Week commencing 11 May 1992

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

 

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

 

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

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

Peak: number 130

Peak dates: 18 May 1992 and 25 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

 

Number 142 "In the Ghetto" by Beats International

Peak: number 142

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 142

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

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

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

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

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

 

 

Number 144 "O Fortuna" by Apotheosis

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 15 weeks

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

Peak: Number 133

Peak date: 18 May 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 159-145-133 

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

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

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 25 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

We shall next see Queen in 1996.

Number 183 "Uhh Ahh" by Boyz II Men

Peak: number 180

Peak date: 25 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

We will next see Boyz II Men in July 1992.

 

 

Number 199 "The Bottle" by The Tyrrel Corporation

Peak: number 199

Peak date: 11 May 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

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

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

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

We shall next see The Tyrrel Corporation in September 1992.

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

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

 

Week commencing 27 May 1991

Among the nine new songs I write about debuting this week in 1991, two are by the same artist - a first for these chart recaps, and only two of the nine different artists will return to the top 150 - of which, one never landed a top 100 hit in Australia!

But before we dive into the new batch of entries from 1991, I have updated two earlier posts with the following:

• 27 February 1989 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Simple Minds;
• 22 April 1991 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Daryl Hall & John Oates.
  

 

Queen had a 'bunch' of singles that peaked outside the top 100 in Australia.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 142 "Silver Stallion" by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson

Peak: number 123

Peak date: 10 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 142-(out for 1 week)-123-130-145

 

The Highwaymen for short, though they are credited as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson (no 'and') on the single sleeve, landed their one and only ARIA top 150 single this week in 1991, with "Silver Stallion".  The track appears on the quartet's second album Highwayman 2 (number 9, June 1991), and is a cover version of a song originally recorded by Wings Livinryte in 1975.

"Silver Stallion" does not appear to have registered on any other sales-based chart that I can ascertain; however, it peaked at number 25 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in April 1990.

 

I generally don't enjoy country music at all, but I thought this song wasn't bad.  I dare say I even enjoyed it and would listen to it again!

 

 

 

Number 144 Adrenalin EP by N-Joi

Peak: number 134

Peak date: 24 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-(out for 3 weeks)-134

 

For the first time, we have two debuting entries peaking in the 101-150 region of the chart from the same artist, in the same week.

 

English production duo N-Joi consist of Nigel Champion and Mark Franklin.  The Adrenalin EP was their second single - their debut release also debuted this week, at number 150, below.  The EP's title track "Adrenalin" is largely instrumental, with a vocal sample appearing only in the second half of the radio version.  "Adrenalin" was one of the earlier 'rave'-style dance tracks to chart in Australia.

Internationally, "Adrenalin" peaked at number 23 in the UK in March 1991.

 

I didn't hear this one at the time, but may have if I had been old enough to go clubbing in 1991.

 

 

Number 147 "Wild Thing (Theme from Bonanza)" by The Fargone Beauties

Peak: number 140

Peak date: 24 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 147-147-147-142-140-150

 

The genres listed for Australian band The Fargone Beauties' debut album The Fargone Beauties (number 137, August 1991) on discogs are bluegrass, parody and novelty.  That should give you some idea as to their sound.

As you might have guessed, "Wild Thing (Theme from Bonanza)" is a cover version of The Troggs' "Wild Thing" from 1966.  My initial impression, listening to this track for the first time, is that it sounds like it could have been the theme song for the 1960s/early 1970s black and white TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, which seemed to be on perpetual re-run when I was a child.

The Fargone Beauties - who never landed a top 100 single or album in Australia - will next join us in 1992.

 

 

Number 150 "Anthem" by N-Joi

Peak: number 141

Peak date: 3 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 150-141

 

The second N-Joi single to enter the top 150 this week in 1991 was the group's debut release in the UK in October 1990.  The single spent two weeks at its peak of number 45 in the UK in November 1990.  When re-released after the top 30 success of "Adrenalin" (see above), "Anthem" reached a new peak of number 8 in the UK in April 1991.  "Anthem" also reached number 15 in Ireland in April 1991, and number 4 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

 

In Australia, "Anthem" was issued as N-Joi's debut single in early February 1991.  I am not sure why it took nearly four months to crack the top 150, but it appears to have been given a boost by the follow-up single, which also debuted this week.  "Anthem" seems like it is the more-commercial sounding of the two singles, so I am a bit surprised its peak was lower in Australia.

