What a snoozefest top 2.

23RD AUGUST

 

 

No competition this week as Boris Gardner makes his expected progression 2-1 with “I Want To Wake Up With You” on a strong sale of 109,378, that’s the seventh time this year that the No 1 tally has been in six figures. That brings total sales of the song to 245,684 as it reaches the top which ensures it is looking at a YE top 10 placing on current sales trend, the outgoing chart topper “The Lady In Red” retreats gracefully 1-2 (74,188) and has now sold 467,840 copies, and should be the fifth song this year to hit the half a million mark. The 16 years it has taken for Gardner to top the charts puts him in third place in the slowest chart toppers league behind Johnny Mathis and Stevie Wonder.

 

 

 

If you’re looking for the next No 1 then you could do worse than Lionel Richie who returns 18-7 (26,010) this week with the title single to his third album “Dancing On The Ceiling” which itself debuts at No 3 on the album charts. The single naturally comes with a rather expensive choreographed video with some eye catching visuals which has become standard for his uptempo releases and becomes his 7th top 10 single, no need to recall I’m sure that his last era produced 5 singles including the 6 week No 1 “Hello”. Watch this climb in the next few weeks.

 

 

 

You’ll doubtless recall Phil Fearon as the hitmaker behind “Dancing Tight” and “What Do I Do”, top 5 hits back in 83/84 but he’s been a bit quiet of late after his second album “This Kind Of Love” flopped last year along with two singles which failed to make the top 40, he’s turned to the production trio Stock Aitken & Waterman to produce his new single “I Can Prove It” which is a cover a No 21 1977 hit by Tony Etoria. He’s also made the move to a solo credit, you may remember he started out as Galaxy & Phil Fearon, then Phil Fearon & Galaxy, and he’s now Galaxy-less, though of course there never was a band in reality just backing singers and the man himself. The credit issue isn’t a big deal anyway as he proves he can go solo with this song moving 17-8 (25,602) for a 4th top 10 single.

 

 

Sinitta holds at No 3 but loses sales at 66,844, Anita Dobson is stuck at No 4 (52,496) but at least increases at retail, and Gwen Guthrie also holds at No 5 (41,106) better news for It Bites who are up 10-6 (29,291), but bad news for Stan Ridgway falls 6-9 (23,239) and Lulu who dips 8-10 (22,729) to round off the top 10.

 

1- I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU- Boris Gardner (109,378)

2- THE LADY IN RED- Chris De Burgh (74,188)

3- SO MACHO/ CRUISING- Sinitta (66,844)

4- ANYONE CAN FALL IN LOVE- Anita Dobson (52,496)

5- AIN’T NOTHING GOIN ON BUT THE RENT- Gwen Guthrie (41,106)

6- CALLING ALL THE HEROES- It Bites (29,291)

7- DANCING ON THE CEILING- Lionel Richie (26,010)

8- I CAN PROVE IT- Phil Fearon (25,602)

9- CAMOUFLAGE- Stan Ridgway (23,239)

10- SHOUT- Lulu (22,729)

 

Not a fan of 'Lady In Red' but 'A Spaceman Came Travelling' is such an underrated Christmas song!

 

'Dancing On The Ceiling' is great fun!

Lionel Richie with one of the few songs of his that I don't mind

Probably one of his final great hits!

30TH AUGUST

 

 

Boris Gardner shows no sign of giving up his throne at any point soon, “I Want To Wake Up With You” sold a still impressive 126,446 copies last week to take it’s haul to 372,130 and climbing quickly, that weekly total is the 3rd highest of 1986 and more than double that of the runner up, Sinitta’s “So Macho” which sold 51,085 (a fall of 22% week on week yet it results in a climb back 3-2).

 

 

 

Something of a sensation in their native Germany Modern Talking have released 6 singles over there and all of them have hit the top of the charts and given them stardom in most of Europe whilst being ignored wholesale in the UK where they failed to crack the top 50. However this summer they finally managed to reach the ears of the UK holiday makers and they’ve brought back memories of the song “Brother Louie” which made the top back in March in most countries, and now they crack the hardest European market with the song rising 12-4 (42,500).

