I imagine it was released after so that the single would be high on the charts over the festive period thereby getting more sales and more importantly promoting the album over Christmas.

29TH DECEMBER

So the big day arrives and its congratulations to……….Cliff Richard who sees “Saviour’s Day” move 2-1 right on queue with 100,946 copies to make sure of it. It’s Cliff’s third festive chart topper on the trot if we include his appearance on Band Aid II last year (the re-issue of that failed to make the chart which tells you just how much the S/A/W name has diminished in the course of the year- it's actually at No 101 this week). With Christmas Eve falling into next week for chart purposes we shouldn’t expect too dramatic a fall for Cliff in 7 days time but he certainly left it late closing the gap day by day until overtaking on Saturday! It also sets a record for longevity for Cliff- his chart topping career now stands at 31 years, and he's had chart toppers in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and now 90s- incredible!

Outgoing No 1 from Vanilla Ice dropped just a spot 1-2 (96,101) as it increased sales as it led to almost the bitter end! It now stands at 542,776 and moves to 4th in the YTD but is unlikely to get any further with just a week left. The Righteous Brothers climb 4-3 (70,924) and Enigma float 6-4 (66,011) and both could be in with a shout next week depending on how badly Cliff sinks.




Moving 14-5 (63,444) is “The Grease Megamix” a medley of hits from the movie of the same name which have been licenced by Polydor to PWL to remix, it includes “You’re The One That I Want” Greased Lightning” and “Summer Nights” which collectively spent 16 weeks at No 1 in 1978. PWL (or more specifically Harding and Curnow) have proved that they can turn this kind of thing into hits before, see 1988’s “I Want You Back” for Jackson 5 or the Four Tops “Reach Out I’ll Be There” and this will doubtless prove popular at office parties and New Year’s celebrations even if it doesn’t exactly enhance their reputation.

Elsewhere only one climber, MC Hammer 10-9 (33,947) and Snap! hold ground at No 8 (38,947) but heading down are The Farm 5-6 (54,043), Madonna 3-7 (44,948) and EMF 7-10 (29,325) in a very healthy week for sales for all, especially for Madonna who sees “The Immaculate Collection” spend its 6th week at the top and selling 340,000 copies in 6 days as those Christmas buyers went crazy- it now passes the million mark.


1- SAVIOUR’S DAY- Cliff Richard (100,946)
2- ICE ICE BABY- Vanilla Ice (96,101)
3- YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING/ EBB TIDE- Righteous Brothers (70,924)
4- SADNESS PART ONE- Enigma (66,011)
5- THE GREASE MEGAMIX- John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (63,444)
6- ALL TOGETHER NOW- The Farm (54,043)
7- JUSTIFY MY LOVE- Madonna (44,948)
8- MARY HAD A LITTLE BOY- Snap! (38,947)
9- PRAY- MC Hammer (33,947)
10- UNBELIEVABLE- E.M.F (29,325)

Wow, didn’t realise it was so close between the top 2, glad SD got the no1 as Vanilla Ice had been there for a month and SD is a Christmas song at no1 on Xmas week, the last until 2004!

so close, wish it had been Ice ice baby, Saviors day is a terrible irish folk pastiche of a song