Wow that really is a huge drop off in sales from the typical numbers we've been used to in these threads. That total for Bros when it has spent a month at #2 is indeed really low.

oh nice to see Im not Scared climbing, just went and listened to the Pet Shop Boys and didn't really like it, Neil sings it with so little energy and enthusiasm.

 

Taylor Dyne-Prove your love is my favourite of the newbies, great pop single and 2 great ones in a row for her. Pity that was it for her. Don't think she ever released anything else that I liked.

 

Crazy pattern with the Tango in the Night singles. I don't mind Everywhere but not as good as Little Lies for me, which is the album's best for me.

Happy for 'Heart' getting another week at #1, don't think its influenced much by house but more by hi-NRG disco including those Kelly-Marie style sound effects at the end.

 

'Prove Your Love' is great, such an exciting and well produced tune. I prefer it to 'Tell It To My Heart'.

 

The verses of 'Who's Loving Who' are very cool and interesting melodically and then it comes out with a cheesy chorus that sort of puts me off the song.

 

'Everywhere' has suffered from overplay for me, much prefer 'Big Love', wish it was on the radio more!

Edited January 20Jan 20 by TheSnake

Crazy it took so long into the campaign for 'Everywhere' to be released!

 

I still enjoy the song, but yeah it has been overplayed to death at this point.

Im surprised Seven Wonders didn't do better, that sounds like a big hit same as Little lies or Big love to me

Everywhere is a great track, albeit overplayed lately, I bought the album in 87 and it's easily their best album after Rumours. I expect the singles choices were more to keep the writers happy, with Christine the easy-going "I dont mind waiting" outdoing both Nicks (largely absent with her solo stuff) and Buckingham - Big Love though is amazing and his guitar playing is still under-rated. Little Lies is still the jewel in the crown.

 

I didnt know about the Marcia Griffiths cover, fond memories of Bob & Marcia days. Also didnt know Anne Murray did Who's Leaving Who - bit of a fan of her 70's stuff, but she was pretty much done as a radio play staple by 1986. Must dig those tracks out! Prove Your Love was a decent follow-up but its no Tell It! She still had a good ballad to come as she got bigger in the US than the UK.

Heart isn't a PSB song I remember very much until I hear it. Had no idea it reached No.1.

 

I'm sure as a teenager I wasn't impressed by Fleetwood Mac, but Everywhere is a tune.

 

Cross My Broken Heart is one of Sinitta's better songs without crossing too far into being a novelty record (like, for example, So Macho was).

 

I liked Hazel Dean, but enjoyed so many of those flops whilst not thinking much of Who's Leaving Who.

23RD APRIL

 

 

A wholesale clear out of the top 10 this week sees half the songs from last week drop out, none of that affects the top two tracks with The Pet Shop Boys holding the top spot for a third week but their sales are well off dropping by 12% to a mere 48,399 with total sales of "Heart at just 174,097 in its first 4 weeks and will be lucky to break the 250,000 mark on its current trajectory, a truly lamentable sign of the times. Climie Fisher creep 3-2 (35,938) and will be eyeing up pole position next week!

 

 

 

The new hits start off at No 3 which rises 22 places and must be odds on for the next chart topper. Rhythm King are back with a third top 10 hit of the year for the new label in the form of S-Express and “Theme From S-Express”. The outfit centre around DJ Mark Moore and utilise the sampling scene coupling with the emerging acid house music phenomenon, this song samples Rose Royce’s “Is It love You’re After” extensively to provide the backbone of the song and layer it with other samples including a bit of Yazoo in there for good measure. With 33,014 copies sold last week is it just a matter of time before it hits the top?

 

 

 

You may recall (if you’re a certain age) Natalie Cole’s emergence into the pop market in the mid 70s, since then she’s dropped off the radar as much as the daughter of Nat “King” Cole ever can, and had a much publicised battle with drug addiction. She’s now signed a new record deal and recorded a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” which was b-side to his “Dancing In The Dark” single, the song dates back to 1981 when Springsteen wrote it as “Love Is A Dangerous Thing”, a few lyrical tweaks over the years and this song was done, he refused to allow a version by Bette Midler to be released stating that he didn’t think it was a “woman’s song”, he was clearly much happier with this version, it climbs 11-5 (29,699) and is Cole’s first top 10 single.

