaciari, better known by his stage name Zucchero Fornaciari - or just Zucchero, began his musical career in 1970, after abandoning his studies to become a veterinarian.  He was part of several bands before launching a solo career in 1982.  We last saw English singer-songwriter Paul Young in February 1991.

"Senza Una Donna", which translates as 'without a woman', was originally recorded solo in Italian for Zucchero's fourth album Blue in 1987.  The track was re-recorded with Paul Young in 1990, with additional lyrics in English, and released as a single the following year.

"Senza Una Donna (Without a Woman)" peaked at number 4 in the UK in May 1991, number 2 in Ireland, number 2 in Germany in June 1991, number 2 in the Netherlands in June 1991, number 1 in the Flanders region of Belgium in June 1991, number 1 in Sweden in July 1991, number 1 in Norway, number 2 in Switzerland in July 1991, number 8 in Austria in July 1991, number 2 in France in August 1991, and number 14 in Canada in December 1991.

"Senza Una Donna..." was initially released as a Zucchero single in Australia, with a solo Zucchero track on the B-side.  The single crept into the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart, reaching number 97 for one week in September 1991.

The single was re-issued locally in May 1992 to coincide with Paul Young's promotional visit to Australia to promote his best of compilation album From Time to Time: The Singles Collection (number 6, June 1992).  This time, it was treated as a Paul Young release, with two previous Paul Young hits on the CD single: "Everything Must Change" (number 27, February 1985) and "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" (number 9, September 1983).  This mini-Greatest Hits EP, combined with a special $1.95 price for the CD single, enticed enough people to buy "Senza Una Donna (Without a Woman)" for it to reach a much higher peak of number 42, in June 1992.

The re-release of "Senza Una Donna..." also resulted in the Zucchero album peaking at number 141 in July 1992.  On the state charts, "Senza Una Donna..." performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 32.

We shall next see Paul Young in October 1991.

 

 

Number 149 "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" by Zoë

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 6 January 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 149-(out for 1 week)-148-(out for 9 weeks)-148-(out for 4 weeks)-147

Weeks on chart: 30 weeks

 

English singer-songwriter Zoë Pollock, known professionally as just Zoë, launched her recording career with "Sunshine on a Rainy Day", a track produced by and co-written with her then-partner Martin Glover (better known as Youth), in 1990.  The 1990 version of the track stalled at number 53 in the UK in December 1990.

 

Following a remix by Mark 'Spike' Stent, "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" was re-released in 1991, together with a new music video (embedded below).  The 1991 release peaked at number 4 in the UK in September 1991, number 9 in Ireland, and number 40 in Sweden in November 1991.  The track was lifted from Zoë's debut album Scarlet Red and Blue (number 193, May 1992).

 

In Australia, "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" had quite a protracted chart life for a single that barely crept into the top 150.  Debuting at number 161 on 27 May 1991, the single took more than seven months to reach its eventual peak of number 147 in early 1992.  Even more unusually, during that time, the single only spent 4 of its 30 weeks on the chart within the top 150, none of which were consecutive.

 

"Sunshine on a Rainy Day" was most-popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 51.  The single's staggered chart run was partly due to it peaking at different times on the state charts, reaching its peak in September 1991 in Queensland and South Australia/Northern Territory, December 1991 in Victoria/Tasmania, and January 1992 in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia.

On the Australian Music Report chart, "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" crept into the top 100 in September 1991, peaking at number 93; 54 places higher than its ARIA peak.

Zoë's "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" is one of few singles that have three different music videos filmed for it.  There's the original 1990 version, linked in the first paragraph above, the 1991 video linked below, and a third video filmed for the US release in 1992 here.  There's also a video for the 12" version released in the US - take your pick!

I am a bit surprised that "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" was not a hit in Australia, as it received some airplay - at least in Melbourne, on the supposedly-voted-for-by-listeners Hot 30 Countdown, which I think was hosted by Ugly Phil at the time.

