Deep

Not one of M People's most memorable hits, but it's alright.

Did people really use the term cassingle?

We weren't even fond of using the word cassette when I was growing up. It was tape/tapes.

Edited April 9Apr 9 by Colm

13TH FEBRUARY

Britain has its first Dutch born chart topper in 17 years today as 2 Unlimited grab the top spot from Whitney Houston after ten weeks at the top. “No Limit” was put through the paces though by the outgoing Whitney Houston, the latter shifted 41,280 and wasn't that far behind the 45,525 posted by 2 Unlimited.  It gives the duo their first chart topper after 5 singles two of which peaked at No 2, their second album is currently being worked on but should now be a substantial hit given this fine start.

For the outgoing No 1 from Whitney Houston she can boast sales of 1,210,830 as it goes double platinum in the week it gets demoted, “The Bodyguard” remains at No 1 on the compilation chart and also houses Whitney’s new single” I’m Every Woman” which will in all likelihood be in the top 10 next week.

No 1 on the box office charts at present is “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and these days you can’t have a film without a hit single, cue Annie Lennox’s “Love Song For A Vampire” which has been teamed with “Little Bird” a cut from her “Diva” album. To be fair she’s filmed promos for both sides including the latter track which features Lennox re-enacting her previous images. The Utah Saints remix of “Little Bird” has been going down a storm in the clubs all of which help the song debut at No 3 (36,090) (It is atop both the 12" and CD format chart this week to prove the point) and posing an immediate threat to 2 Unlimited. It becomes her biggest solo it and highest placed single to feature her since Eurythmics hit the top in 1985.

Ever wanted to have 12 interpretations of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”? Well if so try to catch the new Rolf Harris album as it will contain just that, it is of course a cover of the 1971 Led Zeppelin original which was never a single for the band though it made No 8 in a version by Far Corporation 8 years ago. Rolf’s version was one of 26 interpretations performed on the Australian chat show “The Money Or The Gun” and on release ploughs straight in at No 9 (20,355) and marks Harris’s first chart hit since “Two Little Boys” made No 1 24 years ago and fourth top 10 hit overall.

M People inch 9-8 (21,285) but there’s no other good news in the top 10, West End Featuring Sybil drop 3-4 (32,670) but keep East 17 (31,470) and Duran Duran (26,085) at bay directly below them. Beloved drop 8-10 (18,975) and Snap! drop 4-7 (22,950) as their re-issued album “Madman’s Return” gets a berth at No 8.


1- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (45,525)
2- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (41,280)
3- LITTLE BIRD/ LOVE SONG FOR A VAMPIRE- Annie Lennox (36,090)
4- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (32,670)
5- DEEP- East 17 (31,470)
6- ORDINARY WORLD- Duran Duran (26,085)
7- EXTERMINATE!- Snap! Featuring Niki Harris (22,950)
8- HOW CAN I LOVE YOU MORE (REMIX)- M People (21,285)
9- STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN- Rolf Harris (20,355)
10- SWEET HARMONY- The Beloved (18,975)

Duran's comeback was spectacularly good, fabulous track. M People's revamp was pretty catchy and I'd see both acts before the 90's were out. East 17, I perferred Gold, Deep not so much, oops. Whitney, yawn!

Both sides of that Annie Lennox AA are great and showcase very different sides of her music.

Ordinary World is also wonderful. The album is really quite weak but this and the follow up Come Undone are among their very best work

Yeah 'Ordinary World' is absolutely fab, as is another version of it to come in about 7 years.

This is a decent Top 10 with only one stinker.

My ranking:

01 Duran Duran - Ordinary World

02 The Beloved - Sweet Harmony

03 2 Unlimited - No Limit

04 Snap! - Exterminate

05 M-People - How Can I Love You More (Remix)

06 West End Feat. Sybil - The Love I Lost

07 East 17 - Deep

08 Annie Lennox - Little Bird

09 Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

10 Rolf Harris - Stairway To Heaven

20TH FEBRUARY

Well as it turned out I was part correct last week when I predicted that 2 Unlimited would hold on the top spot, it was immediately under threat as it started the week down in third place behind Annie Lennox and our highest new entry but in the end it dispensed swiftly with Lennox who ends the week at No 3 again with sales up 48% to 53,070.

In the end 2 Unlimited retained the top spot overtaking that new entry right at the death and had to increase its sales by 43% to do it by the skin of their teeth with 64,785 copies sold.

