Bryan Adams' megahit was really a monster phenomenon - those sales figures for 1991 are incredible. The Scorpions well-deserved late top 10 entry righting an earlier wrong, it caught the mood of the time nicely, and Julian's Saltwater is fabulous too - environmental songs will never go out of fashion as long as there are humans messing up the planet. His dad, I'm sure, would have approved.

Oh wow at Oceanic so narrowly missing the runner-up spot both weeks. Shame it couldn't have nabbed it on one of them.

5 hours ago, Popchartfreak said:

Bryan Adams' megahit was really a monster phenomenon - those sales figures for 1991 are incredible. The Scorpions well-deserved late top 10 entry righting an earlier wrong, it caught the mood of the time nicely, and Julian's Saltwater is fabulous too - environmental songs will never go out of fashion as long as there are humans messing up the planet. His dad, I'm sure, would have approved.

Yeah Saltwater and Wind of Change were both political ballads that fit the time! Even if I thought in the past that the latter was an 80s hit.

Edited November 29Nov 29 by TheSnake

12TH OCTOBER

“Top Of The Pops” may have gotten an overhaul last week but in the charts themselves it’s pretty much as you were. The Scorpions increase sales by just 25% to 42,032, enough for “Wind Of Change” to leapfrog 5-2 but not enough to prevent the Bryan Adams juggernaut from completing an historic 14th week on top, you can now even get odds on him being the Christmas No 1! However he sold 58,656 copies to retain the crown, roughly speaking the average for a No 1 single in 1991 before Adams’s reign commenced.  The gap between the top 2 is now the narrowest since Adams' first week at the top in July but Adams' track does become the first to turn double platinum (1.2 million)- prior to 1989 of course a single had to sell 1 million to become platinum, but no structure was in place to award double certifications (or multiples of) so whilst some tracks would have eligible it was never granted. Having now spent 16 continuous week in the top 10 Bryan Adams is now the longest running top 10 single since Ken Dodd's "Tears" spent 17 weeks in 1965.

He loses the album top spot to a trio of new entries from Simply Red, Prince, and Tina Turner, yes the autumn release schedule has officially begun!

Recorded for the controversial film “Life Of Bryan” in 1979, Monty Python’s “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life” has been released as a single twice without charting but it’s been picked up by Simon Mayo on Radio 1 and getting some regular airplay in addition to being a terrace favourite for years in Football. Throw in its current use in adverts for “Punch” magazine and the crew finally score a hit as it moves 30-8 (23,184), it’s also this week’s only new track in the top 10.

Oceanic, contrary to my prediction last week, make it three weeks at No 3 though its sales are down again at 33,760, falling position wise are Salt N Pepa 2-4 (31,664) and Erasure 4-5 (28,800) but Julian Lennon advances 10-6 (27,264) to equal his highest peak ever, Rozalla surprisingly reverses 6-7 (26,752) and Right Said Fred drop 7-9 (18,800) but “It’s Too Sexy” is now the third biggest seller of the year as well as sopending a 10th week in the top 10 despite not making the top spot, teh first track since Bee Gees "How Deep Is Your Love" to acheive that! Sabrina Johnston completes the ten dropping 8-10 (17,264).


1- (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (58,656)
2- WIND OF CHANGE- The Scorpions (42,032)
3- INSANITY- Oceanic (33,760)
4- LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX- Salt N Pepa (31,664)
5- LOVE TO HATE YOU- Erasure (28,800)
6- SALTWATER- Julian Lennon (27,264)
7- EVERYBODY’S FREE (TO FEEL GOOD)- Rozalla (26,752)
8- ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE- Monty Python (23,184)
9- I’M TOO SEXY- Right Said Fred (18,800)
10- PEACE- Sabrina Johnston (17,264)

Life Of Brian is one of the greatest film comedies of all-time - and I saw it week of release at Grauman's cinema on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in LA, having taken photos of The Marx Brothers, John Wayne, Marilyn Monroe handprints, among other then-legends of the movies. I think that's pretty python-esque, about as far from UK cinemas as you could get. The closing song is still catchy, popular at funerals, and it was nice having a nostalgic 70's moment in the 90's charts - but not one to play over and over again! Eric Idle (who is the main man here) still active online and touring and still has his sense of humour!

