Week commencing 23 November 1992

This week in 1992 saw no fewer than 14 new top 150 entries peaking between numbers 101 and 150 - though we don’t know what one of them is, one title would eventually crack the top 100 in six months’ time, and another is a remixed repackaging of two top 30 hits from the last 18 months.  In addition to that, five of the 14 titles registered a place on the Australian Music Report top 100 - one peaking 76 places lower on the ARIA chart, which is probably another record.  Another title appears to have two separate, possibly concurrent, chart runs.  Shall we take a look?

M.C. Mario: ‘Supermarioland’ did not quite cross over to Super ARIA Land.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 110 Unknown Single by Unknown Artist 

Peak: number 102

Peak date: 30 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 110-102-104-119-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-113-130-127

The last, and only previous, time an unknown single from an unknown artist entered the top 150 was in January 1992.

I cannot say with any certainty whether any of these singles are the unknown title, but my thoughts are that it could be Robert Palmer’s “Witchcraft” (which was released locally the week prior, so the timing would fit), Simple Minds’ “Love Song”/“Alive and Kicking” 1992 re-release (also released 16 November 1992 locally), or Vanessa Williams’ “Work to Do” (released 9 November 1992 locally) - none of which otherwise registered on the ARIA chart.  The Simple Minds single did make the Australian Music Report’s list of singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100.

My contact at ARIA kindly investigated this for me, referring back to their old database, which did not shed any light on what the missing title should be, as you can see by the blank entry debuting at number 110 in the screenshot below:

A screenshot from the 30 November 1992 chart, showing the blank title at number 102:

A screenshot from the 7 December 1992 chart, showing the blank title at number 104:

This will be the last blank title - at least until 1999! (I do not have those charts as of yet.)

Number 118 “Heartbreak Radio” by Roy Orbison

Peak: number 103

Peak date: 18 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 13 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 118-119-126-125-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-123-120-103-109-112-126-110

Weeks on chart: 15 weeks 

Roy Orbison last paid us a visit in May 1992.

 

"Heartbreak Radio" was the second single lifted from Roy's posthumous album King of Hearts (number 25, May 1982).  As with the previous single, it's another Jeff Lynne production, and, to my surprise, Jeff performs in the music video (obviously, Roy wasn't able to... although his image is used throughout).  The song is a cover version, originally recorded by Frankie Miller in 1980.

Overseas, "Heartbreak Radio" peaked at number 36 in the UK, number 31 in Canada, and number 69 in Germany - all peaking in November 1992.

Domestically, "Heartbreak Radio" performed much stronger on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart than elsewhere, where it reached number 37.  Its next-highest state chart peak was number 94 in Queensland, for contrast.

"Heartbreak Radio" peaked higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, reaching number 98.

We won't see Roy on the singles chart again, although his previous single, "I Drove All Night", would re-enter the chart in March 1993 after being re-released.

 

Number 122 “Hot Fun in the Summertime” by The Beach Boys

Peak: number 122

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Chart run: 215-122-129-129-128-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-142

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks 

We last saw American band The Beach Boys in 1990.

"Hot Fun in the Summertime", a cover version of a song originally recorded by Sly & The Family Stone in 1969, was the lead single from The Beach Boys' twenty-seventh studio album Summer in Paradise (number 81, November 1992).

 

Internationally, "Hot Fun in the Summertime" peaked at number 66 in Canada in September 1992.  It also reached number 17 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart during the same month.

 

Locally, "Hot Fun in the Summertime" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 92.

 

Watching the video for this song for the first time, my first thought was how incredibly ancient all members of The Beach Boys look (John Stamos excepted, obviously) - yet they only would have been around 50/in their early 50s at the time, which isn't much older than I am now!  Somehow, people used to look older at a given age than they do these days.

The Beach Boys had later low-charting singles with "That's Why God Made the Radio" (number 914, July 2012), which was their first new single in 20 years, and two older recordings: "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (number 1184, June 2016) and "Sloop John B" (number 1807, June 2016).  "Little Saint Nick" (number 39, January 2023) also tends to chart around Christmas time in recent years.

Number 126 “Don’t You Want Me” by The Farm

Peak: number 115

Peak date: 7 December 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks 

Known chart run: 204-126-118-115-121-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-(out of top 150 for 4 weeks)-134-149-141-142-131

Weeks on chart: 17 weeks 

English band The Farm last paid us a visit in August 1992.

 

"Don't You Want Me", originally recorded by The Human League (number 4, July 1982), was the second single lifted from The Farm's second album Love See No Colour (number 242, November 1992).  The track was recorded for Ruby Trax (The NME's Roaring Forty) compilation, an album from which we have now seen three tracks bubble under.

 

Internationally, The Farm's version of "Don't You Want Me" peaked at number 18 in the UK in October 1992, and at number 19 in Ireland in October 1992.

 

Locally, "Don't You Want Me" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 88.  The single peaked higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 99.

 

I first heard this track on the UK Chart Attack radio show.  I otherwise would probably have not heard it at the time.

 

This would be The Farm's final single to chart in Australia, although they would have a later low-charting album with Hullabaloo (number 169, August 1994).

Number 127 “I’m Gonna Get You” by Bizarre Inc featuring Angie Brown

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Known chart run: 127-140-137-177-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks (this chart run); plus 22 weeks (second/duplicate chart run).  33 weeks total?

We last saw Bizarre Inc in November 1991.

 

"I'm Gonna Get You" features Angie Brown on vocals.  While that may not be a name familiar to most readers, she provided uncredited vocals on Motiv 8's "Rockin' for Myself" (number 9, September 1994), which was a top 10 hit in Australia in 1994. 

Internationally, "I'm Gonna Get You" peaked at number 3 in the UK in October 1992, number 17 in Ireland in October 1992, number 3 in the Netherlands in January 1993, number 14 in the Flanders region of Belgium in February 1993, and number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1993.  The single also topped the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in January 1993.

In Australia, "I'm Gonna Get You" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 66 on the state chart in August 1993.  For reasons unknown, there are two separate chart listings/runs for "I'm Gonna Get You" on the ARIA database: one peaks at number 127, and the other, entering on 14 December 1992, peaks at number 158!  The first chart run lasts 11 weeks on the chart, and the second has a 22-week chart run.  Both are charting in February and September 1993, so I am not sure whether there is overlap/duplication.

"I'm Gonna Get You" peaked higher nationally on the Australian Music Report chart, reaching number 95.

 

"I'm Gonna Get You" is another that I owe a debt to UK Chart Attack for introducing me to.  I love the "why waste your time, you know you're gonna be mine" couplet repeated throughout.  It should have been a much bigger hit in Australia.

