Yeh Brother Beyond we’re beyond terrible but the hunt for a quality boy and had already started by this stage but would t suceed until 1991 with East 17/Take That!

 

Love All About Eve and the iconic TOTP incident and Tinata is decent too!

It's the fourth UK house #1 but as you say it's different to the others because its more of a conventional song in terms of structure.

 

Locomotion is good enough!

 

Interesting how different the big dance song of the following summer would sound compared to it though. Black Box sounds as fresh today as it did in 1989 whereas as good as Yazz is it does sound of it’s time in a way!

I once met the singer in Brother Beyond and he is an absolute knob.

🤣 why?

That Brother Beyond song I actually really like; its is a lot like the Style Council albeit with a cheesier vocal style! 60s/70 soul revival

Edited February 8Feb 8 by TheSnake

The Harder I Try is bad SAW

3RD SEPTEMBER

 

 

It’s now sold 470,560 copies in total as it easily hauls in a fifth week at the top despite a further 23% slump in sales to 67,864 copies, yes “The Only Way Is Up” is still the UK’s No 1 as it equals the longest run at the top for 1988, an honour it shares with “I Should Be So Lucky” by Kylie Minogue who she has of course held off the top spot for the last 4 weeks. “The Loco-Motion” finally gives up its valiant effort and slides 2-3 (40,392) to make way for another S/A/W creation, Brother Beyond’s “The Harder I Try” which nudges 3-2 (53,686) and could pose a serious threat to Yazz in 7 days time but wwon't have TOTP to support it. “The Only Way Is Up” moves up into the top 3 on the YTD chart as it tries to catch….you guessed it, “I Should Be So Lucky” but realistically it should overtake that track ultimately. Incidentally Kylie's track becomes the first song to enter at No 2 and spend as long as a month there and not reach No 1 since Wham!'s "Last Christmas", with its peak established it has replicated the position of Little Eva's version, one of only four records to hit the runner up spot in two different versions (the others being "Black Is Black", "When I Fall In Love" and "Hole In My Shoe").

 

 

 

Taking 6 months to follow up “Beat Dis” has allowed Bomb The Bass to get the song right and their second single, double A Side, “Megablast/ Don’t Make Me Wait” explodes 20-6 (28,271) to prove the wait was worth the while. “Megablast” takes its bass from the John Carpenter film “Assault On Precinct 13” though it’s the other side which is getting the more exposure and radio play and features vocals from Lorraine from the band The Cool notes.

 

 

 

Husband and Wife duo Womack & Womack first came to our attention on the 1984 hit “Love Wars” (No 14) but since then they’ve always fallen short of the top 20, Cecil was previously married to Mary Wells (of “My Guy” fame) until 1977 before he married Linda in the same year, she is the daughter of soul legend Sam Cooke, so there’s a rich source of talent they pull on. The couple are now on their fourth album and the lead single “Teardrops” becomes their biggest hit as it floats 18-7 (27,268).

 

 

 

 

The last time Phil Collins released a cover version it ended up going to No 1, that was “You Can’t Hurry Love” in 1982, he’s now back with a cover of the Diane & Annita song “A Groovy Kind Of Love” which the Mindbenders took to No 2 in 1966, it becomes his highest debuting track of his long career including all Genesis releases as it arrives with a splash at No 9 (23,426). It comes from the new film “Buster” which stars Collins’ in the main role with Julie Walters which is in cinemas in a fortnight, the track was not the first choice of a single for Collins- the original plan was to record a version of "The First Cut Is The Deepest".

 

 

Breathe hold at No 4 (38,675) but are still increasing in terms of weekly sales, they hold off Julio & Stevie who climb 6-5 (33,745) but it’s all over for BVSMP 5-8 (23,953) and Fairground Attraction 7-10 (20,808).

 

 

1- THE ONLY WAY IS UP- Yazz & The Plastic Population (67,864)

2- THE HARDER I TRY- Brother Beyond (53,686)

3- THE LOCO-MOTION- Kylie Minogue (40,392)

4- HANDS TO HEAVEN- Breathe (38,675)

5- MY LOVE- Julio Iglesias & Stevie Wonder (33,745)

6- MEGABLAST/ DON’T MAKE ME WAIT- Bomb The Bass (28,271)

7- TEARDROPS- Womack & Womack (27,268)

8- I NEED YOU- BVSMP (23,953)

9- A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE- Phil Collins (23,426)

10- FIND MY LOVE- Fairground Attraction (20,808)

 

'Teardrops' is a great addition to the top 10 this week :wub: I was unaware that one of the members of Womack & Womack is Sam Cooke's daughter!

Teardrops is such a classic gem <3

I also have a soft spot with A Groovy kind of love and know all the chords and word from memory :D

Teardrops :wub: :wub:

I really like 'Dont Make Me Wait', its a full song done in the house style (the multiple sample based form of house was becoming a bit tired imo by this stage I think), and in parts vocally sounds like a precursor to 90s eurodance like Whigfield.

 

'Teardrops' by Womack and Womack is good too.

 

Phil Collins' version of 'A Groovy Kind of Love' is definitely sounding very 'shopping centre background music'!

Edited February 9Feb 9 by TheSnake

‘Teardrops’ what an absolute classic, one of the best singles of 1988!

