Week commencing 21 June 1993

This week in 1993 we have 11 new entries peaking outside the top 100.  Let’s take a look at them.

A-ha didn’t exactly light up the charts with this release.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 112 “How It Should Be” by Inspiral Carpets

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 21 June 1993

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Known chart run: 162-112-122-123

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

English indie rock band Inspiral Carpets last paid us a visit in 1992.

“How It Should Be” was an in-between albums single that eventually appeared on their compilation album The Singles (released in Australia in February 1995, did not chart).  Despite not appearing on their previous album Revenge of the Goldfish (number 123, June 1993), that album reached its Australian peak coinciding with this release.  I am thinking that the band may have toured Australia around this time in 1993.  "How It Should Be" would be Inspiral Carpets' highest-charting single in Australia, falling 12 places short of the top 100.

Internationally, “How It Should Be” peaked at number 49 in the UK in May 1993.

Domestically, the single performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it reached number 88.

We will next see Inspiral Carpets in 1994.

 

Number 128 “Hero” by David Crosby & Phil Collins

Peak: number 128

Peak date: 21 June 1993

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 128-138-140-147-(out of top 150 for 6 weeks)-130-140-142

We last saw American singer-songwriter David Crosby in 1989, as both a solo artist and as part of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.  Since writing those posts, David passed away in 2023, aged 81.

“Hero”, a duet with Phil Collins - whom we last saw on another collaboration in 1991, was the lead single from David’s third solo studio album Thousand Roads (released in Australia in June 1993, missed the top 150).  Internationally, “Hero” peaked at number 56 in the UK in May 1993, number 5 in Canada in June 1993, number 51 in Germany in June 1993, number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1993, and number 32 in New Zealand in July 1993.  The song also reached number 3 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in June 1993, and number 31 on the Radio Songs chart in July 1993.

I don’t recall hearing this one before.  The musical backing is very Phil Collins.

None of the uploads of the music video I saw on YouTube are great quality, so here is an audio clip of the song with clearer audio.

We won't see David again, but we shall next see Phil Collins in October 1993.

Number 137 “Parisienne Walkways ‘93” by Gary Moore

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 21 June 1993

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 137-139-149

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Northern Irish guitar guru Gary Moore last graced our presence in February 1993.

“Parisienne Walkways” originally appeared on Gary’s debut album Back on the Streets.  As a single, it peaked at number 8 in the UK in May 1979, and number 5 in Ireland.

“Parisienne Walkways ‘93” is a live recording, lifted from the album Blues Alive (number 73, July 1993).  It was recorded live at The Royal Albert Hall in London, in October 1992, rendering the title slightly misleading.  This version peaked at number 32 in the UK in May 1993, and number 9 in France for three non-consecutive weeks in July 1993.

Locally, “Parisienne ‘93” was most popular in Queensland, reaching number 108 on the state chart.

This would be Gary’s last charting single in Australia.  He had later, low-charting albums in Australia, including Ballads & Blues 1982-1994 (number 142, February 1995), Dark Days in Paradise (number 161, August 1997), and Out in the Fields - The Very Best of (number 216, March 1999).

Number 144 “Play That Country Music (Rawhide)” by The Fargone Beauties

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 28 June 1993

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-137-143-139

We last saw Australian band The Fargone Beauties in 1992.

“Play That Country Music (Rawhide)” was the second single lifted from the band’s second album It’s Hard When You’re Ugly (number 147, November 1992).  As you might have guessed from the title, the song is a reworked version of Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” (number 5, January 1977).

This was the band’s last single release to dent the top 150, although a later album Dark Side of the Moo (number 147, March 1995) entered the top 150 albums chart in 1995.

Number 146 “Teacher I Need You” by Stephen Cummings

Peak: number 102

Peak dates: 28 June 1993 and 12 July 1993

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 146-102-105-102-108-118-123

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

Aussie singer-songwriter and TV ad jingle writer Stephen Cummings last joined us in March 1993.

“Teacher I Need You”, a cover version of the Elton John song from 1972, was recorded for the movie The Heartbreak Kid, and appears on its soundtrack album, which peaked at number 70 in July 1993.  On the state charts, “Teacher I Need You” performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 73.

Unfortunately, no-one has uploaded this one to YouTube at the time of writing.

We’ll next see Stephen in November 1993.

