funky's journey through the 90s (again, again)

[Joseph]

Well this is interesting. I wonder if Cream was taking the steam off Get Off so it caused it to stall.

 

[alla]

Paula Abdul gets a 2nd number one from her 2nd album and that's now 6 in total, but it would of course be her last. It wasn't totally over at this point, despite the world being ready for a major backlash, as she would have another top ten hit to come from the album and 5 hits in total, enough to warrant a 3rd album in 1995, and that's when it all went fully downhill. Still despite the accusations of lipsynching and lots of mysogynistic pitchforking, she was still on top at this point.

If it wasn't for the sole week at #1 by EMF, Paula Abdul would have replaced at #1 the song that knocked her out from the top of the chart, something very unusual back then, at least since the Thriller era. She released her second single so fast, if I'm not wrong I think it debuted in the Hot 100 at #40 the same week Rush rush fell from the top, surely due to a new single being out. God I miss those days with the charts moving so fast and loads of new songs, most of them great. Nothing to do with the borefest we have these days.

 

[alla]

Oh yes, I remember Gett off entered the top 40 in the singles chart, and the very next week Cream did so, which was very unsual; it was like if he didn't give a shit and released both singles back to back within a week.

It could very well be Prince wanting Gett off to be the lead single, and the record company on the verge of a nervous breakdown pushing for a Cream release as soon as possible because the other one was too raunchy and there was no way it was going to be a big hit, like Cream surely was going to.

 

[Joseph]

I’m listening to Get Off right now and I forgot what an odd song it is. It really runs all over the place sonically

 

[funky]

I also wonder whether Prince doing rap is something they weren’t prepared for, even though he handles it very well. Out of the two of them Gett Off sounds way more distinctly Prince than Cream does - even though it’s a hip-hop / dance hybrid, it’s very funk influenced.

Either way they’re both 10/10 tracks. And to think, the third single is (in my opinion) even BETTER

 

[Sardonicus]

I’m listening to Get Off right now and I forgot what an odd song it is. It really runs all over the place sonically

YOU GOTTA HAVE A MOTHER FOR ME
NOW MOVE YA BIG ASS ROUND THIS WAY
SO I CAN WORK ON THAT ZIPPER, BABY

& - even by Prince's standards the whole thing is PURE FILTH

 

[alla]

And let's not forget the B side for Gett off was HORNY PONY I can picture the record label executives on their knees begging for a Cream release the very next week. Because even when he was very much in control, I guess there had to be someone else there that invested money and was desperate to make sure the album was successful.

 

[Shirley]

I think I like it with the DRESS HALF ON
I'll ZIP IT far enough to see the CRACK O'DAWN

ALSO I love HORNY PONY

I can't do THAT I'm a LADY

 

[Sheena]

Gett Off is way filthier than Cream, but both are 10/10. I love that album, right up there with his best. It annoyed me they pissed Thunder away on a limited release.

I always thought CREAM was about Madonna.

 

[jyxz]

AGOG at BOOTLE'S FINEST, The Farm, getting a US Top 100 entry. Who knew??!!? Also AGOG that this is the second time I've mentioned Bootle today on THIS OWN FORUM, & even more AGOG to find out yesterday that The Sugababes will be headlining a festival outside BOOTLE STRAND in August

BOOTLE MASSIVE!

(can you guess where I spent the first tentative weeks of my young gay self?)

 

[Sardonicus]

BOOTLE MASSIVE!

(can you guess where I spent the first tentative weeks of my young gay self?)

The Merton (RIP)? The Jawbone? Sullivan's (RIP)?

I live in Fazakerley now but although I know Bootle's not the GREATEST AREA I'll always have an affection for my HOMETOWN

 

[jyxz]

The Merton (RIP)? The Jawbone? Sullivan's (RIP)?

I live in Fazakerley now but although I know Bootle's not the GREATEST AREA I'll always have an affection for my HOMETOWN

99% correct

Merton Grove!

 

[AGinAg (38)]

I'm not especially shocked at all these British hits charting in the US, there's always been a market for British/ European music in the US.

I think we've always had a misinformed idea that the US is musically a homogeneous beast, with exclusively US-centric musical taste. It is after all basically a continent.

