Week commencing 28 August 1989

Before I start this week's post, I want to highlight that you can now follow my posts on instagram at the embedded link.

One thing all of this week's debuting acts have in common is that they had patchy success on the Australian charts.  A couple of big hits a decade apart, a one-hit wonder with (much) greater success in movies, an artist who had more success as a jingle writer, and a relic from the 1950's - we've got 'em all this week.  So let's take a look...

The B-52's morph into The CFC-52's with this track... though I wonder how many CFC's were released with all that hairspray?

Top 150 debuts:

Number 114 "Warrior" by Public Image Ltd 

Peak: number 114

Peak date: 28 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Chart run: 161-114-125-124-124

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

One thing that annoys me is when a band name is not consistent across their releases.  Sometimes a band name has a The at the front of it; other times it doesn't.  Or, even worse, the sleeve artwork says one thing, but the disc says another.  Consistency, please!  Here, case in point, we have Public Image Limited - or Public Image Ltd, P.I.L, or PiL - take your pick!  On this release, the band - fronted by former Sex Pistol John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten - are billed as Public Image Ltd... on the sleeve, but P.I.L. on the vinyl label and CD.  Do you see why I find this so infuriating?  Now, onto the music in question, up until now, P.I.L. (or whatever you want to call them) had placed two singles on the Australian chart, the biggest of those being "This is Not a Love Song" (number 17, January 1984).

"Warrior" was the second single lifted from the album 9 (number 57, August 1989), and peaked at number 89 in the group's native UK.  In Australia, "Warrior" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 71 on the state chart.

Public Image Ltd will join us again in 1990, though under the name Public Image Limited.  See what I mean about artist name consistency?

 

 

Number 133 "Raising Heaven (In Hell Tonight)" by Patrick Swayze 

Peak: number 131

Peak dates: 11 September 1989, 18 September 1989 and 25 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 133-132-131-131-131-145

Patrick Swayze hit the big time as an actor towards the end of 1987, with the phenomenal success of the movie Dirty Dancing and its accompanying soundtrack.  Patrick also tried his hand at singing, and scored a top 10 hit with "She's Like the Wind" (number 6, April 1988).  While Patrick is generally thought of as being a one-hit wonder when it comes to the charts, it didn't matter so much, as music was not his raison d'être - in fact, he never released an album.  It may then surprise some readers to know that he scored a second 'hit' - of sorts - on the Australian charts with this track, another movie tie-in, from the Road House soundtrack (number 43, July 1989).  "Raising Heaven (In Hell Tonight)" also registered on the Swiss charts, where it peaked at number 30 in August 1989.  Patrick, of course, passed away in 2009, aged 57.

Number 146 "Channel Z" by The B-52's 

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 4 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Known chart run: 155-146-145

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

The B-52's scored two decent-sized hits in Australia in 1980 with "Rock Lobster" (number 3, May 1980) and "Private Idaho" (number 11, September 1980); but no other single they had released up until now had peaked higher than number 43 on the Australian charts.  Their last charting single down under was "Summer of Love" (number 90, December 1986), and they hadn't troubled the top 40 locally since 1980.  Fast forward to 1989, the group had since lost guitarist Ricky Wilson to AIDS in 1985, and their previous fun-loving, party image had been replaced by a more 'serious', politically conscious one... at least for this single.  Somewhat prophetic, "Channel Z" touched upon the brainwashing nature of dedicated 24-hour TV news channels (which weren't a thing in Australia until 2009), getting all of your 'news' from one source, and the looming environmental catastrophe. Thirty-one years later, we seem to be in a much worse state with these things.

The lead single from their Cosmic Thing (number 1 for 3 weeks in January 1990) album, "Channel Z" didn't exactly set the charts alight.  Internationally, the 1989 release of "Channel Z" peaked at number 182 (number 125 on the compressed chart) in the UK in September 1989, and number 43 in the Flanders region of Belgium in September 1989.  The song also registered on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, where it reached number 1 in August 1989.

In Australia, "Channel Z" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it peaked at number 78.  This pattern of doing best in South Australia/Northern Territory was evident across all of the singles issued from Cosmic Thing - perhaps most strikingly when "Love Shack" debuted at number 101 nationally, but at number 7 on the SA/NT state chart!  Cosmic Thing also topped the SA/NT state chart in December 1989; a month before it reached number 1 nationally.

"Channel Z" was re-issued in 1990 in several countries, including Australia (in September 1990), after the success of "Love Shack" (number 1, December 1989), "Roam" (number 11, March 1990), and... er, "Deadbeat Club" (number 73, April 1990), but did not re-enter the top 150 again.  The 1990 release of the single registered on the UK charts, however, peaking there at number 61 in August of that year.  "Channel Z"'s lack of success surprises me, as it seemed to get the group back on the radar - I caught the video on Countdown Revolution several times, and songs about the environment seemed to be topical in 1989.  Nevertheless, the single propelled Cosmic Thing to number 62 on the ARIA albums chart in September 1989, before its ascent to number 1 in January 1990, following the success of "Love Shack".

In a way, "Channel Z" was perhaps one of the first 'buzz release' singles - used primarily to generate interest in the group again before 'attacking' with the sure-fire hit sledgehammer that was "Love Shack".  As it turns out, "Channel Z" was recycled as the B-side on "Love Shack", which enticed me to purchase the "Love Shack" cassingle.  The B-52's will visit us again in 1992.