 

Number 147 “War Baby” by Tom Robinson

Peak: number 133

Peak date: 28 June 1993

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 147-133-141

English singer-songwriter Tom Robinson first released “War Baby” in 1983.  He wrote the song after visiting a gay sauna.  The 1983 version of “War Baby” peaked at number 6 in the UK in July 1983, number 16 in Ireland in July 1983, and, belatedly, number 73 in Australia in November 1984.

This live acoustic version of “War Baby” appears on Tom’s 1992 album Living in a Boom Time (released in Australia in April 1993, missed the top 150).  The Australian pressing of the single states that $1 from each sale will be donated to Austcare, and there is also a logo with Austcare/Triple J The Big Day In 20 June 1993 on it.

Number 150 “Waiting for the Sun” by The Jayhawks

Peak: number 150

Peak date: 21 June 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 150

American band The Jayhawks formed in Minneapolis in 1984.  “Waiting for the Sun” is lifted from their third studio album Hollywood Town Hall (released in Australia in April 1993, missed the top 150).

Internationally, “Waiting for the Sun” peaked at number 116 (number 93 on the truncated chart with exclusions below number 75) in the UK in April 1993.  The song also reached number 20 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, and number 29 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

It’s not what I would normally listen to, but I didn’t mind this one, which I hadn’t heard before.

“Blue” (number 49, June 1995) would be The Jayhawks’ biggest single in Australia, and their only other single to crack the top 150.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 154 “I Should Be Laughing” by Patty Smyth

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 28 June 1993

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

We last saw American singer-songwriter Patty Smyth in February 1993.

“I Should Be Laughing” was the third and final single issued in Australia from Patty’s second solo studio album Patty Smyth (number 94, November 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1993, and number 64 in Canada for two consecutive weeks in July-August 1993.

In Australia, “I Should Be Laughing” was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 131 on the state chart.

I hadn’t heard this one before.  I thought it was OK, but nothing special.

This was Patty’s last charting release in Australia.

Number 165 “Dark Is the Night” by a-ha

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 21 June 1993

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

Norwegian band a-ha last joined us in 1992.

“Dark Is the Night” was released as the lead single from their fifth studio album Memorial Beach (number 132, July 1993).  Elsewhere, the single peaked at number 4 in Norway, number 19 in the UK in June 1993, number 28 in Ireland in June 1993, number 46 in Germany in July 1993, number 45 in the Flanders region of Belgium for two consecutive weeks in July 1993, and number 70 in Canada in August 1993.  The song also peaked at number 11 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 in July 1993.

Domestically, “Dark Is the Night” performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 157 on the state chart.

As with all post-1988 a-ha singles, I didn’t hear this one at the time.  Watching the video, it seems they’ve given singer Morten Harket a Ken doll makeover, wearing a vest to show off his chest and abs.  The song itself is alright, but didn’t grab me after one listen.

One thing I didn’t know until researching for this post is that Morten Harket, 65, announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease earlier this month.

Interestingly, “Dark Is the Night” is titled “Dark Is the Night for All” on the Memorial Beach album artwork.

A-ha would have one further, very low-charting single in Australia with “You Are the One” (Dub Mix Edit) (number 1669, April 2016), during the streaming era; a remix of a 1988 single.  They has one further top 200 album in Australia with Minor Earth Major Sky (number 169, June 2000).

Number 200 “Little Miracles (Happen Everyday)” by Luther Vandross

Peak: number 200

Peak date: 21 June 1993

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

American soul/R&B singer-songwriter Luther Vandross last visited us in 1991.  Since then, Luther finally scored his breakthrough hit in Australia, with “The Best Things in Life Are Free” (number 2 for five weeks in October-November 1992), a duet with Janet Jackson.

“Little Miracles (Happen Everyday)” was the first single lifted from Luther’s eighth studio album Never Let Me Go (number 107, July 1993).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 28 for two weeks in the UK in May 1993, and number 62 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1993.  The song also registered on several US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in June 1993, number 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in June 1993, number 27 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in June 1993, number 68 on the Radio Songs chart in June 1993, number 30 on the Adult Contemporary chart in June 1993, and number 30 on the Adult R&B Airplay chart in September 1993.

In Australia, “Little Miracles (Happen Everyday)” was most popular in Western Australia, reaching number 162 on the state chart.

We shall next see Luther in October 1993.

