Week commencing 10 August 1992

This week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100 are a mixed bunch.  Before taking a look at them, I have updated the following earlier post:

 

* 15 July 1991 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from The Farm.

 

Opus III's Kirsty Hawkshaw certainly felt the wind with that hairstyle in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 129 "N.W.O" by Ministry

Peak: number 118

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 129-119-118-131-124-129-135

 

We last saw American industrial metal band Ministry in March 1992.

 

"N.W.O", which of course stands for New World Order, is considered a protest song against American president at the time, George H.W. Bush.  The song contains numerous samples of his political speeches.  The track was the second single lifted from the band's fifth studio album ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ (number 54, August 1992), which is also known as Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs.

 

Internationally, "N.W.O" peaked at number 49 in the UK in August 1992.  It also reached number 11 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart during the same month.

 

I am slightly amused to see that an extended dance mix exists for this track.

 

This would be Ministry's final single to peak within the ARIA top 150.

Number 142 "Pain Lies on the Riverside" by Live

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 142

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

American band Live formed in York, Pennsylvania in 1984.  "Pain Lies on the Riverside" was the band's second single released in Australia, lifted from their second studio album and first major label release Mental Jewelry (number 137, July 1992).  It followed "Operation Spirit", which was released in Australia in May 1992 but failed to chart.

I was not aware of Live until "Selling the Drama" (number 49, September 1994), from their third album and commercial breakthrough Throwing Copper (number 1 for 7 non-consecutive weeks in August 1995 and January 1996), crept into the top 50 in 1994.  The band's biggest hit in Australia would be "Lightning Crashes" (number 13, September 1995), the following year.

 

Overseas, "Pain Lies on the Riverside" charted on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart, where it reached number 24.  It does not appear to have dented any other national chart.

 

Domestically, "Pain Lies on the Riverside" was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 120.

 

We will next see Live in 1995.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 168 "Rising Sun" by The Farm

Peak: number 168

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw English band The Farm in July 1991.

 

"Rising Sun" was issued as the lead single from The Farm's second studio album Love See No Colour (number 242, November 1992) in Australia.  The album oddly missed the top 75 in the UK, despite their debut album topping the albums chart there in 1991!  The album's title track was issued as the first single from the album in the UK, but stalled at number 58 there in December 1991.  Fickle poms, eh?

Internationally, "Rising Sun" peaked at number 48 in the UK in June 1992.  Locally, it was equally most-popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory and South Australia/Northern Territory, where it peaked at number 159 on both state charts.

We'll see The Farm once more, in November 1992.

 

 

Number 174 "I'll Be There" by Innocence

Peak: number 174

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw English band Innocence in 1991.

 

"I'll Be There" was the first single lifted from the group's second album Build (number 217, December 1992).

 

Internationally, "I'll Be There" peaked at number 26 in the UK in June 1992.  Locally, the single found greatest success in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 156.

 

We'll next see Innocence in 1993.

 

 

Number 178 "Burning Up the Night" by Flash and the Pan

Peak: number 178

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Australian duo Harry Vanda and George Young were, respectively, the lead guitarist and rhythm guitarist in The Easybeats, who scored two number one singles in Australia with "Sorry" (number 1, November 1966) and "Friday on My Mind" (number 1, December 1966).  During the 1970s, they produced AC/DC's first few albums, and wrote and produced numerous hits for John Paul Young, including "Love Is in the Air" (number 3, June 1978).

 

The duo began releasing material in 1976 as Flash and the Pan, which was essentially a side-project.  The pair landed back-to-back top 5 hits in Australia with "Hey, St. Peter" (number 5, February 1977) and "Down Among the Dead Men" (number 4, September 1978).  Flash and the Pan last charted in Australia with "Midnight Man" (number 66, February 1985).  During the 1990s, the pair wrote and produced Mark Williams' "Show No Mercy" (number 8, July 1990).

 

"Burning Up the Night" was the lead single and title track of Flash and the Pan's sixth and final studio album Burning Up the Night, which was released locally in September 1992 but failed to chart.

 

On the state charts, "Burning Up the Night" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 155.

 

George Young passed away in 2017, aged 70.

 

We shall next see Flash and the Pan in 1993.

  

 

Number 179 Find 'em, Fool 'em E.P. by S'Express

Peak: number 179

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw S'Express in 1989.  A track that Mark Moore, who essentially was S'Express, remixed bubbled under in 1990.

 

Since then, S'Express had gained a new lead singer, Sonique (real name Sonia Clarke), who would go on to score two solo hits in Australia with "It Feels So Good" (number 21, July 2000) - more than a year after it debuted at number 236 in March 1999 - and "Sky" (number 18, February 2001).

"Find 'em, Fool 'em, Forget 'em" appeared on S'Express's second album Intercourse, which was released in Australia in August 1992 but failed to chart.  The track was originally released as a single in its own right in the UK in early 1991, peaking at number 83 there in March of that year.  For the Find 'em, Fool 'em E.P., the track was paired with "Let It All Out", which did not appear on the album.

The 1992 release of the single peaked at number 43 in the UK in May 1992.  In Australia, the E.P. was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 141.

While we won't see S'Express bubbling under again, they landed another minor hit in Australia with "Theme from S-Xpress (The Return Trip)" (number 42, July 1996).

