Week commencing 8 February 1993

Among the new entries peaking outside the Australian top 100 this week in 1993, we have a re-release of a song from the late 1970s, a live version of a song originally released in the 1970s, and two singles that spent some time on the ARIA albums chart!  Shall we take a look?

 

Patty Smyth: sometimes being a one-hit wonder (twice!) just ain't enough.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 102 "Bad Boy for Love" by Rose Tattoo

Peak: number 102

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 102-105-118-127-138

 

Australian band Rose Tattoo formed in Sydney in 1976.  "Bad Boy for Love" was their first release, and first single to chart, reaching number 19 in January 1978.  It was also the group's biggest hit on the Australian chart, although "We Can't Be Beaten" (number 28, December 1982) is the song I most associate with the band.  Between 1977 and 1987, when the band split, Rose Tattoo placed 11 singles on the Australian top 100.  Lead singer Angry Anderson (real name Gary Stephen Anderson), whom we saw bubble under in 1990, then embarked on a solo carer, and is best known for singing Scott and Charlene's wedding song from Neighours, "Suddenly" (number 2, August 1987).

Originally appearing on the band's debut album Rose Tattoo (number 40, December 1978), "Bad Boy for Love" was re-issued to promote their Nice Boys Don't Play Rock 'n' Roll (number 121, February 1993) best of compilation album.

 

Rose Tattoo reformed in 1992-1993, supporting Guns N' Roses on the Australian leg of their Use Your Illusion tour, and would again reform in 1998.  Five of the band's former members have died of various forms of cancer, between 1991 and 2009, outdoing Ramones on that grim metric.

 

Number 125 "99.5°F" by Suzanne Vega

Peak: number 125

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Chart run: 125-133-137-140

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega in 1990.

"99.9°F" was the second single released in Australia from Suzanne's fourth studio album 99.9°F (number 56, November 1992).  It followed "Blood Makes Noise" (number 61, October 1992), which would become Suzanne's final top 100 single in Australia.  In the UK, "In Liverpool" was issued as the first single from 99.9°F, but it did not receive a single release in Australia.  "99.9°F” deals with the subject of male erectile dysfunction.  Oo-er!

Internationally, "99.9°F" peaked at number 46 in the UK in October 1992.  It also registered on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, reaching number 16 in January 1993.

In Australia, "99.9°F" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 91 on the state chart.

I didn't know "99.9°F" at the time, but became well-acquainted with the song after picking up Suzanne's Tried and True: The Best of (number 96, November 1998) compilation album in 2000.  This led me to purchase Suzanne's previous studio albums.  The 99.9°F album is notable for it being the first time Suzanne had really incorporated electronica into her music.  Presumably, this was inspired by the success of the DNA remix of "Tom's Diner" (number 8, November 1990).  I think "99.9°F" could have charted better had it received more promotion.

We shall next see Suzanne in June 1993.

Number 127 "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (live) by AC/DC

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 127-112-128-149-146

Legendary Australian band AC/DC formed in Sydney in 1973.  Between 1974 and this point in 1993, the group had placed 26 singles on the Australian top 100, with "Thunderstruck" (number 4, October 1990) being the highest-charting of those.

The studio recording of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" was released as a single in Australia in 1976 as the band's seventh single.  It reached number 29 on the Kent Music Report singles chart in December 1976.  The track was sung by then lead singer Bon Scott (real name Ronald Belford Scott), who died from acute alcohol poisoning in February 1980, aged 33.  England-born Brian Johnson was then recruited to front the band.  Joan Jett released a cover version of "Dirty Deeds" (with shortened title) in 1990, which peaked at number 59 in Australia in May 1990.

 

This live version of "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", recorded in Birmingham, England, on 23 April 1991, was taken from the live album AC/DC Live (number 1 for 2 weeks in November 1992).  It followed a live version of "Highway to Hell" (number 29, November 1992), recorded in Glasgow, Scotland on 20 April 1991.

 

Internationally, this live version of 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" peaked at number 68 in the UK in February 1993, and number 34 in New Zealand in April 1993.

 

AC/DC will next join us in 2000.

Number 128 "It Ain't Love" by 1927

Peak: number 123

Peak date: 5 April 1993

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 128-131-131-126-142-148-131-130-123

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

Aussie band 1927 formed in Melbourne in 1987, started by Garry Frost, previously a member of Moving Pictures, who scored a number 1 hit in Australia with "What About Me?" (number 1 for 6 weeks in March-April 1982).  Garry started writing songs for an as yet unformed band in 1986.  He recruited singer Eric Wiedeman in 1987 after catching his performance of The Police's "Roxanne" (number 34, June 1979) on the comedic 'Red Faces' segment of Hey Hey It's Saturday, and contacting the show to get hold of Eric.

1927 scored back-to-back top 10 hits in Australia with their first two singles "That's When I Think of You" (number 6, September 1988) and "If I Could" (number 4, December 1988) - both singles spent nearly six months inside the top 50.  Their debut album ...ish (number 1 for 4 weeks in April-May 1989) was the second best-selling album of 1989 in Australia.  Founding member Garry Frost quit the band before the release of their second album The Other Side (number 3, July 1990).  The singles from The Other Side were not as successful as those from their debut, with only lead single "Tell Me a Story" (number 17, June 1990) peaking within the top 40.

 

After a two-year hiatus, 1927 returned in 1992.  Their third album 1927 (number 40, November 1992) only yielded one top 50 single, "Scars" (number 46, November 1992).  "It Ain't Love" was the second and final single lifted from the album.

