So many great songs in these charts that i still listen to, love Maria McKee show me heaven, pitty she never had anything much after that.

27TH OCTOBER

1990 is turning into a good year for former Housemartins members, following on from Norman Cook’s success with “Dub Be Good To Me” back in March it’s now time for Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway’s turn at the top as “A Little Time” moves 4-1 for their new outfit The Beautiful South. The song sold 60,996 as it overtakes the falling “Show Me Heaven” (58,072) despite a fightback from McKee as the week came to a close.

Meanwhile at No 3 and debuting are the Righteous Brothers who have something of a revival on their hands and all thanks to the film currently at No 1 in the box office “Ghost”. “Unchained Melody” was originally performed in the film “Unchained” before being issued in three versions in 1955 which were all top 10 simultaneously in June that year for Al Hibbler, Jimmy Young, and Les Baxter. Fast forward a decade and perhaps the definitive version was recorded by the Righteous Brothers in 1965, that version was only intended as a B-Side to “Hung On You” but had greater interest at radio and so was flipped, good job too- it made No 4 in the US and No 14 here. Now their version has been featured in “Ghost” it’s prompted a new re-issue and the song debuts instantly at No 3 (45,084).

With a third studio album released in a fortnight entitled “Pills N Thrills & Bellyaches”, The Happy Mondays see their second cut from the album “Kinky Afro” leap 20-5 (33,864) to equal the peak of “Step on” in April. The group have enjoyed considerable notoriety in the press this year (along with the Stone Roses) so we’ll see if they can deliver when it comes to that album.

Much was expected from the new Whitney Houston single “I’m your Baby Tonight”, it comes from the hand of L.A Reid & Babyface and heralds her third album of the same title which will go head to head with that new Happy Mondays album in a fortnight. Hence it was a surprise when the song only debuted at No 16 last week but does recover as it jumps to No 7 (27,948) to become her 8th top 10 in 5 years, the promo sees the singer pay homage to The Supremes and Marlene Dietrich among others, for Dietrich it’s her second tribute of 1990 after Madonna’s “Vogue” namecheck.

“Take My Breath Away” was of course the main beneficiary in the charts from the film “Top Gun” four years ago and whilst Cruise has moved on and now has helped McKee to make No 1, Berlin stumbled after that track, having just 2 minor chart hits before slipping out of sight. Now the track and the band have done a “Blue Velvet” in so much as “Top Gun” got its terrestrial premiere last weekend and the song is also being featured in a current ad to help it, in Berlin’s case a Peugeot ad, the song jets 27-8 (27,506). “Blue Velvet” itself descends 3-6 (33,116).

Status Quo give up the battle as they drop 2-4 (41,582) as their album holds at No 2 behind Paul Simon, Technotronic drop 6-9 (25,551) and Londonbeat fall 5-10 (24,123). Next week sees the new Kylie single arrive- can it keep her run of top 5 hits intact?


1- A LITTLE TIME- The Beautiful South (60,996)
2- SHOW ME HEAVEN- Maria McKee (58,072)
3- UNCHAINED MELODY- Righteous Brothers (45,084)
4- THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ PART ONE- Status Quo (41,582)
5- KINKY AFRO- Happy Mondays (33,864)
6- BLUE VELVET- Bobby Vinton (33,116)
7- I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT- Whitney Houston (27,948)
8- TAKE MY BREATH AWAY- Berlin (27,506)
9- MEGAMIX- Technotronic (25,551)
10- I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU- Londonbeat (24,123)

New K's on the block massacre the classic Delfonics smooth soul track, and turn it into bland ballad, and the other side I have no memory of at all. Whitney's upbeat singalong was an improvement on her pompous overblown ballads, but that's not saying that much, and as a regular radio staple I'm still sick of hearing it 35 years on. Kinky Afro I preferred to Step On as it wasnt stepping on a classic tribal rock original. Fun. And The Righteous Brother Spector classic got a real revival thanks to Ghost. I mean Bill Medley wasnt even on it and it's still the definitive version of a massive song, accept no substitutes, what a vocal performance. Berlin, love it, but we did we need it back so big so soon! I think not!

Kinky Afro! <3 Another great track from the Mondays

Great to see A Little Time at the top, even if it only just made it 😅

great for A Little Time!

Unchained Melody was huge thanks to Ghost. The song was everywhere, no wonder it debuted at #3. Decent track. Insane that the original Righteous Brother version only made it to #14.

Kinky Afro for me just ok, not half bad, but never got Happy Mondays or Ryder. Was more of a Stone Roses fan ;)

never understood why Take my breathe away was back to soon and top 10 again. I remember I bought their album cos I like the song so much, and then the album was kinda different and never got into it, although I did like the follow up singles, Like Flames and especially You Don't Know.