 

If you're viewing the "Anthem" music video embedded below for the first time, you may be asking yourself, 'Haven't I seen that woman fronting the band before?'  Well, yes, you probably have, as it's none other than Saffron (real name Samantha Sprackling), who went on to front the band Republica, who landed a number 40 hit in Australia with "Ready to Go" in October 1996.  A major difference between this single and Republica, however, is that Saffron does not actually sing the vocal samples on "Anthem"; she just lip-syncs, as was the case with many European dance acts in the 1990s.  Ooh-er.

While we will not see N-Joi in the top 150 again, they did go on to land several more charting singles in the UK.  We will see Saffron again with Republica in 1997.

 

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 151 "Something So Strong" by Elisa Fiorillo

Peak: number 151

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

American Elisa Fiorillo first came to prominence in 1985, winning the American talent search TV program Star Search while still a teenager.  It was this exposure that landed Elisa a recording contract, and she recorded the original version of "Jackie" in 1987 for the Summer School soundtrack - a song that would later become a hit for Lisa Stansfield's band Blue Zone (number 99, February 1989), and was covered by three (!) Australian acts in 1998: Zone 2 (number 137, September 1998), Redzone (number 37, November 1998) and B.Z. featuring Joanne (number 3, January 1999).

 

Elisa's debut album Elisa Fiorillo was released in 1987, and she landed her first Australian chart entry in 1988, as the featured vocalist on Jellybean's "Who Found Who" (number 75, May 1988) single.

 

Elisa's second album I Am (number 111, April 1991) was led by the single "On the Way Up" (number 19, April 1991), which Elisa co-wrote with Prince.  Interestingly, that song peaked higher in Australia than in any other country; with the single peaking at number 27 in the US in January 1991.

"Something So Strong" was issued as the second, and final, single from I Am in Australia, and, oddly, appears to have only been a single in Australia.  Even more strangely, another Prince-penned track, "Playgirl", was relegated to being the B-side.  The US received "Oooh This I Need" as the second, and final, single from I Am.

"Something So Strong" performed strongest on the Victoria/Tasmania state chart, where it reached number 134.

I hadn't heard "Something So Strong" before.  It doesn't scream 'single' to me.  It was Elisa's last single to be released in Australia.  Elisa gained work as a backing vocalist for other artists including Savage Garden, and took a break from her own recording career until the 2000s, when she released three albums independently.

 

 

Number 162 "I Must Have Been Blind" by The Cockroaches

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

We saw Australian band The Cockroaches in April 1990, with the lead single from their third studio album Positive (number 121, July 1991).  "I Must Have Been Blind" was the third single lifted from Positive, following "Here Comes That Feeling" (released November 1990), which failed to chart.

"I Must Have Been Blind" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it reached number 142.

 

This was The Cockroaches' last single to chart, although the Hey Let's Go! The Best of the Cockroaches compilation reached number 236 on the ARIA albums chart in June 2014, after originally peaking at number 283 in November 1999.  Of course, some of the group went on to form The Wiggles, whom you may have heard of...

Number 169 "Love Don't Come Easy" by White Lion

Peak: number 169

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

 

We last saw Danish/American rock band White Lion in December 1989.  "Love Don't Come Easy" was the lead single from the band's fourth studio album Mane Attraction (number 105, June 1991).

Surprisingly, as far as I can establish, Australia is the only market that "Love Don't Come Easy" registered a position on a sales-based chart.  According to Wikipedia, the song reached number 24 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, which is based on airplay - but I cannot confirm that, as the Billboard website is dysfunctional and nothing loaded for me on the White Lion page.

Within Australia, "Love Don't Come Easy" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 145.

This track was White Lion's last single to chart in Australia, although the compilation album The Best of White Lion reached number 227 on the albums chart in October 1992.  The band split in 1992, but reformed in 1999 before splitting again in 2013.

 

 

Number 176 "I'm Going Slightly Mad" by Queen

Peak: number 176

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Queen last paid us a visit in April 1991, and here they are again, a mere six weeks later, with the third single from the Innuendo (number 6, February 1991) album released in Australia.

