February 3, 20232 yr Robbie has always been a complex character and his songs much less one dimensional than Gary's. Edited February 3, 20232 yr by Colm
February 3, 20232 yr Author Great to see so much love for the Robbie and Shakespears Sister tracks :wub:
February 3, 20232 yr Author 225 | The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You A quintessential 90s record up next in the form of the theme to Friends. This could arguably be the most 90s record of the entire decade, it's not just a commercial radio staple but it soundtracked the biggest comedy show of the decade. I liked it first time around when it made #2 for me but the re-release went one better and topped my chart before a juggernaut took over a week later (more on that far later in the thread). Another commercial radio staple was new at #2 for me in the form of Eternal and Bebe, this was the official number one this week and I think it's a great bubbly and fun record, easily the best Eternal produced. The stats: Date: 18 May 1997 Weeks: One 1990s chart rank: 166 2020s plays rank: 238 Biggest song it kept from #1: Eternal feat. Bebe Winans - I Wanna Be The Only One (#2 w/c 18 May 1997) Biggest fave now that I didn't love at the time: Basement Jaxx - Flylife q-9kPks0IfE
February 3, 20232 yr Such a great song, not one I listen to that much these days because Friends is so ubiquitous that it's quite likely the song I've heard most in my life combined with its mass airplay!?! It fit Friends so well, a perfect choice of theme, and the hand claps are iconic. The Eternal song, meanwhile, was my No.1 song of 1997! Easily the best they produced, and better than what most pop bands of the time produced, such an uplifting, joyous track.
February 3, 20232 yr #late but Push was sent by Addy here's what I know and like since my last comment 236 | Meat Loaf - I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) 235 | Chicane - Offshore [great track though not quite my fave of 90s Chicane - I hope Saltwater is yet to feature here!] 234 | The Verve - Lucky Man 232 | Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee) [it's an iconic dance hit even if it was always considered novelty, I don't suppose you enjoy the Guetta version half as much though] 231 | The Fugees - Killing Me Softly 229 | The Fugees - Ready Or Not 226 | Robbie Williams - No Regrets 225 | The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You
February 4, 20232 yr The Rembrandts track is a joyful positive track (but it's impossible to get away from, it's on every day somewhere!) and it's the handclaps I still like best too. It's not fresh for me over the last few years as I was hearing it several times a day as Friends made mum happy. I'd still rather hear it than any Eternal record though, sorry! These days the offkey bits would be autotuned, mind you, so at least you got what you got in the 90s. Bebe's bits were fine though.
February 10, 20232 yr Author 224 | Spin Doctors - Two Princes This is a great and fun rock record that I'd completely forgotten was a #1 for me until I started doing this. Yeah it was a bit of a slow time in the charts for me, 1993 had moments where I wasn't quite sure if I was all in for the new indie acts coming out or still opting for the out and out pop/euro dance acts but in this instance the indie won out. This reminds me a lot of a fun indie period where the likes of this and Lenny Kravitz brought out and out fun rock romps into the top 40, something that kinda got a little lost over the following years of brit pop. To this day I have no idea whether they ever released another song, this is certainly the only song I know by them but it's a cracker. The stats: Date: 06 June 1993 Weeks: One 1990s chart rank: 220 2020s plays rank: 182 Biggest song it kept from #1: UB40 - I Can't Help (Falling In Love With You) (#2 w/c 06 June 1993) Biggest fave now that I didn't love at the time: Jamiroquai - Blow Your Mind wsdy_rct6uo
February 10, 20232 yr Author 223 | Dario G - Sunchyme Next up we have one of the biggest dance hits from Autumn 1997 in the form of Sunchyme. Dario G was very unlucky to come up against the Elton John single that commemorated the death of Princess Diana or he would have had a UK #1 single to his name. I seem to recall from one of Gazza's amazing chart forum topics that this was one of the largest differences between a UK #1 and #2 ever recorded because of how huge the Elton tribute was at the time... but still, Sunchyme remains a great dance track that really stood out amongst the other dance tracks from 1997. Of course it shouldn't be forgotten that a lot of that was due to the sample of 'Life in a Northern Town' which absolutely forms the backbone of the track but I still would argue that it was an inspired sample as the original is nothing like a dance song. In terms of my chart, this kept the Verve from topping my chart with the exquisite The Drugs Don't Work. Arguably these days I prefer this track but I do think both songs are excellent. Daft Punk feature as my most underrated song with the final single from their excellent Homework album. Burnin' couldn't match the heights of the likes of Da Funk or Around the World but it's still a great and funky dance track that typified why their debut album was so amazing. The stats: Date: 28 September 1997 Weeks: One 1990s chart rank: 200 2020s plays rank: 199 Biggest song it kept from #1: The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work (#2 w/c 28 September 1997) Biggest fave now that I didn't love at the time: Daft Punk - Burnin' yFKhgF_vkgs