 

We will see Sonique on her own in 1998.

 

 

Number 184 "I Talk to the Wind" by Opus III

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

English electronic band Opus III were Kevin Dodds, Ian Munro and Nigel Walton, with Kirsty Hawkshaw providing vocals.  They landed a minor hit in Australia with their debut single "It's a Fine Day" (number 54, May 1992), which was a cover version of an a cappella track recorded by Jane in 1983.  Listening to the original, Kirsty provides almost an exact replica of Jane's vocals - at least to my ears.

"I Talk to the Wind" was the second and final single lifted from Opus III's debut album Mind Fruit (number 173, August 1992).  Like its predecessor, this track was another cover version, this time quite a radical reworking of a song originally recorded by King Crimson in 1969.

Internationally, Opus III's rendition of "I Talk to the Wind" peaked at number 52 in the UK in June 1992.

Locally, "I Talk to the Wind" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 145.

We'll next see Opus III in 1994.

 

 

 

Number 192 "Dr. Bombay" by Del Tha Funkee Homosapien

Peak: number 160

Peak date: 17 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

Born Teren Delvon Jones, Del Tha Funkee Homosapien became a one-hit wonder in Australia earlier in 1992 with "Mistadobalina" (number 11, June 1992).  Mistadobalina would be name-checked in the opening line of "Dr. Bombay", which I had not heard before, as well as in the second verse.

 

"Dr. Bombay" was issued as Del's second single from his debut album I Wish My Brother George Was Here (number 151, July 1992) in Australia.

Internationally, "Dr. Bombay" peaked at number 26 in New Zealand in August 1992.  Locally, the single performed best in Western Australia, where it reached number 147 on the state chart.

"Dr. Bombay" would be Del's last single to chart in Australia.  To my surprise, however, he landed a second charting album, in 2008, with his fifth studio album Eleventh Hour (number 538, March 2008).

 

Number 202 "Make It with You" by The Pasadenas

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 17 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw English group The Pasadenas in March 1992.

 

"Make It with You" was lifted from their covers album Yours Sincerely, and is a cover version of a song originally recorded by Bread in 1970.  Bread's version peaked at number 8 in Australia on the Go-Set chart in October 1970.

Internationally, The Pasadenas' version of "Make It with You" peaked at number 20 in the UK in April 1992, number 28 in Ireland in April 1992, and number 54 in Germany in June 1992.

Domestically, "Make It with You" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 148.

This would be The Pasadenas' final charting release in Australia.

 

Next week (17 August): A quieter week, with only four top 150 debuts.

 

< Previous week: 3 August 1992                               Next week: 17 August 1992 >

Week commencing 3 August 1992

I had a request from a reader to include chart runs, so I have added them for this week for the top 150 entries, and will continue to do so.  However, given how time consuming it would be, I may not get around to the daunting task of adding them to each of my previous posts.  Anyway, here are this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the ARIA top 100...

 

Massive Attack weren't exactly "massive" on the Australian charts in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 115 "I Wanna Sing" by Sabrina Johnston

Peak: number 115

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 210-115-136-130-133-146-142

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

American singer Sabrina Johnston scored her first, and biggest, Australian hit with her debut single "Peace" (number 24, March 1992). She followed it up with the equally-good but not as successful "Friendship" (number 64, April 1992).  "I Wanna Sing" was released as the third single from her debut album Peace (number 143, September 1992).

 

Internationally, "I Wanna Sing" peaked at number 46 in the UK in July 1992.

 

In Australia, "I Wanna Sing" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 98 on the state chart.  The single crept into the lower region of the Australian Music Report top 100, where it peaked at number 93.

I first heard this one on the UK Chart Attack radio show.  I remember catching the video on SBS's MC Tee Vee, which was a great source at the time for dance-orientated music videos, with its clifftop scenes.  The chorus backing vocals on "let me sing someone" sounds a little bit like Annie Lennox to my ears, though I know it couldn't be her.

We will see Sabrina again in November 1992, where she shares a single with another artist.

 

 

Number 139 "What Are We Fightin' For" by Candy Harlots

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 139-132-137-145-147

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw Sydney band Candy Harlots in 1991.  Since then, they landed two top 40 hits, with the Foreplay EP (number 17, February 1992) and "Sister's Crazy" (number 37, May 1992).  "What Are We Fightin' For" was issued as the third and final single from the band's only studio album Five Wicked Ways (number 31, May 1992).

 

On the state charts, "What Are We Fightin' For" performed equally-strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory and Queensland, where it reached number 117.

 

I don't recall hearing this one before.  This would be Candy Harlots' last release.  Their lineup changed and they re-named the band Helter Skelter in 1993, and then The Harlots the following year, before disbanding in 1995.

 

 

Number 143 "Walk On" by Sunscreem

Peak: number 143

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 143-149

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw English band Sunscreem in April 1992.

 

While "Walk On" was Sunscreem's debut release in their homeland, it was issued as their second single in Australia, from their debut album O₃ (number 73, March 1993).

 

Internationally, "Walk On" peaked at number 94 (number 86 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1991.

 

Domestically, "Walk On" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 126.