I'm never quite sure, however, how much cultural impact a #78 hit had. Is a europop track (for example) missing the top 50 in 1995, basically a top 10 hit, but appears to suffer because of the awful genred radio system?

 

[funky]

It’s probably different now, but with America being a MASSIVE music market, anything on the Hot 100 was considered a hit. You’d either have to have broad coverage across the country or be absolutely massive in some key local markets. That takes a lot of work without access to algorithms and influencers. There are many acts that flopped despite spending a LOT of money lobbying radio stations and influential music retailers to build a platform for an artist or a song. Some of these lower level charting songs probably didn’t break through across the country but did it by actively targeting and successfully penetrating specific lucrative markets, like taking over the New York club scene by getting DJs to make a song trend, or having friends at MTV, or by supporting a much bigger act on a nationwide tour. So these songs were either fairly well known for a short time by most, or very well known by a specific demo.

Also I think we’re still in the era of the 80s in terms of chart performance were any chart position is considered a hit. I think this lasted longer in America due to the size and volume of the industry but look at the UK - in the 80s, when every genre was an potential hit single - everything that hit Top 40 was a hit. By the late 90s and into the 00s, in a very transactional era when pop and R&B had swallowed most of the genres and everything was driven by marketing, missing the Top 10 was considered a flop. And now we’re in a time when you can be a success without even charting.

 

[Joseph]

The US had around 10,000 radio stations by 1990 so I think back then doing things like radio appearances helped if you could hit the right areas. My old local radio station would play American Top 40 and then follow it with a Local Top 40 and there was a pretty decent amount of difference between what was going on nationally and locally.

 

[alla]

Color Me Badd were more of a one hit wonder in the UK - they had other singles, but nobody remembers them. They will forever be the "Sex You Up" boyband. Not so much in the US, where they must have been pin-ups and A-listers at this point. Wouldn't last long however.

Well I do They actually had 6 chart singles from their debut album, so yeah, far from a one hit wonder. And they will still have a few more hits years later, including one underrated gem that will comment in due time. I adore mi amor is pure saccharine and one of my less liked #1s from the year; I'm not a massive fan of CMB anyway. Btw, the version that was played the most on US radio stations was the one including the Spanish rap, that I guess for them sounded very exotic, but for me is just a bit ridiculous, and looks like trying to go with the trend that was around at the time, songs with some Spanish lyrics.

Let's have an example of a decent song with some Spanish lyrics (actually it's pure Spanglish, mixing both languages) with a 91 hit that has been ignored; Gerardo peaked at #7 in April with Rico suave. I know this is going not going to be Moopy's cup of tea, too tacky and dated for some, and it's a rap song by a man ... whatever, it is a great song. It was a massive hit, the single went gold, fueled by a video on heavy rotation on MTV, that even got him a few nominations for the MTV VMA. I don't think it charted anywhere in Europe, so probably only @Joseph heard of it. Enjoy

 

[alla]

The US had around 10,000 radio stations by 1990 so I think back then doing things like radio appearances helped if you could hit the right areas. My old local radio station would play American Top 40 and then follow it with a Local Top 40 and there was a pretty decent amount of difference between what was going on nationally and locally.

Yes, songs could be #1 in several radio stations and still not even make the top 100. First Billboard magazines I read were in 1992, I actually have somewhere most from that year, and they printed the list of many radio stations; there were song topping those charts that never made the Hot100. It could be a massive hit all over Florida and still not have an impact globally.

 

[Sardonicus]

I've heard of that Gérardo song! It was featured on some greatest one hit wonders programme. I think it mentioned he was a bit of a HEARTTHROB, although the hair & bandana are a CHOICE.

 

[alla]

If anyone is interested in the story behind any of these #1 songs, I have a Billboard book covering all of them (up until 1997 I think), with a page for each one, with stories I never heard of for some of those songs. I would print any by request. x

 

[alla]

I've heard of that Gérardo song! It was featured on some greatest one hit wonders programme. I think it mentioned he was a bit of a HEARTTHROB, although the hair & bandana are a CHOICE.

