That Prince video with the WordArt style graphics is iconic.

21ST MAY

 

 

 

Wet Wet,Wet, Billy Bragg and Cara Tivey claim the UK’s 8th No 1 single of 1988 as “With A Little Help From My Friends/ She’s Leaving Home” powers 5-1 (88,587) proving just too strong for a still improving (sales wise at any rate) Fairground Attraction who despite dipping 1-2 (78,574) had a sales injection of 20% week on week but seems like our first 1 week chart topper since Madonna back in July. For Lennon/ McCartney it marks the tenth act to top the charts with versions of their hits and brings to 24 the total of No 1 tracks they have written. The last Scottish act to make No 1? Midge Ure way back in 1985. The single is not available on 12"- the first No 1 not available on the format since Ferry Aid last year.

 

 

 

Surprisingly beaten in the FA Cup Final at the weekend it’s doubtful how much further “Anfield Rap (Red Machine In Full Effect)” can climb but for now it becomes the highest peaking single in the history of Liverpool FC. Penned in part By Liverpool midfielder Craig Johnston along with rapper Derik B it vastly improves on the Club’s previous best “We Can Do It” in 1977, at this rate they should be on for at least a No 2 single in 1999, it rockets 13-3 (41,871) this week and it throws in a bit of “Twist and Shout” for good measure and, along with being named in “Loadsamoney” (which falls this week 4-6, 26,129), it marks a very good week for Lennon/ McCartney.

 

 

 

And one place below Liverpool FC is Kylie Minogue who herself jets in 15-4 (41,616) with her second single “Got To Be Certain” the follow up to the song that remains thus far the biggest seller of the year “I Should Be So Lucky”. Naturally it comes from the hands of S/A/W who originally gave this song to Mandy Smith to record but it seems to have ended up with Kylie, they are currently writing songs her debut album due in the summer sometime. The promo comes in three edits allegedly stemming from a difference in opinion between PWL and Mushroom records (Kylie's Australian Label) over which was best.

 

 

 

Better known now as a producer, Narada Michael Walden returns to being a popstar now with “Divine Emotions” which is his first hit in 8 years, in the interim he’s produced No 1 singles for Whitney Houston, George Michael & Aretha Franklin, and Starship so he’s been a busy man even if his solo work seems to have fallen by the wayside. “Divine Emotions” reminds us however that he can generate hits in his own name, it moves 16-8 (16,745) this week equalling his previous best "I Shoulda Loved Ya" back in 1980.

 

 

New Order fall back 3-5 (39,083) but sales still improved helped by the CD single which sold an unprecedented 8,000 copies last week, the highest weekly tally for any song on that format!, former chart topper S-Express dip 2-7 (25,058), Bananarama hit the skids 6-9 (16,320) and Danny Wilson are without a prayer 7-10 (15,283).

 

 

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

Billy Bragg & Cara Tivey (88,587)

2- PERFECT- Fairground Attraction (78,574)

3- ANFIELD RAP (RED MACHINE IN FULL EFFECT)- Liverpool FC (41,871)

4- GOT TO BE CERTAIN- Kylie Minogue (41,616)

5- BLUE MONDAY 88- New Order (39,083)

6- LOADSAMONEY (DOIN UP THE HOUSE)- Harry Enfield (26,129)

7- THEME FROM S EXPRESS- S Express (25,058)

8- DIVINE EMOTIONS- Narada (16,745)

9- I WANT YOU BACK- Bananarama (16,320)

10- MARY’S PRAYER- Danny Wilson (15,283)

 

Poor Kylie getting Mandy Smith rejects

One of Kylies weakest for me even though I bought it

I have such a soft spot for 'Got to Be Certain', I think it might actually be my favourite early (as in pre-Better The Devil) Kylie song. It's so cute.

 

Agreed however that Wet Wet Wet cover is truly abysmal. And then 16 years later we'd get the Sam & Mark version of it :arrr:

one tip top gem in Alphabet Street, Prince still in his peak years, and a couple of decent pop tracks from Narada, good to see him back getting hits of his own, and Kylie's follow-up which is OK, but not the best track on the album which I got to hear over and over and over and over as my sis-in-law played it to death.

 

And then there's the chaff: Wet Wet Wet's pedestrian cover of the Beatles way-better original, which in turn was not as great as the Joe Cocker histrionic ballad version. And there's Billy Bragg's mauling of the gorgeous She's Leaving Home. Bryan Ferry did a great B side version in 1977 and that was light years better than this pile of cack. The Beatles' is a heartbreaking classic. I never heard a Bragg record that couldnt potentially sound better sung and arranged by someone else. Lives locally these days in his Ivory Tower. My brother swapped a few online message with him about socialism back in the day.

 

Football records are invariably cack. That I could be a fan of anything Liverpool has no bearing on the Anfield C-rap being what it is, regardless. The Rubettes re-write was better than this. And then there's Harry Enfield and his extremely annoying Loadsamoney. Just no. Hated it. Hated the character. Harry is a talent and all round good egg, but I'll take his asides in Upstart Crow any day over this starring low point (if career-boosting) for him.

