wasn't Man in the Mirror missing linked to not having a proper video unlike the videos for Bad or The Way you make me feel, which were like mini-movies?

 

I wouldn't call Father Figure a flop just cos it peaked at #11, was just a bit of bad luck

One More Try is one of GM's best ballads so a deserved top 10, his best ballad up to that moment for certain

wasn't Man in the Mirror missing linked to not having a proper video unlike the videos for Bad or The Way you make me feel, which were like mini-movies?

 

I wouldn't call Father Figure a flop just cos it peaked at #11, was just a bit of bad luck

One More Try is one of GM's best ballads so a deserved top 10, his best ballad up to that moment for certain

No video didn't stop "I just can't stop loving you" nor some of the "Thriller" singles going top 10.

 

I agree on "Father Figure" hardly being a flop, but certainly everything he has released since "Wake me up" in 1984 was top 3 so No 11 was a downturn only because he was so successful prior to that.

but I Just Can't Stop was the lead single, didn't need a video to be #1

Man in the Mirror was single #4, so I think not having a wow video did contribute to underperforming

but I Just Can't Stop was the lead single, didn't need a video to be #1

Man in the Mirror was single #4, so I think not having a wow video did contribute to underperforming

Oh doubtless it didn't help but it can't just be that. " wanna be startin' somethin" similarly has no video, but went top 10 after other singles with very famous videos ( " Billie Jean " and "Beat it")

My own theory for the underperforming ballad tracks in early 88 is the ballad-heavy christmas chart, there was Nat, Rick, Pogues, Alison Moyet, Simply Red, Wet Wet Wet and everyone just mentally went, "sigh, more upbeat stuff please its a new year!" and took their cue from Pet Shop Boys which stood out over christmas as a proper party track.

 

Love both Father Figure and One More Try, myself, and ditto Man In The Mirror, all (as the USA rated them) top-notch quality tracks. Mary's Prayer is decent enough, quite nice, pleasant and all that, but I wouldnt call it an essential track. As with so much of 1988's hits, it's leftover 1987 minor hits that get a second go in a less crowded market place. Climie Fisher is another, but that one was def one that flopped unfairly.

Shame 'Man in the Mirror' missed the top 20, I hope it'll get another chance to shine one day.

I would have guessed at Mary's Prayer being a couple of years earlier than 1988. Kind of forgot it existed though, so nice re-discovery today of that one.

 

I would say that A Different Corner was always George Micheal's best ballad. Take away Freedom 90 and it could have been considered his best ever song. But I think Father Figure seemed a little boring for me and One More Try ever more so.

Just listened to it with fresh ears and it's good, but it's far from his best in my opinion.

I looked at the chart run for Father Figure just now and it only made 4 weeks in the top 40 too - very weird! The album seems to have easily cleared 1 million so maybe people were just buying that instead.

I looked at the chart run for Father Figure just now and it only made 4 weeks in the top 40 too - very weird! The album seems to have easily cleared 1 million so maybe people were just buying that instead.

 

could be - as USA charts included radio play it was never a disadvantage being off an album like it might be in the UK. And if radio ignored you you were dead in the water, even if you'd just dropped River Deep Mountain High... B-)

7TH MAY

 

 

S Express pluck a relatively easy second week at the top and increase sales by only 6% into the bargain. They sold 61,183 which, though it’s obviously better than last week, may not be enough to grant them a third week.

 

 

 

That’s because of the record at No 2 which is in a hurry moving 12-2 (49,810) to put real pressure on S Express at the top, it comes from Fairground Attraction whose striking frontwoman Eddi Reader is already the focal point of the group. “Perfect” is taken from their debut album “First Of A Million Kisses” which is in shops in just 3 weeks and is already a favourite at radio.

 

 

 

Quincy Jones is the man behind the remix of New Order’s “Blue Monday” which sees a new entry at No 10 (20,621) this week. The song of course peaked at No 8 back in 1983 and has been in the top 500 best selling singles of every year since, in part due to being continually available in its 12” format, it’s now officially the biggest selling 12” of all time with total sales of almost 600,000 to date. It is released for the first time in 7” format last week and in CD single this week.

 

 

Fairground Attraction’s quick sprint to the top means that three records at stuck in the groove, Danny Wilson hold at No 3 (36,822) despite a 10% increase in sales, Hazell Dean declines at retail to 32,487, and even Bananarama decrease sales wise to 31,297 despite not moving. Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5 nudge 9-8 (22,712) but they’re, conversely, losing sales now, and Natalie Cole remains at No 6 (24,242) but heading out are Pet Shop Boys 2-7 (22,729) and George Michael 8-9 (22,644).

 

 

1- THEME FROM S EXPRESS- S Express (61,183)

2- PERFECT- Fairground Attraction (49,810)

3- MARY’S PRAYER- Danny Wilson (36,822)

4- WHO’S LEAVING WHO- Hazell Dean (32,487)

5- I WANT YOU BACK- Bananarama (31,297)

6- PINK CADILLAC- Natalie Cole (24,242)

7- HEART- Pet Shop Boys (22,729)

8- I WANT YOU BACK 88- Jackson 5 & Michael Jackson (22,712)

9- ONE MORE TRY- George Michael (22,644)

10- BLUE MONDAY 88- New Order (20,621)

 

I despise Perfect. Eurgh!

I'm always quite surprised 'Perfect' is from this time, it legitimately sounds so much older.