 

 

Number 150 "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis 

Peak: number 101

Peak date: 11 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 150-(out for 1 week)-101-103-117-112-116-119

I have previously written about this one, in my special post on singles peaking at number 101.  OK, you may be asking 'why is a song from 1957 on this list?'  Well, "Great Balls of Fire" was re-recorded to coincide with the release of the biopic film about Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire!, where Dennis Quaid plays the leading role.  This issue of the single performed particularly well in New Zealand, where it peaked at number 8 in September 1989.  For once, I think us Aussies showed better taste in not making it a hit again.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 161 "When the Day Is Done" by Stephen Cummings 

Peak: number 161

Peak date: 28 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

This track was the third and final single lifted from Stephen's A New Kind of Blue album (number 53, March 1989).  Stephen was technically the first artist I saw live in concert, as the support act on the Australian leg of Tori Amos' Under the Pink tour, in December 1994.  To date, Stephen had only landed two solo top 40 hits since The Sports disbanded in 1981; and the last of those was in 1984.  Stephen, of course, had notable success as a jingle-writer for TV commercials, such as this Medibank Private one, which still occasionally pops into my head, 30 years later...  If only some of Stephen's jingles had been singles!  On the state charts, "When the Day Is Done" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 151.

We will see Stephen again numerous times in the coming years, with his next visit being in 1991.

Number 164 "Cha Cha Heels" by Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat

Peak: number 151

Peak date: 18 September 1989

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

British band Bronski Beat, formed by Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek, burst onto the Australian chart in 1984 with their debut single "Smalltown Boy" (number 8, August 1984), with then band member Jimmy Somerville on vocals.  Further hits with Jimmy on lead included "Why" (number 10, November 1984), "It Ain't Necessarily So" (number 58, February 1985), and "I Feel Love (Medley)" (number 34, June 1985) with Marc Almond.  Jimmy then left the band to form Communards, whose biggest hit was "Don't Leave Me This Way" (number 2, November 1986), before embarking on a solo career.

Jimmy was replaced by singer John Foster, who sang on further Bronski Beat hits "Hit That Perfect Beat" (number 3, March 1986) and "C'mon C'mon" (number 27, June 1986).  Check out the strategically-placed coconuts in the video for the latter if you haven't seen it before!

Steve and Larry wrote "Cha Cha Heels" with drag actor/singer Divine, who scored a top ten hit in Australia with the Stock Aitken Waterman-produced (their first hit) "You Think You're a Man" (number 8, October 1984), in mind.  As Divine passed away in 1988, they instead offered the song to actress/singer Eartha Kitt, best known (at least, to me) for her role as one of two women who played villainess Catwoman in the Batman TV series from the 1960s.  Eartha reprises her trademark Catwoman purr on this track.

Internationally, "Cha Cha Heels" peaked at number 32 in the UK in July 1989, and number 22 in Ireland during the same month.  In Australia, "Cha Cha Heels" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 114.

The video for "Cha Cha Heels" is notable for only including fleeting appearances from Bronski Beat co-founder Larry Steinbachek, owing to his gradual departure from the band around this time.

Sadly, we have since lost Steve Bronski (died in 2021), Larry Steinbachek (died in 2016) and Eartha Kitt (died in 2008).

Next week (4 September): Next week there are just two new top 150 debuts, and that's all!  You can also follow my posts on facebook and instagram.

< Previous week: 21 August 1989                                          Next week: 4 September 1989 >

Week commencing 21 August 1989

Like last week, one thing the majority (4 out of 7) of this week's new entries have in common is that they registered on the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart.  Let's take a look at them.

Beastie Boys: You gotta fight for your right to have a hit Down Under!

Top 150 debuts:

Number 121 "This One" by Paul McCartney

Peak: number 113

Peak date: 28 August 1989 

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 121-113-122-119-130-129-127-139

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

"This One" was the second single lifted from Paul's Flowers in the Dirt album, following "My Brave Face" (number 30, June 1989).  I don't recall hearing 'this one' at the time.  The single performed better in the UK, where it peaked at number 18, and on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 94.  On the state charts, "This One" performed best in Queensland, where it peaked at number 62.  Macca will join us again in 1990.

Number 142 "Hey Baby" by Henry Lee Summer

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 21 August 1989 

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 142-(out for 3 weeks)-149

Henry Lee Summer scored a number 39 hit in Australia in September 1988 with "I Wish I Had a Girl".   This track was the lead single from his I've Got Everything album, and became his second and last US top 20 hit, peaking at number 18 in August 1989.  "Hey Baby" peaked much higher on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 76.

 

 

Number 147 "Gatecrashing" by Living in a Box

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 18 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 147-131-120-121-104-119-122-121-137

Weeks on chart: 13 weeks

Living in a Box's self-titled single from 1987 had, to date, been their only entry on the Australian singles chart (number 49, August 1987).  "Gatecrashing" was actually the second single lifted from the album of the same name in the group's native UK, but was the first single off it released in Australia.  "Gatecrashing" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it peaked at number 55; it also peaked higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, at number 95.  Living in a Box will join us again in November.