Number 207 “Heartbeat” by Nick Berry

Peak: number 207

Peak date: 21 June 1993

Weeks on chart: 1 week

English man Nick Berry is primarily known for being an actor, although he released two albums, both titled Nick Berry, in 1986 and 1992.  Nick landed a minor ‘hit’ in Australia with “Every Loser Wins” (number 93, October 1987), which was played in British soap opera EastEnders, which Nick starred in at the time.

Nick played the role of Constable Nick Rowan on the long running British series Heartbeat, which first aired in the UK in 1992, and premiered on Australian TV on 13 June 1993.  “Heartbeat”, as you might have guessed, is the theme song from the show, and is a cover of the Buddy Holly song from 1958.

Internationally, “Heartbeat” peaked at number 2 in the UK for two weeks in June 1992, and number 18 in Ireland in June 1992.

In Australia, Nick’s version of “Heartbeat” performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 174 on the state chart.

Next week (28 June): Six top 150 entries.

< Previous week: 14 June 1993                Next week: 28 June 1993 >

Week commencing 2 November 1992

Three of this week in 1992's four new top 150 entries are cover versions, and one of the bubbling WAY down under debuts is an EP of four cover versions.  Before taking a look at them, I wish to alert you that I have added top 150 chart runs for all of my June 1992 chart recaps (a work in progress).

Alannah Myles scored a flop instead of a hit this week in 1992.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 131 “Highway to Hell (Ballad of Jed Clampett)” by The Fargone Beauties

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 131-119-112-106-125-133

 

We last saw Aussie band The Fargone Beauties in 1991.

 

"Highway to Hell (Ballad of Jed Clampett)" was issued as the lead single from the band's second album It's Hard When You're Ugly (number 147, November 1992).  As you might suspect from the title. it's a cover version of the AC/DC song "Highway to Hell" (number 24, October 1979)... re-worked in country style, complete with banjos.  Jed Clampett was the patriarch of the American TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies.  Funnily enough, I commented last time that The Fargone Beauties' music sounded to me like it could have featured in that series.

I recall catching the video for "Highway to Hell..." on rage as a new release, airing before the top 60 chart commenced.

We'll see The Fargone Beauties once more, in 1993.

Number 140 “Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)” by Manic Street Preachers

Peak: number 139

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks 

Known chart run: 163-140-139-144

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks 

Welsh band Manic Street Preachers last paid us a visit in August 1992.

 

"Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)" was recorded for the NME's charity album Ruby Trax (The NME's Roaring Forty), which I discussed in an earlier post from September 1992.  Forty different artists recorded forty cover versions of UK number 1 singles for this album.  "Suicide Is Painless", the theme song from the TV series M*A*S*H*, was originally recorded in 1970 by The Mash, peaking at number 1 in the UK for three weeks in May-June 1980.  In Australia, the single peaked at number 52 in September 1980.

 

Internationally, Manic Street Preachers' version of "Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)" peaked at number 7 in the UK in September 1992, number 12 in Ireland, number 21 in Sweden in November 1992, and number 40 in New Zealand in February 1993.

Locally, "Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 116 on the state chart.

 

The subtitle of the song is slightly ironic, given that the band's rhythm guitarist, Richey Edwards, went missing on 1 February 1995, and is presumed dead, possibly by suicide.  His car was abandoned at a service station near the Severn Bridge, which is a known suicide site.

 

I first heard the Manics' version of this track when picking up the 3-CD Ruby Trax in the now-defunct Melbourne alternative music store Au Go Go Records, in their upstairs second-hand/collectables section in 1999.  It was one of the better cover versions on Ruby Trax, in my opinion, and I have enjoyed rocking out to this song on my car CD player (how quaint) when no-one is watching…

 

We shall next see Manic Street Preachers in 1993.

Number 142 “Dancing Queen” by Abbacadabra

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 142-104-121-109-109-134

 

Abbacadabra were, as you might suspect from the name, an ABBA covers act, formed in the UK in 1991, and known for their dance reworkings of ABBA songs.  The original ABBA version of "Dancing Queen" spent eight weeks at number 1 in Australia in September-October 1976, and the 1992 re-issue to promote the ABBA Gold compilation (number 1 for 4 weeks in December 1992) peaked at number 37 in November 1992.

The Abbacadabra version of "Dancing Queen" was mixed by Dave Ford and Pete Waterman (of Stock Aitken Waterman) for PWL.  Vocals were performed by Linda Taylor and Karen Boddington, who sang the female vocal part on the original Home and Away TV theme.

