Week commencing 1 February 1993

The only common thread linking this week in 1993’s debuts peaking outside the Australian top 100 is that all of them peaked within the month of February 1993.  Let's take a look at them.

Céline Dion: nothing broken but the chart.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 111 “Certain People I Know” by Morrissey

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 111-129-104-117-120-141

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

We saw Morrissey's former band The Smiths just last week, and last saw him as a solo artist in 1991.

 

"Certain People I Know" was issued as the third single in Europe and Australasia from Moz's third solo studio album proper, Your Arsenal (number 12, August 1992).  It followed "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" (number 55, June 1992) and "You're the One for Me, Fatty" (number 85, August 1992).

 

Internationally, "Certain People I Know" peaked at number 35 in the UK in December 1992, where it became Morrissey’s lowest charting solo single to date.

 

In Australia, "Certain People I Know" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 92 on the state chart.

 

I didn't hear this one at the time, but became acquainted with the song via a UK VHS compilation I digitised in the late 2000s.

 

We will next see Moz in 1994.

Number 116 “Someday (I’m Coming Back)” by Lisa Stansfield

Peak: number 116

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 116-(out for 1 week)-123-119-128-131

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

English songstress Lisa Stansfield last graced our presence in 1992.

 

"Someday (I'm Coming Back)" was recorded for The Bodyguard soundtrack (number 1 for 5 weeks in January-February 1993).  It was the third single lifted from the album, following Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" (number 1 for 10 weeks between December 1992 and February 1993) and The S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M.'s "It's Gonna Be a Lovely Day" (number 90, February 1993).

 

Internationally, "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" peaked at number 10 in the UK in December 1992, number 16 in Ireland in January 1993, number 42 in the Netherlands in January 1993, number 39 in the Flanders region of Belgium in February 1993, and number 51 in Germany in February 1993.

 

Domestically, "Someday..." performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 85 on the state chart.  The single performed better nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 98.

 

I am a bit surprised that "Someday (I'm Coming Back)" did not chart better in Australia, as it's one of Lisa's poppier efforts.  However, Lisa generally did not fare too well with her singles in Australia, for some reason.  Perhaps the mammoth success of The Bodguard soundtrack hindered “Someday (I’m Coming Back)”’s sales.

 

We'll see Lisa bubble under next in July 1993.

Number 118 “Can I Get Over” by Definition of Sound

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Known chart run: 208-118-110-106-110-125-124-143

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

English duo Definition of Sound last joined us in 1992.

 

"Can I Get Over" (no question mark) was the second and final single lifted from the group's second album The Lick (number 176, November 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 61 in the UK in November 1992.

Locally, "Can I Get Over" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 89 on the state chart.

I don't recall hearing this one at the time, but became familiar with it via its appearance on a VHS compilation I digitised in the early 2010s.

It looks like Definition of Sound lost their record deal with Circa Records, after the poor chart performance of The Lick and its singles.  They would eventually return in 1995 (1996 in Australia), on new label Fontana, with a single that would finally give the pair a top 40 hit here.  We will see Definition of Sound bubble under again in 1996.

Number 124 “Since I Met You Baby” by Gary Moore and B.B. King

Peak: number 124

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 124-142

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

Northern Irish guitar whizz Gary Moore last joined us in 1992.

 

"Since I Met You" was the fourth and final single released in Australia from Gary's ninth solo studio album After Hours (number 8, April 1992).  For this track, he teamed up with veteran American blues guitarist/singer B.B. King, who landed a top 30 hit in Australia with U2 in 1989 with "When Love Comes to Town" (number 23, May 1989).  B.B., real name Riley B. King, was a mere 67 when "Since I Met You Baby" was charting.

Internationally, "Since I Met You Baby" peaked at number 59 in the UK in July 1992, where it was the third single issued from After Hours.

Locally, "Since I Met You Baby" performed equally-strongest in Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland, where it reached number 103 on the state charts.

Gary will join us once more in June 1993.  We will not see B.B. King, who died in 2015 aged 89, again.

Number 143 “Poison Heart” by Ramones

Peak: number 143

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 143-147-147

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

American punk rock band Ramones (no 'The') last joined us in 1989.

 

"Poison Heart" was the lead single from the band's twelfth studio album Mondo Bizarro (number 93, October 1992).  Internationally, "Poison Heart" peaked at number 69 in the UK in December 1992.  The track also peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in October 1992.

Locally, "Poison Heart" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 127.

I won't be writing about Ramones again, but they had three later (very) low-charting singles in Australia during the streaming era: "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" (number 979, April 2014), "California Sun" (number 1815, August 2017), and "Rockaway Beach" (live at Friars, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, 30 December 1977) (number 2351, September 2019).

Number 144 “He Can’t Decide” by Paul Kelly, Renee Geyer, Vika Bull, Deborah Conway

Peak: number 112

Peak date: 22 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-130-117-112-113-122-128-139

We last saw Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly in 1992.

 

"He Can't Decide", a collaboration between Paul Kelly, Renee Geyer, Vika Bull (then of The Black Sorrows and later one half of Vika & Linda), and Deborah Conway was recorded for the ABC television series Seven Deadly Sins - the soundtrack album for which peaked at number 71 in March 1993.

 

I hadn't heard this one before.  I wasn't expecting the samba style.

 

We'll next see Paul Kelly in 1994, Renee Geyer in July 1993, Vika (as one half of Vika & Linda) in 1995, and Deborah Conway in 1994.

Number 146 “Laura” by Jimmy Nail

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 146

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

English recording artist Jimmy Nail is also an actor, film producer, and writer for television.  He came to prominence in Australia with the single "Ain't No Doubt" (number 5, October 1992) - his only single to dent the top 100, effectively rendering him a one-hit wonder in this country.

Seven years before "Ain't No Doubt", Jimmy landed a hit in the UK with his version of Rose Royce's "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", peaking at number 3 there in May 1985.  The single was released in Australia in July 1985, but failed to chart.  Interestingly, and somewhat annoyingly, Jimmy changes the "just a vacancy" lyric in the chorus of "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" to "just look back and see" - perhaps it was a misheard lyric?

"Laura" was the follow-up release to "Ain't No Doubt".  Both tracks were lifted from Jimmy's second studio album Growing Up in Public (number 64, November 1992).  Internationally, "Laura" peaked at number 58 in the UK in September 1992.

In Australia, "Laura" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 116 on the state chart.  "Laura" debuted on the ARIA singles chart at number 158 on 7 December 1992, but took almost two months to crack the top 150.

 

I don't recall hearing "Laura" before.

 

A third single from Growing Up in Public, "Only Love (Can Bring Us Home)", was released in Australia in March 1993, but failed to chart.  Oddly, this single does not appear to have been released in Jimmy's native UK, and only German pressings are listed on discogs.com.

