The only common thread linking this week in 1993’s debuts peaking outside the Australian top 100 is that all of them peaked within the month of February 1993. Let's take a look at them.
Céline Dion: nothing broken but the chart.
Top 150 debuts:
Peak: number 104
Peak date: 15 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Chart run: 111-129-104-117-120-141
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
We saw Morrissey's former band The Smiths just last week, and last saw him as a solo artist in 1991.
"Certain People I Know" was issued as the third single in Europe and Australasia from Moz's third solo studio album proper, Your Arsenal (number 12, August 1992). It followed "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" (number 55, June 1992) and "You're the One for Me, Fatty" (number 85, August 1992).
Internationally, "Certain People I Know" peaked at number 35 in the UK in December 1992, where it became Morrissey’s lowest charting solo single to date.
In Australia, "Certain People I Know" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 92 on the state chart.
I didn't hear this one at the time, but became acquainted with the song via a UK VHS compilation I digitised in the late 2000s.
We will next see Moz in 1994.
Number 116 “Someday (I’m Coming Back)” by Lisa Stansfield
Peak: number 116
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 116-(out for 1 week)-123-119-128-131
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
English songstress Lisa Stansfield last graced our presence in 1992.
"Someday (I'm Coming Back)" was recorded for The Bodyguard soundtrack (number 1 for 5 weeks in January-February 1993). It was the third single lifted from the album, following Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" (number 1 for 10 weeks between December 1992 and February 1993) and The S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M.'s "It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day" (number 90, February 1993).
Internationally, "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" peaked at number 10 in the UK in December 1992, number 16 in Ireland in January 1993, number 42 in the Netherlands in January 1993, number 39 in the Flanders region of Belgium in February 1993, and number 51 in Germany in February 1993.
Domestically, "Someday..." performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 85 on the state chart. The single performed better nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 98.
I am a bit surprised that "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" did not chart better in Australia, as it's one of Lisa's poppier efforts. However, Lisa generally did not fare too well with her singles in Australia, for some reason. Perhaps the mammoth success of The Bodguard soundtrack hindered “Someday (I’m Coming Back)”’s sales.
We'll see Lisa bubble under next in July 1993.
Number 118 “Can I Get Over” by Definition of Sound
Peak: number 106
Peak date: 15 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Known chart run: 208-118-110-106-110-125-124-143
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks
English duo Definition of Sound last joined us in 1992.
"Can I Get Over" (no question mark) was the second and final single lifted from the group's second album The Lick (number 176, November 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 61 in the UK in November 1992.
Locally, "Can I Get Over" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 89 on the state chart.
I don't recall hearing this one at the time, but became familiar with it via its appearance on a VHS compilation I digitised in the early 2010s.
It looks like Definition of Sound lost their record deal with Circa Records, after the poor chart performance of The Lick and its singles. They would eventually return in 1995 (1996 in Australia), on new label Fontana, with a single that would finally give the pair a top 40 hit here. We will see Definition of Sound bubble under again in 1996.
Number 124 “Since I Met You Baby” by Gary Moore and B.B. King
Peak: number 124
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 124-142
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
Northern Irish guitar whizz Gary Moore last joined us in 1992.
"Since I Met You" was the fourth and final single released in Australia from Gary's ninth solo studio album After Hours (number 8, April 1992). For this track, he teamed up with veteran American blues guitarist/singer B.B. King, who landed a top 30 hit in Australia with U2 in 1989 with "When Love Comes to Town" (number 23, May 1989). B.B., real name Riley B. King, was a mere 67 when "Since I Met You Baby" was charting.
Internationally, "Since I Met You Baby" peaked at number 59 in the UK in July 1992, where it was the third single issued from After Hours.
Locally, "Since I Met You Baby" performed equally-strongest in Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland, where it reached number 103 on the state charts.
Gary will join us once more in June 1993. We will not see B.B. King, who died in 2015 aged 89, again.
Number 143 “Poison Heart” by Ramones
Peak: number 143
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 143-147-147
Weeks on chart: 4 weeks
American punk rock band Ramones (no 'The') last joined us in 1989.
