Week commencing 11 May 1992

One thing this week in 1992's new entries on the Australian singles chart that peaked outside the top 100 have in common is that I do not recall hearing any of them at the time.

 

Boyz II Men: uhhing and aahing in the lower region of the ARIA top 200.

 

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 136 "Born Free" by Vic Reeves and The Roman Numerals

Peak: number 130

Peak dates: 18 May 1992 and 25 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 136-130-130-143

 

English comedian Vic Reeves, born Jim Moir, came to fame in in the UK in late 1986, when he first appeared in comedy game show segment on the TV program The Tube.  Prior to becoming known as Vic the comedian, Jim performed in several bands, and sold cassette recordings of his music through the British music newspaper NME.

Vic first came to attention in Australia through his musical collaboration with The Wonder Stuff, whom we shall see in 1993, with a cover version of "Dizzy" (number 3, March 1992), originally recorded by Tommy Roe (number 2 in Australia in 1969).  Vic & The Wonder Stuff's cover of "Dizzy" went all the way to number 1 in the UK in November 1991.

"Born Free", another cover - this time originally performed by Matt Monro in 1966, was released prior to "Dizzy" in the UK, peaking at number 6 there in April 1991, and at number 11 in Ireland in May 1991.  The track appears on Vic's only studio album I Will Cure You (number 142, April 1992).

"Born Free" was Vic's last single released in Australia. One later charting single, credited to just Vic Reeves, was issued in the UK - "Abide with Me", reaching number 47 there in December 1991.  Musically, it is quite different to "Born Free" and "Dizzy", having more of a dance-pop sound.

 

 

Number 142 "In the Ghetto" by Beats International

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 142

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

We last saw Beats International in December 1991.  "In the Ghetto" was the third single lifted from the collective's second album Excursion on the Version, which was released in Australia in November 1991, but failed to chart.

Internationally, "In the Ghetto" peaked at number 44 in the UK in November 1991, number 89 in Germany in January 1992, and number 7 in New Zealand in March 1992.

Within Australia, "In the Ghetto" performed equally-strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory and Queensland, peaking at number 132 on both state charts.  This was the act's final release to chart in Australia.

Beats International mastermind, Norman Cook, however, would find more success in Australia towards the end of the 1990s as Fatboy Slim, returning with the single "The Rockefella Skank" (number 32, July 1998) - a song that reminds me vividly of my 'clubbing' days, and the album You've Come a Long Way, Baby (number 2, February 1999).

 

 

Number 144 "O Fortuna" by Apotheosis

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 15 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-(out for 1 week)-135-107-116-(out for 1 week)-119-134-143-143-136-115-122-126-106-104-111

O Fortuna was originally a medieval Latin Goliardic poem, written in the early 1200s CE.  It was first set to music by German composer Carl Orff in the mid-1930s.  I think I first became aware of the song when it was used in my high school's 1992 Rock Eisteddfod performance (skip to the 5 minute mark), centered around the assassination of US president John F. Kennedy.  My school actually won the national competition that year, despite finishing second in the state.  And no, I wasn't in it.

 

A Belgian act, Apotheosis were Patrick Samoy and Luc Rigaux, also known as Steve Humby & Andy Sykes.  Internationally, their version of "O Fortuna" peaked at number 3 in the Netherlands in February 1992, and at number 29 in the Flanders region of Belgium during the same month.

In Australia, "O Fortuna" ties for the most weeks spent in the ARIA top 150 for a single peaking between numbers 101 and 150 that debuted in the top 150 during 1992, spending 15 weeks in this region of the chart.  We shall see the single it ties with for chart longevity in June 1992.  Interestingly, "O Fortuna" climbed to number 107 on the national chart on 1 June 1992, but did not reach its peak, 3 places higher, until its second last week in the top 150, in late August 1992.

 

On the state charts, "O Fortuna" performed much stronger in Western Australia that elsewhere, reaching number 28 there in June 1992.   The single peaked higher on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 81.

F.C.B. scored a much bigger hit in Australia with "Excalibur" (number 2, August 1995), which was another dance track based on "O Fortuna".

 

"O Fortuna" would be Apotheosis' only top 150 charting entry in Australia.

 

Number 145 "It's Over Now" by L.A. Guns

Peak: Number 133

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 159-145-133 

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

American glam metal band L.A. Guns formed in 1983 in Los Angeles.  Their first taste of chart success in Australia came with their second studio album, Cocked & Loaded (number 119, October 1989).  "It's Over Now" was lifted from the band's third album Hollywood Vampires (number 91, August 1991).

 

Internationally, "It's Over Now" peaked at number 62 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1992.  Domestically, the single performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 106.

 

I don't normally listen to this kind of music, but the rock ballad is not bad.