 

Jimmy will join us next in 1996.

 

Number 147 “Lil' Red Ridin’ Hood” by Paul Norton

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Chart run: 199-147

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Australian singer-songwriter Paul Norton last joined us in 1990.

 

"Lil' Red Ridin' Hood" was the second and final single lifted from Paul's second album Let It Fly (number 141, November 1992).  It followed “When We Were Young” (number 99, October 1992).

 

On the state charts, "Lil' Red Ridin' Hood" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 133.

 

I don't recall hearing this one before.  This was Paul's final single release.

Number 149 “Carry On” by Martha Wash

Peak: number 149

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Known chart run: 151-149

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

Although "Carry On" was American singer Martha Wash's first charting release in her own right, she was no stranger to the charts.  Martha's career began as one of Sylvester's backing singers, together with Izora Armstead, as Two Tons o' Fun.  The pair then rebranded as The Weather Girls, and landed a number 16 hit in Australia with "It's Raining Men" in June 1983.

Martha's vocals were uncredited on a number of recordings from the late 80s/early 90s, from Seduction, Black Box, and C + C Music Factory.  Martha sang vocals on all of the non-"Ride on Time" tracks on Black Box's Dreamland (number 1, March 1991) album, including the singles "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (number 6, April 1990), "Everybody Everybody" (number 35, July 1990), "Fantasy" (number 3, February 1991), "The Total Mix" (number 24, April 1991), "Strike It Up" (number 20, May 1991), and "Open Your Eyes" (number 60, February 1992).  Her vocals were again used without her permission on C + C Music Factory’s "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" (number 3. February 1991.  Martha's vocals were lip-synced by others in the videos for these tracks, as her full-figured body was deemed unmarketable.  Martha successfully sued the aforementioned acts, and as a result, it became US law that featured vocalists must receive credit on studio recordings and in music videos.

"Carry On" was the first single lifted from Martha’s debut solo album Martha Wash (released in Australia in April 1993 but failed to chart).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 74 in the UK in November 1992, and number 38 in the Netherlands in February 1993.  The track also registered on several US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart in December 1992, number 1 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in January 1993, number 68 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in January 1993, and number 97 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in January 1993.  A 1997 remix of "Carry On" peaked at number 49 in the UK in October 1997.

In Australia, "Carry On" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 116.

We'll next see Martha in April 1993.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 180 “One Love in My Lifetime” by Innocence

Peak: number 168

Peak date: 15 February 1993

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

We last saw English R&B band Innocence in 1992.

 

"One Love in My Lifetime" was the second single lifted from the group's second album Build (number 217, December 1992).  The single peaked at number 40 in the UK in September 1992.

In Australia, "One Love in My Lifetime" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 144 on the state chart.

We'll see Innocence on one more occasion, in March 1993.

 

Number 182 “Unsung” by Helmet

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

American Alternative metal band Helmet formed in New York in 1989.  "Unsung" was the first single lifted from their second album, and first major label release, Meantime (number 88, February 1993).

Internationally, "Unsung" peaked at number 119 (number 91 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1992.  "Unsung" also peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart, and number 32 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Locally, "Unsung" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 169 on the state chart.

Helmet will join us next in 1994.

Number 192 “Nothing Broken but My Heart” by Céline Dion

Peak: number 192

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Canadian songstress Céline Dion launched her recording career as a 13 year old in the French-speaking province of Quebec.  Her international recording career commenced in 1990, and we saw Céline bubble under in 1991.

 

"Nothing Broken but My Heart" was lifted from Céline's eleventh studio album, and second album recorded in English, Céline Dion (number 15, September 1992).  The track, written by Diane Warren, was preceded by the singles “Beauty and the Beast” (number 17, July 1992), “If You Asked Me To” (number 52, September 1992), and “Love Can Move Mountains” (number 54, October 1992).  Although I have previously described Diane Warren as "beige songwriter extraordinaire", I actually don't mind "Nothing Broken but My Heart", which I became familiar with via the American Top 40 radio program.

 

Internationally, "Nothing Broken but My Heart" peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1992, and number 3 in Canada in October 1992.  The track also registered on several US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 26 on the Pop Airplay chart in October 1992, number 35 on the Radio Songs chart in October 1992, and number 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in October 1992.

Domestically, "Nothing Broken but My Heart" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 178.

 

Céline would go on to greater commercial success in Australia with her next album The Colour of My Love (number 1 for 8 non-consecutive weeks between May 1995 and September 1995).  I won't be writing about Céline again, but she had a number of very low-charting singles in Australia between 2014 and 2020.

Number 193 “I Wish the Phone Would Ring” by Exposé

Peak: number 193

Peak date: 1 February 1993

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

American Latin freestyle group Exposé last joined us in 1990.

 

"I Wish the Phone Would Ring" was the lead single from Exposé's third and final studio album Exposé, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1992, and number 49 in Canada in December 1992.  The track also registered on numerous US Billboard genre-specific charts, reaching number 20 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in November 1992, number 21 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992, number 21 on the Pop Airplay chart in December 1992, and number 14 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in December 1992.

Locally, "I Wish the Phone Would Ring" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 179.

"I Wish the Phone Would Ring" was the final Exposé single released in Australia.

Next week (8 February): Another busy week, with twelve top 150 entries and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 25 January 1993                     Next week: 8 February 1993 >

Week commencing 18 November 1991

One thing all four of this week in 1991's debuts peaking outside the ARIA top 100 have in common is that they all feature male lead vocals.  Let's take a look at them.

 

The Stone Roses' latest single was not quite 'adored' by the Australian record-buying public.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 139 "Superman's Song" by Crash Test Dummies (1991 chart run)

Peak: number 133 (in 1991); number 87 (in 1992)

Peak dates: 16 December 1991, 23 December 1991 and 30 December 1991 (initial chart run)

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks (initial chart run); 18 weeks (1991 and 1992 chart runs combined)

Top 150 chart run: 139-141-136-142-133-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-137-(out for 3 week)-144

Re-entered 20 April 1992: 137-125-125-123-107-87-94-109-110

Weeks on chart: 28 weeks

This single peaked at number 87 on 25 May 1992, spending another 9 weeks in the top 150 between April and June 1992.

 

Canadian band Crash Test Dummies formed in 1988.  "Superman's Song" was their debut single, lifted from the band's first album The Ghosts That Haunt Me (number 110, April 1992).

 

Internationally, "Superman's Song" peaked at number 4 in Canada in August 1991, and number 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1991.

