I don't know if this is the right section for such a thread, please feel free to realocate.

 

In this thread I plan to list and talk about the songs that reached the summit of my personal chart.

I remember doing songs lists since I've been able to write but I only got into rather more seriously in the spring of 1993 when I was introduced to MTV via our family's satellite dish. I've done weekly charts for a about a year or so, but moving to a new home and leaving MTV behind and others mishaps in life led to an hiatus in autumn 1994.

However I resumed the charts on December 16, 1994 (while at the tender age of 14) and I haven't stopped ever since, for what have been now 19 years, more than half my life now. I started with a top 20, then stretched to a top 50 in May 1995 only to reduced it to its current top 40 format since January 1998. At first I would do my charts on Friday, then shifted to Monday in 2000 and now I do it on Sunday since 2005. I keep all my charts written in what are now 11 notebooks.

 

But enough preamble, let's get on with the list.

 

 

1. "Carry me home" Gloworm (3 weeks)

 

Entered at #1: 16 Dec 1994

UK chart peak: #9

 

My very first chart-topper turned out to be a very odd one. This soulful club track had been filling dancefloors in Europe since that summer and was still going strong come the Holiday period. I particularly loved the singer's vocals, especially his poignant and outbursting raspy chorus rendition: "Alone, alone, I did everything I could do!"

Together with the honour of forever being my first chart's Number One, it was also its first Christmas Number One, leaving a famous Christmas classic by a famous pop diva at #2 (fulfilling its chart-topping fate many years later).

 

As for Gloworm, they would only trouble my chart a months later with follow-up single "Young Hearts" hitting #18.

 

Edited October 13, 201410 yr by N-S

2. "Come in out of the rain" Wendy Moten (3 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 6 Jan 1995

UK chart peak: #9

 

On Christmas 1994, I finally got a stereo with CD player and my first compact disc purchase was the NOW 27 compilation, where I was finally introduced to this ballad that had made the UK top 10 in early 1994. Doubtlessly the most notable moment of Wendy Moten's short period of fame, I instantly fell in love with this powerful ballad that I still listen fondly from time to time.

 

Wendy Moten also became my chart's first one-hit wonder as no other songs of hers charted. Moten earns now her living as a back-up singer for acts like Faith Hill.

 

 

 

3. "La solitudine" Laura Pausini (5 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 27 Jan 1995

UK chart peak: DNC

 

And we've arrive already to my year-end #1 of 1995. "La Solitudine" ("The Loneliness") was the track that earned Laura Pausini a victory in the newcomer section of the 1993 edition of the legendary San Remo Festival. By early 1995 she was already a budding star in her native Italy, with two albums plus one recording conglomerate of track from both records in Spanish language destined to pave the way, but my country (Portugal) was only introduced to her in late 1994 with the release her debut self-titled album where "La Solitudine" was lead track. Although the lyrics is about the end of a childhood friendship, the power ballad was perfect for radio request dedications and soundtracking romantic make-out sessions throughout my country and went down as one of the biggest hits of the year.

 

The track also holds the record for the most consecutive weeks on chart a whopping 37, including five at the summit.

 

4. "Take your chance" Fun Factory (4 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 10 Mar 1995

UK chart peak: DNC

 

All but unknown in the UK, German Eurodance group Fun Factory was quite popular in Continental Europe around the time. Although they are far better known for hits like "Close To You" and reggae-pop gems like "I wanna B with U" and "Celebration" or their cover of "Do Wah Diddy", this was the one that took them to the top of my charts, one of my favourite moments of a dance music compilation that I owned at the time.

 

Rapper Smooth T. featured on the Backstreet Boys debut UK hit "Get Down (You're The One For Me)"

 

Edited December 27, 201311 yr by N-S

5. "Ode to my family" The Cranberries (3 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 7 Apr 1995

UK chart peak: #26

 

While Cranberries staple hit "Zombie" was still in my chart (peak #6), it was this moving ballad about Dolores O'Riordan's yearning for her childhood days, written as an apology to her parents for choosing pursuing a career in the band over going to college that stroke a chord in me, sending it to #1. The video was shot at the same time as the one for "Zombie" and the kids that feature proeminently in the said video also appear in this one.