Overseas, Abbacadabra's version of "Dancing Queen" peaked at number 57 in the UK in August 1992, and at number 29 in Ireland in September 1992.

The track appears on Abbacadabra's debut album Abbasalute, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.

We will see another, home-grown ABBA-tribute act in December 1992, and another ABBA covers release further below this week!

Number 147 “Everybody” by Paul Begaud

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 147-137-147-130-134-144

 

"Everybody" was Australian singer/songwriter/producer Paul Begaud's (pronounced 'buh-GO') only release.  The song was written by Andrew Klippel, from Euphoria, and Ean Sugarman, who was also involved with Euphoria.  Andrew Klippel performs backing vocals on the chorus.

A music video exists for this track - I remember seeing it on TV a couple of times, but has not yet made its way onto YouTube.  While "Everybody" was not a commercial success, Paul went on to become a successful songwriter/producer for other artists, including Human Nature, Leah Haywood, Selwyn, Tina Arena, and Honeyz.  He wrote "End of the Line" for Honeyz, which peaked at number 5 in the UK in December 1998, and number 24 in Australia in April 1999.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 152 “Song Instead of a Kiss” by Alannah Myles

Peak: number 152

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks 

 

Canadian singer-songwriter Alannah Myles (real name Alannah Byles) burst onto the chart in Australia in early 1990 with "Black Velvet" (number 3, February 1990), though it made its understated debut at number 163 in October 1989.  Preceding "Black Velvet" was "Love Is", Alannah's debut single, which was released in Australia in June 1989 and crept into the top 150 in August of that year, initially climbing to number 128 in September 1989.  The success of "Black Velvet" renewed interest in "Love Is", and it eventually climbed to its peak of number 12 in April 1990, spending 48 weeks on the chart in total.  Both tracks appeared on her triple-platinum debut album Alannah Myles (number 2, May 1990), and were followed up with two minor hits, "Still Got This Thing" (number 64, May 1990) and "Lover of Mine" (number 47, October 1990), the latter of which was my favourite single from the album.  "Lover of Mine" was a much bigger hit on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart than elsewhere, where it reached number 4. No-one seems to do rock ballads quite as well as the Canadians, it seems.

"Song Instead of a Kiss" was the lead single from Alannah's second album Rockinghorse (number 65, October 1992).  I was not aware that Alannah had new material out until Rockinghorse appeared as album of the week on the printed ARIA top 50 charts that were available for free in record stores at the time.  I didn't hear "Song Instead of a Kiss" until January 1993, catching the second half of the song while channel surfing on AM radio.  I had a cassette tape ready to record, and recorded it onto that.  The single no doubt suffered from a lack of promotion.  It's my favourite Alannah Myles song, and I think it deserved to do much better on the chart.  You can hear the full-length version of the track, with its extended luscious strings intro, here.

Fortunately for Alannah, "Song Instead of a Kiss" was a big hit in her homeland, spending four weeks at number 1 in Canada in Novermber-December 1992.  The song was not a huge success elsewhere, however, peaking at number 89 in the UK in November 1992, and at number 35 in the Netherlands in February 1993.

 

In keeping with all four of Alannah's previous charting singles in Australia, "Song Instead of a Kiss" was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 121 on the state chart.  "Black Velvet" topped the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, "Love Is" reached number 5 on it, and "Still Got This Thing" peaked at number 38 - all peaks being higher than any of the other state charts.

 

Like many recording artists, Alannah was unfortunately screwed over royally by her record company, Atlantic Records, making virtually no money from her recording career in the early 1990s.  She still owed the company millions of dollars earlier this century, and received her first royalty cheque, of a measly US$5000, in 2008.  It’s quite shocking that artists can be so exploited and left in debt despite having major international success.

The 'wrap' Alannah wears in the music video for "Song Instead of a Kiss" reminds me of fellow Canadian Shania Twain's leopard print outfit she wears in the "That Don't Impress Me Much" (number 2, March 1999) video.

 

We will not see Alannah again, although she released another single from Rockinghorse in Australia, "Living on a Memory", in July 1993, which failed to chart.