 

I wasn't aware of this one at the time, though I wasn't familiar with Sunscreem until their next single, "Love U More" (number 30, March 1993), which initially debuted at number 166 on 14 September 1992 and crept into the top 150 for one week at number 141 the following week, before dropping out and re-entering at number 144 on the last chart of 1992, eventually making its way up to number 30 three months later.

We shall next see Sunscreem in January 1993.

 

 

Number 144 "Safe from Harm" by Massive Attack

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 17 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-140-132-148-141

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

English band Massive Attack formed in Bristol in 1988.  While they would not chart until March 1991 in Australia, with the single "Unfinished Sympathy" (number 95, June 1991), on which the band's name was temporarily changed to just Massive due to the Gulf War conflict, their signature sound of dissonant chords can be heard on Neneh Cherry's "Manchild" (number 58, July 1989), which was co-written by Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja, better known as 3D.

"Safe from Harm" was originally released in Australia in July 1991, as the second single from Massive Attack's debut album Blue Lines (number 69, July 1991).  It entered the chart at number 166 on 26 August 1991, but did not climb into the top 150 until its re-release locally in late July 1992.  In the interim, Massive Attack (just) placed a single within the ARIA top 50, with "Be Thankful for What You Got" (number 49, June 1992), accompanied by a rather risqué music video.

 

As with "Unfinished Sympathy", which is arguably one of the best records of all time, "Safe from Harm" (just as good, in my opinion) features the vocal talents of Shara Nelson, whose voice is not dissimilar from Aretha Franklin's.  The music video portrays Shara climbing a staircase in a tall apartment block at night, encountering several dodgy characters... with one eerily waiting outside her apartment at the end.

 

Internationally, "Safe from Harm" peaked at number 25 in the UK in June 1991, number 33 in Germany in July 1991, number 18 in the Netherlands in July 1991, number 23 in Austria in July 1991, and number 15 in Switzerland in August 1991.  It also registered on several meaningless US Billboard charts, reaching number 28 on the Alternative Airplay chart in September 1991, number 35 on the Dance Club Songs chart in September 1991, and number 32 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in October 1991.

 

In Australia, "Safe from Harm" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 109.

 

We will next see Massive Attack in 1995, but, before then, Shara Nelson will appear on her own several times, starting in 1993.

 

 

Number 145 "Sensual Motion" by S-Witch

Peak: number 135

Peak date: 31 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 145-143-142-139-135-139-149

We last saw Australian act S-Witch in 1991.

 

As I write this post, I am waiting on someone to (hopefully) send me an audio rip of this track.  I have not as yet heard the song, so cannot say much about it.  I will hopefully be able to update this post with the audio soon...  This would be S-Witch's final top 150 chart entry.

 

 

 

Number 149 "Spanish Horses" by Aztec Camera

Peak: number 143

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Known chart run: 173-149-148-(out)-143

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

We last saw Scottish band Aztec Camera in 1990.

 

"Spanish Horses" was the lead single from the band's fifth studio album Dreamland (number 146, June 1993).  Internationally, "Spanish Horses" peaked at number 52 in the UK in July 1992.

Within Australia, "Spanish Horses" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 107.

 

I hadn't heard this one before.  This would be the final Aztec Camera single to chart in Australia, although they had later charting albums with Frestonia (number 187, April 1996) and Original Album Series (number 956, September 2011).

 

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 154 "Motorcycle Emptiness" by Manic Street Preachers

Peak: number 151

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

Welsh band Manic Street Preachers last joined us in June 1992.

 

"Motorcycle Emptiness" was issued as the final single from the band's debut album Generation Terrorists (number 182, April 1992).  Overseas, the single peaked at number 17 in the UK in June 1992, number 21 in the Netherlands in September 1992, number 35 in the Flanders region of Belgium in September 1992, and number 35 in New Zealand in October 1992.

Domestically, "Motorcycle Emptiness" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 127.

While I think I have heard/seen the music video for this one before, I couldn't recall how the song went, but enjoyed it.  It has that signature 'Manics' sound I am familiar with.

The Manics will next join us in November 1992.

 

Number 159 "Get Together" by Beatfish

Peak: number 159

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

Australian duo Beatfish last graced our presence in March 1992.

 

"Get Together", issued as the band's fourth single, was not lifted from their debut, and only, album Beatfish (number 79, November 1991); but, rather, was a new track - presumably recorded for a second album that never eventuated.

This time, vocal duties were handled by Mentals As Anything member Martin Plaza.

Listening to this track as I write this post, musically it sounds not dissimilar to The Style Council, to my ears.  It's much more laid back than Beatfish's earlier singles.  It's not bad, but doesn't exactly scream commercial success in 1992... hence the number 159 peak.

On the state charts, "Get Together" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 129.

Presumably, James and Martin disbanded Beatfish soon after this release, as it would be their last one together.  We shall see Martin Plaza solo in 1994, and with Mental As Anything in 1995.

 

 

Number 171 "Take Me" (The Prodigy Mix) by Dream Frequency featuring Debbie Sharp

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated 21 December 1992 and 28 December 1992)

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

 

English-American duo Dream Frequency/Debbie Sharp last joined us in June 1992.