 

"It's Over Now" was the only L.A. Guns single to chart in Australia, although the band had several later albums that registered a chart placing, namely Vicious Circle (number 158, April 1995), The Missing Peace (number 688, October 2017), The Devil You Know (number 757, April 2019), Renegades (number 754, November 2020), Cocked & Loaded Live (number 1245, January 2022), and Checkered Past (number 1046, April 2022).

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 176 "Who Wants to Live Forever"/"Friends Will Be Friends" by Queen

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 25 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

We last saw Queen in May 1991.  Both "Who Wants to Live Forever" and "Friends Will Be Friends" originally appeared on Queen's twelfth studio album A Kind of Magic (number 12, August 1986), and more-recently, the compilation Greatest Hits II (number 4, December 1991), which was released shortly before front man Freddie Mercury's untimely death in November 1991.

 

"Who Wants to Live Forever" is unusual for a Queen single in that guitarist Brian May, whom we saw bubble under solo in March 1992, shares the lead vocal with Freddie.

"Friends Will Be Friends" was originally released as the third single from the album in Australia in November 1986, though it missed the Kent Music Report top 100, ranking ninth on the list of singles with significant sales reports beyond the top 100 in December 1986.

 

The 1986 issue of "Friends Will Be Friends" peaked at number 14 in the UK in June 1986, number 4 in Ireland in June 1986, number 16 in the Netherlands in July 1986, number 18 in the Flanders region of Belgium in July 1986, number 19 in Switzerland in August 1986, number 50 in New Zealand in August 1986, and number 20 in West Germany in August 1986.

The 1986 release of "Who Wants to Live Forever" peaked at number 24 in the UK in September 1986, number 15 in Ireland in September 1986, number 29 in the Netherlands in October 1986, and number 52 in West Germany in November 1986.

The 1992 double A-side single appears to have only been released in a limited number of countries.  It peaked at number 6 in the Netherlands in May 1992, and at number 44 in the Flanders region of Belgium during the same month.

 

In Australia, the 1992 release of "Who Wants to Live Forever"/"Friends Will Be Friends" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it reached number 128.

We shall next see Queen in 1996.

Number 183 "Uhh Ahh" by Boyz II Men

Peak: number 180

Peak date: 25 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

American vocal harmony quartet Boyz II Men formed in 1985, when they were still in high school in Philadelphia, under the name of Unique Attraction.  Boyz II Men's first single, "Motownphilly" (number 32, October 1991), which I quite enjoyed, dented the lower region of the top 40 in Australia, while climbing to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1991.  Within Australia, "Motownphilly" had quite varied fortunes on the state charts, reaching number 18 in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, but only peaking at number 104 in South Australia/Northern Territory!

 

The band's second single, "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday", reached number 2 in the US in December 1991, but was not released locally until 1993, when it reached number 100 in July 1993.

Both tracks were lifted from Boyz II Men's debut album Cooleyhighharmony, which initially peaked at number 140 in Australia October 1991, before climbing to number 4 in January 1993 after the success of "End of the Road" (number 1 for four weeks in November-December 1992), taken from the Boomerang: Original Soundtrack Album (number 29, October 1992) and being tacked onto Cooleyhighharmony.

 

Internationally, "Uhh Ahh" peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1992.  Domestically, the single performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 156.

 

We will next see Boyz II Men in July 1992.

 

 

Number 199 "The Bottle" by The Tyrrel Corporation

Peak: number 199

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

We previously saw English duo The Tyrrel Corporation in February 1992.  "The Bottle" was the second single lifted from the pair's debut album North East of Eden (number 273, December 1992).

"The Bottle", which I am guessing is about alcohol addiction, peaked at number 71 in the UK in March 1992.  Within Australia, "The Bottle" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 168.

A heavily-edited version of "The Bottle" is used in the music video embedded below.  You can hear the full-length album version here.

We shall next see The Tyrrel Corporation in September 1992.

Next week (18 May): A bumper week with ten new top 150 debuts and four bubbling WAY down under entries.

< Previous week: 4 May 1992                                        Next week: 18 May 1992 >

 

Week commencing 4 May 1992

It became apparent as I was writing this post that one thing all but one of this week in 1992's new entries have in common is that I did not hear them at the time - at least that I remember!  It's quite possible that I heard those that dented the US top 40, as I used to listen to the American Top 40 radio show with Shadoe Stevens back then, but I have no recollection of the songs in question.  Perhaps you heard them in 1992?  Let's take a look...

 

Lenny Kravitz: draggin' around just outside the ARIA top 100.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 116 "Stop Draggin' Around" by Lenny Kravitz

Peak: number 101 

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 159-116-111-101-124-125

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

American singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz, born Leonard Albert Kravitz, burst onto the Australian chart in November 1989 with his debut single "Let Love Rule" (number 36, January 1990), and the Let Love Rule album the following month (number 45, February 1990).  He followed it up with the singles "I Build This Garden for Us" (number 83, March 1990) and "Mr. Cab Driver" (released in Australia in May 1990, did not chart).

