#23

Atomic Kitten – Eternal Flame

Date Charted: 04/08/2001

Weeks at #1: 2

UK Chart Run: {1}-1-2-6-9-12-21-29-40-45-47-45-34-47-71R(9)->15

Chart Commentary

Another pop group with two UK #1 singles in 2001 was Atomic Kitten. Their version of The Bangles 80's ballad was good enough to hit #1 for two weeks in the Summer, and was a familiar enough cover song to beat the likes of Destiny's Child, O-Town, Geri Halliwell and Train to name a few of the new releases over the two weeks it was at the top. Given the success of its predecessor, 'Whole Again', it wasn't too unexpected to see the Kittens have another big hit some months later. The follow-up single 'You Are' failed to make any sort of impact in the UK later that year.

I was looking up my birthday #1s yesterday and 'Eternal Flame' is apparently what I got for my 4th birthday!

The MOR route was clearly working for them, so I'm not surprised this did so well, but a pretty bland cover

Aww I love Eternal Flame, I think they did a nice version with the production on that compared to the timeless but by then very 80s sounding production on the original. Natasha sounds great on it.

You Are was cancelled as a single in the end sadly at the last minute, which is why it didn’t chart.

“Eternal Flame” does nothing for me and might be my 2nd bottom ahead of “Queen Of My Heart”: they’d also be near the top though…

#22

Blue – Too Close

Date Charted: 08/09/2001

Weeks at #1: 1

UK Chart Run: {1}-3-7-12-17-23-26-37-42-57-64-53-68->13

Chart Commentary

Back to Blue once again, with their other #1 from 2001, 'Too Close' which was itself a cover of a relatively unknown song by Next from a few years previously. Blue's version of the song was a clear intention of their direction as a boy band after breaking through with 'All Rise' earlier in the year. It marketed the boys as not just a pop outfit but with an R&B side lacking in other UK boy bands at the time with the likes of Damage and Another Level disbanding. 'Too Close' denied hits by Uncle Kracker, Louise and Emma Bunton from all peaking higher.

One of those examples of a great debut single (All Rise) peaking lower as the act is not established yet but giving a hype boost/lift to the next inferior single.

It's an ok cover of the Next track but does very little for me. I see why they picked it though, it followed the successful example of Another Level reusing Freak Me (which was a prior big US hit). And Blue perfected this kind of style with their own material later on.

Edited Sunday at 09:204 days by gooddelta

I'd forgotten the Westlife song, it prob is placed about right here I think, I don't hate it but it is forgettable (obv). Robbie & Nicole - love the song, bought it when I was 17 (of a version I loved when I was 9) but that's the Frank & Nancy original. This was a nice bit of Croon fluff for Xmas but not in the same league. Hear'Say is another I've not heard in decades but liked at the time more than Pure & Simple. Def the best new record on the list so far (Robbie's is an old song), albeit clearly going for a Britney vibe, but doesn't have the classic hooks of early Britney.

I didn't like the mood change of Blue's chart-topper, it's no All Rise! That said it's pleasant and inoffensive, but not quite up to either Hear'Say or Robbie & Nicole. The Bangles cover was weedy in comparison to the original and did it no favours, so slot that in lower than Blue for me, and the second Blue track is soul-ish and can slot in just ahead of t'previous one.

Westlife: skip!

Robbie & Nicole: always a cute listen but never something I’d play out of choice.

Hear’Say: much preferred this to their debut at the time but admittedly haven’t heard it in years.

Blue - If You Come Back: Lee really shines on this one like most of their ballads.

Atomic Kitten - Eternal Flame: dull cover in retrospect but loved it at the time.

Blue - Too Close: nowhere near their best! IYCB >> Too Close for me.

I definitely prefer 'The Way to Your Love's to 'Pure & Simple', and 'If You Come Back' to 'Too Close'

#21

So Solid Crew – 21 Seconds

Date Charted: 18/08/2001

Weeks at #1: 1

UK Chart Run: {1}-3-2-6-8-16-21-29-32-38-40-43-63-64R(2)-69->15

Chart Commentary

By pure accident, '21 Seconds' is at #21. It was the breakthrough single for the British garage and hip-hop collective. Featuring the likes of Romeo Dunn and Lisa Mafia, who would each go on to have minimal solo success, So Solid Crew burst on the scene at the peak of a garage revival that saw several tracks of the genre reach the top spot during this year. Each member had "21 seconds to pass the mic" making it a memorable little piece of viral media. They went on to have other hits in the years to follow. On the week of its peak, it denied J-Lo, M.O.P. and Missy Elliott amongst others from getting a better result.

