4TH AUGUST- HANKY PANKY- Madonna (1 week)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/31/Hanky_Panky_single_cover.jpg

 

There are two ways to look at Hanky Panky which would result in two opposing reviews. View the song in its context, as a track from (or inspired by) the film "Dick Tracy"- Madonna's most recent cinematic attempt- and it's a rather enjoyable, faux 30's romp filled with camp innuendo, knowingly playing, perhaps ironically with the public image that Madonna had long been at work on. She's on her breathy best here in character as Breathless Mahoney, the tart with a heart, and it's a hard record to dislike.

 

However view this as a Madonna single proper outside of that context, and to some extend we have to as this was released a stand alone single, and we're in trouble. Propelled to this position primarily due to the "Blond Ambition" tour sweeping into the country and the associated press/ controversy, it's a weak single, purile to some extent and hyper sexual, the charge she was certainly guilty of from 1990- 1993 and a fact that would see her career blown of course (no pun intended) for much of the 90s. Her pre-occupation with sexuality and pushing that particular button with increasing extremity which would peak with 1992's "Sex" book, so "Hanky Panky" is the phase in it's infancy, yet Madonna was so powerful and all conquering come 1990 that everything she touched musically rose immediately into the top 10 without much effort. It's a song without subtledy or depth, or indeed any real meaning (greatly ironic given its use of innuendo) and certainly not of Madonna's greater moments, coming immediately after "Vogue" it throws this song into even sharper relief.....

 

Edited September 11, 201113 yr by gezza76

11TH AUGUST- TOM'S DINER- DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega (3 weeks)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4c/Tom's_diner_(DNA).jpg

 

Originally penned by Vega back in 1981 as an acapella track, "Tom's Diner" finally saw the light of day on her 1987 album "Solitude Standing" and made No 58 when released as a single. Fast forward three years and UK dance producers DNA remixed the song put a Soul II Soul- esque backing track to it and releasing it to clubs under the title "Oh Suzanne", the record came to the attention of Vega's record company who instead of attempting to block the record due to copyright decided to buy the single and make it into a hit once Vega approved the track.

 

Et Voila!, a No 2 hit in August 1990, this was one of the records of the summer of 90, I remember it fondly from my school holiday that year and it's a song that I actually love. It manages to somehow be both endearing and somewhat sinister simultaneously. The tale is a simple one, someone who stops at a diner for a cup of coffee and the observations made whilst made there, yet it's that synth line that kicks in under the chorus that has a slightly unsettling effect, and the hook of the record (the "do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do" bit) is interesting rather for what it isn't than what it is, almost like it's glazing over something and that's the appeal of the record, you want to understand more and get to the bottom of what happened at the picnic that the cathedral bells remind her of. It's a song that teases, and it's all the better for it, there's not enough mystery in lyrics these days and it's a great "story-telling" lyric as well. A little creepy but bloody brilliant!....

 

Edited September 11, 201113 yr by gezza76

1ST SEPTEMBER- FOUR BACHARACH & DAVID SONGS E.P- Deacon Blue (2 weeks)

 

http://www.chartstats.com/images/artwork/11422.jpg

 

I LOVE Deacon Blue- I should state that now- criminally underrated in my opinion. Tracks like "Dignity" "Cover From The Sky" and "Wages Day" are clear evidence of thoughtful, insightful writing and tune-smithery (?) that deserves greater recognition all these years down the line. They received critical acclaim for debut album "Raintown" in 1987, and 1989's follow up "When The World Knows Your Name" knocked Madonna off the No 1 spot, and, with a career very much in an upward spiral, they did this E.P (now there's an old term) which resulted in the biggest single of their career. Covering four songs by the great 60s song writers Bacharach & David ("I'll Never Fall In Love/ The Look Of Love/ Are You There/ Message to Michael") was an inspired move even if it bought criticism that the band sold out for commercial success. Lorraine McIntosh's vocals are crystal clear, and Ross is on raspy form vocally, it's a beautiful contrast, best exemplified at 1.22. In many ways it's a similar thing that The Beautiful South did with "A Little Time" later in 90 but this isn't bitter despite the title, rather sad and melancholy but with an air of optimism that rings true through it. The song is treated with great care and sensitivity, as if fragile, that's exactly right- whilst it's turning into a ballad a voice like Whitney or Mariah would destroy all its charms.