"Stop Draggin' Around" was issued as the fourth single from Lenny's second album Mama Said (number 10, July 1991). It was preceded by the singles "Always on the Run" (number 43, June 1991), "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" (number 10, August 1991), and "Stand by My Woman" (number 46, October 1991).  Interestingly, this single does not appear to have received a commercial release anywhere other than in Australia and New Zealand.  It did not chart elsewhere.

On the state charts, "Stop Draggin' Around" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 89.  I don't recall hearing this one at the time, though probably caught the video, which uses a live performance, on rage.  You can listen to the studio version here.

We shall next see Lenny in 1996.

Number 131 "Fait Accompli" by Curve

Peak: number 121

Peak dates: 18 May 1992 and 25 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 131-124-121-121-131-141

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

We first saw English duo Curve in November 1991.  "Fait Accompli" was the lead single from the band's first album Doppelganger (number 136, May 1992).  It was the pair's only single to crack the ARIA top 150, performing strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 94.

 

Internationally, "Fait Accompli" peaked at number 29 in Ireland in February 1992, and number 22 in the UK in March 1992.  If the Wikipedia page for the single is accurate, this was apparently one of the first singles to chart in the UK without being available on the 7" vinyl format.

I don't recall hearing this one at the time, but have seen the video on rage a couple of times in the interim years.

We will next see Curve in August 1992.

 

 

Number 144 "Je T'aime Mélancolie" by Mylène Farmer

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 144-(out for 1 week)-142

French singer, or should that be chanteuse, Mylène Farmer, born Mylène Jeanne Gautier, released her first single in France in 1984.  "Je Taime Mélancolie", which translates as 'I love you melancholy', appears to have been Mylène's first release in Australia, and her only one to crack the ARIA top 150.

 

I did actually hear/see this one at the time, catching an airing of the video on Video Smash Hits.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 3 in France in February 1992, and number 70 in Germany in March 1992.  The track was lifted from Mylène's third studio album L'autre..., which translates as 'the other'.

 

Mylène released another single in Australia in August 1992, "Disénchantée", but that missed the top 150.

Perhaps the most interesting thing I can tell you about this release is that I received a follow request from Mylène (her official account) on Instagram, on my 'personal' account, some years ago, which I found rather... intriguing!

Songs sung in French are a rarity on the Australian chart, though we have seen two singles sung in French bubble under previously, in December 1989 and April 1990.  The only other examples from around this time I can think of are Enigma's "Sadeness Part 1" (number 2, March 1991), which was only partly in French, and Vanessa Paradis' "Joe Le Taxi" - which missed the national chart (before it extended beyond number 100), but made number 79 on the Western Australia state chart in July 1988.  Of course, Plastic Bertrand scored a number 2 hit here in January 1979 with "Ça Plane Pour Moi".  There was also Kylie Minogue's "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" (number 11, December 1988), but only the title was sung in French.

Edit - a reader reminded me of Jordy's "Dur Dur D'être Bébé!" (number 37, January 1994), another song sung in French that charted in Australia.  How could I have forgotten that one?!  We will actually see Jordy bubble under at the end of 1993.

Number 147 "Mama I'm Coming Home" by Ozzy Osbourne

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 22 June 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 147-(out for 1 week)-141-134-137-(out for 1 week)-137-127-145-141

We last saw Ozzy Osbourne bubble under in October 1991.  This was his final solo single to crack the ARIA top 150, though he would score several later charting albums.  "Mama I'm Coming Home" was lifted from Ozzy's sixth solo studio album No More Tears (number 49, October 1991).

 

Internationally, "Mama I'm Coming Home" peaked at number 46 in the UK in November 1991, number 27 in Germany in February 1992, number 42 in Austria in February 1992, number 62 in Switzerland, number 28 in the US in April 1992, and number 48 in New Zealand in June 1992.

I don't recall hearing this one before.  I actually enjoyed it more than I was expecting to, though it's not something I would actively seek out.

Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which a family member of mine has also recently been diagnosed with, in 2019.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 185 "On a Sunday Afternoon" by Lighter Shade of Brown featuring Shiro and intro by Huggy Boy

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

American hip-hop duo Lighter Shade of Brown, also known as A Lighter Shade of Brown and LSOB, formed in California in 1989.  "On a Sunday Afternoon" was lifted from the group's debut album Brown & Proud, which did not chart in Australia.