 

Number 150 "Hey Ladies" by Beastie Boys

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 4 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 150-(out for 1 week)-141-(out for 1 week)-144

Prior to the late 1990s, Beastie Boys (no 'The') had a surprising lack of success on the Australian charts.  Their only charting single to date had been 1987's "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)", which peaked at number 37 in April of that year, and they wouldn't score another top 40 single again until 1998 - that being "Intergalactic".  "Hey Ladies" was the lead single from their Paul's Boutique album (number 65, October 1989), and peaked at number 36 in the group's native US in September 1989.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 156 "Harry Houdini" by Kon Kan

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 21 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

Canadian synth-pop band Kon Kan landed a minor 'hit' on the Australian chart with "I Beg Your Pardon" (number 100, July 1989), their debut single, earlier in the year.  "Harry Houdini" was the second single lifted from the band's debut album Move to Move (released in Australia in July 1989, did not chart).

 

Internationally, "Harry Houdini" peaked at number 39 in Canada, number 88 in the UK in July 1989, and number 14 in New Zealand in September 1989.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "Harry Houdini" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 140.

 

We will next see Kon Kan in November 1989.

 

 

Number 160 "My One Temptation" by Mica Paris

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 4 September 1989

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

In Mica's (pronounced "mee-sha") native UK, "My One Temptation" was her first single release, way back in April 1988, where it peaked at number 7 in June of that year.  In Australia, "My One Temptation" was first released in late June 1988, but failed to chart.  Her debut solo album, So Good, however, managed to peak at number 127 on the ARIA albums chart in January 1989.  Before the June 1989 re-release of "My One Temptation", Mica had two other non-charting singles released locally: "Like Dreamers Do" (featuring Courtney Pine), and "Where Is the Love" featuring Will Downing.  Other than scraping number 100 with this single on the Australian Music Report chart, Mica would never score a top 100 hit in Australia on the ARIA chart, though she would come close in 1995.  "My One Temptation" performed the strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it peaked at number 105.  We will next see Mica in 1991.

Number 165 "Licence to Kill" by Gladys Knight

Peak: number 154

Peak date: 28 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

As someone with next to zero interest in movies, even I knew that Licence to Kill was the name of a Bond flick... and this just happens to be the theme song from that particular one.

 

Gladys Knight & The Pips, her band, placed six singles on the Australian top 100 chart between 1971 and 1976.  The biggest of those, "So Sad the Song" (number 13, February 1977), was the last time Gladys had visited our charts.

 

"Licence to Kill" gave Gladys a top 5 hit across Europe, and a number 6 hit in the UK, but she barely registered a blip on the ARIA chart.

 

On the state charts, "Licence to Kill" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 146.

 

Gladys will score another bubbling WAY down under 'hit' in 1996.

Next week (28 August): Four new top 150 debuts, and two bubbling WAY down under entries.  Among them, we have the understated return of a band who made a big splash at the start of the decade, and would again soon.  You can also follow my posts on facebook. 

< Previous week: 14 August 1989                                     Next week: 28 August 1989 >

Week commencing 14 August 1989

One thing you can say about this week's bunch of new entries is that they're a diverse lot.  Among them we have a rockabilly Elvis cover version, a song with twinges of country music, an Andrew Lloyd Webber number, and a groundbreaking release that is one of the first pop singles to feature guest rappers!  One thing each of this week's top 150 debuts have in common is that they all performed better on the rival Australian Music Report chart, reaching the top 100.  Let's take a look...

Jody Watley: Having a little help from her 'friends' couldn't help Jody score a hit Down Under.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 124  "She Ain't No Woman" by Priscilla's Nightmare

Peak: number 111

Peak date: 11 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 124-123-112-116-111-122-124

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Sounding rather unlike front man Scott Carne's previous group Kids in the Kitchen, Priscilla's Nightmare, as you might have guessed from the name, were an Elvis tribute band.  Also in the group was musician Chris Wilson, who passed away in January 2019.  The rockabilly "She Ain't No Woman" was the first and only single released by group, taken from their Priscilla's Nightmare mini-album, which peaked at number 73 on the albums chart in August 1989.  Despite the relative lack of success, a recent digital release of the mini-album spawned an online music news article.  "She Ain't No Woman" had its greatest success on the Victoria & Tasmania state chart, where it peaked at number 83.  The single also performed better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 94.  Scott would try his hand at a solo career in 1990, and we will see him bubble under again in 1991.

 

 

Number 134 "I Just Wanted to See You So Bad" by Lucinda Williams

Peak: number 122

Peak date: 25 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Chart run: 134-128-128-127-129-129-122-138-144

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

American Lucinda Williams had been releasing music since 1979, but this was her first foray onto the Australian singles chart.  Peaking higher (number 100) on the Australian Music Report singles chart, "I Just Wanted to See You So Bad" performed much stronger on the South Australia & Northern Territory state chart, where it peaked at number 46.  The track's parent album Lucinda Williams spent 32 weeks on the ARIA albums chart, despite its peak of number 117.  Lucinda will join us again in October.

