I did not know that Jackie Wilson had a second big oldie hit after 'Reet Petite'!

 

A TOTP episode from July 1987 which was on BBC 4 over Xmas had him in the programme list so maybe it’s more than 2?

oh love Respectable such an 80s classic, I did buy it on 12" <3

Edited January 15, 20241 yr by Bjork

Respectable :wub:

21ST MARCH

 

 

Boy George makes it a fortnight at the top, “Everything I Own” was out in front from the off and strengthened its gip on No 1 with 86,173 sales in victory, he was however being pressed hard toward the end of the week by Mel & Kim whose “Respectable” charges 7-2 and sold 78,710 copies nabbing the runner up spot from Jackie Wilson’s “I Get The Sweetest Feeling” which ended with 67,830 sales. You’ll note that singles are selling particularly well at the moment which some have remarked as being down to the large number of cover versions/ re-issues/ film/TV tie in’s currently in the top 10 meaning that songs are already familiar at pre release, indeed 8 of the top 10 fall into such classification. Rounding off the top 5 are two non movers, Freddie Mercury at No 4 (56,899) and Mental As Anything at No 5 (38,624).

 

 

 

Alison Moyet will be releasing “Raindancing” her second album next month and the second single from it “Weak In The Presence Of Beauty” does the business for her becoming her 5th solo top 10 single from 6 releases. It’s a cover of a Floy Joy single from last year which fizzled out at No 85 but obviously caught the attention of Moyet who takes it new heights leaping 16-7 (28,764) this week.

 

 

 

With “Moonlighting” currently collecting millions of viewers on TV, Jazz star Al Jarreau now scores his first top 20 single with its theme. His previous best came in the form of “Mornin” in 1983 which made No 28 but he hitches a ride on the back of the TV show and moves 11-8 (25,942), it isn’t quite his biggest hit though as he was one of the acts on the USA for Africa chart topper “We Are The World”.

 

 

Ben E King drops 2-6 (36,584), Percy Sledge sips 6-9 (25,908) and The Jets land 8-10 (23,953) but all should be out in 7 day’s time.

 

 

1- EVERYTHING I OWN- Boy George (86,173)

2- RESPECTABLE- Mel & Kim (78,710)

3- I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING- Jackie Wilson (67,830)

4- THE GREAT PRETENDER- Freddie Mercury (56,899)

5- LIVE IT UP- Mental As Anything (38,624)

6- STAND BY ME- Ben E King (36,584)

7- WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY- Alison Moyet (28,764)

8- “MOONLIGHTING” THEME- Al Jarreau (25,942)

9- WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN- Percy Sledge (25,908)

10- CRUSH ON YOU- The Jets (23,953)

 

Another solid enough single from Alison Moyet there, not her absolute best but certainly nice enough.

two great ones in a row for Alison Moyet, didn't know Weak was a cover

would much have preferred Mel & Kim at #1 than Boy George

28TH MARCH

 

 

Boy George is dumped from the No 1 spot, if only for one week, with “Everything I Own”, the title sold 55,930 copies last week to take its monthly total to 249,662 as it slides 1-2. His involvement with Ferry Aid ensures that in all likelihood he’ll back there next week, and for one week at least Mel & Kim sit pretty at No 1 with “Respectable” lifting 2-1 on a sale of 83,776, it also provides Stock Aitken & Waterman with a second production chart topper coming two years after Dead Or Alive gave them their first.

 

 

 

Ferry Aid may have trouble next week if it’s thinking it will have smooth passage to the top, not only from Mel & Kim but also from this week’s highest new entry which arrives at No 4. U2 released their fifth album “The Joshua Tree” two weeks ago and effortlessly sped to the top of the charts on a sale of 235,000 copies, the biggest opening week of any album ever, it holds the top spot this week as lead single “With Or Without You” debuts at No 4 (40,120) and could be No 1 next week with only the success of the album holding it back. Lyrically it is apparently about Bono dealing with the conflicts of pop stardom with his family duties, in an event it’s the band’s third top 10 on the trot but is their highest ever debuting release.