Internationally, "On a Sunday Afternoon" peaked at number 39 in the US in February 1992, number 1 in New Zealand for two weeks in April and May 1992, and 49 in the Netherlands in September 1992.  I find it interesting that New Zealand seemed much more receptive to hip-hop tracks than Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Within Australia, "On a Sunday Afternoon" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 140.

I don't recall hearing "On a Sunday Afternoon" before, but the music sounded familiar to me, as it samples The Rascals' "Groovin'", which peaked at number 4 in Australia in 1967, and I must have heard before.

Lighter Shade of Brown would eventually crack the top 100 in Australia with "Spill the Rhyme" (number 90, July 1993), and landed their biggest hit with "Hey DJ" (number 12, July 1994).

We shall see Lighter Shade of Brown bubble under next in 1993.

 

Number 192 "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" by Mint Condition

Peak: number 192

Peak date: 4 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

American r&b group Mint Condition formed in Minneapolis in 1985.  Their first recordings, however, were not released until 1991.  "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" was the second single, and their first Australian release, from their debut album Meant to Be Mint, which does not appear to have been released locally.  This track was the band's only charting release in Australia, performing strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 183.

Internationally, "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1992.

As with Ozzy Osbourne above, I enjoyed this track more than I was expecting to, though it's not something I would actively seek out.

Next week (11 May): Four new top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 27 April 1992                                        Next week: 11 May 1992 >

Week commencing 27 April 1992

Welcome back readers to this blog!  I have missed writing these posts over the last 12 months while I underwent treatment for cancer.  While I am still receiving treatment, I decided to resume my posts anyway.  There may be times when I am not able to make a post on the expected day, however.

I mentioned in my December 2023 update that I have a stack of peaks below number 150 to add to earlier posts covering January 1989 to April 1992.  I haven't gotten around to adding these yet, but will make a note when I do.

Now onto this week in 1992...

P.M. Dawn: the top 100 used to be a friend of theirs.
 

Top 150 debuts:

Number 116 Theatre of Gnomes E.P. by Tumbleweed

Peak: number 116

Peak date: 27 April 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 116-136-139

 

Australian band Tumbleweed formed in Woolongong in 1990.  Theatre of Gnomes, their first release to crack the top 150, was an extended play consisting of five tracks, led by "Carousel" (embedded below).  Two previous singles, "Captain's Log" and "Stoned"/"Holy Moses" were issued in July and December 1991, respectively.  The latter two tracks also appeared on this EP.

 

I was not aware of Tumbleweed until their 1993 single "Sundial" (number 35, April 1993) broke into the rage top 60.  Their first taste of top 100 ARIA chart success came with the single "Acid Rain" (number 88, November 1992).

We shall next see Tumbleweed in August 1992.

 

 

Number 128 "Reality Used to Be a Friend of Mine" by P.M. Dawn

Peak: number 118

Peak date: 4 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Chart run: 128-118-121-128

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

American hip-hop/r&b duo P.M. Dawn, consisting of brothers Attrell (stage name Prince Be) and Jarrett Cordes (known as Eternal or DJ Minutemix), burst onto the scene in 1991 with "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (number 7, November 1991), which made heavy use of Spandau Ballet's "True" (number 4, September 1983).  When follow-up single "Paper Doll" (number 61, February 1992) stalled on the chart, I had a feeling that the group were destined to become one-hit wonders.  While third single "Reality Used to Be a Friend of Mine" - the title of which was mentioned in the lyrics of "Set Adrift..." - did not reverse their chart fortunes, I would be proven wrong.

"Reality..." was remixed by CJ Macintosh for its single release in Europe and Australasia (embedded in the video below).  You can hear the original version of the track, used for the video in North America, here.  The track was lifted from the duo's debut album Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience (number 89, January 1992).

 

Internationally, "Reality Used to Be a Friend of Mine" peaked at number 29 in the UK in February 1992.  Within Australia, "Reality..." performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 107.

 

A fourth track from P.M. Dawn's debut album, "Comatose", received a promotional release in the US later in 1992, and a music video was filmed - but it does not appear to have received a commercial release anywhere, although it was used as a B-side on the "Reality..." single.

Prince Be sadly passed away in 2016, aged 46, due to complications of diabetes.  We will next see P.M. Dawn in 1993.

 

 

Number 142 "Pressure" by Sunscreem

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 142-142-137-140-150

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

 

English band Sunscreem formed in Essex in 1991.  "Pressure" was their second UK release, peaking at number 60 there in February 1992.  In Australia, "Pressure" was their debut single, falling short of the top 100, peaking at number 137.  A remixed version of the track, re-branded "Pressure Us", was released in 1993, peaking at number 19 in the UK in March 1993, and number 64 in Australia in July 1993.  "Pressure" appears on Sunscreem's debut album O₃ (number 73, March 1993).