Number 196 “Instant Karma!” by John Lennon (1992 re-issue)

Peak: number 196

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

 

Ex-Beatle John Lennon's "Instant Karma!" was originally released as a single in early 1970, credited to the Plastic Ono Band.  It peaked at number 5 in the UK in February 1970, number 3 in Ireland, number 7 in the Netherlands in March 1970, number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1970, number 2 in Canada in March 1970, number 9 in Switzerland in April 1970, number 4 in Austria in April 1970, number 4 in the Flanders region of Belgium in April 1970, number 1 in the Wallonia region of Belgium in April 1970, number 5 in Australia on the Go Set charts in May 1970, and number 9 in Norway.   Somewhat fitting the song's title, "Instant Karma!" was written, recorded and released within a period of ten days, rendering it one of the fastest-released songs in pop history!  It was a non-album single.

"Instant Karma!" was re-released as a single in continental Europe (oddly not in the UK) in 1992, initially given away with early editions of The John Lennon Video Collection.  The 1992 release peaked at number 7 in Germany in August 1992, number 10 in the Netherlands in August 1992, number 31 in Switzerland in August 1992, and number 29 in the Flanders region of Belgium in August 1992.

 

Domestically, the 1992 release of "Instant Karma!" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 158 on the state chart.

 

John would bubble WAY down under again in 2018 with his 1971 track "Jealous Guy" (number 1477, October 2018), which, to my surprise, was not released as a single during his lifetime, but was listed as an AA-side on the 1988 re-issue of the "Imagine" (number 21, December 1988) single.

Number 208 “Silk Pyjamas” by Thomas Dolby

Peak: number 208

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

We last saw English singer-songwriter Thomas Dolby in September 1992.

 

"Silk Pyjamas" was released as the third single from Thomas' fourth studio album Astronauts & Heretics (number 123, August 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 62 in the UK in September 1992.

Locally, "Silk Pyjamas" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it peaked at number 189 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it.  This would be Thomas' last singles chart entry in Australia.  He had a later low-charting album, though, with Original Album Series (number 892, March 2017).

Number 218 “The Further in We Go” by Suzanne Rhatigan

Peak: number 218

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

I first became aware of Irish singer-songwriter Suzanne Rhatigan when seeing her name appear in the backing vocal credits in the liner notes on Sonia's Everybody Knows album.  Suzanne worked with several Stock Aitken Waterman-produced artists, although her vocal contributions were not limited to back-up.  As revealed in the Chart Beats podcast series on Stock Aitken Waterman-produced singles (check out episode 29), Suzanne's voice was "ghosted" on Mandy Smith's records.  This normally means that the voice is mixed together with the (supposed) singer's vocals, but in this instance, Suzanne basically was "the voice of Mandy Smith".  In case you are wondering who Mandy Smith is, she was Rolling Stones' bass guitarist Bill Wyman’s much younger girlfriend, and later wife.  Mandy was a mere 13 and Bill was in his late 40s when they began "dating" (ick); the pair married in 1989 when Mandy was 18.  Not surprisingly, the marriage ended in divorce a mere two years later.

As the voice of Mandy Smith, Suzanne scored three top 100 singles in Australia, with "I Just Can't Wait" (number 91, May 1987), "Victim of Pleasure" (number 78, December 1988), and "Don't You Want Me Baby" (number 90, July 1989).  "Mandy" also had two singles that narrowly missed the top 100: "Positive Reaction" (number 7 on the Australian Music Report 'significant sales reports beyond the top 100' list in March 1988), and "Boys and Girls" registered on two ARIA state charts (number 81 in Victoria/Tasmania, and number 73 in Western Australia - both in July 1988) but not the national chart.  The Mandy album (number 144, December 1988) also registered on the ARIA albums chart.

Suzanne told her mother that her voice was used on Mandy's "I Just Can't Wait" single, and her mother revealed this information to the Irish press, which understandably severed her relationship with Stock Aitken Waterman, and she was effectively fired... temporarily.  The trio invited her back, however, to record a follow-up after "I Just Can't Wait" became a hit across continental Europe.  Despite not being given credit for Mandy's vocals, Suzanne does not seem bitter about the experience in her interview for the Chart Beats podcast.

Now onto Suzanne's recording career under her own name... "The Further in We Go" was issued as the lead single from Suzanne's debut, and only, album To Hell with Love, which was released in Australia in February 1993 but failed to chart.  "The Further in We Go" missed the UK top 200 singles chart, and I cannot find evidence of it charting elsewhere.  The single was released in Australia at the end of September 1992, but took just over a month to chart.

Locally, "The Further in We Go" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 161.