 

Whereas Cranberries are all but forgotten in UK, they still have the occasional hit in Continental Europe, their last top 40 hit in my chart coming from 2011.

 

Edited December 27, 201311 yr by N-S

6. "All I wanna do" Sheryl Crow (2 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 28 Apr 1995

UK chart peak: #4

 

Whereas Miss Crow had been over a year in the spotlight I only noticed after her 1995 Grammys success. The former Michael Jackson back-up singer finally hit paydirt with her acclaimed album "Tuesday Night Music Club" from which this was the most celebrated track and her biggest UK hit.

 

Although she wouldn't have more #1 hits, Sheryl Crow still chalked top 10 hits in my chart well into the mid 2000's.

 

Edited December 27, 201311 yr by N-S

7. "Strani amori" Laura Pausini (4 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 12 May 1995

UK chart peak: DNC

 

As it turned out it was Laura Pausini the first act to have two number Ones in my chart. This track, "Strani Amori" (Strange loves) was the lead track from her second album "Laura" which was promptly released in Portugal following the success of her debut album. The track remains a staple on Pausini's repertoir.

 

8. "Think twice" Céline Dion (4 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 9 Jun 1995

UK chart peak: #1

My first Number One that was also #1 in the UK singles chart, this was famously the song that turned the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest Winner into an international star and elevated Mlle. Dion to the realm of the decade's superdivas. The ice-sculpture video also remains vividly in the memory of many.

 

A dance version of the track by Rochelle also made to #32 in my chart. Belgian singer Alana Dante also had a hit dance version in some European countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. "Back for good" Take That (2 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 7 Jul 1995

UK chart peak: #1

 

Most notably Take That's only major US hit, "Back for good" was the bands most internationally successful hit (#1 in 31 countries) and also topped my chart with ease.

Whereas Take That had topped some of my 1993/94 lists with "Pray", "Re-light my fire" and "Babe", it would take them another 12 years for them to have another chart-topper.

 

10. "I'll make love to you" Boyz II Men (3 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 21 Jul 1995

UK chart peak: #5

 

This was the #1 in my chart's transition from a top 20 to a top 50. The colossal r&b ballad was one year old but a big radio airplay surge in Portugal made me paid more attention to the track and give the quartet a chart topping hit. In America, of course this was one of the biggest hits of the decade. It also topped the charts in Australia and New Zealand.

 

Boyz II Men would only have two more hits in my chart, one of them also a #1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. "Think of you" Whigfield (2 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 11 Aug 1995

UK chart peak: #9

 

Following the massive success of "Saturday Night" and "Another Day" in 1994, a Whigfield album was finally released in the summer of 1995 with "Think Of You" as the long-awaited third single. The Italo-Dance project of which Danish singer Sannie Carlsen was the face (though allegedly not the actual voice) had in Portugal one of the countries where the material was more heavily promoted and therefore this song rotated a lot on radio and duly hit #1 in my chart.

 

Maybe that's why Whigfield were still having hits in this country well into the early 2000's. (2000's release "Doo wop" still made to top 20 in my chart).

 

Sannie Carlsen still releases the occasional single in her native Denmark.

 

Edited December 27, 201311 yr by N-S

12. "O bicho" Iran Costa (3 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 25 Aug 1995

UK chart peak: DNC

 

In 19 years of chart, chances are there are some chart-toppers that I'm not proud of or even embarassed by. Such is the case of this, who became the first #1 of my chart in my mother tongue. Longtime Portugal-based Brazilian singer Iran Costa hit paydirt in 1995 with this eurodance version of a traditional Brazilian song. Cheesy as it may be, this song was everywhere in Portugal in the summer of 1995, even in the campaigns for that year's Government elections and everyone would do the choreography shown in the video. The album sold by the bucketloads to a whopping six platinum records.

 

Despite never duplicating the success (and last troubling my chart in 1998), Iran Costa is still active touring and releasing material in Portugal.

