At least this is the last we heardfrom Robson & jerome 😀

They were a bit Milli Vanilli werent they? Not sureif it was proved but i do recall some claims someone else was singing

Interesting that Robson and Jerome weren't on TOTP 'live'. The must've known the gig was up!

 

Also, the best best new one by miles (pardon the pun) is One and One.

One and One is a really nice track and perfect for a late autumn/early winter dance hit.

 

The Gina G 'I Belong To You' song chorus melody really reminds me of Rockers Revenge's version of 'The Harder they Come'

. The song is good but not as good as Ooh Aah...Just A Little Bit.

Edited November 25, 2024Nov 25 by TheSnake

At least this is the last we heardfrom Robson & jerome 😀

They were a bit Milli Vanilli werent they? Not sureif it was proved but i do recall some claims someone else was singing

In their defence (slightly) they were reluctant popstars it seems. Simon Cowell offered them ridiculous amounts of money to continue and they turned him down because they were aware that the whole project was seen as naff.

My favourites since last commenting are: 'Setting Sun' (clearly influenced by 'Tomorrow Never Knows' so of course I was going to love it), 'No Diggity' (a classic even if I still get flashbacks to James Corden's 'Shout For England' existing...), 'Say You'll Be There' (a step up from 'Wannabe' for me and iconic video) and of course... 'Insomnia' :wub: :wub:

 

Robson & Jerome :puke2: the first TOTP repeat this week was a bit of a dud but the second episode was immediately off to a better start with 'One & One'

23RD NOVEMBER

 

 

Becoming the fourth act to grab multiple chart toppers in 1996 The Prodigy move straight into the penthouse spot this week with “Breathe”. It caps off what has been an incredible year for the band who looked a spent force in terms of their chart trajectory, they’re hard at it recording a new album but it will feature a couple of chart topping singles now which can’t be bad. It opens with a sale of 195,000, far more than the 119,000 that “Firestarter” managed to interest which will give them heart.

 

 

Robson & Jerome have a bittersweet week, they lose the top spot falling 1-3 (77,000) but arrive at No 1 on the album charts with “Take Two”, it means that the succession of chart topping acts on the singles chart has now replicated itself on the album charts with Boyzone giving way to the Spice Girls who were replaced by Robson & Jerome.

That sequence is unlikely to be extended as the Prodigy have only just started work on their next album.

 

 

Also slipping past R & J is Warren G featuring Adina Howard, they’ve done a cover of Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It” (No 3, 1984) which features in the new film “Supercop” featuring Jackie Chan. Warren G has stripped out the verses and replaced with his trademark rapping and seen him rewarded with a No 2 entry (92,000)- at a stroke it becomes the biggest hit for both acts and even beats Turner’s original version!

 

 

 

Surely one of the acts of the year are Kula Shaker who are onto their 4th single of the year and “Govinda” doesn’t disappointment becoming their third top 10 single in the space of just 6 months. It enters at No 7 (40,000) and is the first UK top 10 single to be sung entirely in Sanskrit.

 

 

 

It’s been a good week for Garbage, they won “Best Newcomer” at the MTV Europe awards and performed the single “Milk” to celebrate. The single now duly enters at No 10 (30,000) to become their second top tier hit, the main mix features trip hop artist Tricky who lends his backing vocals to the version as well.

 

 

Toni Braxton is on the rebound pushing up 5-4 (53,000) managing to hold off the Woolpackers 7-5 (51,000) and Robert Miles Featuring Maria Naylor who hold a No 6 (50,000). Two former favourites fade badly, East 17 Featuring Gabrielle bomb 3-8 (40,000) and The Spice Girls hurtle 2-9 (36,000).

 

Next week we’ll see how Mark Owen can perform outside Take That and will the Fugees get a third chart topper?

 

1- BREATHE- The Prodigy (195,000)

2- WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT- Warren G Ft Adina Howard (92,000)

3- WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED/ SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES// YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE- Robson & Jerome (77,000)

4- UN-BREAK MY HEART- Toni Braxton (53,000)

5- HILLBILLY ROCK. HILLBILLY ROLL- The Woolpackers (51,000)

6- ONE & ONE- Robert Miles Ft Maria Naylor (50,000)

7- GOVINDA- Kula Shaker (40,000)

8- IF YOU EVER- East 17 Ft Gabrielle (40,000)

9- SAY YOU’LL BE THERE- The Spice Girls (36,000)

10- MILK- Garbage Ft Tricky (30,000)

 

30TH NOVEMBER

 

 

A quieter week than most this week as the big guns hold back in preparation for the Christmas push (we’ll look at the runners and riders later on) but that’s good news for The Prodigy who scored an easy victory in the end on 95,000.

 

 

 

Mounting an early challenge to them however was the new Fugees single who have dared to cover a Bob Marely track, namely Marely’s 1975 single “No Woman, No Cry” which made no 22 that year but No 8 on re-issue in 1981 after the singer’s death. A remix of the single features Stephen Marley (Bob Marley’s son) and is on the new “Bootleg Versions” CD which out next week but their studio album “The Score” lifts 13-9 this week. Meanwhile the single is new at No 2 (78,000) and could become their third No 1 next week.

 

 

 

More was expected in some quarters from the first solo Mark Owen single which might have been expected to debut higher but as it is “Child” is new at No 3 (62,000). Three former members of the band have now had solo top 3 hits but Owen will be the first to release an album, his “Green Man” album is out in a few weeks whilst Barlow and Williams are still in the studio.