On the state charts, "It Ain't Love" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 90.

1927 disbanded in 1993, eventually reforming in 2009.  In the interim, singer Eric Weideman embarked on a solo career, with limited commercial success.  Eric's only solo single to dent the ARIA top 150 was "Nothing I Can Do", which peaked at number 73 in February 1997, after initially peaking at number 132 in October 1996 and falling out of the top 150 after three weeks.

While we won't be seeing 1927 again, they had two later charting albums: The Essential 1927 (number 94, July 2013), and Generation-i (number 100, August 2013).

Number 133 "Just Wanna Know" by Maxi Priest

Peak: number 122

Peak date: 1 March 1993

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Chart run: 133-136-134-122-127-146-124-141-139

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

Maxi Priest last joined us in 1992.

 

"Just Wanna Know" was issued as the second single from Maxi's fifth studio album Fe Real (number 130, May 1993).  Internationally, "Just Wanna Know" peaked at number 33 in the UK in November 1992.

Locally, "Just Wanna Know" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 91 on the state chart.

We'll see Maxi again in 1997.

Number 134 Broken EP by Nine Inch Nails

Peak: number 115

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 134-115

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Nine Inch Nails formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988.  Lead singer Trent Reznor (born Michael Trent Reznor) was the only permanent member of the band until Atticus Ross, who Trent first worked with in 2002, became an official member in 2016.

The group first dented the ARIA chart in 1992 with the single "Head Like a Hole", which debuted at number 224 on 31 August 1992.  As "Head Like a Hole" did not climb into the top 150 upon its initial release, I am unable to tell you whether it climbed higher than its debut position.  It did, however, climb to number 57 in May 1995, when re-released after the success of "Closer" (number 3, November 1994).  "Head Like a Hole" was lifted from Nine Inch Nails' 1989 debut album Pretty Hate Machine (number 190, April 1995), which debuted on the ARIA albums chart at number 217 on 5 October 1992.

 

The Broken EP consisted of newly-recorded tracks that were not on Pretty Hate Machine.  Containing eight songs and clocking in at just under 32 minutes, the EP was more like a mini-album.  A short, 20 minute horror musical film was made, containing tracks from the EP, including the music videos for "Wish", "Happiness Is Slavery" and "Gave Up" (tracks 2, 5 and 6 from the EP).

 

It seems that ARIA were undecided on whether Broken should appear on the singles or albums chart.  The EP initially registered on the singles chart for its first two weeks, before being moved over to the albums chart, debuting at number 187 on 22 February 1993.  The EP spent four weeks on the ARIA albums chart, peaking at number 156 on it in January 1994.  Based on the state chart peaks, I can determine that three of the four weeks Broken spent on the albums chart were 22 February 1993, 31 January 1994 (when it peaked), and 16 January 1995 - so its chart life, although relatively brief, was over a long period.

When Broken charted on the singles chart, it was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 101 in February 1993.  When Broken charted on the albums chart, it was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 118 in January 1994.

Internationally, Broken charted as a single in New Zealand, where it reached number 46 in April 1993.  Broken charted as an album in the US, where it peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200 in October 1992, and in the UK, where it reached number 18 in October 1992.

We'll next see Nine Inch Nails in 1996.

Number 137 "Washed Away" by Tom Cochrane

Peak: number 129

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Chart run: 137-129-140-143

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

Canadian singer-songwriter Tom Cochrane began his solo career on the Australian chart in 1992 with "Life Is a Highway" (number 2, September 1992), though it took nearly four months for the single to dent the top 50.  He followed that up with "No Regrets" (number 26, November 1992), and the album Mad Mad World (number 46, October 1992), which was his second solo studio album.

 

Tom's recording career began long before his Australian breakthrough, however, with his debut album being released in 1974.  Tom was also lead singer in the Canadian band Red Rider, whom we saw bubble under in 1989, and whose debut album was released in 1979.  Red Rider landed a minor hit in Australia in 1982 with "Lunatic Fringe" (number 52. May 1982).  "Boy Inside the Man", credited to Tom Cochrane and Red Rider, bubbled under the Australian top 100 in March 1987, reaching fifth place on the Kent Music Report's list of singles with significant sales reports beyond the top 100.

"Washed Away" was issued as the third single from Mad Mad World in Australia, although it was the fifth single from the album in Tom's native Canada.  Internationally, "Washed Away" peaked at number 7 in Canada in November 1992, and number 88 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992.

In Australia, "Washed Away" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 72 on the state chart.  The single missed the top 100 on the other four state charts.

 

Tom will join us again in March 1993.

Number 138 "I Will Be Here for You" by Michael W. Smith

Peak: number 138

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 138-(out for 1 week)-149

Weeks on chart: 12 weeks

American contemporary Christian singer Michael W. Smith last joined us in 1991.

"I Will Be Here for You" was the lead single from Michael's sixth studio album Change Your World, which was released in Australia in November 1992 but did not chart.  The single took some time to climb into the ARIA top 150, after debuting at number 228 on 23 November 1992.

Internationally, "I Will Be Here for You" reached number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992, number 8 in Canada in November 1992, and number 233 (number 141 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992.  The song also reached number 1 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in October 1992, number 19 on the Pop Airplay chart in November 1992, and number 36 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992.

Locally, "I Will Be Here for You" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 77 on the state chart.  The single peaked higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 57.  It is interesting that the ARIA singles chart peak for "I Will Be Here for You" is 81 places lower than its AMR peak.

