June 21, 20169 yr Author Just trying to predict the last few...one of them's fairly obvious but I've no idea about the very end of the year. Late 1999 was absolutely crammed with dance classics, some of them not reaching their peak until January 2000 once all the Christmas songs were out. But if the last #1 of 1999 is what I hope it is then HOLY HELL that's one heck of an end. Bassomatic meets System F? We'll have to wait and see!
June 21, 20169 yr Wamdue Project - King Of My Castle http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm82/TheMagicPosition86/rsz_141387201b8b1uwon_zpstlg691mg.png Date 21st November 1999 2 Weeks Official Chart Run 1-2-3-6-14-16-13-17-23-33-46-58-47-49-70-74 (16 weeks) *Positions in red are the weeks when the track would be number 1 if just dance music was chart eligible. The origins of “King Of My Castle” stem back to 1997, when it became one of a succession of EPs and tracks put out by American producer Chris Brann as part of his solo Wamdue Project alias. Previously Chris had started making house music back in 1995 as a member of the Wamdue Kids, but adopted the moniker after going solo the year after. Originally a fairly downtempo dance track influenced with elements of funk and soul mixed in amongst the deep house bassline, it was released in June 1998 but failed to impress, making a lowly #121 after selling just 350 copies. Later that year Italian DJ and producer Mauro Ferrucci (aka Roy Malone) remixed the track by tightening up the beat into a defined percussive thump. He then brought in a more defined warped synth, kept the funky guitar lick and took the repetitive vocal from Brann’s original - which was recorded by fellow Atlantean Gaelle Addiso - through heavy filtering and to the fore, all combining to give the track a more commercial edge - in spite of its minimalist production. It worked well and subsequently became a hit all over Europe during the spring and summer of 1999. It seemed a good time to try a UK re-release with the new Roy Malone’s King Mix - and after improving on its original position by 60 places to make #61 on import sales alone, it was no surprise when the following week it stormed to #1 on full release with sales of 148K. Addiso recorded the vocals whilst studying as a business management student at Clark Atlanta University, and the main refrain ‘Must be the reason why I’m king of my castle’ pertains to Sigmund Freud’s theory of the unconscious mind - a fact reinforced by the music video which uses clips from 1995 anime film Ghost in the Shell which addresses self-identity in a technologically advanced world. Famously Wamdue Project were nominated as ‘Best British Newcomer’ at the 2000 BRIT awards, and red-faced executives had to quickly retract this nomination when they realised Brann was American. A follow-up (also remixed by Roy Malone) “You're The Reason” charted at 39 the following April, but after that brief reappearance he disappeared from the charts for good. OwdlqquJDK4 Edited June 21, 20169 yr by Doctor Blind
June 21, 20169 yr Author Another song with some lyrics that are difficult to work out. Must be the reason why I'm free in my trestle
June 21, 20169 yr Never liked that song, found the vocal annoying...I bet it stops Back In My Life from appearing here too :(
June 21, 20169 yr Author I've just noticed that the Top 8 from 12 Dec 1999 contains 7 dance songs. That has to be a record. Without cheating - would anyone like to have a guess at some of them? Edited June 21, 20169 yr by Colm
June 21, 20169 yr I've just noticed that the Top 8 from 12 Dec 1999 contains 7 dance songs. That has to be a record. Without cheating - would anyone like to have a guess at some of them? I think I have all of them. I won't post them, but I have just noticed something interesting about one of them, namely that its title is the same as that of the (non-charting) debut single from the artist whose 1986 #1 hit is sampled on this hit. Interesting trivia about King Of My Castle - I believe it broke the record for longest top 40 hit title that contained no letter more than once. Up Rocking Beats by Bomfunk MC's equalled the record the following year.
June 21, 20169 yr Author I think I have all of them. I won't post them, but I have just noticed something interesting about one of them, namely that its title is the same as that of the (non-charting) debut single from the artist whose 1986 #1 hit is sampled on this hit. Interesting trivia about King Of My Castle - I believe it broke the record for longest top 40 hit title that contained no letter more than once. Up Rocking Beats by Bomfunk MC's equalled the record the following year. You could post them under spoiler tags relieving you of the guilt of spoiling things :D
June 21, 20169 yr Wamdue Proect - King of My Castle Artful Dodger - Rewind Alice Deejay - Back In My Life Mario Piu - Communication William Orbit - Barber's Adagio for Strings There was also that song Everybody that sampled Papa Don't Preach, but I can't remember who it was by, or if it would have been in that chart. Not sure beyond that...I think it was a week or two early for one of the Xmas week dance releases. That's very unusual though because dance is usually not something that features at the top of the charts much near Xmas...in any year as far as I can recall. Edited June 21, 20169 yr by gooddelta
June 21, 20169 yr Author Dec 1997 had no dance in the Top 20 at all. Dec 1993 have very little also. Mario Pui was actually at 12 that week falling from 5 the week before. The rest are correct.
June 21, 20169 yr Hmm. Not sure what the other two are then from memory! Even in recent years it seems relatively rare, I remember Sigala's Sweet Lovin' rather sticking out to me in the December charts last year, whereas in June it would sound quite perfect. I guess dance is generally more of a 'summery' genre.
June 21, 20169 yr Author Yep - it's deffo a summer genre, especially late Summer. Oh - I misslabeled Len - Steal My Sunshine as dance. There's only 6 in the Top 7. I really don't know why :( Edited June 21, 20169 yr by Colm
June 21, 20169 yr Oh actually, I just remembered another. One of the more forgettable hits from an act that appeared earlier. No idea what the 7th one is.
June 21, 20169 yr Never realised King Of My Castle's music video was from Ghost In The Shell! - that one's on my list to watch soon-ish, spurred on by the Westernised live-action remake. Pretty amazing song, it's sort of addictive.
June 22, 20169 yr Oh actually, I just remembered another. One of the more forgettable hits from an act that appeared earlier. No idea what the 7th one is. Vengaboys? And the other one I think Cuban Boys with however you're meant to spell that song title
June 22, 20169 yr Cognoscenti vs Intelligentsia I actually really liked that song - I wonder if it claimed the last number one of the decade? Was going to mention the lyric about trestle tables in Wamdue Project. I always thought it a strange reference, but one which kinda went along with Gala's fixation with trampolenes a couple of years earlier. Speaking of Gala - did anyone hear the Northern Ireland fans last night? How long did they keep that up for?
June 22, 20169 yr I actually really liked that song - I wonder if it claimed the last number one of the decade? I think it might be, I seem to remember the only songs above it were Westlife, Cliff Richard and John Lennon?
June 22, 20169 yr I think it might be, I seem to remember the only songs above it were Westlife, Cliff Richard and John Lennon? yep, although Artful Dodger would overtake it to reclaim the dance #1 before the end of the decade
June 22, 20169 yr Author I've popped a few links into the inboxes of most of the contributors to this thread as a thank you for your input. Edited June 22, 20169 yr by Colm
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