3RD NOVEMBER





Two years ago The Hollies created chart history when “He Ain’t Heavy” topped the charts 23 years after “I’m Alive” made No 1, a record gap between chart toppers, that record is broken this week as “Unchained Melody” ascends 3-1 25 years after “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” made the top spot. In doing so it exploded at retail selling a 1990 record of 167,331 copies, outside of Christmas it’s actually the biggest 7 day sale since Nick Berry in October 1986! Which means we could be on for a very healthy total all told. It’s also the 14th record to top the charts in 2 separate versions after Jimmy Young took the song to the top 35 years ago.

That’s all bad news for Beautiful South who improve 50% saleswise to 90,780 yet still drop 1-2 (that's the second highest tally for the runner up spot this year), and for Berlin who despite rising 8-3 (48,127) don’t have any hope of topping the charts again, former chart topper “Show Me Heaven” slips 2-4 (44,863) but does pass the 400,000 mark.

It may surprise some that Belinda Carlisle has plucked a fifth single from her “Runaway Horses” but in this case it has disproved the notion of diminishing returns, previous releases have peaked at No’s 4, 38, 40, and 41 but this week “(We Want) The Same Thing” leaps 14-6 (30,209). The song has been substantively remixed from the album version and the label have issued picture disc’s and 12” versions with postcards to help boost interest.

Debuting at No 9 this week is Kylie’s 11th release “Step Back In Time” and is the second single from Kylie’s third album “Rhythm Of Love” which hits the shops in 3 weeks’ time. All of Kylie’s singles have made the top ten but this is the 7th to arrive there immediately, as usual it comes from the pen of S/A/W whose other acts have mostly failed to maintain their pace or flopped from the off, Minogue for the time being at least, is bucking that trend after selling 24,429.

Whitney Houston climbs 7-5 (31,331) as the Happy Mondays move the wrong way 5-7 (29,971), Status Quo dive 4-8 (28,798) and Bobby Vinton drifts 6-10 (21,522).


1- UNCHAINED MELODY- Righteous Brothers (167,331)
2- A LITTLE TIME- Beautiful South (90,780)
3- TAKE MY BREATH AWAY- Berlin (48,127)
4- SHOW ME HEAVEN- Maria McKee (44,863)
5- I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT- Whitney Houston (31,331)
6- (WE WANT) THE SAME THING- Belinda Carlise (30,209)
7- KINKY AFRO- Happy Mondays (29,971)
8- THE ANNIVERSARY WALTZ PART ONE- Status Quo (28,798)
9- STEP BACK IN TIME- Kylie Minogue (24,429)
10- BLUE VELVET- Bobby Vinton (21,522)

Step back In Time is a fab homage to 70's soul and disco music, and Kylie's quality ratio continues to be high for the 3rd album. Belinda's remix is right up there with her best tracks - the biggest surprise is it wasnt single 2, given other obviously less commercial tracks beat We Want to it. Great to see The Righteous Brothers get a second chart-topper 25 years on. In terms of chart spans that must have been the longest wait for a second number one, and the longest gap between number ones.

You've Lost That Loving Feeling is way better than Unchained Melody imo so I wish that would have charted instead.

That's a lot of ballads in the top 4 anyway. A Little Time definitely my favourite of the 4.

'So Hard' has emerged over time as being my favourite Pet Shop Boys track. I especially love the lyric about giving up smoking.

My fave Kylie song

love the Belinda song! Nuts it was the 5th single, should have been the lead or at least single 2, La Luna was a terrible single and so was Vision of you

Ok-ish Kylie single for me

Huge numbers for Unchained

Melody and also good ones for BS

1 hour ago, Jessie Where said:

'So Hard' has emerged over time as being my favourite Pet Shop Boys track. I especially love the lyric about giving up smoking.

Thank goodness someone else loves it, I agree it is really great and the lyrics shine. It also stands out production wise for me and feels like a distinctive single for them

Also… that was a decent enough Kylie single, we bought that one after not bothering with anything from album 2. I’ve never heard album 3 (and definitely never will now 🤣) but I remember all of the singles seemed pretty good.

Great sales for A Little Time this week even if it lost #1. That’s pretty good for 1990 and makes it feel less like a lucky #1 that it seemed last week.

I bought the Whitney track, still like it now. Although I preferred the follow up.

"Step back in Time" was the first CD single that I ever bought

This run of singles is perhaps Kylie's best (the next two singles by her will also be essential, I can feel it in my bones)

I bought Kylie's album 2, and that must have a very negative impression on me as a kid, as I never bought anything else from hers

even thought the singles from album 3 were miles better than those from album 2

15 hours ago, dandy* said:

Thank goodness someone else loves it, I agree it is really great and the lyrics shine. It also stands out production wise for me and feels like a distinctive single for them

If they read this thread maybe they will do it on the road and re-assess it, I mean it's not a bad track as such! - I don't recall hearing it at any gigs since it was new (and Ive been to a lot of em) but Being Boring is almost a cert these days...