 

We shall see Bizarre Inc again in 1993.

Number 128 “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 30 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

Known chart run: 190-128-117-143-127-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-124-124-122-124-125

Weeks on chart: 15 weeks 

Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young is best known for his 1972 hit "Heart of Gold", which peaked at number 15 in Australia on the Go Set chart in June 1972.  His previous charting single in Australia was "Ten Men Workin'" (number 100, July 1988), with The Blue Notes.

"Harvest Moon" was the title track from Neil's twenty-first studio album Harvest Moon (number 40, November 1992).  Internationally, "Harvest Moon" peaked at number 5 in Canada in February 1993, number 36 in the UK in February 1993, and number 28 in Ireland in February 1993.

On the state charts, "Harvest Moon" was most successful in Queensland, where it reached number 89.

We'll next see Neil in 1993.

 

Number 131 “I’ll Be Gone” by John Williamson

Peak: number 131

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 131-137

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

We last saw Aussie country singer John Williamson in September 1992.

 

"I'll Be Gone" was the second new single lifted from John's Australia Calling: All the Best Vol 2 (number 32, December 1992) compilation.  The single was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 100.

We'll next see John in 1993.

Number 135 “Bad Moon Rising” (Remixes) by The Reels

Peak: number 125

Peak date: 11 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 10 weeks 

Chart run: 135-136-145-142-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-139-125-134-129

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks 

We last saw Aussie band The Reels in August 1991.

 

“Bad Moon Rising” (number 11, October 1986), originally released by the band in 1986, was a cover version of a song originally recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival (number 3, July 1969 on the Go Set chart).  The song was remixed by Filthy Lucre and issued as a single to promote their Requiem (number 131, January 1993) compilation.

 

On the state charts, "Bad Moon Rising" (Remixes) was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 87.

 

Unfortunately, I was unable to find a copy of the Filthy Lucre Edit, used as the single version, to embed in this post.  The video embedded below uses the Filthy Lucre Temple Dub, which was another track on the CD single.

 

This would be The Reels' final singles chart entry.  They had later low-charting albums with Reel to Reel: 1978-1992 (number 563, September 2007), Quasimodo's Dream (number 339, September 2011), Beautiful (number 627, March 2013), The Reels (number 852, March 2019) and 6 Great Gift Ideas (number 1187, November 2019).

Number 140 “When I Look into Your Eyes” by Firehouse 

Peak: number 140

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 140-147-(out for one week)-148-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 18 weeks

We last saw American rock band Firehouse in January 1992.

 

"When I Look into Your Eyes" was issued as the lead single in Australia from Firehouse's second album Hold Your Fire (number 180, October 1992).

Internationally, "When I Look into Your Eyes" peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1992, number 18 in Canada in October 1992, and number 65 in the UK in December 1992.

Domestically, "When I Look into Your Eyes" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 31 on the state charts.  The single was much more-popular in South Australia/Northern Territory than elsewhere, as it peaked outside the top 100 on the remaining four state charts.

"When I Look into Your Eyes" peaked higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 64.

I became acquainted with this song via the American Top 40 radio show.  The single debuted on the chart at the end of September 1992, but took almost two months to dent the top 150.

We shall see Firehouse again next week!

Number 142 “The Crying Game” by Boy George (1992 release)

Peak: number 142 (1992 chart entry): number 39 (1993 chart entry)

Peak dates: 23 November 1992 (1992 chart run); 24 May 1993 and 31 May 1993 (1993 chart run)

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks (1992 chart run); 14 weeks (1993 chart run); 16 weeks total.

Known chart run (1992 entry): 171-142-146

Top 150 chart run (1993 entry, entered 26 April 1993): 85-61-54-40-39-39-40-47-44-46-62-61-82-102

Weeks on chart: 28 weeks 

Boy George last graced our presence in 1989.

 

"The Crying Game" is a cover of a song written by Geoff Stephens and first released by Dave Berry in 1964 (number 73, September 1964).   It was recorded for use in the movie The Crying Game.   The track would also eventually appear on the At Worst... The Best of Boy George and Culture Club (number 185, January 1994) compilation.

Internationally, "The Crying Game" peaked at number 22 in the UK in September 1992, number 68 in Germany in December 1992, number 26 in Ireland in April 1993, number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1993, number one in Canada for one week in May 1993, and number 32 in Sweden in June 1993.

Locally, "The Crying Game" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 17.

I am not certain, but I may have first heard "The Crying Game" on UK Chart Attack.  I do not know why it took a re-release six months later for it to become a minor hit in Australia - perhaps coinciding with the film's local release?

 

We'll next see Boy George in 1994.

Number 144 Balistyx EP by Various

Peak: number 133

Peak dates: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated 21 December 1992 and 28 December 1992)

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 144-143-148-133-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-147-144.  Re-entered 31 May 1993: 148.

The Balistyx EP contains five tracks by four different artists.  The lead track, "I Told Ya" (embedded below), is credited to David Faustino ("D" Lil).  David is best known for playing the role of Bud Bundy on the American sitcom Married... with Children.

 

Track 2 is Rainbow "Keep It Up" (which I cannot find online), track 3 is Total Opposite "Love & Games" (ditto), and track 4 is MHNC Crew "Music Hears No Color".  Track 5 is a remix of "I Told Ya".

That's about all I can tell you about this release.

 

Number 145 “Dance without Sleeping” by Melissa Etheridge

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 145

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks 

We last saw American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge in 1990.

"Dance without Sleeping" was issued as the third and final single from Melissa's third studio album Never Enough (number 8, April 1992), following "Ain't It Heavy" (number 44, April 1992) and "2001" (number 71, June 1992).

Internationally, "Dance without Sleeping" peaked at number 118 in the UK in November 1992, number 74 in the Netherlands in November 1992, and number 46 in Canada in November 1992.  It also peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in November 1992.

Domestically, "Dance without Sleeping" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 127.

I hadn't heard this one before, but quite enjoyed it.  The song had a much more laidback vibe than I was expecting.

We will next see Melissa in 1994.