I didn’t think I knew this one, but the chorus seems vaguely familiar.  I probably heard it on the American Top 40 radio show at the time.

We'll next see Michael in 1998.

Number 141 "Cruel Little Number" by The Jeff Healey Band

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 8 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 141

We last saw Canadian band The Jeff Healey Band in 1990.

 

"Cruel Little Number" was the lead single from the band's third studio album Feel This (number 37, February 1993).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 83 (number 79 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992, and number 17 in Canada in December 1992.

This was The Jeff Healey Band's last single to dent the ARIA top 150.

Number 144 "Wasting Love" by Iron Maiden

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 1 March 1993

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-135-141-132

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

English metal band Iron Maiden last joined us in 1992.

 

"Wasting Love" was issued as the third and final single from the band's ninth studio album Fear of the Dark (number 11, May 1992).  It appears that the single was only released in continental Europe, North America and Australasia - not in the band's native UK.  Interestingly, "Wasting Love" does not appear to have charted anywhere else.

In Australia, "Wasting Love" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 117 on the state chart.

I wasn’t expecting to like this one, but it’s not bad.

We'll next see Iron Maiden in November 1993.

Number 146 "No Mistakes" by Patty Smyth

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 22 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 146-134-127-130-149-147

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

American singer-songwriter Patty Smyth - not to be confused with Patti Smith - was the lead singer of the band Scandal, formed in 1981.  Scandal landed two top 100 singles in Australia, one being much bigger than the other, with "The Warrior" (number 6, November 1984) and "Hands Tied" (number 83, February 1985).  Curiously, both singles were credited to Scandal featuring Patty Smyth, rather than just Scandal, suggesting that Patty had her sights set on a solo career.  Indeed, Scandal disbanded in 1985, though would reform in 2004.

Patty launched her solo career with the album Never Enough (released in Australia in June 1987, did not chart) in 1987.  The title track, "Never Enough", was released as a single locally in March 1987, but failed to chart.  The album's second single, a cover of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train", was not released in Australia, but Rod Stewart's version of that song would go on to become a number 29 hit here in March 1990.

Patty's duet with former Eagles co-lead singer/drummer Don Henley, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" (number 5, November 1992), gave Patty a second hit, and her only solo top 100 single, in Australia, effectively making her a one-hit wonder here twice!

"No Mistakes" was the second single lifted from Patty's second solo studio album Patty Smyth (number 94, November 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 149 (number 108 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992, number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1993, and number 3 in Canada in February 1993.  The song also reached number 33 on the US Billboard Radio Songs chart in February 1993, number 15 on the Pop Airplay chart in February 1993, and number 4 on the Adult Contemporary chart in February 1993

Domestically, "No Mistakes" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 89.

We'll see Patty once more in June 1993.

Number 148 "Revolution Earth" by The B-52's

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 206-(off chart for 1 week)-148-146-147-150-148

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

We last saw zany American band The B-52's in 1992.

"Revolution Earth" was issued as the third single in Australia from the band's sixth studio album Good Stuff (number 36, July 1992).  I cannot find evidence of this single, which appears to have not been released in the UK, charting anywhere else.

 

Similar to the Nine Inch Nails EP discussed above, this single registered on the ARIA albums chart for one week, debuting at number 170 on 1 February 1993, one week after it debuted at number 206 on the singles chart!  This was presumably an error made by ARIA, as there are only 4 tracks on the CD single.  On the state charts, "Revolution Earth" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 110.  When the single charted for one week on the albums chart, it also performed strongest in Western Australia, reaching number 149.

 

I hadn't heard "Revolution Earth" before.  The song only contains vocals from Kate Pierson, and not the two male members of the group, in a similar fashion to "Roam" (number 11, March 1990) - although Cindy Wilson, who was not part of the group for the Good Stuff album, sang in unison with Kate on that track.

 

Two further singles from Good Stuff were released overseas, but not in Australia: "Is That You Mo-Dean?" (UK number 78, November 1992) and "Hot Pants Explosion" (UK number 81 [number 78 on the compressed chart], February 1993).  Somehow, I heard "Is That You Mo-Dean?" at the time, but not "Revolution Earth".

 

The B-52's will join us next in 1999.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 166 "Walk on the Ocean" by Toad the Wet Sprocket

Peak: number 152

Peak date: 8 March 1993

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

American band Toad the Wet Sprocket formed in Santa Barbara, California, in 1986.  Their 1989 debut album Bread and Circus was released in Australia in March 1990 - oddly, no singles were released here from it - but failed to chart.  Their second album, Pale, followed swiftly in June 1990, along with the single "Come Back Down", but they also failed to chart locally.

"Walk on the Ocean" was the second single issued in Australia from the third Toad the Wet Sprocket album Fear (number 179, March 1993).  It followed "All I Want" (number 99, February 1993), which debuted on the ARIA singles chart at number 163 in late September 1992, but took more than three months to reach its peak.  "All I Want" was the only release from the band to trouble the top 100 in Australia.  The single found greater success in the band's homeland, where it reached number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1992.

Internationally, "Walk on the Ocean" peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1993, number 10 in Norway in February 1993, number 22 in Canada in February 1993, number 67 in Germany in February 1993, and number 22 in New Zealand in April 1993.  The track also reached number 27 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in November 1992, number 10 on the Pop Airplay chart in January 1993, number 21 on the Radio Songs chart in February 1993, and number 31 on the Adult Contemporary chart in February 1993.

