Week commencing 4 January 1993

Welcome to 1993!   What were you doing that year?  1993 was an eventful year for me.  I was in year 9 at high school and officially entered adolescence.  At the time, I didn’t think 1993 was that great a year for chart music - there seemed to be many hangover songs from late 1992 clogging up the charts for the first few months of the year, and a dearth of female lead vocal songs in the top 50.  In retrospect, there was a lot of new music I enjoyed from 1993; just most of it didn’t chart so well in Australia!  But that’s what this blog is about: exploring the music that didn’t perform so well on the Australian chart.

The first chart survey of 1993 sees a number of veteran acts who had been around since at least the 1970s debuting.

 

I have updated a bunch of earlier posts:

 

* 31 July 1989 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Baby Ford; 

* 7 August 1989 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Carole King;

* 5 March 1990 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Van Morrison;

* 12 March 1990 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Rita MacNeil;

* 2 July 1990 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Eric Clapton;

* 11 February 1991 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Grand Plaz; 

* 18 February 1991 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Yazoo;

* 16 March 1992 - with new bubbling WAY down under entry from Rita MacNeil.

Deborah Harry would probably feel blue over this chart position.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 135 “That’s the Way God Planned It” by The Party Boys

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 11 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 135-132-133-136-140

We last saw Aussie band The Party boys in 1989.  Since then, they scored a minor hit with their version of "Do-Wah-Diddy" (number 81, September 1990).

"That's the Way God Planned It", a cover of the Billy Preston song which peaked at number 22 in Australia on the Go Set chart in September 1969, was recorded to raise money for charity - I remember seeing a TV commercial featuring the song at the time, but can't remember now which charity it was for.  Clearly, not much money was raised, given that this single stalled at number 132!

The single, featuring Jon 'Swanee' Swan - whom we saw bubble under in 1990 - on lead vocal, was released in September 1992 and took almost four months to dent the top 150.

This was The Party Boys' final single.

Number 145 “All Alone on Christmas” by Darlene Love

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 4 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 145

American R&B singer and actress Darlene Love, real name Darlene Wight, was the lead singer in the female vocal trio The Blossoms.  She previously landed one entry on the Australian chart, all the way back in 1963, with "(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry", which peaked at number 78.

"All Alone on Christmas" appears on the soundtrack album for the movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which was also issued as Home Alone Christmas (number 148, January 1993).  The single peaked at number 31 in the UK in December 1992, and at number 83 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1993.  "All Alone on Christmas" also peaked at number 52 on the US Billboard Radio Songs chart in January 1993.

Darlene would finally crack the ARIA top 50 in 2023 with another Christmas song, "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)", which was recorded in 1963 and, to date, has peaked at number 26 in December 2024.

Number 148 “Summertime Blues” by Deborah Harry

Peak: number 138

Peak date: 11 January 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 148-138-141-140-(out for 1 week)-150

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

We last saw Deborah Harry in 1991.

 

"Summertime Blues" is a cover version of the Eddie Cochran song from 1958, which peaked at number 18 in Australia.  Deborah's version was recorded for the That Night soundtrack, and appears to have only been released as a single in Australia, where it performed strongest on the Queensland state chart, reaching number 109.

I remember catching the music video for this track on rage as a new release in late 1992.

We'll next see Deborah in October 1993.

Number 149 “Happy Valley” by Richard Clapton

Peak: number 110

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 149-139-125-137-110-122-125-136

Weeks on chart: 13 weeks

 

We last saw Australian singer-songwriter Richard Clapton in 1989.  "Happy Valley" was the lead single from Richard's tenth studio album Distant Thunder (number 37, July 1993).

 

On the state charts, "Happy Valley" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 81.

I hadn't heard this one before.  I didn't mind it; the female backing vocals were good.

Richard will join us again in August 1993.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 186 “I Still Believe in You” by Cliff Richard 

Peak: number 176

Peak date: 25 January 1993

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

'Sir' Cliff last joined us in 1991.