"Poison Heart" was the lead single from the band's twelfth studio album Mondo Bizarro (number 93, October 1992). Internationally, "Poison Heart" peaked at number 69 in the UK in December 1992. The track also peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in October 1992.
Locally, "Poison Heart" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 127.
I won't be writing about Ramones again, but they had three later (very) low-charting singles in Australia during the streaming era: "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" (number 979, April 2014), "California Sun" (number 1815, August 2017), and "Rockaway Beach" (live at Friars, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, 30 December 1977) (number 2351, September 2019).
Number 144 “He Can’t Decide” by Paul Kelly, Renee Geyer, Vika Bull, Deborah Conway
Peak: number 112
Peak date: 22 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 144-130-117-112-113-122-128-139
We last saw Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly in 1992.
"He Can't Decide", a collaboration between Paul Kelly, Renee Geyer, Vika Bull (then of The Black Sorrows and later one half of Vika & Linda), and Deborah Conway was recorded for the ABC television series Seven Deadly Sins - the soundtrack album for which peaked at number 71 in March 1993.
I hadn't heard this one before. I wasn't expecting the samba style.
We'll next see Paul Kelly in 1994, Renee Geyer in July 1993, Vika (as one half of Vika & Linda) in 1995, and Deborah Conway in 1994.
Number 146 “Laura” by Jimmy Nail
Peak: number 146
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Top 150 chart run: 146
Weeks on chart: 11 weeks
English recording artist Jimmy Nail is also an actor, film producer, and writer for television. He came to prominence in Australia with the single "Ain't No Doubt" (number 5, October 1992) - his only single to dent the top 100, effectively rendering him a one-hit wonder in this country.
Seven years before "Ain't No Doubt", Jimmy landed a hit in the UK with his version of Rose Royce's "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", peaking at number 3 there in May 1985. The single was released in Australia in July 1985, but failed to chart. Interestingly, and somewhat annoyingly, Jimmy changes the "just a vacancy" lyric in the chorus of "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" to "just look back and see" - perhaps it was a misheard lyric?
"Laura" was the follow-up release to "Ain't No Doubt". Both tracks were lifted from Jimmy's second studio album Growing Up in Public (number 64, November 1992). Internationally, "Laura" peaked at number 58 in the UK in September 1992.
In Australia, "Laura" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 116 on the state chart. "Laura" debuted on the ARIA singles chart at number 158 on 7 December 1992, but took almost two months to crack the top 150.
I don't recall hearing "Laura" before.
A third single from Growing Up in Public, "Only Love (Can Bring Us Home)", was released in Australia in March 1993, but failed to chart. Oddly, this single does not appear to have been released in Jimmy's native UK, and only German pressings are listed on discogs.com.
Jimmy will join us next in 1996.
Number 147 “Lil' Red Ridin’ Hood” by Paul Norton
Peak: number 147
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Chart run: 199-147
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
Australian singer-songwriter Paul Norton last joined us in 1990.
"Lil' Red Ridin' Hood" was the second and final single lifted from Paul's second album Let It Fly (number 141, November 1992). It followed “When We Were Young” (number 99, October 1992).
On the state charts, "Lil' Red Ridin' Hood" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 133.
I don't recall hearing this one before. This was Paul's final single release.
Number 149 “Carry On” by Martha Wash
Peak: number 149
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Known chart run: 151-149
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
Although "Carry On" was American singer Martha Wash's first charting release in her own right, she was no stranger to the charts. Martha's career began as one of Sylvester's backing singers, together with Izora Armstead, as Two Tons o' Fun. The pair then rebranded as The Weather Girls, and landed a number 16 hit in Australia with "It's Raining Men" in June 1983.