Number 146 “Supermarioland” by Ambassadors of Funk featuring M.C. Mario

Peak: number 126

Peak date: 4 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 146-145-140-143-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-126-127-131

Weeks on chart: 15 weeks 

Although I had been a chart/music nerd since I was 9, I was also quite into Nintendo computer games in my tweens and early teens.  So much so that I was branded "Nintendo Nath" by a friend of a friend in high school at one point.  The Super Mario Bros games were my favourite.  I didn't make the transition to the Game Boy handheld device, though, which if I remember correctly, was first available in Australia around late 1990.  The graphics in particular seemed to be much lower quality than that available on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).  The Super Mario Land game was popular on Game Boy, but was not available on NES.  I guess it was only a matter of time until some bright spark thought of releasing a single based on the Super Mario Land theme.  That bright spark in this instance was Simon Harris.  M.C. Mario was also known as Einstein, who had a minor hit in Australia with Technotronic on "Turn It Up" (number 87, March 1991), which also featured Melissa.

Elsewhere, "Supermarioland" peaked at number 8 in the UK in November 1992, number 22 in Ireland in November 1992, and number 69 in the Netherlands in December 1992.

Locally, "Supermarioland" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it peaked at number 73.

This is another track that I first heard on UK Chart Attack.  I probably otherwise would not have been aware of the song at the time.

 

We will see another Nintendo-themed track bubble under in 1993.

Number 150 “Gypsy Woman”/“Peace” (Remixes) by Crystal Waters/Sabrina Johnston

Peak: number 150

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Known chart run: 164-150

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

 

Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless)" (number 11, August 1991) was originally a top 20 hit in Australia in 1991.  Sabrina Johnston's "Peace" (number 24, March 1992) was a top 30 hit in Australia in early 1992.  The two tracks were paired together, in remixed form, for a single release, promoting the Red Hot + Dance (released in Australia in July 1992, missed the top 150) compilation.  Red Hot + Dance was released to raise funds for HIV/AIDS research, and contained three new George Michael songs recorded for his shelved album Listen without Prejudice Vol. 2, including "Too Funky" (number 3, August 1992), plus remixes of already-released tracks by ten other artists.  “Gypsy Woman” (Joey Negro’s MindMix) and “Peace” (Nu-Mix). embedded below, were combined for this single release.

 

Internationally, the combined "Gypsy Woman"/"Peace" (Remixes) single peaked at number 35 in the UK in September 1992.  Locally, the single performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 135.

 

Crystal and Sabrina will join us next, separately, in 1995, with Sabrina being a featured artist next time.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 154 “Million Miles Away” by Kim Wilde

Peak: number 154

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks 

 

We last saw Kim Wilde in August 1992.

 

"Million Miles Away" was issued in Australia as the third and final single from Kim's eighth studio album Love Is (number 82, July 1992).  The single was not released in Kim's homeland the UK; instead only receiving a commercial release in continental Europe, Japan and Australia.  "Million Miles Away", despite being one of Kim's best singles and better music videos in my opinion, did not chart anywhere else, performing strongest on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 142.  Sometimes there is no justice... although a lack of promotion was a factor.  I caught the video as a new release once on rage, but that’s it.

We will next see Kim in 1994.

Number 209 “Kickin’ It” by After 7

Peak: number 191

Peak date: 30 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks 

American R&B group After 7 last joined us in 1990.

"Kickin' It" was issued as the first single from the group's second album Takin' My Time (number 196, October 1992).  Internationally, it peaked at number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1992, and number 29 in New Zealand in December 1992.

Locally, "Kickin' It" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory where it reached number 173.

I hadn't heard this one before.  It's typical early 90s New Jack Swing.

This would be After 7's last single to peak outside the top 100 in Australia.  They landed their biggest hit in Australia in 1996 with "'Til You Do Me Right" (number 16, March 1996). 

 

After 7 had a later album peaking outside the top 100 in Australia with The Very Best of After 7 (number 181, May 1997).

Number 217 “Goodbye” by The Sundays

Peak: number 175

Peak date: 30 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks 

We last saw English band The Sundays in 1990.

 

"Goodbye" was issued as the lead single from The Sundays' second album  Blind (number 78, January 1993).  The single peaked at number 27 in the UK in September 1992.

Locally, "Goodbye" performed equally-strongest in Victoria/Tasmania and Western Australia, reaching number 161 on both state charts.

The Sundays would land their biggest Australian hit with their next charting release “Summertime” (number 42, February 1998), which reminds me of the long Summer break between my first and second year of university.

 

 

Next week (30 November): Eight top 150 entries and six bubbling WAY down under debuts. 

< Previous week: 16 November 1992                    Next week: 30 November 1992 >

Week commencing 10 August 1992

This week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100 are a mixed bunch.  Before taking a look at them, I have updated the following earlier post:

 

* 15 July 1991 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from The Farm.

 

Opus III's Kirsty Hawkshaw certainly felt the wind with that hairstyle in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 129 "N.W.O" by Ministry

Peak: number 118

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 129-119-118-131-124-129-135

 

We last saw American industrial metal band Ministry in March 1992.

 

"N.W.O", which of course stands for New World Order, is considered a protest song against American president at the time, George H.W. Bush.  The song contains numerous samples of his political speeches.  The track was the second single lifted from the band's fifth studio album ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ (number 54, August 1992), which is also known as Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs.

 

Internationally, "N.W.O" peaked at number 49 in the UK in August 1992.  It also reached number 11 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart during the same month.

 

I am slightly amused to see that an extended dance mix exists for this track.

 

This would be Ministry's final single to peak within the ARIA top 150.

Number 142 "Pain Lies on the Riverside" by Live

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 142

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

American band Live formed in York, Pennsylvania in 1984.  "Pain Lies on the Riverside" was the band's second single released in Australia, lifted from their second studio album and first major label release Mental Jewelry (number 137, July 1992).  It followed "Operation Spirit", which was released in Australia in May 1992 but failed to chart.

I was not aware of Live until "Selling the Drama" (number 49, September 1994), from their third album and commercial breakthrough Throwing Copper (number 1 for 7 non-consecutive weeks in August 1995 and January 1996), crept into the top 50 in 1994.  The band's biggest hit in Australia would be "Lightning Crashes" (number 13, September 1995), the following year.

 

Overseas, "Pain Lies on the Riverside" charted on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart, where it reached number 24.  It does not appear to have dented any other national chart.

 

Domestically, "Pain Lies on the Riverside" was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 120.

 

We will next see Live in 1995.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 168 "Rising Sun" by The Farm

Peak: number 168

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw English band The Farm in July 1991.

 

"Rising Sun" was issued as the lead single from The Farm's second studio album Love See No Colour (number 242, November 1992) in Australia.  The album oddly missed the top 75 in the UK, despite their debut album topping the albums chart there in 1991!  The album's title track was issued as the first single from the album in the UK, but stalled at number 58 there in December 1991.  Fickle poms, eh?