In Australia, "Walk on the Ocean" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 110 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it.  I didn't know what a 'sprocket' was, so looked up its definition: it's a chainwheel, or "a toothed wheel engaging with a conveyor or power chain."

We shall see Toad the Wet Sprocket next in 1994.

Number 205 "Slam Jam" by The WWF Superstars

Peak: number 202

Peak date: 5 April 1993

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Regular readers will know that I am a fan of English producers Stock Aitken Waterman, or Stock Waterman as they were at this point, who were effectively a 'British Motown' for the 1980s (and early 90s).  But I concede they are responsible for some dross, and "Slam Jam" here is a prime example.

 

The WWF in WWF Superstars stands for World Wrestling Federation.  As you may have guessed, I am definitely not a wrestling enthusiast; nor am I a fan of most 'sports' tie-in songs.  Mike Stock and Pete Waterman, whose chart fortunes were dwindling in the early 90s, saw an opportunity to score a hit by writing a novelty song for The WWF Superstars, and this track gave them their first UK top 10 hit that was not sung by Kylie Minogue or Jason Donovan since early 1990.

Internationally, "Slam Jam" peaked at number 4 in the UK in December 1992, and number 3 in Ireland in December 1992.

Domestically, "Slam Jam" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 164.

Next week (15 February): Five top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

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

Week commencing 19 October 1992

I cannot identify a common theme among this week's 13 new entries debuting and peaking outside the ARIA top 100, so let's just jump straight in...

Maxi Priest scored a 'mini' hit on the ARIA singles chart this week in 1992.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 106 “So Dangerous” by Lisa Edwards

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 19 October 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Chart run: 106-107-121-127-132-124

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks 

Australian songstress Lisa Edwards first came to attention (at least, in my world) as one of John Farnham's live backing singers, following his hugely successful Jack's Back tour in 1987-1988,  Prior to that, she released a couple of singles, both solo and with Short Circuit, in the 1980s that did nothing chart-wise.  Lisa can be spotted as one of John Farnham's backing singers in the music video for “Two Strong Hearts” (number 6, October 1988) - that's her with the blonde crimped hair.

Lisa finally tasted chart success with the release of her single “Cry” (number 5, July 1992), which was originally recorded by Godley & Creme, with their version peaking at number 43 in Australia in August 1985. 

 

"So Dangerous", which I do not recall hearing before, was released as the follow-up to "Cry". and did not perform nearly as well, peaking 101 places lower on the ARIA singles chart than its predecessor.  On the state charts, "So Dangerous" performed equally-strongest in Victoria/Tasmania and South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 92.  The single fared better nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 70.

 

"So Dangerous" had a rockier edge than I was expecting, reminding me musically a little bit of Janet Jackson's "Black Cat" (number 6, November 1990).  I also was not expecting to see Lisa writhing about in a sequinned catsuit in the music video.  Skip to 1:35 in the video embedded below if you want to get straight to the song and skip the overly-long dialogue introduction.

 

"So Dangerous" would go on to appear on the album Thru the Hoop (number 120, June 1993).

 

We shall see Lisa again in 1993.

Number 115 “Helpless” by Sugar

Peak: number 111

Peak date: 26 October 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 115-111-119-123-128

American indie rock band Sugar formed in Austin, Texas in the early 1990s, fronted by singer and guitarist Bob Mould, who previously led the band Hüsker Dü.  "Helpless" was Sugar's debut Australian release, lifted from the band's debut album Copper Blue (number 92, November 1992).

Internationally, "Helpless" peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart in October 1992, and at number 37 in New Zealand in November 1992.

 

I don't recall hearing this one before, but the chorus seems vaguely familiar.  It's not the sort of thing I would normally listen to, but it's not bad.

 

We will next see Sugar in December 1992.

 

Number 127 “Groovin’ in the Midnight” by Maxi Priest

Peak: number 120

Peak date: 26 October 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 127-120-127-132

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks 

We last saw British reggae singer Maxi Priest as a featured artist in October 1991, and on his own a week prior to that.

 

"Groovin' in the Midnight" was issued as the lead single from Maxi's fifth studio album Fe Real (number 130, May 1993).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 50 in the UK in September 1992, number 63 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992, number 64 in Canada in December 1992, and number 31 in New Zealand in December 1992.

Domestically, "Groovin' in the Midnight" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 94.

 

I don't recall hearing this one before, but quite enjoyed it.  It should have been a much bigger hit.

We shall next see Maxi in 1993.

Number 134 “What Are You Under” by Definition of Sound

Peak: number 116

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Known chart run: 165-134-121-124-122-126-116

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks 

We last saw English dance/rap duo Definition of Sound in April 1992.

 

"What Are You Under" was issued as the lead single from the pair's second album The Lick (number 176, November 1992).  Overseas, the single peaked at number 68 in the UK in September 1992, and number 41 in New Zealand in October 1992.

 

Locally, "What Are You Under" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 92 on the state chart.

 

I did actually hear this one at the time, and caught the music video on M.C. TeeVee.  I like the song and think it should have done much better chart-wise.

 

We'll see Definition of Sound next in 1993.

 

Number 136 “Deeper Than a River” by Olivia Newton-John

Peak: number 136

Peak date: 19 October 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 136-142-(out for 1 week)-149

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw Australian/English/American (take your pick!) singer Olivia Newton-John in July 1992.

