A mixed bag of debuts this week - one by an act with a previous minor hit in Australia, another by an act with a decent-sized hit that they couldn't follow up, an act with a few hits under their belt's final release, and two new acts who would never go on to make the top 100 (at least in their current form). There isn't really a common thread there that I can write about... so let's just get on to the debuts.
The State: One of them would go on to write non-hits for Collette.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 122 "Heaven in My Hands" by Level 42
Peak: number 115
Peak date: 6 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Chart run: 155-(off chart for 2 weeks)-122-115-132-128-120-125-122
Weeks on chart: 8 weeks
Level 42 scored 20 top 40 hits in their native UK, but could chart no higher than number 43 down under, with 1987's "Running in the Family" (number 43, June 1987). They'll be back later in the year with another top 150 entry.
Internationally, "Heaven Is in My Hands" peaked at number 12 in the UK in September 1988, number 9 in Ireland in September 1988, number 20 in Switzerland in October 1988, number 22 in Germany in October 1988, number 4 in the Netherlands in October 1988, number 6 in the Flanders region of Belgium in October 1988, and number 10 in Norway.
Locally, "Heaven in My Hands" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 77.
Number 131 "I Won't Bleed for You" by Climie Fisher
Peak: number 124
Peak date: 6 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Chart run: 131-124-139-131-134
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
Climie Fisher returned to the top 150 this week, following in the footsteps of "This Is Me" from January, with their second consecutive single to peak in the 120's. Two more singles of theirs were released in Australia in 1989: "Love Like a River" (April) and "Facts of Love" (October), but both failed to chart.
Internationally, "I Won't Bleed for You" peaked at number 35 in the UK in August 1988. Locally, the single was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 116.
While we won't see Climie Fisher again, singer Simon Climie will bubble under in 1992.
Number 138 "Cars & Planes" by Machinations
Peak: number 105
Peak date: 13 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 138-133-105-108-108-116-113-118-119
This fourth and final single from 1988's Uptown (number 50, November 1988) album was also Machinations' final single, after front man Fred Loneragan was injured in a car accident in April 1989. "Cars & Planes" failed to connect with the record-buying public.
Number 142 "Is This Love?" by King Swamp
Peak: number 109
Peak date: 20 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 142-(out for 2 weeks)-109-116
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
Formed in 1988, UK band King Swamp scaled the lower end of the top 100 in their homeland, reaching number 92 with this track, from the album King Swamp (number 111, March 1989). In Australia, they did nearly as 'well', but missed the top 100.
On the state charts, "Is This Love?" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 73.
Number 150 "So Lonely Now" by The State
Peak: number 150
Peak date: 27 February 1989
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Top 150 chart run: 150
Before roping in Jack Jones (real name Irwin Thomas) and morphing into Southern Sons, The State had their first taste of chart 'success' with "So Lonely Now", which spent a solitary week at number 150. CD copies of their album Elementary fetch upwards of $70 on discogs.com now! Interestingly, Peter Bowman from the group would later go on to co-write most of Collette's second album, Attitude (number 107, April 1991).
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 159 Ballad of the Streets EP by Simple Minds
Peak: number 159
Peak date: 27 February 1989
Weeks on chart: 1 week
From time to time, I notice what I think (sometimes it's clear; other times, more a matter of opinion) are mistakes on the ARIA chart. This is one of them.
Ballad of the Streets was the name - across all formats - given to the single containing the track "Belfast Child" by Simple Minds. However, the single cover also listed "Belfast Child" and the other track(s) - depending on which format, so there was no mistake it was the 'Belfast Child single' if you were browsing the stock in a record store.
My only guess - and it is just a guess - as to why ARIA have listed Ballad of the Streets separately to "Belfast Child", which was at number 23 this week, is that it represents sales of the 12" vinyl or CD single, with extra track "Biko" on it. Sales of the 12" or CD single really should have just been added to the tally for "Belfast Child".
Adelaide band The Everys only released one studio album, Everyone, which did not chart at its time of release, in February 1989. It did, however, manage to chart... at number 1280, in June 2018, following its digital release. I suspect the album would have peaked higher in 1989 had the chart extended lower back then.
"Eyes for the Blind" was the third of four singles issued from the album; the other three - "This Town" (January 1988, released as The Every Brothers), "Paved with Gold" (July 1988) and "Stranger You Are" (July 1989) - did not chart.