 

 

Number 145 "Love Changes Everything" by Michael Ball

Peak: number 123 

Peak date: 27 November 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 145-(out for 3 weeks)-143-(out for 1 week)-150-(out for 6 weeks)-139-136-123-125

Not a cover of the similarly-titled 1988 Climie Fisher hit, "Love Changes Everything" was instead an Andrew Lloyd Webber composition, taken from the musical Aspects of Love.  This was yet another single that performed better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 88.  The single also peaked at number 2 in the UK in February 1989. 

We'll see a version of "Love Changes Everything" recorded by another artist in 1992.

 

 

Number 146 "Friends" by Jody Watley with Eric B. & Rakim

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 14 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Known chart run: 152-146

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

And here we are, folks - one of the first 'pop' hits (well, it reached number 9 in the US) to feature guest rap artists: namely, Eric B. & Rakim; and one of the first music videos to incorporate vogueing - almost a year before Madonna's "Vogue".  Jody scored a number 13 hit in Australia in 1987 with "Looking for a New Love", but, unfortunately, never again troubled the top 50.  "Friends" was the second single lifted from Jody's Larger Than Life LP, which peaked at number 96 in Australia in May 1989.  I'm not sure why the excellent singles from Jody's second album (or most of those from her first, for that matter) didn't connect with the Australian record-buying public; it seemed to me that both "Friends" and previous single "Real Love" (number 78 in May 1989) received a fair amount of exposure on radio and TV.  Plus, who can't relate to the lyrics of this song?  "Have you ever been stabbed in the back by someone you thought was really cool?" and "when you need them most, where are your friends?"  Preach it, sistah!  One small consolation is that "Friends" performed better nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 80.  On the ARIA state charts, "Friends" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 116.

If you like this track, it's also worth checking out the longer video for the extended version of "Friends".  We will see Jody again in 1990.

Number 147 "Gravitate to Me" by The The

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 14 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 147

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

The The, who were essentially lead singer Matt Johnson plus whoever else he chose to work with, had placed four singles on the Australian top 100 since 1983, with the biggest of those being "Infected" (number 24, March 1987) - the only one to make the top 40.  "Gravitate to Me" was the second single from their third album, Mind Bomb (number 32, June 1989), following their third and final top 50 hit, "The Beat(en) Generation" (number 50, May 1989).  This single peaked at number 63 in the UK, where The The hail from, in August 1989, and performed strongest in New Zealand, where it peaked at number 27 in the same month.  In Australia, "Gravitate to Me" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 93.

 

We will next hear from The The in 1993.

 

Number 149 "Love Made Me" by Vixen

Peak: number 149

Peak date: 14 August 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week 

Chart run: 149

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Vixen bubbled down under back in March, and returned to the top 150 with this follow-up, the third single released from their Vixen album (number 102, May 1989).  Oddly, this didn't chart in the band's native US.  It did, however, chart in the UK, where it peaked at number 36 in June 1989.  I wasn't expecting to like this track, given I am generally not a huge 'metal' fan, but I think it's actually quite pleasant.  This would be Vixen's last single to chart in Australia, but they had another charting album, Rev It Up, which peaked at number 142 in November 1990.

On the state charts, "Love Made Me" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 102.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 157 "Can You Keep a Secret?" by Brother Beyond

Peak: number 157

Peak date: 14 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Brother Beyond released four singles (two in Australia) between late 1986 and early 1988, one of which was the original release of "Can You Keep a Secret?"  None of these singles peaked higher than number 56 in the band's native UK, and neither single released in Australia ("How Many Times" and "Chain-Gang Smile" - my favourite) charted.  Although this single was produced by PWL B-team Harding/Curnow, the group did not work directly with Stock Aitken Waterman until their record label won a charity auction for their services, to produce two singles, in 1988.  Their SAW-produced singles "The Harder I Try" (number 78 in Australia, May 1989) and "He Ain't No Competition" (number 53 in Australia, July 1989) fared much better on the charts, both reaching the top 10 in the UK.  Parent album Get Even was subsequently re-released with the new SAW tracks on it, and peaked at number 89 on the ARIA albums chart in July 1989.  Australia skipped "Be My Twin" and went with the 1989 remix of "Can You Keep a Secret?" (with new video to boot), which peaked at number 22 in the UK in April 1989, as the next single.  In Australia, "Can You Keep a Secret?" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 123 on the state chart.

This would be Brother Beyond's final entry on the Australian chart, although the group's second album Trust, and three singles from it (my favourite of which is "Drive On"), were released locally.

 

 

Number 168 "Where in the World?" by Swing Out Sister

Peak: number 168

Peak date: 14 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Another UK group struggling to replicate their homeland success Down Under was Swing Out Sister.  We saw the group a mere seven weeks ago, with the lead single from their second album Kaleidoscope World (number 106, July 1989) stalling outside the top 100.  "Where in the World?" fared even worse, peaking at number 168 locally, and number 47 in the UK.  But all was not quite over for the group on the Australian singles chart - they will visit us again twice more, the next time being in early 1993.

On the state charts, "Where in the World" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 119.

Next week (21 August): Another four new top 150 entries, and three bubbling WAY down under entries.  Among them is a surprise flop from a rap group who had much less success on the Australian charts than you might expect.  You can also follow my posts on facebook.