 

 

 

Unknown when he was cast in “Moonlighting” Bruce Willis has quickly become a star on both sides of the Atlantic and capitalises on the success with his stab at being a popstar. Debut single “Respect Yourself” has already been a top 5 hit stateside and now it rises 11-7 (31,144) here, it’s a cover (Willis only co-writes one of the songs on his debut album) of a Staple Singers track from 1971 which did nothing here though peaked at No 12 in the US, shame that Al Jerreau dips to No 13 with the theme to “Moonlighting” so they just miss out having simultaneous top 10 hits, now where’s that Cybill Shepherd record?

 

 

 

Fifth release and third top 10 single from “Control” for Janet Jackson is up next. For all the success she’s had in the UK singles wise the album is still only a moderate hit never reaching higher than No 15 throughout 1986, it’s back this week climbing 44-25 as fifth single from it “Let’s Wait Awhile” shoots 31-9 (27,115) to become Jackson’s second highest peaking single to date in part due to the fact it is remixed from the album version. In the US it has already hit No 2 in the US where all five releases have gone top 5- an incredible feat.

 

 

 

Prince’s 9th album is out in a fortnight and the lead single is finally the track that restores him to the top 10 for the first time since “Kiss”, almost a year ago. “Sign O’ The Times” sees Prince deal with some of the big issues of the day lyrically and it’s also his sixth top 10 single moving 18-10 (22,066), rumours that it’s Prince in drag on the cover of the single are apparently false.

 

 

Jackie Wilson’s chances of getting a second posthumous No 1 are now slim as he holds at No 3 (42,517) and Freddie Mercury dips 4-5 (36,720) ahead of a still improving Alison Moyet 7-6 (32,844) and finally Mental As Anything drop 5-8 (27,506).

 

 

1- RESPECTABLE- Mel & Kim (83,776)

2- EVERYTHING I OWN- Boy George (55,930)

3- I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING- Jackie Wilson (42,517)

4- WITH OR WITHOUT YOU- U2 (40,120)

5- THE GREAT PRETENDER- Freddie Mercury (36,720)

6- WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY- Alison Moyet (32,844)

7- RESPECT YOURSELF- Bruce Willis (31,144)

8- LIVE IT UP- Mental As Anything (27,506)

9- LET’S WAIT AWHILE- Janet Jackson (27,115)

10- SIGN O THE TIMES- Prince (22,066)

 

MUCH better this week with a decent #1 and some great new ones from U2, Janet and Prince. Didn't realise that The Joshua Tree was already out when With Or Without You was released, that definitely must have damaged the latter's sales.

 

Oh and then there's Bruce Willis. :/

'With Or Without You' :heart: love that song so much. And with 'Sign O' The Times' that's two of my top 100 singles of the century (last time I did one of those) entering the Top 10 in the same week!

'With Or Without You' is good and 'Respectable' is a good #1. “Let’s Wait Awhile” is a nice ballad.

 

Don't remember hearing that Prince song before - its an interesting song lyrically. The Bruce Willis song is quite good.

Edited January 16, 20241 yr by TheSnake

Did U2 just become HUGELY popular due to Live Aid or did they build so much since 1980? Obviously the strength of the lead single was immense but it was a post album release?

 

 

U2 were on of the main beneficiaries from Live Aid- Wiki says "On 13 July 1985, the group performed at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium for Ethiopian famine relief, before a crowd of 72,000 fans and a worldwide television audience of 1.5 billion people. During a 12-minute performance of "Bad", Bono climbed down from the stage to embrace and dance with a female fan he had picked out of the crowd, showing a television audience the personal connection that he could make with fans. The performance was regarded as a pivotal event in the band's career; The Guardian cited Live Aid as the moment that made stars of U2, and it included their performance on a list of 50 key events in rock history"

They also performed Bloody Sunday which was class!

Some absolute classics in that top 10!

