1st FEBRUARY



Recording a healthy 55% sales hike to 63,375, Wet Wet Wet grab a second week at the top of the charts with demand clearly not satiated yet for the track “Goodnight Girl”. Sales of the song now stand at 155,652 just a few thousand behind Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody which itself slides 2-4 (27.090) and will lose its pole position on the YTD listings next week but they still have two GH sets in the top 10 on the album charts so the money is pouring in.

Two tracks make big leaps right behind the Wets, Kylie Minogue strikes 5-2 (34,785) and 2 Unlimited fly 9-3 (32,415) but in reality they are far too far away to pose a threat to the current chart topper with the only hope on the horizon the arrival of the wets album in a few weeks. For Minogue it gives her recent chart peaks of No 16, 4, and now 2- she seems back in favour.

Already a US No 9 hit last November, US Vocalist and Saxophonist Curtis Stigers has found fans on this side of the pond with his self written debut single “I Wonder Why”. His success is seen as a continued revival in the US Jazz scene along with Harry Connick Jnr and “I Wonder Why” certainly is a hit as it powers 26-7 (21,795) off the back of a TOTP performance.

On a UK tour at present the Wonder Stuff are also back in the charts with the follow up to “Dizzy”. Backing vocals here are by Kirsty MacColl and “Welcome To The Cheap Seats” is actually an EP and includes in its other tracks the band’s take on the Jam’s “That’s Entertainment”, it climbs 11-8 (21,075) to give them a third top 10 single in 10 months.

Marcella Detroit and Siobhan Fahey are back as Shakespears Sister, you may recall their 1989 No 6 hit “You’re History” as that was their previous best, subsequent singles have failed to impress all missing the top 30 including their last single “Goodbye Cruel World” which was a first release from the duo’s second album “Hormonally Yours”. If you’re wondering why the title then that’s because both ladies were pregnant during the writing and recording of it, second single to be cut from it “Stay” is proving a far bigger hit as it soars 27-10 (19,305), it comes with a rather memorable promo based on the film “Cat Woman Of The Moon” and sees the girls fighting over a man, he’s played by a certain Dave Evans former boyfriend of Bananarama’s Karen Woodward.  it's co-written by Fahey's husband and former Eurythmic Dave Stewart under the pseudonym Guiot. 

Elsewhere The Prodigy fall 3-5 (24,135), Kiss reverse 4-6 (23,910) and Genesis stride 7-9 (20,100).


1- GOODNIGHT GIRL- Wet wet wet (63,375)
2- GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME- Kylie Minogue (34,785)
3- TWILIGHT ZONE- 2 Unlimited (32,415)
4- BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/ THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES- Queen (27,090)
5- EVERYBODY IN THE PLACE E.P- The Prodigy (24,135)
6- GOD GAVE ROCK N ROLL TO YOU II- Kiss (23,910)
7- I WONDER WHY- Curtis Stygers (21,795)
8- WELCOME TO THE CHEAP SEATS E..P- Wonder Stuff (21,075)
9- I CAN’T DANCE- Genesis (20,100)
10- STAY- Shakespears Sister (19,305)

Love the French & Saunders parody of “Stay”!

That's it - my birthday chart 4th Feb 1992!

Forgot about that Curtis song its a nice ballad - and maybe it inspired the saxophone revival later in 1992 with Undercover.

'Stay' is an epic!

Edited January 15Jan 15 by TheSnake

17 minutes ago, TheSnake said:

That's it - my birthday chart 4th Feb 1992!

Forgot about that Curtis song its a nice ballad - and maybe it inspired the saxophone revival later in 1992 with Undercover.

'Stay' is an epic!

Not quite- These are week ending dates so this chart is valid until 1st February with a new chart announced on 2nd Feb 😁

Twilight Zone was one of 2 Unlimited's better tracks so it was good to see it be successful, or at least I thought so at the time. Good to see another Wonder Stuff track in the top 10 too, I didn't care for them that much at the time but I did eventually get their best of years from now and found myself liking pretty much everything on it.

But obviously the main news is that we've been graced with the presence of one of the best songs of the year in the form of Stay. I absolutely loved it at the time and remember really hoping it would do well. I can also remember my dad telling me that the mad one in the video used to be in Bananarama and me really struggling to process that news.