 

Gentle, classy, endearing, and simple- all words which spring to mind when I listen to this, and I supect that the original songwriters would be pleased with the Deacon Blue treatment some 21 years after the track Hit No 1 for Bobbie Gentry- a feat that was denied a repeat thanks to the awful Bombalarina who were at No 1- move over "Vienna" there's a greater tragedy just here!.......

 

Edited September 12, 201113 yr by gezza76

15TH SEPTEMBER- GROOVE IS IN THE HEART/ WHAT IS LOVE?- Deee-Lite (2 weeks)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/Giith.jpg

 

Just like "Love Shack" this song probably remains one of the most played No 2 hits today, that actually makes it harder to review as through time it comes somewhat out of context. At the time I though this way OK but nothing exceptional, and time hasn't altered my opinion so I'm afraid I'm going to have to be unpopular again in saying that it's a song that just scrapes by on my radar. With it's retro 70's leanings it wasn't what a 14 yr old wanted to hear really, back in 1990 there was a curiously 70's feel about things, Madchester had bought back flairs, and tie dye and flower prints were worn at our school with pride, almost like an attempt to wipe the 80s from memory.

 

It is now a song equally famous for missing out on the No 1 spot by some 8 copies, the closest run thing in at least 9 years (that is public knowledge that is) and resulted in a change in the way the charts were compiled. I'm no great fan of "The Joker" so I have no strong feelings whichever of those two songs would have made the top. It is possible for a record to become too much public property and I think that is probably what happened to "Groove Is In The Heart"- I tried to love it, it wasn't the record's fault- it's mine :o

 

It also seems like a record that's extremely pleased with itself in it's "trendiness" now that's a hard thing to qualilfy, I think the video might also give this impression, stepping over the line from cocky and self assured, to arrogant and pushy. I can't deny it is catchy, and I know it's nearly loved by all, but the latter fact just makes me dislike it that little bit more.......

 

EDIT: I never heard the official Double A-side "What Is Love?" and just played it- it's rather good in a 1990 way- OK i dislike it a little less now!....

 

Edited September 12, 201113 yr by gezza76

6TH OCTOBER- I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU- Londonbeat (1 week)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/ff/I've_Been_Thinking_About_You.jpg

 

 

I remember being surprised when I first heard this song. Their only previous top 40 hit was "9 am (Comfort Zone)" an acapella track that turned up as a surprise hit at Xmas 1988 but then not much really, this was unexpected. That's not to say it's unwelcome, this is actually a rather chirpy pop number and a likeable dance record (not to forget a US chart topper to boot), which is one of the lesser remembered early 90s hits, the only bit of trivia I can drum up is that they entered the song for europe in 1995 but lost out to Love City Groove.

 

There were no top 20 hits to follow so they certainly never oustayed their welcome, but 1991's "A Better Love" probably deserved to go top 20, all in all a pleasing reminder....

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 201113 yr by gezza76

13TH OCTOBER- BLUE VELVET- Bobby Vinton (1 week)

 

http://www.chartstats.com/images/artwork/11478.jpg

 

Firstly a 1951 Tony Bennett Hit, "Blue Velvet" was a song that was made famous by Vinton when he made the top of the US Chart in 1963 but failed to chart here in the UK. Until that is it was used in an ad for Nivea, in addition of course to its use in the David Lynch film of the same name and also released in 1990, the exposure created demand for the track, and somewhat unusually was released on a Tuesday and started off in the midweek charts at 55, before making a debut at No 16 eventually! Anyway 2 weeks later the song was No 2 and was only narrowly defeated by Maria McKee for the number one spot. It's actually an enormously endearing record merely because its selling vintage Americana, Vinton's vocals have a warmth to it, the orchestration is grand and the waltz pace takes you instantly back to the early 60s.

 

It's a good old fashioned nostalgia rtip and to be fair I don't really mind it- in a year when "Twin Peaks" took the nation by storm this song fits perfectly, and seeing as the song was never previously a hit on these shores it seems chirlish to protest against it having its time in the limelight...