Sunscreem's commercial breakthrough, and their only top 50 hit in Australia, would come with their third release, "Love U More" (number 30, March 1993), which took six months to reach its chart peak after being released locally in early September 1992.

Within Australia, "Pressure" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 120 on the state chart.

We will next see Sunscreem in August 1992.

 

Number 144 "Half the World" by Belinda Carlisle

Peak: number 129

Peak dates: 4 May 1992 and 11 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Known chart run: 178-144-129-129-146-142

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

We last saw Belinda Carlisle in 1990.  "Half the World" was the third single released from Belinda's fourth solo studio album Live Your Life Be Free (number 27, November 1991).  It followed the singles "Live Your Life Be Free" (number 13, November 1991) and "Do You Feel Like I Feel?" (number 42, March 1992).

Internationally, "Half the World" peaked at number 35 in the UK in January 1992, and number 62 in Germany in February 1992.  Within Australia, "Half the World" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 115 on the state chart.

I remember seeing "Half the World" being reviewed in the Australian edition of Smash Hits magazine at the time, but did not actually hear the track until about seven years ago.  It's quite a pleasant ballad; its chart success was no doubt hampered from a lack of promotion.

We will see Belinda underperform with another Live Your Life Be Free single in August 1992.

Number 147 "Baby When I Call Your Name" by Corey Hart

Peak: number 139

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 147-145-147-139-(out for 1 week)-145

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Canadian singer Corey Hart scored his biggest hit in Australia with "Sunglasses at Night" (number 16, October 1984) in 1984.  He landed another two top 40 hits locally with "It Ain't Enough" (number 37, February 1985) and "Never Surrender" (number 20, September 1985).  Corey was last seen on the Australian chart with the single "A Little Love" (number 73, June 1990) and album Bang! (number 150, September 1990).

"Baby When I Call Your Name", which I hadn't heart before, was lifted from Corey's sixth studio album Attitude & Virtue, which failed to chart in Australia - although it does not appear to have been released locally.

 

In Corey's homeland, "Baby When I Call Your Name" peaked at number 14 in August 1992.  I am surprised that it charted some months earlier in Australia!

On the state charts, "Baby When I Call Your Name" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 113.  This was Corey's final charting release in Australia.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 197 "Das Boot" by U96

Peak: number 197

Peak date: 27 April 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

German techno act U96 hail from Hamburg, forming in 1991.  "Das Boot", translating as 'the boat', was their debut release, topping the German singles chart in January 1992, where it remained for a mammoth 13 weeks!

Elsewhere, "Das Boot" peaked at number 1 in Switzerland for 8 weeks, number 1 in Austria for 7 non-consecutive weeks between March and May 1992, number number 5 in Sweden in April 1992, number 1 in Norway, number 11 in the Flanders region of Belgium in June 1992, number 18 in the UK in September 1992, and number 19 in Ireland.

Domestically, "Das Boot" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 156.  The track appeared on U96's debut album - their only one to chart in Australia, U96 (number 201, October 1992).

 

I don't recall hearing this track before, other than when I checked it out on YouTube a couple of years ago.

We will next see U96 in 1994.

 

 

Number 198 "Make It on My Own" by Alison Limerick

Peak: number 179

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

British singer-songwriter Alison Limerick scored her first hit in the UK with "Where Love Lives" (number 27, April 1991), which was issued in Australia in June 1991 but failed to chart.  Alison's second Australian release, "Make It on My Own" scraped into the lower end of the ARIA top 200.  The track appears on her debut album And Still I Rise (number 179, June 1992), which was her only album to chart in Australia.  In her native UK, "Make It on My Own" peaked at number 16 in March 1992.

I wasn't aware of this track at the time, but it sounds pleasant enough.  Within Australia, "Make It on My Own" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 160 on the state chart.

Alison will join us again once more in 1994.

 

 

Next week (4 May): Four top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.

< Previous week: 20 April 1992                                       Next week: 4 May 1992 >

A brief (for me…) update

Thank you to those of you who have commented or sent me messages after I put this blog on hiatus in April due to illness.  I thought I would post a brief update.  I was hesitant to post details previously, because I didn’t/don’t intend to turn this site into a personal blog about my health.

For those of you wondering… I was diagnosed with cancer in April 2023.  I decided to stop my weekly posts to the blog for a year at the time, as I knew I could not commit to new posts reliably while I underwent treatment, and that has turned out to be the case.

I have spent about seven weeks in hospital since my diagnosis.  Back in May/June I underwent 27 sessions of radiotherapy, combined with oral chemotherapy, which often resulted in me needing to nap for a few hours in the afternoon.  I was in no state back then to e.g. research posts, though it would have been a welcome distraction.