 

I have a feeling that ARIA didn't yet quite know what to do with multi-part releases on the chart, as e.g. we had separate listings for a certain artist I don’t wish to promote on this blog with a single that topped the chart in late 1991, and the Clivillés & Cole Remixes single of the same track charted separately a few months later. This time, we have The Prodigy Mix of Dream Frequency's "Take Me" charting separately from the regular release of "Take Me" (number 62, September 1992), which debuted at number 165 the following week, on 10 August 1992.  To confuse matters, the Prodigy Mix of "Take Me" appears as track 2 on both the CD and cassette single formats.  Presumably, this release is the 12" vinyl single, on which this mix is the lead track.  We last saw The Prodigy in June 1992.

 

"Take Me" was the second single released from Dream Frequency's debut album One Nation (number 160, January 1993).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 39 in the UK in April 1992, and at number 22 in Ireland during the same month.

In Australia, "Take Me" (The Prodigy Mix) performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 118.  The regular version of the single was much more popular in South Australia/Northern Territory than elsewhere, reaching number 13 on the state chart.  Its next-highest state chart peak was number 37 in Western Australia.

We shall see Dream Frequency on one more occasion, in 1994.

 

 

Number 194 "Straight Talk" by Dolly Parton

Peak: number 194

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Country legend Dolly Parton last joined us as part of a duet in 1990.  Dolly's biggest chart hit in Australia was her duet with Kenny Rogers, "Islands in the Stream" (number 1 for one week in December 1983).  Surprisingly, one of Dolly's best-known songs, "Jolene", stalled at number 99 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart in July 1974.

 

"Straight Talk" was lifted from the soundtrack album to the movie of the same name, in which Dolly starred.  She also wrote and performed all of the tracks on the album.

 

Internationally, "Straight Talk" peaked at number 81 in the Netherlands in August 1992.  It also peaked at number 64 on the meaningless US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in April 1992.

 

In Australia, "Straight Talk" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 158.

 

We shall next see Dolly in 1994.

 

 

Number 206 "Wishing on a Star" by The Cover Girls

Peak: number 181

Peak date: 14 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

We last saw The Cover Girls in 1991.

"Wishing on a Star" is a cover version of a Rose Royce single from 1977, which surprisingly does not appear to have been released in Australia, but was in New Zealand.  In more-recent years, part of the song's chorus was interpolated in Soul II Soul's "A Dreams a Dream" (number 27, June 1990).

The Cover Girls released their version of "Wishing on a Star" as the second single from their third studio album Here It Is (number 236, September 1992), more than a year after the first single from the album, "Funk Boutique".  Internationally, the single peaked at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992, number 38 in the UK in July 1992, number 6 in the Netherlands in September 1992, number 76 in Germany in September 1992, and number 26 in the Flanders region of Belgium in October 1992.

Locally, "Wishing on a Star" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 156 on the state chart.

 

Embedded below is the video for the single version of "Wishing on a Star".  You can view the video for the extended version here.

This would be The Cover Girls' final single to chart in Australia.

 

 

Next week (10 August): Two top 150 entries and seven bubbling WAY down under debuts.

 

< Previous week: 27 July 1992                              Next week: 10 August 1992 >

Week commencing 27 July 1992

There's no common theme I can identify linking this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100.  Before diving in, I have updated the following earlier posts:

* 21 January 1991 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Pop Will Eat Itself;

* 8 July 1991 - with new bubbling WAY down under entries from Pop Will Eat Itself and Soul Family Sensation.

Ce Ce Peniston kept on walkin' in the opposite direction from the top 100 this week in 1992.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 109 “Beds Are Burning” (live) by Midnight Oil

Peak: number 108

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 109-108-113-110-117-127-136

 

It's kind of fitting that I would finally lose my hair (after a year of chemotherapy) during the week that Australian band, Midnight Oil, fronted by famous baldie Peter Garrett, would be the first entry I have to write about.  The Oils formed in 1972, though were originally known as The Farm (not to be confused with the UK band of the same name).  This is the first occasion Midnight Oil appear in the below number 100 section of the chart, although we have a seen the band's drummer, Rob Hirst, as a member of Ghostwriters previously.

Although the original 1987 studio version of "Beds Are Burning" (number 6, September 1987) was technically not their highest-charting single in Australia, it is without doubt their signature track, and biggest international hit, reaching the top 10 across Europe and the top 20 in the US.

Midnight Oil's biggest Australian hit was their Species Deceases EP (number 1 for 6 non-consecutive weeks in December 1985 and January 1986), which became the first release to debut at number 1 on the Australian singles chart.  My favourite track of theirs would be "The Dead Heart" (number 4, August 1986), which, together with the studio version of "Beds Are Burning", was taken from their sixth studio album Diesel and Dust (number 1 for 6 weeks in August-September 1987).

Fast forward to 1992, the Oils released the live album Scream in Blue - Live (number 3, May 1992).  This live version of "Beds Are Burning" was issued as the second single from it, following "Sometimes" (number 33, May 1992).  The track was recorded in Darlinghurst in 1989, from the Our Common Future concert.  Skip to 1:25 in the video embedded below if you just want to get to the music.  I don't recall hearing this version before.

 

On the state charts, this live version of "Beds Are Burning" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 74.

We shall next see Midnight Oil in 1993.

