Kent Music Report beyond the top 100: 12 October 1981

Of the three acts peaking outside the Australian top 100 this week 40 years ago, two are regarded as electronic music pioneers, and the other achieved commercial success by incorporating elements of electronic music into their otherwise 'rock' sound.  Two of this week's debuts were also the only single released from their accompanying albums.  Shall we take a look?

 

Kraftwerk: calculators are for dummies.

 

Beyond the top 100:

 

Position 32 "Pocket Calculator" by Kraftwerk

Highest rank: 14th

Peak date: 19 October 1981

Weeks on below list: 4 weeks

 

German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk formed in Düsseldorf in 1969, although the band was initially just singer and keyboardist Ralf Hütter and multi-instrumentalist and backing singer Florian Schneider.

 

While their first two albums Kraftwerk and Kraftwerk 2 were moderate successes in their homeland, the group's major commercial breakthrough came in 1975, with the release of their fourth album Autobahn.  The album peaked at number 9 in Australia in August 1975, and the album's title track reached number 30 during the same month, becoming Kraftwerk's highest-peaking single in Australia.

Kraftwerk would not land a second top 100 single in Australia until "The Model", backed with "Computer Love" (my favourite Kraftwerk track), peaked at number 33 in May 1982.  This single topped the UK singles chart in February 1982.

 

In the interim years, Kraftwerk placed another two albums on the Kent Music Report albums chart, with Radio-Activity reaching number 96 in February 1976, and The Man Machine peaking at number 56 in September 1978.  Another album, 1977's Trans Europe Express did not chart in Australia until its 2003 re-issue, when it reached number 437 on the ARIA albums chart in February 2003.

Computer World, the album containing "Pocket Calculator" and "Computer Love", peaked at number 51 in Australia in October 1981.

 

In its German language incarnation as "Taschenrechner", which just translates as 'calculator', "Pocket Calculator" peaked at number 63 in West Germany in July 1981.  The single reached number 30 in the UK in May 1981.  Check out this unusually-animated-for-Kraftwerk live Austrian TV performance of the track.

 

Although "The Model" became a big hit for the band in 1982, it had actually been released four years earlier on the album The Man Machine, suggesting that Kraftwerk's sound really was ahead of its time.  Even today, the band's recordings from this era sound somewhat futuristic, as do some of the themes explored in the lyrics.

 

The success of "The Model" as a single in 1982 spurred The Man Machine to re-enter the Australian top 100 albums chart, reaching number 65 in June 1982, falling short of its peak of number 56 in 1978.

Kraftwerk would only land one other top 100 single in Australia, with "Tour de France" (number 60, September 1984).  They will bubble under a few times again, though, in the 1990s and 2000s, with the next occasion being in 1991.

Two Kraftwerk singles I enjoy that were released in Australia but did not chart locally are "Radioactivity" (1976) and "Musique Non Stop" (December 1986).

Kraftwerk founding member Florian Schneider passed away from cancer in April 2020, aged 73.

 

 

Position 34 "She's Got Claws" by Gary Numan

Highest rank: 14th

Peak dates: 26 October 1981 and 2 November 1981

Weeks on below list: 4 weeks

 

From one electronic music pioneer to another, English artist Gary Numan first came to fame as the lead singer for Tubeway Army.  Their single "Are 'Friends' Electric?" peaked at number 12 in Australia in October 1979.  It was swiftly followed by Gary's debut solo single "Cars", which reached number 9 in Australia in January 1980.  Although "Cars" and Gary's later singles would be credited solely to him, Gary retained the same musicians as in Tubeway Army, and it was essentially the same band, in which Gary was the singer, songwriter and producer.

While Gary had an enduring chart career in the UK, notching up 23 top 40 singles - 6 of which made the top 10, in Australia, Gary landed only two other top 100 hits - "We Are Glass" (number 15, July 1980) and "I Die: You Die" (number 86, October 1980).  Gary had slightly more success on the Australian albums chart, with five albums registering within the top 100 between 1979 and 1985; although none of these peaked higher than number 24.

"She's Got Claws" was the only single lifted from Gary's third studio album Dance (number 85, October 1981).  "She's Got Claws" peaked at number 6 in the UK in September 1981, and at number 12 in Ireland during the same month.

Gary still records and releases new albums, with his twenty-first studio album Intruder peaking at number 78 on the ARIA albums chart in May 2021.

 

 

 

Position 42 "The American" by Simple Minds

Highest rank: 42nd

Peak date: 12 October 1981

Weeks on below list: 1 week

 

Simple Minds formed in Glasgow in 1977.  Although they would later be known as a stadium rock band, at this point in their career, Simple Minds were incorporating elements of electronic music into their sound.

 

Simple Minds landed a few minor UK singles chart entries between 1979 and 1981, but none of these peaked higher than number 47.  Surprisingly, Simple Minds landed their first top 40 single anywhere in the world in Australia!  "Love Song" (number 17, February 1982) entered the Australian top 40 on 25 January 1982, which was almost three months prior to their first UK top 40 single, and a couple of weeks before "Sweat in Bullet" entered the Swedish chart.  Performing "Love Song" on the iconic Australian music television program Countdown no doubt helped with the band's earlier Australian chart success.

 

But prior to "Love Song", "The American" was the sole single from Simple Minds' fourth studio album Sister Feelings Call, which was later combined with their following album Sons and Fascination (number 31, February 1982).  "The American" became the band's first single to almost register on the Australian chart.  "The American" peaked at number 59 in the UK in May 1981.

Interestingly, Simple Minds had greater singles chart success in Australia than in the UK during the synth-pop period of their career, with singles such as "Love Song", "Promised You a Miracle" (number 10, July 1982) and "Glittering Prize" (number 9, October 1982) achieving higher peaks locally than in their homeland, where they peaked at numbers 47, 13 and 16, respectively.

We shall next see Simple Minds bubble under in 1984.

 

 

Next week (19 October): Another three singles bubbling below the top 100. 