I'm not a fan of the song 'Perfect' either. I can understand though why the retro rootsy sound would have appealed to older buyers.

Oh I really like Perfect, it was great for a little folkish song to be such big hit among the SAW and pure pop domination.

I liked it much back then than now but it's a great song and the album was great too

Perfect was OK, it had its charm, but I got fed up with hearing it pretty quickly and I've never really got back to it, unlike the much-better follow-up. They are still around, I bought one of their new tracks last year, which was pretty decent. I would never have thought Quincy Jones would remix Blue Order, and TBH I preferred it at the time, it was punchier than the sprawling original - plus I could have bought it now on 7" - but I wanted the original version too, so I didn't. 12 inch singles and CD's were overpriced so I only ever bought them if forced to in 1987/8 (at full price, which was very rare) or I got them out of the bargain bins, which Blue Monday never fell into. I bought the 1995 CD remix as it had all the versions on it.

 

New Order records I have on 7": Ceremony, Temptation, Fine Time, Round & Round, Regret, and CD Nineteen63, Blue Monday 95, Crystal, all bargain bin except the last 2 which were full price. Not that many actually, though I have one album and True Faith on various artist collections.

Fairground Attraction reformed recently I think but they split up after their debut album initially

with Eddi Reader going solo. She had a couple little hits but nothing big

14TH MAY

 

 

It didn’t have, or indeed need, TOTP exposure this week for it’s been a “Perfect” week for Fairground Attraction who rise 2-1 (65,739) to give themselves the ideal start to their chart career. Praised almost universally their album is out in a fortnight and must be fancied to repeat the fate of the single. That means bad news for S Express who concede 1-2 (39,712) and has now sold 192,270 copies, not an amazing improvement on the previous No 1 from the Pet Shop Boys as sales at present are very much in the doldrums.

 

 

“Blue Monday” was already New Order’s biggest selling single by a country mile but this week it advances 10-3 (38,420) to also become their highest peaking track, congrats all around, it also sells its 600,000 copy to further the celebrations. Its rise this week was spurned on by the CD single being released- the first time on the format (much like the 7" last week)- but now they've run out of formats you have to wonder if it can go further? That format contributed some 8,000 copies to the total, more than any other single sold in a week in that format.

 

 

Onto those new hits and we start with comedian Harry Enfield who has been garnering press attention thanks to his stints on “Saturday Live” over the last year and now one of his most popular characters has made it onto Vinyl in the form of “Loadsamoney (Doin’ Up The House)”. The single has only be made available for a month and already springs 17-4 (26,027) there are no plans for an album apparently!

 

 

 

The Enfield track name check’s Lennon & McCartney who are also responsible for our highest new entry this week at No 5 (25,211) for Wet Wet, Wet, I say that but the single is officially a double A-Side we’ll deal with the AA side in a moment. The Wet’s last single “Temptation” narrowly missed the top 10 when it peaked at No 12 in March but their cover of “With A Little Help From My Friends” becomes their highest debuting which is no surprise as the song has good form having already been a UK chart topper for Joe Cocker in 1968. The AA side comes from Billy Bragg and Cara Tivey (who is a pianist currently working on Bragg’s new album) they cover “She’s Leaving Home” which is the first time the song has made it to a single, Bragg’s previous best was with “Between The Wars EP” which made No 15 three years ago. Both tracks are recorded in aid of Childline charity and available on the album “Sgt Pepper Knew My Father” which consists of covers of tracks available on the Classic Beatles album “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, an album that also features other big names like the Christians, and Hue & Cry, it debuts at No 59 this week and is a project co-ordinated by NME.

 

 

 

His album “Lovesexy” is in shops this week and lead single “Alphabet Street” becomes Prince’s 7th top 10 single as it flies 18-9 (16,490). The song was originally conceived as an acoustic song but the end version ends up considerably souped up including a rap from Cat Glover, it is also the first Prince single to be issued on CD trivia fans.

 

 

Bananarama fall back 5-6 (23,664), Danny Wilson collapse 3-7 (22,967), Hazell Dean slips 4-8 (18,190) and Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5 dip 8-10 (15,351- those sales the lowest needed for the top 10 since January 1987, and reflecting the bank holiday.

 

 

1- PERFECT- Fairground Attraction (65,739)

2- THEME FROM S EXPRESS- S Express (39,712)

3- BLUE MONDAY 88- New Order (38,420)

4- LOADSAMONEY (DOIN UP THE HOUSE)- Harry Enfield (26,027)

5- WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS/ SHE’S LEAVING HOME- Wet, wet, wet/

Billy Bragg & Cara Tivey (25,211)

6- I WANT YOU BACK- Bananarama (23,664)

7- MARY’S PRAYER- Danny Wilson (22,967)

8- WHO’S LEAVING WHO- Hazell Dean (18,190)

9- ALPHABET STREET- Prince (16,490)

10- I WANT YOU BACK 88- Jackson 5 & Michael Jackson (15,351)

 

Maybe I was a bit harsh on 'Perfect', it is quite charming with the video and Ms. Reader. The chorus has been overplayed in media/adverts though. Also I just prefer electronic music at this time.

Edited January 24Jan 24 by TheSnake

glad Perfect made it

 

I really liked the 4 singles from Wet Wet Wet's debut but this cover of the Beatles is abysmal

Edited January 25Jan 25 by Bjork

Spoilers!