< Previous week: 7 August 1989                                              Next week: 21 August 1989 >

Week commencing 7 August 1989

This week, I have seven new debuts to talk about, so let's jump straight in:

Bananarama's Jacquie O'Sullivan: since she was effectively left off her own record this week, I thought it only fair for her to represent this week's post.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 123 "Raindrops" by Kool & The Gang

Peak: number 123

Peak date: 7 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 123-130-131-137-131-135-134

Despite releasing material since the late 1960s, American group Kool & The Gang waited until 1981 for their first taste of chart success in Australia.  Between 1981 and 1987, the group placed 7 singles in the Australian top 100 singles chart, with the biggest of these being "Cherish", reaching number 8 in November 1985.  Surprisingly, their version (the original) of "Celebration" only peaked at number 33 in Australia in August 1981.  Fast forward to 1989, and "Raindrops" had minor chart success in Germany (number 42) and nowhere else.  Sweat, the album it was listed from, also failed to achieve significant chart success, peaking at number 28 in Germany, and number 103 on the Australian albums chart.  The group even visited Australia for a promotional visit around this time, performing "Celebration" on the then-new program, Countdown Revolution (with live vocals to boot!), rather than this single.

 

Number 140 "Crazy About Her" by Rod Stewart

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 21 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Chart run: 151-140-130-131-137-131-135-134

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

We saw Rod bubble WAY down under back in February with the third single from his 1988 Out of Touch album, and here was the fourth.  While "Crazy About Her" failed to chart in the UK, it peaked at number 11 in the US, and hit the top 10 in the Netherlands and the Flanders region of Belgium (Belgium has separate charts for the Dutch and French-speaking regions).  We will see Rod next as a featured artist in February 1992, and on his own in August 1992.

 

 

Number 148 "I'm That Type of Guy" by L.L. Cool J

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 7 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 148

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

The lead single from his third album Walking with a Panther (number 85, September 1989), "I'm That Type of Guy" was L.L. Cool J's first release to make the Australian charts.  Up until this point, rap had enjoyed little commercial success on the Australian singles chart, with most of the exceptions being either novelty (Morris Minor and The Majors) or novelty-like (Tone Lōc) tracks.  While that would change in 1990, L.L. Cool J would have to wait until 1996 for his first major hit on the Australian chart.  Across the ditch, New Zealand appreciated this track more, with it reaching number 11 there.  In the US, "I'm That Type of Guy" peaked at number 15 in May 1989.

In Australia, "I'm That Type of Guy" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, reaching number 136 on the state chart.

We’ll next see L.L. Cool J in 1993.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 158 "Cruel Summer '89" by Bananarama

Peak: number 158

Peak: 7 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Bananarama were on a roll on the Australian charts in 1988, with back-to-back top 5 singles, and even a number 1 album.  But since then, none of their singles had peaked higher than number 25.  Touring Australia (or anywhere, really) for the first time in April 1989 didn't seem to revive the group's popularity, with their tour-coinciding single "Nathan Jones" peaking at only number 59 in March.  Fast forward a few months to August, and this new version of their number 32 hit from February 1985 landed outside the top 100 - their first Australian single to miss the top 100 since "Do Not Disturb" in 1985.

The original version of "Cruel Summer" was released locally in November 1983, but failed to chart, despite being a number 8 hit in August 1983 in their native UK.  The song went on to peak at number 9 in the US in September 1984, after being used in The Karate Kid; this no doubt prompted the Australian record company to give it another shot.  "Cruel Summer '89" was meant to be the lead single from a greatest hits-type remix album, but plans for that were scrapped after this single barely scraped into the top 20 in the UK (number 19, June 1989).

 

In Australia, "Cruel Summer '89" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 135.

Two interesting things you probably didn't know about "Cruel Summer '89" are:

1. It's technically the first 'duo' Bananarama single!  Rather than re-record the vocals with then new-ish band member Jacquie O'Sullivan, vocals from a 1983 demo (not the original released recording), where each 'Nana's vocals were captured separately, were used, so they could eliminate ex-group member Siobhan Fahey's vocals from the mix.  Not bothering to add Jacquie's vocals in Siobhan's place was really quite a shady thing to do!  Poor Jacquie - whose face also wasn't included on the art-work for their late 1988 The Greatest Hits Collection album - has revealed in more-recent years that she was effectively treated as a paid employee, rather than an equal member, during her relatively brief (1988-1991) tenure with the group.  Jacquie elaborates on this further in an interesting podcast interview posted in March this year.

2. It contains an extra verse that wasn't on the original!  The "who can I find when I'm trapped here inside these four walls?" lyrics appear on the demo used, but were not included in the final version of the 1983 release.

Bananarama will join us again in 1991 - with Jacquie in tow!

Number 171 "Home and Away" by Mark Williams and Karen Boddington

Peak: number 171

Peak date: 7 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

Australian soap opera Home and Away, which continues to air until this day, first hit our TV screens in January 1988, centred around the lives of the Fletcher family, their caravan park, and the children Tom and Pippa Fletcher fostered.  The theme song, "Home and Away", is one I wouldn't mind receiving a dollar for each time I've heard it.  The original version of the theme song was sung by Kiwi singer Mark Williams, best known for his top 10 hit "Show No Mercy" (number 8, July 1990), and Karen Boddington... whoever she is. 

I'm not sure why it took a good 18 months for the theme song to be released as a single, but here we are.  Internationally, "Home and Away" fared better in the UK, where it peaked at number 73 in August 1989.