4TH APRIL

 

 

Becoming the 7th instant No 1 of the decade, Ferry Aid duly brushed all aside this week to sell an impressive 165,529 (a new record for the year) in support of the Zeebrugge disaster of March 6th. Featuring a plethora of stars of varying quality it includes Boy George, Kate Bush, Paul McCartney, and Mel & Kim (who in effect replace themselves at No 1- a feat not done since John Lennon in 1981), contrast that with Linda Lusardi, Su Pollard, Ruth Madoc and The Nolans and it’s not quite so stellar, however it’s all for a good cause. Organised and instigated by The Sun newspaper and produced by Stock Aitken & Waterman who, like Mel & Kim, replace themselves at the top, the original version famously “only” peaked at No 2 behind Lee Marvin’s “Wanderin’ Star” but here it finally gives Lennon/ McCartney a 23rd song writing credit on a UK No 1 single. The five “non” Beatles recordings that made No 1 come from Billy J Kramer & The Dakota’s,“Bad To Me” Peter & Gordon’s “World Without Love” Marmalade's "obla di obla da" The Overlanders "Michelle" and Joe Cocker's "With a little help from my friends" in case you wondered.

 

 

 

The arrival of Ferry Aid puts Madonna’s new single entry at No 5 look less impressive than it is. It’s her 5th single from “True Blue” and already her 5th top 5 single from it, her 14th overall which as you might know now puts her equal with Madness in terms of top 10 hits in the 80s. The “True Blue” album spent its first 32 weeks in the top 10 en-route to becoming the biggest selling album of last year, it’s since slipped but revives this week 17-16. The song was offered (as an instrumental composed by Bruce Gaitsch) to Michael Jackson for his forthcoming album but was rejected at which point Madonna picked it up and co-wrote the lyrics, it enters with a sale of 38,709. With her first world tour about to be announced including in the UK there appears no let up in the Madonna domination.

 

 

 

Original a No 18 hit in 1972 for composer Bill Withers, “Lean On Me” has become a radio staple over the years and has returned to the top 10 in cover versions for Mud (No 7, 1976) and now US act Club Nouveau. Their version, just like Withers’, topped the US chart, indeed it falls 1-2 there this week, and darts 24-7 (33,626) here to equal the highest position the song ever attained. The group were formed by Jay King who is the man behind Timex Social Club and one of the leading exponents of “New Jack Swing” a new form of music mixing soul/ pop/ R N B.

 

 

Janet Jackson has an outstanding week with “Let’s Wait Awhile” forging 10-3 (63,308) and “Control” also reaches a new peak of No 14, in doing so it shoots past U2 who, after their high new entry last week, can only hold at No 4 (59,007). Boy George falls 2-6 (35,717), Alison Moyet dips 6-8 (32,436), Jackie Wilson hurtles 3-9 (34,000) and Freddie Mercury gets a dose of real life 4-10 (28,968).

 

Mel and Kim dip 1-2 but sell 107,848 in the process, a 30% increase week on week and, outside Christmas, the highest sale for the runner up position since Madonna's "True Blue" last October. It moves them into the top 10 YTD’s as it becomes the 5th song to sell 300,000 copies this year, here’s how the first quarter of 1987 shaped up:

 

1.STAND BY ME- Ben E King 482,766

2. I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME- George Michael & Aretha Franklin 410,975

3. RESPECTABLE- Mel & Kim 329,052

4. DOWN TO EARTH- Curiosity Killed The Cat 312,035

5. HEARTACHE- Pepsi & Shirlie 304,878

6. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN- Percy Sledge 299,557

7. EVERYTHING I OWN- Boy George 285,379

8. JACK YOUR BODY- Steve “Silk” Hurley 258,298

9. I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING- Jackie Wilson 250,631

10. LIVE IT UP- Mental As Anything 249,237

 

This week's top 10

 

1- LET IT BE- Ferry Aid (165,529)

2- RESPECTABLE- Mel & Kim (107,848)

3- LET’S WAIT AWHILE (REMIX)- Janet Jackson (63,308)

4- WITH OR WITHOUT YOU- U2 (59,007)

5- LA ISLA BONITA- Madonna (38,709)

6- EVERYTHING I OWN- Boy George (35,717)

7- LEAN ON ME- Club Nouveau (33,626)

8- WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY- Alison Moyet (32,436)

9- I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING- Jackie Wilson (29,631)

10- THE GREAT PRETENDER- Freddie Mercury (28,968)