< Previous post: 5 October 1981                                   Next post: 19 October 1981 >

Week commencing 8 October 1990

One unusual thing all four of this week's top 150 debuts have in common is that we will see all of the artists bubble under the top 100 again - but not until 1993.  Shall we take a look?

 

Suzanne Vega: tired of flopping

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 132 "Way Down Now" by World Party

Peak: number 114

Peak date: 5 November 1990

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 132-130-127-136-114-126-123-140-130

 

For most of its existence, World Party has been Karl Wallinger's one-man band since parting ways with The Waterboys in 1986.  While Karl was with The Waterboys, they scored a hit single in Australia with "The Whole of the Moon" (number 12, May 1986).

 

World Party landed a major hit in Australia with in 1987 with "Ship of Fools" (number 4, June 1987).  Interestingly, that single performed much better locally than in Karl's native UK, where it only reached number 42 in February 1987.  In fact, "Ship of Fools" peaked higher in Australia than anywhere else in the world.

 

"Put the Message in the Box" (titled just "Message in the Box" in other countries) gave World Party a second top 100 'hit' in Australia, reaching number 86 in July 1990.

"Way Down Now" was the second single lifted from World Party's second album Goodbye Jumbo (number 70, July 1990).  The single peaked at number 66 in the UK in September 1990, number 53 in Canada in July 1990, and number 17 in the Netherlands in July 1990.

A third single from Goodbye Jumbo, "Thank You World", was issued in Australia in August 1991, but missed the top 150.

We shall see World Party again in 1993.

 

 

Number 133 "Guitar Boogie" by Tommy Emmanuel

Peak: number 111

Peak date: 22 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 133-120-111-118-115

 

"Guitar Boogie", an instrumental track written and originally recorded by Arthur Smith in 1945, was Australian guitar maestro Tommy Emmanuel's second single to enter the ARIA top 150.  The title of the previous one also began with the word 'guitar'.  In case you hadn't guessed, Tommy plays guitar...

 

"Guitar Boogie" was lifted from the album Dare to Be Different (number 13, August 1990).  The single was issued in Australia on 20 August 1990, and took nearly two months to reach the top 150.  "Guitar Boogie" performed stronger on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 96.

A third single from Dare to Be Different, "Hearts Grow Fonder", was released in December 1990, but missed the top 150.

Tommy will next join us in 1993.

 

 

Number 145 "Tired of Sleeping" by Suzanne Vega

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 8 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Chart run: 145

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

"Tired of Sleeping" was the second single issued from Suzanne Vega's third studio album Days of Open Hand (number 74, July 1990).  We saw Suzanne bubble under with the first single from the album back in July. 

Internationally, "Tired of Sleeping" peaked at number 124 (number 101 on the compressed chart) in the UK in June 1990; the only other place it appears to have charted.

 

Within Australia, "Tired of Sleeping" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 139.

I didn't hear this song until going on a Suzanne Vega audio binge in 2000, tracking down her albums after becoming enamored with her Tried and True: The Best of (number 96, November 1998) compilation, on which this track does not appear.  Only one song from Days of Open Hand was included on the compilation, "Book of Dreams".  It seems that this era was considered a relative flop era for Suzanne, despite the D.N.A. remix of "Tom's Diner" (number 8, November 1990) becoming her biggest worldwide hit in the latter part of 1990.

A third and final single from Days of Open Hand, "Men in a War", was released in Australia in February 1991, but failed to chart locally.  It did, however, reach number 143 (number 108 on the compressed chart) in the UK in September 1990.

Suzanne will next join us in 1993.

 

 

 

Number 146 "Kicking Against the Bricks" by Seven Stories

Peak: number 122 

Peak date: 22 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Chart run: 154-146-135-122-127-128-127-126-136-131 

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

Seven Stories, initially named Tall Stories, formed in Adelaide in 1986.  Their first single, and first chart entry, "Sleeping Through Another War", reached number 68 on the ARIA singles chart in July 1990.

"Kicking Against the Bricks" was the second single lifted from Seven Stories' debut album Judges and Bagmen (number 76, August 1990).  On the state charts, the single performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 80.  A third single from the album, "Walk Through Babylon", was released in February 1991, but failed to chart.

Seven Stories never placed another single within the top 100, but we will see them bubble under again in 1993.  The band split in 1994.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 153 "End of the World" by Sonia

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 8 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 1 week

"End of the World" was the fifth and final single lifted from Sonia's debut album Everybody Knows (number 144, September 1990).  The track was originally recorded by Skeeter Davis, as "The End of the World", in 1962.  Another Stock Aitken Waterman production, the trio had earlier produced a version of the song for Brilliant in 1986.

 

There was a trend for Stock Aitken Waterman-produced artists around this time of dusting off an old ballad to cover, and then release it as a single towards the end of an album campaign.  Other examples include Kylie Minogue's "Tears on My Pillow" (number 20, February 1990), Jason Donovan's "Sealed with a Kiss" (number 8, June 1989) and "Rhythm of the Rain" (number 44, November 1990), and Big Fun's "Hey There Lonely Girl".

 

Sonia's version of "End of the World" reached number 18 in the UK in September 1990, enabling Sonia to become the first British female artist to score five top 20 singles from one album.  Despite that, Chrysalis Records did not extend her contract for a second album, and Sonia's working relationship with Stock Aitken Waterman ended by the end of 1990.

 

Outside of the UK, "End of the World" peaked at number 18 in Ireland.  "End of the World" became Sonia's fourth single in a row, including her duet with Big Fun, to peak outside the top 100 in Australia.  On the ARIA state charts, "End of the World" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 122.

 

Sonia signed with I.Q. Records, owned by Simon Cowell, in 1991.  She achieved another five UK top 30 singles over the following two years, including "Only Fools (Never Fall in Love)" (UK number 10, June 1991) and "Better the Devil You Know" (UK number 15, May 1993) - the latter track was recorded for Eurovision and is not a cover of the Kylie Minogue song.  None of Sonia's output after her first album was issued in Australia, however, probably owing to her lack of chart success here.