8TH FEBRUARY




“Goodnight Girl” continues to dominate for a third week at the top though sales are off 20% at 50,985 hampered by the release of their third studio album “High On The Happy Side” which also arrives at No 1, their second chart topping album after “Popped In Souled Out” four years ago ,and proves their decision to push the album back from the autumn after two flop singles was the right move.

The single still has a substantive lead at the top of the charts though it is reduced from 29,000 to 17,000 over the new runner up 2 Unlimited with “Twilight Zone” which sold 32,645 last week. It marks the second No 2 single from 2 releases for the Dutch duo and bodes well for the release of their album in a few weeks, we’ll see if dance acts can sell albums. That single replaces Kylie Minogue’s “Give Me Just A Little More Time” as it falls 2-3 (29,145), it becomes Minogue’s 6th single to peak at that position and also the second time she’s had to play second fiddle to Wet Wet Wet whose “With A Little Help From My Friends” held “Got To Be Certain” off No 1 four years ago.



Their last single only made No 75 but the Pasadena’s are back with a cover of the No 20 1973 track “I’m Doing Fine Now”. It heralds a third album from the boys called “Yours Sincerely” which is an album of covers in the main, this single drives 12-4 (27,435) and is looking like a potential future chart topper as it becomes their highest placed single surpassing the No 5 peak of “Tribute” in 1988.

After forming and running XL Records (home to The Prodigy among others) Richard Russell and Nick Halkes have also found some spare time to make a record themselves forming the outfit Kicks Like A Mule. Their debut production “The Bouncer” jumps 13-7 (20,040) and samples Frank De Wulf’s “Moribund” fact fans.

Good news this week for Curtis Stigers who climbs 7-5 (27,210), Shakespears Sister advance 10-6 (24,585) and Genesis rise 9-8 (17,655) despite losing sales. Going the wrong way are Kiss 6-9 (17,655) and Queen 4-10 (17,520). Next week look out for a new Michael Jackson single- expect a high new entry which was again previewed by a TOTP exclusive of the promo and which is again an extravaganza!


1- GOODNIGHT GIRL- Wet, wet, wet (50,985)
2- TWILIGHT ZONE- 2 Unlimited (33,645)
3- GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME- Kylie Minogue (29,145)
4- I’M DOING FINE NOW- The Pasadenas (27,435)
5- I WONDER WHY- Curtis Stygers (27,210)
6- STAY- Shakespears Sister (24,585)
7- THE BOUNCER- Kicks Like A Mule (20,040)
8- I CAN’T DANCE- Genesis (17,655)
9- GOD GAVE ROCK N ROLL TO YOU II- Kiss (17,655)
10- BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY/ THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES- Queen (17,520)

Kylie's cover was OK, but not a patch on the original, she was a bit lucky to grab a number 2, where usually she's unlucky to grab a number 2, oops. The Pasedans cover was also OK, but I prefer the original too. It's nice the 70's songs were getting new audiences.

Curtis Stigers was a trifle on the dull side, though not a bad track as such, and The Wonder Stuff single was OK too. OK seems to be default slot, except for Stay (brilliant. classic) clearly head and shoulders over the rest, and one I have no memory of at all in Kicks Like A Mule. If someone had said, was this track a top 10 hit in 1992, my answer would be a firm no, I've never heard of it. Playing it now, I can see why my brain cells have blanked it out. Annoying novelty. Happy to not be "on the list", mate....

The Bouncer is miminal and bass-heavy, like many club dance hits now! I still prefer the more maximal produced rave and dance tracks!

The first half of 1992 was fantastic with all the rave and breakbeat stuff. "The Bouncer" is just massive. "Twilight Zone", "Everybody In The Place", "Roobarb & Custard" all great. Also the house tune from Kym and CeCe were cool thanks to Steve Silk Hurley. "Justified & Ancient" is a great crossover track, but I still prefer the more chilled album version from "The White Room" with vocals from Ricardo Da Force.

15TH FEBRUARY

For the second time since the chart was made into a top 50 there are three new entries into the top 10, more on that a bit later. Wet Wet Wet continue to dominate holding down the top spot on both charts with “Goodnight Girl” posting a sale of 45,105 raising its total to 251,732 their second biggest seller behind, “With A Little Help From My Friends”.