Oh yes, anther one hit wonder that wasn't really a one hit wonder. He had a second hit this very 1991 that went top 20! And I also remember another minor hit in 94 about girls and pussies that made top 40 on radio, If i'm not wrong.

 

[Sardonicus]

If anyone is interested in the story behind any of these #1 songs, I have a Billboard book covering all of them (up until 1997 I think), with a page for each one, with stories I never heard of for some of those songs. I would print any by request. x

I believe I once had a copy of an edition of this, long since given to a charity shop though, that went up to about 1992.

It gave me an answer to a music trivia question I never knew before, namely which was the only British act to reach Number 1 on the Hot 100, while never charting at all (as in no hit singles whatsoever, not just this specific single didn't hit) in the UK?

 

[alla]

I believe I once had a copy of an edition of this, long since given to a charity shop though, that went up to about 1992.

It gave me an answer to a music trivia question I never knew before, namely which was the only British act to reach Number 1 on the Hot 100, while never charting at all (as in no hit singles whatsoever, not just this specific single didn't hit) in the UK?

I don't know this one, maybe The Escape Club? Which btw had a top 10 this 1991, a ballad about someone who died.

 

[Sardonicus]

I don't know this one, maybe The Escape Club? Which btw had a top 10 this 1991, a ballad about someone who died.

Yep, never even charted in the top 75 here, never heard of them until I read about them here. Really unique case to be so successful in the USA & completely ignored at home.

 

[Joseph]

Well I do They actually had 6 chart singles from their debut album, so yeah, far from a one hit wonder. And they will still have a few more hits years later, including one underrated gem that will comment in due time. I adore mi amor is pure saccharine and one of my less liked #1s from the year; I'm not a massive fan of CMB anyway. Btw, the version that was played the most on US radio stations was the one including the Spanish rap, that I guess for them sounded very exotic, but for me is just a bit ridiculous, and looks like trying to go with the trend that was around at the time, songs with some Spanish lyrics.

Let's have an example of a decent song with some Spanish lyrics (actually it's pure Spanglish, mixing both languages) with a 91 hit that has been ignored; Gerardo peaked at #7 in April with Rico suave. I know this is going not going to be Moopy's cup of tea, too tacky and dated for some, and it's a rap song by a man ... whatever, it is a great song. It was a massive hit, the single went gold, fueled by a video on heavy rotation on MTV, that even got him a few nominations for the MTV VMA. I don't think it charted anywhere in Europe, so probably only @Joseph heard of it. Enjoy

I WAS A GERARDO GIRIE!

 

[alla]

I WAS A GERARDO GIRIE!

What does girie mean? I hope it's GOOD.

 

[Joseph]

I mean to say GIRLIE but I was typing half-asleep

 

[alla]

Speaking of R&B boybands, the scene is thriving now with Boyz II Men hitting #3 with their debut "Motownphilly" and Hi-Five peaking at #8 with "I Can't Wait Another Minute" (again, not a Five Star cover). Heavy D & The Boyz hover just outside the Top 10 with "Now That We Found Love" (it eventually peaked at #11). The UK were quite selective about their R&B crossovers - Hi-Five never had a Top 40 hit and aren't known here, whereas the Heavy D song was HUGE (#2) and still gets airplay now.

I was obsessed with Motownphilly, I never skip it when I randomly play it on my ipod. And that was also the best Hi-Five song by a mile, Heavy D. well, everyone knows that one, what a bunch of great songs we had this year.

That Naughty By Nature song is a hip-hop anthem that feels like it has endured, and it's certainly their signature tune, where it eventually hit #6 in the US, but was surprised to see it's only their 3rd most successful charting single in the UK at #35. I imagine that over time it's their bigger seller however.

I don't think this is their signature song at all, it's coming in a couple of years. But it's true it was a hip-hop anthem and a massive hit. It was actually #1 on sales, but pop radio stations found it harder to digest, stalling at #24 on airplay. There was some polemic because even when officially O.P.P. stands for Other People's Property, unofficially it blatantly was Other People's P... you know.