Internationally, "Rising Sun" peaked at number 48 in the UK in June 1992.  Locally, it was equally most-popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory and South Australia/Northern Territory, where it peaked at number 159 on both state charts.

We'll see The Farm once more, in November 1992.

 

 

Number 174 "I'll Be There" by Innocence

Peak: number 174

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw English band Innocence in 1991.

 

"I'll Be There" was the first single lifted from the group's second album Build (number 217, December 1992).

 

Internationally, "I'll Be There" peaked at number 26 in the UK in June 1992.  Locally, the single found greatest success in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 156.

 

We'll next see Innocence in 1993.

 

 

Number 178 "Burning Up the Night" by Flash and the Pan

Peak: number 178

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Australian duo Harry Vanda and George Young were, respectively, the lead guitarist and rhythm guitarist in The Easybeats, who scored two number one singles in Australia with "Sorry" (number 1, November 1966) and "Friday on My Mind" (number 1, December 1966).  During the 1970s, they produced AC/DC's first few albums, and wrote and produced numerous hits for John Paul Young, including "Love Is in the Air" (number 3, June 1978).

 

The duo began releasing material in 1976 as Flash and the Pan, which was essentially a side-project.  The pair landed back-to-back top 5 hits in Australia with "Hey, St. Peter" (number 5, February 1977) and "Down Among the Dead Men" (number 4, September 1978).  Flash and the Pan last charted in Australia with "Midnight Man" (number 66, February 1985).  During the 1990s, the pair wrote and produced Mark Williams' "Show No Mercy" (number 8, July 1990).

 

"Burning Up the Night" was the lead single and title track of Flash and the Pan's sixth and final studio album Burning Up the Night, which was released locally in September 1992 but failed to chart.

 

On the state charts, "Burning Up the Night" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 155.

 

George Young passed away in 2017, aged 70.

 

We shall next see Flash and the Pan in 1993.

  

 

Number 179 Find 'em, Fool 'em E.P. by S'Express

Peak: number 179

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw S'Express in 1989.  A track that Mark Moore, who essentially was S'Express, remixed bubbled under in 1990.

 

Since then, S'Express had gained a new lead singer, Sonique (real name Sonia Clarke), who would go on to score two solo hits in Australia with "It Feels So Good" (number 21, July 2000) - more than a year after it debuted at number 236 in March 1999 - and "Sky" (number 18, February 2001).

"Find 'em, Fool 'em, Forget 'em" appeared on S'Express's second album Intercourse, which was released in Australia in August 1992 but failed to chart.  The track was originally released as a single in its own right in the UK in early 1991, peaking at number 83 there in March of that year.  For the Find 'em, Fool 'em E.P., the track was paired with "Let It All Out", which did not appear on the album.

The 1992 release of the single peaked at number 43 in the UK in May 1992.  In Australia, the E.P. was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 141.

While we won't see S'Express bubbling under again, they landed another minor hit in Australia with "Theme from S-Xpress (The Return Trip)" (number 42, July 1996).

 

We will see Sonique on her own in 1998.

 

 

Number 184 "I Talk to the Wind" by Opus III

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

English electronic band Opus III were Kevin Dodds, Ian Munro and Nigel Walton, with Kirsty Hawkshaw providing vocals.  They landed a minor hit in Australia with their debut single "It's a Fine Day" (number 54, May 1992), which was a cover version of an a cappella track recorded by Jane in 1983.  Listening to the original, Kirsty provides almost an exact replica of Jane's vocals - at least to my ears.

"I Talk to the Wind" was the second and final single lifted from Opus III's debut album Mind Fruit (number 173, August 1992).  Like its predecessor, this track was another cover version, this time quite a radical reworking of a song originally recorded by King Crimson in 1969.

Internationally, Opus III's rendition of "I Talk to the Wind" peaked at number 52 in the UK in June 1992.

Locally, "I Talk to the Wind" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 145.

We'll next see Opus III in 1994.

 

 

 

Number 192 "Dr. Bombay" by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien

Peak: number 160

Peak date: 17 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

Born Teren Delvon Jones, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien became a one-hit wonder in Australia earlier in 1992 with "Mistadobalina" (number 11, June 1992).  Mistadobalina would be name-checked in the opening line of "Dr. Bombay", which I had not heard before, as well as in the second verse.

 

"Dr. Bombay" was issued as Del's second single from his debut album I Wish My Brother George Was Here (number 151, July 1992) in Australia.

Internationally, "Dr. Bombay" peaked at number 26 in New Zealand in August 1992.  Locally, the single performed best in Western Australia, where it reached number 147 on the state chart.

"Dr. Bombay" would be Del's last single to chart in Australia.  To my surprise, however, he landed a second charting album, in 2008, with his fifth studio album Eleventh Hour (number 538, March 2008).

 

Number 202 "Make It with You" by The Pasadenas

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 17 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw English group The Pasadenas in March 1992.

 

"Make It with You" was lifted from their covers album Yours Sincerely, and is a cover version of a song originally recorded by Bread in 1970.  Bread's version peaked at number 8 in Australia on the Go-Set chart in October 1970.

Internationally, The Pasadenas' version of "Make It with You" peaked at number 20 in the UK in April 1992, number 28 in Ireland in April 1992, and number 54 in Germany in June 1992.

Domestically, "Make It with You" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 148.

This would be The Pasadenas' final charting release in Australia.

 

Next week (17 August): A quieter week, with only four top 150 debuts.

 

< Previous week: 3 August 1992                               Next week: 17 August 1992 >

Week commencing 15 July 1991

It doesn't matter how big you are - everyone flops at some point, and we'll see that is definitely the case this week in 1991, when one of the most successful recording artists in the world - at the height of her popularity, no less - lands outside the ARIA top 100.  Shall we take a look?

 

Madonna took a 'holiday' from the ARIA top 100 this week in 1991.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 121 "When Love Comes Down" by The Slow Club

Peak: number 121

Peak date: 15 July 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 121-122-132-136-148

 

Australian band The Slow Club were fronted by Andrew Sefton, and also contained the lead guitarist from English band Japan, Rob Dean.  Surprisingly, Japan never landed a charting single in Australia, but their album Gentlemen Take Polaroids (number 86, March 1981) dented the top 100.  Japan's biggest hit in the UK was "Ghosts", which reached number 5 there in April 1982.

The Slow Club scored two ARIA top 50 hits with their first two releases, "Shout Me Down" (number 36, November 1990) and "Rosalie" (number 46, March 1991).

 

"When Love Comes Down" was issued as the third and final single from The Slow Club's only album World of Wonders (number 101, November 1990).  I don't recall hearing this one before.  A music video probably exists, but has not yet been uploaded online.