 

"Superman's Song" had a second lease of life on the Australian chart between April and June 1992, reaching its peak of number 87 in May 1992.  Before then, the single initially stalled outside the ARIA top 100.  On the state charts, "Superman's Song" was much more popular in South Australia/Northern Territory and Western Australia, where it reached number 20 and 30, respectively, than in any other region of Australia.  The next-highest state chart peak "Superman's Song" reached, in contrast, was number 99 in Victoria/Tasmania.

As someone living in Victoria, I had never heard of Crash Test Dummies until their smash hit "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" (number 1, June 1994) in 1994.

Before then, we'll next see Crash Test Dummies in 1992.

 

 

Number 141 "I Wanna Be Adored" by The Stone Roses

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 18 November 1991

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 141-144-(out for 1 week)-146

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

We last saw The Stone Roses in March 1990.  Since that time, the band had been in a major dispute with their record label, Silvertone Records, who would not free them from their recording contract to release new material on the major label, Geffen Records, they had just signed with.  The belated second Stone Roses album proper, Second Coming (number 17, December 1994), was delayed until late 1994, as a result.

In the interim, to cash-in on The Stone Roses' popularity and probably also to irritate the band further, Silvertone released additional singles from their debut album The Stone Roses (number 36, May 1990), of which "I Wanna Be Adored" was one.  As the band had already filmed a music video for "I Wanna Be Adored", in what looks like a two-for-one deal (the videos are virtually identical) filmed at the same time as "Fools Gold" (number 13, May 1990), that was ready to go for promotion without requiring the band's further involvement.  Convenient!

 

"I Wanna Be Adored" peaked at number 20 in the UK in September 1991, and number 21 in Ireland during the same month.

 

Within Australia, "I Wanna Be Adored" found greatest success in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 120.

 

I didn't know "I Wanna Be Adored" at the time, but became familiar with it as a rage guest programmer music video selection some time in the 2000s.  While the song's lyrics are minimal ("I don't have to sell my soul, he's already in me" and "I wanna be adored" are about it), I quite enjoy this one, and it has one of those classic guitar riffs.

 

I knew that "I Wanna Be Adored" was a fan and critical favourite, but I was surprised to see that the music video has nearly five times as many views as that for "Fools Gold", the much bigger chart hit, on YouTube.

 

We shall next see The Stone Roses in 1995.  Before then, another Silvertone cash-in album, Turns into Stone (number 189, August 1992), which compiled the band's singles and B-sides that did not appear on the debut album, was released.

 

 

Number 145 "House Party II (I Don't Know What You Come to Do)" by Tony! Toni! Toné!

Peak: number 141

Peak dates: 2 December 1991 and 9 December 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 145-146-141-141

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

American r&b trio Tony! Toni! Toné! - none of whom were actually named Tony (or spelling variants thereof) - landed a minor hit in Australia with the second single, "Feels Good" (number 89, February 1991), from their second album The Revival (number 149, February 1991).

"House Party II (I Don't Know What You Come to Do)" was recorded for the House Party 2 soundtrack (number 138, June 1992).  Interestingly, I cannot find evidence of the single charting anywhere else, although it did make number 19 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 40 on the US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart.

 

Locally, "House Party II..." performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 126 on the state chart.

Tony! Toni! Toné! would have their belated breakthrough hit in Australia in 1993, with "If I Had No Loot" (number 12, October 1993).  That would become their only ARIA top 50 entry.

 

We will next see Tony! Toni! Toné! in 1994.

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 153 "My Love Life" by Morrissey

Peak: number 153

Peak date: 18 November 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Morrissey last graced our presence in June 1991. 

 

"My Love Life" was a non-album single.  It peaked at number 29 in the UK in October 1990, and number 6 in Ireland during the same month.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "My Love Life" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 123.

 

Of course, Morrissey was famous for not having a "love life" at the time, being open about his celibacy.   Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde performs harmony vocals on this one.

 

Moz will next join us in 1993 on his own, but we will see him with his former band The Smiths on a couple of occasions before then, in 1992 and 1993.

 

 

Next week (25 November): Five top 150 debuts.

 

< Previous week: 11 November 1991                                     Next week: 25 November 1991 >

Week commencing 10 June 1991

I have no amazing insight into what connects this week in 1991's debuts peaking outside the top 100, so let's just dive straight in.  But before we do, I have updated last week's 1991 post with the following:

• 3 June 1991 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from The Real Milli Vanilli.
   

Pat Benatar: she used to be somebody's rock chick.

  

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 121 "True Love" by Pat Benatar

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 17 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 121-107-117-114

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

American singer Pat Benatar placed fourteen singles on the Australian chart during the 1980s, with three of those making the top ten.  Of these, "Love Is a Battlefield" (number 1, February 1984) was the biggest, with "All Fired Up" (number 2, September 1988) coming a close second.  We last saw Pat in April 1989.

"True Love" was the title track and only single issued in Australia from Pat's eighth studio album True Love (number 53, June 1991).  Known for her powerful rock voice, "True Love" was a radical departure from Pat's usual sound, dipping her toe into the jump blues genre.  Pat also had a make-over, displaying a softer image than typical for her (an evening dress!) in the music video.

"True Love" was only a hit in the Netherlands, where it reached number 21 in June 1991.  I cannot find evidence of this single registering on any other chart outside of Australia.

I hadn't heard "True Love" until writing this post, and was not aware of this album's existence at the time.  Pat seemed to disappear off the radar after "All Fired Up", with that song being her last major hit anywhere.  I have written before - and I am by no means the only person to make this observation - that a lot of artists associated with the 1980s fell on commercial hard times once the 1990s clocked over.

 

Within Australia, "True Love" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it reached number 77.

 

Pat would only land one further charting single in Australia, with "Somebody's Baby" (number 90, September 1993) in 1993.  That song deserved to do much better, and was as good as any of Pat's 80s hits in my view, but I guess Pat's time as an artist with hit singles was well and truly over by that point.

 

Pat placed a number of later albums on the ARIA albums chart - although all of them missed the top 100.  Her 1987 compilation Best Shots (number 19, February 1988) re-entered the chart in February 1992, reaching number 155.  Pat's next studio album Gravity's Rainbow peaked at number 130 in September 1993, Greatest Hits reached number 345 in January 2006, and 2 Classic Albums - Best Shots/Wide Awake in Dreamland peaked at number 344 in August 2011.

 

 

Number 135 "Falling" by One-Eyed Jacks

Peak: number 135

Peak date: 10 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 135-137

 

I didn't watch Twin Peaks when it aired in Australia in early 1991, but you couldn't escape it.  Even my great uncle used to repeat the "she's wrapped in plastic!" line from the TV ads promoting the series.  Then, Julee Cruise's "Falling" topped the ARIA singles chart in April 1991.

It seemed obligatory for any big ballad hit in the 90s to have a cheap dance cover version recorded somewhere in continental Europe, featuring a singer whose primary language was probably not English, and here is the one for "Falling".