19TH OCTOBER

Adams sees his lead over the field cut by 69% to a mere 5,000 but “(Everything I Do) I Do it For You” is still the No 1 after 15 long weeks and sold another 50,608 copies to do it, that’s enough to make Bryan Adams the biggest selling singles act of the 90s as he slips past Madonna. “Wind Of Change” remains blowing against the gates of No 1 but it isn’t there yet, 45,808 buyers is only a modest improvement and if it makes the top then it will be more to do with the amount Adams loses sales. Far more likely that number one next week will be either the song at No 3 which is the rapidily rising Monty Python 8-3 (41,295) or the song that blusters 11-4 this week.

That’s Kiri Te Kanawa’s “World In Union” which is currently getting a nightly airing on ITV as the Rugby song has been recorded by the Opera singer for the tournament’s theme, and the single is being lapped up by the public to the tune of 40,592 last week and should be fighting tooth and nail with the Pythons next week.

Jean-Paul DeCoster and Phil Wilde are the Belgian producers behind 2 Unlimited but the outfit is fronted by Anita Doth and Ray Slijngaard and together they’re all responsible for “Get Ready For This” which is currently going down a storm in the clubs. DeCoster and Wilde first collaborated as Bizz Nizz (You may recall their 1990 top 10 hit “Don’t Miss The Partyline”) but have now moved on to their next project, Slijngaard actually wrote a rap for the song which is the version used on the continent but for the UK release it has been stripped out and the original orchestral mix is used for radio with only the sampled “Y’All Ready For This” remaining (the sample is from D.O.C’s “It’s Funky Enough” in case you wanted to know). It powers 19-6 (29,088) and could stand an outside chance of making the top next week.

Oceanic finally dive 3-5 (29,760), Julian Lennon dips 6-7 (27,072), Salt N Pepa tumble 4-8 (26,112), not surprising as their new “Greatest Hits” collection debuts at No 6 to divert sales, Erasure ebb 5-9 (20,896) and will be hoping to depose Simply Red on the album charts next Sunday, and Rozalla falls 7-10 (20,736).


1- (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (50,608)
2- WIND OF CHANGE- The Scorpions (45,808)
3- ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE- Monty Python (41,296)
4- WORLD IN UNION- Kiri Te Kanawa (40,592)
5- INSANITY- Oceanic (29,760)
6- GET READY FOR THIS- 2 Unlimited (29,088)
7- SALTWATER- Julian Lennon (27,072)
8- LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX- Salt N Pepa (26,112)
9- LOVE TO HATE YOU- Erasure (20,896)
10- EVERYBODY’S FREE (TO FEEL GOOD)- Rozalla (20,736)

Thread will take a break whilst real life intervenes again. Resuming on Thursday!

Omg Get Ready For This!

I'm back early so you get another week tonight

15 minutes ago, Gezza said:

I'm back early so you get another week tonight

GO! (yeah)

26TH OCTOBER





Triumphing for a 16th week on the trot the Bryan Adams success story continues. The next record he’s eyeing up is the most weeks at the top by a single, that’s held by Frankie Lane’s “I Believe” with 18 weeks in 1953. “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” sold a mere 45,728 copies last week as it dips below the 50,000 mark for only the second time in its chart life and the lowest tally for the No 1 in 20 weeks, total sales are now 1,399,440 making it the 5th biggest seller since 1980, can it do 17 weeks at the top?

Supposed challengers to the throne were in the end quite ineffectual, The Scorpions drop 2-3 (39,712), Kiri Te Kanawa stalls at No 4 (38,816) and Monty Python fall back 3-5 (37,616), all of that allowed 2 Unlimited to surge 6-2 with 41,312 copies shifted. If that 42% sales increase indicates where it is heading next week then Adams will finally be demoted!  But we've been here before........

Or maybe you’d be better putting a few bob on the song that debuts at No 6 this week, Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff’s cover of Tommy Roe’s “Dizzy”. You may have seen the promo with Reeves and the band performing in front of a few washing machines taking the meaning rather literally! Naturally it’s all rather fun and light hearted and certainly it seems to be popular at retail with 28,288 copies being purchased, Reeves’ album is out next month, just in time for Christmas! It instantly it matches the best ever debut for The Wonder Stuff and the peak of Reeves only single "Born Free".