 

Hate all these silly charity hits after Band Aid all just jumping on the band wagon! ‘Respectable’ showing it deserved a second week with that increase!

incredible top 5, #2, #3, #4, #5 all classics

I was absolutely in love with Let's wait a while back in the day and even bought the Control album cos of that, one of my fav ballads of the 80s and definitely Janet's best sogn ever <3

 

Of course With or Without You was fantastic, U2 at their best, if they had released before the album it would have been a massive #1 single

 

La Isla Bonita is of course increidible <3 also Madonna at her best. I also bought this on both on 7" and 12", think it was a remixed version, right? Love how an instrumental version of it was offered to Jacko :D

 

I also love the Lean on Me one, was a great track back then, haven't heard it since though...

I didn't know that the original 'Let It Be' didn't get to #1.

 

'La Isla Bonita' is such a great upbeat holiday song.

 

I used to get Club Nouveau confused with Classix Nouveaux! Good version of 'Lean On Me', yes definitely the 'new jack swing' era was on the way!

Edited January 17, 20241 yr by TheSnake

2, 4 and 5 are all very much top tier.

11TH APRIL

 

 

To no-one’s surprise Ferry Aid holds the top spot but perhaps more surprisingly it starts to lose sales immediately selling 106,199 in its last frame and 271,728 copies in a fortnight, the 8th biggest single of the year in just 14 days- still not bad going. Mel & Kim play bridesmaids for a second week yet they too are in decline selling 66,164 copies. Madonna climbs 5-3 selling 62,288 copies and could yet make No 1 if both singles above it continue to decrease at their current rate.

 

 

 

Former Boxer and US soldier Terence Trent D’arby sees himself made into a popstar with his very first release “If You Let Me Stay”. Born Terence Trent Howard the 25 yr old has been fortunate in being heaped with praise for his single and is busy producing his debut album due in the summer, the single moves 15-7 (21,301) this week.

 

 

 

With St Patrick’s day just passed “The Irish Rover” seems to have captured our imagination, an Irish folk song dating back to sometime in the early part of this century, it’s never been a hit single until now. The Pogues and The Dubliners have teamed up together to produce their version and it’s turned into a top 10 single. For the Pogues it far outpaces their previous best, that being last year’s “Poguetry In Motion ep” (No 29), but the Dubliners have been as high as No 7 albeit 20 years ago when “Seven Drunken Nights” made the grade. Their collaboration moves 21—8 (19,652) this week to extend those drinking celebrations a little longer.

 

 

 

Another cover version joins the top 10 in the form of the new Fine Young Cannibals single “Ever Fallen In Love” a cover of the No 12 hit for the Buzzcocks in 1978, it’s taken from the film “Something Wild” which got its UK release last week. The group appear in the film as the resident nightclub band and it seems that the group are more interested in being film stars as they will collectively or separately be in more films this year including “Tin Men” and “Sammy and Rosie get laid” which are in various stages of completion, which has all in all put a hold on the recording of a second album. This single is therefore a film tie in and a stand alone single it would appear which has already outpeaked the original as it moves 17-10 (19,601).

 

 

Club Nouveau rise 7-6 (41,939) but they are the only act to rise within the top 10 apart from Madonna, Janet Jackson and U2 dip a spot to make way for the material girl selling 59,313 and 43,588 respectively, and Alison Moyet falls 8-9 (19,652) as her second solo album “Raindancing” finally gets its release this week.

 

 

 

1- LET IT BE- Ferry Aid (106,199)

2- RESPECTABLE- Mel & Kim (66,164)

3- LA ISLA BONITA- Madonna (62,288)

4- LET’S WAIT AWHILE- Janet Jackson (59,313)

5- WITH OR WITHOUT YOU- U2 (43,588)

6- LEAN ON ME- Club Nouveau (41,939)

7- IF YOU LET ME STAY- Terence Trent D’Arby (21,301)

8- IRISH ROVER- The Pogues & The Dubliners (19,856)

9- WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY- Alison Moyet (19,652)

10- EVER FALLEN IN LOVE- Fine Young Cannibals (19,601)