 

In Australia, the "Home and Away" theme song performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 144 on the state chart.

 

We'll see Mark Williams bubble under on his own next in 1991.

 

 

Number 178 "Someone Who Believes in You" by Carole King

Peak: number 167

Peak date: 14 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

American singer-songwriter Carole King is best known for her 1971 album Tapestry, which was certified 8 times platinum in Australia in 1995, and for being a prolific and successful songwriter for other artists.  Her singles chart achievements as an artist in her own right in Australia are more modest, although she scored nine Australian top 100 singles between 1962 and 1989, with "It's Too Late" (number 5 on the Go Set chart in September 1971) being the biggest of those.

"Someone Who Believes in You" was the second single from Carole's fourteenth studio album City Streets (number 51, June 1989), following the title track, "City Streets" (number 74, May 1989).  I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere.  On the state charts, "Someone Who Believes in You" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 116.

Carole will join us next in 1993.

Number 180 "Never" by The House of Love"

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 28 August 1989

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Hailing from England, "Never" was the first single released from The House of Love's second of two albums titled The House of Love (number 134, May 1990).  Yes, you read that correctly: the band released two albums with the same name!

"Never" was also the first of two consecutive singles for the band to peak at number 41 in the UK, where it reached this peak in April 1989.

 

In Australia, "Never" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 125.

We will see The House of Love again in 1990.

Next week (14 August): Six new top 150 debuts, and another two bubbling WAY down under entries.  Among them is a song credited as being the first instance of a pop song with a featured rapper and one of the first (pre-Madonna) music videos to incorporate vogueing!  You can also follow my posts on facebook.

< Previous week: 31 July 1989                                               Next week: 14 August 1989 >

Week commencing 31 July 1989

If I'm being perfectly honest, I'm not too enamoured with any of this week's new entries, but think one, maybe two of them are OK (can you guess which ones from reading my comments below?).  But hey, I don't get to choose what the Australian record buying public like, so 'who am I to disagree'?  Let's take a look at what was bubbling down under this week in 1989...

On the Ball: Songs about sport are... not my favourite thing.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 126 "Down to London" by Joe Jackson

Peak: number 126

Peak dates: 31 July 1989 and 14 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 126-126-126-129-129-134 

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Since 1979, Joe Jackson (not Michael's dad) placed 11 singles in the top 100 in Australia, with the biggest of those being his 1982 hit "Real Men" (number 6), which oddly flopped at number 89 in his native UK.  Joe's third charting single down under in 1989, "Down to London" was actually only the second release from his current album Blaze of Glory (number 31, May 1989), as "(He's a) Shape in a Drape" (number 95, February 1989) was from the Tucker soundtrack, for which he performed the music

Internationally, "Down to London" peaked at number 303 (number 178 on the compressed chart) in the UK in October 1989.

In Australia, "Down to London" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 84 on the state chart. 

Despite this floppage, at the time of writing, the "Down to London" video embedded below has received almost a quarter of a million views in 6 years, which isn't too bad at all for a 30+ year-old song that was never a 'hit'.  Joe will visit us again in 1991.

 

 

Number 141 "How Can a Love So Wrong Be Right" by The Seekers

Peak: number 118

Peak date: 21 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks 

Chart run: 141-137-132-118-126-136-142 

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

The Seeekers are best known - at least from my perspective as someone who wasn't yet born when they were 'big' - for their 1966 number 1 hit, "Georgy Girl", when Judith Durham was on lead vocals.  At this point in time, Julie Anthony was fronting the group.  The last substantial hit The Seekers had in Australia was 1975's "Sparrow Song" (number 7), with yet another lead vocalist, Louisa Wisseling.  Their most-recent singles chart entry, "Building Bridges", peaked at number 68 in May 1989.  Both that and this track were taken from the band's Live On album, which peaked at number 26.

On the state charts, "How Can a Love So Wrong Be Right" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 60 on the state chart.

We'll next see The Seekers in 1993.

Number 147 "Let's Go Broncos" by On the Ball

Peak: number 144

Peak date: 28 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 147-(out for 2 weeks)-149-144

I have absolutely zero interest in sport.  I would literally rather watch paint dry than watch a game of football, rugby or whatever sport this is called, played in Queensland.  So you can imagine my enthusiasm when a sporting theme reaches the charts... Thankfully, it didn't happen often.  I can only assume that this single sold much better in Queensland than in any other state, if it was even for sale outside of Queensland.  Curiously, "Let's Go Broncos" peaked much higher on the Australian Music Report chart, at number 78.  I can only assume that they surveyed a wider variety of retail outlets in Queensland than ARIA, or weighted Queensland more heavily.

Number 149 "Make It" by Exploding White Mice

Peak: number 149

Peak: 31 July 1989

Weeks in top 150: 1 week 

Top 150 chart run: 149

I don't know what to say about this track other than it's really not my my kind of music.  Exploding White Mice hailed from Adelaide, and would go on to score a number 96 'hit' locally in July 1990 with "I Just Want My Fun".