 

 

Number 148 "Holiday" by Madonna (re-issue)

Peak: number 144

Peak date: 22 July 1991

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chat run: 148-144-150

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

This single originally peaked at number 4 on 14 May 1984, and spent 22 weeks in the top 100.

 

Madonna Ciccone made her understated debut on the Australian chart in November 1983, when "Burning Up", her second single but first Australian release, spent a solitary week at number 95.  "Burning Up", which did not chart anywhere else, would go on to reach number 13 in June 1984 following the success of the next single.  And that next single in question would be... you guessed it, "Holiday", which peaked at number 4 in May 1984.

"Holiday" was the first in a string of 20 consecutive Australian top 40 hits for Madonna, with only one of those missing the top 20.  Madonna's hit streak in Australia came to a crashing halt with "Oh Father" (number 59, January 1990), which, ironically, was the first Madonna song I really connected with.  Yes, you read that right.  Madonna's ubiquity in the 1980s put me off her a bit; she seemed inescapable.  In retrospect, I can appreciate most of Madonna's pre-"Oh Father" singles, but I really liked "Oh Father"... shame the record buying public didn't.

Madonna followed up "Oh Father" with another flop I enjoyed, "Dear Jessie", which spent two consecutive weeks at number 51 in March 1990.  Just when it seemed like Madonna's chart fortunes were waning, she quickly bounced back with one of the biggest hits of her career, "Vogue", which spent five weeks at number one in April and May 1990, becoming the third highest-selling single of 1990 in Australia.  It would, however, be Madge's last Australian number one single for a decade, and none of her other 1990s singles peaked higher than number 4 in Australia.

Madonna's first greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection (number 1, November 1990) was released towards the end of 1990, with her film Truth Or Dare (titled In Bed with Madonna in Europe and Australasia) premiering in Australia on 27 June 1991.  Madonna seemed to be the biggest pop star in the world in 1991, despite only releasing two singles that year - one of which was a re-release - and nothing else on the musical front.

 

Following the controversial music video for the lead single from The Immaculate Collection, "Justify My Love" (number 4, December 1990), the follow-up release "Rescue Me" (number 15, March 1991) was released without any promotion, and no music video - though a montage video was put together for the UK market.

The 1991 release of "Holiday" in Australia was an even more-understated affair - I was not aware of its release at the time.  In fact, I had a 'debate' with a Madonna fan over whether "Holiday" was even released here in 1991, despite there being 7", 12" and CD singles listed in The ARIA Report's weekly list of new release titles on 8 July 1991.  Of course there had to have been a local release - whether an Australian pressing or just European imports - for "Holiday" to have registered enough sales to chart in 1991; albeit lowly.

A bunch of earlier Madonna singles were issued on CD in Australia (European imports, I am assuming) on the same date as the 1991 release of "Holiday", but only "Holiday" received vinyl releases at the same time.

 

The CD single for the 1991 release of "Holiday" was titled The Holiday Collection, and contained two of Madonna's earlier hits that were excluded from The Immaculate Collection, "True Blue" (number 5, November 1986) and "Causing a Commotion" (number 7, November 1987) - although the latter is, annoyingly, titled "Causin' a Commotion" on this release.  Only Madonna could leave off international top 10 hits from her greatest hits collection!

Internationally, the 1991 release of "Holiday" peaked at number 5 in the UK in June 1991, number 3 in Ireland, number 24 in the Netherlands in July 1991, number 40 in the Flanders region of Belgium in July 1991, and number 37 in France in August 1991.

The 1991 issue of "Holiday" was the third time the single had reached the UK top 10, after originally peaking at number 6 there in February 1984, and at number 2 in August 1985.  That must be some kind of record - in the pre-streaming era, anyway.  Only in the UK.

Within Australia, the 1991 release of "Holiday" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 107.

Madonna will join us on a surprising number of occasions over the next two and a half years, with the next one being in February 1992.

 

Number 150 "Borrowed Love" by Bingoboys featuring Arnold Jarvis and Princessa

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 12 August 1991

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 150-148-140-112-104-123-119-127-140

 

Austrian dance music trio Bingoboys came out of nowhere to land a number 3 hit in Australia with "How to Dance" in May 1991, featuring Princessa on vocals.  It would be their only single to register a place in the ARIA top 100.

 

The act's second single, "Borrowed Love", featured vocals from both Princessa and Arnold Jarvis.  Both tracks were lifted from The Best of Bingoboys (number 72, June 1991), which, despite the title, was the group's first album and was not a compilation.  I recall seeing an infographic over the "How to Dance" music video on Coca-Cola Power Cuts, similar to the format Pop-Up Video later used, explaining that the album was titled The Best of because "it's the best", according to the band.  Hmm.

While "How to Dance" had been a hit across Europe (minus the UK) and even crept into the top 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100, "Borrowed Love" did not follow suit, and the only other place it charted was the US, where it reached number 71 in July 1991.  That being said, only Australian and American pressings of the single are listed on discogs, so perhaps it did not receive a release in Europe.  Europe did receive "No Woman No Cry" which, despite sharing a title with a famous Bob Marley song, is not a cover version.  It was not issued as a single locally.

 

"Borrowed Love" performed better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 93.

 

I don't recall hearing "Borrowed Love" before.  It's very different to "How to Dance", but I like it.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 177 "Whenever You Lay Your Hands on Me" by Clive Young

Peak: number 177

Peak date: 15 July 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

We last saw Australian singer-songwriter Clive Young in July 1989.  In the interim, Clive switched record companies from EMI to Mushroom, and the album that was scheduled for release in 1989, Naturally, was shelved.

"Whenever You Lay Your Hands on Me" was the lead single from Clive's debut album When the World Goes 'Round, which did not see the light of day until September 1992 (it did not chart).  "Whenever You Lay Your Hands on Me" was released on 29 April 1991, and took almost three months to dent the ARIA top 200 for a solitary week.

On the ARIA state charts, "Whenever You Lay Your Hands on Me" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, as Clive's previous two singles had done, reaching number 154.  The difference between state and national chart peaks for Clive's earlier singles was stark, with "Something Special" peaking at number 15 in Victoria/Tasmania vs. number 50 nationally, and "Naturally" peaking at number 50 in Victoria/Tasmania vs. number 102 nationally.

A music video was filmed for "Whenever You Lay Your Hands on Me", but nobody seems to have their hands on it...

Clive will join us again in 1992.