 

 

 

A ninth top 10 single for Bananarama happens this week, “I Want You Back” is co-penned by the girls and S/A/W and if you’re wondering what involvement they had in writing, well it was pretty substantial. The song was originally called “Reason For Living” but the girls disliked the chorus so much they changed the words and “I Want You Back” was born. Now that Fahey has left the trio this is the first release with the new line up and the first to feature the vocals of Jacquie O’Sullivan, she’s a long time friend of the girls and appeared in the “Who’s That Girl” video for Eurythmics along with the group, her career gets off to an excellent start as the song fires 14-7 (27,353)

 

 

 

Currently No 5 in the US Pebbles, real name Perri McKissack, is the latest female soloist who is racking up US press inches, she’s now scored herself a top 10 here with “Girlfriend” which climbs 13-8 (21,777), the song is produced by Babyface and LA Reid who are already hotly tipped producers in US R N B circles, of course it helps that her boyfriend is LA Reid.

 

 

 

Michael Jackson’s latest single “Man In The Mirror” might have surprised some by only making No 21 but brand Jackson is still alive and well albeit in remixed form as the 1988 remix of “I Want You Back” charges 31-10 (20,349). It’s credited to “Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5” it is actually quite a coup for Pete Waterman who has long professed a love for Motown and an aspiration to make S/A/W an 80s version of the 60s powerhouse, he managed to negotiate a deal with the label whereby the PWL studios get to remix their old hits, Ian Curnow and Phil Harding are on production duties here. In being credited separately it gives Michael Jackson his 14th top 10 single of the 80s pulling him level with Shakin Stevens and Madness in that respect.

 

 

Elsewhere Fleetwood Mac lift 5-4 (30,311), Hazell Dean climbs 9-6 (27,353) and Bros take a big dip 2-9 (20,757) though they lost only 5,000 copies week on week.

 

 

1- HEART- Pet Shop Boys (48,399)

2- LOVE CHANGES (EVERYTHING)—Climie Fisher (35,938)

3- THEME FROM S EXPRESS- S Express (33,014)

4- EVERYWHERE- Fleetwood Mac (30,311)

5- PINK CADILLAC- Natalie Cole (29,699)

6- WHO’S LEAVING WHO- Hazell Dean (27,353)

7- I WANT YOU BACK- Bananarama (26,826)

8- GIRLFRIEND- Pebbles (21,777)

9- DROP THE BOY- Bros (20,757)

10- I WANT YOU BACK 88- Jackson 5 & Michael Jackson (20,349)

 

S Express! By far the best of the new ones, a welcome change. Love the Rose Royce track it samples too, such a great disco song.

 

Natalie Cole a surprise for me in the top 5, didn't realise she'd had a hit with that at all. I remember it well as my dad played it, but I always assumed he'd heard it from the US charts.

'Girlfriend' is a great new jack swing bop.

 

'Theme From S'express' is another massive bop, it certainly is exciting.

 

Not a big fan of either 'I Want You Back'. The Jackson 5 one is a better song though.

love that Pebbles-Girlfriend song love love love I was obsessed with it as a kid for some reason. Best of the newbies.

 

I also love Bananarama-I Want You Back, despite this being the first without Siobhan, who was always my favourite Bananarama. That Jacqui that replaced I never liked her at all. What a poor replacement. Definitely the best out of the 2 I Want You Back songs. The Jacksons one I don't mind but should have stayed in the 70s.

 

S'Xpress kinda ok but never super loved it, dance was sure the genre I was less interested as a kid.

 

Pink Cadillac just ok, my least fav of the newbies not bad but not a favorite.

S-Express :wub:

 

'I Want You Back' is very cheesy, but I think it may be one of my absolute Bananarama faves!

 

The original "I Want you back" but only in demo version- you get the idea of how it sounded pre the finished production

What an odd version, it has no chorus! Glad it was switched up, one of the best Bananarama songs imo and peak SAW.

I bought the Bananarama album back then but not many did, crazy the album flopped considering it had so many big hits. I Heard a Rumour, Love in the First Degree and I Want You Back are all incredible, SAW at their very very best.

