39. "It's all coming back to me now" Céline Dion (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 1 Nov 1996

UK chart peak: #3

 

"It's All Coming Back To Me Now" was first recorded for Jim Steinman's project Pandora's Box where his favourite session singers performed his more feminine opus. Elaine Caswell provided the vocals for the original version, which fronted the "Original Sin" album and had a quite racy Ken-Russell directed music video. Meat Loaf reportedly was also keen to record it for the "Bat Out Of Hell II" album, but Jim Steinman put his foot down, stating it was a woman's song (Meat Loaf would record a version anyway in 2006, in duet with Norwegian singer Marion Raven).

 

So it was Céline who eventually turned the song into an international hit, the track opening her "Falling Into You" and giving her fifth #1 in my chart, the third in a row.

 

Edited December 29, 201311 yr by N-S

40. "Se eu fosse um dia o teu olhar" Pedro Abrunhosa & Bandemónio (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 22 Nov & 13 Dec 1996

UK chart peak: DNC

 

It was only fitting that first Portuguese act to top my chart was one of my country's biggest stars. Following up the massive success of their debut 1994 album "Viagens" was hard but they did just that with the second album, much thanks to this sumptuous ballad as the first single. The track first came to life as an instrumental for the 1995 Portuguese film "Adão & Eva" starring Maria de Medeiros (Fabienne from "Pulp Fiction") and Joaquim de Almeida ("24", "Only You", "Clear And Present Danger"). For a tentative international release Abrunhosa recorded the song in Spanish and English ("If One Day I See Through Your Eyes").

 

The song also made history for being the first to return to #1, after being toppled by the following song.

 

 

English version:

 

Edited April 18, 201411 yr by N-S

41. "Say you'll be there" Spice Girls (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 6 Dec 1996

UK chart peak: #1

 

High on the heels of "Wannabe" success, its follow-up proved to be just as compelling and provided the girls with their second #1. It also topped the charts in the UK and Finland.

 

The harmonica solo is played by Judd Lander, who also provided the famous harmonica solo in Culture's Club "Karma Chameleon".

 

 

 

 

42. "One and one" Robert Miles feat. Maria Nayler (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 20 Dec 1996

UK chart peak: #3

 

What does this one have in common with Céline Dion's "Falling Into You"? It was written by the same three authors: Billy Steinberg, Rick Nowels and Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo. They have written this song for it to be pitched to Dion or Whitney Houston, but it was Polish singer Edyta Gornyak (of Eurovision 1994 fame) that ended up recording it first for her first English-language album. However, because of successive delays, the version of "One And One" that was first released was the one by Robert Miles featuring the vocals of British singer Maria Nayler. Gornyak would release her version in 1997 in Japan and internationally in 1999.

 

"One And One" gave Miles his third #1 hit in a row and became 1996's Christmas Number One.

 

 

 

 

43. "Un-break my heart" Toni Braxton (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 3 Jan 1997

UK chart peak: #2

 

After weeks of hovering around the top 4, finally "Un-break My Heart" hit the topspot at the turn of the year. It also topped the charts in the USA, Belgium (Wallonie), Austria and Switzerland. Shanice of "I Love Your Smile" fame provided back vocals. A dance version by Deja Vu feat. Tasmin was a top 20 hit in my chart.

 

A big fan of the song was Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, who covered the song in 2005.

 

44. "Num sonho teu" Delfins (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 10 Jan 1997

 

Delfins was a Portuguese band who had been around since the mid 80's and enjoyed their height of fame in 1995/96 when their Greatest Hits album went on to become one of the all-time best selling albums in the country. In December 96, a brand new album came out with this one as the first single.

 

"Num sonho teu" ("in a dream of yours") became the third song to debut at #1 in my chart.

 

Edited December 29, 201311 yr by N-S

45. "2 become 1" Spice Girls (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 31 Jan 1997

UK Chart peak: #1

 

My favourite Spice Girls song and thus another #1 for them (also #1 in Spain). I still can't help smiling when Emma Bunton sings "Be a little bit wiser, baby, put it on, put it on", in an allusion to safe sex.

 

The song was allegedly inspired by the romantic relationship that was developping between Geri Halliwell and songwriting partner Matt Rowe during the album recording.

 

46. "Don't Let Go (Love)" En Vogue (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 21 Feb 1997

UK Chart peak: #5

 

In this week, I really considered having a joint #1 in my chart with this one and the next song that follows, such was my indecision but in the end I went with this one, for that week anyway. Taken from the soundtrack of the Queen Latifah film "Set It Off", "Don't Let Go (Love)" was the group's final hit as a quartet as Dawn Robinson would break away soon after. The UK rediscovered the song in 2011, due to a performance of Little Mix in the X-Factor.

 

The song was a chart-topper in Denmark and Norway.

 

Edited December 29, 201311 yr by N-S

47. "Don't speak" No Doubt (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 28 Feb 1997

UK Chart peak: #1

 

Talking about turning misery into bliss. "Don't Speak" was about the falling apart of Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal's longtime relationship and the video was shot just after a band went through high tensions and almost broke up. The track turned out to be the song that turned them into superstars, topping charts pretty much everywhere, and the video won the MTV VMA for Best Group Video.

 

This song takes me back to my high school days as it was a favourite song in my class.

 

48. "Swallowed" Bush (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 14 Mar 1997

UK Chart peak: #7

 

Coincidentally, Gwen Stefani et al was replaced from #1 in my chart by the band fronted by her later-to-be husband. 1997 was the year when I really started apreciating some harder rock music and therefore this became the first rock song to top my chart.