Martha's vocals were uncredited on a number of recordings from the late 80s/early 90s, from Seduction, Black Box, and C + C Music Factory. Martha sang vocals on all of the non-"Ride on Time" tracks on Black Box's Dreamland (number 1, March 1991) album, including the singles "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (number 6, April 1990), "Everybody
Everybody" (number 35, July 1990), "Fantasy" (number 3, February 1991),
"The Total Mix" (number 24, April 1991), "Strike It Up" (number 20, May
1991), and "Open Your Eyes" (number 60, February 1992). Her vocals were again used without her permission on C + C Music Factory’s "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (number 3. February 1991. Martha's vocals were lip-synced by others in the videos for these tracks, as her full-figured body was deemed unmarketable. Martha successfully sued the aforementioned acts, and as a result, it became US law that featured vocalists must receive credit on studio recordings and in music videos.
"Carry On" was the first single lifted from Martha’s debut solo album Martha Wash (released in Australia in April 1993 but failed to chart). Internationally, the single peaked at number 74 in the UK in November 1992, and number 38 in the Netherlands in February 1993. The track also registered on several US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart in December 1992, number 1 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in January 1993, number 68 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in January 1993, and number 97 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in January 1993. A 1997 remix of "Carry On" peaked at number 49 in the UK in October 1997.
In Australia, "Carry On" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 116.
We'll next see Martha in April 1993.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 180 “One Love in My Lifetime” by Innocence
Peak: number 168
Peak date: 15 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
We last saw English R&B band Innocence in 1992.
"One Love in My Lifetime" was the second single lifted from the group's second album Build (number 217, December 1992). The single peaked at number 40 in the UK in September 1992.
In Australia, "One Love in My Lifetime" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 144 on the state chart.
We'll see Innocence on one more occasion, in March 1993.
Number 182 “Unsung” by Helmet
Peak: number 182
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 3 weeks
American Alternative metal band Helmet formed in New York in 1989. "Unsung" was the first single lifted from their second album, and first major label release, Meantime (number 88, February 1993).
Internationally, "Unsung" peaked at number 119 (number 91 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992. "Unsung" also peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart, and number 32 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Locally, "Unsung" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 169 on the state chart.
Helmet will join us next in 1994.
Number 192 “Nothing Broken but My Heart” by Céline Dion
Peak: number 192
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
Canadian songstress Céline Dion launched her recording career as a 13 year old in the French-speaking province of Quebec. Her international recording career commenced in 1990, and we saw Céline bubble under in 1991.
"Nothing Broken but My Heart" was lifted from Céline's eleventh studio album, and second album recorded in English, Céline Dion (number 15, September 1992). The track, written by Diane Warren, was preceded by the singles “Beauty and the Beast” (number 17, July 1992), “If You Asked Me To” (number 52, September 1992), and “Love Can Move Mountains” (number 54, October 1992). Although I have previously described Diane Warren as "beige songwriter extraordinaire", I actually don't mind "Nothing Broken but My Heart", which I became familiar with via the American Top 40 radio program.
Internationally, "Nothing Broken but My Heart" peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1992, and number 3 in Canada in October 1992. The track also registered on several US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 26 on the Pop Airplay chart in October 1992, number 35 on the Radio Songs chart in October 1992, and number 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in October 1992.
Domestically, "Nothing Broken but My Heart" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 178.
Céline would go on to greater commercial success in Australia with her next album The Colour of My Love (number 1 for 8 non-consecutive weeks between May 1995 and September 1995). I won't be writing about Céline again, but she had a number of very low-charting singles in Australia between 2014 and 2020.
Number 193 “I Wish the Phone Would Ring” by Exposé
Peak: number 193
Peak date: 1 February 1993
Weeks on chart: 3 weeks
American Latin freestyle group Exposé last joined us in 1990.
"I Wish the Phone Would Ring" was the lead single from Exposé's third and final studio album Exposé, which does not appear to have been released in Australia. Internationally, the single peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1992, and number 49 in Canada in December 1992. The track also registered on numerous US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 20 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in November 1992, number 21 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992, number 21 on the Pop Airplay chart in December 1992, and number 14 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in December 1992.
Locally, "I Wish the Phone Would Ring" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 179.
"I Wish the Phone Would Ring" was the final Exposé single released in Australia.
Next week (8 February): Another busy week, with twelve top 150 entries and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.