Number 122 “Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)” by Deborah Blando

Peak: number 122

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Chart run: 206-122-127-131

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

Brazilian songstress Deborah Blando, born in Italy, seemed to come out of nowhere in 1992 with her single "Innocence" (number 31, May 1992), which I rather like, though had not heard until it entered the top 60 on rage.  There were a few curiosities like that around mid-1992; I suspect heavily-discounted singles (of which "Innocence" was one), which was a new marketing strategy in Australia at the time (during a recession), was a factor at play - not to say that I think "Innocence" didn't deserve to do well.  Indeed, I can see a copy of the Australian CD single with a $1.95 price tag on it (as opposed to the regular $7.95 or even $8.95 price of CD singles at that time) on eBay; I am guessing the cassette single was sold for $0.95, as was a Shakespears Sister cassingle I bought in July 1992.  To my eyes, Deborah looked like the new Cyndi Lauper, and even had a similar voice in some ways.

"Boy (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" is a cover of a song by The Temptations, originally titled "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)", from 1964.  The track was apparently Deborah's debut single overseas, but her second released in Australia, lifted from her debut album A Different Story (number 182, April 1992).

I cannot find evidence of this single charting elsewhere, though it presumably charted in Brazil, assuming they had charts at the time.  In Australia, the single performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 107.

I don't recall hearing this one at the time, though caught a brief preview of the video (though I think without audio) on Video Smash Hits.  It's OK, but I much prefer the moody eeriness of "Innocence".

This would be Deborah's last foray onto the Australian chart, though I remember seeing her appear on some Rio festival on Hey Hey It's Saturday towards the end of 1993.

Number 130 “Keep on Walkin’” by Ce Ce Peniston

Peak: number 123

Peak dates: 10 August 1992 and 17 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 130-126-123-123-141-150

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

American singer and former beauty pageant winner Ce Ce Peniston, born Cecilia Veronica Peniston, launched her recording career with the enduring "Finally" (number 8, March 1992), which she co-wrote.  I first heard that track while on a family holiday in Canberra just after Christmas 1991.  She followed up that track with "We Got a Love Thang" (number 36, June 1992), which originally peaked at number 68 in May 1992 and dropped out of the top 100 for two weeks before miraculously climbing back up to number 36, and then dropping to number 72 again the following week!  I assume the bounce in sales was due to maybe a short promotional visit to Australia from Ce Ce, heavy discounting (as mentioned for Deborah Blando above), or perhaps the record company just buying up copies themselves?  Whatever the reason, it saved Ce Ce from becoming a one-hit wonder in Australia.

"Keep on Walkin'" was issued as the third single from Ce Ce's debut album Finally (number 95, March 1992).  I first became familiar with the track via the American Top 40 radio show.  This track was co-written by Kym Sims, whom we have seen bubble under twice in 1992 in her own right.  Both she and Ce Ce worked with producer Steve "Silk" Hurley.

 

Internationally, the single peaked at number 10 in the UK in May 1992, number 17 in Ireland in May 1992, number 31 in the Flanders region of Belgium in June 1992, number 41 in the Netherlands in July 1992, number 67 in Canada in August 1992, and 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992.  It also topped the meaningless US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in June 1992.

In Australia, "Keep on Walkin'" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 92.

We shall next see Ce Ce in 1994.

Number 131 “Karmadrome”/“Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me” by Pop Will Eat Itself

Peak: number 121

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 131-121-127-136-146

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

We last saw English band Pop Will Eat Itself in 1991.

 

"Karmadrome"/"Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me" was issued as the lead single from Pop Will Eat Itself's fourth studio album The Looks Or the Lifestyle? (number 165, October 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 17 in the UK in May 1992.

In Australia, "Karmadrome"/"Eat Me Drink Me Love Me Kill Me" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 106.

 

I don't recall hearing either track before.

We'll next see Pop Will Eat Itself in October 1992.

Number 148 “Galileo” by Indigo Girls

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 148-142-130-134-140-136

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks 

 

Amy Ray and Emily Sailers, better known as Indigo Girls, hail from Atlanta, Georgia.  The pair met in primary school, and began performing as Indigo Girls in 1985, while attending university.

 

Their debut Australian release was the single "Closer to Fine" (number 57, August 1989), lifted from their second album Indigo Girls (number 64, September 1989).  I remember catching that one on rage before the top 50 chart in 1989.  It would be the only Indigo Girls single to dent the top 100 in Australia.

"Galileo" was issued as the first, and in Australia, only, single from the duo's fourth studio album Rites of Passage (number 110, October 1992).

 

Internationally, "Galileo" peaked at number 89 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992, and number 86 in the UK in November 1992.  It also reached number 10 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in June 1992.

 

In Australia, "Galileo" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 111.

 

We will next see Indigo Girls in 1994.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 174 "Every Time I Roll the Dice" by Delbert McClinton featuring Bonnie Raitt & Melissa Etheridge

Peak: number 160

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

 

American blues singer-songwriter Delbert McClinton hails from Lubbock, Texas.  His recording career began in 1972, although "Every Time I Roll the Dice" would be his only single to chart in Australia.  The Australian pressing of this release lists Bonnie Raitt and Melissa Etheridge as featured vocalists (presumably as a selling point) on the cover artwork, although they are really just providing backing vocals on the track.  This track is lifted from Delbert's twelfth studio album Never Been Rocked Enough (number 123, September 1992), which was also his first album to chart locally.