10TH NOVEMBER





Could “Unchained Melody” become the first million seller since “The Power Of Love” back in 1985? Well it’s too early to make those predictions just yet but it’s certainly showing very positive sign as it sold a mighty 175,933 copies last week to bring its three week tally to 388,348 copies enough to make it to No 9 on the YTD list. It’s the highest 7 day tally since “Do They Know It's Christmas”11 months ago and the highest non December weekly result since Nick Berry as we noted last week! Its dominance is such that though Beautiful South remain at No 2 “A Little Time” lagged behind The Righteous Brothers by a mighty 121,000 copies, the biggest gap since Madonna was stopped by Nick Berry. The Beautiful South’s second album “Choke” also debuts at No 2 which didn’t help matters for their single.

The death of Mel Appleby in January 1990 was naturally met with shock and sadness but as a fitting tribute sister Kim has continued and produced an album originally intended as the second Mel & Kim album with some album co-written by Mel herself. Single “Don’t Worry” isn’t one of them however, that’s co-written by Kim and her Boyfriend (and former Bros Bassist) Craig Logan which met with positive reviews and a lot of goodwill from the music business. It flies 16-5 (34,816) this week to mark a great start to her enforced solo career, she’s left the S/A/W stable (apparently at the right time) and forged out on her own, she’s also had a hit at just the right time it appears with exactly half of the top 10 comprised of female soloists lined up nicely at No’s 4-8. In more detail Kylie Minogue climbs 9-4 (38,097), Belinda Carlisle holds steady at No 6 (31,790), Whitney drops 5-7 (29,869) and Maria Mckee hurtles 4-8 (28,492).

Take the vocals of Martha Wash, marry it to a cover of an Earth Wind & Fire song and throw in a beat sampled directly from Grace Jones’ “La Vie En Rose” and you have the new Black Box Single. “Fantasy” originally peaked at No 14 in 1978 but that has already been surpassed by the Black Box version which accelerates 21-9 (28,220) to give them a third Top 10 single in just over a year after last single “Everybody, Everybody” surprisingly faltered at No 16 in the summer. Katrin Quinol is on duties to do the miming and the promo for the song but really the cats out of the bag on that one so quite why we still get treated to Ms Quinol is a bit of head scratcher.

Not had enough covers yet? Well next up is Robert Palmer who’s hooked up with UB40 to cover Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” for his forthcoming “Don’t Explain” album. It becomes Plant’s 4th top 10 single and UB40’s 14th as it moves 19-10 (28,220), interestingly the original Dylan album that this song appears on “John Wesley Adams” generated no hit singles for Dylan though another track on it, “All Along The Watchtower”” did become a top 5 single for Jimi Hendrix in 1968.

Berlin complete the top 10 review as they hold at No 3 (44,965) whilst almost selling its 700,000th copy once we combine the original run to its present chart run.


1- UNCHAINED MELODY- Righteous Brothers (175,933)
2- A LITTLE TIME- Beautiful South (54,587)
3- TAKE MY BREATH AWAY- Berlin (44,965)
4- STEP BACK IN TIME- Kylie Minogue (38,097)
5- DON’T WORRY- Kim Appleby (34,816)
6- (WE WANT) THE SAME THING- Belinda Carlise (31,790)
7- I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT- Whitney Houston (29,869)
8- SHOW ME HEAVEN- Maria McKee (28,492)
9- FANTASY- Black Box (28,220)
10- I’LL BE YOUR BABY TONIGHT- UB40 & Robert Palmer (28,220)

forgot how disappointed I was with Whitney Houston's comeback after loving the album Whitney and all the singles, even the ballads

The lead was just ok and the album didn't have any great classics for me

regarding the newbies, all ok but nothing extraordinary

Belinda remains the best by far in that top 10

4 hours ago, Popchartfreak said:

If they read this thread maybe they will do it on the road and re-assess it, I mean it's not a bad track as such! - I don't recall hearing it at any gigs since it was new (and Ive been to a lot of em) but Being Boring is almost a cert these days...

I definitely think Being Boring is better remembered now, and it is the better song too - the lyrics are exceptional and very moving… but I would stand by So Hard being the better choice of lead single in 1990. I think the sound of the rest of the album didn’t resonate as much with fans of their previous work and I suspect Being Boring would have performed worse than So Hard did… it’s telling that all the other singles kinda flopped (comparatively for their standards) and they ended up feeling like they had to release a cover (or covers!) to get another top 10.

If Neil and Chris aren’t fond (and I assume not if they don’t play it live) then I think they’re being harsh on the track, I’d definitely still easily give it a place on a best of theirs.