In Europe, "I'm Going Slightly Mad" was issued as the second single from Innuendo.  It peaked at number 22 in the UK in March 1991, number 19 in Ireland in March 1991, number 42 in Germany in April 1991, number 20 in the Netherlands in April 1991, and number 39 in the Flanders region of Belgium in May 1991.

In Australia, "I'm Going Slightly Mad" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 139.

With lyrics such as "I'm coming down with a fever," "I'm Going Slightly Mad" was inspired by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury's (then unannounced) illness with AIDS, and the resulting cognitive symptoms.  The music video pokes fun at this, with Freddie at one point sporting a wig made of bananas.  Freddie's dramatic weight loss due to his illness is evident in the video, and he wore an extra layer of clothing to help conceal this.

 

"I'm Going Slightly Mad" would become the last Queen single to chart in Australia during Freddie's  lifetime.  The band's next single, "The Show Must Go On" (number 75, January 1992), debuted at number 170 on the ARIA singles chart on the day that Freddie's passing was announced in Australia (25 November 1991).  For those of you who are old enough, the shock announcement of Freddie Mercury's death was one of those flashbulb memory events, where you remember where you were and what you were doing at the time you heard the news.

We shall next see Queen in 1992.

 

Number 182 "Forget Me Not$" by Tongue 'N' Cheek

Peak: number 182

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

British trio Tongue 'N' Cheek formed in 1986.  "Forget Me Not$", a cover version of Patrice Rushen's "Forget Me Nots" (number 29, November 1982), was the group's penultimate single, though appears to have been their only Australian release.  The song appeared on the group's only album This Is Tongue 'N' Cheek, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.

 

Internationally, "Forget Me Not$" peaked at number 26 in the UK in January 1991.  In Australia, the single was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 165 on the state chart.

 

Of course, "Forget Me Nots" would go on to be prominently sampled on two future Australian number one singles, George Michael's "Fastlove" (number 1 for four non-consecutive weeks in May-June 1996) and Will Smith's "Men in Black" (number 1 for four weeks in August-September 1997).

 

 

Number 189 "Congo Square" by Great White

Peak: number 189

Peak date: 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

American rock band Great White first joined us in September 1989, and here they are for the second, and final, time.

"Congo Square" was the lead single from the band's fifth studio album Hooked (number 150, June 1991) in Australia.  In the US, "Call It Rock 'N' Roll" (released in Australia in June 1991, did not chart) was the album's first release.

 

Internationally "Congo Square" peaked at number 62 in the UK in February 1991.

 

Within Australia, "Congo Square" performed strongest on the Western Australian state chart, where it reached number 146.

 

"Congo Square" was Great White's final single to chart in Australia.

 

Next week (3 June): Seven top 150 debuts and three bubbling WAY down under entries.

< Previous week: 20 May 1991                                           Next week: 3 June 1991 >

Week commencing 15 April 1991

One thing all of this week in 1991's debuts that peaked outside the top 100 have in common is that I didn't hear any of them at the time.  Did you?

Before we take a look at this week's debuts, I have updated the following earlier post:

• 11 March 1991 - a new bubbling WAY down under entry from Hard-Ons.
  

 

Vanilla Ice showing us how many hits he had with his fingers.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 107 "I Love You"/"Stop That Train" by Vanilla Ice

Peak: number 103

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 107-103-113-127-124

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

Robert Van Winkle, better known as Vanilla Ice, burst onto the scene in late 1990 with  "Ice Ice Baby" (number 1, January 1991), a song that is still fairly well-known today, with over 400 million views on YouTube.

Nothing else 'Vanilla' released performed nearly as well, however, and he is largely thought of as (inaccurately) being a one-hit wonder.  He had a second top 20 hit in Australia with "Play That Funky Music" (number 13, March 1991).

 

The album housing both of the above hits, To the Extreme (number 9, March 1991), is reported to have sold 15 million copies worldwide.  Vanilla's second studio album, 1994's Mind Blowin', in contrast, failed to chart anywhere in the world.  That is some fall from grace!

 

Vanilla was already in trouble by the time of his third single, the double A-side "I Love You"/"Stop That Train".  I didn't hear either track at the time.  The imaginatively-titled "I Love You" was a rather basic 'lurve' ballad, with chorus lyrics "I love you... 'cause I love you."