Onto that new entry then and step forward Take That, “Why Can’t I Wake Up With You” appears on their debut album as a rather straightforward ballad but it’s been remixed by S & P Jervier, who previously worked magic on Bel Biv Devoe and the subsequent solo career of Ralph Tresvant, to give the boys a more urban mix of their song. It flew off the shelves in the early part of the week and generated a lead that most thought was uncatchable and was helped by the boys presenting “The Big Breakfast” all week, but it ran out of steam at the final hurdle selling 57,645 and missing out on becoming their first chart topper, the album also re-enters the top 10 in sympathy.  Well there's always next week, and at least it becomes their biggest hit to date despite being the 8th!!! track to be lifted from the album!

Popularly touted as a future chart topper, Whitney Houston’s new single “I’m Every Woman” is also new in the top 5 as it debuts at No 5 (38,280). It was famously written by Ashford & Simpson and given to Chaka Khan who hit No 11 in 1978 with it and then No 8 in 1989 as a remix, Whitney’s version was of course made for the “Bodyguard” film and soundtrack and is produced by Narada Michael Walden and Clivilles & Cole and if you keep your eyes open you’ll see Houston’s mother, Chaka Khan, and Valerie Simpson in the promo for the track. Whitney’s other single “I Will Always Love You” slips 2-4 (42,810) - yes it actually increased sales driven by Valentine's Day, meaning that she becomes the first act to score two top 5 hits in the same week since Madonna back in 1985.

In the bottom half of the top 10 Rolf Harris lifts 9-7 (30,210) to represent the highest position the Led Zeppelin classic has ever reached, meanwhile East 17 drop 5-6 (33,540), West End Featuring Sybil dive 4-8 (29,505), Duran Duran reverse 6-8 (25,125) and M People slip 8-10 (20,670).


1- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (64,785)
2- WHY CAN’T I WAKE UP WITH YOU- Take That (57,645)
3- LITTLE BIRD/ LOVE SONG FOR A VAMPIRE- Annie Lennox (53,070)
4- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (42,810)
5- I’M EVERY WOMAN- Whitney Houston (38,280)
6- DEEP- East 17 (33,540)
7- STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN- Rolf Harris (30,210)
8- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (29,505)
9- ORDINARY WORLD- Duran Duran (25,125)
10- HOW CAN I LOVE YOU MORE (REMIX)- M People (20,670)

Entirely humdrum Take That single there

A week earlier they would have entered at No 1 and then who knows if 2 unlimited would have made it at all!

IWALY still outselling IEW!!

Yep, dull Take That for sure.

27TH FEBRUARY





A much easier week for 2 Unlimited this week as they sauntered to a third week on top selling a still improving 65,130 to take its tally to 241,785 only 71,085 behind Whitney Houston in terms of 1993 sales. You might work out that means that “I Will Always Love You” sold 19,245 this week as it falls 4-9 clearly losing favour now that Valentine’s has gone.

Whitney’s other hit “I’m Every Woman” doesn’t seem to make much headway as it nudges 5-4 (29,625) right above a song which comes in 11-5 (29,625) for Lenny Kravitz who has penned top ten singles for Vanessa Paradis (Be My Baby) and Madonna (Justify My Love) but none for himself until now. “Are You Gonna Go My Way” is the title track from his third album (out in a fortnight) and proves to be his most popular track yet.

Michael Jackson has had a very productive 1993 so far, a high profile show at the half-time of the Superbowl in January was followed by a living legend award at the Grammy’s then of course that hour long Oprah Winfrey interview (his first since 1979) screened on the BBC last week and which coincided with the release of a seventh cut from “Dangerous” entitled “Give In to Me” and which was given ample exposure on it. It features Guns N Roses guitarist Slash and becomes the 6th track from the album to make the top 10 as it debuts at No 6 (28,635) equalling the record set by himself for pulling the most top ten singles from a studio album, the album itself sprints 46-9.  The single is good value for money featuring previous singles "Beat It" and "Dirty Diana" on the CD.

It’s been three years since the last Depeche Mode album but the guys are back with a new album “Songs Of Faith & Devotion” next month and lead single “I Feel You” which becomes their 7th top 10 hit but the first to debut there as it arrives at No 8 (27,015). The promo features actress Lysette Anthony and the era will also see the band embark on a world tour.