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 152 "Children of the Revolution" by Baby Ford

Peak: number 152

Peak date: 31 July 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

Baby Ford, real name Peter Frank Adshead, hails form England.  "Children of the Revolution", a cover version of the T.Rex track (which peaked at number 11 in Australia on the Go Set chart in March 1973), was his third single.  It followed "Oochy Koochy" (released locally in November 1988) and "Chikky Chikky Ahh Ahh" (February 1989) - neither of which charted in Australia.

 

Internationally, Baby Ford's version of "Children of the Revolution" peaked at number 53 in the UK in June 1989, and number 42 in the Flanders region of Belgium in July 1989.

 

In Australia, "Children of the Revolution" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 125 on the state chart.

 

This would be Baby Ford's only charting release in Australia.

 

 

Number 153 "Are You My Baby?" by Wendy & Lisa

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 31 July 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

Formerly members of Prince's one-time backing band The Revolution, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman struck out on their own in 1987.  "Are You My Baby?" was the lead single from the duo's second album Fruit at the Bottom, which did not chart in Australia.  The single was the pair's first charting release in Australia.

 

"Are You My Baby?" fared better internationally, reaching the top 20 in the Netherlands and Belgium, and peaking at number 70 in the UK in February 1989.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "Are You My Baby?" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 97.

 

We will see Wendy & Lisa again in 1990.

 

Number 156 "Spirit of the Forest" by Spirit of the Forest

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 31 July 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

One thing most music fans can agree on is that charity records are almost without exception bad, particularly when they're umpteen unrelated artists assembled for a particular 'cause'.  In this instance, Spirit of the Forest was set up to raise funds for... you guessed it, the rain forest.  Well, environmental causes, more broadly.

Arists featured on the A-side version of "Spirit of the Forest" include Chris Rea, Mr. Mister, XTC, Dave Gilmour from Pink Floyd, Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, Ringo Starr, Fish, Belinda Carlisle, Deborah Harry, Bonnie Raitt, Kate Bush, Little Steven, Jon Anderson from Yes, Sam Brown, The Escape Club, Olivia Newton-John and Louise Goffin.  While I like several of these artists, I can't say their contribution to this mediocre-at-best song is particularly memorable.

Internationally, "Spirit of the Forest" peaked at number 94 (number 86 on the compressed chart) in the UK in July 1989.

In Australia, "Spirit of the Forest" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 129 on the state chart.

 

 

Number 160 "Atomic City" by Holly Johnson

Peak: number 160

Peak date: 31 July 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

The third single lifted from his debut solo album Blast, "Atomic City" did not perform nearly as well as the two prior singles, "Love Train" (number 35, March 1989) and "Americanos" (number 77, June 1989), in Australia.  It also peaked 14 places lower than the number 4 peaks for the two prior singles in the UK.  To my ears, "Atomic City" sounds rather like James Brown's "Living in America", production-wise, but not as good.  Unsurprisingly, both tracks were produced by Dan Hartman, who also co-wrote this, I just learned.  "Atomic City" had greater success in Ireland, where it peaked at number 9, and in Switzerland, where it peaked at number 10.  A fourth single, "Heaven's Here", was lifted from Blast, but was not released locally - presumably due to its low (number 62) UK peak and the lack of chart success "Atomic City" had here.  We will see Holly again in 1991.

Number 162 "Voice of Babylon" by The Outfield

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 31 July 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

English band The Outfield formed in 1984, but had not, until now, landed a single on the Australian chart, other than bubbling under in May 1986, on the Kent Music Report's list of singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100, with "Your Love".

"Voice of Babylon" was the lead single from The Outfield's third studio album Voices of Babylon (number 145, July 1989).  Both the album and single were the band's only releases to chart in Australia.

"Voice of Babylon" had greater success internationally, reaching number 25 in the US, number 39 in Canada in June 1989, and number 57 in Germany in July 1989.  Interestingly, the band never scored a hit in their homeland, and "Voices of Babylon" was their biggest 'hit' in the UK, despite only peaking at number 78 in May 1989.

 

Next week (7 August): A mere three new top 150 entries, and three bubbling WAY down under under entries.  Among them, we have two veteran acts, and a remix of a 1983 track that didn't become a hit in Australia until 1985.  You can follow my posts on facebook, too.

< Previous week: 24 July 1989                                               Next week: 7 August 1989 >

Week commencing 24 July 1989

This week's new entries are split between big names having flop singles and new and upcoming acts struggling to make a dent.  Among them are two singles that peaked at number 101, and another that peaked at number 102!  Let's take a look...

Kiss: let's put the hair in Cher.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 101 "One" by Bee Gees

Peak: number 101

Peak date: 24 July 1989

Weeks in top 150: 12 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 101-108-106-128-124-(out for 2 weeks)-139-136-141-135-138-129-126

Weeks on chart: 15 weeks

Peaking 100 places lower than the title would suggest, I've written about this "one" previously in my special post on singles peaking at number 101 between 1989 and 1991.  "One" was the second single lifted from the album One, and followed up "Ordinary Lives", which we saw in May.  "One" was a much bigger hit in the US, where it peaked at number 7.  Bee Gees (note: no 'The') will join us again in October.