You can almost check the items off a list.  Cheap music video - check.  Woman with 'model' looks who may or may not be the actual singer (although surely they would have selected a better vocalist if she is only lip syncing) - check.  Sample from a recent dance/pop hit to give it a contemporary sound - check (in this instance, it's George Michael's "Freedom! '90").

 

Despite having said all of the above, I don't actually mind this version of "Falling".  I had not heard it before.

Danish DJ Kjeld Tolstrup was behind One-Eyed Jacks.  This track was their only release.  Oddly, I cannot find evidence of the single charting anywhere else.  Kjeld died in 2011, aged 45.

 

 

Number 146 "Keep It to Yourself" by Paul Kelly and The Messengers

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 10 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 146

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

We last saw Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, with his then backing band The Messengers, in March 1991.  Here he is again, his fourth appearance in the 101-150 region of the ARIA singles chart in the space of twenty months.  While Paul might have snagged airplay and critical acclaim, commercial success usually eluded him on the Australian singles chart.

"Keep It to Yourself" was the second single lifted from the album Comedy (number 12, May 1991).  The single was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 121.

We shall next see Paul Kelly and The Messengers in October 1991.

 

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 176 "What Is This Thing Called Love?" by Alexander O'Neal

Peak: number 176

Peak date: 10 June 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

American singer Alexander O'Neal last joined us in March 1991.  "What Is This Thing Called Love?" was the second and final single released in Australia from Alex's All True Man (number 108, April 1991) album.

 

Internationally, "What Is This Thing Called Love?" peaked at number 53 in the UK in March 1991, and number 81 in the Netherlands in April 1991.

 

Within Australia, "What Is This Thing Called Love?" performed strongest on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 160.

 

I hadn't heard this one before, but enjoyed it.  I think with a greater promotional push, Alex could have landed some commercial success in Australia during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

 

Alex will pay us another visit in 1997.  Before then, he placed another two albums on the ARIA albums chart: the compilation This Thing Called Love (number 214, July 1992), which took its name from this song despite it not being one of Alex's bigger hits, and Alex's next studio album Love Makes No Sense (number 192, April 1993), from which no singles charted in Australia.

 

 

Number 184 "Stop Myself"/"Godbless" by Died Pretty

Peak: number 163

Peak date: 5 August 1991

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

Oh joy.  A double A-side single (which means I have to listen to two tracks) from a band I don't really care for: Australia's Died Pretty.  Alright, after listening to both tracks, they are not that bad; they're just not something I would intentionally seek out.  "Stop Myself" is my pick of the two.

 

We last saw Died Pretty in March 1990.  "Stop Myself" and "Godbless" were both lifted from the band's fourth studio album Doughboy Hollow (number 24, September 1991).  The single was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 126.

We will next see Died Pretty in September 1991.

Number 187 "Ruby Tuesday" (live) by The Rolling Stones

Peak: number 157

Peak date: 17 June 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

If I'm being brutally honest, I find it difficult to think of The Rolling Stones without thinking of how much Mick Jagger resembles The Joker from Batman, in my mind.  Why has he never played the role?!  OK, that aside and onto their music, we last saw British rock fossils The Rolling Stones in April 1990.

 

This live rendition of The Stones' 1967 song, recorded in Japan in 1990, appeared on their Flashpoint (number 12, April 1991) album.  It followed the single "Highwire" (number 54, April 1991), which was one of two new studio recordings included on the otherwise live album.

 

Internationally, this release of "Ruby Tuesday" peaked at number 59 in the UK in June 1991, number 34 in the Netherlands in July 1991, and number 27 in Switzerland in July 1991.  The original 1967 studio version of "Ruby Tuesday" peaked at number 1 in the US in March 1967, and number 6 in Ireland.

 

Domestically, this live version of "Ruby Tuesday" peaked highest on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart, where it reached number 141.

 

We shall next see The Rolling Stones in July 1991. 

Number 190 "Sing Your Life" by Morrissey

Peak: number 190

Peak date: 10 June 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

English singer-songwriter Steven Morrissey last joined us in March 1991.  "Sing Your Life" was the second single lifted from Moz's second solo studio album Kill Uncle (number 45, March 1991).  With this track, Morrissey makes his fifth appearance in the 101-150 region of the ARIA singles chart, in the space of just under two years.

 

"Sing Your Life" found greater success in Moz's native UK, where it peaked at number 33 in April 1991, although it was his lowest-peaking solo single there to date.  "Sing Your Life" did even better in Ireland, where it reached number 21 in April 1991.

 

Within Australia, "Sing Your Life" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 156.

 

While I enjoy some singles by Morrissey and The Smiths, I am only a casual fan at best, and I hadn't actually heard this one before.  I liked it and would listen to it again.

One thing I have in common with Morrissey, which I didn't realise until now (the age when he started), is that we have both been vegetarians since age 11!  Well, kind of, for me, since I still ate chicken (I never cared for fish) until I was 15... and then once had a little bit of chicken fillet 'to be polite' at my grandparents' when I was 16.  Not eating meat for me is primarily a taste/texture issue - I find the taste and texture revolting.

 

Morrissey will next join us in November 1991.

 

Next week (17 June): A whopping nine new top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.

 

< Previous week: 3 June 1991                                                    Next week: 17 June 1991 >

Week commencing 18 March 1991

With one notable exception, which should become obvious, the artists debuting and peaking outside the top 100 this week in 1991 were either artists who had been around for a while but generally struggled to land hits in Australia, or those who were newer acts struggling to score hits.

 

Before diving into this week's post, again I have added the following to some earlier posts:

• 20 February 1989 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Gary Moore;
  
• 13 March 1989 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Alexander O'Neal;
• 15 May 1989 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Sa-Fire;
• 11 September 1989 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Danny Wilson.
  

Eurythmics: flops are a stranger to their Australian chart history.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 105 "Auberge" by Chris Rea

Peak: number 101

Peak date: 25 March 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Known chart run: 152-105-101-110-108-121-120

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

 

We saw English singer/songwriter Chris Rea bubble under in early 1990, and here he is with the lead single and title-track from his eleventh studio album Auberge (number 53, April 1991).

Between 1978 and 1989, Chris placed 12 singles on the Australian top 100 chart, with "Let's Dance" (number 9, October 1987) being the biggest of those.

 

"Auberge", meaning 'inn' in French, peaked at number 16 in the UK in March 1991, number 8 in Ireland, number 45 in the Netherlands in March 1991, number 20 in Germany in April 1991, number 31 in the Flanders region of Belgium in April 1991, number 29 in Austria in April 1991, and number 46 in France in April 1991.

 

In Australia, "Auberge" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, reaching number 72 on the state chart.