Onto the highest of those new entries and naturally that comes from Michael Jackson with his second release from “Dangerous”. “Remember The Time” comes with a 9 minute promo featuring Eddie Murphy, Magic Johnson, and model (and David Bowie’s fiancée) Iman and is set in ancient Egypt, all sufficiently augmented by special effects, the album was released 12 weeks ago and sunk as low as No 16 last week but now charges 16-6 this week as the single hits stores, its sales are now over 900,000, quite remarkable. It becomes his 25th top 10 single but only the 5th to debut there as it arrives at No 6 (23,085).

Ride’s debut single only made No 71, their second became their first top 40 single and their fourth single their first top 20 hit, but now Ride officially arrive in the upper reaches with “Leave Them All Behind” which is new at No 9 (15,765). The song is the first to be culled from their second album “Going Blank Again” out next month, the band have slightly altered their sound from their last album, no doubt trying to disassociate themselves from the “Shoegazing” genre which has surely run its course.

Also making their mark felt after 6 days on sale Jesus & Mary Chain are back with their first album in three years “Honey’s Dead” and already the song “Reverence” has stumbled into trouble, something the group are used to over the years. Some of the lyrics have been deemed too controversial for TOTP and for Radio One with the station has chosen not to playlist, regardless it becomes their highest debuting single ever as it crashes in at No 10 (14,850).

In other news the Wets have new challengers with Shakespears Sister moving 6-2 (35,640) and looking like next week’s chart topper unless Michael Jackson can stop them, 2 Unlimited slip back 2-3 (30,660) and the Pasadena’s get stuck at No 4 (30,180) but were unlucky not to climb. Curtis Stigers maintains No 5 (25,665) though he’s losing sales unlike The Pasadenas, Kylie drops 3-7 (17,430) and Kicks Like A Mule dissipate 7-8 (16,080).


1- GOODNIGHT GIRL- Wet wet wet (45,105)
2- STAY- Shakespears Sister (35,640)
3- TWILIGHT ZONE- 2 Unlimited (30,660)
4- I’M DOING FINE NOW- The Pasadenas (30,180)
5- I WONDER WHY- Curtis Stigers (25,665)
6- REMEMBER THE TIME- Michael Jackson (23,085)
7- GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME- Kylie Minogue (17,430)
8- THE BOUNCER- Kicks Like A Mule (16,080)
9- LEAVE THEM ALL BEHIND- Ride (15,765)
10- REVERENCE- Jesus & Mary Chain (14,850)

oh well that explains why I dont remember Jesus & Mary Chain - banned = no way of hearing it. Ditto Ride, quick in and out I'm guessing. No memories of either. Jackson of course lots of airplay, the video was OTT, and the song largely pleasant but sounded less essential than previous albums' singles on the whole, though obv better than The Girl Is Mine!

22ND FEBRUARY

Wet, Wet, Wet lose both crowns this week and thusly “Goodnight Girl” fails to become their longest chart topper as it ties on 4 weeks alongside “With A Little Help From My Friends”, it will however sell its 300,000th copy this week and it descends 1-2 on 40,575 sales. The new chart topper comes from Shakespears Sister which rises 2-1 (43,800), a result which must validate Fahey’s decision to leave Bananarama 4 years ago, their last single “Long Train Running” peaked at No 30 last year. The duo’s album is out in shops this week so may impede its future success but the promo seems to have generated significant sales for the song.

Currently sitting atop of the Box office charts is of course “My Girl” featuring Macaulay Culkin and it utilises the old Temptations classic of the same name in the flick. That’s caused a re-issue of the single which incredibly only made No 43 on release in 1965, it’s been covered a multitude of times but only been as high as No 11 for Otis Redding that same year so it’s fitting that some 37 years later it finally becomes a top 10 hit here as it rises 12-5 (29,820). It is only the group’s 5th top 10 single ever and they’ve been higher than this once, back in 1969 with the Supremes on “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”. The group have actually been attracting some club attention for their song “The Jones’” which debuts at No 69 this week on Motown (“My Girl” has been licensed to Columbia for this release) so It may be that the label has shot itself in the foot on this occasion with the oldie getting the radio support.