While Zoë's version of the song was technically not a hit in Australia (although its chart longevity blurs the lines a bit), the song would have a second lease of life when recorded by other artists.  Naomi Campbell recorded a version for her 1994 album Babywoman, as did Emma Bunton for her debut solo album A Girl Like Me (number 86, May 2001) in 2001.  Christine Anu landed a number 26 hit in Australia with her version of "Sunshine on a Rainy Day" in June 2000.

Zoë will join us again in 1992.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 155 "Got It Bad" by Keith Urban

Peak: number 155

Peak date: 9 September 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

We last saw Keith Urban in June 1991. 

 

Keith's third single "Got It Bad" was the second issued from his debut album Keith Urban (number 98, October 1991).  The single performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 108.

Regular readers will know that I am not particularly fond of country music, and "Got It Bad" does not sway me.

Keith will next join us in 1997.

 

 

 

Number 168 "I Like It" by D.J.H. featuring Stefy

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 30 September 1991

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

 

We last saw Italian dance act D.J.H. featuring Stefy in May 1991.

 

As with their last chart entry, "I Like It" samples Aretha Franklin's vocals again.  Internationally, "I Like It" peaked at number 16 in the UK in July 1991, and at number 20 in Ireland in July 1991.

 

In Australia, "I Like It" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 109.

 

While we won't see D.J.H. featuring Stefy again, we will see D.J.H. under a different name in 1992.

 

 

Number 195 "Can You Stop the Rain" by Peabo Bryson

Peak: number 195

Peak date: 9 September 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

American singer-songwriter Peabo Bryson made his debut on the Australian chart in 1983, dueting with Roberta Flack on "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" (number 10, November 1983), although he had been releasing material since 1975.  His biggest non-duet in Australia was "If Ever I'm in Your Arms Again" (number 20, August 1984).

"Can You Stop the Rain" was the title track from Peabo's fifteenth studio album Can You Stop the Rain (number 188, March 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1991.

 

Within Australia, "Can You Stop the Rain" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 152.

 

We shall next see Peabo in 1992.

 

 

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

 

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

Week commencing 24 June 1991

Things this week in 1991's new entries have in common - none of them were huge hits in the country where the artist was based.  Before we take a look at them, I have added a newly-uncovered bubbling WAY down under entry from The Party to last week's post.

 

Whitney Houston: Australia wasn't really buying her r&b jams in the early 90s.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 103 "Only You" by Keith Urban

Peak: number 101

Peak date: 1 July 1991

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 103-101-114-109-113-115-123

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

 

Country singer Keith Urban, whose real surname is Urbahn, was born in Whangarei on the North Island of New Zealand.  Coincidentally, I lived in Whangarei for about six months as a 5-6 year-old child when my dad relocated there for work.  Keith's family moved to Australia when he was two years old.

 

While "Only You" was Keith's first single to chart anywhere in the world, it was actually his second release.  The first single, "I Never Work on a Sunday", was issued in Australia in June 1990, but failed to chart.  As you can see on the single sleeve for "I Never Work on a Sunday", Keith was the Westpac (Bank) Star Maker winner for 1990.  That is some accolade! (said with no hint of irony...)

Both "I Never Work on a Sunday" and "Only You" were lifted from Keith's debut album Keith Urban (number 98, October 1991) - not to be confused with his 1999 album of the same name, which peaked at number 90 in Australia in February 2001.

Keith would have to wait until 2003 to land his first top 100 single in Australia, with "Raining on Sunday" (number 79, February 2003).

 

On the state charts, "Only You" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 43.  "Only You" peaked at number 93 on the Australian Music Report singles chart.

While still tinged with country, "Only You" is more of a straightforward pop rock track.

We shall next see Keith in September 1991.

 

 

Number 135 "Lowdown and Dirty" by Foreigner

Peak: number 123

Peak date: 8 July 1991

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Chart run: 135-130-123-128-137-128-129-130

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

 

British-American rock band Foreigner placed 12 singles on the Australian chart between 1977 and 1988, with three of those reaching the top ten.  Power ballad "I Want to Know What Love Is" was their biggest hit in Australia, spending five weeks at number one in February and March of 1985.  The group's previous charting single in Australia, and their last to make the top 100, was "I Don't Want to Live without You" (number 24, June 1988).