 

 

 

Number 179 "Long Train Running" by Bananarama

Peak: number 179

Peak date: 15 July 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

Bananarama, whom we last saw in March 1991, really were in chart strife at this point in their career.  None of the four singles lifted from their fifth studio album Pop Life (number 146, August 1991) peaked higher than number 20 in the UK, and none of the album's singles dented the top 50 in Australia.  A combination of being perceived as an 80s act and the Bananarama girls now being in their 30s were probably factors.  The group had also made a deliberate attempt to move away from the Stock Aitken Waterman sound that permeated their work between 1986 and 1989, to lukewarm commercial results.

Although Bananarama made a point of not including any cover versions on their second album Bananarama (number 99, July 1984), which spawned the top 40 hits "Robert de Niro's Waiting" (number 40, August 1984) and "Cruel Summer" (number 32, February 1985), each of their studio albums since had included a cover version, which also ended up being released as a single.  The girls' attitude to releasing covers probably softened following the massive success of "Venus", which resurrected their career and was number 1 in Australia for seven weeks in September and October of 1986.  "Venus" also topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1986.

The Nanas' fourth studio album WOW! (number 1, June 1988) contained a version of The Supremes' "Nathan Jones", which was not a huge hit in Australia, peaking at number 59 in March 1989, after being re-recorded with new band member Jacquie O'Sullivan and tacked onto their The Greatest Hits Collection (number 21, January 1989) compilation. 

A version of The Beatles' "Help!" (number 25, May 1989) was then recorded with French and Saunders' Bananarama parody act Lananeeneenoonoo, including Kathy Bourke as the third member, to raise funds for Comic Relief.

Bananarama covered The Doobie Brothers' 1973 single "Long Train Runnin'", adding a 'g' to the title, for their Pop Life album.  The Doobie Brothers' version peaked at number 58 on the Kent Music Report, but this was on the charts David Kent later compiled retrospectively (they were not published at the time), so I do not consider these official.  The 1993 Sure Is Pure remix of "Long Train Runnin'" peaked at number 67 in Australia in March 1994.

Released as the third Pop Life single, "Long Train Running" peaked at number 30 in the UK in April 1991, number 18 in Ireland in April 1991, number 47 in the Flanders region of Belgium in June 1991, and number 45 in Germany in June 1991.

Domestically, "Long Train Running" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 122.

I was (and still am, to a large degree) a Bananarama fan when this track was released.  The only place I heard "Long Train Running" at the time was on the Hot 30 Countdown on Fox FM, which was supposedly voted for by listeners.  I tuned in part-way through the song, and recognised that it was Bananarama quickly.  The song seemed familiar to me; I must have heard the original on the radio when growing up.

"Long Train Running" was somewhat different for Bananarama, featuring castanets and flamenco guitars performed by Gipsy Kings, using the name Alma De Noche.  That's the kind of thing Stock Aitken Waterman would never have done, and one of the Nanas commented in a Smash Hits interview in 1990 that their new producer Youth was open to things like putting seagulls on a track, whereas Stock Aitken Waterman would have "laughed that idea out the window".

For whatever reason, Bananarama's music was not connecting with the record-buying public in the early 1990s in the same way it had - albeit inconsistently - during the 1980s.  Following this album's era, the more-experimental sounds of Pop Life would be abandoned, and the girls would return to Stock Waterman (Aitken left in mid-1991) for their next album, which was creatively a step backwards.

 

But before then, a fourth single was released from Pop Life in Europe, "Tripping on Your Love", which was the first Bananarama single to miss the UK top 75 since "Aie a Mwana", their debut release in September 1981.  Jacquie O'Sullivan also quit the group around August 1991, after three and a half years, and there's a solo interview with Keren Woodward from that month where she admits they don't know where Jacquie is right now.  Jacquie speaks of her time in Bananarama in this interesting podcast interview from 2020, which is well worth checking out.  Sara Dallin also gave birth to her daughter Alice towards the end of 1991.

Bananarama have continued on as a duo since 1992, with original band member Siobhan Fahey (who went on to form Shakespears Sister) rejoining them for a live tour in 2017.  Bananarama have a new album Masquerade scheduled for release next week, with the video for the title track, which is the best new Bananarama track I have heard for some time, premiering last month.

We shall see Bananarama next in 1992.

 

 

Number 181 "Crazy" by Daisy Dee

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 22 July 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

Daisy Dee, born Desiree Rollocks, is a Dutch "singer, actress, TV host, stylist, and television producer" (thanks Wikipedia).  She was a featured vocalist on MC B's version of Technotronic's 'This Beat Is Techntronic", which was a top 20 hit in the Netherlands, Austria and Germany in 1990.  That single was released in Australia in April 1990, but missed the top 150.

"Crazy" was Daisy's first solo release in Australia, was lifted from her 1992 debut album Daisy Dee.  "Crazy" peaked at number 29 in the Netherlands in September 1990, and number 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1991.  The song was used in the Vanilla Ice movie Cool As Ice, but did not make its way onto the accompanying soundtrack album.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "Crazy" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 145.

 

Daisy would land her biggest chart success in Australia with a remixed version of this track, "Crazy 96", which reached number 38 in September 1996.  This would be Daisy's only top 100 entry in Australia, although she came within a whisker of the top 100 again in 2000.

 

Daisy will join us next in 1996.

 

 

 

Number 182 "Piece of My Heart" by Tara Kemp

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 19 August 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

American r&b/new jack swing singer Tara Kemp landed her first chart 'hit' in Australia with her first release, "Hold You Tight", which peaked at number 68 in May 1991.  That single was vastly more successful in the US, where it reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1991, becoming the first of two top 10 hits Tara would land in her home country.

 

"Piece of My Heart" was the second of Tara's US top 10 hits, reaching number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1991.  It was the second single from Tara's debut album Tara Kemp, which peaked at number 140 on the ARIA albums chart in April 1991.  Internationally, "Piece of My Heart" peaked at number 81 in Canada in August 1991.

Within Australia, "Piece of My Heart" was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 136 on the state chart.

 

I remember hearing both "Hold You Tight" and "Piece of My Heart" on the American Top 40 radio show.

 

A third single from Tara Kemp, "Too Much", was released locally in September 1991, but failed to chart. "Piece of My Heart" was Tara's last single to chart in Australia.

 

 

 

Number 194 "Don't Let Me Down" by The Farm

Peak: number 194

Peak date: 15 July 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

We last saw The Farm in April 1991.

 

"Don't Let Me Down" was the third single issued from the band's first studio album Spartacus (number 106, May 1991).

 

Internationally, "Don't Let Me Down" peaked at number 36 in the UK in April 1991, number 29 in Ireland in May 1991, and number 78 in Germany in June 1991.