 

Edited September 13, 201113 yr by gezza76

20TH OCTOBER- THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ PART ONE- Status Quo (1 week)

 

http://www.chartstats.com/images/artwork/11481.jpg

 

Ah the Quo, really you have to admire them for making them so little go so far. This was a medley (comprising "Let's Dance" (Lee), "Red River Rock" (Kind/Mack/Mendlesohn), "No Particular Place to Go" (Berry), "The Wanderer" (Maresca), "I Hear You Knocking" (Bartholomew/King), "Lucille" (Collins/Penniman), "Great Balls of Fire" (Hammer/Blackwell)) which was released to commorate 25 years of the band being together, if you're wondering what "It's Live Sonny" means, it refers to the critics who compared this kind of track to Jive Bunny medleys, the Quo play these tunes live.

 

It's dreadful, truly, kind of rock N roll by numbers, I've never been a fan, and this record isn't a record to convert anyone to the cause. After going a little experimental with "In The Army Now" it's a shame to see them revert to type, I know that's kind of the point of the record (a "celebration" of them being together and covering tunes from years gone by) but it's a sad reflectino of 1990 that it got this high really.......

 

Edited September 14, 201113 yr by gezza76

17TH NOVEMBER- FOG ON THE TYNE (REVISITED)- Gazza & Lindisfarne ( 1 week)

 

http://www.chartstats.com/images/artwork/11565.jpg

 

And it just went from bad to awful. Originally a Lindisfarne track from 1971, a folk track, it was transferred into a 1990 hit employing Gazza, who was never more popular than in this year as we have discussed before, but there is nothing of any worth here. Of course it's a novelty hit and he's a footballer, and those two things together seldom a good piece of good music make.

 

What is really shameful however is it that it needn't have been so, some 5 months earlier Englandneworder HAD PROVED that you can make a good record with footballers, this is like the Aldi version of Tesco's Finest, bad in every well, and a few that I didn't think were possible before- the shell suit he wears in the video and on the cover should also be an alarm bell (I assume what's written on it has to be in deep irony)....

 

 

Edited September 14, 201113 yr by gezza76

24TH NOVEMBER- DON'T WORRY- Kim Appleby (1 week)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f2/Kim_APPLEBY_dontworry.jpg

 

Whoo- showing there was life after S/A/W. and that it could be good, here's Kim Appleby. After sister Mel's death in 1989 Kim struck out solo with then boyfriend Craig Logan (he of Bros fame) in tow and co-writing, with a feel good pop record that is just irresistible. Upbeat, euphoric, and unashamedly wearing its pop armour this is a song that is not to be ignored, Appleby's vocal, whilst not the strongest (indeed sometimes it sounds like it might buckle- especially in that bridge section) is good enough to sell the record, and whilst it's joi de vivre may have been matched by Dee-lite and B-52's in the course of 1990, this never oversteps that metaphorical line.

 

There was a lot of good will towards her in light of the loss of her family bereavement, and much of her solo album was co-penned by her late sister, I have to say that there is little to dislike about this track, and Kim Appleby as a popstar is an endearing vision, it never lasted longer than her debut solo album of course but when you chuck out this little pop gem you've already done more than most artists.....

 

Edited September 15, 201113 yr by gezza76

15TH DECEMBER- JUSTIFY MY LOVE- Madonna (1 week)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dc/MadonnaJustify.jpg

 

This is not the beginning of the end for Madonna, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning. Between 1984 and 1990 she had accrued 24 consecutive top 10 hits including 7 chart toppers and was pretty much unrivalled as the world's foremost female singer who couldn't put a foot wrong, but post "Justify My Love" the charts become much more hostile to her. That's not to say the hits dry up of course, but the top 2 is off bounds for her for a whole seven and a half years- unthinkable in the 80s.

 

If it is an end of kinds, then it's a glorious end, "Justify My Love" is a dark haunting track, half spoken, and as dripping in sex as you can possibly get on CD. Written in the main by Lenny Kravitz, it was the lead track to the "Immaculate Collection" which would of course go on to be the biggest selling album by a female ever in the UK (Adele's still got that accolade to come), it naturally was accompanied by a black and white video that was promptly banned by MTV then allowed to be shown only after midnight, all of which was music to Madonna's ears and bank balance as the track went to No 2 pre Xmas 90 and all the way to No 1 in the US.