 

Lou Gramm, who had sang lead vocals on all of Foreigner's previous hits, parted ways with the group in May 1990.  He was replaced by Johnny Edwards, who sings lead on "Lowdown and Dirty", the lead single from Foreigner's seventh studio album Unusual Heat (number 102, July 1991).

 

Internationally, "Lowdown and Dirty" peaked at number 50 in Canada.  It also reached number 4 on the US Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in July 1991, for whatever that's worth (not much). 

Within Australia, "Lowdown and Dirty" was most successful in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 91.

A second and final single from Unusual Heat, "I'll Fight for You", was released in Australia in September 1991, but did not chart.

Lou Gramm re-joined Foreigner in 1992, before departing again in 2003.

 

We will next see Foreigner in 1994.

 

 

 

Number 141 "Whenever You Close Your Eyes" by Tommy Page

Peak: number 136

Peak date: 15 July 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 141-146-138-136-142

 

American singer Tommy Page has joined us previously in April 1989 and in April 1990; and here he is in the ARIA top 150 singles chart for a third and final time.

"Whenever You Close Your Eyes" was the lead single from Tommy's third album From the Heart (number 129, July 1991).  Interestingly, I cannot find evidence of the single charting anywhere else.

I don't recall hearing this one before.  Michael Bolton's distinctive voice can be heard singing backing vocals on the final chorus section.

Slightly amusing story: I recently had the PWL remix of Tommy's "A Zillion Kisses" playing in the car with my mum as a passenger.  As the song was playing, she asked me, "Is this Madonna?"

Number 144 "The Soul Cages" by Sting

Peak: number 135

Peak date: 1 July 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Chart run: 144-135-141-137

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw Gordon Sumner, aka Sting, in April 1991.

"The Soul Cages" was the third single and title track from Sting's third solo album The Soul Cages (number 3, February 1991).

 

"The Soul Cages", which I did actually hear at the time (radio loved Sting back then), peaked at number 57 in Sting's native UK in May 1991, and at number 77 in the Netherlands during the same month.  The track also reached number 9 on the US Alternative Airplay chart in April 1991, and number 7 on the US Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in April 1991.

 

Domestically, "The Soul Cages" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 125.

Sting will join us next in 1994.

Number 146 "Fastlane" by Urban Dance Squad

Peak Number 146

Peak date: 24 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 146

Dutch rap rock band Urban Dance Squad narrowly missed the ARIA top 50 with their debut single "Deeper Shade of Soul" (number 56, May 1991), which was their only top 100 entry in Australia.

 

"Fastlane", also from the group's debut album Mental Floss for the Globe (released in Australia in May 1991, missed the top 150), was Urban Dance Squad's second single issued locally.

"Fastlane" peaked at number 59 in the Netherlands in June 1991.

This single was the group's last top 150 entry in Australia.

Number 148 "My Name Is Not Susan" by Whitney Houston

Peak: number 118

Peak date: 8 July 1991

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

Chart run: 148-133-118-139-134-147-149-125-136-150-139

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

By this point in 1991, American singer Whitney Houston had placed 12 singles on the Australian chart.  In the US, Whitney had a string of seven consecutive number one singles, and a tally of nine Billboard Hot 100 number ones by mid-1991.  In contrast, despite her first two albums being huge, Whitney had only landed four top 10 singles in Australia at this point in time, with "Greatest Love of All" (number 1, July 1986) and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" (number 1, June 1987) being her only releases to top the singles chart so far.

Whitney's third album I'm Your Baby Tonight (number 10, December 1990) was more r&b-focused and less commercially-successful than its predecessors.  Only one single from the album, "I'm Your Baby Tonight" (number 7, November 1990), reached the top 50 in Australia.  "All the Man That I Need" (number 59, March 1991), the album's second single, stalled outside the top 50.

 

Third single "My Name Is Not Susan" fared even worse, peaking outside the top 100.  Up until now, the only Whitney singles that missed the top 100 in Australia were the duets "I Know Him So Well" (with her mother Cissy Houston, released in Australia in March 1989) and "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" (with Aretha Franklin, October 1989) - which both failed to chart.