 

Locally, "Don't Let Me Down" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 169.

 

We'll next see The Farm in 1992. 

 

Next week (22 July): Four top 150 debuts and one bubbling WAY down under entry.

 

< Previous week: 8 July 1991                                         Next week: 22 July 1991 >

Week commencing 22 April 1991

Of the twelve new entries I write about from this week in 1991, eight of them did not make the top 40 anywhere that I can ascertain (and none of these are Australian artists).  Before we take a look, I have updated the following earlier posts with the following:

• 10 April 1989 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Tony Llewellyn;
  
• 23 October 1989 - new bubbling WAY down under entries from Tony Llewellyn and Scary Bill;
  

 

The Farm: all together in ARIA chart no man's land.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 118 "Mad About You" by Sting

Peak: number 109

Peak date: 29 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 118-109-112-115-125-131

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

We last saw Sting bubble WAY down under in November 1990.  "Mad About You" was the second single issued from Sting's third solo studio album The Soul Cages (number 3, February 1991).  It followed "All This Time" (number 26, February 1991).

Internationally, "Mad About You" peaked at number 56 in Sting's native UK in March 1991, number 44 in the Netherlands in March 1991, and number 59 in Germany in May 1991.

Within Australia, "Mad About You" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 80.

I don't recall hearing "Mad About You" before, but, presumably it received some airplay, as Australian FM radio loved Sting and his former band The Police during this period.

 

Few would have predicted that "All This Time" would become Sting's final solo (non-collaboration) top 40 hit in Australia, at the time.

"Mad About You" dented the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart, peaking at number 95.

We'll next see Sting in June 1991.

 

 

 

Number 122 "Melt in Your Mouth" by Candyman

Peak: number 118

Peak dates: 29 April 1991 and 13 May 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 122-118-122-118-127-135

 

American rapper John B. Shaffer III, better known as Candyman, scored a number 9 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1990 with "Knockin' Boots", a song I became acquainted with via the American Top 40 radio show.  The single did not perform as well in Australia, peaking at number 58 in January 1991.

 

"Melt in Your Mouth" was the second single from Candyman's debut album Ain't No Shame in My Game (number 142, January 1991).  The single peaked at number 69 in the US in February 1991, and at number 41 in the Netherlands in April 1991.  Candyman effectively became a one-hit wonder, or, in Australia, a not-quite one-hit wonder.

I hadn't heard "Melt in Your Mouth" before.  The song's chorus and melodic hook are lifted from The Spinners' "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" from 1972.

 

"Melt in Your Mouth" peaked higher on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 94.

Number 140 "Loose Fit" by Happy Mondays

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 6 May 1991

Weeks in top 150: 10 weeks

Chart run: 140-132-117-119-119-120-127-124-122-124

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

We last saw English band Happy Mondays in August 1990.  "Loose Fit" was the third single lifted from the band's third studio album Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches (number 98, March 1991).

 

"Loose Fit" peaked at number 17 the UK in March 1991, and at number 71 in the Netherlands in May 1991.  It's interesting (or so I think) how the peak positions for "Loose Fit" in various countries are all combinations of the numbers one and seven.

Domestically, "Loose Fit" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 53.

I have heard "Loose Fit" before, and like it, but could not remember how the song went until listening to it again to write this post.

Owing to the Gulf War taking place in early 1991, the "Gonna buy an airforce base, gonna wipe out your race" lyric was edited out of "Loose Fit" for the single's release in the UK.  I remember reading about sillier censorship decisions by the BBC around the time of the Gulf War, such as banning Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian" (number 1, February 1987).  That's the kind of censorship you might expect from the US.

Happy Mondays will join us next in 1992.

Number 142 "All Together Now" by The Farm

Peak: number 102

Peak date: 6 May 1991

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 142-110-102-104-113-116-116

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

English band The Farm last graced us with their presence in January 1991.  "All Together Now" was the second single from the band's first studio album Spartacus (number 106, May 1991).

 

An early version of "All Together Now", titled "No Man's Land", was written after the band's singer Peter Hooton, who had trained as a history teacher, read an article about the unofficial Christmas truce between British and German soldiers during the first World War in 1914.  The troops ditched their weapons to play a game of football on 'no man's land', the space between their trenches.  The song was performed live on John Peel's Radio 1 show in 1983.  When recording the song in 1990, producer Suggs (from Madness) suggested the chorus lyric should be "all together now".  The song interpolates German baroque composer Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D".

 

The single peaked at number 4 in the UK in December 1990, number 9 in the Netherlands in February 1991, number 13 in the Flanders region of Belgium in February 1991, number 5 in Germany in March 1991, and number 18 in Switzerland in April 1991.
 

On the state charts, "All Together Now" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 66.  The single also crept into the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart, peaking at number 96.

 

I don't recall hearing "All Together Now" in 1991, but became familiar with the song via a 1995 happy hardcore cover version from German eurodance band Intermission.

We will see The Farm again in July 1991.

Number 149 "Temple of Love" by Harriet

Peak: number 149

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 149

Here's one I had never heard of before.  Harriet, whose full name is Harriet Roberts, is a soul singer from Sheffield in the UK.  Interestingly, this track was her only release to dent the UK (compressed) top 100, spending a solitary week at number 100 on the compressed chart (number 129 on the uncompressed chart with no exclusions below number 75) in August 1990.

"Temple of Love" was lifted from the album Woman to Man; Harriet's only album release.  A much dancier version of the track, which I prefer, was released as the single version in Germany and Japan.

Bizarrely, "Temple of Love" was released in Australia in October 1990, taking six months to scrape into the top 150.  In the interim, Harriet released another single locally, "Woman to Man", in January 1991, but it missed the top 150.

Number 150 "Funk Boutique" by The Cover Girls

Peak: number 150

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 150

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

The only song by New York-based freestyle group The Cover Girls I had heard before is one that we will see in 1992.

"Funk Boutique", which is quite sparse in lyrics, appears to have been an in-between albums release that was eventually included on the group's third studio album Here It Is (number 236, September 1992) in 1992.

"Funk Boutique" peaked at number 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1991.

Domestically, "Funk Boutique" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 144.

The Cover Girls will make their second and final appearance on the ARIA singles chart in 1992.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 154 "All I Want Is You" by Surface

Peak: number 154

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

You can tell from the first few seconds of this track that it's going to be a slickly-produced r&b lurve ballad... and that's exactly what it is, listening to this track for the first time.

Surface last 'surfaced' (ho ho) on the ARIA top 150 in February 1991.  "All I Want Is You" was another single from the group's third studio album 3 Deep (number 146, April 1991).