Take That remain in second place but their sales are off 20% to 45,720 and only just kept their heads about Annie Lennox at No 3 (42,525). East 17 slip 6-7 (27,495) but do see their debut album “Walthamstow” enter at No 1 something rivals Take That can’t boast yet, and West End Featuring Sybil drop 8-10 (19,170). Next week look out for new singles from Madonna, The Shamen and Nirvana!


1- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (65,130)
2- WHY CAN’T I WAKE UP WITH YOU- Take That (45,720)
3- LITTLE BIRD/ LOVE SONG FOR A VAMPIRE- Annie Lennox (42,525)
4- I’M EVERY WOMAN- Whitney Houston (32,310)
5- ARE YOU GONNA GO MY WAY- Lenny Kravitz (29,625)
6- GIVE IN TO ME- Michael Jackson (28,635)
7- DEEP- East 17 (27,495)
8- I FEEL YOU- Depeche Mode (27,015)
9- I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU- Whitney Houston (19,245)
10- THE LOVE I LOST- West End Ft Sybil (19,170)

That's a better Annie Lennox song than 'Why'.

Glad 2 Unlimited maintained #1 over that rather forgotten Take That track.

I think perhaps my favourite MJ song. It's just incredible

6TH MARCH

It’s starting to cool at retail but 2 Unlimited’s “No Limit” remains at the top for a fourth week selling 57,300 taking it to almost the 300,000 mark and it should also make it to the top position on the YTD chart next week too! Its nearest challenger this week was Michael Jackson’s “Give In To Me” which sears 6-2 (36,570) to become his second No 2 hit on the trot. Again Annie Lennox was running the runner up very close indeed but it came off second best once more selling 33,330, she’s on a high after her BRITS win and the results can be seen on the album chart where “Diva” returns to No 1.

Shaggy (real name Orville Richard Burrell) is a Jamaican born reggae artist and former US Marine who now finds himself a chart star with this debut single “Oh Carolina”, a cover of 1958 track by the Folkes Brothers. That was released in 1961 but failed to become a chart hit, not so the Shaggy version which rises 13-5 (28,380) this week, an album is currently being recorded we’re assured.

http://www.hitthefloor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/suede.jpg

Band of the moment are the much heralded Suede, they’ve been courted by the serious music press as the next big thing and have seen their previous singles make No 49, and No 17 setting them up nicely for their third release “Animal Nitrate”. The song was premiered on the BRITS to much publicity and now has a promo which is stirring controversy itself for its depiction of homosexuality, helped of course by the pun its title (a reference to the drug Amyl Nitrate or poppers which are widely used by that community). Suggestive lyrics and some controversial interviews have added notoriety of the band. All in all it’s helped the single which crashes straight in at No 7 (24,525) giving the group commercial as well as critic approval, the debut album is out next month, expect headlines and controversial comments from frontman Brett Anderson in the interval.

Lenny Kravitz climbs 5-4 (28,695) but is down in sales, while Whitney Houston slides 4-6 (26,220) and Take That freefall 2-8 (23,490). Depeche Mode surprisingly reverse 8-9 (22,125) and East 17 dip 7-10 (18,510), to note The Shamen, Nirvana, and Madonna all failed to enter the top ten- we’ll see if any can climb next week.



1- NO LIMIT- 2 Unlimited (57,300)
2- GIVE IN TO ME- Michael Jackson (36,570)
3- LITTLE BIRD/ LOVE SONG FOR A VAMPIRE- Annie Lennox (33,330)
4- ARE YOU GONNA GO MY WAY- Lenny Kravitz (28,695)
5- OH CAROLINA- Shaggy (28,380)
6- I’M EVERY WOMAN- Whitney Houston (26,220)
7- ANIMAL NITRATE- Suede (24,525)
8- WHY CAN’T I WAKE UP WITH YOU- Take That (23,490)
9- I FEEL YOU- Depeche Mode (22,125)
10- DEEP- East 17 (18,510)

I remember my friends and I listening to the above chart on the way to my first ever gig which was seeing Suede at Coventry Uni!

Animal Nitrate <3

The song that persuaded me to love guitar music

I always think of the first Suede album as the start of Britpop, not because it necessarily sounds like what is to come but because it convinced the record industry that there was a market for UK guitar based acts and that it could generate hype, sales and interest. Within a year they would be overtaken by Blur but I don't think you can underestimate the importance their initial success made.

Totally agree Gezza, they really felt like beginning of a new era at the time