Internationally, "My Name Is Not Susan" peaked at number 43 in the Flanders region of Belgium in 1991, number 29 in the UK in July 1991, number 14 in Ireland in July 1991, number 28 in the Netherlands in July 1991, number 57 in Germany in August 1991, number 31 in Sweden in August 1991, and number 20 in the US in September 1991.

 

The US peak of 'only' number 20 was surely a disappointment, coming off the back of two number one hits.  The I'm Your Baby Tonight album campaign soon wrapped up, following a fourth single issued in North America and Europe - but not in Australia - "I Belong to You", which missed the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked no higher than number 54 (in the UK) anywhere in the world.

 

For reasons I am not sure why, "My Name Is Not Susan" re-entered the chart in Germany in 1998, reaching a slightly higher peak of number 52 there in July 1998.

Within Australia, "My Name Is Not Susan" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 77.

As with "I'm Your Baby Tonight", there were two different mixes of the single and two different videos for the US and European/Australasian markets.  I have embedded both below, with the earlier European version (made up of clips from other Whitney videos/performances) listed beneath the US 'rap' version, which features Monie Love.

Whitney will next join us in 2001.

 

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 180 "Tell Me That You Wait" by Culture Beat featuring Lana E. and Jay Supreme

Peak: number 180

Peak date: 24 June 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

We last saw German dance group Culture Beat in March 1991.  "Tell Me That You Wait" was the third single lifted from their debut album Horizon (number 150, April 1991).  Oddly, I cannot find evidence of "Tell Me That You Wait" charting anywhere else.

I have heard this track before, but not until the mid 2010s, when it showed up on a various artists promo VHS compilation I bought on eBay.

On the ARIA state charts, "Tell Me That You Wait" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 157.

We'll next see Culture Beat in November 1991, when they finally break into the top 150 singles chart.

 

 

Number 185 "Heartbreak Station" by Cinderella

Peak: number 185

Peak date: 24 June 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

We have seen American rock band Cinderella twice previously, in May and July of 1989.

 

"Heartbreak Station" was the second single and title track from the band's third album Heartbreak Station (number 72, March 1991).  It followed "Shelter Me" (number 48, March 1991), which was their biggest hit in Australia.

 

Internationally, "Heartbreak Station" peaked at number 44 in the US in April 1991, number 51 in Canada, and number 63 in the UK in April 1991.

Within Australia, "Heartbreak Station" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 142.

"Heartbreak Station" was Cinderella's final single to chart in Australia.  They had another charting album, however, with Still Climbing (number 187, January 1995).

 

 

Next week (1 July): Seven top 150 debuts and one bubbling WAY down under entry.  Among them is one of the best (or worst - depending on which side of the fence you sit) song titles of all time!

 

< Previous week: 17 June 1991                                         Next week: 1 July 1991 > 

Livin' on the Edge of the Top 100: 13 singles that peaked at number 101 in Australia (1989-1991)

This post is the first in a series of occasional 'special' posts, that differ in content from my weekly recaps of top 150 debuts.

Since following the charts, it has always been a fascination of mine to see which releases have just missed out on reaching certain coveted positions - whether that's a number 2 single that missed reaching the top, a number 11 single that just missed the top ten, or a number 41 single that narrowly missed the top 40.

Remember that time that Gail and Jane from Neighbours tried to become pop stars?  Thought not.

In this post, we'll take a look at singles that just missed the top 100, between January 1989 and December 1991.


Singles peaking at number 101 on the Australian singles chart (1989-1991):

"Hey Ciao" by Albie Wilde & The Dayglos
 Peak date: 12 June 1989

The most interesting thing about this release is that it features Jane (Annie Jones) and Gail (Fiona Corke) from Neighbours, who also appear in the video, as backing vocalists!  I remember this track being reviewed in either Smash Hits or rival Hit Songwords, with the comment that it was probably the first time an act's backing singers were more-famous than the front person of a group.  Still, 'Hey Ciao' performed better on the charts here than fellow Neighbour Stefan Dennis's attempt at becoming a pop star - though I'm not certain that got a local release, as it does not appear in the Australian Music Reports new releases lists, despite rage playing the video.