I’m scheduled to have my twelfth and (for now) final cycle of intravenous chemotherapy just after Christmas.  I have coped much better than I thought I would with my treatments (i.e. there has been no nausea/vomiting, mental fog or general feeling of being unwell), though have had some setbacks along the way; the worst of which has been a fracture in my spine (an unforeseen complication of radiotherapy).

Scans have revealed that I am responding well to treatment, although I still have some way to go, including further surgery.

I am not going to pretend that the last eight months have been easy, but they could have been much worse.  I intend to resume my 1992 and 1983 chart recaps in April 2024, when - hopefully - I will be in a better position health-wise.

When I return, I have a stack of newly-uncovered singles that peaked outside the ARIA top 100 from 1989-1992 to add to my earlier posts.  See you then!

Longer intermission

Regretfully, I have decided to put this blog on hold for the time being - probably until April 2024.  I have been diagnosed with a serious illness and need to focus on my health over the next several months.  I will hopefully resume my posts from where I left off next year.  Thank you for reading.

Intermission

Unfortunately, my posts will be on halt for at least the next week due to unforeseen personal circumstances. My posts will resume as soon as I am able to do so. Thank you for your patience.

Week commencing 20 April 1992

I didn't hear one of this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100 at the time.  Perhaps they are new to you, too?  Let's take a look (and listen) together.

 

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince: looking so early 90s it hurts.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 110 "The Things That U Do" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Peak: number 109

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 110-111-114-109

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

 

We last saw DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince in 1989. 

"The Things That U Do" was the third single lifted from their fourth studio album Homebase (number 110, October 1991), following "Summertime" (number 52, September 1991) and "Ring My Bell" (number 58, February 1992).

 

Internationally, the single peaked at number 21 in the Netherlands in March 1992, and number 29 in New Zealand during the same month. 

Locally, "The Things That U Do" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 83.  The single peaked within the top 100 on all of the state charts except for South Australia/Northern Territory.

 

 

Number 127 "The Concept" by Teenage Fanclub

Peak: number 110

Peak date: 27 April 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 127-110-117-125-123-129-136

Scottish band Teenage Fanclub formed in 1989.  "The Concept", their first release to chart in Australia, was lifted from the band's third album Bandwagonesque (number 116, March 1992).

"The Concept" peaked at number 51 in the UK in November 1991.

We'll next see Teenage Fanclub in 1995.

Number 134 "Hooked on the Memory of You" by Neil Diamond (duet with Kim Carnes)

Peak: number 116

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 134-132-130-117-116-132-130 

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

We saw Neil Diamond just last month, and Kim Carnes back in 1989.

"Hooked on the Memory of You" was a song originally recorded solo for Neil Diamond's 1988 album The Best Years of Our Lives (number 85, March 1989).  Neil re-recorded the song as a duet with Kim Carnes for his Lovescape (number 15, March 1992) album.

I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere.  On the state charts, "Hooked on the Memory of You" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 91.

We shall next see Neil in December 1992, and Kim in 1997.

Number 139 "Thinking About Your Love" by Kenny Thomas

Peak: number 125

Peak date: 25 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 139-138-140-140-126-125-133

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

English soul singer Kenny Thomas started his career as a boxer and a technician for British Telecom before embarking on a singing career.

"Thinking About Your Love" was the second single Kenny released in Australia, following "Outstanding" (released January 1992, failed to chart).  Both tracks were taken from his debut album Voices (number 133, May 1992).

 

Internationally, "Thinking About Your Love" peaked at number 4 in the UK in June 1991, number 22 in Sweden in September 1991, and number 50 in Germany in September 1991.

 

Within Australia, "Thinking About Your Love" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 100.

 

We will next see Kenny in July.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 181 "Judge Fudge" by Happy Mondays

Peak: number 181

Peak date: 20 April 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

We last saw Happy Mondays in 1991.

"Judge Fudge" was a non-album single.  The single peaked at number 24 in the UK in November 1991.

Domestically, "Judge Fudge" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 151.

We'll next see Happy Mondays in September 1992.

 

 

 

Number 191 "Lightning" by Zoë

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

We last saw Zoë in 1991.

"Lightning" was the second single lifted from Zoë's debut album Scarlet Red and Blue (number 193, May 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 37 in the UK in November 1991, and number 28 in Ireland.

Locally, "Lightning" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 125.

This was Zoë's last charting entry in Australia.  She had one further single released locally, "Hammer", in July 1996.

A third single from Scarlet Red and Blue, "Holy Days", was issued in Europe, reaching number 72 in the UK in March 1992.

 

 

 

Next week (27 April): Five top 150 debuts, and one bubbling WAY down under entry.

< Previous week: 13 April 1992                                    Next week: 27 April 1992 >

 

Week commencing 13 April 1992

This week in 1992's debuts peaking outside the top 100 are an eclectic bunch.  Let's take a look.

