The Boyzone song wasn't any better, at least it was an original but for me that was their worst single.

 

Didn't realise before last night that Sonique did the vocal on the original Disco's Revenge as I've never watched the video before.

That was Sonique?!

Ah ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ what a song, peak 1990s, peak Oasis and what a stellar sale 250,000 despite the album selling buckloads!

 

Did mainstream radio not support songs like Gusto? Not even R1?

Peaked at No 65 on the airplay charts :o

That was Sonique?!

Must admit that passed me by (although in 1996 it wouldn't have been a remarkable thing I suppose).

That was Sonique?!

 

Had a google just to be sure and there are various sources confirming it including this one from BBC:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/clubbing/sto...n_sonique.shtml

 

I’m surprised I didn’t hear this fact back in 2000! I really don’t remember anyone ever mentioning it.

Well, you learn something new every day!

also I didn't know Falling into You was a Belinda reject

always thought it was a weird lead single for Celine when she had Because you loved me or It's coming back...

Fell down a bit of a Sonique rabbit hole after this and ended up listening to the chart where it first debuted at No.24 in late 1998:

 

https://www.mixcloud.com/Graftoi/radio-1-uk...odier-excerpts/

 

A different version to the 2000 single mix which I never realised before. I can actually see why it didn't catch on as much - generally I'm a firm believer of more strings make everything better, but they feel a bit overkill in this version and the removal of them in the hit version makes it a less frantic and more radio friendly listen. You can hear the potential in it but I'd never have imagined it would be a big hit from hearing it in the chart that one time (which I would have done, as I listened weekly by this point).

 

It's always mad to me that a fleeting one week chart hit can go on to become a huge No.1 and one of the biggest sellers of the year 18 months later. But promotion and airplay counts.

Oh I didn't know that either, always imagined it was the same version of the song just re-released

agree this 98 version is a bit too much and the 00 version is much better, something less is better

 

what about I Put a Spell on You? Was the 98 version different too?

 

I also just remembered Sonique used to be in S'Xpress but guess later not when they hit #1 in 88

Edited June 2, 20241 yr by Bjork

Oh I didn't know that either, always imagined it was the same version of the song just re-released

agree this 98 version is a bit too much and the 00 version is much better, something less is better

 

what about I Put a Spell on You? Was the 98 version different too?

 

I also just remembered Sonique used to be in S'Xpress but guess later not when they hit #1 in 88

 

I think it sounds the same as the hit 2000 version:

 

https://www.mixcloud.com/duffymp/bbc-radio-...40-7-june-1998/

 

Starts at 23:34.

16TH MARCH

 

 

The fab four have done it again! Take That I mean……”How Deep Is Your Love” grabs a second week at No 1 though it loses 53% sales week on week to register 120,000 sales last week. It’s the group’s 20th week at No 1 a tally not matched by any other act in the decade.

 

 

 

The other fab four are of course the Beatles, since the “Anthology” series was first muted speculation abounded about whether the group could break the tie with Elvis for most No 1’s ever, “Free As A Bird” lost its midweek chart topping status and made No 2 back in December but “Real Love” was never in with a shout as it arrives at No 4 (53,000). The song dates back to 1975 in original form but morphed into the current version at some point in 1979, it remained relatively unknown until it featured in “Imagine: John Lennon” documentary in 1988 and has now been reworked by the remaining members into the current version. It will feature on the forthcoming “Anthology 2” due in a fortnight, it’s their 27th top 10 single, a record for a group, all that despite Radio 1 passing on the single which has proved slightly controversial.

 

 

 

Mark Morrison finally makes his breakthrough in the UK charts which has threatened ever since his debut hit “Crazy” made No 19 last Spring. Follow up “Let’s Get Down” petered out at No 39 but now his third release “Return Of The Mack” provides his biggest hit yet by crashing in at No 6 (34,000). The song samples both Chuckii Booker’s “Games” and Tom Tom Club’s “Genius Of Love” which was last in the charts thanks to its use in Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” and the female vocal parts come from Angie Browm who was in the top 10 back in 1992 with Bizarre Inc.

 

 

 

Hard to Believe that Bon Jovi only scored one top 10 single between 1985 and 1991 but since 1992 they’ve now scored ten top tenners, a pretty incredible turn around. Their current album “These Days” has delivered up four of them on the trot with the title track now turned into a hit as it rises 12-7 (31,000) proving that some singles can still peak outside of their debut!

 

 

If you’re waiting around for a song to topple Take That then Robert Miles may be your best option, “Children” fades gently by 15% to 75,000 and swaps places with Oasis who drop 2-3 (72,000). Get Decor fall 6-8 (30,000) and Supergrass topple 5-10 (21,000) but Technohead hold at No 9 (22,000) and are proving to be the most consistent sellers in the top 10 as it’s now the longest lasting track in the upper tier this week.

