25TH AUGUST





Silly season is upon us once more as Bombalurina effortlessly rise 3-1 with the cover of “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”, an outcome that was never in doubt from the off as it moved 52,190 copies in the last week to overpower the already waning “Turtle Power” which recovered in time to only fall 1-3 (36,023) a few thousand copies ahead of New Kids On The Block who continue to creep up the charts with “Tonight”. That song appears to be appealing beyond their normal audience and is the first New Kids On The Block single to climb four weeks on the trot. In amongst all that “Tom’s Diner” holds at No 2 (37,332) but its chances of topping the charts are now over.  The Bombalurina track is incidentally the second longest chart topper ever in terms of words, second only to Scott McKenzie's "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair").

Onto the big news of the week and although it faded slightly as the week progressed George Michael’s 10th solo single “Praying For Time” debuts at No 8 (23,749), it’s been newsworthy on the basis that it comes without a promo video and the single sleeve is devoid of anything other than his name and the title. Michael seems to be intent on letting the music speak this time around as he focuses less on the image, which of course explains the new album title “Listen Without Prejudice Volume 1” as he tries to shake the teen scream tag for once and all. Much has been made of the social commentary in the record so we’ll see if that can hamper sales in the next few weeks.

Betty Boo is also back with a second solo top 10 single (third in total) with “Where Are You Baby” which samples both “Really Saying Something” and also the Monkeys track “Mary Mary”. Boo (real name Alison Clarkson) is getting ready for the release of her first album “Boomania” in 4 weeks and is quickly becoming one of the biggest breakthrough acts of 1990 with her new single rising 17-9 (23,035).

Roxette continue to impress 9-6 (26,095) and now rest behind the falling Blue Pearl who slide 4-5 (29,563), MC Hammer also fades 5-7 (25,755) and The Soup Dragons fall 7-10 (22,627) to round off proceedings.


1- ITSY BITSY TEENY WEENY YELLOW POLKA DOT BIKINI- Bombalurina (52,190)
2- TOM’S DINER- DNA Ft Suzanne Vega (37,332)
3- TURTLE POWER- Partners In Kryme (36,023)
4- TONIGHT- New Kids On The Block (32,538)
5- NAKED IN THE RAIN- Blue Pearl (29,563)
6- LISTEN TO YOUR HEART/ DANGEROUS- Roxette (26,095)
7- U CAN’T TOUCH THIS- MC Hammer (25,755)
8- PRAYING FOR TIME- George Michael (23,749)
9- WHERE ARE YOU BABY?- Betty Boo (23,035)
10- I’M FREE- Soup Dragons (22,627)

Terrible #1

but love the 2 newbies

Where are you baby is just all kinds of amazing and Betty Boo at her very best, song of the year candidate!

I recall being disappointed with George Michael's comeback, it's not bad but he did better ballads, wish Freedom had been the lead

I don't really rate "Freedom 90" to be honest (probably through overplay), "Waiting For That Day" is my preferred single from the album, but I bought "Praying for Time" on both 7" and 12"- love it still.

Where Are You Baby <3

I bought that one, loved the fun on the cover too

Bombalurina just no. Loved the Brian Hyland original though, one of my first ever music loves as teeny tot. Betty Boo and sampling Monkees and Bananarama what's not to love! Roxette, I was on my Florida hols for Dangerous being big so that was always a fave Roxette track and happy to see it get a UK release on the ballad back, that got most of the airplay, as the better track and a chart-topper together for me. But George Michael's Praying For Time is fabulous, what a record, and what an album. I still think he was nuts not doing a video proper for most of the singles....

Ahh yeah!!

Actually a big no to Bombalurina. 14 year old me bought it though :(

1ST SEPTEMBER

Bombalurina remain the top act this week and also continue to attract more buyers as sales swell to 67,439 but with schools back in a fortnight their days may be numbered. On the other hand they may not last even that long with the activity right beneath them.

Deacon Blue’s previous best came in 1988 when “Real Gone Kid” made No 8 but in just a fortnight they’ve re-written that with the “Four Bacharach & David Songs EP” charging 11-2 (36,567). It does just what it says in the title with the band covering four of the best from the writers, namely “I’ll Never Fall In Love”. “Message To Michael” “The Look Of Love” and “Are You There” and has been done as a bit of a vanity project by the band who just recorded them because they love them. They’ve had a busy summer appearing at Glastonbury and Roskilde festivals and have an album of b-sides, rarities, and extra’s called “Ooh Las Vegas” out in a three weeks though it won’t contain this EP. It’s their cover of “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” which is getting the airplay and it was of course a UK No 1 single back in 1969 for Bobbie Gentry though of course, like most Bacharach & David classics, it was first recorded by Dionne Warwick.

Is The Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers phenomenon over? It seems that the law of diminishing returns is kicking in after their first 3 releases topped the charts before “That Sounds Good To Me” faltered at No 4 and now new single “Can Can You Party” seems to be struggling as it moves 14-8 (25,024) in its second week on the survey. The “Can Can” forms the backbone this time around with “Grease”, Beach Boys and Jackie Wilson getting an overall in the track. A second album is still pencilled in for Christmas so be warned.

First recorded by The Rays in 1957, “Silhouettes” is the new Cliff Richard single, his 58th top 10 single, and in the process enables Richard to become the first act to score top 10 singles in each of the last 5 decades. The song wasn’t a hit in the UK until 1965 when Herman’s Hermits took it to No 3, here Cliff’s version moves 17-10 (23,902) and is a live version recorded at Wembley last summer and will be followed by a live album in time for Christmas. Cliff’s last 3 singles all went top 20 without troubling the upper half but he seems back on track now.

New Kids On The Block may be the surprise hit of the year as it is still climbing for a 5th week on the trot 4-3 (32,368) but it is now losing sales so further progression may be limited. More likely would be a Betty Boo challenge, she powers 9-4 (29,716) flying past insiders bet on the next No 1 from George Michael who can only rise 8-6 (26,027). Fallers this week include DNA featuring Suzanne Vega 2-5 (27,098), Roxette 6-7 (25,330) and Blue Pearl 5-9 (24,480).


1- ITSY BITSY TEENY WEENY YELLOW POLKA DOT BIKINI- Bombalurina (67,439)
2- FOUR BACHARACH & DAVID SONGS EP- Deacon Blue (36,567)
3- TONIGHT- New Kids On The Block (32,368)
4- WHERE ARE YOU BABY- Betty Boo (29,716)
5- TOM’S DINER- DNA Ft Suzanne Vega (27,098)
6- PRAYING FOR TIME- George Michael (26,027)
7- LISTEN TO YOUR HEART/ DANGEROUS- Roxette (25,330)
8- CAN CAN YOU PARTY- Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers (25,024)
9- NAKED IN THE RAIN- Blue Pearl (24,480)
10- SILHOUETTES- Cliff Richard (23,902)