 

 

 

More Simon Climie penned glory for Louise comes in at No 9 (37,000). “One Kiss From Heaven” features a promo littered with celebrities including members of Eternal, Boyzone, Eastenders stars Martine McCutheon and Sean McGuire and of course boyfriend Jamie Redknapp. Her seemingly permanent presence in lads mags clearly isn’t doing her harm.

 

 

Warren G Featuring Adina Howard slip 2-4 (56,000) and Toni Braxton continues to yo-yo around the top 5 having moved 4-5-5-4-5 so far selling 51,000 last week. Also showing sticking power are Robert Miles & Maria Naylor hold No 6 (50,000) for a third week selling virtually the same amount in each week!

 

The Woolpackers face closing time 5-7 (44,000) and Robson & Jerome pay the price for having the album No 1 as the single plummets 3-8 (39,000) and clinging in there at No 10 are East 17 Featuring Gabrielle who slip 2 (35,000). With Christmas just a month away let’s have a look at those potential contenders for the most important No 1 spot of the year!

 

2 BECOME 1- The Spice Girls

 

According to the bookies there is no competition this year with Girlpower streamrolling the festive top spot- who’s to stop them?

 

KNOCKIN ON HEAVEN’S DOOR- THROW THESE GUNS AWAY- Dunblane

 

Well charity may play a part in denying the girls top billing and there’s no better a cause than the Dunblane charity appeal.

 

A DIFFERENT BEAT- Boyzone

 

Hottest boyband of the moment Boyzone may have a say in the top spot- the 232,000 opening of “Words” was impressive- can they replicate?

 

I FEEL YOU- Peter Andre

 

Another act with form is Peter Andre. His last two singles sold a combined total of over a million and this winter chiller could just do it.

 

DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA- Madonna

 

She’s not the chart force she once was but surely the most famous song from “Evita” is worth a bet at the festive top spot?

 

SILENT NGHT- Robson & Jerome

 

Going for their Fourth chart topper in a row- don’t discount the power of this duo who continue to defy the critics with chart toppers.

 

YOUR CHRISTMAS WISH- The Smurfs

 

Or how about some Smurfs action? Few would have predicted they would be back in the charts but with a lack of anything specifically Christmas and high profile maybe this can sneak in?

 

 

1- BREATHE- The Prodigy (95,000)

2- NO WOMAN NO CRY- The Fugees (78,000)

3- CHILD- Mark Owen (62,000)

4- WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT- Warren G Ft Adina Howard (56,000)

5- UN-BREAK MY HEART- Toni Braxton (51,000)

6- ONE & ONE- Robert Miles Ft Maria Naylor (50,000)

7- HILLBILLY ROCK, HILLBILLY ROLL- The Woolpackers (44,000)

8- WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN HEARTED/ SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES/ YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE- Robson & Jerome (39,000)

9- ONE KISS FROM HEAVEN- Louise (37,000)

10- IF YOU EVER- East 17 Ft Gabrielle (35,000)

 

oh Breathe nearly doing 200K!!!! The rest of newbies pale in comparison.

 

did Robson & Jerome release Silent Night that xmas? I cannot recall that at all...

funny how the 3 Take That guys released all such mediocre debut singles, were they on a hurry or something? cos the quaiity control was zero. Two of the most bland ballads ever plus a useless over of GM's Freedom. Who greenlighted those!!

 

that fall 2-9 for Say you'll be there was unexpected!

Great top 10 book-ends in that first chart, 'Breathe' and 'Milk' were the clear highlights of the TOTP 1996 repeats for me this week :wub:

 

The swap at the top from that Robson and Jerome triple A-side to The Prodigy is one of the biggest #1 quality increases I can remember from one week to another, great sales there too.

 

I knew the Dunblane related single was released in 1996, but didn't realise the gap between the tragedy and 'Knockin On Heaven's Door' coming out was as long as 9 months until these threads.

oh yes Milk is all kinds of amazing and great it went top 10, not easy for the album 4th single

Great longevity for 'Unbreak My Heart' and 'One and One'.

 

Expecting the Dunblane single to sell a lot first week especially.

 

Joining in the love for Breathe and Milk, both are superb and the latter had some decent mixes too. Music for the Jilted Generation did a lot for the Prodigy, it was accepted as being a really credible album that moved beyond just ‘novelty’ rave - I know that Voodoo People and Poison may on the face of it seemed like worse performing songs but, among my age group at least, they were getting alt leaning fans to listen to the album. I wasn’t at all surprised when they came back this big

 

 

I quite like the Fugees cover too, although obviously the original is better.

funnily Lauryn hill of the Fugees ended up marrying one of Bob Marley's sons

 

personally I was very surprised with The Prodigy, both in terms of their popularity but also the quality of their music. These 2 singles were a huge huge leap forward. I did like the previous era and bought the album but don't think I had them as capable of something as huge as Breathe.

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2024Dec 1 by Bjork

Forgot to mention Breathe - superb song. So dark, throbbing menace and brooding.

Never really enjoyed Breathe. If it was by another band, I probably wouldn't listen to it twice. It's clearly well made and original.

'Breathe' is an absolute masterpiece for me :wub:

Next episode skipped tonight due to Gary Glitter.

And the one two after that too because apparently host Shaun Ryder was impersonating Savile all the way through.

 

So tonight we get 13th December 1996 and then straight onto the Christmas episode.

That's a shame, some good new entries in that second week especially. It does mean we're spared a non-#1 on the first week plus a similarly named song at #3 that we could have lived without.

Edited December 6, 2024Dec 6 by jimwatts