Love Got To Be Certain, peak nostalgia!

 

That Wets song is awful, 2 mediocre number 1s in a row.

I really like Got To Be Certain.

The video - especially with the jerky carousel horse - was quite cute. Really like where she's in the off-the-shoulder black dress. She looks great.

 

Never liked Perfect and still don't.

 

S-Express is good and obvs Blue Monday is brilliant.

 

 

The Narada song sounds a bit dated compared to the new house and new jack swing sounds.

 

The Kylie song is good.

1988 proving to be what it was when watching TOTP reruns over the last decade - a change over year as the new house sound that had been developing for 2 years becoming mainstream. Kinda like the 1979-82 era as other styles sounded old fashioned.

 

Soft spot for Liverpool rap as a lfc fan but pity they didn’t concentrate more on beating Wimbledon in the final as a double in 2/3 year would really have cemented the group as even bigger legends!

 

Don’t mind Harry as he was highlighting an important political point about the era even if it is annoying!

S’Express wasn’t as big as I remember it being, surprised it’s pretty much gone already.

 

Not a fan of this Kylie one, don’t think I liked it much as a kid either.

 

I’m also another that finds Perfect very irritating. Can’t really remember it from the time so I associate it with adverts and things

28TH MAY

 

 

With a little help from the UK Public sales of “With A Little Help From My Friends” explode at retail selling 107,083 copies, that’s an increase of 22% and only the second time in 1988 that the chart topper has recorded a six figure weekly figure- the first was Kylie Minogue back in February! And speaking of Kylie- that’s also bad news for her as she climbs 4-2 (58,276) to play a distant second fiddle to the wets. Fairground Attraction Continue a gentle decline, “Perfect” slipping 2-3 (40,885), their album “First Of A Million Kisses” arrives at No 7 this week which would also have helped Kylie to steal the runner up spot.

 

 

 

With more than a little help from Mike + The Mechanics “Silent Running” Belinda Carlisle racks up her third top 10 single of 1988 with “Circle In The Sand” moving north 12-6 (21,896) Thomas Dolby is back on Keyboard duty on the track. It’s a third cut from the “Heaven On Earth” album which returns to the top 10 this week for the first time in 4 months, she’s certainly emerged as one of the biggest stars of the year so far.

 

 

 

Talking of Dolby he’s back again producing on Prefab Sprout’s “King Of Rock N Roll” which has become by far their biggest single as it floats 14-7 (20,060). Lyrically the song concerns itself with a 50’s popstar who is only recalled for a novelty single (sung in the chorus) and is the second single to be lifted from the album “From Langley Park To Memphis”, first single “Cars and Girls” only made No 44 which didn’t stop the album crashing in at No 5 upon release in March, it rallies slightly 24-23 this week.

 

 

 

Producing their debut album one year before Prefab Sprout (1983) Aztec Camera have struggled with, at best, middling success chart wise thus far in their career so much be thankful for finally bagging themselves a top 10 single with “Somewhere In My Heart”. 1983’s “Oblivious” was their only prior top 20 single and again, like Prefab Sprout, this single is a second track from an album, and the first single (in this case “How Men Are”) stopped at No 25, their current single however expands 17-8 (17,510).

 

 

Liverpool FC surprisingly only fall 3-4 (28,662) perhaps softened by TOTP exposure whilst New Order hold at No 5 (24,885), at the bottom of the big 10 Narada falls 8-9 (17,017) and S-Express dip 7-10 (16,966) but have at least sold over 200,000 before they exit.

 

 

1- WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS/ SHE’S LEAVING HOME- Wet, wet, wet/ Billy Bragg & Cara Tivey (107,083)

2- GOT TO BE CERTAIN- Kylie Minogue (58,276)

3- PERFECT- Fairground Attraction (40,885)

4- ANFIELD RAP (RED MACHINE IN FULL EFFECT)- Liverpool FC (28,662)

5- BLUE MONDAY 88- New Order (24,548)

6- CIRCLE IN THE SAND- Belinda Carlisle (21,896)

7- THE KING OF ROCK N ROLL- Prefab Sprout (20,060)

8- SOMEWHERE IN MY HEART- Aztec Camera (17,510)

9- DIVINE EMOTIONS- Narada (17,017)

10- THEME FROM S EXPRESS- S Express (16,966)

 

Kylie completely robbed there <_<

 

'Circle in the Sand' is fab!

I like all three of the new ones this week. Belinda had a good run of singles from her her first couple of albums and this one is another decent effort.

 

The other two I associate with each other without realising they were out at the same time, both pretty catchy (and a bit MOR) tracks that are good to hear when they come on, but not often songs I'd seek out

Prefab Sprout's intro is iconic and was used in a Boots advert about 10 years ago. The rest of the song is more silly especially the chorus and a bit cheesy, not a big fan.

 

'Somewhere in my Heart' is one of the best pop songs of 1988, well there is one just as iconic later in the year. Both from the same country too!