Another act with a new album out next month is Lisa Stansfield. Her first LP “Affection” made No 2 in the run up to Christmas 1989 and contained by that stage the No 1 single “All Around The World”, she’s hoping she can launch her second album with a similar chart topper and “Change” is the first single which rises 14-10 (18,144).

Oceanic continue their gentle descent 5-7 (23,280), the track will pass the 300,000 mark next week, Julian Lennon retreats 7-8 (18,544) and Salt N Pepa dip 8-9 (18,144)


1- (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (45,728)
2- GET READY FOR THIS- 2 Unlimited (41,312)
3- WIND OF CHANGE- The Scorpions (39,712)
4- WORLD IN UNION- Kiri Te Kanawa (38,816)
5- ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE- Monty Python (37,616)
6- DIZZY- Vic Reeves/ Wonder Stuff (28,288)
7- INSANITY- Oceanic (23,280)
8- SALTWATER- Julian Lennon (18,544)
9- LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX- Salt N Pepa (18,288)
10- CHANGE- Lisa Stansfield (18,144)

That version of Dizzy has a crazy TOTP performance!

I went to see Vic & Bob on their comedy tour and they did Dizzy - which was fun, and appropriate as I'd been to see Tommy Roe a couple of years earlier, as that song was the first record I ever bought with my own money, and remains special to me - and feeling rather smug about Bass-o-matic sampling it and now Vic grabbing a big hit cover to boot showed me that "bubblegum" pop wasnt quite as disposable and worthless as Rock Critics tried to lead us to believe.

"Vic, I've fallen!"

"Chives!"

"What do we cry when we see The Man With The Stick?" audience: ("What's on the end of the stick, Vic?")

"You wouldn't let it lie!"

Surreal, you had to be there 😄

Lisa Stansfield, always classy, always good. Barry White vibes for the 90's but with female vocals.

2ND NOVEMBER




After 16 long weeks Bryan Adams finally surrenders the top slot, and in some style bombing 1-4 (48,480) though you will note that the sale figure is actually up on last week! One easy explanation is that it was the half term break which resulted in a general upsurge in sales.

So the new No 1 is a new entry for only the second time in 1991 following Queen’s “Innuendo” in January. U2 are new chart champions with “The Fly” selling 66,160 to enter on top of the pile, they rushed into an unsurmountable lead early in the week and though Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff fought back admirably then ended up coming up short on 63,936- maybe next week? It’s U2’s 11th straight top 10 hit (“In God’s Country” only made No 48 in late 1987 yet was an import only) but their first to debut at the top and their second chart topper in total coming 3 years after “Desire”. It’s also the lead single from their new album “Achtung Baby” out in four weeks and is only available for three weeks according to the record label which perhaps also accounts for the single’s high debut, that decision was apparently made to ensure that the album had two singles to promote it for the Christmas rush.

Another debut this week is the return of Genesis with a new album “We Can’t Dance” due imminently and lead single “No Son Of Mine” which smashes in at No 9 (20,016). It’s only the 6th top 10 hit for the trio and the first to arrive there immediately, thematically the song deals with an abusive relationship though the exact nature of it is not known, the Christmas market is going to be busy.  Incidentally we've had 36 tracks debut in the top 10 so far this year- more than the 24 for the whole of 1990 and the 30 songs that entered the top tier in 1989 which was the record!.

Last Year US DJ Moby released a record called “Mobility”, it failed to chart but it contained a song called “Go” on the B-side. Moby has now remixed it including placing a sample of “Laura Palmer’s Theme” from the TV Series “Twin Peaks” to give the song a more atmospheric feel and also that woman Jocelyn Brown again, “Love’s Gonna Get You” providing the “yeah”’s on the single. All in all it’s now a much more commercial proposition and rises 11-10 (19,072).  The track made No 46 over the summer but didn't ignite the charts, it was pulled and issued with remixes to DJ's as a white label who made it a much sought after track and has been rewarded (finally) with success.

Poor 2 Unlimited sold an impressive 57,168 last week, enough for No 1 the week before, yet they see “Get Ready For This” slip 2-3. Kiri Te Kanawa starts to fall at No 5 (42,512) but is getting a nice sales push with the team advancing to the final on Saturday, this could still go all the way.