 

The music video for "Auberge" is notable for being set within a single frame, although it was not shot in one continuous take.

Two further singles from Auberge were released in Australia - "Heaven" (May 1991) and "Looking for the Summer" (July 1991) - but both missed the top 150.

Chris's next two studio albums God's Great Banana Skin (number 137, November 1992) and Espresso Logic (number 109, March 1994) yielded no Australian top 150 singles, but we will see Chris bubble WAY down under next in 1992.

 

 

Number 122 "Body Language" by Adventures of Stevie V

Peak: number 108

Peak date: 1 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 122-109-108-122-131

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

 

British dance act Adventures of Stevie landed a number 18 single in Australia with "Dirty Cash (Money Talks)" in February 1991, although it took seven months from its chart debut at number 147 in July 1990 to reach its eventual peak.

"Body Language", the less-successful follow-up, peaked at number 29 in the UK in October 1990, number 14 in the Netherlands in December 1990, and number 40 in New Zealand in December 1990.  Both this track and "Dirty Cash" were lifted from his (their?) debut album Adventures of Stevie V (number 83, February 1991).

"Body Language" single fared better on the Australian Music Report, where it reached number 94.  The single performed strongest on the ARIA state chart for New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 81.

"Body Language" would be the second and final Adventures of Stevie V single to chart in Australia.

 

 

Number 130 "Don't Start Me Talking" by Paul Kelly and The Messengers

Peak: number 105

Peak date: 8 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Chart run: 130-115-114-105-115-115-120-116

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Fast becoming a regular in the 101-150 region of the Australian singles chart, this is the third time we have seen Australian singer-songwriter Paul Kelly, along with his band The Messengers, in as many years, with the last occasion being in August 1990.

 

"Don't Start Me Talking" was the first of three singles lifted from the band's Comedy (number 12, May 1991) album, and all three singles missed the ARIA top 100.  "Don't Start Me Talking" was the highest-peaking of the lot.

The single fared better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, reaching number 92.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "Don't Start Me Talking" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 87.

The music video for "Don't Start Me Talking" is notable for its use of Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN).

We shall next see Paul Kelly and The Messengers in June 1991.

Number 136 "Our Frank" by Morrissey

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 8 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 136-144-(out for 1 week)-127-129-137-130

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

Another regular to the below number 100 region of the ARIA singles chart is Steven Morrissey, whom we have seen on three previous occasions, with the most recent one being in October 1990.

"Our Frank" was the lead single from Morrissey's second studio album proper Kill Uncle (number 45, March 1991).

 

The single peaked at number 26 in the UK in February 1991, number 7 in Ireland in February 1991, and number 45 in New Zealand in March 1991.

Domestically, "Our Frank" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it reached number 98.

"Our Frank" peaked within the top 100 on the Australian Music Report singles chart, at number 97.

Morrissey will join us next in June 1991.

 

 

Number 146 "Superstition Highway" by Tall Tales and True

Peak: number 134

Peak date: 25 March 1991

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 146-134

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

Sydney band Tall Tales and True placed two singles on the ARIA top 100 in 1989: "Trust" (number 69, April 1989) and "Hold On" (number 70, July 1989).  Their debut album Shiver peaked at number 66 in June 1989.

As seemed to be a popular thing for Australian indie artists to do in 1990-91, the group then released this 4-track EP as a stop-gap in between albums - though 4-track CD singles were becoming the norm by this time.  "Superstition Highway" did not appear on the band's second album, released in 1992.

On the state charts, "Superstition Highway" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 106.

We shall next see Tall Tales and True in October 1991.

Number 147 "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Butthole Surfers
Peak: number 147

Peak date: 18 March 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 147

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks 

American band Butthole Surfers (no 'The') were a group I hadn't heard of until their 1996 hit - their only Australian hit - "Pepper" (number 15, June 1996), a song I did not particularly enjoy, and, in hindsight made me question why I was listening to radio station Triple J, who seemed to love it, in 1996.  The group had actually been in existence for 15 years at that point.

"The Hurdy Gurdy Man" was lifted from the band's fifth studio album piouhgd (number 136, March 1991).  It is a cover version of a song originally recorded by Donovan in 1968.

 

Butthole Surfers' version of "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" peaked at number 98 in the UK in December 1990, and number 36 in New Zealand in March 1991.   The song was later used on the soundtrack for the 1994 movie Dumb and Dumber.

In Australia, "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 118 on the state chart.

Butthole Surfers will next 'surf' the top 150 in 1996.

Number 149 "Feels Like I'm in Love" (90's PWL Remix) by Kelly Marie

Peak: number 149

Peak date: 18 March 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 149

Scottish singer Kelly Marie, real name Jacqueline McKinnon, scored a pair of hits in Australia in the late 1970s/early 1980s, with "Make Love to Me" (number 5, March 1979) and "Feels Like I'm in Love" (number 7, December 1980).  But, aside from those two top 10 hits, none of 'Kelly''s other singles made the top 100 down under.

Fast forward to the early 90s, and the 70s (even though the original Kelly Marie version of this track was from 1980) revival had started.  It was timely, therefore, that "Feels Like I'm in Love", which topped the UK singles chart for two weeks in September 1980, and was a top 10 hit across Europe and in the US, received a 90s remix.  The remix in question was conducted by Dave Ford and Pete Hammond for PWL, Pete Waterman of Stock Aitken Waterman fame's record label.

The PWL remix of "Feels Like I'm in Love" surprisingly did not chart in the UK, or anywhere else that I can determine.

I was not aware of this remix at the time.  Listening to it for the first time here, I think it's OK, but I would take the 1980 version of the song over this any day.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 156 "Promise Me You'll Remember" by Harry Connick, Jr.

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 18 March 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

American crooner Harry Connick, Jr. released his debut album Harry Connick, Jr. in 1987.  His commercial breakthrough in Australia, however, would not come until 1991, with the Australian-only compilation of some of Harry's earlier recordings, It Had to Be You (number 4, March 1992).

 

"Promise Me You'll Remember" was recorded for the soundtrack of the movie The Godfather Part III, though was also included on the It Had to Be You compilation album.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 75 in the Netherlands in April 1991.

 

Locally, "Promise Me You'll Remember" performed strongest in Western Australia, reaching number 137 on the state chart.

 

We shall see Harry next in 1992.

 

 

Number 165 "Love Is a Stranger" by Eurythmics (1991 re-issue)

Peak: number 156

Peak date: 25 March 1991

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

This single originally peaked at number 17 in Australia on 27 June 1983, spending 22 weeks in the top 100.

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart (who we saw in January) first came to prominence as part of the band The Tourists, who landed a couple of hits in their native UK in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  Only one of their singles, however, a cover version of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want To Be with You", registered on the Australian chart, peaking at number 6 in August 1980.  The band split up while touring Australia later in the year.