 

"Swallowed" was easily Bush's biggest hit in their native UK (where they only had 2 top 40 hits), not being able top emulate their US success. Bassist Dave Parsons had previously known some success as part of Transvision Vamp.

 

49. "Mama / Who do you think you are" Spice Girls (4 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 21 Mar 1997

UK Chart peak: #1

 

I was so undecided to which of the two a-sides of this single would top my chart that I chose to have both, creating a rule that double A-side singles would count as a one single entry (I dropped that rule in 2009). Bottom line, it was a fourth consecutive #1 for the Spice Girls and their longest-running together with "Wannabe".

 

"Who Do You Think You Are" was also used as the BBC Comic Relief song of that year. An alternative video starring Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Lulu, Kathy Burke and Llewella Gideon (a.k.a. The Sugar Lumps) was aired for the occasion.

 

50. "I can't help myself" The Kelly Family (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 18 Apr 1997

 

All but unknown in Britain, The Kelly Family was extremely succesful in Continental Europe in the 90's. It all started in the 60's when the Irish-American family moved to Spain and started their gypsy-hippie musical travelling show. A German recording deal in 1994 lead the band (whose line-up was then formed by nine of the 10 Kelly siblings) to unexpected success in Germany, that rapidly extended to other European countries.

Portugal was introduced to The Kelly Family with 1996 album "Almost Heaven" from which was spawned this song, who went on their biggest hit ever, #1 in Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway.

 

This year, The Kelly Family released a Christmas album, their first record as a group in eight years.

 

51. "I believe I can fly" R. Kelly (4 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 25 Apr 1997

UK Chart peak: #1

 

Still on the Kelly surname, we have this 90's classic ballad that turned R. Kelly, previously known for his raunchy r&b repertoir, into a superstar balladeer. Legend has it that record execs were betting on Seal's "Fly Like An Eagle" to be the Space Jam soundtrack's main hit, but as "I Believe I Can Fly" overshadowed it, promotion strategies soon shifted. The song won 3 Grammys and topped the charts in the UK, Austria, Sweden and Poland.

 

Due to a certain duet with obscure singer Stefani Germanotta, R. Kelly currently holds my chart's record for the biggest timespan between two #1s.

 

 

 

 

52. "Spiderwebs" No Doubt (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 23 May 1997

UK Chart peak: #16

 

"Spiderwebs" had previously peaked at #18 in my chart in 1996, but after the success of "Don't Speak", it re-entered the chart at #5 and reached the topspot two weeks later.

 

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by N-S

53. "Jardins Proibidos 97" Paulo Gonzo & Olavo Bilac (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 6 Jun 1997

 

Paulo Gonzo originally recorded "Jardins Proibidos" ("forbidden gardens") in 1992 to modest success. However, over the next years the song started picking up some airplay and was heavily featured in a Karaoke TV show, incrasing public demand for a re-edition of the tack. This encouraged Paulo Gonzo to re-record the song with new arrangements and in duet with Olavo Bilac.

 

The 1997 re-recording duly entered my chart at #1 but I still prefer the 1992 version.

 

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by N-S

54. "Just a girl" No Doubt (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 27 Jun 1997

UK Chart peak: #3

 

Yet another re-entry prompted by the massive success of "Don't Speak", "Just A Girl" originally charted at #25 in 1996 but re-entered at #2, topping the chart in the following week. It was one of the first songs written after Gwen Stefani's brother Eric left the band to pursue a career in animation, having worked in the "The Simpsons".

 

 

 

55. "You were meant for me" Jewel (1 week)

 

Reached #1: 18 Jul 1997

UK Chart peak: #32

 

Jewel followed up her debut #5 hit "Who Will Save Your Soul" by topping my chart with this lovely ballad that she wrote with then-boyfriend Steve Poltz. She and Poltz broke up shortly after but he appears on the music video, that won the the MTV VMA for Best Female Video.

 

Irish girband Bellefire covered the song in 2004, that was released as a single in Asia.

 

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by N-S

56. "I'll be missing you" Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112 (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 25 Jul & 15 Aug 1997

UK Chart peak: #1

 

Despite only two one-week spells at #1, I had no doubt on naming this my year-end #1 of 1997. The-artist-then-known-as-Puff-Daddy's moving tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G. stroke a cord worldwide (and gave Sting some good cash due to the "Every Breath You Take" sample and being the sole owner of the track's royalties). It was the biggest selling single of 1997 in the Netherlands.

 

In the 1997 edition of the annual fashion show in Rome in the stairs of Piazza de Spagna, this was the song used for the hommage to Gianni Versace.

 

 

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by N-S

57. "A cor azul" Delfins (2 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 1 Aug 1997

 

In hind sight, I kind of regret putting this at #1, and now I would let Puff Daddy have a four week reign on top instead. But at the time I really liked this song ("The Colour Blue") and the music video shot in Morocco enough to grant Delfins their second #1 of the year. The Spanish version of the song was the lead single of the band's Spanish-language album aimed at the Latin American market.

 

After two weeks on top, Puff Daddy overtook the lead again for another week.

 

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by N-S

58. "Dei-te quase tudo" Paulo Gonzo (3 weeks)

 

Reached #1: 22 Aug 1997

 

For the first time in chart, there were back-to-back Portuguese #1s in my chart. "Dei-te Quase Tudo" ("I gave you almost everything") was one of the new tracks on Paulo Gonzo's album of re-recording of the most popular tracks from his last two albums (like the one who hit #1 two months before).

 

In 2006, the song re-entered my chart due to its use as the main theme of a Portuguese soap opera, who actually was titled after this song.