 

It could be the hypnotic beat, that synth line that seems to throb, the breathy vocals, or the grunty backing vocals, it could be a combo of all but it's a song that makes its intentions clear, it's not leaving until it's had some serious sex! The monochrome videos of "Vogue" and "Justify My Love" appears not only to be Madonna recalled the some golden age of feminine sexuality but also to imply "class" or "timelessness" to her music- As a pop star who has always attempted to create her own sense of importance and history in the making, it was a natural progression, it is hard to argue that by 1990 she was unquestionable already assured of her place in what they term the "Iconography" of pop music, and "Justify My Love" would prove to be her last statement of affirmation that this is where she belonged until she rather went onto auto-pilot for the remainder of the decade. She'll be back before the decade end when she remembers that after all, she STILL has to make great records!........

 

 

Edited September 15, 201113 yr by gezza76

Love "Justify My Love" and "Don't Worry", Kim Appleby looks like Audrey Hepburn from "Breakfast At Tiffany's" on that cover. :o

 

Did TOTP actually show anything from the "JML" video on TV? I'd be surprised if they did. :o

Love "Justify My Love" and "Don't Worry", Kim Appleby looks like Audrey Hepburn from "Breakfast At Tiffany's" on that cover. :o

 

Did TOTP actually show anything from the "JML" video on TV? I'd be surprised if they did. :o

No I recall at the time they played a montage of her videos to the song! :lol:

Catching up with the UK #2s and we're in full swing now as I'd discovered the magic that was the compilation album. After getting my parents to buy me Now! 17 earlier in the year, I soon became addicted (is that the right word? :D ) to these albums. Most of the following are tracks I own on at least one compilation I have on cassette...

 

4TH AUGUST- HANKY PANKY- Madonna (1 week)

 

...but this isn't one of them. :P As it is, after the sublime pop disco heaven of 'Vogue' I actually liked this back in 1990. Yes, it maybe a step down from the pop princess and her evergrowing list of smash hits from the 80s. I remember my mum even liking this and she didn't think very highly of Madonna. :lol: Madonna is the ultimate trend setter - if people in 2011 want to discuss why pop became so sexualised, rewind back to the height of Madonna success and there you shall find the answer.

 

11TH AUGUST- TOM'S DINER- DNA Featuring Suzanne Vega (3 weeks)

 

Wow, three weeks at #2. I'm guessing it was 'Turtle Power' that kept this off #1 at the time, but then again I was a massive fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the time - the cartoon series was absolute genius to me back then. I had the action figures with miniture weapons, the sticker collection, the t-shirt. Oh, the joys of being 9 years old. As for 'Tom's Diner' it's a song I really only knew for its "do do do do do..." tagline but I guess this was it's selling point. It became a massive European hit but even those who don't speak great English can sing the chorus. :D Listening to it now, the backing actually sounds quite good in a 1990s way - obviously dated now.

 

1ST SEPTEMBER- FOUR BACHARACH & DAVID SONGS E.P- Deacon Blue (2 weeks)

 

Despite this E.P getting to #2 in the charts, I've only ever heard 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again' which is such a beautiful cover version and I agree whote heartedly with that Gezza wrote for his commentary. Well, everything except the bit about Bombalarena. :P Sorry, but Timmy Mallette was my TV hero back in 1990 and so him releasing his own single was always going to make all young kids my age go crazy. That's why he managed 3 weeks at #1 - I actually did love 'Itsy Bitsy...' aged 9. Obviously my musical tastes have matured and these days it's more of a guilty pleasure than anything else. Still holds a lot of memories from at the time when I was at primary school.

 

15TH SEPTEMBER- GROOVE IS IN THE HEART/ WHAT IS LOVE?- Deee-Lite (2 weeks)

 

This may well come as a shock (or not? :P ) but back in 1990 I didn't like this song at all. It just didn't appeal to the 9 year old me!!! :o It's a glitzy disco anthem that I've grown to love a lot more over the last 20 or so years. I certainly like it more now than I ever did back then. It's probably amongst my top 50 most played #2 hits of the 90s.