 

Christmas time in this era often meant a new Cliff Richard single was released.  "I Still Believe in You" was the lead single from Cliff's imaginatively-titled 31st (!) studio album, The Album (number 72, May 1993).

Internationally, "I Still Believe in You" peaked at number 7 in the UK in December 1992, and at number 18 in Ireland in December 1992.

In Australia, "I Still Believe in You" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 160 on the state chart.

Cliff will join us next in July 1993.

 

Number 188 “Oh No Not My Baby” by Cher

Peak: number 188

Peak date: 4 January 1993

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Pop veteran Cher last paid us a visit in 1991.

 

"Oh No Not My Baby", a cover version of the Maxine Brown song from 1964, was written by Carole King and Geoffrey Goffin, who also wrote "The Loco-Motion" for Little Eva (which was of course later covered by Kylie Minogue, among others).  Cher's version was issued as the first 'new' single to promote her Cher’s Greatest Hits: 1965-1992 (number 48, December 1992) compilation.

 

Internationally, Cher's version of "Oh No Not My Baby" peaked at number 33 in the UK in November 1992, number 52 in Germany in January 1993, number 30 in Austria in January 1993, and number 19 in Switzerland in February 1993.

 

Locally, "Oh No Not My Baby" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 162 on the state chart.

I recall hearing a snippet of this track as a preview on Take 40 Australia, but hadn't heard the full song until writing this post.  It's not among Cher's best.

Cher will join us next in April 1993.

Next week (11 January): Five top 150 entries and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous chart: 14 December 1992                   Next week: 11 January 1993 >

Week commencing 13 March 1989

A big twelve new entries this week, from a varied bunch of artists.  Let's take a look at them:

2 Brave: Looking sultry and wearing silly hats didn't seem to help this Scandinavian duo score a hit down under.

 

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 117 "Windows of the World" by Pretenders 

Peak: number 117

Peak dates: 13 March 1989 and 20 March 1989

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Chart run: 174-(off chart for 1 week)-117-117-124-126-120

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

Somewhat surprisingly, the Australian top 100 singles charts were a hit-free zone for Pretenders for almost 7 years, book-ended by two top ten hits - those being 1987's "Hymn to Her" (number 7, June 1987), and 1994's "I'll Stand by You" (number 8, June 1994).  They did managed to 'bubble under' with this track, though, which is a cover of the Dionne Warwick song.  Pretenders' version of "Windows of the World" was recorded for the 1969 soundtrack (number 134, July 1989).

Internationally, "Windows of the World" peaked at number 120 (number 102 on the compressed chart) in the UK in April 1989.

Domestically, "Windows of the World" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 89 on the state chart.

We shall see Pretenders next in 1990.

 

Number 124 "She's Got a New Spell" by Billy Bragg

Peak: number 116

Peak date: 20 March 1989

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 124-116-119-123-126-133 

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

This single was Billy's first foray into the Australian singles chart... kind of.  He'd reach the top 100 in 1991 with "Sexuality" (number 46, September 1991), and dented the ARIA top 50 albums chart with this song's parent album Workers Playtime (number 49, March 1989).

Internationally, "She's Got a New Spell" peaked at number 132 (number 112 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1988. 

Locally, "She's Got a New Spell" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 96.

We'll see Billy next in 1991.

Number 141 "Loco in Acapulco" by The Four Tops

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 13 March 1989

Weeks in top 150: 1 week 

Top 150 chart run: 141

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks 

This track is lifted from the Buster soundtrack (number 35, March 1989), and was written by Phil Collins and Lamont Dozier.  I remember seeing the video for this one on rage while waiting for the top 50 chart countdown to begin, early on a Saturday morning. This was the group's first Australian singles chart entry since "When She Was My Girl" peaked at number 54 in early 1982.

Elsewhere, "Loco in Acapulco" peaked at number 7 in the UK in January 1989, number 23 in Germany in January 1989, number 9 in Ireland, number 9 in the Netherlands in February 1989, and number 13 in the Flanders region of Belgium in February 1989.