Dave and Annie, who had once been romantically involved, then decided to go it alone... together, and formed Eurythmics (no 'The').  Their debut album, 1981's In the Garden, was a commercial failure and did not chart anywhere... until the 2005 re-issue of the album peaked at number 521 in Australia in January 2006.  A single from the album, "Never Gonna Cry Again", charted at number 63 in the UK in July 1981, but did not register a blip when issued in Australia in October of that year.

The first three singles from the duo's second album Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (number 5, July 1983) also faltered on the charts, although the band's fortunes turned around dramatically when the album's title track was issued as the last single from it.  "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (number 6, July 1983) was a major hit for the pair, reaching number 2 in the UK, and topping the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1983.

The success of "Sweet Dreams" renewed interest in Eurythmics' previous single "Love Is a Stranger" (released in Australia in January 1983), and it followed "Sweet Dreams" into the top 20 in June 1983, peaking at number 17.

Between 1983 and 1990, Eurythmics notched up 18 Australian top 40 singles, with all but three of those reaching the top 20.  Their biggest hit in Australia was "Would I Lie to You?", which topped the singles chart for two weeks in June 1985.

Having that many hits, any greatest hits compilation released by the duo was bound to be a smash, and that's exactly what happened when Greatest Hits spent seven weeks at number 1 in April and May of 1991.  The compilation similarly spent its first nine weeks on the UK albums chart at number 1, with a tenth week at the summit a couple of weeks later.

 

"Love Is a Stranger" was re-issued to promote Greatest Hits - not that the album needed much promotion with the number of hits it contained.  The re-issued single, in contrast to the album, barely registered on the radar, peaking at number 46 in the UK in March 1991.

Australia appears to have been the only other country where the 1991 issue of "Love Is a Stranger" charted, albeit rather lowly.  On the state charts, "Love Is a Stranger" was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 123.

The "Love Is a Stranger" music video was re-edited (embedded below) to contain snippets of most of Eurythmics' earlier videos to promote the 1991 release, and the Greatest Hits album.

 

Eurythmics had quietly gone on hiatus prior to Greatest Hits being released, and would not release new material as a duo again until 1999.

 

The 1991 release of "Love Is a Stranger" was Eurythmics' only single to bubble under during the ARIA-produced chart era; although "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" made number 78 on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart in September 1988 despite not charting nationally (when the chart ended at number 100).

 

Eurythmics bubbled under on the ARIA albums chart in 1993 with Live 1983-1989 (number 102, December 1993).

We shall see Dave Stewart again in November 1991, and Annie Lennox in 1996.

Number 170 "All I Want" by The Lightning Seeds

Peak: number 170

Peak date: 18 March 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

English band The Lightning Seeds (sometimes with 'The', sometimes without, to my annoyance), formed in Liverpool in 1989.

Their debut single, "Pure", peaked at number 92 in Australia in November 1990.  "All I Want" was the second single released locally from the band's debut album Cloudcuckooland (number 143, August 1990).

 

Internationally, "All I Want" peaked at number 155 in the UK (number 110 on the compressed chart) in May 1990.  Due to the way the compressed singles chart, where titles below number 75 with sales declines exceeding 20% on the previous week are 'starred out' or excluded from being assigned a chart placing, so that (in theory) newer titles entering lower in the chart have a greater likelihood of having their profile raised, "All I Want"'s 'real' peak (of number 155, with no singles excluded above it) occurred two weeks before its peak (of number 110) on the compressed version of the chart, when it was actually the 156th highest-selling single of that week.  Makes sense, huh?

Meanwhile, in Australia, "All I Want" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 147.

 

Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles covered "All I Want" for her second solo album, and we will see how that fared on the Australian charts in 1996.

 

Before then, will next see The Lightning Seeds in 1992.

 

 

Number 171 "Get Yourself Together" by Young Disciples

Peak: number 171

Peak date: 18 March 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

Young Disciples, fronted by American singer Carleen Anderson, formed in London in 1990.  "Get Yourself Together" was the band's debut single, lifted from their only album Road to Freedom (number 117, March 1992).

Internationally, "Get Yourself Together"initially peaked at number 68 in the UK in October 1990 before achieving a higher peak of number 65 in October 1991, when re-issued.  Australia appears to have been the only other country where the single charted.

 

On the state charts, "Get Yourself Together" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 153.

In a first for this site, my mother happened to be in the vicinity while I was listening to this song to write this post, and "Get Yourself Together" gets her seal of approval!

Young Disciples will join us again in 1993.  Before then, the group released the single "Apparently Nothin'" in Australia in July 1991, but it failed to chart, despite being the band's biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 13 there in August 1991.

Next week (25 March): Four top 150 debuts and two bubbling WAY down under entries.

 

< Previous week: 11 March 1991                                 Next week: 25 March 1991 >

Week commencing 29 October 1990

This week in 1990's new entries again cover a broad range of genres.  Let's take a look at them.

 

Inner City were on the outer with their latest release in 1990.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 125 "Lift Me Up" by Jeff Lynne

Peak: number 125

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 125-148

 

English singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Lynne was the front man of Electric Light Orchestra, commonly abbreviated as ELO.  Between 1973 and 1986, ELO placed 20 singles on the Australian top 100 chart, including their "Xanadu" (number 2, September 1980) collaboration with Olivia Newton-John.  ELO's biggest hit in their own right in Australia was "Livin' Thing" (number 2, February 1977).

Jeff's first solo single, "Doin' That Crazy Thing", was released in 1977, but did not chart anywhere.  Jeff issued another one-off single, from the Electric Dreams soundtrack (number 54, October 1984), "Video!", in 1984.  "Video!" peaked at number 87 in the UK in July 1984, and number 85 in the US in August 1984, but did not chart in Australia.

More-recently, Jeff had been part of Traveling Wilburys, who landed two top 20 singles, "Handle with Care" (number 3, January 1989) and "End of the Line" (number 12, March 1989), and a number one album, with Vol. 1 (number 1, February 1989), in Australia.

Jeff also co-produced George Harrison's Cloud Nine (number 10, April 1988), Roy Orbison's Mystery Girl (number 1, February 1989), and Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever (number 13, June 1989) albums.  At this point in time, Jeff seemed to be the go-to producer for veteran acts seeking a career resurgence.

Jeff's first solo album, Armchair Theatre (number 35, July 1990), was not released until 1990.  The album's lead single, "Every Little Thing", peaked at number 31 in Australia in August 1990.  The single also reached number 59 in the UK in July 1990, and number 18 in Canada in August 1990.

 

"Lift Me Up" was the second and final single from Armchair Theatre.   The only other place the single charted was in Canada, where it reached number 37 in October 1990.