 

6TH OCTOBER- I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU- Londonbeat (1 week)

 

How many people remember '9am'? :D I actually have vivid memories of when my older brother was studying at Salford College, we would pick him up around 7:30pm and if it was a Thursday evening, we would drive back home with the radio tuned into Radio 1 so that we could listen to TOTP which used to be broadcast simultaniously on both BBC1 and Radio 1. That was 1988/1989 though. Pointless story over, this was a song I quite liked at the time. Another UK #2 that became a massive hit in Europe. I believe it was Maria McKee that kept this off no. 1 so much so was the impact of the film 'Days Of Thunder' which the track was taken from iirc.

 

13TH OCTOBER- BLUE VELVET- Bobby Vinton (1 week)

 

A song I genuinely never cared for in 1990 nor do I ever feel the urge to listen to in 2011. I know this was tracklisted on one of the Hits albums of 1990 but it was always a track I skipped (or in my case, stopped and hit the fast forward button until finding the next track :lol: ). This was music aimed at my parents - they like type of music. For me, it's all just very wishy washy and dull. :(

 

20TH OCTOBER- THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ PART ONE- Status Quo (1 week)

 

My best mate's dad is a massive Status Quo fan. So much so that he bought him this track on 12" to try and encourage him to follow in his dads' footsteps and become a Quo fan too. Did it work? Well, me and my mate both liked this song. In fact the week it got to no. 2 we had kind of hoped it would be #1 - probably just to please his dad. :lol: Put it this way, I much prfer this to 'The Anniversary Waltz Part 2' which followed in early 1991. The part 2 single just seemed so pointless. This would've been a good one off type single imo.

 

17TH NOVEMBER- FOG ON THE TYNE (REVISITED)- Gazza & Lindisfarne ( 1 week)

 

Oh dear. Oh VERY dear!!! :lol: I don't even remember liking this when I was 9, yet alone now at the age of 30. It's just a proper nonsense record that must've appealed to kids enough to get the track as high as #2. Bombalarena this certainly wasn't... :P

 

24TH NOVEMBER- DON'T WORRY- Kim Appleby (1 week)

 

Now this is a gem. One of those "forgottom gems" that I still rememeber fondly. I actually never knew about the death of Mel Appleby until years later. I think I'd seen some documentary on MTV and rememeber Pete Waterman being interviewed and listening to him talk about everything that happened leading up to tragic death really shocked me. Like I say, I'd had no idea that this has happened. I never watched the news when I was a kid. So this was a fitting tribute song, similar to that of Janet Jackson 'Together Again'. Upbeat, uptempo songs that on the surface sound like great party songs but underneath have a real depth and meaning to the song.

 

15TH DECEMBER- JUSTIFY MY LOVE- Madonna (1 week)

 

I actually don't recall this song from the time. That said, I suspect my mum was just being your typical overprotective parent. She might've seen it on the news and in disgust made sure I wasn't subjected to this "filth" at the tender age of 9. :D I eventually must've seen this video when we had Sky TV installed in the summer of 1991. It is certainly a rather crazy video - the type of video Lady GaGa would probably be doing now in 2011 if this hadn't already been done. Madonna pushed a lot of boundaries both musically and visually. To teenagers in the early 90s, Madonna must've been seen as one of the exciting/controversial people in the world. With music videos like this and 'Like A Prayer' it's not difficult to see why. A shame it wouldn't be for another 8 years until Madonna scored another UK hit in the top 2. I bought her 1992 single 'This Used To Be My Playground' as I really liked that song. For some reason I always thought it peaked at #2 but alas it made #3 instead.

19TH JANUARY 1991- CRAZY- Seal (1 week)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c7/Crazysealsingle.jpg

 

After being discovered working in a McDonalds by Adamski in 1989 (so the story went at the time) Adamski gave him the vocals on "Killer" and he never looked back. That debut album came out in 1991 and BRITS followed, I recall "Crazy" being termed as the first classic of the 90s- it's not a description I would care to argue with, and it pulls an unusual but very effective trick, to appear deep and dark without ever really revealing what it's about. I looked up the lyrics and whilst it all seems rather profound there is no clear meaning, ok so "We're never gonna survive unless we get a little Crazy" may point to modern life in general but somehow this is about more than that- it just HAS to be.