Number 175 "Four Letter Word" by Kim Wilde
Peak: number 165
Peak date: 13 March 1989
Weeks on chart: 3 weeks
Poor Kim could only manage sporadic chart success in Australia, after
her string of four consecutive top 10 singles in 1981-2. A four letter
word is what Kim might be thinking if she looked at her Australian
chart history... though we at least gave her a number one hit - something she somehow couldn't manage in her home country - in 1987.
Elsewhere, "Four Letter Word" peaked at number 6 in the UK in January 1989, number 5 in Ireland, number 9 in the Netherlands in February 1989, number 18 in Switzerland in February 1989, number 9 in the Flanders region of Belgium in March 1989, number 27 in Germany in March 1989, and number 23 in Austria in May 1989.
In Australia, "Four Letter Word" was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 115.
Next week(6 March): Another 5 new top 150 entries, though one of them isn't really 'new'. Other acts debuting next week include another return act, and a double A-side from a female rap act who looked like they were going to become one-hit wonders.
Please note that next week's post will be on Friday, rather than Thursday, due to the leap day this year. My posts for the next 4 years (assuming I continue writing these posts) will now be on a Friday.
This post is the first in a series to take a look at singles that 'bubbled under' the Kent/Australian Music Report chart, before the ARIA chart extended beyond number 100. This first instalment covers the AMR charts from winter 1988, coinciding with the first few months of the ARIA-produced chart.
Tiffany: The Australian record-buying public's feelings for Tiff weren't, unfortunately, forever.
Prior to the advent of the first ARIA-produced chart (that was published) in June 1988, ARIA had been licensing the top 50 portion of the Kent Music Report (which was later known as the Australian Music Report, from the edition dated 6 July 1987) since late June 1983.
I say "that was published", as ARIA actually produced an unpublished top 50 chart, as a trial run, a week prior to 'going live' with the chart linked above. But we'll get to that in another post.
The Kent/Australian Music Report, since 23 August 1982, had included a list of "singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100" - if that is not a contradiction in terms.
Usually, the titles listed in this section were singles that had not yet entered the national top 100 chart. But, curiously, the list also included titles falling out of the top 100 from time to time.
The singles were ranked in order of sales, with the best-selling title among them being listed first, and so on. These lists were akin to the US Billboard 'Bubbling Under' chart, listing titles that were on the cusp of entering the Hot 100 chart, but had not yet done so.
The number of titles listed varied week by week. Sometimes, only a few titles were listed. Other weeks (mainly later on), the list could contain as many as 25-30 titles! Some weeks (not very often, thankfully), there was no list of these 'bubbling under' titles at all.
As there are no available records of the Kent/Australian Music Report chart extending beyond number 100, these lists provide the next best thing in giving an indication of what was lurking outside the top 100. The songs listed are not literally positions 101, 102 etc., however.
After that rather lengthy intro, this post will look at singles that 'bubbled under' the Australian Music Report (AMR) top 100 chart between June and August 1988 that also did not make the ARIA top 100 or top 150 charts. I will take a look at other periods in later posts. Note that this list does not include singles that entered the AMR top 100, but missed the ARIA chart. That will be yet another topic for another day!
Non-charting singles that bubbled under the Australian Music Report chart June-August 1988:
"Towers of Strength" by Died Pretty
AMR chart first listing: 6 June 1988
Highest rank: 15 (on the 'bubbling under' list)
Five years before they finally broke into the top 100, Australian band Died Pretty bubbled under with this release.
"Rise to the Occasion" by Climie Fisher
AMR chart first listing: 13 June 1988
Highest rank: 5 (on the 'bubbling under' list)
Before 'Love Changes (Everything)' became a number 23 hit, this ballad, which peaked at number 10 in the UK in January 1988, bubbled under the top 100.
"The Way I Live" by Tony Johns
AMR chart first listing: 20 June 1988
Highest rank: 12 (on the 'bubbling under' list)
I've never heard of Tony Johns before... but noticed that one YouTube upload for this song declares that he is a "6'4" 100% Italian ladies man from Salt Lake City".
"Hold on to Love" by Jon Anderson
AMR chart first listing: 27 June 1988
Highest rank: 12 (on the 'bubbling under' list)
I wrongly assumed I'd never heard of Jon Anderson before. It turns out that he was the lead singer of Yes, they of 'Owner of a Lonely Heart', which peaked at number 14 on the Australian singles chart in February 1984.
"Responsible" by The State
AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988
Highest rank: 2 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
The State would later evolve into Southern Sons, after recruiting new singer Jack Jones (real name: Irwin Thomas). But for now they had to settle with bubbling under the top 100. They will also make an appearance among the top 150 debuts in a couple of weeks.