 

Why the sudden sharp decline in Vanilla's popularity?  I think there were a several factors: Vanilla came across as cocky in interviews, his record label created a false biography of Vanilla's upbringing without his knowledge, and Vanilla made some stupid statements - like denying that he had ever heard Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure" (number 6, December 1981), which "Ice Ice Baby" heavily sampled.  Vanilla was also not perceived as being an authentic hip-hop artist, being white, not from 'the hood', and due to the commercial nature of his music.  A backlash ensued.

 

Furthermore, some curious career decisions were made for Vanilla, releasing a live rap album (whoever bought one of those?) in 1991, and taking a lead acting role in Cool As Ice.  The movie was critically panned and recouped only 20% of its production costs at the box office.  It seemed like there was a scattergun approach trying to replicate and cash-in on the success of "Ice Ice Baby" and To the Extreme, without much forethought.  Nothing Vanilla tried worked.

"I Love You"/"Stop That Train" also under-performed internationally, peaking at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1991, number 27 in Ireland in March 1991, number 45 in the UK in April 1991, number 65 in Germany in April 1991, number 39 in the Netherlands in May 1991, and number 30 in New Zealand in May 1991.

Within Australia, "I Love You"/"Stop That Train" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 70.  The single peaked at number 93 on the Australian Music Report top 100 singles chart.

Vanilla will join us next in December 1991.

 

 

 

Number 125 "Headlong" by Queen

Peak: number 119

Peak date: 22 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 125-119-125-135

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

We last saw veteran English band Queen in April 1990.  Three of the five singles from their 1989 album The Miracle (number 4, June 1989) peaked outside the ARIA top 100, and two of the four singles lifted from Queen's fourteenth studio album Innuendo (number 6, February 1991) would do the same.

"Headlong" was the lead single from Innuendo in the US, released in January 1991.  In the band's native UK, "Headlong" was issued as the album's third release.  In Australia, "Headlong" was the second single from the album, following "Innuendo" (number 28, February 1991).

Internationally, "Headlong" peaked at number 25 in Ireland in May 1991, number 14 in the UK in June 1991, and number 43 in the Netherlands in June 1991.

Locally, "Headlong" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 78.

I hadn't heard or seen the video for "Headlong" until now.  My thoughts are that, again, Freddie looks rather gaunt in it, though he still had enough stamina to give an energetic performance.

 

We shall next see Queen in a mere six weeks' time.

 

 

Number 137 "Wilbury Twist" by Traveling Wilburys

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 15 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 137-138-144-140-143-144

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Traveling Wilburys last graced our presence in February 1991.

"Wilbury Twist" was issued as the third single from the band's second album, the misleadingly-titled Vol. 3 (number 14, November 1990).

 

Internationally, "Wilbury Twist" peaked at number 168 (number 116 on the compressed chart) in the UK in April 1991, and number 86 in Canada.

 

Locally, "Wilbury Twist" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 77 on the state chart.

 

Actor John Candy makes an appearance in the music video.

"Wilbury Twist" was Traveling Wilburys' final single.

Number 146 "Over Rising" by The Charlatans

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 15 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Known chart run: 164-146

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We saw The Charlatans back in November 1990.  "Over Rising" was the first of two in-between-album singles issued by the band between their debut album Some Friendly (number 79, January 1991) and its follow-up Between 10th and 11th.

 

"Over Rising" peaked at number 15 in the band's native UK in March 1991, and at number 7 in Ireland during the same month.

 

In Australia, "Over Rising" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 120 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before, and don't mind it.

Number 147 "Pick Up the Pace 1990" by Young MC

Peak: number 147

Peak dates: 15 April 1991, 22 April 1991 and 29 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 147-147-147-148

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks

Like Vanilla Ice this week in 1991, Young MC was struggling to have hits following his belated Australian number one single "Bust a Move" (number 1, October 1990).  Young's other 'hits' in Australia, "Principal's Office" (number 50, May 1990), and "I Come Off" (number 43, January 1991) missed the top 40.

 

"Pick Up the Pace" was released as the final single from Young MC's debut album Stone Cold Rhymin' (number 38, October 1990), although it had a major overhaul from the original album version - hence the addition of '1990' to the title.

