Simpsons,Futurama,Family Guy, American Dad, Cleveland Show all more my type of humour, South Park had no subtlety, and big and important as it still is, I still think that - yes I know family Guy & co get accused of that but thats not accurate, flatulence gags mix with time travel parodies and inventiveness quite happily. OTOH Isaac Hayes was great, and Shaft should totally have been a UK number one, it was groundbreaking, so this was small compensation - but it got stale pretty quickly. So how does it sound now? Well, the fact that its soul legend Isaac singing the lyrics gives it humourous kudos it wouldn't have if it was a nobody singing, and it's a good backing track - but I still wouldnt want to hear it a lot! Lower than All Saints, Oasis, not as annoying as Because We Want To...

24. Another Level - Freak Me

Rank: 6/10

Reason: R&B/pop UK boyband Another Level wasted no time getting off the ground after debut hit Be No Alone No More debuted and peaked at No.6 in February featuring no less a star than Jay-Z to demonstrate their street cred (and would return for a second outing the following year). For their second single in summer 1998 they turned to the US again with a cover of Silk's 1993 US No.1 hit Freak Me. It missed the top 40 here at the time so was a fair cover (and a tactic their spiritual successors Blue would emulate when they took a cover of Next's Too Close to No.1 here).

The song is very memorable, and undeniably the signature hit in their chart career that lasted under two years and spawned seven top ten hits. But lyrically it was a bit of a cringe one to listen to as an 11-year-old, not least because my Mum loved them so bought the album. Dane had a good voice though and you can see why there was a gap in the market for a boyband of this kind at the time. But for me, it's not one I ever loved very much. I quite happily still listen to Be Alone No More, I Want You For Myself and Bomb Diggy though.

It's funny that Isaac Hayes is such a well-respected, Grammy winning artist yet his U.K. #1 is 'Chocolate Salty Balls'! I've never watched an episode of South Park before (my young goody two shoes self was simply outraged that it was always in the Guinness World Records for most swear words, clearly ) so the context is a bit lost on me, but I actually do enjoy it to a degree and think it's well produced.

'Freak Me' is... not my thing at all, but do agree that Dane is the obvious vocal star of the group.

Freak Me might be the worst one I’ve heard here so far.

I had to double check I heard those lyrics correctly.

“Let me lick you up and down”….

Edited Thursday at 11:475 days by Paddington James

Yes, upon hearing it again I'm regretting not putting it below Chef and All Saints' double a-side tbh 🤣 Points for melody and vocals, minus points for the lyrics.

Never cared for 'Freak Me' either but cannot lie Dane bellowing out "cause tonight baby I wanna get freaky with you" is what is the most memorable bit I always remember. Obviously was the point though as mentioned already was to show off him being the star of thegroup. Not been fussed for any of his material though solo or band.

Another Level generally passed me by, but I love this!

Freak Me is a vile song.

"Freak Me" is a a very nice song, eventhough it is a cover version. Dane Bowers a really good singer - "Shut Up And Forget About It" is a very nice solo-single from him. My favourite from him is "Buggin'" produced by the True Steppers - stone cold 2-step-classic:

1 hour ago, DaTilt said:

"Freak Me" is a a very nice song, eventhough it is a cover version. Dane Bowers a really good singer - "Shut Up And Forget About It" is a very nice solo-single from him. My favourite from him is "Buggin'" produced by the True Steppers - stone cold 2-step-classic:

I get the impression Another Level imploded when a band member (not Dane) left. There was nothing to indicate they were flagging, their 1999 singles were all strong, including From The Heart on the Notting Hill soundtrack.

But at least he was able to branch out solo very quickly. Indeed, Buggin' was released not six months after Anothel Level's final single Bomb Diggy. Good idea to go garage.