Notable new entries (US):
September 28

67 — THAT’S WHAT LOVE IS FOR –•– Amy Grant

And can we just stop pretending we are not excited because our favourite pop/christian star charts with another future smash hit? The lesbian drama is close

 

[alla]

Time for some trivia

Cher's Heart of stone, the album, was released in 1989, and during 1989 and 1990, Cher released 4 singles and made the top 40 with all of them: After all (duet with Peter Cetera) (#6), If I could turn back time (#3), Just like Jessie James (#8) and Heart of stone (#20). Four top 40 hits from an album, not bad at all, and a first for Cher.

But what if I told you that actually... SIX songs from that album made the top 40? And it happened in 1991.

Desmond Child, a famous songwriter and producer, co-wrote Love on a rooftop for Cher's album, with 354-time oscar nominee Diane Warren, omnipresent those early 90s. He probably thought the song had potential, and Desmond himself released it as a single in 1991, barely making the top 40 during the summer.





But there is more, Another song from that album, Does anybody really fall in love anymore, was cowritten by Child and Warren with Jon Bon Jovi and Richi Sambora, I guess it was intended for a Bon Jovi album and it was never released; you can find the unreleased track on youtube sang by Bon Jovi, but not idea if it's actually a demo. Anyway, the song was also released as a single in 1991, this time by Kane Roberts, known for being the lead guitarist for Alice Cooper. Roberts also barely made the top 40 with it (I think they both peaked at #40 and #39 iirc).





Btw, tagging @Joseph because the Kane Robert's song is probably up your street, in case you don't know it because it was a very moderate hit.

So there it is.

 

[Joseph]

I don't think this is their signature song at all, it's coming in a couple of years. But it's true it was a hip-hop anthem and a massive hit. It was actually #1 on sales, but pop radio stations found it harder to digest, stalling at #24 on airplay. There was some polemic because even when officially O.P.P. stands for Other People's Property, unofficially it blatantly was Other People's P... you know.

OPP was scandalous in school. It was one of those songs that blurred the line of us kids knowing it and the adults knowing it as well.

I do think their next big song that you are alluding to is the better song but I think they run neck and neck as being their signature song depending on who is being asked.

 

[Joseph]

Btw, tagging @Joseph because the Kane Robert's song is probably up your street, in case you don't know it because it was a very moderate hit.

So there it is.

I did NOT know this. He’s not bad but he’s no Cher. I like his song Rebel Heart as well.

 

[alla]

I did NOT know this. He’s not bad but he’s no Cher. I like his song Rebel Heart as well.

Well I think the song suits him better, but maybe is because I know it from him, I even have a 7", god knows where i found it.

Btw, I always associate this song with another one, both one hit wonders and from the same time, and that other one is AMAZING; you're gonna love it in case you don't know it, which I suspect for several reasons. But I respect the running time so we have to wait until 92. God I have zillions of things for 92 already.

 

[alla]

Bonnie Raitt enters the Top 10 with "Something To Talk About" - this is the lead single from Luck Of The Draw, the follow up to her breakthrough/comeback album Nick Of Time, which went 5x platinum. This album would better that (7xp), boosted by this track, which would eventually go to #5 in October, her most successful single ever. I'm not a massive follower of her work, but this 1991 album is definitely her best of what I do know. It does also contain one of the greatest ballads ever written, which would be coming up shortly.

Yes to this. In no time loads of covers were recorded, an instant classic.

Simply Red begin their Stars campaign with another hit, although this album would not see the same success they saw from the previous album A New Flame which gave them a second #1 with the If You Don't Know Me By Now cover. This is fairly notable because this would begin the downwards trend for their exposure in the US, whereas in practically every other major market in the world, Stars would be a HUGE success, boosting it to one of the biggest selling albums of the 90s. The album does lack a sure-fire R&B song compared to their 80s output, so that might be why.

Their time was over in the US for some reason. Something got me started charted because of airplay, because the single didn't even make the sales chart. The song was still climbing the Hot 100 when the methodology changed and it seriously affected it, disappearing from the chart. Actually many of those songs that debuted this month were still climbing by the end of november, and some were annihilated by evil Soundscan, specially pop songs.

73 — SET THE NIGHT TO MUSIC –•– Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest

I admit this was my first contact with Roberta Flack, even when I probably knew a couple of classics but no idea who she was. What a great ballad, I love it. It's actually a cover of a Starship song.