Locally, "Loco in Acapulco" was most popular in Western Australia, where it peaked at number 86 on the state chart.

Number 143 "When I'm With You" by Sheriff

Peak: number 117

Peak date:  10 April 1989

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Known chart run: 158-143-124-133-124-117-120

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

The first and only Australian singles chart entry for this Canadian rock band has a rather interesting back-story.  The song was originally released as a single in 1983 - although I can find no evidence of it being released locally then.  The band split in 1985, and after a radio station in the US began playing the song in late 1988, it was re-issued there (after having peaked at number 61 in 1983).  It then went on to top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1989, despite having no music video.

Another claim made about this song is that the note held at the end of it is the longest (19.3 second) note held by a male pop singer on record.  Phew!  As if all of that wasn't enough, two of the band's members went on to form part of Alias, who would score a hit in 1991 with "More Than Words Can Say" (number 30, April 1991).

On the state charts, "When I'm with You" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 90.

Number 146 "Follow Your Heart" by The Party Boys

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 10 April 1989

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 146-(out for 1 week)-110-109-107-114-118-(out for 3 weeks)-123-131-130-132-134

Australia's Party Boys scored a big number one hit in 1987 with their version of "He's Gonna Step on You Again" (number 1, July 1987), but would have to settle for bubbling under the top 100 with this release, less than two years later.  While it's not the sort of thing I normally listen to, I concede that the chorus is catchy.  Despite peaking at number 107, this single spent 11 weeks in the 101-150 section of the chart.

We'll see The Party Boys again in 1993.

 

 

Number 147 "Stop That Girl" by 2 Brave

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 20 March 1989

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 147-142

A certain Scandinavian duo hailing from Sweden would conquer the Australian charts in 1989, but this duo, originating in Norway, couldn't manage to crack the top 140.  It's a shame, really, as this is quite a good slice of infectious pop music that I hadn't heard before.  I wonder who knew about it locally to snap up sufficient copies of it to dent the top 150?  The duo had greater success in their homeland, where this reached number 4.

Number 148 "Johnny" by The Celibate Rifles

Peak: number 128

Peak date: 10 April 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks 

Chart run: 148-134-131-137-128-136-137 

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Despite forming in 1979, this was actually the Australian band's first taste of chart 'success'; albeit, at a rather modest level.  "Johnny" is lifted from The Celibate Rifles' fifth studio album Blind Ear (number 85, July 1989).  They'll go on to visit the 101-150 section of the singles chart on no fewer than four other occasions in the coming three years.

On the state charts, "Johnny" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 86.

The Celibate Rifles will next join us in June 1989.

 

Number 149 "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad" by Buckwheat Zydeco

Peak: number 129

Peak date: 10 April 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 149-147-141-140-129-138-(out for 1 week)-141

This is another one I'd never heard of before.  Buckwheat, born Stanley Dural, Jr., was an American accordionist.  I say 'was', because he sadly passed in 2016.  This track is a cover of a track by Eric Clapton's band Derek & The Dominoes, from 1970.  Oddly, this version by Buckwheat Zydeco does not appear to have charted elsewhere - I've no idea why it 'charted' in Australia.

 

Number 150 "Back to the Track" by Shane Howard

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 3 April 1989

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 150-(off chart for 2 weeks)-148

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Another track I'd never heard before, though I was familiar with Shane via his massive hit with Goanna, 1982's "Solid Rock" (number 3 for 5 weeks in December 1982-January 1983), and the handful of minor top 50 hits he had locally in 1990-1991.  This release appears to have been his first solo single, and was the title track of his Back to the Track (number 111, March 1989) album.

On the state charts, "Back to the Track" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 94.