Number 139 "(You Make Me) Rock Hard" by Kiss

Peak: number 101

Peak date: 14 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 139-(out for 2 weeks)-101-116-107-130-130

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Coincidentally, here's another single that peaked at number 101, which I have also already written about.  The second single lifted from their Smashes, Thrashes & Hits greatest hits compilation, the subtly-titled (!) song failed to register on a reputable national chart anywhere, that I am aware of, other than coming within a whisker of making the ARIA top 100.  But, such is the size of their fan-base that the music video (embedded below) currently has over 5.5 million views on YouTube, in spite of being a flop single.  On the state charts, "(You Make Me) Rock Hard" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 66.  The single peaked within the top 100 on four of the five state charts, with New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory being the only exception.

Kiss will join us again in 1990.

 

Number 142 "A Friend Is a Friend" by Pete Townshend

Peak: number 113

Peak date: 7 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 142-117-113-121-122-120-128-132

Former frontman of The Who, Pete Townshend was last on the Australian singles chart in 1986 with "Give Blood", peaking at number 77.  Immediately prior to that, he scored his biggest, and only real, solo hit single down under with "Face the Face", which peaked at number 9 in Australia in February 1986.  This track was lifted from The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend, which peaked at number 59 on the ARIA albums chart in July 1989.  "A Friend Is a Friend" peaked at number 151 (number 110 on the compressed chart) in the UK in July 1989.

Number 145 "Naturally" by Clive Young

Peak: number 102

Peak date: 7 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 10 weeks 

Chart run: 145-135-102-113-111-104-118-114-112-123

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

Follow-up to Australian singer-songwriter Clive Young's single "Something Special" (number 50, June 1989), "Naturally" narrowly missed the top 100.  "Naturally" follows in much the same vein as its predecessor.  Oddly, Clive did not release an album until 1992, and neither "Something Special" nor "Naturally" appear on it, owing to Clive changing record labels in the interim.  The rear sleeve of the "Naturally" single states that the song is from the forthcoming album Naturally, but this does not appear to have ever been released.

On the state charts, "Naturally" performed much stronger in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 50, than elsewhere.  A similar feat occurred with "Something Special", which peaked at number 15 on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart vs. its national peak of number 50; although it also reached number 21 in South Australia/Northern Territory.

We will next see Clive in 1991.

 

Number 147 "Take Me" by Adult Net

Peak: number 137

Peak dates: 14 August 1989 and 4 September 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks 

Chart run: 147-140-143-137-141-142-137

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Britain-based American singer Brix Smith formed Adult Net as a side project after joining The Fall in 1983.  "Take Me" peaked at number 78 on the UK singles chart in March 1989, and was lifted from the album The Honey Tangle.  Given that nothing released by the group peaked higher than number 66 anywhere in the world, I am pleasantly surprised that this one even registered on the Australian charts - especially since I wasn't aware of it at the time.

 

"Take Me" performed strongest on the Queensland chart, where it reached number 111.  This would be Adult Net's only charting release in Australia.

Number 148 "Youth Gone Wild" by Skid Row

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 24 July 1989

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 148

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

When writing the 'next week' preview blurb on last week's post, I was going to write that we would see the arrival of a new hair metal act... except Skid Row weren't exactly 'hair metal', were they?  When googling to see what genre the group's music is considered being (Metal? Hair metal? Rock?), I came across a comment that Skid Row were the missing link between 80s hair metal and 90s grunge, and I think that is an apt description.  One thing I vividly remember from this period is that the cassette sleeve for their album Skid Row (number 12, May 1990) was one that had been replaced by a photocopy in a record store I visited, "to prevent theft".  What that says about their (presumably teenage) fans of the time, I don't know.  Now, onto the song itself, this was the group's debut release, peaking at number 99 in the US in June 1989, and number 42 in the UK in November 1989.  I am surprised that "Youth Gone Wild" didn't perform better on our chart, as I remember hearing it and seeing the video several times (and I was not a 'metal' kid).  Perhaps their fans were stealing the single instead of buying it...  We will see Skid Row again in December.

 

 

 

Number 149 "Little Fighter" by White Lion

Peak: number 136

Peak date: 21 August 1989

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 149-(out for 2 weeks)-138-136-148-(out for 4 weeks)-143

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Now, for something less-ambiguously glam 'metal', "Little Fighter" was White Lion's second foray onto the Australian singles chart, following their debut in May 1989.  "Little Fighter" was the lead single from the band's third album, Big Game (number 119, August 1989). "Little Fighter" peaked at number 52 in the US.

On the ARIA state charts, "Little Lion" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 99.

We will see White Lion next in December.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 153 "Little Jackie Wants to Be a Star" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 24 July 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

Lisa Lisa (real name Liza Velez), Alex "Spanador" Moseley and Mike Hughes together formed Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.  The group formed in New York in 1984, and placed two singles on the Australian top 100 in 1987, "Head to Toe" (number 52, July 1987) and "Lost in Emotion" (number 83, November 1987).

 

"Little Jackie Wants to Be a Star" was the first single, and only one released in Australia, from the band's third album Straight to the Sky.

Internationally, "Little Jackie..." peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1989, number 90 in the UK in May 1989, and peaked within the top 10 in the Netherlands and New Zealand, and the top 20 in the Flanders region of Belgium.

We will see Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam again in 1992.

Next week (31 July): Four new top 150 entries, and six bubbling WAY down under debuts.  You can follow my posts on facebook here.

< Previous week: 17 July 1989                                               Next week: 31 July 1989 >