Discoveries:

Jasmine Guy gets her biggest hit from her one and only and self-titled album, peaking at #34:



It's a nice pop/R&B ballad, very much of its time, but feels like it could have been bigger with more exposure.

I LOVE this song. I'm checking and it did better on airplay, as I suspected. It should have been a bigger hit. This is an album I always wanted to have the cd but never found it cheap, I wasn't paying a fortune for it.

 

[funky]

OCTOBER 1991

#1s

GOOD VIBRATIONS –•– Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch (1 week)
EMOTIONS –•– Mariah Carey (3 weeks)

Mariah Carey explodes into second album era with another smash hit, the title track. Not my favourite early Mariah single by a long shot, but the choices are deep - it's still a good pop song. The UK were still treating her as B-list at this point however, with this song going to #17. It wasn't until the Unplugged album that Mariah would get herself a big hit, and then they kept coming - but really it was "Without You" when she'd become a household name.

Martika's "Love... Thy Will Be Done" peaks at #10 this month (UK #9), which is a great song, but in hindsight must have felt like a risk shifting to a far more mature sound compared to the pop sensation of the debut album, but her audience responded kindly. The brilliant Prince-penned follow-up "Martika's Kitchen" would sadly stall at #93 (#17 UK) and after one more single, that would be that for Martika. She might have had a third album, but apparently it was her choice to quite the music industry, citing burnout.

In the UK, This is a song I discovered on an Ibiza chillout album about 20 years ago, and was surprised to see it actually charted around this time:



As a result this is my favourite version of this song, which has such a BIZARRE and complicated history with Donna Summer, and I still don't think I fully understand the story. Almost like this song has to be buried in perpetual confusion, even the Moodswings/Chrissy Hynde cover has about FIVE different versions knocking about, and it was hard to find for a long time, but thankfully it's now on Spotify.

Sounds Of Blackness follow up with another single, "The Pressure". This one requires a bit of background... the album contains two versions of the song, part 1 and part 2. Part 1 is a massive bouncy gospel house track, whereas Part 2 strips it back into a more spiritual-sounding acapella with piano and synth strings. The latter is actually better - as a soul ballad the production is on point and the melody and vocal riffs are given more room to breathe. When it came down to putting it out as a single, they managed to wrangle Frankie Knuckles to give the bouncy track a makeover. And in his genius, Frankie actually remixes the ballad instead, which eventually lead to one of the greatest introductions to a dance song ever put to record. He retains the drama of the original with a long piano vocal introduction and then brings in the beat at the right moment, leading into a typical Def Mix house track, reminiscent of Mariah Carey's "Daydream (reprise)" or the famed "Unbreak My Heart" remix. Anyways - this is glorious in its 8 minute entirety and deserves to be listened to properly:



Genuinely one of the greatest dance remixes of all time.

Discoveries:

I was always familiar with the title track from LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out, but I've grown to appreciate the other singles over time, and this track was a big discovery:



Listened to in the context of 1991, this album is so incredibly forward thinking... it's exprimental and eclectic in its production choices, but it's also SO smooth and slick, laying the groundwork for the rap superstars to come to successfully mesh rap with R&B elements.

This is a track that sounds ahead of its time...



Never heard this song or this group before, but in a time when New Jill Swing hadn't even peaked yet (that would happen with En Vogue, TLC and Jade in 1992) this leapfrogs that in a deeper, smoother, more hip-hop soul sound that Mary J Blige would soon gain credit for birthing and wouldn't really peak until about 1995. A nice pre-genre discovery!

After the wonderful big power ballad "How Can I Ease The Pain", Lisa Fischer makes it 2 for 2 with this house-influenced bop



This peaked at #74. Her voice really is CRAZY and it's sad now that I've discovered her that there isn't much beyond 1 album to enjoy.

Over in the UK, this was an Alison Moyet song I hadn't heard before my UK rerun and it's stunning:



From her 3rd album Hoodoo, this would only scrape in at #40 in the UK, and mainland Europe largely ignored the album as a whole, despite her enjoying huge success in the 80s. This is so wonderfully overblown and melodramatic, but Alison proves she has the chops to make it land. She had almost a dozen more singles in the UK this decade, and I think I've heard them all now... this is definitely my favourite.