 

I suppose one day someone will do a thesis on the meaning of crazy, and maybe it is just about nothing in particular, a string of visual images and phrases, this is the power of the record- what it conjures without ever giving real form too. Of course it is a cracking tune and one that probably deserved the no 1 spot, the Trevor Horn production only adds to the sense of gravitas the record possesses, it has a confidence that is not misplaced and its sense of importance, far from being irritating, is actually rather arresting. It's a glimpse of what could have been for Seal before the AOR balladry called and somehow he wasn't THAT great anymore!....

 

Edited September 16, 201113 yr by gezza76

23RD FEBRUARY- (I WANNA GIVE YOU) DEVOTION- Nomad Featuring MC Mikee Freedom (1 week)

 

http://www.chartstats.com/images/artwork/11589.jpg

 

Nomad were Damon Rochefort (Nomad is Damon backwards- clever) and Steve McCutcheon who produced "Devotion" a rave track, as they used to call them back in the day and this is a slice of dance music circa 1991 that I never cared for. Far more interesting than that is that McCutcheon was a writer/ producer who scored his first top 10 production credit on Chad Jackson's 1990 hit "Hear the Drummer (Get Wicked)" before famously shortening his name to Steve Mac, and going on to either write and/ or produce some VERY big hits for acts since this introduction to the pop world, including Boyzone, Five, Westlife and musch more recently Leona Lewis, JLS and co-wrote "Glad You Came" for the Wanted and "Notorious" for the Saturdays. In reality he is virtually pop royalty by the back door.

 

Anyway back to "Devotion"- part of my dislike of this song stems from having to do a dance routine to this song for my A Level Drama class I had enrolled in back in 1993 and which I loathed, I wish I could say I was on the dance bandwagon from the start but I wasn't, I liked my pop far too much, and as the mighty "What Do I Have To Do" was struggling in the top 10 all records above it were deemed the enemy :D . Again it could be that as a 15 yr old I wasn't clubbing yet so I didn't "enjoy" it in the right context (this would SO change by 94 but that's for later), not for me, but it's not horrendous either.....

 

Edited September 16, 201113 yr by gezza76

19TH JANUARY 1991- CRAZY- Seal (1 week)

 

I remember this weeks TOTP very well. It was presented by Nicky Campbell and it was the week when Iron Maiden plummeted from #1 the previous week to #9. I rememeber the TOTP top 10 counting all the way up to #3 (C&C Music Factory) then they cut back to the studio to reveal Seal was #2 and swiftly cut to a performance of 'Crazy'. As we all know, Enigma kept this off the top spot and for some reason (mainly for TOTP counting down to #3 instead of #2 this week) I often wondered whether it was one of those really close races to #1. Anyways, Seal just kept of progressing in his career from the uncredited vocal on 'Killer', to 'Crazy' then onto topping the US charts with 'Kiss From A Rose'. I've always liked 'Crazy' but I've never loved the track. For me personally, I much prefer 'Killer'. The dark but quirky Adamski track with its infamous synth bass melody marks that song out as a dance anthem of the early 90s...

 

23RD FEBRUARY- (I WANNA GIVE YOU) DEVOTION- Nomad Featuring MC Mikee Freedom (1 week)

 

...as does this. However, where I love 'Killer', I can't really say the same for this track. It wasn't a song I ever disliked but it certainly never grabbed my attention either. For me it was just there and that was it. I also don't think it's really that much of a classic. I can't remember the last time I heard 'Devotion' on radio or seen on the music channels.

2ND MARCH- CRAZY FOR YOU (REMIX)- Madonna (2 weeks)

 

http://www.chartstats.com/images/artwork/11771.jpg

 

Pointless re-release to Promote "The Immaculate Collection"- mind you even a re-release by Madonna went to No 2 in 91!! For more of my thoughts on this record see my 80s review here post 124.