 

As with its predecessor, the "Lift Me Up" music video makes extensive use of animation.

I didn't think I knew "Lift Me Up", but the chorus sounds familiar.  It's not what I'd typically listen to, but I like it.  My dad was an ELO fan, buying several of their 70s albums on CD in the early-mid 90s.  I don't recall him buying Jeff's solo album, however, although he did own Traveling Wilburys' Vol. 1.

While Jeff will not appear in the top 150 again as a solo artist, he continued to have success producing for other artists.  It must have been disappointing for Jeff that he did not achieve the same level of success with his own work.

We shall see Jeff again as part of Traveling Wilburys in February 1991.

 

 

Number 138 "King of Dreams" by Deep Purple

Peak: number 138

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 138-144

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

Between 1971 and 1973, British rock band Deep Purple landed 6 singles on the Australian top 100, although only one of those made the top 40.  But hit singles aren't really the raison d'être for a band like Deep Purple, are they?

"King of Dreams" was the lead single from Deep Purple's thirteenth studio album Slaves and Masters (number 72, November 1990).  The single peaked at number 70 in the UK in October 1990, and number 56 in Canada in December 1990.

 

Locally, "King of Dreams" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 113.

With some exceptions, I am not generally a fan of the heavier side of rock, so I was not expecting to like this song... not that it's that 'heavy', but the chorus is quite melodic.  I actually don't mind it.

 

"Smoke on the Water", released on the band's 1972 album Machine Head, is surely Deep Purple's best-known song, but oddly only peaked at number 54 in Australia.  We saw a charity cover version of that track bubble under last month.

 

Deep Purple will join us next in 1991.

 

 

Number 139 "Summer in Siam" by The Pogues

Peak: number 139

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 139-(out for 1 week)-140

Outside of fans of 80s/early 90s alternative music, The Pogues are best known for their festive season duet with Kirsty MacColl, "Fairytale of New York" (number 49, December 2019)... and lead singer Shane MacGowan's teeth.

 

Although "Fairytale of New York" was issued in Australia in December 1987, it did not chart until the digital/streaming era, as the song belatedly became known to a wider audience locally (I first heard it in 2005).  Its Australian peak to date of number 49 may be beaten in future years, as Christmas-themed songs of yesteryear continue to fill up the Christmas chart every year, sometimes bettering their previous peaks.

That aside, "Summer in Siam" was only The Pogues' second single to reach the top 150 in Australia.  We saw the first one back in March 1989.  The band achieved greater success on the Australian albums chart, with Rum Sodomy & The Lash (number 89, April 1986), If I Should Fall from Grace with God (number 36, February 1988) and Peace and Love (number 61, September 1989) all charting locally.

"Summer in Siam" was the lead single from The Pogues' fifth studio album Hell's Ditch (number 82, November 1990).  The single peaked at number 21 in Ireland in September 1990, and number 64 in the UK during the same month.

Shane MacGowan, the band's singer, will bubble under in 1995.

 

 

Number 141 "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" by Charlie Sexton

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 155-141-149

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

American singer-songwriter Charlie Sexton placed four singles within the Australian top 100 between 1986 and 1990, with his biggest hit down under being "Beats So Lonely" (number 17, April 1986).  We also saw Charlie bubble WAY down under in June 1989 with a single that only charted in Australia.

"Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress", a cover version of a 1971 song by The Hollies, appears on the Air America (number 133, October 1990) soundtrack.  It appears that "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" was only released as a single in Australia.

On the state charts, "Long Cool Woman..." performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 123.

This was Charlie's last release to chart in Australia.

Number 143 "That Man (He's All Mine)" by Inner City

Peak: number 143

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Chart run: 143

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Detroit techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson formed Inner City with singer Paris Grey (real name Shanna Jackson) in 1987.  The pair placed all four singles from their debut album Paradise (number 38, September 1989) in the ARIA top 100 - "Big Fun" (number 57, March 1989), "Good Life" (number 52, March 1989), "Ain't Nobody Better" (number 67, June 1989), and "Do You Love What You Feel" (number 76, August 1989). "What'cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'" (number 86, February 1990), a new track recorded for their Paradise Remixed (number 119, April 1990) album, also made the top 100.

While Inner City never landed a top 50 single in Australia, they achieved greater success in the UK, with 9 top 40 singles, 4 of which made the top 10.  The pair also topped the US Billboard Dance chart on five occasions - not that I consider this a 'real' chart.

"That Man (He's All Mine)" was the lead single from the band's second studio album Fire (number 166, January 1991).  "That Man..." peaked at number 42 in the UK in October 1990.  It missed the US Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 20 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in December 1990, and number 15 on the Billboard Dance chart in January 1991.

On the ARIA state charts, "That Man (He's All Mine)" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 140.

"That Man..." was the only single issued from Fire in Australia.  A second single from the album, "Till We Meet Again", was released in Europe and North America, and peaked at number 47 in the UK in March 1991.

 

Despite being a fan of the singles from Inner City's first album, I never heard "That Man..." at the time, suggesting that lack of promotion was a factor in it not performing as 'well' as the singles from the first album on the chart.

We shall see Inner City again in 1992.

Number 144 "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by The Jeff Healey Band

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 19 November 1990

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-147-144-127

 

The Jeff Healey band visited us twice in 1989, in June and July.  "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", a Beatles cover, was the second single issued from the album Hell to Pay (number 20, July 1990).  It followed "I Think I Love You Too Much", which was released in Australia in June 1990 but missed the top 150.

 

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" peaked at number 27 in the band's native Canada, and at number 85 in the UK in October 1990.

 

On the Australian Music Report singles chart, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" peaked at number 92.

Jeff Healey died in 2007, aged 41, following a three-year illness with bone cancer.

We will next see The Jeff Healey Band in 1993.

 

Number 146 "I Almost Felt Like Crying" by Craig McLachlan and Check 1-2

Peak: number 103

Peak date: 5 November 1990

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 146-103-110-116-124

Back in 1990, Aussie Craig McLachlan was best known as a TV soap actor, playing the roles of Henry Ramsay on Neighbours between 1987 and 1989, and Grant Mitchell on Home and Away in 1990-91. Currently, he is best 'known' for being accused of some rather unsavoury acts, which I won't repeat here, but you can check this link if you don't already know.

In between, Craig briefly tried his hand at being a pop star in the late 80s/early 90s.  With his back-up band Check 1-2, Craig landed a couple of hits - "Rock the Rock" (number 36, December 1989), "Mona" (number 3, May 1990) and "Amanda" (number 24, August 1990).

"I Almost Felt Like Crying" was the fourth and final single lifted from the band's only album Craig McLachlan and Check 1-2 (number 4, June 1990).  The single also charted in the UK, where it reached number 50 in November 1990.