My favourite post-Stock Aitken Waterman Sonia singles are both cover versions: "Boogie Nights" (UK number 30, September 1992) and "You to Me Are Everything" (UK number 13, November 1991).  Interestingly, Sonia recorded the original version of "Walk Away Lover" for her second album Sonia (UK number 33, October 1991), which was later covered by Australian soap star Toni Pearen, as "Walkaway Lover" (number 35, December 1994).

Next week (15 October): Seven top 150 debuts and one bubbling WAY down under entry.

< Previous week: 1 October 1990                                Next week: 15 October 1990 >

Kent Music Report beyond the top 100: 5 October 1981

One unusual thing that this week's batch of singles peaking outside the top 100 have in common is that they all peaked during the same week - that being 26 October 1981.  Let's take a look.

 

Pretenders would probably like to 'pretend' this song was a hit.

 

Beyond the top 100:

 

Position 35 "Dancing on the Floor (Hooked on Love)" by Third World

Highest rank: 8th

Peak date: 26 October 1981

Weeks on below list: 6 weeks

 

Third World formed in Jamaica in 1973.  Only one of the band's singles, "Try Jah Love", charted in Australia, reaching number 55 in June 1982.

 

The band's biggest international hit, "Now That We Found Love", was a cover version of an O'Jays song.  The 1978 single did not chart in Australia, but reached the top 10 in the UK and the Netherlands, went top 20 in the Flanders region of Belgium, and top 50 in the US.  It also belatedly reached the top 40 in New Zealand in 1985.

"Dancing on the Floor (Hooked on Love)", lifted from the album Rock the World, equalled Third World's highest singles chart peak in the UK, reaching number 10 in July 1981.

Third World's lead singer William "Bunny Rugs" Clarke died from leukaemia in 2014, aged 65.

 

 

 

Position 38 "Day After Day" by Pretenders

Highest rank: 2nd

Peak date: 26 October 1981

Weeks on below list: 7 weeks

 

At this point in their career, Pretenders had placed five singles on the Australian singles chart, with the biggest of those being their Aussie chart debut, "Brass in Pocket" (number 2, May 1980).

"Day After Day" was the third single lifted from the album Pretenders II (number 18, November 1981).  It followed "Talk of the Town" (number 55, November 1980) and "Message of Love" (number 15, May 1981).  An EP titled Extended Play, containing both of these singles, peaked at number 29 on the singles chart in June 1981.

 

"Day After Day" also underperformed in the UK, peaking at number 45 there in September 1981 and becoming their first single to miss the top 40.

 

Two members of Pretenders, James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon, died from drug-related causes in June 1982 and April 1983, respectively.

Pretenders would next bubble under on the Australian chart in 1989.

 

Position 44 "I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today" by The Crusaders and Joe Cocker

Highest rank: 23rd

Peak date: 26 October 1981

Weeks on below list: 4 weeks

 

American band The Crusaders formed in Houston, Texas, in 1952.  They placed one single on the Australian chart, when "Street Life", featuring uncredited vocals from Randy Crawford, peaked at number 79 in March 1980.

 

"I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today", featuring guest vocalist Joe Cocker, peaked at number 97 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1981, and number 61 in the UK during the same month.

This would be the last time Crusaders appeared on the Australian chart.  Joe Cocker next bubbles under on the Australian Music Report, after ARIA took over as the 'official' chart, in 1988.  Joe also bubbles under numerous times on the ARIA singles chart, starting in 1990.

 

Next week (12 October): Three singles bubbling below the top 100.

 

< Previous post: 28 September 1981                                Next post: 12 October 1981 >

 

Week commencing 1 October 1990

Before diving into this week's 1990 post, I have updated two earlier posts with newly-uncovered bubbling WAY down under entries from The Christians:

 

- 13 February 1989

- 16 April 1990

 

This week in 1990, all but two of the new entries are from artists we have not seen before.  How refreshing!  And a mixed bag they are, covering everything from easy listening tunes your mum would enjoy, through to Prince-related pervy romps about jerking everything in sight, 'credible' indie tunes, and... a ballad from Broadway!  Shall we take a look?

Michael Bolton: the sole provider of flowing locks this week in 1990.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 127 "Soul Provider" by Michael Bolton

Peak: number 119 

Peak date: 5 November 1990

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 127-129-129-131-135-119

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

Michael Bolton's first chart success in Australia came in the form of writing songs for other artists.  Laura Branigan took the Michael Bolton co-written "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" to number 46 in Australia in October 1983.  Of course, Michael would score a much bigger hit with his own recording of the song, which reached number 2 in Australia in March 1990.

Then Cher landed a number 8 hit with "I Found Someone" in May 1988, a track co-written by Michael Bolton, and originally recorded by Laura Branigan.  Poor Laura - I have written previously about her knack of recording songs that later became much bigger hits for other artists.  Michael recorded his own version of "I Found Someone" for his Greatest Hits 1985-1995 (number 6, September 1995) compilation.

Ironically, Michael's first hit in his own right in Australia was a cover version, of Otis Redding's "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" (number 3, May 1988).  The success of this single spurred the first release from Michael's The Hunger (number 36, July 1988) album, "That's What Love Is All About" (number 90, May 1988), to chart, albeit lowly.  A third single from the album, "Wait on Love", was issued locally in August 1988, but failed to chart.

"Soul Provider" did not chart when it was issued as the lead single from Michael's sixth studio album Soul Provider (number 1, April 1990) in August 1989.  Following the success of "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You", "How Can We Be Lovers" (number 3, May 1990), and... er, "When I'm Back on My Feet Again" (number 77, July 1990), Michael's record company decided to have another crack at making the album's title track a hit, and failed.

"Soul Provider", naturally, enjoyed greater success on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 19 in September 1989.  The single also reached number 75 on the Dutch singles chart in June 1990, and number 77 in the UK in October 1990.  Locally, "Soul Provider" performed strongest on the Queensland state chart, where it reached number 83.

A fifth (not counting both releases of the title track) and final single from Soul Provider, "Georgia on My Mind", was released in Australia in November 1990, but failed to chart.

We will next see Michael bubble under in August 1991.