Glad it had a week at 21 in its chart run too.

They performed this at my school about two weeks before the single was released, it was quite a coup as it was clear it was shaping up to be big. I remember them pulling up outside the classroom building in a big black car with tinted windows and all getting out.

It's catchy, and I still quote the 'what cha laughin' at' intro, but I wouldn't have put it much higher myself either.

That’s a very Buzzjack position for such a huge classic of its genre as “21 Seconds”: should be Top 10 in my view.

“Too Close” is a meh cover as others have said.

I truly hate that song so much!

Not as much as DJ Pied Piper though.

#20

DJ Ötzi – Hey Baby

Date Charted: 22/09/2001

Weeks at #1: 1

UK Chart Run: {1}-2-3-2-3-3-3-6-9-10-11-18-23-24-13-14-18-33-43-58-54-54-58-69R(2)->24

Chart Commentary

Time for one of the year's moments. Austrian DJ Ötzi had the unfortunate mark on history being the first UK #1 single after the horrific events of 9/11. His eurodance take on the 1962 Bruce Channel hit (originally recorded in 2000) became an instant hit and would later be used as an unofficial song for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It's probably one of the most recognised hits of 2001, going on to become the fifth biggest selling single of the year. The novelty of the song may have given the world some momentary cheer during a somber time in human history. DJ Ötzi went on to have a couple more hits afterwards.

A very unusual No.1 for the UK, a schlager cover from a naff Austrian act that sounds more like Bavarian beer drinking music.

I wonder why this particular song took off so much/got pushed in the UK as these schlager covers are a dime a dozen.

It's not for me at all, although I always laugh whenever I go to Germany and the music shops have huge DJ Ötzi sections of albums, he's still a big deal in those circles.

It's quite striking that stuff like this, Bob and Afroman were No.1 around and after 9/11. As a lot of radio had understandably moved to a more MOR vibe for quite a few weeks as I recall, and none of these songs were getting much airplay.

#19

Shaggy feat. Rayvon – Angel

Date Charted: 09/06/2001

Weeks at #1: 3

UK Chart Run: {1}-1-1-2-4-7-10-13-16-22-26-31-35-45-57-71->16

Chart Commentary

This one has actually weakened for me over the years. I used to adore it at the time, and was very much aggrieved as to why it was omitted from 'Now 49', but 'Angel' was a three-week #1 for Summer 2001 and the final UK #1 for the Jamaican. Rayvon had previously featured on Shaggy's 90's hit 'In The Summertime' and this one continued the success of Shaggy's earlier #1 of 2001. I bought Shaggy's album that year and this single was a big reason why, but I do my own the album anymore, or the song either. I guess it was unlicensable for compilations at the time. It's not as enjoyable for me as it once was, but still nowhere near the worst #1s of 2001.

That's a fair placing for Angel. I did like it at the time too and it was cool that Shaggy capitalised on It Wasn't Me with another huge No.1 and a big album. I do still hear this on Heart from time to time so it stood the test of time up to a point.

Not completely sure why it was missed from Now, the only album I have it on is this:

https://www.discogs.com/release/3692039-Various-958-Capital-FMs-Party-In-The-Park-For-The-Princes-Trust-The-Album-Of-The-Event

“Hey Baby” is desperately annoying but the ‘60s version is lovely.

“Angel” samples Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” and the song is based around Juice Newton’s “Angel Of The Morning”. To be fair mashing together those songs did work, but there’s not much artistry there.

I like 'Too Close' but hardly the most innovative take on a song that was first recorded a few years prior. Was never keen on '21 Seconds' but I guess I see it's humour appeal for memes and the like.

'Hey Baby' is naff personified but admittedly rather catchy and 'Angel' is strong for me. It was a time for sure seeing Shaggy bag two number ones back to back, back then.

Russian language version of "Angel" (performed by Julia Kova) was a minor hit in my country.

She will have # 1 hit "Don't Go Anything But Love" in my chart, which stopped "Whole Lotta History" at # 2.