 

Chaka Khan: Big voice, big hair, but not that many big hits in Australia.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 131 "Big Thing" by Among Thieves

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 131-126-137-134-131-117

 

Among Thieves were an Australian band, formed in Melbourne.  During their tenure, they released only one album, Among Thieves, in April 1993.  It missed the ARIA top 150 albums chart.

 

The group had more success on the singles chart, however, placing one single in the ARIA top 100 - "Faith in Love" (number 72, January 1992).

 

"Big Thing", which I hadn't heard before, climbed to its peak of number 117 before falling out of the top 150 the following week.  It was the final top 150 entry from Among Thieves.

 

Another single, "My Heart Just Bleeds", was released in October 1992.

 

 

Number 145 "Can't Get Love with Money" by Schascle

Peak: number 138

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 145-(out for 1 week)-148-(out for 2 weeks)-138-148-148

 

I can't tell you much about Schascle Yochim, who dropped the surname for her stage name.  But "Can't Get Love with Money", which I hadn't heard before, was her only ARIA top 150 single.  The track is lifted from the album Haunted by Real Life (number 140, May 1992).  I cannot find evidence of the single charting elsewhere.

 

 

Number 150 "Like a Rolling Stone" (Live) by Bob Dylan

Peak: number 150

Peak date: 13 April 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Chart run: 169-150

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

This live version of Bob Dylan's 1965 single "Like a Rolling Stone" appears to have been an Australian-only release, issued to promote the Australasian-only re-issue of his 1978 compilation Masterpieces, which belatedly peaked at number 35 in March 1997.  The album originally peaked at number 2 in Australia in April 1978.

Unfortunately, I am unable to determine which is the 'correct' live version of this track to embed below, short of buying the CD single (which I do not wish to do), as the single sleeve does not specify when or where the live recording was made.  Nevertheless, I have embedded a live version of the song below.

This live version of "Like a Rolling Stone" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 117.

We shall next see Bob in 1993.

 

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 193 "Love You All My Lifetime" by Chaka Khan

Peak: number 193

Peak date: 13 April 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

We last saw Chaka Khan, born Yvette Marie Stevens, on her own in 1989, and as a featured artist in 1990.

"Love You All My Lifetime" was the lead single from Chaka's eighth studio album The Woman I Am (number 159, April 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 49 in the UK in April 1992, and number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1992.

Within Australia, "Love You All My Lifetime" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 179.

I don't recall hearing this one at the time.  It's decent.

 

We'll next see Chaka in 1997.  Before then, she placed another album outside the ARIA top 100 - The Remix Project (Greatest Hits) (number 157, April 1994).

 

Next week (20 April): Four top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.

 

< Previous week: 6 April 1992                                           Next week: 20 April 1992 > 

Week commencing 6 April 1992

Eight of this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the ARIA top 100 have lead male vocals.  Let's take a look at them.

 

Marky Mark: so skint he had to make do without a shirt.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 128 "I Need Money" by Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch

Peak: number 121

Peak date: 13 April 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 128-121-123-127-133

 

Mark Wahlberg, known in the early 90s as Marky Mark, was an original member of New Kids on the Block, at age 13, alongside his older brother Donnie.  Mark soon quit the group, however, and launched his 'solo' musical career (of sorts) in 1991 together with The Funky Bunch.

 

Marky Mark's debut single "Good Vibrations" (number 4, October 1991) was an international hit, followed up by the more moderately-successful "Wildside" (number 28, January 1992).  "I Need Money" was the third and final single lifted from the debut Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch album Music for the People (number 67, November 1991).

Internationally, "I Need Money" peaked at number 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1992.

I did not hear this one at the time, but remember it being reviewed in Smash Hits magazine.

Number 134 "Poison Girl" by Chris Whitley

Peak: number 133

Peak date: 22 June 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 134-142-144-(out for 5 weeks)-134-142-146-133-150

 

We last saw American blues/rock singer-songwriter Chris Whitley in January.

 

"Poison Girl" was the third and final single lifted from Chris' debut album Living with the Law (number 109, November 1991).  I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere, even on the subsidiary genre-specific Billboard charts.  It was his final ARIA top 150 entry.

 

 

Number 135 "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" by Tears for Fears

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 27 April 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Known chart run: 153-135-136-(out of the top 150 for 1 week)-130-138-138-137-137

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

We last saw Tears for Fears, who were now essentially just Roland Orzabal, in 1990.  We also saw a side project of theirs in 1991.

 

"Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" originally appeared as a largely instrumental B-side on the "Sowing the Seeds of Love" (number 13, October 1989) single in 1989, titled "Tears Roll Down".  This version of the track was recorded for the Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82-92) (number 101, July 1992) compilation.  Although that album curiously just missed the top 100 in Australia, it performed considerably better in Western Australia, where it reached number 16 on the state chart.