I hadn't heard this track before, but did hear the follow-up, which we will see next month.  I remember reading an interview with Suzanne in the free Brashs in-store magazine, where she spoke about being "a bitch".

If playing the video embedded below to hear the song, note that it's the whole album - skip to 10:14 minutes in to hear "The Further in We Go".

Number 224 Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP by Erasure

Peak: number 224

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw English synth-pop duo Erasure in March 1992.

 

Erasure scored their second, of only two, Australian top 40 hits - both peaking at number 13, with the Abba-esque EP (number 13, August 1992), containing covers of 4 songs originally recorded by Swedish supergroup ABBA.  "Take a Chance on Me" (the ABBA version peaked at number 12 in March 1978) was promoted as the lead track on the EP, but my favourite song from the EP is "Lay All Your Love on Me" (ABBA's original does not appear to have been released as a single in Australia).  The EP also contained covers of "S.O.S." (ABBA's version peaked at number 1 for one week in January 1976) and "Voulez Vous" (ABBA's version peaked at number 79 in September 1979).  Only "Take a Chance on Me" would appear on the Erasure compilation album Pop! The First 20 Hits (number 122, November 1992).

As I have mentioned previously, ARIA did not appear to know what to do with multi-part CD singles in 1992, with several remix singles charting in their own right as a separate release, rather than their sales being combined with the original/main release.  Here is another example, where the remixes version of Abba-esque charting separately.  This remix EP was released locally on the last Monday of September 1992, more than three months after the release of the original version.

The Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP did not chart separately elsewhere.  The Abba-esque EP peaked at number 1 in the UK for 5 weeks in June-July 1992, number 1 in Ireland, number 1 in Sweden in June 1992, number 3 in Switzerland in July 1992, number 85 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992, number 52 in Canada in July 1992, number 1 in Austria for 8 non-consecutive weeks between July and September 1992, number 4 in the Netherlands in August 1992, number 4 in the Flanders region of Belgium in August 1992, number 2 in Germany in August 1992, and number 42 in New Zealand in August 1992.

 

Locally, the Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP peaked highest in Western Australia, where it reached number 188 on the state chart. 

At the time of writing, number 224 is the lowest peak I have for the singles chart in 1992.

The four tracks on the Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP, all of which I have embedded below, are: "Voulez Vous" (Brain Stem Death Test Mix), "Lay All Your Love On Me" (No Panties Mix), "Take a Chance on Me" (Take a Trance On Me Mix), and "S.O.S." (Perimeter Mix).  Listening to each of these for the first time as I write this post, I can say that I didn't really like any of the mixes.  I am generally not a huge remix fan, except for extended versions of the original track.

 

We shall see Erasure again before the month is out! 

Next week (9 November): Seven top 150 entries and five bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 26 October 1992                    Next week: 9 November 1992 >

Week commencing 27 May 1991

Among the nine new songs I write about debuting this week in 1991, two are by the same artist - a first for these chart recaps, and only two of the nine different artists will return to the top 150 - of which, one never landed a top 100 hit in Australia!

But before we dive into the new batch of entries from 1991, I have updated two earlier posts with the following:

• 27 February 1989 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Simple Minds;
• 22 April 1991 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Daryl Hall & John Oates.
  

 

Queen had a 'bunch' of singles that peaked outside the top 100 in Australia.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 142 "Silver Stallion" by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson

Peak: number 123

Peak date: 10 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 142-(out for 1 week)-123-130-145

 

The Highwaymen for short, though they are credited as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson (no 'and') on the single sleeve, landed their one and only ARIA top 150 single this week in 1991, with "Silver Stallion".  The track appears on the quartet's second album Highwayman 2 (number 9, June 1991), and is a cover version of a song originally recorded by Wings Livinryte in 1975.

"Silver Stallion" does not appear to have registered on any other sales-based chart that I can ascertain; however, it peaked at number 25 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in April 1990.

 

I generally don't enjoy country music at all, but I thought this song wasn't bad.  I dare say I even enjoyed it and would listen to it again!

 

 

 

Number 144 Adrenalin EP by N-Joi

Peak: number 134

Peak date: 24 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-(out for 3 weeks)-134

 

For the first time, we have two debuting entries peaking in the 101-150 region of the chart from the same artist, in the same week.