Edited September 17, 201113 yr by gezza76

6TH APRIL- SIT DOWN- James (3 weeks)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1c/James_sit_down.jpg

 

I bought the "Best Of" James in 1998 thinking I liked a fair few songs on there and discovered that I actually liked a lot/ most of the songs on there. For me it's one of the anthems of the "Madchester" anthems, and certainly the highest peaking song that fell into the genre, yet it took a re-release to get the track to be a sizeable hit. Though the Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays had grabbed the headlines in 1989/1990 I was never really into them, James always seemed like a poppier, brighter proposition to the gloomier end of the genre. First released in 1989 "Sit Down" made No 77, but after a growing fanbase the track was made available again and debuted straight into the top 10 before spending three weeks stuck behind Chesney Hawkes, it's a song written into tribute to novelist Doris Lessing and Patti Smith as the main influences on writer Tim Booth's life, and upon listening it's that drum line that grabs you first, it sounds like it's galloping along to the chorus which is a rousing thing, designed to make you erupt in song like all good anthems. It status as classic was affirmed by another remixed release in 1998 which made the top 10 all over again.

 

This is more a marker in time than a reflection of what was happening in the charts, where it was all film soundtracks and anonomous dance music that was tearing up the charts, but it's a welcome deviation, thet's not to say Indie wasn't present in the top 40 but that the headline grabbing acts of the year tended to come from the dance stable.....which brings us onto...

 

Edited September 17, 201113 yr by gezza76

11TH MAY- LAST TRAIN TO TRANCENTRAL- The KLF Featuring The Children Of The Revolution (2 weeks)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/The_KLF-_Last_Train_To_Trancentral_(pure_trance_original).jpg

 

The third release in the "Stadium Trilogy" this was also the follow up to their sole No 1 "3AM Eternal" and in 1991 there weren't many bigger acts than the KLF. After scoring a UK No 1 as the Timelords with "Doctorin The Tardis" in 1988 they had struggled to make any inroads into the charts until "What Time Is love" became the first of 5 consecutive top 10 hits for them, the rave/ Dance culture of 1991 I recall at the time was particularly uninspiring in my opinion, magazines such as Smash Hits etc found circulation falling away and blamed the lack of "real" popstars to put on their covers, KLF were however exactly the opposite. They were defined people, they created their own land "Mu Mu" and created videos that were both interesting and memorable, and in all honesty you can't get much more "pop star" esque than quitting the game when you're at the top and doing it in style by dumping a dead sheep outside a BRITS afterparty!

 

For all that "Last Train to Trancentral" is probably the least original of their 1991 releases, they're all great so that's not exactly a criticism, it's just that the inspired use of Tammy Wynette or the etherial charm of "3AM Eternal" just aren't matched here, it's more pedestrian than those hits but then it's still better than 80% of the charts a la 1991, watch the video it's quite camp and altogether fun, but unlike in the 80s where fun was an end in itself, this is knowing, ironic, tongue in cheek- so very 90s.....

 

Edited September 17, 201113 yr by gezza76

25TH MAY- GYPSY WOMAN (LA DA DEE)- Crystal Waters (1 week)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cb/Gypsy_woman.jpg

 

This is musical marmite. At the time I loved it, but it soon wore thin, Crystal Waters did however equal the highest debut position by a debut act when "Gypsy Woman" entered the charts at No 3 before rising just one place when it was widely tipped to become No 1, the reason it never made it was probably due to that equal hatred/ Love combo. When I was 15 I used to write the charts down and work how many new entries threre were left/ who they were by (we're friends now so I can disclose this) and I recall thinking that thinking that I worked out the new entry left was by Chris De Burgh with "The Simple Truth" the Kurd Aid track which I think was shown on TV that week as a concert. It wasn't it was this- and I remember being surprised but also quite happy about that.

 

It's insanely catchy and there is no denying that the song was a favourite at school, its tale of a homeless baglady pleading for money was an unusual theme and choice of subject for a dance record but hey it did the business, personally i'm more a fan of "Makin Happy" the top 20 follow up but they may be to do with the fact that it wasn't overplayed to death and on a level this is a novelty hit, mainly due to it's infantile chorus of "La Da Dee, La Da Da" whereas "Makin Happy" is more mature. However all in all I can now look back kindly on Crystal Waters, A song that takes me back to being 15 almost instantly, not sure how kindly I would have reviewed this 15 years ago however.....

 

Edited September 18, 201113 yr by gezza76