Number 135 "Strung Out" by Wendy & Lisa

Peak: number 133

Peak date: 5 November 1990

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 135-139-134-138-145-133

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman came to fame as part of Prince's backing band The Revolution, with whom he recorded the Purple Rain soundtrack (number 1, August 1984), and the albums Around the World in a Day (number 12, May 1985) and Parade (number 8, May 1986).

Following Prince's cessation with working with The Revolution, Wendy & Lisa embarked on their own separate recording career, releasing the albums Wendy and Lisa and Fruit at the Bottom - neither of which charted in Australia.

We saw Wendy & Lisa bubble WAY down under with their first Australian chart entry in July 1989.

"Strung Out" was the lead single from the duo's third album Eroica (number 126, September 1990).  Internationally, "Strung Out" was biggest in the UK, where it reached number 44 in July 1990.  The single also peaked at number 31 in the Netherlands in August 1990, and number 42 on the Flemish chart during the same month.

"Strung Out" would be Wendy & Lisa's only ARIA top 150 singles chart appearance, and their final charting single in Australia.

 

Number 138 "The Ship Song" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Peak: number 138

Peak date: 1 October 1990

Top 150 chart run: 138-143

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Australian Nick Cave began his recording career with The Boys Next Door in 1978, with a cover version of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walking".  Although no singles released by the band charted, their album Door Door (number 93, August 1979) dented the top 100.  Their 1979 single "Shivers" became a number 19 hit in February 1993 when covered by The Screaming Jets.

The Boys Next Door then changed their name to The Birthday Party, and again landed no top 100 singles, but placed one album in the top 100: Prayers on Fire (number 96, July 1981).  The Birthday Party disbanded in 1983.

Nick then began recording with The Bad Seeds in 1984.  "The Ship Song" was the first single from the group to chart in Australia, although three albums had previously charted locally: Your Funeral... My Trial (number 98, December 1986), Tender Prey (number 109, February 1989), and The Good Son (number 93, May 1990).

 

Oddly, "The Ship Song" was first released in Australia on BMG Records in April 1990, but was then re-issued on Festival Records (who were now distributing product on Mute Records, through which this was released) in September 1990.  It was the first single lifted from The Good Son.  A second single from the album, "The Weeping Song", was issued in November 1990, but missed the top 150.

"The Ship Song" fared better in the UK, where it peaked at number 84 in March 1990.

We will next see Nick in 1994.  Before then, Nick managed to score four ARIA top 100 singles, although none peaked higher than number 62, with "Do You Love Me?", in May 1994.

Number 145 "Smoking Her Wings" by The Bats

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 1 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 145

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Hailing from Christchurch in New Zealand, The Bats formed in 1982.  Between 1984 and 1993, the group placed four singles on the New Zealand top 50 singles chart, although none peaked higher than number 34 ("By Night" in November 1984).  I was actually living in New Zealand when "By Night" peaked, but have no recollection of their biggest 'hit' - granted, I had just turned 6, and it's not the kind of music the radio stations my parents would have listened to played.

In Australia, nothing The Bats released made the top 100, so, all things considered, number 145 wasn't too bad for them, especially for a single that did not chart in their homeland.  "Smoking Her Wings" was lifted from the album The Law of Things (number 133, May 1990), which did chart in New Zealand, reaching number 38 in May 1990.

 

Interestingly, a compilation album from The Bats, titled Compiletely Bats (that's not a typo), also registered on the ARIA top 150 albums chart, peaking at number 139 in August 1990.

 

On the state charts, "Smoking Her Wings" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 139.

I didn't know "Smoking Her Wings" at the time, but captured it on rage a few years back (I uploaded the video embedded below).  The song has really grown on me and I rather enjoy it.

Although The Bats would not land another top 150 single in Australia, they made the top 150 albums chart again with Fear of God (number 140, November 1991).

The Bats are still together today, and released an album, Foothills, last year, which peaked at number 13 in New Zealand in November 2020.  The Bats have maintained their original line-up since their inception in 1982.

We will see The Bats again in 1993.

Number 147 "Someone Like You" by Linda Eder

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 1 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 147

 

American singer and actress Linda Eder performed in the Broadway musical of Jekyll & Hyde, from which "Someone Like You" is lifted.  An album performed by Linda, Highlights from Jekyll & Hyde, reached number 138 on the ARIA top 150 albums chart in September 1990.

Not being well-versed, or even versed at all, in musicals, I had never heard of Linda before, but she apparently received rave reviews for her performance as Lucy Harris in Jekyll & Hyde.  Listening to this track now for the first time, it gives me major Céline Dion vibes, perhaps minus some of the vocal theatrics, even down to Linda's early 90s Céline-esque permed hair style.  The song is nice enough, but not the sort of thing I would actively seek out.

Number 148 "Looking for Atlantis" by Prefab Sprout

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 15 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 148-(out for 1 week)-145-149

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

I think I first encountered English band Prefab Sprout when seeing "Cars and Girls" (number 41, May 1988) listed in the top 50 chart printed in one of the first editions of the Australian Smash Hits magazine I bought.  I remember thinking "that's an interesting name for a group."

"Cars and Girls" was Prefab Sprout's biggest hit in Australia, with only two other singles of theirs making the top 100: "When Love Breaks Down" (number 55, April 1985) and "Appetite" (number 45, November 1985).

 

In their homeland, the group notched up 19 top 100 singles between 1984 and 1997, although only seven of those made the top 40.  Prefab Sprout's biggest hit in the UK was "The King of Rock 'N' Roll", which reached number 7 in May 1988.

"Looking for Atlantis" was the first single lifted from fifth Prefab Sprout studio album Jordan: The Comeback (number 148, October 1990).  The single peaked at number 51 in the UK in August 1990.  The album was much more successful in the UK, peaking at number 7 in September 1990.

In Australia, "Looking for Atlantis" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 87 on the state charts.

We shall see Prefab Sprout Again in 1992.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 153 "Jerk Out" by The Time

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 1 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

The Time, fronted by Morris Day, are an act closely associated with Prince, forming in Minneapolis in 1981.  The band originally contained members Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who left in 1983 and went on to become a highly successful songwriting and production team for artists such as The S.O.S. Band and Janet Jackson.