Originally a No 55 hit last November Shanice’s “I Love Your Smile” has since become a substantial US hit (it drops 2-3 this week over there) and is now a hit back here though it has taken a remix by producers Driza Bone to turn the trick. Production on the original is by Narada Michael Walden and continues the modern trend for remixing songs into hits which has emerged over the last few years. Shanice rose to fame on the US TV show “Star Search” (a UK equivalent might be Opportunity Knocks) which made Tiffany a star, and signed with Motown and is now at No 7 (22,620)- this week’s highest new entry.

Simply Red’s album “Stars” celebrates its 20th week of chart action by dethroning Wet Wet Wet at the top of the album charts, it’s still selling at a fast rate with sales of over 1.3 million so far, becoming the biggest album of 1991, and never dropped lower than No 6 in all that time. It is now home to a second top 10 single in the form of “For Your Babies” which slides 12-9 (17,355) buoyed no doubt by the group’s success at the BRITS during the week.

Taking an old 1983 track by Jane and slinging a dance beat over it saw Opus III’s “It’s A Fine Day” become a club hit over recent months and now it gets a commercial release and crashes straight in at No 10 (16,455). It’s on the PWL International label a subsidiary of the PWL label which has branched out and along with PWL Continental is home to other chart acts like 2 Unlimited who themselves fall 3-8 (22,455), all of which are still generating money for PWL now that the hits are thinner on the ground for Stock and Waterman.

Michael Jackson improves 6-3 (35,250) but his last chart topper to take at least three weeks to reach the top was Billie Jean 9 years ago so its chances on making number one are slim, and refreshingly the Pasadenas hold at No 4 for a third week and are still increasing sales this time to 31,830, meanwhile Curtis Stigers slides back 5-6 (27,450) and improves sales again thanks in part to the school holidays.

In the ongoing battle of chart formats, it wasn't that long ago that 12" overtook 7" as the most popular choice for singles but this week inevitably the CD rises to the top spot for the first time ever with 27.4% of the singles market- the other % are 25.4% for 7", 25% for 12" and 22% for the cassingle.


1- STAY- Shakespears Sister (43,800)
2- GOODNIGHT GIRL- Wet wet wet (40,575)
3- REMEMBER THE TIME- Michael Jackson (35,250)
4- I’M DOING FINE NOW- The Pasadenas (31,830)
5- MY GIRL- The Temptations (29,820)
6- I WONDER WHY- Curtis Stigers (27,450)
7- I LOVE YOUR SMILE (REMIX)- Shanice (22,620)
8- TWILIGHT ZONE- 2 Unlimited (22,455)
9- FOR YOUR BABIES- Simply Red (17,355)
10- IT’S A FINE DAY- Opus III (16,455)

Stay, what a video and record, totally deserved chart-topper. I saw Shakespear's Sister and I saw Bananarama minus Shvaughn, the Nana's had the better show, but both were good - and then I caught the original trio tour in the 2010's and they were fab. My Girl a classic Motown, and great to see it finally going top 10 and topping my personal chart. I loved the Shanice original version, that's the one I bought, I was usually hard to convince that House remixes were better than the originals, but the song works on either. For Your Babies is a nice one, and Opus is good too.

29TH FEBRUARY



Shakespears Sister take the name of their single literally and “Stay” at No 1 and increase their sales to 54,900 as their album “Hormonally Yours” debuts at No 3 seemingly doing nothing to impede the singles popularity. On paper it should be under pressure from The Temptations 5-2 (37,050) and Shanice 7-3 (35,985) but they aren’t even in the same ballpark at present, and neither are the Pasadenas who spend a month at No 4 though for the first time their sales are down to 22,485 so it’s now past its best, Opus III also improves 10-5 (22,410) and could easily be top 3 next week.

Bryan Adams of course spent 16 weeks at No 1 last year but his next two singles peaked at No 12 and No 32 evidencing perhaps that we had had our fill of Adams for a while. Fourth single “Thought I’d Died And Gone To Heaven” reverses the trend though as it lifts 11-8 (17,460) to become his second top 10 hit, the album similarly heads north 21-15 and has sold over 600,000 since its October release.

A new Madness compilation “Divine Madness” is released this week and their 1981 #4 cover of Labi Siffre’s “It Must Be Love” has been re-released to help promote the album along with tying in with Valentine’s Day. It bounds 15-10 (15,600) to become a top ten single all over again.