 

English production duo N-Joi consist of Nigel Champion and Mark Franklin.  The Adrenalin EP was their second single - their debut release also debuted this week, at number 150, below.  The EP's title track "Adrenalin" is largely instrumental, with a vocal sample appearing only in the second half of the radio version.  "Adrenalin" was one of the earlier 'rave'-style dance tracks to chart in Australia.

Internationally, "Adrenalin" peaked at number 23 in the UK in March 1991.

 

I didn't hear this one at the time, but may have if I had been old enough to go clubbing in 1991.

 

 

Number 147 "Wild Thing (Theme from Bonanza)" by The Fargone Beauties

Peak: number 140

Peak date: 24 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 147-147-147-142-140-150

 

The genres listed for Australian band The Fargone Beauties' debut album The Fargone Beauties (number 137, August 1991) on discogs are bluegrass, parody and novelty.  That should give you some idea as to their sound.

As you might have guessed, "Wild Thing (Theme from Bonanza)" is a cover version of The Troggs' "Wild Thing" from 1966.  My initial impression, listening to this track for the first time, is that it sounds like it could have been the theme song for the 1960s/early 1970s black and white TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, which seemed to be on perpetual re-run when I was a child.

The Fargone Beauties - who never landed a top 100 single or album in Australia - will next join us in 1992.

 

 

Number 150 "Anthem" by N-Joi

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 3 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 150-141

 

The second N-Joi single to enter the top 150 this week in 1991 was the group's debut release in the UK in October 1990.  The single spent two weeks at its peak of number 45 in the UK in November 1990.  When re-released after the top 30 success of "Adrenalin" (see above), "Anthem" reached a new peak of number 8 in the UK in April 1991.  "Anthem" also reached number 15 in Ireland in April 1991, and number 4 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

 

In Australia, "Anthem" was issued as N-Joi's debut single in early February 1991.  I am not sure why it took nearly four months to crack the top 150, but it appears to have been given a boost by the follow-up single, which also debuted this week.  "Anthem" seems like it is the more-commercial sounding of the two singles, so I am a bit surprised its peak was lower in Australia.

 

If you're viewing the "Anthem" music video embedded below for the first time, you may be asking yourself, 'Haven't I seen that woman fronting the band before?'  Well, yes, you probably have, as it's none other than Saffron (real name Samantha Sprackling), who went on to front the band Republica, who landed a number 40 hit in Australia with "Ready to Go" in October 1996.  A major difference between this single and Republica, however, is that Saffron does not actually sing the vocal samples on "Anthem"; she just lip-syncs, as was the case with many European dance acts in the 1990s.  Ooh-er.

While we will not see N-Joi in the top 150 again, they did go on to land several more charting singles in the UK.  We will see Saffron again with Republica in 1997.

 

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 151 "Something So Strong" by Elisa Fiorillo

Peak: number 151

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

American Elisa Fiorillo first came to prominence in 1985, winning the American talent search TV program Star Search while still a teenager.  It was this exposure that landed Elisa a recording contract, and she recorded the original version of "Jackie" in 1987 for the Summer School soundtrack - a song that would later become a hit for Lisa Stansfield's band Blue Zone (number 99, February 1989), and was covered by three (!) Australian acts in 1998: Zone 2 (number 137, September 1998), Redzone (number 37, November 1998) and B.Z. featuring Joanne (number 3, January 1999).

 

Elisa's debut album Elisa Fiorillo was released in 1987, and she landed her first Australian chart entry in 1988, as the featured vocalist on Jellybean's "Who Found Who" (number 75, May 1988) single.

 

Elisa's second album I Am (number 111, April 1991) was led by the single "On the Way Up" (number 19, April 1991), which Elisa co-wrote with Prince.  Interestingly, that song peaked higher in Australia than in any other country; with the single peaking at number 27 in the US in January 1991.

"Something So Strong" was issued as the second, and final, single from I Am in Australia, and, oddly, appears to have only been a single in Australia.  Even more strangely, another Prince-penned track, "Playgirl", was relegated to being the B-side.  The US received "Oooh This I Need" as the second, and final, single from I Am.

"Something So Strong" performed strongest on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart, where it reached number 134.

I hadn't heard "Something So Strong" before.  It doesn't scream 'single' to me.  It was Elisa's last single to be released in Australia.  Elisa gained work as a backing vocalist for other artists including Savage Garden, and took a break from her own recording career until the 2000s, when she released three albums independently.