Delbert's biggest and only top 40 hit in his homeland was the 1980 single "Giving It Up for Love", which reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1981.

Internationally, "Every Time I Roll the Dice" peaked at number 13 on the meaningless US Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in July 1992, and number 40 in Canada in July 1992.

In Australia, "Every Time I Roll the Dice" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 95.  The Never Been Rocked Enough album was also much more popular in South Australia/Northern Territory than elsewhere, where it reached number 33 on the state albums chart.

 

"Every Time I Roll the Dice" fared better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 90 nationally.

Although we will not see Delbert again, he had two later low-charting albums in Australia with the combined Second Wind/Keeper of the Flame set (number 414, June 2002) - these albums were originally released in 1978 and 1979, respectively, and Outdated Emotion (number 1234, May 2022).

Number 196 "It Only Takes a Minute" by Take That

Peak: number 191

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw British boy band Take That in March 1992.

 

"It Only Takes a Minute" is a cover version of a track originally performed by Tavares in 1975, which did not chart in Australia.  Take That's version was released as the fourth single in their homeland from their debut album Take That & Party (number 104, May 1993), where it became their first major hit, and first release to peak within the top ten.  In Australia, "It Only Takes a Minute" was Take That's second release.

Internationally, "It Only Takes a Minute" peaked at number 7 in the UK in June 1992, and at number 11 in Ireland during the same month.

Domestically, "It Only Takes a Minute" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 172.

I first heard this one on the UK Chart Attack radio show, where it was played for several weeks, appearing in their top 5 (songs charting in the UK that had not yet crossed over or been released in the US).  The song is catchy and probably one of my favourite Take That singles, although I do not consider myself a fan of theirs.  I did not realise until researching this post that "It Only Take a Minute" was a cover.

Given that my interest in the charts wanes significantly towards the end of the 1990s, and subsequently I will almost certainly not be writing posts about 2007 charts here, I can tell you that Take That had further singles peaking outside the top 200 here from 2007 onwards, following their reformation in 2006 - but I have zero interest in those tracks.  If you really want to know, they are: "Rule the World" (number 209, November 2007), "Greatest Day" (number 202, December 2008), "The Flood" (number 300, November 2010), and several lower-charting singles I care even less about in the 2010s.

 

Take That also had later low-charting albums in Australia with The Circus (number 180, December 2008), The Greatest Day - Take That Present: The Circus Live (number 820, January 2010), Progress Live (number 524, December 2011), and III (number 263, December 2014).

Number 197 "Best of You" by Kenny Thomas

Peak: number 197

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw English singer Kenny Thomas in April 1992.

 

"Best of You" was issued as the third single from Kenny's debut album Voices (number 133, May 1992).  Internationally, "Best of You" peaked at number 11 in the UK in October 1991, number 27 in Ireland in October 1991, number 66 in Germany in December 1991, number 87 in the Netherlands in December 1991, number 31 in New Zealand in May 1992, and number 23 in France in July 1992.

Locally, "Best of You" performed 'best' in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 179.

Kenny will join us one more time, in 1994.

 

 

Next week (3 August): Six top 150 entries and five bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 20 July 1992                                Next week: 3 August 1992 >

Week commencing 20 July 1992

This week in 1992 was another busy week on the charts, with 12 new entries for me to write about.  Before taking a look, I have updated the following earlier posts:

* 10 September 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Arthur Baker and The Backbeat Disciples;

* 1 October 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Adam Ant;

* 5 November 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from 2 Static featuring Nasty Cat;

* 17 December 1990 - with a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Aswad.

That takes me up to the end of 1990 with updating my earlier posts - they should all now be up to date with added weeks on chart listings and state chart peaks where I have this information.  I still have 1991 and the first couple of months of 1992 to update.

 

Now onto this week in 1992...

 

Gina G was too 'cultured' for the Australian charts in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 115 "I Need Love" by Olivia Newton-John

Peak: number 109

Peak date: 7 September 1992

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

Chart run: 115-110-114-117-113-119-113-109-119-117-125

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

 

We last saw Olivia Newton-John in 1989.

 

"I Need Love" was recorded for inclusion on Olivia's Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971-1992 (number 15, September 1992) compilation, and released as its lead single.  Unfortunately, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 1992, on the weekend her father died from liver cancer, resulting in her cancelling her planned tour to promote the album while she underwent treatment.  While Olivia survived her initial bout with the disease, it was discovered that the cancer had spread to her shoulder in 2013, following X-rays after a minor car accident.  She would ultimately die from the disease in August 2022, aged 73.

Internationally, "I Need Love" peaked at number 74 in the UK in June 1992, and number 96 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992.

In Australia, "I Need Love" found greatest success in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 64.  The single also performed better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 89.

Interestingly, "I Need Love" spent the first ten weeks of its 11-week chart run hovering between numbers 109 and 119.

 

While I was aware of this release at the time, I don't think I heard the song or saw the video, probably partly because there was more media interest in Olivia's recent cancer diagnosis at the time than her new music.  Olivia was very much women's gossip magazine fodder at this stage in her career.

 

We will next see Olivia in October 1992, and a cover version of this song (with a new title) will also bubble under in 1995.

Number 117 "Runaway" by Deee-Lite

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Chart run: 166-117-112-125-122-124-129-143

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Deee-Lite last graced our presence in 1991.