"Deeper Than a River" was released as the second new single from Olivia's Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 (number 15, September 1992) compilation.  The single only received a commercial release in Australia, but peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in September 1992.  As Olivia was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer at the time, she was unable to film a music video or promote the release.  The song was penned by beige songwriter extraordinaire, Diane Warren.

On the state charts, "Deeper Than a River" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 120.

 

We'll next see Olivia in 1995.

Number 142 “Countdown” by Lindsey Buckingham 

Peak: number 131

Peak date: 26 October 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 142-131-135-135-136

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks 

American singer-songwriter Lindsey Buckingham came to fame when he joined Fleetwood Mac alongside his then-partner Stevie Nicks in 1975.  He sang lead on their singles "Go Your Own Way" (number 20, April 1977) and "Big Love" (number 16, May 1987).  Lindsey struck out on his own in 1981 with the single "Trouble" topping the Australian singles chart for three weeks in February 1982.  Lindsey was also responsible for the theme song for the movie National Lampoon's Vacation, "Holiday Road", which was released locally in September 1983 but somehow failed to chart in Australia until the streaming era, where it reached number 701 in January 2016.

"Countdown" was issued as the lead single in Australia from Lindsey's third solo studio album Out of the Cradle (number 135, October 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 98 in the UK in July 1992, number 64 in the Netherlands in September 1992, number 66 in Germany in September 1992, and number 29 in Canada in October 1992.  It also registered on a couple of US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 38 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in October 1992, and number 32 on the Adult Contemporary chart in October 1992.

Domestically, “Countdown” was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 86 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard this one before, but like it.

Lindsey will not 'trouble' the ARIA top 150 again as a solo artist.

Number 147 “Night Calls” by Joe Cocker

Peak: number 133

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 147-137-137-133-146

Gravel-voiced English singer Joe Cocker last joined us in July 1992.

"Night Calls" was issued as the third single and title track from Joe's thirteenth studio album Night Calls (number 23, September 1992) in Australia.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 44 in the Netherlands in November 1991, number 37 in Germany in December 1991, and number 11 in France in May 1992.

I don’t recall hearing this one before, and while it’s not something I would seek out, it wasn’t bad.

We will see Joe next in 1994.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 180 “Johnny Have You Seen Her?” by The Rembrandts

Peak: number 172

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks 

American duo The Rembrandts last graced our presence in 1991.

 

"Johnny Have You Seen Her?" was issued as the lead single from the band's second album Untitled (number 158, October 1992).  Overseas, the single peaked at number 53 in Germany in November 1992.

Locally, "Johnny Have You Seen Her?" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 120 on the state chart.

I don’t recall hearing this one before.  I enjoyed it more than I was expecting to, and think it’s better than The Rembrandts’ two Australian hits.

The Rembrandts will join us again in 1997.

 

Number 193 “Double Summer” by The Chills

Peak: number 180

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

Kiwi band The Chills last bubbled WAY down under in July 1992.

 

"Double Summer" was issued as the second and final single from The Chills' third studio album Soft Bomb (number 99, August 1992).  The single did not chart in New Zealand.

Locally, "Double Summer" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 117 on the state chart.

I hadn’t heard this one before.  It’s nice.

One thing I was unaware of until researching this post is that The Chills' lead singer,  Martin Phillipps, passed away unexpectedly in July 2024, aged 61.

While we will not see The Chills again, they had another very low-charting single in Australia with “When the Poor Can Reach the Moon” (number 1229, January 2016).  They also had later charting albums in Australia that peaked outside the top 100: Heavenly Pop Hits: The Best of (number 122, March 1995), Silver Bullets (number 501, November 2015), and Kaleidoscope World (number 1339, September 2016).

Number 195 “A Trip to Trumpton” by Urban Hype

Peak: number 187

Peak date: 26 October 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

English techno duo Urban Hype formed in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, in 1988.  "A Trip to Trumpton" was their breakthrough release, and only real hit, in the UK, peaking at number 6 in July 1992.  The single also reached number 21 in Ireland in July 1992.

Domestically, "A Trip to Trumpton" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 144.  This is another example of Western Australia embracing early rave/breakbeat songs, more than other regions of Australia.

I became familiar with "A Trip to Trumpton" via the UK Chart Attack radio program, where it spent a couple of weeks in their top 5, consisting of songs that had not yet crossed over into international markets.  I also caught the video once on rage as a new release before the top 60 chart aired.

 

Along with tracks like The Prodigy's "Charly" and Smart E's "Sesame's Treet" (number 6, September 1992), "A Trip to Trumpton" belongs to the 'toytown techno' sub-genre, sampling its "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grub" lines from the BBC Trumpton children's television series from the 1960s.

 

Urban Hype would go on to have two further minor 'hits' in the UK with “The Feeling” (number 67 in the UK in October 1992) and “Living in a Fantasy” (number 57 in the UK in January 1993).   They also released an album Conspiracy to Dance, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.  "A Trip to Trumpton" would be the only Urban Hype release to chart locally.

Number 196 “Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing” by Incognito 

Peak: number 196

Peak date: 19 October 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

British acid jazz band Incognito formed in London in 1979.  They would have to wait until the early 1990s, however, for major chart success in their homeland.

"Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing", originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1973 and released as a single the following year, was the lead single from Incognito's third album Tribes, Vibes and Scribes (number 194, October 1992).  Internationally, Incognito's version peaked at number 19 in the UK in June 1992, number 40 in Sweden in July 1992, number 6 in the Netherlands in August 1992, number 46 in Germany in August 1992, and number 30 in the Flanders region of Belgium in August 1992.