We will next see Shane in 1991.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 160 "Fake 89" by Alexander O'Neal

Peak: number 160

Peak date: 13 March 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

American r&b singer Alexander O'Neal's recording career almost began in 1980 as a member of The Time, a band that would be signed under a clause in Prince's recording contract with Warner Brothers Records.  However, Alex was replaced by Morris Day following a dispute with the purple one.

 

Alex's first solo album Alexander O'Neal, partly produced by James Harris and Terry Lewis, was released in 1985, but does not appear to have received an Australian release (it did, however, receive a New Zealand one).

Alex's second album Hearsay (number 142, March 1989) was released in Australia in August 1987, led by the original release of "Fake" in June 1987.  "Fake" failed to chart in Australia, but bubbled under on the Australian Music Report's list of singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100, reaching fifth place on the list in August 1987.  The 1987 release of "Fake" became Alex's biggest hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 25 there in September 1987.

 

The second single from Hearsay, "Criticize", was issued locally in November 1987, but failed to chart.  In contrast, "Criticize" was Alex's biggest hit in the UK, peaking at number 4 there in December 1987. "Criticize" is also my favourite Alexander O'Neal song that I have heard.

The Hearsay album spent 40 weeks on the US Billboard 200 chart, despite only peaking at number 29, and similarly spent 103 weeks on the UK albums chart, where it reached number 4.  Owing to the album's chart longevity, a string of singles was released from the album (though not in Australia), including "Never Knew Love Like This", a duet with Cherrelle.

 

Alex had previously dueted with Cherrelle on "Saturday Love", which was Alex's first release in Australia in April 1986, though it failed to chart here.  "Saturday Love" reached number 6 in the UK in January 1986.

 

As the 1987 issue of "Fake" only reached number 33 in the UK in June 1987, a remixed version of the single was released in September 1988, to promote the remix album Hearsay - All Mixed Up.  "Fake 88" peaked at number 16 in the UK in October 1988.  As there was often a several month delay between European and Australian releases back then, it was 1989 by the time "Fake 88" was issued in Australia, and, accordingly, its title was adjusted to "Fake 89", although it was the same remix.

Unfortunately for Alex, he never landed a top 100 single or album in Australia.  We will see him bubble under on a few more occasions, though, with the next one being in 1991.

 

 

Number 164 "Little Liar" by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

Peak: number 164

Peak date: 13 March 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

 

Having not listened to this track until writing this post, I am surprised by how similar the music and chord progressions are to Cher's "I Found Someone" (originally recorded by Laura Branigan in 1985).  "Little Liar" was released as the second single from Up Your Alley, following "I Hate Myself for Loving You" - both of which failed to chart in Australia, to my surprise.  This track had greater success in the US, where it peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1989.

We will next see Joan and the gang in 1994.

Number 172 "My Song" by Glass Tiger

Peak: number 172

Peak date: 13 March 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Canadian rock band Glass Tiger scored their biggest, and only real, hit in Australia with "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" (number 9, January 1987) in 1986.  They followed it up with two further singles that barely dented the top 100, "Thin Red Line" (number 91, February 1987) and "Someday" (number 97, April 1987).  All three tracks were lifted from the band's debut album The Thin Red Line (number 77, February 1987).  A fourth single from the album, "I Will Be There", was released in Australia in June 1987, but failed to chart.

Glass Tiger returned in 1988 with "Diamond Sun", which missed the national chart (when it ended at number 100), but registered on the state charts for South Australia/Northern Territory and Western Australia, where it peaked at numbers 73 and 53 respectively, in July 1988.  "My Song" was issued as the third single from the band's second album Diamond Sun (released in Australia in June 1988, did not chart), following "I'm Still Searching" (released locally in August 1988, did not chart).

Internationally, "My Song" peaked at number 33 in Canada in October 1988.

We will see Glass Tiger again in 1992.

Next week (20 March): Just three new top 150 entries - among them is a young star from 1988 whose 15 minutes looked like they were already up; a bubbling WAY down under debut, and another bubbling WAY down under entry from another teen artist who would go on to be massive later on in the year.

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