 

"Runaway" was issued as the lead single from Deee-Lite's second studio album Infinity Within (number 117, August 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 45 in the UK in June 1992, number 25 in Switzerland in July 1992, and number 70 in Canada in August 1992.  While the single missed the US Billboard Hot 100, it topped the meaningless US Dance Club songs chart.

In Australia, "Runaway" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 94.

 

I remember catching the video for "Runaway" on rage as a new release, and the "why don't we, why don't we, why don't we..." lines sung by Lady Miss Kier at the start of the video got stuck in my head.  I actually chose "Runaway" as one of my video selections when I won a competition to program an hour of the Australian music video show rage in 2010.  I deliberately chose videos they had not aired in many years.  The "we'd like to conduct a fax orgy" line always makes me laugh.

"Runaway" would be Deee-Lite's final single to chart in Australia, although they had later charting albums with Dewdrops in the Garden (number 140, September 1994), Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities (number 151, December 1996), and The Very Best of Deee-Lite (number 416, January 2002).

 

While Deee-Lite would not trouble the ARIA singles chart again, band member Towa Tei would land a minor 'hit' with "GBI (German Bold Italic)" featuring Kylie Minogue (number 50, November 1998) in 1998, and would also chart with his albums Future Listening! (number 229, August 1995), Sound Museum (number 195, June 1998), and Last Century Modern (number 245, July 2000).

 

 

Number 134 "Evapor 8" by Altern 8

Peak: number 124

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 134-129-135-124-135-135

 

Rave-orientated dance tunes were slowly infiltrating the ARIA singles chart in 1991-2, even if they usually peaked outside the top 100.   Here's another one of those, this time from British electronic duo Altern 8, who were Mark Archer and Chris Peat.  While "Evapor 8" was their first, and seemingly only, Australian release, it was the duo's fifth charting single in the UK.  "Activ 8 (Come with Me)" was Altern 8's biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 3 in November 1991.  That song contains a vocal sample from Peech Boys' "Don't Make Me Wait", from 1982 - we will see another song later in the year that uses the same sample.

 

Internationally, "Evapor 8" peaked at number 6 in the UK in April 1992, and number 9 in Ireland during the same month.  The track would appear on the duo's only album Full on... Mask Hysteria, and features the vocals of P.P. Arnold, whom we saw as a featured artist for another act in 1989.

 

In Australia, "Evapor 8" would be Altern 8's only release to trouble the top 150.

Number 140 "Love the Life" by Bass Culture featuring Geena

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 140-139-130-141-131-150

Weeks on chart: 21 weeks (1992 and 1996 releases combined) 

Bass Culture were Australian production duo Mark James and David Berman.  They roped in then-unknown Australian singer Gina Gardiner, who would be better known later on as Gina G, for this, their debut single, "Love the Life".  Gina was credited as 'Geena' though for this release.

Despite promoting the single with a performance on light entertainment variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday, and the song being used prominently as background music in the Summer Bay Diner on Home and Away, "Love the Life" stalled outside the top 100 in Australia.  Interestingly, the single also took nearly two months to dent the top 150, after debuting at number 160 on 25 May 1992.

On the state charts, "Love the Life" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 99.  The track appeared on Bass Culture's only album B.C. Nation (number 155, July 1995).

 

Gina G's vocals on "Love the Life" remind me of Cathy Dennis.  Stupidly, the record company have blocked the music video for "Love the Life" on YouTube (it used to appear on one of my channels) - so I have had to resort to uploading it to embed within this post, below.  In it, you can watch Gina running through a field of sunflowers...

Bass Culture would eventually land a top 100 entry, with their cover of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" (number 100, August 1993), featuring Kate Ceberano on vocals.

Gina would, of course, go on to bigger and better things when she teamed up with Motiv 8 for her debut solo release, "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" (number 5, June 1996), which was selected as the UK's entry in the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest.  The success of that single prompted a remix and re-release of "Love the Life" in Europe and Australia in 1996, and we will see that release bubble under in 1996.

We shall next see Bass Culture in 1994, and Gina G solo in 1997.

 

Number 144 "I've Got Mine" by Glenn Frey

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-142-140-137-144-(out for 1 week)-140

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Glenn Frey (pronounced 'fry') was a member of Eagles, sharing lead vocal duties with Don Henley, as well as playing guitars and keyboard.  The Eagles songs Glenn sings lead on that I am most familiar with are "Take It Easy" (number 49, 1972) and "New Kid in Town" (number 16, March 1977).  I remember the latter being played regularly on radio in the early 1980s - so much so that I assumed it was a then-new/current song!

 

Glenn embarked on a solo career in 1982, landing two solo top 40 hits in Australia, with "The Heat Is On" (number 2, May 1985) and "You Belong to the City" (number 20, February 1986), taken from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack and Miami Vice, respectively.

"I've Got Mine" was the second single lifted from Glenn's fourth studio album Strange Weather (number 120, September 1992).  It followed "Part of Me, Part of You" (number 97, August 1991), which also appeared on the soundtrack album for Thelma & Louise (number 76, October 1991).

Internationally, "I've Got Mine" peaked at number 91 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992, and number 51 in Germany during the same month.

In Australia, "I've Got Mine" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 99.

 

Sadly, Glenn passed away in January 2016, aged 67, from the combined effects of ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and pneumonia.