The music video for "Pick Up the Pace 1990" was made up of outtakes from Young's earlier videos.  The only other country the single charted in was New Zealand, where it reached number 38 in May 1991.

On the ARIA state charts, "Pick Up the Pace 1990" peaked highest in Queensland, where it reached number 123.

We will next see Young MC in 1992.

Number 148 "I'll Give All My Love to You" by Keith Sweat

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 15 April 1991

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 148

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks

Five years before landing his first top 100 entry on the Australian singles chart with "Twisted" (number 9, January 1997), American r&b/soul singer Keith Sweat bubbled under with "I'll Give All My Love to You", the second single and title track from the album I'll Give All My Love to You, which did not chart in Australia.  Interestingly, Keith's next album Keep It Comin' (number 147, February 1992) did chart in Australia, but no singles released from it did.

"I'll Give All My Love to You" peaked at number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in February 1991.  I probably heard the song on the American Top 40 radio program at the time, but have no recollection of it.  I don't normally listen to this sort of music, but rather enjoyed this track, to my surprise.

On the ARIA state charts, "I'll Give All My Love to You" peaked highest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 134.

Keith will next join us in 1994.

Number 150 "Together Forever" by Lisette Melendez

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 3 June 1991

Weeks in top 150: 14 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 150-145-127-115-110-108-123-106-139-111-108-124-119-140

Weeks on chart: 15 weeks

Another song I probably heard on American Top 40 but have no recollection of (what was I doing in early 1991?!) is "Together Forever" by American freestyle singer Lisette Melendez.  The single peaked at number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was the title track from Lisette's debut album Together Forever (number 199, December 1991).

 

Within Australia, "Together Forever" performed much stronger on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 56, than in any other state.  In contrast, the single peaked no higher than number 107, in South Australia/Northern Territory, on any of the other four state charts.

 

"Together Forever" also peaked much higher on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 55.

The production on "Together Forever" sounds rather similar to Corina's "Temptation" (number 57, October 1991) from later in 1991.  Both tracks were produced by Carlos "After Dark" Berrios, which explains the similarity.

Lisette never landed a top 100 single or album in Australia, but we will see her bubble under on two further occasions, with the next one being in November 1991.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 153 "Sensible Shoes" by David Lee Roth

Peak: number 153

Peak dates: 15 April 1991 and 27 May 1991

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks (probably - see below for explanation)

David Lee Roth rose to fame as the lead singer in Van Halen, who landed a major hit in Australia with "Jump" (number 2, March 1984).  David quit the group to embark on a solo career in August 1985, following a dispute over the direction of the band's music.

While still part of Van Halen, David launched his solo career with a cover version of The Beach Boys' "California Girls" (number 6, March 1985).  David's post-Van Halen solo career was launched in 1986, with the single "Yankee Rose" (number 33, August 1986) and album Eat 'em and Smile (number 26, August 1986).

 

David's third solo album A Little Ain't Enough (number 26, February 1991) appeared in early 1991, led by the almost-title track "A Lil' Ain't Enough" (number 42, February 1991).  David's brand of 'hair metal', with expensive, over-the-top music videos, was definitely on the way out, commercially, in early 1991, leading to the rise of alternative and grunge music.  Perhaps the music video for "Sensible Shoes", the second single from A Little Ain't Enough, was tapping into the changing styles, being shot in black and white and toning down most of David's theatrics.  The song also has a bluesier, gritter sound than typical of David's earlier singles.

Internationally, "Sensible Shoes" peaked at number 48 in Canada, and number 81 in the UK in March 1991.

Domestically, "Sensible Shoes" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 125.

You may be wondering why I've noted "probably" beside number of weeks this single spent on the Australian chart.  The reason for this is that ARIA have (erroneously, I believe) listed David's 1988 single "Stand Up" as charting for one week at number 153 (the same position "Sensible Shoes" had reached) at the end of May 1991.  As that 1988 single, which did not chart in Australia, was not re-issued in 1991, it has to be a mistake.  So, I have added one week to the 3 week tally for this single on the ARIA database.

We shall next see David in 1994.