On the Australian Music Report singles chart, "I Almost Felt Like Crying" peaked at number 100.

Following this release, Craig ditched Check 1-2, and became a solo artist.  He landed three further top 100 'hits' in Australia, with the fittingly-titled "On My Own" (number 23, September 1991) being the biggest.  Craig's debut solo album Hands Free peaked at number 104 in March 1992 on the ARIA albums chart.

Craig will join us again as part of a stage show cast towards the end of 1992.

Number 147 "Crazy 4 U" by Sybil

Peak: number 147

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Chart run: debuted 3 September 1990: 158-(off chart for 7 weeks)-147

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

American chanteuse Sybil graced our presence back in February 1990.  "Crazy 4 U" was the second single lifted from her second album Sybil (released in Australia in March 1990, did not chart) in Australia.  Salt 'N' Pepa perform a rap in the middle of the song, though are not credited as featured artists.  They do, however, appear in the music video.

Internationally, "Crazy 4 U" peaked at number 71 in the UK in April 1990.  While it missed the US Billboard Hot 100, "Crazy 4 U" reached number 45 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in May 1990, and number 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart during the same month.

On the ARIA state charts, "Crazy 4 U" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 125.

Interestingly, another Sybil single, "Walk on By", was released in Australia in between "Crazy 4 U"'s release in August 1990 and its debut in the top 150 nearly three months later.  "Walk on By", however, failed to chart.

We will next see Sybil in January 1991.

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 152 "Piccadilly Palare" by Morrissey

Peak: number 152

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

English singer Steven Morrissey's Australian chart career commenced when he was lead singer of The Smiths.  Although the group achieved consistent chart success in the UK, they never really crossed over to a mainstream audience in Australia, only landing two top 100 singles, "This Charming Man" (number 52, April 1984) and "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" (number 91, February 1988).  The Smiths also had two singles bubble under the top 100 during the 1980s, but we'll get to those in my 1980s Kent Music Report recaps in a few years' time.

 

The Smiths had greater success on the Australian albums chart, placing four albums within the top 40 during the 1980s.  We will see several of the band's singles bubble under when re-issued in a couple of years from now.

Following the demise of The Smiths in 1987, Morrissey embarked on a solo career.  His debut single, "Suedehead", peaked at number 45 in Australia in May 1988, and became his biggest hit here.  Second single "Everyday Is Like Sunday" did not chart nationally (when the ARIA singles chart stopped at number 100), but registered on the Western Australia state chart at number 97 in July 1988.  Morrissey's debut solo album Viva Hate reached number 21 in April 1988.

We saw Morrissey's third single, a non-album track, bubble under in July 1989.  Two further non-album singles, "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" (December 1989) and "November Spawned a Monster" (May 1990), were released locally but failed to chart.

"Piccadilly Palare" was issued to promote the Morrissey compilation album Bona Drag (number 57, October 1990), which contained all of his singles to date, along with B-sides.  The single peaked at number 18 in the UK in October 1990, and number 5 in Ireland during the same month.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "Piccadilly Palare" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 113.

 

Smiths bassist Andy Rourke plays on "Piccadilly Palare", marking the last occasion that Morrissey would collaborate with any of his former bandmates.  No music video was filmed to promote "Piccadilly Palare".

 

We shall next see Morrissey in March 1991.

 

Number 154 "Better Not Tell Her" by Carly Simon

Peak: number 154

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

We saw American singer-songwriter Carly Simon sampled on a track debuting last week, and here she is with one of her own.  Between 1971 and 1989, Carly placed 15 singles on the Australian top 100 chart.  Five of those singles reached the top 5, with Carly's biggest hit in Australia being "You're So Vain", which went to number 1 in 1973.  Carly last appeared on the ARIA chart with "Let the River Run" (number 83, May 1989).

 

"Better Not Tell Her" was the lead single from Carly's fifteenth studio album Have You Seen Me Lately? (number 160, November 1990).  Interestingly, the song did not chart in the US, but peaked at number 30 in Canada.

On the ARIA state charts, "Better Not Tell Her" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 108 in February 1991.  Unusually for a single peaking outside the top 150 in 1990, "Better Not Tell Her" spent 9 weeks on the chart.  The single peaked in four different months on the five state charts, hindering its success on the national chart.

This would be Carly's final single to chart in Australia.

 

Number 155 "Old Man Emu" (1990 version) by John Williamson

Peak: number 155

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 106 weeks

 

Australian country singer John Williamson originally released "Old Man Emu" in 1970, when it reached number 4 on the singles chart.  The track was re-recorded for his JW's Family Album (number 21, December 1990).

 

As the ARIA database tends to combine separate releases of the same title as though they were the same release, "Old Man Emu" is credited with spending 106 weeks on the chart at the time of writing.  Almost all of those weeks would be from the streaming era, and probably stem from the original recording of the song.  What that says about the tastes of the Australian streaming public, I don't know...

We will see John next in a mere three weeks' time.

 

 

 

Number 160 "Took the Children Away" by Archie Roach

Peak: number 160

Peak date: 29 October 1990

Weeks on chart: 51 weeks (probably only 1 or 2 weeks of those were from its 1990 chart run)

 

Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Archie Roach was born in Mooroopna, Victoria.  After several turbulent years, including many years of homelessness and alcohol addiction, Archie launched his recording career in 1990 with the single "Took the Children Away", and the album Charcoal Road (number 86, March 1991).

 

"Took the Children Away" tells the story of the Stolen Generation of Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their homes to be raised by white parents.  When he was 2 or 3 years old, Archie and his siblings were removed from their family and placed in an orphanage, later to be raised by Scottish immigrants.

 

Although the single only reached number 160 on the ARIA singles chart upon its original release, the song became more widely-known in later years, as evidenced by the music video's 1 million plus views on YouTube, which is much more than one would expect from a single peaking this low on the chart.

 

"Took the Children Away" received a 30th Anniversary Edition digital release in 2020, re-entering the chart.  On the state charts, the single performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 9 in April 2021 - there is a large discrepancy between state chart peaks (which I assume must be based on purchased legal downloads) and the national singles chart (based almost entirely on streaming) in the streaming era.  The highest state charts peak for this single in 1990 I can see was in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 129.  I assume this single only spent one or two weeks on the chart in 1990, as its lowest state chart tally is two weeks (in 1990, national and state chart week tallies were always the same).

 

A second single from Charcoal Road, "Down City Streets", was released in April 1991, but did not chart.

 

Archie passed away in July 2022, aged 66.

 

We'll next see Archie bubble under in 1993.

Next week (5 November): Seven top 150 debuts, one of which is by a puppet!  There are also two bubbling WAY down under entries.

< Previous week: 22 October 1990                           Next week: 5 November 1990 >