We will next see Glenn in September 1992.

Number 150 "Kids Are Wired" by Strongheart

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 150-150-146

 

I couldn't find a whole lot of information about Strongheart online - surprisingly, they do not even have a Wikipedia page.  They were an American band who relocated to the UK, and appear to have released a mere two albums and two singles, of which "Kids Are Wired" is obviously one.  I also could not find evidence of this single, which I had not heard before, charting anywhere else.

"Kids Are Wired" was lifted from Strongheart's debut album Hard Wired, which was released in Australia in April 1993 but missed the top 150.  A second single, "Smooth As Silk", was also released in Australia in April 1993 and missed the top 150.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 176 "Feel" by The Church

Peak: number 176

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

Australian band The Church formed in Sydney in 1980.  Their first charting single was "The Unguarded Moment" (number 22, July 1981), and their highest-charting single was "Metropolis" (number 19, April 1990).  My favourite single from The Church would be "Under the Milky Way" (number 22, May 1988), which was also their biggest international hit, reaching number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1988.  Between 1981 and 1992, The Church placed 13 singles in the Australian top 100.

"Feel" was the second single issued from the band's eighth studio album Priest = Aura (number 25, May 1992).  It followed "Ripple" (number 62, April 1992).

On the state charts, "Feel" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 164.

We will next see The Church in 1994.

Number 181 "Rough Boy" by ZZ Top

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 27 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

This single originally peaked at number 85 in June 1986, spending 4 weeks in the top 100.

We last saw American bearded trio ZZ Top in 1991.

"Rough Boy" originally appeared on ZZ Top's ninth studio album Afterburner (number 6, December 1985).  The track was released as the third single from that album, peaking at number 85 in Australia in June 1986.  Having had recent success with their Greatest Hits (number 2, June 1992) compilation and the single "Viva Las Vegas" (number 28, May 1992), presumably the record label decided to re-release this older track that wasn't a hit here the first time around from it.

Internationally, the 1992 release of "Rough Boy" peaked at number 49 in the UK in June 1992, number 81 in the Netherlands in July 1992, and number 38 in Switzerland in July 1992.

Domestically, "Rough Boy" performed strongest on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart, where it reached number 148.

We shall next see ZZ Top in 1994.

Number 184 "Got to Be Free" by 49ers

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw Italian dance act 49ers in 1990.

 

Despite being a fan of the singles from 49ers' debut album, I hadn't actually heard "Got to Be Free" until listening to it/watching the music video while writing this post - although I remember seeing the CD single in the shops in 1992.  It was the lead single from 49ers' second album Playing with My Heart (number 179, October 1992).  The track features the vocals of Ann-Marie Smith, who would front the project from this point onwards.

 

Internationally, "Got to Be Free" peaked at number 46 in the UK in May 1992, and number 38 on the meaningless US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

In Australia, "Got to Be Free" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 150.

We shall next see 49ers in 1994.

Number 188 "The Sound of Crying" by Prefab Sprout

Peak: number 188

Peak date: 20 July 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw English band Prefab Sprout in 1990.

"The Sound of Crying" was one of two new songs recorded for the band's compilation album A Life of Surprises: The Best of Prefab Sprout (number 194, September 1992).  The other new song, "If You Don't Love Me", was released locally in November 1992 but failed to chart.  "If You Don't Love Me" would be covered by Kylie Minogue as a B-side on her "Confide in Me" (number 1 for 4 weeks in September-October 1994) single.

 

Internationally, "The Sound of Crying" peaked at number 23 in the UK in June 1992, and number 79 in Germany in August 1992.

In Australia, "The Sound of Crying" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 161 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it.  It doesn't sound terribly '1990s' though, to my ears.

 

"The Sound of Crying" would be Prefab Sprout's final single to chart in Australia, although they had a later low-charting album with I Trawl the Megahertz (number 1049, February 2019).

Number 207 "Two Worlds Collide" by Inspiral Carpets

Peak: number 177

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

We last saw English band Inspiral Carpets in May 1992.

"Two Worlds Collide" was released as the second single from the band's third studio album Revenge of the Goldfish (number 123, June 1993).  Internationally, "Two Worlds Collide" peaked at number 32 in the UK in May 1992, and number 8 on the meaningless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

Domestically, "Two Worlds Collide" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 164 on the state chart.

 

I remember catching the video for this one on rage as a new release.  It is one of my favourite Inspiral Carpets singles.

We shall see Inspiral Carpets next in October 1992.

 

Number 209 "Tired of Being Alone" by Texas

Peak: number 173

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw Scottish band Texas in 1990.

 

"Tired of Being Alone" was issued as the third and final single in Australia from the band's second studio album Mother's Heaven (number 74, November 1991).  It followed the singles "Why Believe in You" (number 73, October 1991) and "In My Heart" (number 92, March 1992).  The song is a cover version of a track originally recorded by Al Green in 1971.

 

Internationally, "Tired of Being Alone" peaked at number 19 in the UK in May 1992.

 

In Australia, "Tired of Being Alone" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 161.

 

The guitar riff on this track sounds very similar to my ears to the one Texas used on "Say What You Want" (number 11, June 1997).

 

Texas will join us next in 1994.

Next week (27 July): Five new top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

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