The Time released three studio albums between 1981 and 1984, before disbanding in 1985.  The group reformed in 1990, and Jam and Lewis re-joined the group, before splitting again in 1991.  The Time reformed again, minus Jam and Lewis, in 1995.

"Jerk Out" was originally recorded by Prince, who co-wrote the track, in 1981, during the recording sessions for The Time's 1982 album What Time Is It?  While Prince's demo remains unreleased, audio from the jamming session where he performs the song has been uploaded to YouTube.

 

"Jerk Out" was the lead single from The Time's fourth studio album Pandemonium, which was issued in Australia in August 1990 but failed to chart.  "Jerk Out" was the bands first - and only - single to chart in Australia.  The single performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 131.

 

Internationally, "Jerk Out" reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1990, becoming their biggest hit there.  The single also reached number 56 on the Dutch singles chart in September 1990.

The Time would eventually score a charting album in Australia when their 1981 debut The Time peaked at number 219 in March 1993 - I assume due to having been released locally on CD for the first time then.

Number 159 "River of Life" by The Neville Brothers

Peak: number 159

Peak date: 1 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

We last saw American R&B band The Neville Brothers in August 1990.

 

"River of Life" was the second single issued from their fifth studio album Brother's Keeper (number 87, November 1990).

 

Internationally, "River of Life" peaked at number 184 (number 120 on the compressed chart) in the UK in September 1990.

 

Locally, "River of Life" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 141 on the state chart.

 

We'll next see The Neville Brothers in 1993.

 

 

Number 160 "Rough Stuff" by Adam Ant

Peak: number 160

Peak date: 1 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw Adam Ant in June 1990.

"Rough Stuff" was issued as the second single from Adam's fourth solo album Manners & Physique (number 138, March 1990).  Oddly, the single was not released in Adam's native UK.

"Rough Stuff" does not appear to have charted anywhere else, other than peaking at number 14 on the meaningless US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

On the state charts, "Rough Stuff" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 145.

The music video for "Rough Stuff" embedded below is for the extended version of the track.  The single version does not appear to be available on YouTube, but you can listen to the album version here.

We'll next see Adam in 1995.

Next week (8 October): Four new top 150 debuts and one bubbling WAY down under entry.

< Previous week: 24 September 1990                             Next week: 8 October 1990 >

Kent Music Report beyond the top 100: 28 September 1981

Let's take a look at what was bubbling under the Australian top 100 singles chart 40 years ago this week...

 

Rickie Lee Jones: "Look mom, no hands!"

  

Beyond the top 100:

  

Position 33 "Woody & Dutch on the Slow Train to Peking" by Rickie Lee Jones

Highest rank: 21st

Peak date: 26 October 1981

Weeks on below list: 5 weeks

 

American singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones scored her biggest, and only real hit in Australia in 1979 with "Chuck E.'s in Love" (number 15, June 1979).  She would eventually land a second, and final, top 100 'hit' down under in 1984 with "The Real End" (number 90, November 1984).  Rickie Lee had more success on the Australian albums chart, with her debut album Rickie Lee Jones reaching number 1 in June 1979 and spending six months on the chart.

"Woody & Dutch on the Slow Train to Peking" was the third single lifted from Ricki Lee's second album Pirates (number 9, August 1981).  It followed "A Lucky Guy" and "Pirates (So Long Lonely Avenue)", neither of which registered on the Australian chart.  "Woody & Dutch..." reached number 31 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which I do not consider a real chart, in August 1981.  The song did not chart anywhere else.

Rickie Lee will bubble under again in 1983.

 

 

 

 

Position 34 "Feels So Right" by Alabama

Highest rank: 20th

Peak date: 2 November 1981

Weeks on below list: 6 weeks

 

As one would expect from the band's name, American band Alabama originate from Alabama.  The group formed in 1969, but did not land a top 100 entry in Australia until 1984, with "When We Make Love" (number 55, August 1984).  This would be the band's only release - single or album - to chart in Australia.

 

Alabama had much greater success in their homeland, where they landed 32 number 1 singles on the Country chart (not a real chart in my book) between 1980 and 1993.  "Feel So Right" was the band's first single to register on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number 20 in September 1981.

 

 

 

Position 38 "Don't Play Your Rock 'n' Roll to Me" by Smokie

Highest rank: 20th

Peak date: 26 October 1981

Weeks on below list: 5 weeks 

English band Smokie placed 12 singles on the Australian top 100 between 1975 and 1980.  Their biggest hit locally was "Living Next Door to Alice" (number 2, April 1977).  A techno cover version of this track by The Steppers, re-titled "Alice... Who the F**k Is Alice?" matched this peak in September 1995.

"Don't Play Your Rock 'n' Roll to Me" originally peaked at number 50 in Australia in March 1976, and was Smokie's second single to chart down under.  In the UK, "Don't Play Your Rock 'n' Roll to Me" reached number 8 in October 1975, and was also a top 10 hit in Germany and Ireland.

I am not sure why this song (almost) re-charted in 1981.  Does anybody reading this know?  Please let me know in the comments section if so!

Smokie would not land any further top 100 singles in Australia, but numerous compilation albums they released charted here.

Next week (5 October): Three singles bubbling below the top 100, including an artist who bubbled under many times.

< Previous post: 14 September 1981                                     Next post: 5 October 1981 >

Week commencing 24 September 1990

Of this week in 1990's seven new top 150 entries, only one is from an artist we have seen previously.  Let's take a look.

Julee Cruise: floppin' back outside the chart

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 129 "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" by Julee Cruise

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 15 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks (7 weeks 1990 chart-run; 2 weeks May 1991 re-entry)

Top 150 chart run: 129-125-124-107-109-115.  Re-entered 13 May 1991: 139-(out for 1 week)-141

Weeks on chart: 13 weeks

American singer Julee Cruise is best known for her musical contributions to the television series Twin Peaks.  Her 1989 debut album Floating into the Night (number 21, April 1991) consisted of tracks that were recorded for various David Lynch projects, including the 1986 film Blue Velvet, the 1990 stage play Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted, and Twin Peaks.  "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" was used for the latter two.