 

 

1- HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE- Take That (120,000)

2- CHILDREN- Robert Miles (75,000)

3- DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER- Oasis (72,000)

4- REAL LOVE- The Beatles (53,000)

5- COMING HOME NOW- Boyzone (40,000)

6- RETURN OF THE MACK- Mark Morrison (34,000)

7- THESE DAYS- Bon Jovi (31,000)

8- PASSION- Gat Decor (30,000)

9- I WANNA BE A HAPPY- Technohead (22,000)

10- GOING OUT- Supergrass (21,000)

 

23RD MARCH

 

 

The public mourning for Take That continues as “How Deep Is Your Love” makes it three weeks at the top though sales are off again by 25% to just 90,000 bringing its three week haul to 467,000 making it their second biggest seller already! Indeed the whole top 3 are static but once again it is Robert Miles’ “Children” which impresses the most by holding at No 2 on a near identical (though increased) sale to last week of 75,000, with total sales of 377,000 the song is already in the realm of what an average No 1 would sell in total- it could very well be No 1 next week though it was a midweek No 1 again last week, the second time it achieved this feat. Oasis remain No 3 (58,000) but they are knocked off the top of the album charts by Celine Dion.

 

 

 

Highest new entry of the week comes from Scots indie group Garbage who have been getting progressively bigger with each single previously peaking at No’s 50, 29 & 13. Fourth release from their eponymous debut is “Stupid Girl” which borrows its baseline from the Clash’s “Train In Vain” and is new at No 4 (49,000), the group are currently on a UK tour which has helped with promo, the album is back in the top 30 and is currently being promoted heavily.

 

 

 

Gabrielle’s “Dreams” set chart records back in 1993 when it entered the charts at No 2 as the highest debut ever by a new act, we’ve come a long way since then but “Dreams” remains the last song to debut at No 2 then make the top. Her new single, and first from a new album, has yo-yo’d in the charts 15-14-15-12 before this week but with strong radio support it now thrusts upwards to No 5 (37,000).

 

 

 

Britpop comes up trump again this time by rewarding Shed Seven with a top 10 single. Their first album “Change Giver” gave up three top 40 singles but they have returned far stronger with their second era, first release “Getting Better” stormed to No 14 and now “Going For Gold” makes No 8 (26,000)- the album “A Maximum High” is just 3 weeks away and will be supported by a UK tour in April/ May.

 

 

 

Said by some to be a prime example of hype over substance Menswe@r were born in a media bubble, reviewed ecstatically by NME in 1994 it led to a bidding war between labels and a TOTP appearance before they even had a hit. Since then success has been…mediocre with two top 20 singles from four releases but a fifth track from their debut album “Nuisance” finally makes the wait worthwhile and “Being Brave” sneaks in at No 10 (24,000).

 

 

Mark Morrison holds at No 6 (36,000) but bad news for Boyzone who tumble 5-7 (29,000) and The Beatles reverse 4-9 (26,000).

 

 

1- HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE- Take That (90,000)

2- CHILDREN- Robert Miles (75,000)

3- DON’T LOOK BACK IN ANGER- Oasis (58,000)

4- STUPID GIRL- Garbage (49,000)

5- GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE TIME- Gabrielle (37,000)

6- RETURN OF THE MACK- Mark Morrison (36,000)

7- COMING HOME NOW- Boyzone (29,000)

8- GOING FOR GOLD- Shed Seven (26,000)

9- REAL LOVE- The Beatles (26,000)

10- BEING BRAVE- Menswear (24,000)

 

Here's an interesting stat for you- over the period Apr 95- Mar 96 Oasis have 7 weeks at 100k plus and Take That 1 less BUT Take That have had 10 weeks at No 1 whilst Oasis have had just 2.

Fantastic start with 'Return of The Mack'.

Going For Gold and Being Brave both fantastic slices of Britpop :wub:

 

I also love that Gabrielle track - one of her best.

It's always mad to me that a fleeting one week chart hit can go on to become a huge No.1 and one of the biggest sellers of the year 18 months later. But promotion and airplay counts.

 

Similar story with Madison Avenue, right?

Also, Stupid Girl :wub:

Here's an interesting stat for you- over the period Apr 95- Mar 96 Oasis have 7 weeks at 100k plus and Take That 1 less BUT Take That have had 10 weeks at No 1 whilst Oasis have had just 2.

That is indeed interesting. Given 100K is a pretty constant indicator of a big sales week, it would be interesting to see who has the most by the end of the decade (of course only if this isn't a huge undertaking)

As an aside, anyone know why TOTP didn’t say or show the title of Children in their top 10 rundowns?

That Gabrielle track is so retro sounding production-wise - the 60s or 70s soul sound. Really nice song.

 

That Garbage song and its brooding sound! I remember liking it when I was younger.

Edited June 7, 20241 yr by TheSnake

That Gabrielle track was quite the unexpected hit. It felt like she was on her way towards obscurity by this point so to suddenly jump into the top 10 was very unexpected. It holds up pretty well too, definitely one of her best hits.

 

 

Garbage though :wub: Their debut album, and follow up, was so good