 

 

Number 162 "I Must Have Been Blind" by The Cockroaches

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

We saw Australian band The Cockroaches in April 1990, with the lead single from their third studio album Positive (number 121, July 1991).  "I Must Have Been Blind" was the third single lifted from Positive, following "Here Comes That Feeling" (released November 1990), which failed to chart.

"I Must Have Been Blind" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it reached number 142.

 

This was The Cockroaches' last single to chart, although the Hey Let's Go! The Best of the Cockroaches compilation reached number 236 on the ARIA albums chart in June 2014, after originally peaking at number 283 in November 1999.  Of course, some of the group went on to form The Wiggles, whom you may have heard of...

Number 169 "Love Don't Come Easy" by White Lion

Peak: number 169

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

We last saw Danish/American rock band White Lion in December 1989.  "Love Don't Come Easy" was the lead single from the band's fourth studio album Mane Attraction (number 105, June 1991).

Surprisingly, as far as I can establish, Australia is the only market that "Love Don't Come Easy" registered a position on a sales-based chart.  According to Wikipedia, the song reached number 24 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which is based on airplay - but I cannot confirm that, as the Billboard website is dysfunctional and nothing loaded for me on the White Lion page.

Within Australia, "Love Don't Come Easy" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 145.

This track was White Lion's last single to chart in Australia, although the compilation album The Best of White Lion reached number 227 on the albums chart in October 1992.  The band split in 1992, but reformed in 1999 before splitting again in 2013.

 

 

Number 176 "I'm Going Slightly Mad" by Queen

Peak: number 176

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Queen last paid us a visit in April 1991, and here they are again, a mere six weeks later, with the third single from the Innuendo (number 6, February 1991) album released in Australia.

In Europe, "I'm Going Slightly Mad" was issued as the second single from Innuendo.  It peaked at number 22 in the UK in March 1991, number 19 in Ireland in March 1991, number 42 in Germany in April 1991, number 20 in the Netherlands in April 1991, and number 39 in the Flanders region of Belgium in May 1991.

In Australia, "I'm Going Slightly Mad" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 139.

With lyrics such as "I'm coming down with a fever," "I'm Going Slightly Mad" was inspired by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's (then unannounced) illness with AIDS, and the resulting cognitive symptoms.  The music video pokes fun at this, with Freddie at one point sporting a wig made of bananas.  Freddie's dramatic weight loss due to his illness is evident in the video, and he wore an extra layer of clothing to help conceal this.

 

"I'm Going Slightly Mad" would become the last Queen single to chart in Australia during Freddie's  lifetime.  The band's next single, "The Show Must Go On" (number 75, January 1992), debuted at number 170 on the ARIA singles chart on the day that Freddie's passing was announced in Australia (25 November 1991).  For those of you who are old enough, the shock announcement of Freddie Mercury's death was one of those flashbulb memory events, where you remember where you were and what you were doing at the time you heard the news.

We shall next see Queen in 1992.

 

Number 182 "Forget Me Not$" by Tongue 'N' Cheek

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

British trio Tongue 'N' Cheek formed in 1986.  "Forget Me Not$", a cover version of Patrice Rushen's "Forget Me Nots" (number 29, November 1982), was the group's penultimate single, though appears to have been their only Australian release.  The song appeared on the group's only album This Is Tongue 'N' Cheek, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.

 

Internationally, "Forget Me Not$" peaked at number 26 in the UK in January 1991.  In Australia, the single was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 165 on the state chart.

 

Of course, "Forget Me Nots" would go on to be prominently sampled on two future Australian number one singles, George Michael's "Fastlove" (number 1 for four non-consecutive weeks in May-June 1996) and Will Smith's "Men in Black" (number 1 for four weeks in August-September 1997).

 

 

Number 189 "Congo Square" by Great White

Peak: number 189

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

American rock band Great White first joined us in September 1989, and here they are for the second, and final, time.

"Congo Square" was the lead single from the band's fifth studio album Hooked (number 150, June 1991) in Australia.  In the US, "Call It Rock 'N' Roll" (released in Australia in June 1991, did not chart) was the album's first release.

 

Internationally "Congo Square" peaked at number 62 in the UK in February 1991.

 

Within Australia, "Congo Square" performed strongest on the Western Australian state chart, where it reached number 146.

 

"Congo Square" was Great White's final single to chart in Australia.

 

Next week (3 June): Seven top 150 debuts and three bubbling WAY down under entries.

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