Number 166 "My Head's in Mississippi" by ZZ Top

Peak: number 166

Peak date: 15 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw ZZ Top in November 1990.  "My Head's in Mississippi" was issued as the third single from the band's tenth studio album Recycler (number 27, November 1990).

"My Head's in Mississippi" peaked at number 37 in the UK in April 1991.  I cannot find evidence of it charting elsewhere.

On the ARIA state charts, "My Head's in Mississippi" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 144.

We will next see ZZ Top in 1992.

Number 180 "Seven Little Girls (Sitting in the Back Seat)" by Bombalurina featuring Timmy Mallett

Peak: number 180

Peak date: 15 April 1991

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

And now for the silliest new entry of the week... but silly can be good, right?

Bombalurina was a joint project between Andrew Lloyd Webber (!) and Nigel Wright.  They roped in female singers and dancers Dawn Andrews and Annie Dunkley (you might recognise the latter from Sinitta's "Right Back Where We Started From" music video), as well as UK children's TV presenter Timmy Mallett (he's the guy driving the car in the video embedded below).  The group's name was taken from a character in Lloyd Webber's stage musical Cats.

The group released a version of "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" (number 66, January 1991), which topped the UK singles chart for three weeks in August/September 1990.  It also reached number 1 in Ireland, and was a top 10 hit in Germany, Austria, Norway and New Zealand.

"Seven Little Girls...", the follow-up release, was another cover version, this time telling the story of seven "little girls" who are busy "having fun in the back seat" with a guy called Fred, while the song's narrator is relegated to driving.  Just the sort of novelty record to aim at a young TV audience...  The song was originally recorded by Paul Evans in 1959.

While "Seven Little Girls..." did not perform as well as its predecessor, it was, of course, another hit in the UK, reaching number 18 there in December 1990.  The single also peaked at number 26 in Ireland during the same month.

An album, Huggin' an'a Kissin', with its title taken from "Seven Little Girls...", was released in Australia in March 1991, with 'Non Stop Party' and 'Singalong Karaoke' versions issued the following month.  None of these charted in Australia.

I didn't know this song at the time, but think it's quite an earworm, despite obviously being disposable (or perhaps because of that).  One thing I am shocked to learn, when I researched for my post this week, is that Timmy Mallett was only 35 when this was released.  He seems much older to me in the music video.

Next week (22 April): Six new top 150 debuts and six bubbling WAY down under entries.

< Previous week: 8 April 1991                                     Next week: 22 April 1991 >

Week commencing 9 April 1990

I can't identify a common thread running through this week's new entries, so let's just jump straight in.

 

They Might Be Giants roost on the charts this week.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number  135 "Into My Life" by Colin Hay Band

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 23 April 1990

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 135-134-117-129-141-132-141-150

 

Formerly the lead singer of Men At Work, whose biggest hit "Down Under" (number 1, December 1981) remains an iconic song about Australia, Colin Hay embarked on a solo career following the band's demise in 1986.  Released under the name of Colin James Hay (why, I am not sure), Colin's first - and only - solo foray into the Australian top 100 singles chart came in 1987, with his debut solo release "Hold Me" (number 40, March 1987).

 

Now recording under the name of Colin Hay Band, "Into My Life" was the first release from the album Wayfaring Sons (number 118, April 1990).  In case you were wondering, the other members of the Colin Hay Band were Gerry Hale, Paul Gadsby, and Robert Dillon.  The band released two other singles from the album, "Wayfaring Sons" in July 1990, and "Storm in My Heart" six weeks later in August 1990, but neither single dented the top 150.

 

 

Number 138 "Darlin' Please" by Weddings, Parties, Anything

Peak: number  136

Peak date: 7 May 1990

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 138-141-144-145-136

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We saw Weddings, Parties, Anything back in September 1989 with "Streets of Forbes", and here they are with the third single from their The Big Don't Argue album (number 58, October 1989).  In between "Streets of Forbes" and this one, "The Wind and the Rain" was issued as a single in November 1989, but failed to chart.  Unfortunately, whoever is behind the band's official YouTube channel has done a total botch job, and the (audio only) video uploaded to it titled "Darlin' Please" actually contains the audio for "The Wind and the Rain"... and (you guessed it) the video titled "The Wind and the Rain" is actually something else.  Oh dear.