 

Internationally, "Laid So Low..." peaked at number 17 in the UK in February 1992, number 40 in Germany in March 1992, number 27 in the Netherlands in April 1992, number 15 in France in May 1992, and number 49 in the Flanders region of Belgium in May 1992.

 

Domestically, "Laid So Low..." was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 95.

 

I remember seeing this single in the shops, but never actually heard the track until listening to it to write this post.  While I think the song is OK, it does not rank among Tears for Fears' best.

 

We shall next see Tears for Fears in 1995.

 

 

Number 136 Covers E.P. by Everything but the Girl

Peak: number 136

Peak date: 6 April 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 136-149-138

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

We last saw English duo Everything but the Girl in 1990.

 

As you might expect from the title of the E.P., Covers consists of cover versions of other artists' songs.  The four cover versions on this E.P. are "Love Is Strange" (originally recorded by Mickey & Sylvia), "Tougher Than the Rest" (originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen), "Time After Time" (originally recorded by Cyndi Lauper), and "Alison" (originally recorded by Elvis Costello).

None of the above tracks appear on the then-current Everything but the Girl album Worldwide (number 164, December 1991).

 

Internationally, the Covers E.P. peaked at number 13 in the UK in March 1992, and number 18 in Ireland during the same month.

 

Within Australia, Covers performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 121.

 

We'll next see Everything but the Girl in 1993.

 

 

Number 141 "Lover, Lover, Lover" by Ian McCulloch

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 6 April 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 141-(out for 1 week)-142

 

English singer-songwriter Ian McCulloch is best known as the lead singer of Echo & The Bunnymen.  He launched a solo career in 1984.

"Lover, Lover, Lover" was the lifted from Ian's second solo studio album Mysterio.  It was Ian's first solo release to chart in Australia.

Internationally, "Lover, Lover, Lover" peaked at number 47 in the UK in March 1992.

I hadn't heard this one before.  I liked it.

We shall see Ian again with Echo & The Bunnymen in 1997.

 

 

Number 148 "What My Baby Likes" by Push Push

Peak: number 118

Peak date: 25 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 12 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 148-133-133-123-132-120-119-118-127-136-124-140

New Zealand rock band Push Push formed in 1985.  Their debut single "Trippin'" topped the New Zealand singles chart for six non-consecutive weeks in April-May 1991, and peaked at number 25 locally in July 1991.  Their second single "Song 27" (number 62, September 1991) was less-successful.

 

"What My Baby Likes" was the third and final single released from Push Push's only album A Trillion Shades of Happy (number 105, June 1992).  The single peaked at number 4 in New Zealand in March 1992.

 

 

Number 149 "James Brown Is Still Alive!!" by Holy Noise featuring The Global Insert Project

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 4 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 149-(out for 3 weeks)-148

Not having heard this one before, as I expected from the title, "James Brown Is Still Alive!!" is an answer-song of sorts to L.A. Style's "James Brown Is Dead" (number 7, May 1992).

Internationally, "James Brown Is Still Alive!!" peaked at number 5 in the Netherlands in November 1991, number 7 in the Flanders region of Belgium in December 1991, and number 29 in Germany in February 1992.

"James Brown Is Still Alive!!" performed much better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, reaching number 90.

 

Of course, James Brown is dead now.  He died on Christmas day 2006, aged 73.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 171 "Moira Jane's Café" by Definition of Sound

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 25 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

 

We last saw Definition of Sound in 1991. 

"Moira Jane's Café" was the fourth and final single lifted from the duo's debut album Love and Life (number 97, August 1991).  The single peaked at number 34 in the UK in February 1992, and at number 50 in the Netherlands in April 1992.

 

Domestically, "Moira Jane's Café" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 108.

We shall see Definition of Sound next in October.

 

Number 179 "I'll Cry for You" by Europe

Peak: number 179

Peak date: 6 April 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

We last saw Swedish rock band Europe in 1991.

"I'll Cry for You" was the second single lifted from the band's fifth studio album Prisoners in Paradise (number 197, November 1991).  Internationally, "I'll Cry for You" peaked at number 28 in the UK in February 1992.

Within Australia, "I'll Cry for You" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 126.

This was Europe's final single to peak outside the ARIA top 100.  They landed another chart hit in late 1999 with "The Final Countdown 2000" (number 33, January 2000).

 

Europe had three further albums peak outside the top 100 in Australia: Last Look at Eden (number 926, August 2010), War of Kings (number 646, January 2016), and The Final Countdown 30th Anniversary Show - Live at The Roundhouse (number 839, January 2018).

Next week (13 April): Three top 150 debuts and one bubbling WAY down under entry.

 

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