 

Edited December 27, 201311 yr by N-S

13. "Scatman's world" Scatman John (1 week)

 

Made to #1: 15 Sep 1995

UK chart peak: #3

 

One of the most unforgettable pop hits of 1995 came from the most unlikely of sources, a 50-something jazz musician that turned scatting singing (a technique he mastered to overcome his severe stuttering) into an eurodance smash . "Scatman (Ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop)" was such track, topping the charts pretty much everywhere in Europe and hitting top 3 in the UK. In my chart, it peaked at #2 held off by the Boyz II Men track.

Chart-topping glory would come with the follow-up single, who pretty much had the same formula who still worked well enough to also be #1 in Belgium, France, Finland and Spain.

 

Two more minor hits followed until John Larkin's death in 1999 at age 57.

 

 

 

 

14. "Nothing like the rain" 2 Unlimited (4 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 22 Sep 1995

UK chart peak: DNC

 

Fourth and final single from their 1994 "Real Things", "Nothing Like The Rain" saw the popular Euro-dance Dutch duo approaching the realm of balladry, proving that Anita Deis not only had some nice tits, she also had enough pipes to croon this lovely ballad. Unreleased in the UK, the single also a featured a nice dance version (the "Rainy Edit").

 

A greatest hits album and three more hits followed in 1996 until Ray and Anita left the project. The producers carried on with two female singers but success was limited. Ray and Anita have rejoined forces in 2009 and still tour occasionally in Europe and release the odd new single in their native Netherlands.

 

 

 

15. "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" Céline Dion (3 weeks)

 

Made to #1: 13 Oct 1995

UK chart peak: #7

 

While her 1993 English-language album "The Colour Of My Love" was still going strong all over the world thanks to hits like "Think Twice" and "Only One Road", Céline Dion released in 1995 the French-language album "D'Eux", with all songs written by famous singer-songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman. The album was rapidly a success in French-speaking countries and its first single "Pour Que Tu M'Aimes Encore" ("So you might still love me") becoming a million-seller in France alone. Such was the demand for anything related to Ms. Dion that the album and the single's popularity was extended to non French-speaking countries, becoming the biggest international hit in French language since the days of "Joe Le Taxi" and "Voyage Voyage" back in the 80's. Heck, it even made top 10 in the UK. The music video is arguably one of Dion's most unconventional.

 

An English version of the track, titled "If That's What It Takes", was featured in Céline's 1996 album "Falling Into You".

 

Edited December 27, 201311 yr by N-S

16. "Fantasy" Mariah Carey (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 3 Nov 1995

UK chart peak: #4

 

First single of her awaited "Daydream" album, follow-up to the massively successful "Music Box", "Fantasy" duly became another US #1 for Ms. Carey, and a UK top 5 hit. The track is notorious for a) becoming the first music video directed by Mariah herself b) sampling Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love" and c) reportedly being the song played while she was giving birth to her baby twins.

 

17. "I'd lie for you (And that's the truth)" Meat Loaf (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 17 Nov 1995

UK chart peak: #2

 

Meat Loaf wasted no time following up his new claim to fame in 1993 by releasing a new album with songs not only by buddy Jim Steinman, but also by Tom Waits, Sammy Hagar and Diane Warren who penned this first single, yet another epic ballad featuring Patti Russo. The music video saw model Dana Patrick reprising her role as Meat's love interest and once again lip-synching the female vocals.

 

18. "Lucky love" Ace Of Base (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 8 Dec 1995

UK chart peak: #20

 

After three weeks at #2 behind Meat Loaf, "Lucky Love" finally was allowed a single week at #1. This was the first single from the sophomore album "The Bridge" and oddly enough, it was Ace Of Base's first #1 in their native Sweden.

The video for the US version of the song was the last one with Malin Beggren singing in a music video, before she took a backseat in the group's activity until leaving it altogether.

 

19. "Nirvana" Elbosco (4 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 15 Dec 1995

UK chart peak: DNC

 

"Nirvana" was the leading track of Spanish project Elbosco whose 1995 album "Angelis" that featured tracks that mixed gregorian chants sung by a choir of catholic schoolboys mixed with Enigma-esque pop beats. The album was very successful both in Spain and Portugal and the spiritual appeal of "Nirvana" made it fit for a Christmas #1. Although the music video was shot in India, the song's undecyphering chorus is in Latin.

 

If the track sounds familiar to UK listeners, it may be due to its use in Danny Boyle's 2004 film "Millions".