So, instead, I have had to go to the drastic lengths of creating my own (audio only) 'video' for "Darlin' Please", after sourcing the audio from... shall we say, 'elsewhere', just so you (and I, for the first time) can hear it.

We will next see Weddings, Parties, Anything in November 1990.

Number 139 "Birdhouse in Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants

Peak: number 125

Peak date: 30 April 1990

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Chart run: 139-130-131-125-127-131-126

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

We saw They Might Be Giants back in April 1989 with their first single to chart nationally in Australia, and here they are a year later with the lead single from their third album, Flood (number 99, May 1990).  Probably a bit too quirky for mainstream US success, "Birdhouse in Your Soul" became a major hit for the American group in the UK, where it peaked at number 6 in April 1990.  The single also peaked at number 12 in Ireland, but, unfortunately, this success was not replicated elsewhere.

Bordering on novelty (but hey, there's nothing wrong with that in my book), I tend to agree with a description of They Might Be Giants I read many years ago - that they make kindergarten music for adults.  Music nerds might be interested to know that this song contains no fewer than 18 (!) key changes.

I first learnt of this song's existence through seeing it listed on the UK chart in British pop magazine Number One, which would arrive in Australia about 3 months after its publication date.  I remember thinking to myself, "That's an interesting song title."  I am not 100% certain, but I think I may have caught the video once on rage before the top 50 started, early one Saturday morning.  To my ears, it sounds like "Birdhouse in Your Soul" should have been a much bigger hit locally - it probably suffered from a lack of mainstream exposure.

 

On the State charts, "Birdhouse in Your Soul" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it peaked at number 73.  It also reached number 76 in Western Australia, but missed the top 100 on the remaining three state charts.

They Might Be Giants will grace us with their presence again in 1992.

 

 

 

Number 140 "Stronger Than That" by Cliff Richard

Peak: number 140

Peak date: 9 April 1990

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Chart run: 140-144

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

"Stronger Than That" was the fourth and final single released from Cliff's Stronger album (number 16, April 1990), and the second, following "Lean on You" in January 1990, to peak within the 101-150 region of the ARIA singles chart.  None of the singles lifted from the album peaked higher than number 59 in Australia.  We last saw Cliff in March 1990.

"Stronger Than That", as you might expect, fared much 'stronger' in Cliff's native UK, where it peaked at number 14 in March 1990.

 

On the state charts, "Stronger Than That" performed equally-strongest in Victoria/Tasmania and Queensland, where it reached number 125.

Cliff, who is now 80, was a mere 49 when this energetic music video - showing him performing some choreographed moves with an ensemble of back-up dancers (one of which I think I've spotted in a Sinitta video) - was shot.  The video also displays some nifty shoulder-dancing by the backing dancers, from 0:11 to 0:16, which is well worth checking out.

Cliff will visit us again in December.

 

 

 

Number 143 "Natural Thing" by Innocence

Peak: number 116 

Peak date: 9 July 1990

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 143-(out for 1 week)-149-(out for 9 weeks)-145-116-142-135

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

 

Innocence were a British quartet consisting of production trio Jolley/Harris/Jolley and frontwoman Gee Davis.   The group's sound - based on my impression from listening to their singles - was at the more laid-back or 'downtempo' end of electronic music.  The kind of thing you might put on at the end of the day to help you unwind and relax, rather than to get you boogieing on the dance floor.

The group released two studio albums and notched up six UK top 40 singles between 1990 and 1992, with "Natural Thing" being the biggest of those, peaking at number 16 in the UK in March 1990.  In Australia, Innocence peaked 100 places lower with this, their debut single.  Sadly, the group would never dent the ARIA top 100.  That being said, Innocence would achieve consistent top 200 'success' locally throughout their brief recording career.  While that may sound unimpressive, it's not too bad, considering that I - someone who has a penchant for music that flopped in Australia from this period - had never heard any of their music at the time.

While "Natural Thing" spent an unremarkable six weeks in the top 150 (which is about average for a single that missed the top 100), those six weeks were spread across three and a half months.  The single did not peak in Australia until July 1990.

"Natural Thing" was lifted from the album Belief (number 115, February 1991).  Despite its low peak, Belief performed a similar feat to "Natural Thing", racking up 24 weeks in the top 150 over a seven-month span, between December 1990 and July 1991, and spending 26 weeks on the chart in total.