 

 

 

 

Referring to the revolutionaries of the 1871 Paris Commune, The Communards most notable member is a certain Jimmy Somerville formerly of Bronski Beat who quit the band last year somewhat sensationally, and also contain Richard Coles with featured vocals of Sarah Jane Morris on their cover of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes “Don’t Leave Me This Way” though in truth their version owes more to the Thelma Houston interpretation. Their name is also an indication of their political beliefs as the group are taking part in “The Red Wedge” series of concerts and indeed the sleeve notes make it clear that this track is dedicated to the Greater London Council (GLC) which was abolished by the government earlier this year.

 

The group’s first two releases just scraped into the top 30 but it seems they just needed the right cover to propel them into the big sellers, the song of course wasn’t chosen randomly, it has become something of an anthem for the LGBT movement in the states in their fight against HIV/Aids and inequality which wouldn’t be lost on the openly gay Somerville. That aside it is currently filling dancefloors across the country and marches 28-5 (40,375) in just its second week, their debut self-titled album rises 30-18 in its fifth week on release.

 

 

 

Jermaine Stewart comes to us via Shalamar, Culture Club and Miami Vice, how? Well he was friends with both Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel who were both in Shalamar, though Stewart failed his audition he did tour with the band as a backing dancer and vocalist which led to a chance meeting with Mikey Craig of Culture Club who convinced Boy George to give Stewart backing vocals on his song “Miss Me Blind”, the connections to the two bands got Stewart a record deal and the use of his song “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off” on “Miami Vice” helped to send the song to No 5 in the US a few weeks ago. Here it flies 15-6 (40,290).

 

 

 

At roughly the same time that Jimmy Somerville left Bronski Beat, Peter Cetera left Chicago, he’d released a solo project back in 1982 to not much success but his proposed second sabbatical from the group was refused meaning that he left the group, his first solo single “The Glory Of Love” was allegedly recorded for “Rocky IV” but passed over in favour of Survivor’s “Burning Heart” but Universal held onto the track and have now used it on their new film “Karate Kid- Part II” which has turned into a summer blockbuster and helped the song to hit No 1 Stateside and now move 18-9 (32,215).

 

 

 

The Human League’s last album “Hysteria” produced three top 20 singles but none of them made the top 10 and the album itself failed to sell 200,000 copies making it a marked comedown on “Dare” and was popularly thought a bit of a squib. Well they’ve taken some time out and hooked up with Jam & Lewis (the makers of Janet Jackson’s “Control”) to come up with the song “Human” which is taken from fifth album “Crash” which is out next month, it climbs 19-10 (31,620) to become their first top 10er in three years and 7th overall, the band are now a quartet following the departure of Jo Callis last year (seems to have been the year for it) and Phil Wright this year along with their manager but it seems Jam & Lewis have saved the day.

 

 

Chris De Burgh continues his gentle decline 2-3 (46,189) as it crosses the half million mark, Anita Dobson slips 4-7 (35,649) and Gwen Guthrie dives 5-9 (32,215) next week sees the entrance of Frankie Goes To Hollywood so expect a very high new entry, even No 1?

 

 

1- I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU- Boris Gardner (126,446)

2- SO MACHO/ CRUISING- Sinitta (51,085)

3- THE LADY IN RED- Chris De Burgh (46,189)

4- BROTHER LOUIE- Modern Talking (42,500)

5- DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY- The Communards (40,375)

6- WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF- Jermaine Stewart (40,290)

7- ANYONE CAN FALL IN LOVE- Anita Dobson (35,649)

8- AIN’T NOTHING GOIN ON BUT THE RENT- Gwen Guthrie (35,292)

9- GLORY OF LOVE- Peter Cetera (32,215)

10- HUMAN- The Human League (31,620)

 

That Human League song is awful, easily their worst successful single.

 

Communards is good, although I don’t care for it as much as I used to. So that leaves Jermaine Stewart as my favourite this time I think

Same, kinda like the Jermaine Stewart song

 

Not the biggest fan of Jimmi Sommerville, hate his falsetto + he abused doing covers

'Brother Louie' is a good fun catchy track, Modern Talking were great sadly they only had this one hit in the UK.

 

'Don't Leave Me This Way' is a good upbeat track, I do like the vocal.

 

"We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off” is a good song.

 

'Human' is rather boring.

 

'I Want To Wake Up With You" and "Glory Of Love" are good but rather cheesy ballads.