All over for The Scorpions though who drop 4-6 (29,616) and Monty Python who slip 5-7 (26,592), Oceanic are happily now over the 300,000 mark but again recede 7-8 (20,784).


1- THE FLY- U2 (66,160)
2- DIZZY- Vic Reeves/ Wonder Stuff (63,936)
3- GET READY FOR THIS- 2 Unlimited (57,168)
4- (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (48,480)
5- WORLD IN UNION- Kiri Te Kanawa (42,512)
6- WIND OF CHANGE- The Scorpions (29,616)
7- ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE- Monty Python (26,592)
8- INSANITY- Oceanic (20,784)
9- NO SON OF MINE- Genesis (20,016)
10- GO- Moby (19,072)

The "recent" change of TOTP rules to allow and focus on forthcoming big releases rather than slavish follow the top 40 allowed the promo for "The Fly" to be shown on the previous week as an "exclusive" while Vic Reeves was also shown as a new entry at No 6- Historically TOTP would have worked against U2 and that could have been the difference in the No 1 spot this week...we'll never know.

Oh my at last a new #1

No Son of Mine is a great emotive track

Go is very good too and emotive too with the rather sombre Twin Peaks sample.

Go is fantastic!

Twin Peaks first season was amazing, Moby's sample didn't hurt! The Fly was pretty exciting and unusual, and a relief number one after so long on top for Bryan Adams - much as I liked it, and would have enjoyed seeing it break 19 weeks for the total record. World In Union I don't really remember much, TBH. No Son Of Mine is OK Genesis, but not quite up to Land Of Confusion, Mama, Turn It On Again, Follow You Follow Me standards.

'Go' and 'Get Ready For This' are both classics!

9TH NOVEMBER




We waited 16 weeks for a new number one and then in the space of three weeks we have three different chart toppers. U2 are bounced off the top 1-2 (53,344) and in being demoted it becomes just the third track ever (and second this year) to debut at No 1 and spend just 7 days there. The new chart topper is the 15th track to hit the top in two different versions, Tommy Roe in 1969 and now Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff take “Dizzy” all the way to the top. Selling 64,800 last week it only increases sales by a fraction but that’s easily enough to see it outpace the opposition but it will face a test this week with Reeves’ album “I Will Cure You” in shops now.

With half term over sales are in a general slump, 2 Unlimited hold at No 3 (46,768) and even Bryan Adams sticks at No 4 (32,400) meanwhile Kiri Te Kanawa digs in at No 5 (31,216) but all are receding in sales week on week and indeed the latter must be fancied to fade fast with the Rugby world cup now over.

When it debuted at No 19 last week “If You Were With Me Now” became the lowest debuting Kylie Minogue single since her introductory single “I Should Be So Lucky” in 1988. Coupled with the No 16 peak of her last single “Word Is Out” it all pointed to a career in trouble and ever diminishing chart returns, but her new single zooms 19-7 (20,960) to become a 14th top 10 single from 15 attempts, it’s actually a duet with US singer Keith Washington who has his first hit but clearly it’s Kylie selling this song, she doesn’t appear to be able to sell albums any longer with her fourth LP “Let’s Get To It” peaking at No 15 and slumping 18-27 this week.

When first released in April this year “Rhythm Is A Mystery” peaked at a meagre No 61 on independent label Creed, it’s now been picked up by Deconstruction and makes a much more impressive splash by debuting at No 8 (20,416). The group met at the Hacienda club in 1988 before supporting 808 State en-route to the charts.

Genesis improve 9-6 (22,224) whilst both Monty Python and The Scorpions are heading out of the top flight as they fall 7-9 (17,328) and 6-10 (17,232) respectively.


1- DIZZY- Vic Reeves/ Wonder Stuff (64,800)
2- THE FLY- U2 (53,344)
3- GET READY FOR THIS- 2 Unlimited (46,768)
4- (EVERYTHING I DO)- I DO IT FOR YOU- Bryan Adams (32,400)
5- WORLD IN UNION- Kiri Te Kanawa (31,216)
6- NO SON OF MINE- Genesis (22,224)
7- IF YOU WERE WITH ME NOW- Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington (20,960)
8- RHYTHM IS A MYSTERY- K Klass (20,416)
9- ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE- Monty Python (17,328)
10- WIND OF CHANGE- The Scorpions (17,232)