This week in 1993’s new entries peaking outside the Australian top 100 singles chart are another eclectic bunch, with short-lived supergroups, metal, techno, acoustic artists and models-turned-singers. Something for everyone. Shall we take a look?
Nick Scotti: despite the Madonna connection, he couldn’t wake up anybody with this release.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 116 “Only” by Anthrax
Peak: number 101
Peak date: 21 June 1993
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 116-101-110-115-120-119-125
We last saw American thrash metal band Anthrax in 1990.
“Only” was the lead single from the band’s sixth studio album Sound of White Noise (number 30, May 1993). Internationally, “Only” peaked at number 36 in the UK in May 1993, and number 48 in the Netherlands during the same month. The song also peaked at number 26 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in June 1993.
This would be Anthrax’s last single to peak in the number 101 to 150 region of the Australian chart.
Number 131 “Baby You’re a Rich Man” by Company of Strangers
Peak: number 118
Peak dates: 21 June 1993 and 28 June 1993
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 131-118-118-120-126-133
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks
During the early 90s, there seemed to be a mini-trend of Australian artists either collaborating with each other, or forming ‘supergroups’. Company of Strangers, a supergroup of sorts, was put together by songwriter-producer Simon Hussey, roping in James Reyne, Daryl Braithwaite and Jef Scott. Simon had previously collaborated with James Reyne on all three of his solo albums to this point in 1993, and Daryl Braithwaite’s two solo albums at this point since his 1988 comeback.
“Baby You’re a Rich Man”, a cover of the Beatles song from 1967, was the fourth and final single released from the band’s only album Company of Strangers (number 9, March 1993). It followed “Motor City (I Get Lost)” (number 26, September 1992), “Sweet Love” (number 21, January 1993), and “Daddy’s Gonna Make You a Star” (number 35, March 1993). The latter of those three is my favourite Company of Strangers single, and it’s ‘nice’ to see that the official Australian Crawl YouTube channel have stolen my upload of it (complete with rage superscript) for their channel…
On the state charts, “Baby You’re a Rich Man” performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 93.
Number 140 “Boss Drum” by The Shamen
Peak: number 116
Peak date: 12 July 1993
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Chart run: 140-(off chart for two weeks)-136-116-131-122-126
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
Scottish electronic band The Shamen last joined us in 1991.
“Boss Drum” was issued as the fourth single in Australia from The Shamen’s fifth studio album Boss Drum (number 35, February 1993). In Europe, however, it was the album’s third single. It’s Australian release followed “LSI (Love Sex Intelligence)” (number 53, January 1993), “Ebeneezer Goode” (number 14, January 1993) and “Phorever People” (number 63, February 1993).
Internationally, “Boss Drum” peaked at number 4 in the UK in November 1992, number 5 in Ireland in November 1992, number 47 in the Flanders region of Belgium in December 1992, number 46 in the Netherlands in December 1992, number 22 in Switzerland in January 1993, number 20 in Sweden in January 1993, and number 20 in Austria in January 1993. The song also reached number 8 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in April 1993.
Domestically, “Boss Drum” was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 66 on the state chart.
I heard “Boss Drum” a couple of times on the UK Chart Attack radio program in late 1992, but was not aware of its belated local release in mid-1993. The song didn’t really grab me until I gave it a proper listen in the early 2010s when it appeared on a music video VHS compilation I was digitising.
We’ll next see The Shamen in October 1993.
Number 142 “When Heroes Go Down” by Suzanne Vega
Peak: number 113
Peak date: 5 July 1993
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 142-134-120-113-123-134
Weeks on chart: 10 weeks
American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega last paid us a visit in February 1993.
“When Heroes Go Down” was the third and final single released in Australia from Suzanne’s fourth studio album 99.9°F (number 56, November 1992). The single was virtually a Greatest Hits EP, with the other tracks on it being Suzanne’s first three Australian top 40 hits: “Marlene on the Wall” (number 39, April 1986), “Luka” (number 21, August 1987), and “Left of Center” (number 35, July 1986).
Internationally, “When Heroes Goes Down” peaked at number 58 in the UK in February 1993. Locally, the single performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 100 on the state chart.