"Diamond Sun" by Glass Tiger
AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988
Highest rank: 3 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Glass Tiger found it an impossible task following up 'Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)', which peaked at number 9 on the Australian singles chart in January 1987, with no subsequent single release charting higher than number 91 in Australia.
"Love Takes Care" by The Angels
AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988
Highest rank: 9 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
The Angels seemed to have so many singles released during 1980s. I've never heard of this uncharacteristically-subdued song, which was a live release, following up their live rendition of 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?', which peaked at number 11 in March 1988.
"Don't Stand So Close to the Window" by Paul Kelly & The Coloured Girls
AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988
Highest rank: 10 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
This one is interesting, as this song somehow made it onto the various artists 'hits' compilation Hit Pix '88 Volume II, despite never reaching the top 100. There also does not seem to be a music video for the song.
The former teen idol scored a US Billboard number 2 hit with this single.
"Get It" by Stevie Wonder & Michael Jackson
AMR chart first listing: 18 July 1988
Highest rank: 7 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
I wasn't previously aware of this track's existence, or that it received a single release. This single stalled at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100, though made the top 15 in the Flanders region of Belgium.
"Don't Blame It on That Girl" by Matt Bianco
AMR chart first listing: 1 August 1988
Highest rank: 5 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
I have heard this one before. Matt Bianco, who are a group rather than a solo artist as the name might suggest, scored Australian top 100 hits with 'Whose Side Are You On?' (number 57 in June 1985) and 'Yeh Yeh' (number 64 in March 1986).
"Paved with Gold" by The Everys
AMR chart first listing: 8 August 1988
Highest rank: 6 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
An Australian band, this was the best The Everys managed on the chart; although 'Eyes for the Blind' spent one week at number 100 on the AMR chart in February 1989 (it did not reach the ARIA top 150).
"Life at a Top People's Health Farm" by The Style Council
AMR chart first listing: 15 August 1988
Highest rank: 8 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Quite an interesting song title, I've never heard of this one before. It peaked at number 28 in the UK. The Style Council scored a top 150 'hit' in 1989 which will be coming up in April in my weekly recaps.
"Baby Boom Baby" by James Taylor
AMR chart first listing: 15 August 1988
Highest rank: 3 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Wikipedia tells me that this one peaked at number 24 in Canada, but didn't do much elsewhere. Australia did not break that trend.
"Live in Hope" by Train of Thought
AMR chart first listing: 22 August 1988
Highest rank: 8 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything about this one, as it is not on YouTube or discogs.com, and I have never heard it. Can anyone reading this help?
"I Wasn't the One (Who Said Goodbye)" by Agnetha Fältskog & Peter Cetera
AMR chart first listing: 22 August 1988
Highest rank: 8 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Unlike her fellow ABBA-bandmate Frida, Agnetha wasn't able to score a solo hit down under, with 1983's 'Can't Shake Loose' being her only top 100 hit, at number 76. Not even this duet with Peter Cetera could turn her solo chart fortunes around.
"Skin Deep" by Cher
AMR chart first listing: 22 August 1988
Highest rank: 13 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Cher might have had a comeback earlier in the year with 'I Found Someone', but this release wasn't a chart success anywhere, peaking at number 79 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Waiting" by V. Spy V. Spy
AMR chart first listing: 22 August 1988
Highest rank: 16 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Australian band V. Spy V. Spy had scored 6 top 100 hits, with 'Don't Tear It Down' (number 31 in March 1987) performing the best among them.
"Chains of Love" by Erasure
AMR chart first listing: 22 August 1988
Highest rank: 11 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Two number 13-peaking singles (1986's 'Oh L'amour' and 1992's 'ABBA-Esque' EP) aside, Erasure didn't exactly set the Australian charts on fire, with no other single peaking higher than number 45. While 'Chains of Love' missed both the AMR and ARIA national top 100, it did manage to peak at number 91 on the South Australian/Northern Territory ARIA state singles chart, on 29 August 1988.
"Feelings of Forever" by Tiffany
AMR chart first listing: 29 August 1988
Highest rank: 14 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)
Tiffany's string of three top 15 hits in Australia came to a screeching halt with the release of this fourth (in Australia) single from her self-titled debut. Quite a pity, really, as it's a nice song, I think. It did manage to dent the South Australian/Northern Territory ARIA state singles chart, though, peaking at number 93 on 29 August 1988.
Stay tuned for the second instalment of this series, covering AMR bubbling under singles from Spring 1988, at a date yet to be determined.