 

Surprisingly, "All I Want Is You" did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100.  It did, however, reach number 8 on the US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in April 1991... for what that's worth.

 

Locally, "All I Want Is You" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 147.

"All I Want Is You" would be Surface's last single to chart in Australia.

Number 158 "G.L.A.D." by Kim Appleby

Peak: number 158

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

We first saw Kim Appleby in January 1991.  "G.L.A.D.", short for good lovin' and devotion, was the second single lifted from Kim's debut solo album Kim Appleby (number 159, April 1991).  The song was co-written with Kim's late sister Melanie, who was the other half of Mel & Kim, and Craig Logan, the former Bros member who Kim was dating at this time.

G.L.A.D. was going to be the title of Mel & Kim's second album, which never eventuated, following F.L.M. (number 2, August 1987) and sticking with the alphabet letters theme.  Kim launched her solo career nine months after Mel's passing in January 1990.  She was driven to showcase the songs she and Mel had written during Mel's illness, as a tribute to her sister.

"G.L.A.D." was remixed from the original album version for its single release by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow, the B-team at Stock Aitken Waterman (who produced the F.L.M. album).  The track features a rap from Aswad's Brinsley Ford.

Internationally, "G.L.A.D." reached number 10 in the UK in February 1991, number 7 in Ireland, number 6 in the Flanders region of Belgium in April 1991, and top 20 in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Within Australia, "G.L.A.D." performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 138.

Unlike Kim's previous single, I heard "G.L.A.D." at the time, catching the video on Channel 10's short-lived Coca-Cola Power Cuts as a new release.

A third single from the Kim Appleby album, "Mama", was released in Australia in June 1991, but failed to chart.  It did, however, give Kim a third and final solo top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at number 19 there in July 1991.

A fourth single, "If You Cared", was issued from the album in the UK in October 1991, but did not receive a local release.  Mel & Kim performed a live a cappella excerpt from "If You Cared" in their April 1988 interview on UK TV show Wogan.

We shall see Kim Appleby again in 1993.

Number 172 "Couldn't Say Goodbye" by Tom Jones

Peak: number 172

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

We last saw Welsh singer Tom Jones in 1989.  "Couldn't Say Goodbye" was the lead single from Tom's 32nd studio album Carrying a Torch (released in Australia in July 1991, did not chart).

 

Internationally, "Couldn't Say Goodbye" peaked at number 51 in the UK in January 1991.  In Australia, the single performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 161 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard "Couldn't Say Goodbye" until listening to it while writing this post.  I actually chuckled to myself when I saw that the song was co-written by beige songwriter extraordinaire Diane Warren, as it's exactly the kind of schmaltz she is responsible for.  I did think to myself "I bet this one was written by Diane Warren" before checking the credits.

 

Tom will join us next in 1995.

 

 

Number 180 "Now That We've Found Love" by Love in Effect featuring Jazzie B

Peak: number 180

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

This track is a cover version of The O'Jays' "Now That We've Found Love" from 1973.   Another version of the song, by Heavy D. & The Boyz, peaked at number 6 in Australia in September 1991.

Love in Effect was an ensemble of artists who came together to release this single and nothing else.  I assume the track was recorded for charity, as these things usually are, but cannot find any evidence of such.

 

The artists featured in Love in Effect include Soul II Soul's Jazzie B (the only one to receive a featuring credit), Ben Vopeliere-Pierrot from Curiosity Killed the Cat, Ruby Turner, Diana Brown and Barry K. Sharpe, The Wee Papa Girl Rappers, Jeninne Levy, and Jay Williamson.

This version of "Now That We've Found Love" missed the UK top 75, and peaked at number 80 in the Netherlands in March 1991.  The single was most-successful in New Zealand, where it reached number 25 in May 1991.

Within Australia, "Now That We've Found Love" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 167.

Number 191 "Don't Hold Back Your Love" by Daryl Hall & John Oates

Peak: number 161

Peak date: 29 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

We last saw Daryl Hall & John Oates in December 1990, with the lead single from the duo's fourteenth studio album Change of Season (number 137, February 1991).  "Don't Hold Back Your Love" was the second and final single released from the album in Australia.

Internationally, "Don't Hold Back Your Love" peaked at number 41 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1991.

In Australia, "Don't Hold Back Your Love" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 108.

Australian singer Daryl Braithwaite would go on to score a bigger 'hit' with this song later in 1991.  His version of "Don't Hold Back Your Love" peaked at number 55 in October 1991, and spent 23 weeks on the chart.

As it is unlikely I will be writing these chart recaps by the time it gets to 2010 (as my interest in new music drops off sharply by the turn of the century), I can reveal now that Hall and Oates landed one further charting single in Australia - "You Make My Dreams", which originally peaked at number 40 in October 1981, re-entered the ARIA singles chart in March 2010, peaking at number 106 during the same month.  Despite the low peak, "You Make My Dreams" has gone on to spend 167 weeks on the chart and has been certified triple platinum by ARIA in December 2019.  Don't you just love these anomalies of the streaming era?

We will next see Daryl Hall, sans John Oates, in 1994.

Number 194 "Deal for Life" by John Waite

Peak: number 194

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

English rock singer John Waite has joined us previously, fronting the band Bad English, in 1990.  John first came to fame as the lead singer of British rock group The Babys, whose biggest hit in Australia was "Isn't It Time" (number 1, March 1978).  The Babys scored a second top 10 hit in Australia, with "Every Time I Think of You" (number 6, April 1979).

 

John then embarked on a solo career, and landed a major hit with "Missing You" (number 5 for five weeks in October 1984).  However, it would be his only solo top 50 single in Australia.  John then fronted Bad English, who had a top 5 hit with "When I See You Smile" (number 4 for two weeks in January-February 1990).

 

John returned to his solo career to record "Deal for Life" for the Days of Thunder soundtrack (number 31, September 1990), which also contained Maria McKee's "Show Me Heaven" (number 3 for five weeks in December 1990-January 1991), Elton John's "You Gotta Love Someone" (number 32, November 1990), and Guns N' Roses' "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (number 12, August 1992).

 

Internationally, "Deal for Life" peaked at number 83 (number 80 on the compressed chart) in the UK in December 1990.

 

In Australia, "Deal for Life" was most popular in Western Australia, reaching number 156 on the state chart.

 

We'll next see John on his own in 1994.

 

 

Next week (29 April): Two top 150 debuts and four bubbling WAY down under entries.  Also, my 1981 Kent Music Report beyond the top 100 recaps will resume on Wednesday (27 April) next week.

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