I didn’t hear this one until getting hold of Suzanne’s Tried and True: The Best of (number 96, November 1998) compilation in early 2000. It must be one of the shorter singles to register on the Australian singles chart, clocking in at just 1 minute and 54 seconds, and is surely one of the only songs to contain the word ‘equivocate’ in its lyrics,
We’ll next see Suzanne in 1996.
Number 150 “Penthouse and Pavement” (The Tommy D Remixes) by Heaven 17
Peak: number 150
Peak date: 14 June 1993
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Top 150 chart run: 150
Weeks on chart: 8 weeks
We last saw English electronic band Heaven 17 in in April 1993.
“Penthouse and Pavement” (The Tommy D Remixes) was the third remixed single released to promote their Higher and Higher: The Best of (number 129, May 1993) compilation album, although this time, the updated version of the track does not appear on the album.
Released as a single in 1981, the original version of “Penthouse and Pavement” peaked at number 57 in the UK in November 1981, number 37 in New Zealand in March 1982, and number 93 in Australia for two non-consecutive weeks in April 1982. The 1993 remix peaked at number 54 in the UK in April 1993, and at number 26 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
The 1993 release of “Penthouse and Pavement” was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 112 on the state chart.
This was the last Heaven 17 singles chart entry in Australia. The group had a later album release, Bigger Than America (number 155, February 1997), that narrowly missed the ARIA top 150 albums chart.
Although we shall not see Heaven 17 again, the band’s lead singer Glenn Gregory will make an appearance fronting another act in July 1993.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 175 “Wake Up Everybody” by Nick Scotti
Peak: number 171
Peak date: 28 June 1993
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
Born Domenico Nicola Aniello Scotti, American Nick Scotti was primarily an actor, though also branched out into modelling and singing. Nick played Tony Viscardi on long running US soap opera The Young and the Restless between 1996 and 1999. He also appeared in a 1998 episode of one of my favourite shows Tracey Takes On…, and in a 2002 episode of Sex and the City.
Music-wise, Nick only recorded and released one album, Nick Scotti, which was released in Australia in April 1993 but did not chart. “Wake Up Everybody”, the first single issued from the album, was originally recorded by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes in 1976. Nick ran into a pre-fame Madonna and Jellybean Benitez while out clubbing in New York underage. At 17, he embarked on a successful modelling career in Japan, relocating to France at 19. In 1991, Nick, crossed paths with Madonna again, at a birthday party for photographer Herb Ritts. Nick got talking to Madonna and told her that he was writing some songs. She suggested he send her a demo tape, which she then passed on to Warner Bros. Records (Madonna’s Maverick label did not yet exist), and they offered Nick a recording contract. Madonna co-wrote, produced, and sang backing vocals on one of the songs on the album, which we will see bubble under in September 1993.
While all of this would seem like a promising recording career was beckoning for Nick, this wasn’t to be the case. Nonetheless, Nick’s version of “Wake Up Everybody” reached number 9 on the US Dance Club Songs chart in May 1993. The single also peaked at number 90 (number 84 on the truncated chart with exclusions below number 75) in the UK in May 1993.
In Australia, “Wake Up Everybody” performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 162 on the state chart.
I didn’t hear this one at the time. I thought Nick’s voice was surprisingly soulful, and had I closed my eyes, I could have believed he was black.
We’ll see Nick on one more occasion, in September 1993.
Number 214 “Take Me for a Little While” by Coverdale Page
Peak: number 214
Peak date: 14 June 1993
Weeks on chart: 1 week
Another supergroup of sorts, Coverdale Page was a collaboration between Whitesnake front man David Coverdale and Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin. Together, the duo recorded one album, Coverdale Page (number 25, April 1993), from which “Take Me for a Little While” was the second single released, following “Pride and Joy” (number 89, April 1993).
Internationally, this single peaked at number 29 in the UK in June 1993. The song also reached number 15 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart in August 1993.
Locally, “Take Me for a Little While” was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 159 on the state chart.
I wasn’t expecting to like this one, but the chorus isn’t bad.
This would be the last Coverdale Page single to chart in Australia.
Next week (21 June): Seven top 150 entries and four bubbling WAY down under debuts.