Michael Jackson slackens 3-6 (21,090) and Wet Wet Wet drop 2-7 (18,810) whilst Simply Red hold at No 9 (16,155). The KLF and Guns N Roses both release singles this week and both acts debuted in the top 10 with their last 3 releases so expect high debuts again…..


1- STAY- Shakespears Sister (54,900)
2- MY GIRL- The Temptations (37,050)
3- I LOVE YOUR SMILE- Shanice (35,985)
4- I’M DOING FINE NOW- The Pasadenas (22,485)
5- IT’S A FINE DAY- Opus III (22,410)
6- REMEMBER THE TIME- Michael Jackson (21,090)
7- GOODNIGHT GIRL- Wet wet wet (18,810)
8- THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN- Bryan Adams (17,460)
9- FOR YOUR BABIES- Simply Red (16,155)
10- IT MUST BE LOVE- Madness (15,600)

I do have a soft spot for 'I Love Your Smile'

That's a good #1. Dramatic and atmospheric.

Its a bit cheesy but 'I Like Your Smile' is still good. The 'Blow, Branford, blow!' before the saxophone solo is funny too!

Opus III great rave/trip hop track.

Edited January 19Jan 19 by TheSnake

Opus III is a huge fave of mine, best song in the top 10.

Thought I'd Died was a better single than the last 2 Bryan Adams' so it was nice to see it top 10, and Madness a classic cover of a classic original and well worth a second run, so the song had been a hit in 3 decades and continues to help Labi's retirement funds to this day.

7TH MARCH

Sales decrease by a measly 2% meaning that Shakespears Sister remain way ahead of the field for a third week, however their winning margin is reduced from 17k to 12k with The Temptations holding at No 2 (40,950) and Shanice at No 3 (38,040), not bad sales in the context of 1992 so far. That’s the Temptations biggest hit of their long career and for Shakespears Sister total sales of “Stay” now stand at 239,790 easing into second place for the year behind the Wets, it is also their best seller.

Guns N Roses cement their place as one of the biggest bands on the planet at present with a fourth straight top 10 single and a third to be plucked from “Use Your Illusion I”. “November Rain” comes with a 9 minute promo which reputedly cost a million dollars and has quickly been heralded as a classic, it debuts at No 4 (26,070) but both “Illusion” albums remain outside the top 50 six months after release though the forthcoming European leg of their tour should help sort that out.  The 7" version runs to 8 minutes 53 minutes- the third longest single on that format in chart history (The Winner on that front remains Grand funk Railroad's "Inside Looking Out" at 9 minutes and 23 seconds, with "Freebird" in second place at 9 minutes).

Following on from a “memorable” BRITS performance with Extreme Noise Terror during which they appeared to announce their departure from the music business, The KLF have released what could be their last single, a substantive re-working of their 1990 No 6 hit “What Time Is Love” rebranded “America: What Time Is Love?” which is essentially the US mix of the track which was released last year stateside. It features a guitar riff borrowed from “Ace Of Spades” and added vocals by former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes, and naturally it’s all OTT, but that’s why we love(d) them? Anyway it smashes straight into the No 9 position with 15,855 sales.

The arrival of GNR puts paid to a rise by Opus III who hold at No 5 (23,445), Madness rise 10-6 (19,425) as “Divine Madness” debuts at No 2, that’s four places higher than the new Pasadenas album which in turn means their single “I’m Doing Fine Now” dips 4-7 (18,345), and Bryan Adams holds at No 8 (16,860). Michael Jackson drops 6-10 (15,630) to round off the top 10.


1- STAY- Shakespears Sister (53,265)
2- MY GIRL- The Temptations (40,950)
3- I LOVE YOUR SMILE- Shanice (38,040)
4- NOVEMBER RAIN- Guns N Roses (26,070)
5- IT’S A FINE DAY- Opus III (23,445)
6- IT MUST BE LOVE- Madness (19,425)
7- I’M DOING FINE NOW- The Pasadenas (18,345)
8- THOUGHT I’D DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN- Bryan Adams (16,860)
9- AMERICA: WHAT TIME IS LOVE?- The KLF (15,855)
10- REMEMBER THE TIME- Michael Jackson (15,630)

All three of those songs are epic in their own ways!

KLF going for a crazy high energy Frankie Goes To Hollywood style production for What Time Is Love: America.