In Australia, "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 147.

Incognito would not land a top 100 single in Australia, but two of their albums dented the ARIA top 100:  100° and Rising (number 79, August 1995) and No Time Like the Future (number 84, May 1999).

 

We shall next see Incognito in 1994.

Number 221 “Bulletproof!” by Pop Will Eat Itself

Peak: number 221

Peak date: 19 October 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

English band Pop Will Eat Itself last paid us a visit in July 1992.

"Bulletproof!" was issued as the single from Pop Will Eat Itself's fourth studio album The Looks Or the Lifestyle? (number 165, October 1992).  The single peaked at number 24 in the UK in August 1992.

Within Australia, "Bulletproof!" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 190 on the state chart.

I wasn't aware of this one at the time, but have since caught the music video on rage a few times over the years.  I couldn't remember how the song went though until pressing play on the video embedded below.

 

We shall next see Pop Will Eat Itself in 1993.

Number 223 “Soul Cat Girl” by Grayson Hugh

Peak: number 209

Peak date: 26 October 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

American singer-songwriter Grayson Hugh previously visited us in June 1990.

"Soul Cat Girl" was issued as the only commercial single from Grayson's third studio album, and second major label release, Road to Freedom, which was released in Australia in November 1992, but missed the top 150.  "Soul Cat Girl" appears to have only received a commercial release as a single in Australia.

On the state charts, "Soul Cat Girl" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 165.  This would be Grayson's last charting single in Australia.

 

Next week (26 October): Six top 150 entries and eight bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 12 October 1992                  Next week: 26 October 1992 >

Week commencing 21 October 1991

This week in 1991's debuts peaking outside the ARIA top 100 are quite a diverse bunch, with everything from rap to house and adult contemporary represented.  Shall we take a look?

 

Bros: 1991 was a 'trying' time for them on the Australian chart.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 136 "Give Me the Music" by B.G. The Prince of Rap

Peak: number 105

Peak dates: 28 October 1991 and 11 November 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 131-105-106-106

 

Bernard Greene is not the kind of name you would normally associate with being a rapper, so Bernard chose the stage name B.G. The Prince of Rap.  As an employee of the US army, Bernard was stationed in Germany, which is where he achieved the most success during his recording career.

Bernard's debut Australian release, "This Beat Is Hot", reached number 93 on the singles chart in June 1991.  "Give Me the Music" was the second Australian release from B.G.'s debut album The Power of Rhythm, which was released locally in October 1991 but missed the ARIA top 150 albums chart.

 

Internationally, "Give Me the Music" peaked at number 36 in Germany in November 1991.

 

I hadn't heard this one before.  As someone who is not a huge fan of rap, my favourite part of this was the uncredited female vocals on the chorus.  I am not convinced that the woman mouthing the words in the music video is the actual singer, though.

 

"Give Me the Music" would be B.G.'s final single to dent the ARIA top 150.

 

 

Number 138 "Sometimes When We Touch" by Chris Lloyds & Laurin James

Peak: number 114

Peak date: 27 January 1992

Weeks in top 150: 16 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 138-(out for 1 week)-128-146-136-133-127-132-130-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-116-128-120-114-124-125

From the title of this song, which I hadn't heard before, it was obviously going to be a cover version of Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch" (number 3, April 1978).  Another version of that song, recorded by Newton, become an enduring hit in Australia, reaching number 5 in November 1996.

Chris is an Australian artist, which became obvious when I saw he had recorded a song titled "Born to Win (Brisbane Broncos Theme Song)" as a B-side on a 1992 single of his.  Chris is also an actor, and appeared in Neighbours as the boyfriend of Natalie Imbruglia's character, Beth.  He has also sang numerous jingles for Australian television commercials.

Oh wow, I just had a fanboy moment after reading on Chris' website that he sang "Carry On Together", the theme song for Henderson Kids and Henderson Kids II.  I absolutely love that song, and wish the full version had been released as a single.

After contacting Chris, he kindly informed me that 'Laurin' was actually Australian singer Lori Balmer, who was asked to change her name for this release.  Lori was closely involved with the Bee Gees in the early stage of their career, performing alongside them on UK television.  Lori also had two minor hits on the Australian chart, with "Don't Throw It All Away" (number 66, July 1976) and "La Booga Rooga" (number 83, November 1979) - the latter was credited to Lori Balmer and Short Notice.

"Sometimes When We Touch" holds a three-way tie for the third-highest tally of weeks spent in the ARIA top 150 for a single peaking outside the top 100 that debuted in 1991.

 

 

Number 141 "All I Have" by Beth Nielsen Chapman (1991 chart run)

Peak: number 109 (1991 chart run); number 90 (1992 chart run)

Peak date: 4 November 1991

Weeks in top 150: 19 weeks (7 weeks in 1991, 12 weeks in 1992)

Top 150 chart run: 141-144-109-135-130-130-143.

Re-entered 8 June 1992: 122-133-100-96-90-99-96-99-104-112-146-147

This single later peaked at number 90 on 6 July 1992.

 

American singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman released her first album Hearing It First in 1980.  It would take a decade for Beth to record the follow-up, on a new label, Beth Nielsen Chapman (number 75, July 1992), which was released in North America in 1990.  "All I Have" is lifted from this album, following "Walk My Way", which was issued in Australia in June 1991 but missed the top 150.

Internationally, "All I Have" peaked at number 49 in Canada.