"Falling" (number 1, April 1991), another track from Floating into the Night, was used as the theme song for Twin Peaks, and gave Julee a major international hit, reaching the top 20 across Europe, and topping the Australian singles chart for one week in April 1991.

"Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" did not bring Julee the same level of success, registering its only significant chart peak in Ireland, where it reached number 18 in February 1991.  In the UK, "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" peaked at number 66 in March 1991.

In Australia, "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" peaked just outside the top 100.  I suspect the single may have performed better had it been released after Twin Peaks commenced airing in Australia, on 18 February 1991.  On the state charts, "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 63 on the state chart.  On the Australian Music Report singles chart, "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" peaked slightly higher nationally, at number 94.

Following the success of "Falling", "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart" re-entered the top 150 for two non-consecutive weeks in May 1991, reaching number 139.

Julee would eventually land another minor 'hit' on the Australian chart, when she paired up with B(if)tek on a cover version of Cliff Richard's "Wired for Sound", which reached number 82 in May 2000.

Number 138 "Time for Letting Go" by Jude Cole

Peak: number 118

Peak dates: 22 October 1990 and 12 November 1990

Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks

Chart run: 159-(off chart for 1 week)-138-131-127-119-118-130-132-118-130-132-(off chart for 1 week)-146

Weeks on chart: 12 weeks

Jude bubbled under in May 1990, and here he is with the second single from his A View from 3rd Street (number 114, July 1990) album.

Like Jude's last single, this one seems vaguely familiar to me, though I didn't think I would know it.  Chalk it up to being the kind of music Australian FM radio stations of the time loved.  Presumably this received airplay - not that it helped its commercial success.

"Time for Letting Go" was a bigger hit in Jude's homeland, reaching number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1990.  The single also performed stronger on the Australian Music Report chart, where it reached number 93.

On the ARIA state charts, "Time for Letting Go" was much more popular in South Australia/Northern Territory than elsewhere, where it peaked at number 51.  Its next-highest state chart peak was number 92 in Queensland.

We won't see Jude again, but he landed a number 59 'hit' with "Start the Car" in November 1992, which was similarly much bigger in South Australia/Northern Territory than elsewhere (number 18 in South Australia/Northern Territory vs. its next-highest state chart peak of number 49 in Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland).

 

Number 139 "The History of Western Civilisation" by TISM

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 19 November 1990

Weeks in top 150: 10 weeks

Chart run: 139-146-147-143-140-124-129-128-117-123

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

 

TISM, an acronym of This Is Serious Mum, were a Melbourne band for whom the identity of its members - thanks to their penchant for wearing balaclavas - was essentially unknown.

 

"The History of Western Civilisation" was the band's first single to register on the Australian top 150.  The song humourously deals with the perceived undesirability of coming from the western suburbs of (presumably) Melbourne - but it could equally be applied to Sydney.  "The History of Western Civilisation" is lifted from the band's second album Hot Dogma (number 86, October 1990).  While I can appreciate the wit of this track's lyrics, musically, this is not my favourite TISM song.

 

"The History of Western Civilisation" was most popular in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 87.

TISM will join us again in 1993, and would have to wait until 1995 to land their first ARIA top 100 single.

Number 143 "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams" by Lonnie Gordon

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 22 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 143-(out for 1 week)-149-128-104-106-124-119

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

American diva Lonnie Gordon emigrated to London in 1985.  In the ensuing years, she released a few underground dance records, providing guest vocals on Quartz Lock's "Love Eviction" in 1988, and Simon Harris' "(I've Got Your) Pleasure Control" - the latter reached number 60 in the UK in July 1989.  Lonnie also released "It's Not Over (Let No Man Put Asunder)", which peaked at number 91 in the UK in September 1989, under her own name.

"It's Not Over..." led to Lonnie performing the song on Pete Waterman's The Hitman and Her TV show.  Coincidentally, Lonnie had been wanting to work with Stock Aitken Waterman since shortly after arriving in the UK.  This wish became reality when SAW offered a song to her, "Happenin' All Over Again", which reached number 4 in the UK in February 1990, number 3 in Ireland, and went top 40 across Europe.

Lonnie's first solo release in Australia, "Happenin' All Over Again", took four months to climb to its eventual peak of number 33 in August 1990.  The single spent 20 weeks in the top 100, which is nothing to be sneezed at, despite its moderate peak.

In the UK, there was a six month gap between "Happenin'..." and Lonnie's follow-up SAW-produced single "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams".  In the interim, SAW's Midas touch on the UK chart was fading significantly, with only Kylie and Jason achieving consistent top 10 success for the production trio - and even then, they were no longer scoring number ones.

 

Smash Hits magazine even published an article titled 'Are Stock Aitken Waterman Down the Dumper?!' in December 1990, in which Pete Waterman opines than "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams" flopped (it peaked at number 48 in the UK in August 1990) because "ballads just don't do well that time of year."  Er, right...

"Beyond Your Wildest Dreams" sounds perhaps a little too sophisticated and 'mature' for the tastes of the audience SAW were usually courting, which is probably largely why it bombed.  But the trio were definitely no longer perceived as being 'cool' by 1990, and it didn't help that nearly every single they released in 1989 made the top 10 in the UK.  The only way for them was down.

"How Could He Do This to Me", a much more-upbeat song Lonnie recorded with SAW but remained unreleased until 2009, was apparently scheduled for a single release before it was scrapped in favour of "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams".

"It's Not Over...", "Happenin' All Over Again" and "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams" all eventually appeared on Lonnie's If I Have to Stand Alone (number 173, April 1991) album, which had a limited release in Europe, Australasia, and Japan.  The album, oddly, was not released in the UK until a remastered, expanded edition was released in 2009.  The If I Have to Stand Alone album did not chart anywhere else but in Australia.

On the ARIA state charts, "Beyond Your Wildest Dreams" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 76.  The single narrowly missed the top 100 nationally, despite registering within the top 100 on three of the five state charts.

