30TH JANUARY

 

 

Tiffany proves unstoppable this week as “I Think We’re Alone Now” storms past all opposition 3-1 and sold 81,413 copies. She replaces Belinda Carlisle who rests 1-2 (59,942), in doing so it becomes the first time a female solo act has replaced another female solo act at the top in 23 years since Sandie Shaw knocked Jackie Trent from the top. She's also the 5th youngest solo act to make the top being older than only Little Jimmy Osmond, Donny Osmond, Helen Shapiro and Paul Anka.

 

 

 

Tiffany’s appearance as a new teen star is echoed by the act at No 6, they’re a trio from London comprising twins Matt & Luke Goss and bassist Craig Logan who are all in their teens. They’re managed by Tom Watkins who also handles The Pet Shop Boys and have had an extensive image overall since they were signed in late 1986, not that that helped their debut single “I Owe You Nothing” which fizzled out at No 80 at the end of last year, but it’s another example of taking advantage of the January lull which hasn’t been such a lull this year!. Second single “When Will I Be Famous” looked like it was heading down the dumper pre Christmas when it struggled at No 62 before exiting the stage, but considerable promotion in the new year coupled with the lads considerable good looks has meant that teenage girls seem to have saved the day and the single now arrives 16-6 (33,320). Lyrically it tells the tale of the talent scout rearing a young star (verses) and the demands of the blossoming star (chorus) so is unusual in its construction. Expect countless magazine covers from this lot! Much was made initially about the boys talent- they claimed that they wrote the track but in fact they didn't, much of the backing vocals are also performed by Dee Lewis (and not all the boys themselves as claimed) and in fact Matt and Luke are not identical twins as claimed either......still let's not let the facts stand in the way of a hit!

 

 

 

Production duo Manda Glanfield and Paul Carter started out working on TV commercial jingles before becoming the Beatmasters and making their own dance music. They’ve teamed up with MC Remedee and Suzy Q who are a rap duo called Cookie Crew to give us the track “Rok Da House”, the duo won a rap championship which resulted in sessions for John Peel and bought them to the attention of the label Rhythm King who put the two acts together to give the label its commercial breakthrough. The first product was “Beatmasters” a No 79 track last summer, those in the know term this kind of music, a fusion of dance and rap as Hip House and it has its first top 10 single with this song moving 14-8 (25,874).

 

 

 

A No 85 hit in 1986 for composers Erasure, “Oh L’Amour” has since become a fan favourite for the band but it’s now a top 10 single as a cover version for none other than Dollar. Van Day and Bazar split in early 1983 acrimoniously and both pursued solo careers without top 40 success, that may have prompted a reunion in 1986 which had to date proved lacklustre with 86’s “We Walked In Love” being the highlight at No 61. The duo’s version of “Oh L’Amour” however becomes a surprise hit as well as their 5th top 10 single as it jets 18-9 (24,973) one place ahead of Climie Fisher who hold for a third week in anchor position (24,361), it is also produced by the “Extra Beat Boys” in reality part of the PWL studios. It's only the second track written by Vince Clarke to be a top 10 as a cover after the Flying Pickets hit the top with their version of "Only You".

 

 

Terence Trent D’Arby has a mixed week, “Sign Your Name” was looking like a potential chart topper but it seems that the UK public decided to go with the album instead, it moves 3-1 while the single reverses 2-3 (47,566). Krush and Morris Minor & The Majors hold at numbers 4 and 5 respectively but both are in decline saleswise at 39,848 and 37,264, Joyce Sims however remains the dark horse as she again inches 8-7 (31,739) though loses sales week on week.

 

 

 

1- I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW- Tiffany (81,413)

2- HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH- Belinda Carlisle (59,942)

3- SIGN YOUR NAME- Terence Trent D’Arby (47,566)

4- HOUSE ARREST- Krush (39,848)

5- STUTTER RAP (NO SLEEP TIL BEDTIME)- Morris Minor & The Majors (37,264)

6- WHEN WILL I BE FAMOUS- Bros (33,320)

7- COME INTO MY LIFE- Joyce Sims (31,739)

8- ROK DA HOUSE- Beatmasters Featuring the Cookie Crew (25,874)

9- OH L’AMOUR- Dollar (24,973)

10- RISE TO THE OCCASION- Climie Fisher (24,361)

 

Two 'House' titled hits in the top 10 simultaneously now! That has just reminded me that the very house-heavy Now 11 from this time has four tracks in a row with 'house' in the title, a banging run.

 

Those Bros lies are amusing, oh dear :lol:

the start of Brosmania! Their first 3 singles were great and deserved what success they got

but after that the quality dropped beyond zero, no wonder they lasted so little in the limelight

 

Rok da House is another great house record, the Beatmasters were great

 

Dollar I kinda hate Wish it had been Erasure themselves charting with a re-released Oh L'amour

Used to dislike 'When Will I Be Famous' for being a bit bratty lyrically but now I think its very good, well produced almost like Trevor Horn's productions especially with the last key change!

 

Saw 'Rok Da House' video on the TOTP re-runs and its my gosh its a track to divide the generations, older people probably hated it!

 

'Oh L'amour' sounds very Italo disco influenced, its good but after listening to both, I prefer the Erasure version.

Edited January 9Jan 9 by TheSnake

1988 really was the year of the teenager!

Dollar getting a Top 10 hit in 1988 was as much a surprise as when Bucks Fizz got one in 1986.

 

I was there for it though as I loved a bit of Dollar. Even though David Van Day is actually a total tool.

Was the Bucks Fizz one not 1987?