 

 

 

 

Circle In The Sand is an excellent follow up for Belinda and by far my favourite song of hers :wub:

 

Somewhere In My Heart is wonderful from Aztec Camera. I also still listen to their album Love.

Circle In The Sand topped my charts and I bought it full-price, certainly of her 5 best singles in a surprisingly long list of great singles for belinda. Somewhere In My Heart is joyful and easily their best record of all-time, but Aztec Camera were always classy and likeable. As were Prefab Sprout, who peaked in the 90's for me, and it's quite annoying that the ironically best-remembered record (and biggest) is King Of Rock'n'Roll as I'd take any of their other singles over it anyday.

 

Kylie meanwhile might as well get used to peaking at number 2, she's going to rack up more of those than almost any other acts..... :teresa:

Haven't commented much since her #1, but 'Circle In The Sand' is very much a Belinda highlight too and one of my favourite songs to appear here since - others being 'Suedehead', 'Ship Of Fools', 'Theme From S-Express', 'Alphabet Street', 'Blue Monday 88' and 'The King Of Rock'n'Roll'.

love those 3 newbies

Circle in the Sand is fantastic,

3 absolutely amazing classics in a row for her

you can tell it's a Rick Nowels song, it almost sounds like Lana del Rey :)

 

Somewhere in my Heart is also amazing, their best single, super catchy but not in a Bros kinda way.

 

and Prefab Sprout were also a great band. That album was great and it's a travesty the lead single (Cars and Girls) flopped. I never understood that cos it was super catchy but at listen the followup give them a big big hit.

 

that top 2 is so bad though...

4TH JUNE

 

 

After last week’s flurry of sales perhaps predictably Wet Wet Wet/ Billy Bragg can’t maintain the pace, although the scale of the reverse, some 40%, might hint that the tenure of “With A Little Help From My Friends/ She’s Leaving Home” might not be that long. The song sold 64,923 last week to bring its haul to 258,804 after four weeks and is already the 5th biggest hit of 1988 but it’s a long way off “I Should Be So Lucky” which is really the only bit of good news for Kylie who is left high and dry at No 2 for a second week, her sales actually slightly down at 51,782, Fairground Attraction complete the top 3 but "Perfect" sold a miserly 26,809 which was enough to keep it slightly ahead of Wet wet wet on the ytd survey- just.

 

 

 

Husband and wife team Les Adams and Emma Freilich comprise 2/3rd of LA Mix who are the latest dance act to take sampling into the top 10. “Check This Out” is their second single and follows hot on the heels of “Don’t Stop (Jammin)” which fizzled out at No 47 at the end of last year but placed the group in trouble with an uncleared sample. Their new single shoots 13-6 (19,533) and comes with a promo featuring actress Claire King.

 

 

 

One of the hottest tipped new singers of 1988 is Mica Paris, a london based 19 year old who has been creating waves in the UK press over the last few months and justifies the hype with her debut single “My One Temptation”. The track rushes 17-8 (16,643) and previews her album “So Good” which should be out next month.

 

 

 

A fifth single from the million selling “Whitney” album, “Love Will Save The Day” is produced by Jellybean and sees Houston in dance mode in an attempt to pull off an eighth US No 1 single on the trot! In the UK her tally still stands at two currently with three of the five singles from the album reaching the top 10 here (“I Wanna Dance With Somebody #1, and “So Emotional” #5) and the other two releases peaking at No 14. The album incidentally celebrates its 1 year anniversary this week and is lodged at No 9, it’s never left the top 40 during that time selling 1.5 million copies thus far. The single meanwhile climbs 27-10 (15,657), her 6th top 10 single and ties in with her recent 13 date tour in Birmingham and Wembley and is commemorated by the 7" being available in a "Birmingham" and "Wembley" sleeve in a new twist on marketing!

 

 

Belinda Carlisle washes in 6-4 (22,865) but Aztec Camera are snapping at her heels 8-5 (21,267) and leave Prefab Sprout lingering at No 7 (18,666), New Order dip 5-9 (16,422) to conclude our round up.

 

 

1- WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS/ SHE’S LEAVING HOME- Wet, wet, wet/ Billy Bragg & Cara Tivey (64,923)

2- GOT TO BE CERTAIN- Kylie Minogue (51,782)

3- PERFECT- Fairground Attraction (26,809)

4- CIRCLE IN THE SAND- Belinda Carlisle (22,865)

5- SOMEWHERE IN MY HEART- Aztec Camera (21,267)

6- CHECK THIS OUT- LA Mix (19,533)

7- THE KING OF ROCK N ROLL- Prefab Sprout (18,666)

8- MY ONE TEMPTATION- Mica Paris (16,643)

9- BLUE MONDAY 88- New Order (16,422)

10- LOVE WILL SAVE THE DAY- Whitney Houston (15,657)

 

I quite like that Mica Paris track, nothing too amazing but a nice enough listen. I don't remember LA Mix at all but I've just taken a listen and can see why it made the top 10, all of these sample based tracks really stand out among the typical songs of the 80s. Whitney back with a reasonably decent track, always liked it since I heard it on her best of but don't think it needs to be as long as it is.