First time around, "All I Have" peaked outside the ARIA top 100, but after re-entering the chart in June 1992, "All I Have" climbed to a higher peak of number 90 in July 1992.  The belated chart peak for "All I Have" was predominantly due to its success on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart, where it reached number 27.

Whilst I live in Victoria, and recall seeing this single listed on the state chart top 50 on the flip side of the printed ARIA top 50 charts available in record stores, I don't think I heard "All I Have" at the time.  I did, however, look it up on YouTube some years ago, out of curiosity.  I like the song, though it sounds more 1980s to me than 1990s (that is not necessarily a bad thing).  It could have become a hit in Australia with a more-unified promotional push across the country.

 

While Beth would not trouble the ARIA top 150 singles chart again, she did land some later success as a songwriter for other artists.  Beth co-wrote Faith Hill's "This Kiss" (number 4, March 1999).

 

 

Number 149 "Come Inside" by Thompson Twins

Peak: number 149

Peak date: 21 October 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Known chart run: 186-149

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw English pop band Thompson Twins in February 1990.  "Come Inside" was issued as the lead single from the band's eighth, and final, studio album Queer (number 193, November 1991).

 

Internationally, "Come Inside" peaked at number 56 in the UK in October 1991.

 

Domestically, "Come Inside" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 105.

 

I didn't hear this one at the time.  It's decent.  The chorus reminds me a little bit of Jesus Jones, musically.  I think the trouble for acts like Thompson Twins is that they were too-associated with the 1980s to be considered current or relevant in the 1990s, even though the music was still decent.  Many 80s acts suffered this fate.

 

"Come Inside" was Thompson Twins' final single to be released in Australia.  Another Queer single, "The Saint", was issued in Europe and North America, however.

 

Thompson Twins split up in 1993.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 153 "Housecall" by Shabba Ranks featuring Maxi Priest

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 21 October 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

Shabba Ranks, real name Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon (what a mouthful!), is a Jamaican dancehall artist who is perhaps 'best' remembered (by those who were aware of him in the first place...) for making some nasty comments about how homosexuals should be crucified in a 1992 UK TV interview on The Word (from just after 8 minutes in).  Charming.

Putting that aside, Shabba made his first appearance on the Australian chart as a featured artist on Scritti Politti's "She's a Woman" (number 82, June 1991).

 

"Housecall" was a duet he recorded with reggae singer Maxi Priest - whom we saw on his own just last week, for Shabba's album As Raw As Ever.  Internationally, "Housecall" peaked at number 31 in the UK in September 1991, and number 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1991.  When the single was re-released in the UK in 1993, it obtained a much higher peak of number 8, in May 1993.

Within Australia, "Housecall" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 137.

 

I hadn't heard this song until writing this post.  Maxi plays more than a 'featured' artist roll, I think; this is more like a duet, with Maxi singing a good chunk of the song.

We shall see Shabba next in March 1992.  The "Shabba" vocal from Maxi at 1 minute, 50 seconds into the song will also be sampled on a single we'll see in June 1992.  Maxi will also join us next in 1992.

 

Number 159 "The Whistle Song" by Frankie Knuckles

Peak: number 159

Peak date: 21 October 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

American DJ Frankie Knuckles, born Francis Warren Nicholls, Jr., started DJ-ing in the 1970s.  Frankie achieved commercial success as a remixer in the late 1980s, when his revision of Rufus and Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" peaked at number 6 in the UK in July 1989.

While Frankie released a couple of singles under his own name during the 1980s, "The Whistle Song" was the first one to achieve major chart success.  The single peaked at number 17 in the UK in August 1991, and number 29 in the Netherlands in October 1991.  While I don't normally credit any of Billboard's genre-specific subsidiary charts, "The Whistle Song" also topped the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in September 1991.

In Australia, Frankie's chart success was more muted, and he never achieved an ARIA top 100 entry in his own right.  He did, however, go on to remix songs by numerous big-name artists, including Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross, and Lisa Stansfield.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "The Whistle Song" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 126.

Sadly, Frankie died in 2014, aged 59, due to complications from diabetes.

We will see Frankie bubble under again, collaborating with another artist, in 1995.

Number 168 "Try" by Bros

Peak: number 168

Peak date: 21 October 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Identical twins Matt and Luke Goss burst onto the Australian chart in 1988 with "When Will I Be Famous?" (number 5, May 1988), along with their then third band member Craig Logan (or 'Ken', as he was mockingly referred to in Smash Hits magazine).  One thing you may not know is that half of the vocals on the chorus for "When Will I Be Famous?" (the "when will I, will be famous?" and "when will I see my picture in the paper?" lines) are sung by Dee Lewis, a woman who did backing vocals for many British artists during the 1980s, including extensive work with Stock Aitken Waterman.  Yet Matt mouths the words in the music video.  Hmmm.

The English trio quickly became massive, with a gaggle of screaming teenage girl fans who would even camp outside their houses.  My sister was one of them - well, not the camping outside their place part, or even the screaming, but her school diary was adorned with Bros pictures from the Smash Hits magazines I would buy.  Hmmm.

Bros' first three singles released in Australia were top 10 hits, and their debut album Push (number 4, August 1988) was certified double platinum in Australia.  The album spawned five Australian top 15 hits all up.  Oddly, for a band who seemed as massive as Bros, they never landed a number one single in Australia, and could only do that once in their homeland, with the 1988 release (it originally flopped there in 1987) of "I Owe You Nothing" (number 6, August 1988).