I can't say I echo the support of Heaven is a Place in Earth. I much preferred her other singles. I didn't really like Bros.

 

 

Edited January 9Jan 9 by Colm

Was the Bucks Fizz one not 1987?

 

No. New Beginning was 1986.

They released nothing in 1987 and then had one last go in 1988.

 

Thanks, I always thought it was a bit later, still great to see no matter!

just realised Heaven on Earth is Belinda Carlisle's second album. Her debut did absolutely nothing in the UK

the lead single Mad About You flopped at #67, while being a US top 3!

I haven't heard Dollar's version of 'Oh L'Amour' before.

 

To be fair it's not a bad version, but not close to being a patch on Erasure's.

6TH FEBRUARY

 

 

With a modest 20% increase to 97,988 Tiffany remains ensconced at the No 1 position for a second week, indeed she’s got other reasons to celebrate as her third single “Could’ve Been” tops the US chart this week to give her an unusual chart feat, it’s the first time the same act has been at No 1 simultaneously in the US & UK since Foreigner in early 1985 and the first act to be at the top of both charts but with different songs since Paul McCartney was topping the UK charts with “Pipes Of Peace” and the US charts with “Say Say Say” a year earlier. She is however the first female to turn the trick!

 

 

 

The US seems to be a hotbed for female soloists at present in the wake of the domination of Madonna, and two more announce their arrival on the UK music scene this week. Firstly Leslie Wunderman who records under the name Taylor Dayne (probably for good reasons), she saw her debut single “Tell It To My Heart” peak at No 7 in America last month and it’s now doing brisk business over here. Originally featuring on the debut album for Canadian artist Louisa Florio last year it was never made into a single but Dayne’s team plucked it from relative obscurity into a top 10 single on both sides of the Atlantic as it charges 24-8 (28,203) .

 

 

 

Fellow New Yorker Debbie Gibson is just 17 years old and can already boast two US top 5 singles both of which she wrote herself! First single “Only In My Dreams” flopped here at No 54 last year but she has more luck with “Shake Your Love” which has taken just three weeks to move 17-9 (27,489), parent album “Out Of The Blue” moves 92-43 in its second week of release- could she repeat her US fame?

 

 

 

Recorded in December 1986 during the Australian leg of his concert Elton John sees his new live version of “Candle In The Wind” outpeak the 1974 original this week. It’s Elton’s 17th top 10 single as it shifts 16-10 (26,197) and also marks new heights for the song which agonisingly reached No 11 fourteen years ago, it is of course a tribute to Marilyn Monroe but was never a US single first time around, that’s all rectified as the song went all the way to No 6 there last month. On both sides of the Atlantic however it is his first top 10 single since “Nikita” back in 1985.

 

 

Nominally Bros are the biggest challenger’s to Tiffany this week but “When Will I Be Famous?” sold 42,874 copies last week a rise of only 29% and is still lagging way behind “I Think We’re Alone Now”, they do overtake the falling Belinda Carlise though as she slackens 2-3 (36,244). Beatmasters & The Cookie Crew advance 8-5 (33,133) almost catching a descending Terence Trent D’Arby 3-4 (35,649), he holds at No 1 on the albums though, Dollar float 9-7 (28,934) as Krush slip 4-6 (29,410).

 

 

1- I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW- Tiffany (97,988)

2- WHEN WILL I BE FAMOUS- Bros (42,874)

3- HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH- Belinda Carlisle (36,244)

4- SIGN YOUR NAME- Terence Trent D’Arby (35,649)

5- ROK DA HOUSE- Beatmasters Featuring The Cookie Crew (33,133)

6- HOUSE ARREST- Krush (29,410)

7- OH L’AMOUR- Dollar (28,934)

8- TELL IT TO MY HEART- Taylor Dayne (28,203)

9- SHAKE YOUR LOVE- Debbie Gibson (27,489)

10- CANDLE IN THE WIND (LIVE)- Elton John (26,197)

 

 

Incidentally BBC4 is showing a January 1988 episode of TOTP tonight at 8 in honour of this thread!

I like Tell It To My Heart by Taylor Dayne.

 

But I became a fan of Debbie Gibson. Her Electric Youth album (which comes a bit later) was my favourite of hers.

Incidentally BBC4 is showing a January 1988 episode of TOTP tonight at 8 in honour of this thread!

I’ll be watching!

I'm not sure I've ever heard a Debbie Gibson song before but Shake Your Love seems pretty weak to me after just listening, definitely nowhere near as good as I Think We're Alone Now. The UK were definitely behind the correct teen star at this stage.

 

Sign Your Name is another good single from TTD, I think this was roughly when my dad bought his album as I can remember him playing it a lot when I was a child. I listened to it the other month and, whilst a little dated, it still holds up as a strong collection.

 

Echoing the love for Krush, I didn't know it at the time but I've since bought the 12" and think it's a great dance track.

 

^I'm sure you would have preferred Debbie Gibson if you had followed the charts back then, Debbie Gibson was so much better than Tiffany. Tiffany was basically doing karaoke covers, Debbie Gibson writing and playing her songs

 

Shake Your Loe must be one of the best pop songs of the 80s <3 pure pop perfection. Peaked at #4 in the US but deserved #1.

Same for Tell it to my Heart, amazing debut from Taylor Dayne (the original Taylor!!!!) :)

 

and insane that the original Candle only peaked at #11!!

I’ll be watching!

 

Yep saw it myself, was a good episode with Reid presenting (unusual post 1988 for him)!

'Shake Your Love' is pretty cool, insane that she wrote AND produced that so young! :o