23. B*Witched - Rollercoaster

Rank: 7/10

Reason: Moving on to all of the songs I actually like (7/10 score and up is stuff I would still actively choose to listen to today), Rollercoaster was the second of three No.1s in 1998 for Irish girlband B*Witched. Of the very few acts who have opened their chart account with four chart toppers, B*Witched was retrospectively perhaps the most surprising, considering that the likes of Spice Girls and Westlife were subsequently around for ages, while LadBaby was a Christmas novelty. But B*Witched rode a nine month wave of popularity and some well chosen release weeks and were then basically never as big again, the lead single from their second 'more mature' album peaking at No.4 and becoming their final top ten hit.

After the gigantic hit C'est La Vie, all eyes were on the second single Rollercoaster and it went to the top with a suitably huge first week sale, and also reached No.1 in Australia and New Zealand. Its first four weeks in the UK chart (1-1-2-4) were actually a better showing than the first four weeks for C'est La Vie (1-1-4-4), but the similarities ended there and it only spent five more weeks in the top 40.

For me Rollercoaster is charming, with some nice backing vocals and ad libs towards the end, but it's not amazing, although the trademark Irish jig separated it from other bubblegum pop at the time, and the rollercoaster formation dance routine was certainly memorable. But it didn't have the same mass appeal as its predecessor, or the same knowing double entendres aimed at the parents, so it was basically squarely aimed at that 9-15 Billie bracket. For me this song wasn't ever a big favourite like some of their other singles, but it's fun and catchy.

As said earlier the B*Witched songs are among my least favourite number ones of 1998. They were definately created for the younger teens. I fins nothing spectacular among them - their voices are not very strong - that's why none of them really had a solo career afterwards. Also the productions were very flat and the Irish elements did not fit very well in. Definately not my cup. I would give this a 3 out of 10.

A childhood classic that was my favourite of theirs at the time, but perhaps doesn't stand up quite as well today. I still like it though and it holds massive nostalgic memories.

I'd probably have 'Rollercoaster' a little bit further up. It is naff sure but can bypass that as they hold such nostalgia along with Aqua and Spice Girls in the group element in that period. Happy and fun pop. The other two #1's would be ahead of it mind you but tbh not by a massive amount as I rank them nearly equal with one another.

Oh I loved Rollercoaster at the time, it was the first B*Witched single I owned. I got it for Christmas 1998, along with Steps album Step One. I agree though, it's probably my least favourite of their four #1's.

I used to get on the floor and do the Rollercoaster dance! Happy times

Agree that Rollercoaster is the lowest of the 3 number 1s they got in 1998.

Not a bad song, enjoyed it on the TOTP reruns last week.

Another reason 1998 holds such a special place in my heart. It was December 1998 was the first time I got a Top of the Pops magazine. Well technically it was February 1999 when I got it as the Australian newsagents had to wait 2 months for it to arrive via sea mail. But I still count it as 1998.

*I can't get the picture of it uploaded but it had Steps on the cover with the heading 'The Naked Truth'. If I remember correctly there was also a bonus magazine of B*Witched in Australia.

Edited Friday at 07:024 days by Paddington James

2 hours ago, Paddington James said:

Another reason 1998 holds such a special place in my heart. It was December 1998 was the first time I got a Top of the Pops magazine. Well technically it was February 1999 when I got it as the Australian newsagents had to wait 2 months for it to arrive via sea mail. But I still count it as 1998.

*I can't get the picture of it uploaded but it had Steps on the cover with the heading 'The Naked Truth'. If I remember correctly there was also a bonus magazine of B*Witched in Australia.

Nice, I remember this issue as my sister used to buy the magazines too, I liked seeing the charts in the back with the best sellers of the prior three months, as that was not data generally published elsewhere.

1 minute ago, gooddelta said:

Nice, I remember this issue as my sister used to buy the magazines too, I liked seeing the charts in the back with the best sellers of the prior three months, as that was not data generally published elsewhere.

Oh yes, I remember that.

Also the lyrics in the middle and that lottery section where different coloured balls meant different categories of questions.

I real wish I’d kept all the issues I had. I collected it for about 3 years.