February 12, 20232 yr Author 222 | M People - One Night In Heaven Next up is one the biggest acts of the mid 90s in the UK, M People. This probably remains my favourite single of theirs to this day and it was the only time they made #1 for me. I'd enjoyed How Can I Love You More but it was this release that took advantage of a quieter period on my chart to climb to #1 after a few weeks. Whenever this song gets mentioned I always feel obliged to point out that the intro to it will always make me think of Stoppit and Tidy Up, a kids cartoon from the 90s. Elegant Slumming wasn't a bad album actually, it was a decent mid way point between their early house music songs and the slight MoR stuff that came later in the decade. It also stems from a period before Heather Small's vocals became a subject for mass parody. Michael Jackson bagged another top 3 hit for me from his Dangerous album. Will You Be There is a beautiful track and one that is quite unique in his catalogue, the choir elements are beautiful and this one falls on the right side of everything that Heal the World didn't manage to. My choice for the second category is the Motiv8 track that would go on to become a BJSC hit. I only really knew it from 1994 when it featured as part of a compilation I bought, it did make my chart then but nowhere near as highly as it would have done had it have been a singles success also. The stats: Date: 11 July 1993 Weeks: One 1990s chart rank: 173 2020s plays rank: 226 Biggest song it kept from #1: (#3 w/c July 1993) Biggest fave now that I didn't love at the time: 6YLZTDQeEEw
February 12, 20232 yr Author 221 | Sneaker Pimps - 6 Underground I remember buying this on a punt on a Monday afternoon in my local record shop as it was only 99p - I was pleasantly surprised when I got home to discover that it was similar in style to the likes of Portishead(ish) and ended up playing it enough over the week that it knocked a song off #1 from one of my favourite acts of the era... the song remains a staple on my trip hop playlist and as such has amassed a fair amount of plays. The song was re-released the following year and made the top 10 when Sneaker Pimps were at the height of their popularity - a popularity that I'm not sure actually reached particularly high levels though tbh! They did have one other big hit in clubland in the form of Spin Spin Sugar, in particular in the form of a remix by Armand Van Helden who was becoming quite the name for turning anything into a club hit. Back to 6 Underground and I still think it's got a cool vibe to it, I particularly love the chorus which just really flows in such a smooth and subtly tuneful way. Stalling at #3 after a few weeks climbing was Donna Lewis with her Cyndi Lauper-esque biggest single. I grew to really like the track but it was more of a slow burning hit than the type of track that was a #1 for me. I still think it's a lovely little ballad, perfect for commercial radio in the 90s. The stats: Date: 13 October 1996 Weeks: One 1990s chart rank: 249 2020s plays rank: 149 Biggest song it kept from #1: (#3 w/c 13 October 1996) Biggest fave now that I didn't love at the time: 2eBZqmL8ehg
February 12, 20232 yr Author 220 | R.E.M. - At My Most Beautiful This was the second and final #1 for R.E.M. in the 90s for me. They could have had many more really as they had so many great songs that came close but they will be a band that features more often in the nearly made it section than in the actual list. This was lifted from their album 'Up' and was instantly my favourite thing on the album, it felt like a spiritual sibling to their earlier and equally excellent Nightswimming single. R.E.M. didn't often go to pianos but when they did they rarely missed, this was simply a gorgeous track full of emotion and swirling strings and it still has such a timeless feel to it. Plus I think the line "I've found a way to make you smile" is one of the most lovely lines in any song, especially in the way Michael Stipe delivers it - his tone suggests both warmth and a true connection that can only be found in the smallest of things. As corny as it sounds, this really is him at his most beautiful. The stats: Date: 14 March 1999 Weeks: One 1990s chart rank: 250 2020s plays rank: 147 Biggest song it kept from #1: (#5 w/c 14 March 1999) Biggest fave now that I didn't love at the time: N/A UIXs66BPooY
February 12, 20232 yr 'Two Princes' is fab as is 'Sunchyme' of course. I like 'One Night In Heaven' but I prefer others of theirs. '6 Underground' is sounding good too, listening to it now.