There are so many R&B/house divas in the 90s that I ignored beyond the signature tunes, and the deep dive I did during lockdown unearthed so many treasures. Alison Limerick was one of those. This month, this track hit #53 in the UK as the follow up to "Where Love Lives":



There's also a Perfecto Mix which gives the song a very different sound, but it's also good. Speaking of "Where Love Lives", that's another song I didn't realise found success during the Eurodance boom of the mid 90s. It hit #27 in 1991, but #9 in 1996. Her 1996 album/compilation Club Classics is definitely worth a listen.

And on that note, Adeva is back with this single which peaked at #48 the same time period:



Not really changing much from the sound of the first album, but still great. Someone at Adeva's label must have really liked her - despite never having a Top 10, she had 15 single releases across almost a decade. I'm still discovering Adeva really as the songs keep growing on me, but the first album is a keeper, and like a greatest hits of early UK dance music in itself.

Notable new entries (US):

October 5

69 — GET A LEG UP –•– John Mellencamp
91 — SUPERMAN’S SONG –•– Crash Test Dummies

October 12

44 — WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN –•– Michael Bolton
66 — STREET OF DREAMS –•– Nia Peeples
69 — TOP OF THE WORLD –•– Van Halen
72 — RING MY BELL –•– D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
85 — LIVE FOR LOVING YOU –•– Gloria Estefan
94 — COOL AS ICE (EVERYBODY GET LOOSE) –•– Vanilla Ice

October 19

47 — BLOWING KISSES IN THE WIND –•– Paula Abdul
50 — SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS –•– P.M. Dawn
66 — CAN’T TRUSS IT –•– Public Enemy
78 — ANGEL BABY –•– Angelica
85 — TENDER KISSES –•– Tracie Spencer
90 — BROKEN ARROW –•– Rod Stewart
91 — FALL AT YOUR FEET –•– Crowded House
92 — SAVE UP ALL YOUR TEARS –•– Cher
93 — STAND BY MY WOMAN –•– Lenny Kravitz

October 26

70 — TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS –•– The Commitments
71 — FOREVER MY LADY –•– Jodeci
73 — HOUSECALL –•– Shabba Ranks ft Maxi Priest
85 — SPENDING MY TIME –•– Roxette
89 — DO YOU FEEL LIKE I FEEL? –•– Belinda Carlisle
95 — CONVICTION OF THE HEART –•– Kenny Loggins
96 — TOO MUCH –•– Tara Kemp
98 — WHAT TIME IS LOVE? –•– The KLF
100 — FOREVER MORE –•– Stevie B


There was a lot of new entries on the 26th... @alla was that the week of the chart changeover? I seem to recall you saying it was November.

I was surprised to see John Mellencamp having a hit in 1991, but it turns out he was having US hits well into the 90s. Mellencamp, unlike his 80s contemporaries like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger & Steve Winwood, was not a crossover in Europe at all (looks like he did well in Canada and Australia). His signature tune "Jack And Diane" (US #1) only went to #25 in the UK and "Hurts So Good" (US #2) didn't even chart. For the Brits unfamiliar he was absolutely massive in America and is one of the country's biggest ever selling male solo stars. This was the lead single from his 11th album Whenever We Wanted and would peak at #14.

Didn't know Crash Test Dummies had other hits besides... that song. This goes to #56 but the album doesn't do anything... they had to wait until 1993 and their second album to the big time.

Paula Abdul's 3rd single from Spellbound would be another Top Ten hit for her, but it would be her last.

Interesting to see PM Dawn open big with their debut single, with America being such a massive market and most debutants having to build the audience of their introductory song slowly. "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" was obviously a huge global smash, hitting #1 in the US and #3 in the UK. I only knew one song by them and would have happily accepted any accusations of being one hit wonders, but they were a big discovery for me when I did my UK chart rerun - they had ten Top 75 hits here, and nine inside the Billboard 100. There's one more single in particular that I LOVE and a couple others I like.