Edited November 18, 20231 yr by TheSnake

I didn't realise 'So Macho' was quite that big or hung around so long :o

I didn't realise 'So Macho' was quite that big or hung around so long :o

 

Maybe the other track in the double A side 'Cruising' got some airplay too? I prefer that track as I stated before - less cheesy sounding!

at least the Uk only got Modern Talking once, in Europe they got so many hits, terrible terrible boring band

Human is one of my favourite HL tracks and loved the Communards one as well, classic TOTP performance!

 

Seems like 1986 was last ditch for the early decade bands!

at least the Uk only got Modern Talking once, in Europe they got so many hits, terrible terrible boring band

 

Excuse you!

 

'You're My Heart, You're My Soul' is an absolute belter!

not really into those 80s German pop music, also Sandra

Maria Magdalena was huge in Europe but luckily the UK was Sandra-free :D

Edited November 19, 20231 yr by Bjork

6TH SEPTEMBER

 

 

It might be starting to cool but Boris Gardiner holds the top spot for a third week as sales swell to 461,533 after a strong showing of 89,403 copies last week. The Communards charge 5-2 (62,594) and should pose more of a threat next week as that moves comes without TOTP unlike Jermaine Stewart who rises 6-3 (60,010) and almost caught up with “Don’t Leave Me This Way” at the death but the top 3 have clear blue water between themselves and the remainder of the charts.

 

 

 

Meaning of course that the arrival of Frankie Goes To Hollywood single didn’t cause the furore chart wise that the hype may have indicated. “Rage Hard” is a title lifted from the Dylan Thomas poem “Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night” and is a new entry at No 6 (42,568) this week after failing to keep the no 4 position they occupied for much of the week, and comes from the much heralded second album “Liverpool” which is released next month. Following the change in chart rules over the amount of formats that can be eligible towards a chart position (largely due to ZTT’s release strategy back in 1984 which started the trend) it will be interesting to see how “Rage Hard” can perform for the band, can it throw a spanner in the works for the Communards and Boris Gardiner next week?

 

 

 

Julien Temple, the director of “Absolute Beginners”, is in charge of the promo for Janet Jackson’s new single “When I Think Of You” which makes up for the disappointment of only making No 19 with her last single “Nasty” over the summer by leaping 15-10 (31,000) to register her second top 10 single. Her first hit album “Control” hasn’t done too well so far here unlike in the states, but this week ascends 28-17 to hit the top 20 for the first time some 22 weeks into its chart run, better late than never. The single is of course produced by Jam & Lewis as is Human League’s “Human” who also rises 10-8 (25,908).

 

 

Elsewhere Modern Talking fail to move at No 4 (49,776) surprisingly, and have Peter Cetera snapping at their heels as he climbs 9-5 (47,294) but falling out of favour is Sinitta who dives 2-7 (40,171) but then it has sold 392,435 copies to date with the half million mark the aim, and Chris De Burgh collapses 3-9 (28,135), it will sell it’s 550,000th copy this week making it the 4th biggest seller of the year and just 80,000 copies away from becoming the best seller of 1986!

 

1- I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU- Boris Gardiner (89,403)

2- DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY- The Communards (62,594)

3- WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF- Jermaine Stewart (60,010)

4- BROTHER LOUIE- Modern Talking (49,776)

5- GLORY OF LOVE- Peter Cetera (47,294)

6- RAGE HARD- Frankie Goes To Hollywood (42,568)

7- SO MACHO/ CRUISING- Sinitta (40,171)

8- HUMAN- The Human League (34,986)

9- THE LADY IN RED- Chris De Burgh (28,135)

10- WHEN I THINK OF YOU- Janet Jackson (25,908)

 

LOL at the vocal version of the EastEnders theme :lol:

I'm away with work for a few days so thread will continue on Wednesday

When I think of You <3 best thing in that top 10

 

must be frustrating for Jimmi Sommerville that in any of his chart enterprises (Bronski Beat, Communards, solo work) he only hits with covers and flops with originals :)

When I think of You <3 best thing in that top 10

 

must be frustrating for Jimmi Sommerville that in any of his chart enterprises (Bronski Beat, Communards, solo work) he only hits with covers and flops with originals :)

I wouldn't call top 20 hits a flop- he has enough of them in his various guises- 5 originals I think.