Following a successful tour, Craig quit the band in early 1989.  He went on to become a songwriter and producer for other artists, including Kim Appleby - whom he dated for several years, before moving into music management.  Craig was the head of RCA Records in the UK from 2006 to 2010.

The Goss twins carried on as Bros, releasing their second album The Time (number 34, November 1989) in 1989, which was not nearly as successful as the first.  Unlike the hits from the first album, which were credited to The Brothers (who were not actually Bros themselves), the Goss twins had a hand at co-writing the songs on The Time, and perhaps that partly explains their commercial downfall.  Nevertheless, The Time spawned two further top 30 hits in Australia.

 

Following a two year gap, Bros released their third album Changing Faces (number 176, September 1991).  The album was launched with a ballad as its lead single, "Are You Mine?" (number 98, August 1991), which became the duo's last ARIA top 100 entry.  "Try" was issued as the album's second and final single.

Internationally, "Try" peaked at number 27 in the UK in October 1991, becoming the lowest-peaking Bros single there.

Within Australia, "Try" was the first Bros single to miss the top 100.  "Try" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 139.

Having not really listened to "Try" before, I have to say, it's not a great track - made even worse by the religious overtones in the chorus.  Um, who exactly wanted a Bros song with "praise to the Lord" in it?  I can see why the track was not a commercial success.

Bros split in 1992.  Drummer Luke pursued a successful acting career, while singer Matt launched a solo career (to limited/lukewarm success in the UK) in the mid 90s, and has since obtained a residency in Vegas.

 

Matt and Luke reunited for a concert at the O2 Arena in London in August 2017, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Bros.  Bros: After the Screaming Stops, a documentary of the twins' reunion, including rehearsal footage leading up to the concert, was also filmed.

It is interesting to see the aesthetic differences between Matt and Luke these days.  Luke has taken the natural, age-gracefully route, and is now completely bald, while Matt sports a full head of hair and looks a bit... surgically enhanced to my eyes.

 

While "Try" was the final Bros single to chart in Australia, the compilation album Superhits, which I cannot find existence of online, peaked at number 336 in November 2004.  I believe this album may actually be The Best of Bros, and it has been mislabelled on the ARIA database.

 

Number 169 "True" by Spandau Ballet (1991 release)

Peak: number 169

Peak date: 21 October 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

This single originally peaked at number 4 in September 1993, and spent 19 weeks on the top 100.

 

We last saw English band Spandau Ballet in September 1989. 

 

"True" was originally released in 1983, lifted from the band's third studio album True (number 4, November 1983).  Presumably this re-issue happened owing to the success of P.M. Dawn's "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (number 7, November 1991), which prominently samples "True" throughout.   Spandau Ballet's lead singer Tony Hadley even makes a cameo on the of the "Set Adrift..." music video.

 

"True" was also re-released to promote the compilation The Best of Spandau Ballet (number 41, January 1992).  The band had split in 1990, and eventually reformed in 2009.

The 1991 release of "True" missed the UK top 75, and was the final Spandau Ballet single to chart in Australia.  The group, nonetheless, had a couple of compilation albums that later registered on the ARIA albums chart, including  Gold: The Best of (number 158, May 2010), The Collection (number 1059, July 2015) and 40 Years: The Greatest Hits (number 839, December 2020).  Their 1986 studio album Through the Barricades (number 26, December 1986) also charted again, reaching number 667 in October 2017.

My favourite Spandau Ballet single is "Gold" (number 9, November 1983).

 

 

 

Number 171 "I Just Want to Make Love to You" by CQ and Miss M.

Peak: number 171

Peak date: 21 October 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Here's one I didn't hear until the music video appeared on a VHS compilation I was digitising in 2021.

I have no idea who CQ or Miss M. are, but this track - written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters in 1954 - appears to have been the pair's only release.  They appear to be an Australian duo.

On the state charts, "I Just Want to Make Love to You" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 151.

 

 

Number 183 "Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous" by Ice-T

Peak: number 168

Peak date: 11 November 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

We last saw American rapper Ice-T back in August 1990.

 

"Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous" was the second of two singles released from Ice-T's fourth studio album O.G. Original Gangster (number 42, July 1991), following title track "O.G. Original Gangster" (number 71, July 1991).

Interestingly, this single appears to have only charted in Australia.  It was most popular on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached  number 157.

"Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous" was Ice-T's final single to peak outside the top 100 in Australia.

 

 

Number 184 "Where Did My Heart Go?" by James Ingram

Peak: number 184

Peak date: 21 October 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

American singer-songwriter and producer James Ingram placed four singles on the Australian top 100 between 1983 and 1991, with his duet with Linda Ronstadt, "Somewhere out There" (number 31, April 1987) being the biggest of those.  That track was recorded for the movie An American Tail.

"Where Did My Heart Go?" is another track recorded for a movie, this time City Slickers.  The track also appears on James' modestly-titled The Best of James Ingram: The Power of Great Music (number 158, October 1991) compilation album.

 

While "Where Did My Heart Go?" did not register on any other sales-based chart that I can ascertain, it did make number 23 on the rather pointless US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in December 1991.

 

In Australia, "Where Did My Heart Go?" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 162.

 

This was James' final single to chart in Australia, although he had one further charting album, Always You (number 195, June 1993).

 

Sadly, James died in 2019, aged 66, from brain cancer.

 

 

 

Next week (28 October): Five top 150 entries.

 

< Previous week: 14 October 1991                                 Next week: 28 October 1991 >