 

Saw the TOTP performance on bbc 2 last night as they did a kinda of Valentine’s Day night ‘at the bbc’!

I totally thought 'Teardrops' was a lot earlier than 1988!

 

I love the Lovestation version of it that'll come in 10 years time.

I remember discovering a sort of progressive house version of 'Teardrops' from 2007-8 that might have charted top 100 but I can't find it any more :(

Edited February 10Feb 10 by TheSnake

Teardrops is a classic, Womack & Womack were always classy and Love Wars was equally fab. Some of their lesser hits and flops were also good, and yes, Brother of Bobby, daughter of Sam Cooke. The Harder I Try is decent SAW for me, I like the melody, most of their best records were referring back to 60's Motown/Soul. Breathe was typical US radio fodder of the time, I think I picked it up in the bargain bin before it became a hit in the UK, I quite liked it for a while. Bomb The Bass I don't recall ever hearing the Megablast side, but the other side I liked. A Groovy Kind Of Love was a sensitive cover of a very nostalgic beloved mid-60's hit for me, The Mindbenders still takes me back to the time and place of being 8 years old. I still rate Phil's version, the song is (my fave phrase) bullet-proof.

10TH SEPTEMBER

 

 

A real topsy-turvy week in the charts this week which saw Brother Beyond lead at the midweek point with a firm if not spectacular lead over Yazz. However the boys were only act of the midweek top 3 not to feature on TOTP and ultimately it cost them the No 1, "The Only Way Is Up" staged a slight rally but it wasn't enough to overtake the "Harder I Try" the two tracks coming in with sales of 53,907 and 49,827 respectively, and for Yazz it means she crosses the 500,000 mark to celebrate and is a little more than 100,000 behind Kylie in the YTD charts. Instead Phil Collins sees his second cover version become his third No 1 today as “A Groovy Kind Of Love” takes full advantage of the slump in sales for Yazz to storm 9-1 (57,681) whilst doubling its own sales and nipping into pole position at the last minute. The soundtrack is out in a fortnight which may detract some sales from the single but it’s another triumph for Collins who goes from strength to strength.

 

 

 

Scoring 27 top 40 hits between 1963- 1974 The Hollies were one of the biggest acts of the 60s, 17 of those were top 10 singles but only one track “I’m Alive” went all the way to the top. One of those singles was “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” which peaked at No 3 in 1969 and now sees a re-issue thanks to the song’s use in the current advert for Miller lite Beer, it also features Mr Elton John on Piano to boot, and rockets 28-5 (46,138) which along with the Isley Brothers sample in the Brother Beyond single, and Phil Collins, gives a heavy 60s feel to the current top 5. A competing version of the track by Bill Medley rests at No 25, that comes courtesy of its inclusion in the film “Rambo III”.

 

 

 

The only prior acts to make the top 10 from Switzerland were Sweet People in 1981 and Double back in 1986 when “Captain Of Your Heart” peaked at No 8, they’re joined now by Yello who rise 14-8 (34,238) with “The Race”. They are duo Dieter Meier and Boris Blank who have slogging away for 9 years with only one track 1983’s “I Love You” their biggest hit peaking at No 41.

 

 

Womack & Womack lift 7-4 (47,838) leaving Bomb The Bass stranded at No 6 (36,958), Julio Iglesias & Stevie Wonder fall back 5-7 (35,360), Kylie dives 3-9 (30,940) and Breathe drop 4-10 (29,869) and in doing so set the highest sale for the anchor position since 21st November last year! Finally next week sees the release of a new Bros record- straight in at No 1?

 

 

1- A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE- Phil Collins (57,681)

2- THE HARDER I TRY- Brother Beyond (53,907)

3- THE ONLY WAY IS UP- Yazz & The Plastic Population (49,827)

4- TEARDROPS- Womack & Womack (47,838)

5- HE AIN’T HEAVY, HE’S MY BROTHER- The Hollies (46,838)

6- MEGABLAST/ DON’T MAKE ME WAIT- Bomb The Bass (36,958)

7- MY LOVE- Julio Iglesias & Stevie Wonder (35,360)

8- THE RACE- Yello (34,238)

9- THE LOCO-MOTION- Kylie Minogue (30,940)

10- HANDS TO HEAVEN- Breathe (29,869)

 

'The Race' is great! For me it sort of fits in with the blossoming of house and dance music in 1988, although its more non electronic dance like Pigbag was. Yello had done some hi-NRG/dance before in other songs too.

Edited February 10Feb 10 by TheSnake

12 yr old me had Brother Beyond, Womack & Womack, The hollies, Julio & Stevie, and Kylie on 7"

12 yr old me had Brother Beyond, Womack & Womack, The hollies, Julio & Stevie, and Kylie on 7"

I had the same singles on 7", except I had Bomb The Bass instead of the Hollies.

'The Race' is great! For me it sort of fits in with the blossoming of house and dance music in 1988, although its more non electronic dance like Pigbag was. Yello had done some hi-NRG/dance before in other songs too.

 

Yeh Yellos song sounds like dance from 1985 without any house or HiNRG elements. Always knew it from the play it got in Nuns on the Run!

 

Wonder of Brother Beyonds career would have lasted longer if they had sneaked into the top spot that week!

Edited February 10Feb 10 by Steve201