Lonnie would never score a second top 100 hit in Australia, but we shall see her bubble under again on several occasions in the coming years, with the next one being in February 1991.

Number 146 "Wanna Be the Man" by Earth, Wind & Fire featuring M.C. Hammer

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 24 September 1990

Top 150 chart run: 146

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

American band Earth, Wind & Fire scored six top 100 singles on the Australian chart between 1975 and 1982, with three of those reaching the top 20.  Their biggest hit in Australia, "Boogie Wonderland", peaked at number 5 in July 1979.  Their last chart entry locally was "Let's Groove" (number 15, March 1982).

"Wanna Be the Man" is lifted from the band's fifteenth studio album Heritage, which was released in Australia in March 1990, but missed the top 150.  The album's title track was issued locally during the same month, and also missed the top 150.

 

For "Wanna Be the Man", Earth, Wind & Fire teamed up with rapper M.C. Hammer, who had recently scored a major hit with "U Can't Touch This" (number 1, July 1990).  Not that it helped them re-gain chart success - the single reached number 46 on the US R&B chart (not a 'real' chart in my book) and did not chart anywhere else.  Oops.

 

Earth, Wind & Fire did manage to score one further minor 'hit' in Australia, with "September '99" (number 94, September 1999).   Other acts who covered or sampled Earth, Wind & Fire's songs had more success than the band on the Australian charts during the 1990s, including Black Box's "Fantasy" (number 3, February 1991), CDB's "Let's Groove" (number 2, November 1995), Past to Present's "September" (number 42, October 1996), and Stretch & Vern present Maddog's "I'm Alive" (number 65, May 1997) - which samples "Boogie Wonderland".

We shall see M.C. Hammer again in 1991.

Number 147 "Never Get Enough" by Antoinette

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 24 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 147

Antoinette Lovell Patterson, known as just Antoinette, hailed from The Bronx, New York.  "Never Get Enough" was the lead single from the then 20-year-old rapper's second album Burnin' at 20 Below, although this single was her first - and only - Australian release.

Antoinette's first appearance on record came in 1987, when she contributed a track to a compilation released by Hurby Azor, who wrote and produced Salt 'N' Pepa's hits from this era.  Spinderella from Salt 'N' Pepa appears on "Never Get Enough", and in the music video.  Pepa raps on the track, too, but does not appear in the video.

 

Antoinette does not appear to have achieved notable commercial success on any chart, with her only chart entries being on the subsidiary (and not 'real' charts, in my opinion) Billboard charts - namely the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Hot Rap Songs charts.  The ARIA singles chart could be the only sales-based chart Antoinette registered on, with this release!

Number 149 "Dangerous Sex" by Tackhead

Peak: number 149

Peak date: 24 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 149

The Wikipedia page for Tackhead describes them as an "industrial hip-hop" group, and I am just going to leave it at that.  Although the group's origins are in New York, English 'singer' (I put that in inverted commas, as he doesn't really 'sing'... or rap, for that matter) Gary Clail, who scored a minor hit in Australia with "Human Nature" (number 38, August 1991), "would shout and rant over Tackhead's live playing" (thanks, Wikipedia).  Gary can indeed be heard doing that a couple of times over the top of this track.  Gary features more-prominently on Tackhead's "Reality" from 1988.

From what little I've heard of Tackhead's music, it does not sound like the sort of thing that typically charts.  I'm guessing this track must have received airplay on Triple J and similar 'youth'/non-commercial radio stations.  Interestingly, the only other place Tackhead charted was in New Zealand, when "The Game (You'll Never Walk Alone)" reached number 34 in June 1989.

Tackhead will not make another appearance in the top 150, but we shall see Gary Clail in 1991.

Next week (1 October): Six new top 150 debuts, plus three bubbling WAY down under entries.

< Previous week: 17 September 1990                                Next week: 1 October 1990 >

Week commencing 17 September 1990

Before diving into this week's ten new top 150 debuts, in case you missed it, I have started re-capping the Kent Music Report beyond the top 100 lists, commencing in 1981.  Now, onto this week in 1990...

 

Paul Young: wherever he lands a hit, that's his home.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 136 "Psyko Funk" by Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.

Peak: number 136

Peak date: 17 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 136

 

American hip-hop band Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E consisted of five brothers, two of whom (Paul and Ted) have passed in recent years.  "Psyko Funk" was the second single lifted from their New Funky Nation (number 131, July 1990) album, following "R.A.I.D.", which was issued in Australia in July 1990, but missed the top 150.

Internationally, "Psyko Funk" peaked at number 43 in the UK in July 1990, and number 43 in the Netherlands in August 1990.

While we won't see Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. again in their own right, we will see them team up with another act in 1993.

 

 

Number 137 "Make It Work" by Scrap Metal

Peak: number 126

Peak date: 8 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 137-127-134-126-138-135

 

It's almost a given that when I search for a music video/song on YouTube and it's not there in any form that the artist in question will be Australian, and once again, that is the case with Scrap Metal and "Make It Work".  How slack/useless are Australian record companies with getting this stuff out there in the age of streaming?!

So, what I've had to resort to doing instead is putting together the 'video' below (which just uses a still image) for you.

 

The band's bio on discogs.com reveals that the multi-racial group formed in Broome, Western Australia.  They were also apparently "the first Aboriginal band to sign an international publishing deal."  The ABC shot a documentary about the group, titled From Broome to the Big Smoke, and their Scrap Metal (number 124, November 1990) album was released through ABC Records.

 

I can tell you that Scrap Metal landed no other top 150 singles on the Australian chart.

 

 

Number 140 "Oh Girl" by Paul Young

Peak: number 111

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Chart run: 152-140-135-136-117-127-117-111-113-114

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

 

We first saw Paul in May 1990 with the lead single from Other Voices (number 102, July 1990), and here he is with the second release from the album.  "Oh Girl" is a cover version, originally recorded by The Chi-Lites and released as a single in 1972.

"Oh Girl" registered within the top 100 on four of the five ARIA state charts, only missing out in South Australia/Northern Territory, but could not break into the top 100 nationally.  The single performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 81.