"Sky High" (1989 Remix) by Jigsaw UK
Peak date: 17 July 1989

I guess we must have had an Australian band called Jigsaw for the UK act to be re-branded 'Jigsaw UK' down under.  Before Newton's Stock/Aitken-produced cover version of the 1975 Jigsaw track in 1994, Pete Hammond (also associated with Stock Aitken Waterman) had a go at remixing the original for a 1989 release.  This sounds remarkably similar to the Newton version, to my ears - at least vocally.  Curiously, this version took eight weeks to reach its peak of number 101, before falling off the chart the following week.

"One" by Bee Gees
Peak date: 24 July 1989

This 'one' interestingly debuted at its peak of number 101 and could not manage to climb 'one' place higher to reach the top 100.  The Australian top 100 singles chart remained a hit-free zone for the Bee Gees for nearly a decade, between when 'You Win Again' left the top 100 in February 1988 and 'Alone' gave them another hit in June 1997.  A case of the tall poppy?

"(You Make Me) Rock Hard" by Kiss
Peak date: 14 August 1989

Gotta love that title, eh?  The follow-up to 'Let's Put the X in Sex', '(You Make Me) Rock Hard' was also lifted from their Smashes, Thrashes & Hits greatest hits album.  Except that this one didn't become a hit - or even chart - anywhere else, from what I can gather.

Kiss seemed to be well into their glam metal phase, with several if not all of the band members (dare I say it) not looking that unlike Cher in the late 80s in the music video.

"Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis
Peak date: 11 September 1989

Jerry re-recorded his 1957 hit for the soundtrack of the 1989 movie of the same name.  Surprisingly, this had no connection to Jive Bunny and The Mastermixers, who sampled this song on one of their two 1989 hits.

"Prayer for You" by Texas
Peak date: 12 February 1990

Texas had a hard time following up their top 10 single from 1989 with anything substantial.  Until 1997, their next-biggest hit on the Australian singles chart could reach no higher than number 52.  They'd have to settle for number 101 with this, the fourth and final single from their Southside album.

"Livin' on the Edge of the Night" by Iggy Pop
Peak date: 26 March 1990

Iggy actually wears a shirt and jacket in the video for this one, unusually.  Iggy would score a hit later in 1990 with his duet with Kate Pearson, but for now, he'd have to settle for livin' on the edge of the top 100.

"Don't Be Cruel" (Rapacious Edit) by Bobby Brown
Peak date: 11 June 1990

The original peaked at number 72 in 1989, but this remixed version fared even worse on the Australian chart.  Bobby would peak 100 places higher though with his next release.

"All I'm Missing Is You" by Glenn Medeiros
Peak date: 29 October 1990

Speaking of Bobby Brown, Glenn seemed to have undergone a 'Bobby Brown' makeover in 1990, with the aforementioned star featuring on his second and final hit.  It didn't seem terribly convincing.  Neither did this.

"From a Distance" by Cliff Richard
Peak date: 7 January 1991

Debuting on the chart a mere six weeks after the Bette Midler version of the same song, Cliff's version landed just a small distance from the top 100.  Now Cliff is the sort of artist who seems more likely to sing lyrics like "God is watching us" than Bette...

"Auberge" by Chris Rea
Peak date: 25 March 1991

'Auberge' is a French word for inn, and Chris Rea couldn't quite make it in to the top 100 with this one.  In fact, Chris wouldn't make it into the top 100 singles chart in Oz again.

"Happy" by Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Peak date: 3 June 1991

I remember hearing Ned's Atomic Dustbin being mentioned on the ABC's The Afternoon Show, but don't recall hearing any of their music before.

"Only You" by Keith Urban
Peak date: 1 July 1991

Everyone's got to start somewhere, and for Keith, that was at number 101, with his second single release - a whole 11 and a half years before scoring his first top 100 entry on the Australian singles chart.

Normal service will resume with my recap of new top 150 entries on 6 February.

                                            Singles that peaked at number 101 in Australia 1992-1994 >