February 13, 20232 yr Two Princes not a huge fave of mine these days, it got overplayed and I was never that fussed about it. Sunchyme is great fun (but Dream Academy is total classic), and in both cases I prefer your runner-up tracks :) I went to see M people in the 90's fun night out, but they never topped my charts - always good though. And again I'd opt for your runner-Up, love Will You Be There. Sneaker Pimps is one of my all-time faves, love it. It had 2 runs atop my charts in the 90's. Expect to see it slightly higher in my all-time 950 than 221 - but not much more :lol: I don't recall that REM track much, but it apparently got as high as 22 and had a 9 week run in my charts, and easily the biggest track off that album - so I agree with your assessment there without knowing I agreed! :D
February 13, 20232 yr Loving Sunchyme and Two Princes, and One Night In Heaven is also my favourite M People single. Rockin' For Myself is great, I did discover that via BJSC, shame it wasn't a bigger hit in the 90s. I can't remember the REM song but it sounds lovely, Nightswimming is so beautiful too like you say.
February 13, 20232 yr Rockin' For Myself got to #18 on a 1994 re-release. 6 Underground and At My Most Beautiful are both great - I hadn't thought of the latter as a sibling to Nightswimming, but I can see that.
February 13, 20232 yr Author Ahhhhh so that's maybe why I found it on a 1994 compilation then - makes much more sense! Thanks guys for the comments, much appreciated. Especially good to see the REM and Sneaker Pimps tracks getting some love :wub:
February 13, 20232 yr 6 Underground attracted me for the Goldfinger incidental music sample initially, then the trip hoppy vibe. Great album too!
February 13, 20232 yr Author 219 | Blondie - Maria Moving a mere one month earlier we land at the comeback single from Blondie. At the time I didn't love Blondie anywhere near as much as I do now, this was really my primary introduction to them aside from being aware that Call Me was from American Gigolo. This was a fantastic return to form, not many acts return over 20 years since they started out with a UK #1 that is genuinely as great as any of their previous ones. Debbie Harry really is one of the coolest people to ever perform in music, she just oozes class and edgy style - a perfect front woman for any band. This doesn't deserve to be so low down at all but alas it is hampered slightly by the fast turnover of songs from 1999, my chart much like the official one tended to have songs peaking high in week one and then falling away. Neil Hannon makes another appearance at #3 this week, holding steady from its new entry position the week before as I was happy to see him finally get a top 10 single in the form of National Express. It wasn't my favourite single of his at the time but I have warmed to it more as the years have gone by, it definitely does have a catchy melody. The stats: Date: 07 February 1999 Weeks: One 1990s chart rank: 228 2020s plays rank: 168 Biggest song it kept from #1: The Divine Comedy - National Express (#3 w/c 07 February 1999) Biggest fave now that I didn't love at the time: N/A VoOG7LEyUJ0
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