"Oh Girl" fared better internationally, peaking at number 25 in the UK in July 1990, and number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1990.  The single also peaked at number 20 in Ireland, number 73 in the Netherlands, number 4 in Canada, and number 41 in New Zealand.

 

While Paul would not reach higher than number 42 again on the Australian singles chart, we shall see him bubble under no fewer than four times in 1991, with the next occasion being in February 1991.

 

 

 

Number 141 "Butterfly on a Wheel" by The Mission

Peak: number 141

Peak dates: 17 September 1990 and 24 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 141-141

 

Between 1986 and 1994, English gothic rock band The Mission landed 12 singles within the UK top 40, with "Wasteland" becoming their biggest hit, peaking at number 11 in January 1987.

 

In Australia, The Mission never landed a top 100 entry.  They did, however, manage to place two singles within the top 150, of which "Butterfly on a Wheel" was the second - we saw them with the first in April 1990.  The album both tracks are lifted from, Carved in Sand (number 109, April 1990), also made the ARIA top 150.

 

"Butterfly on a Wheel" was a much bigger hit in the UK, reaching number 12 in January 1990, though its chart run was brief, only spending four weeks in the top 100 (gotta love the UK charts...).  The single peaked at number 13 in Ireland in January 1990, number 48 in the Netherlands in March 1990, and number 36 in New Zealand in March 1990.

It's not the sort of music I normally listen to, but I enjoy "Butterfly on a Wheel".  I caught the video once on Countdown Revolution, and remember reading about it in British pop magazine Number One.

Number 143 "Child of the Wild Blue Yonder" by John Hiatt

Peak: number 133

Peak date: 24 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 143-133-137-140-141-134-150

 

American singer-songwriter John Hiatt placed two singles on the Australian top 100: "Have a Little Faith in Me" (number 61, February 1988) and "Slow Turning" (number 83, January 1989).  Before those two minor 'hits', John reached sixth place on the Kent Music Report list of singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100 with "Living a Little, Laughing a Little" in July 1985.

 

"Child of the Wild Blue Yonder" was the lead single from John's tenth studio album Stolen Moments (number 92, August 1990).  The single peaked at number 48 in Canada.

While John did not make the top 150 again with his single releases, one more album, Perfectly Good Guitar (number 83, September 1993), made the top 100.

 

 

Number 145 "I Wish" by Ben Liebrand featuring Nasty Chat

Peak: number 145

Peak date: 17 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 145

 

Dutch DJ and remixer Ben Liebrand graced our presence in February 1990, and here he teams up with Dutch rapper Nasty Chat (real name Bianca Boid), whose rap style reminds me a little bit of Betty Boo.

"I Wish" peaked at number 84 in the UK in August 1990.

 

We shall next see Ben in his own right in March 1991; but, before then, another artist's song he remixed will appear in November 1990.

 

Number 146 "I Need Rhythm" by Splash

Peak: number 105

Peak date: 22 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 146-128-128-113-113-105-120-112-150

 

Splash were a German eurodance group, and this track features Aimee McCoy on vocals.  "I Need Rhythm" peaked at number 88 in the UK in September 1990, and number 41in Germany in October 1990.  I don't recall hearing this one before.

 

Splash issued two further singles in Australia: "Set the Groove on Fire" (released locally in May 1991) and "Joy and Pain" (August 1991), but neither made the top 150.

 

Number 147 "I've Been Waiting for Your Love" by Hithouse featuring Reggie

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 17 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Chart run: 162-(off chart for 3 weeks)-147

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

We saw Hithouse back in February 1989.   In the interim, they released "Move Your Feet to the Rhythm of the Beat", which missed the top 150.

 

"I've Been Waiting for Your Love" peaked at number 91 in the UK in May 1990, and features Congolese-American singer Reggie (real name Réjane Magloire) on vocals.  Reggie would go on to be the featured artist on Technotronic's "Move That Body" (number 27, September 1991).  Interestingly, she also released a cover of Madonna's "Into the Groove" in 1985.

In Australia, "I've Been Waiting for Your Love" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 118 on the state chart. 

 

This was Hithouse's final single to chart in Australia, although I do wonder if the 1994 remix of "Jack to the Sound of the Underground" - which I am rather partial to, charted for a week or two outside the top 150.  We'll likely never know, as the ARIA database usually conflates releases of the same title, including later remixes/re-releases, unfortunately.

 

 

Number 148 "Flying on Your Own" by Rita MacNeil

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 24 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 148-142

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

We last saw Canadian singer-songwriter Rita MacNeil in March 1990.  Since then, she released a third single from her Reason to Believe (number 17, May 1990) album, "When the Loving Is Through", in April 1990, which failed to chart.

"Flying on Your Own" was a track from Rita's 1987 album Flying on Your Own (number 57, November 1990).  The song was issued as her debut single in Canada in 1986, where it peaked at number 42.

 

Locally, "Flying on Your Own" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 124 on the state chart.

 

To my ears, these Rita MacNeil songs don't sound like the sort of thing that was making the singles chart here in 1990.

 

Rita passed away in 2013, aged 68, following an infection. 

We shall see Rita again in 1992.

 

Number 149 "Calypso" by Jean-Michel Jarre

Peak: number 149

Peak date: 17 September 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 149

 

French electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre placed three singles on the Australian top 100 between 1977 and 1986.  The biggest of those, "Oxygène IV", reached number 26 in November 1977.

"Calyspo" was the only single lifted from Jean-Michel's tenth studio album Waiting for Cousteau (number 112, October 1990), which was titled En attendant Cousteau in Francophone markets.  The single peaked at number 91 in the UK in July 1990, and number 34 in France in September 1990.

I hadn't heard this one before, but enjoyed both the song and its animated music video.  I can't help but think, though, that it sounds more like the theme to a children's television program or background music in a TV commercial than a song registering on the charts.

 

 

 

Next week (24 September): Seven new top 150 debuts.

< Previous week: 10 September 1990                             Next week: 24 September 1990 >