Crowded House are a band who are not as big as I thought they were. At least, they weren't in the US and they weren't in 1991. "Fall At Your Feet" is their second single from the third album Woodface, after first single "Chocolate Cake" did nothing. This follow up only reached #17 in the UK, and #75 in the US. Other singles were released, but the other notable track is "Weather With You", which gave them their only Top 10 in the UK (#7) but didn't chart in the US. Of course their most famous track is "Don't Dream It's Over", but that only went to #27 in the UK, which really surprises me. It hit #2 in the US, but it happened five years earlier from their debut album. I think their trajectory was just different in the UK - after the success of Woodface, "Don't Dream It's Over" was re-released... it only reached #25 but it led to a VERY successful compilation album in 1996 which went 4x platinum, many more hit singles, and I think they've endured ever since. Those three singles mentioned above are all evergreen radio tracks in the UK. Despite only reaching #27 (and then #25), DDIO has been certified platinum in the UK which must be from digital sales gained much later. I'm not a huge Crowded House fan, but I do love all 3 of those songs.

The Commitments had a hit in the US too!? Was the film a success, my American correspondents? It's a GREAT film, and one of the best showcases of 60s soul music, the songs I grew up with thanks to my Dad.

Belinda Carlisle lands her only hit single from 4th album Live Your Life Be Free, peaking at a lowly #73 and her last charting single. It's amazing to think how short and sharp her singles run was in the US. She had 4 hits in the UK from this album, which would take her to 16 charting singles at that point in her career, with another 7 yet to come. In the US she would have 9 hits total and most of them were in the 80s. "Do You Feel Like I Feel" hits #29 in the UK with the title track released earlier in the year reaching #12.

 

[Joseph]

Good Vibrations is an excellent song from a mediocre white man with amazing guest vocals from Loleatta Holloway

Same with Cool As Ice featuring QUEEN MOTHER NAOMI CAMPBELL

Emotions is a stone cold classic from Mariah of course

 

[Joseph]

44 — WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN –•– Michael Bolton
72 — RING MY BELL –•– D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
85 — LIVE FOR LOVING YOU –•– Gloria Estefan
47 — BLOWING KISSES IN THE WIND –•– Paula Abdul
50 — SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS –•– P.M. Dawn
92 — SAVE UP ALL YOUR TEARS –•– Cher
98 — WHAT TIME IS LOVE? –•– The KLF

These are all great songs though Michael Bolton is best left in the past

 

[alla]

There was a lot of new entries on the 26th... @alla was that the week of the chart changeover? I seem to recall you saying it was November.

Last week of November, just around the corner

 

[alla]

The Commitments had a hit in the US too!? Was the film a success, my American correspondents? It's a GREAT film, and one of the best showcases of 60s soul music, the songs I grew up with thanks to my Dad.

They were even up for Best new artist at the Grammys! I don't remember a hit single (Try a little tenderness was a very moderate hit) but the album was a big success, staying in the chart for months and months. I assume the movie was a hit there, given the impact of the soundtrack, but I really don't know.

 

[Shirley]

I'm sure I was talking about MOODSWINGS somewhere here not long ago. It's nice, but it's hard to see now (and at the time) why there was such a FUSS made of it in the music press when it's just a cover of STATE OF INDEPENDENCE

HOODOO was a great album, but just far too much of a left turn for the ALF AUDIENCE. I think THIS HOUSE was the only top 40 hit from it, but I can't listen to it any more without being reminded of some ridiculous drag act doing a turn to it on my only trip to Gran Canaria. IT WON'T BE LONG is a MOMENT, as are the remixes of BACK WHERE I BELONG.

Adeva's IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME is no RESPECT It's all about DON'T LET IT SHOW ON YOUR FACE

 

[Sardonicus]

PM Dawn really is a classic. Such great use of the Spandau Ballet sample plus the EXCESSIVE COWBELL

I always forget about The Commitments & how massive the soundtrack was back then. Brilliant film too, & even has Andrea Corr in a small role saying GO & SHITE

I always loved "Housecall" by Shabba Ranks & Maxi Priest but it's somewhat spoiled now, once I found out what a DISGUSTING HUMAN BEING Shabba Wanks is.

 

[Shirley]

I hated The Commitments on principle, but I can't remember what that was any more. Most likely because everybody else liked it