On the ARIA state charts, "Natural Thing" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 84.

We shall next see Innocence in 1991.

Number 147 "The Heart of the Matter" by Don Henley

Peak: number 127

Peak date: 16 April 1990

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Chart run: 147-127-140-131-139-138

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

Eagles singer-gone-solo Don Henley visited us back in November 1989, and returns with either the third or fourth single from his The End of the Innocence album (number 40, August 1989).  I say 'either' the third or fourth single because "New York Minute" is listed in the Australian Music Report new releases schedule in November 1989 - a mere three weeks after the "The Last Worthless Evening" single - and on CD single format only, which is highly unusual for 1989.  I don't know what to make of that.

I also don't know what to make of this song, as it seems that all studio versions of it are blocked on YouTube (so I have resorted to embedding a live version).

 

"The Heart of the Matter" peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1990. 

On the ARIA state charts, "The Heart of the Matter" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 98.

 

We will see Don again in 2000.

Number 148 "Women" by Def Leppard

Peak: number 148

Peak date: 9 April 1990

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 148

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

Now we come to the final single released in Australia from a now almost-three-year-old album, Hysteria (number 1, July 1989).

 

Hysteria was released in Australia on 7 September 1987, and was something of a textbook definition of a 'slow burner', debuting at number 59 on the albums chart, and initially peaking at number 33 in October 1987.  The album took almost two years to reach its eventual peak.

The singles lifted from Hysteria in Australia were "Animal" (September 1987, peaked at number 46 in December 1987), "Hysteria" (January 1988, failed to chart), "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (May 1988, failed to chart), "Love Bites" (September 1988, peaked at number 21 in November 1988), "Armageddon It" (January 1989, peaked at number 34 in February 1989), "Rocket" (May 1989, peaked at number 15 in July 1989), "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (re-issued August 1989, peaked at number 26 in September 1989), "Hysteria" (re-issued October 1989, peaked at number 77 in November 1989), "Animal" (re-issued January 1990, peaked at number 83 in February 1990), and finally, "Women", which was released on 19 March 1990 but made its top 150 debut now.  Phew!  That's a total of ten single releases for seven different tracks from the album.  Eat your heart out Michael and Janet Jackson!

Unusually, "Women" was not issued as a single in Def Leppard's native UK, but was released in the US, Canada, and locally.  It seems that "Women" was chosen as the lead single from Hysteria in North America, as it peaked at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1987, prior to "Animal" peaking at number 19 there in December 1987.

 

On the state charts, "Women" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 118.  "Women" also peaked on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 100.

With the Hysteria album campaign finally drawing to a close, the group had one more re-release in Australia up their sleeve before their next album was released in 1992.  "Photograph", a track from their Pyromania album (number 70, February 1984) and originally issued as a single in Australia in May 1983, was re-issued in June 1990, but missed the top 150.  "Photograph" narrowly missed the Kent Music Report top 100 singles chart in June 1983, where it placed fourth for one week on the 'singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100' list.

Def Leppard will join us again in 1994.

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 151 "The Miracle" by Queen

Peak: number 151

Peak date: 9 April 1990

Weeks on chart: 1 week

 

The fifth and final single and title track from Queen's The Miracle album (number 4, June 1989) had a less-than-miraculous run on the ARIA singles chart, peaking just outside the top 150.  "The Miracle" became the third consecutive single released from the album to miss the top 100.  I suspect that a lack of promotion was largely to blame - as I hadn't heard any of the post-"Breakthru" singles from the album at the time - combined with Queen being more of an 'albums' act.

As usual, "The Miracle" performed better in the band's homeland of the UK, where it peaked at number 21 in December 1989.

One interesting thing about "The Miracle" is the music video, where the band are replaced by child imitators, and there are several different Freddie Mercury characters portrayed.  My initial thought was that this decision was probably made for the video due to Freddie's declining health, but the band appear on stage just before 4 minutes into the video to perform with their replacements.  Hmmm.

Queen will join us again in 1991.

 

 

 

Next week (16 April): Next week there are only two new top 150 debuts, but they will be joined by three new bubbling WAY down under entries.   You can also follow my posts on instagram, facebook and twitter.

 

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