 

regarding Taja Sevelle, I figured out she wrote Love is Contagious herself but the followup Wouldn't you Love to Love me was written by Prince and despite that it was a big flop.

sales really were low, though my view of 88 at the time was that it was a low-point of the 80's in terms of hit records. That said there were plenty of classics, not least S Express, love the Rose Royce rifftastic disco anthem, and this version just as much. I saw natalie Cole in concert in the 90's, it was great she got some Springsteen career-reviving action, Pink cadillac is good. I will stick with the original I want You back - Jackson 5 - taking me back to being 12 years old, and Man In The Mirror should have been a chart-topper. That Xmas/New Year all sorts of shock flops for big names as the pop charts shifted stuff about. The Nana I Want You back is a very good pop tune, I missed Siobhan but it all worked out well for all concerned in the long run. Pebbles was OK but she should have covered Meet The Flintstones instead of Girlfriend's pseudo-Prince vibes :D

30TH APRIL

 

 

Beatmasters and Bomb The Bass almost did it, but finally Rhythm King has its first chart topper with S-Express, “Theme From S Express” which moves 3-1 (58,361) to depose the Pet shop boys who dip 1-2 (34,714) but at least the latter track moves over the 200,000 mark.

 

 

 

Dundee trio Danny Wilson could very well be challenging for the No 1 slot next week with “Mary’s Prayer” after leaping 15-3 (33,150). The band take their name from a 1952 Frank Sinatra film and have been going since 1986 releasing their debut album and four singles last year including “Mary’s Prayer” which got two releases peaking at No 86 in March 87 then No 42 on re-issue in August so why try a third time? Well the song became a US top 30 single at the end of last year which obviously convinced the group that maybe a third time was lucky.

 

 

 

George Michael’s “Faith” spawns a third top 10 hit single as “One More Time” flies 14-8 (30,906) to compensate for the frustration his last single “Father Figure” created when it peaked at No 11 back in January. That was effectively Michael’s first commercial misstep since he started his career with Wham!, his US career continues unabated after both the latter single and title track “Faith” both topped the charts there, the album “Faith” topped the charts back in November here and has sold around 600,000 copies thus far.

 

 

Hazell Dean replicates the peak of her biggest hit “Whatever I Do” by moving 6-4 (33,082), she’s followed closely by Bananarama who creep 7-5 (32,096) to give S/A/W a double presence in the top 5 for the second time this year, PWL are also linked to Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5 who improve 10-9 (28,203). Moving south are Natalie Cole 5-6 (31,739), Climie Fisher 2-7 (31,229) and Fleetwood Mac 4-10 (24,871). Only under 3,800 copies separated numbers 2 and No 8 in a very tightly packed chart so the Pet Shop Boys fall could have been spectacular indeed!

 

 

1- THEME FROM S EXPRESS- S Express (58,361)

2- HEART- Pet Shop Boys (34,714)

3- MARY’S PRAYER- Danny Wilson (33,150)

4- WHO’S LEAVING WHO- Hazell Dean (33,082)

5- I WANT YOU BACK- Bananarama (32,096)

6- PINK CADILLAC- Natalie Cole (31,739)

7- LOVE CHANGES (EVERYTHING)- Climie Fisher (31,229)

8- ONE MORE TRY- George Michael (30,906)

9- I WANT YOU BACK 88- Jackson 5 & Michael Jackson (28,203)

10- EVERYWHERE- Fleetwood Mac (24,871)

 

 

That's another good #1.

 

'Mary's Prayer' is good and occasionally still a MOR radio favourite.

 

The George Michael ballad is quite good too but nowhere near as good as 'A Different Corner' was.

So weird that Father Figure didn't make the top 10, it's one of George's best for me. I assume it must have seemed like a shock at the time given how popular he and Wham were

So weird that Father Figure didn't make the top 10, it's one of George's best for me. I assume it must have seemed like a shock at the time given how popular he and Wham were

Early 88 was odd time for other acts who were normally safe bets. "Man In The Mirror" stands out as another example, a No 21 hit when everything MJ had released (as a proper single) since 1982 had gone top 10. Probably wise that Madonna took the year off!