Gezza's Review Of Every Number 2 single- 1990-1994

[Gezza]

Hi All,

Consider this as keeping my metaphorical seat warm. Following on from my review of the 1980's number two hits (which can be found here fatherandy2.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=beatles&action=display&thread=68295 ) this will be where we turn our attention to the 90s hits- they will all be here- from dance to britpop, bubblegum pop to boybands, all wrapped up in pre millennium nostalgia- buckle up the 90s have just begun, Margaret Thatcher is the Prime Minister, there was no BSKYB, and S/A/W still ruled the airwaves......within 12 months all of that was to change.

If you thought that not much happened in the 90s compaired to the 80s then you'd be wrong- it was every bit as exciting, hopefully this thread will prove it. I went from a spotty 13 yr old to a clubbing crazy 23 year old, did my GCSE's, A-Levels, and got my degree, finishing with a move to Brighton and a masters by the decade end- there are pop casualities lying all around by the end of the decade but hell- it's a joyous ride- hope you enjoy!...............

[vastar iner]

Chesney Must Die.

[Earl Purple]

The only issue with the Chesney Hawkes number one is that it kept out the best #2 of the year. It was by no means the worst #1 though, that was possibly the one it replaced. That is 1991 though, we're about to embark on 1990 first.

The feel-good factor will start to return this year with even more Madchster that began at the end of 1989. It won't show much presence in the top 2 though, the Stone Roses not appearing until 1994 when we are already in britpop. I do await that. Aside from Love Shack I can't see much to look forward to in 1990 itself.

[Earl Purple]

I started 1990 at the lowest point in my life. 24 years old, unable to get work in spite of being highly qualified, never had a serious relationship made worse by the fact I had a close relationship with a woman at the time who was in a relationship with someone else. Looking back now I was wrong to want more, and ended up losing the friendship as a result. My first serious relationship would start on 2 February 1990. I would have to wait a lot longer though, until June 1992, to find work. Madonna would bridge the two decades at #1 in my chart with "Dear Jessie". On the first week of 1990 I added "Oh Father" to being jointly #1, that being in the US top 20 at the time. Queen were #2 with "The Miracle", and of course I had no idea at the time that Freddie Mercury would only be around for just under 2 years more.

End of 1999 I was not in a serious relationship. In some ways it didn't matter to me as much, although I was now heading towards 35 and unmarried. I was working, albeit in a contract I really did not like. That contract would be terminated prematurely (and to my relief when it was) but in general I was not having problems finding work. I was quite happy with my life at this point. John Lennon's re-issue of "Imagine" would bridge the decades, with Melanie C's "Northern Star" at #2 and the song that should have been #1 at this point "Muscle Museum" by Muse at #3. That would reach #1 eventually.

[vastar iner]

Sept 6, 2011 10:54:46 GMT 1 Earl Purple said:

The only issue with the Chesney Hawkes number one is that it kept out the best #2 of the year.

That's quite a big issue though.

[Gezza]

10TH FEBRUARY 1990- GET UP (BEFORE THE NIGHT IS OVER)- Technotronic Featuring Ya Kid K (2 Weeks)



1990 is, musically, a gritty year, it's quite a dark year as well, the emergence of Dance music as a major chart force had been brewing since the mid 80s and 1990 is when it made its intentions clear. It is also coincidently one of the best musically, in my opinion, the bright and breezy daytime pop that had dominated for the last 3 years took a decidedly sinister turn, or perhaps the opposition to it became more fierce, but these are general meanderings. "Get Up" is a FAR better record than the deeply annoying "Pump Up The Jam" or perhaps I mean a more traditional record. It has verses and chorus's i'm back in my comfort zone it's safe to say, and a record that I liked back when it was released, I admit the record has more than a passing resemblance to "Pump Up The Jam" but it is that records more commercial brother and indeed only stopped from topping the chart by the juggernaught that was Sinead O'Connor.

I didn't mind their 1990 hits to be frank, there was never going to be any kind of longevity about them, faceless dance music was blamed at the time for poor sales in the music industry, and whilst I don;t buy that 100% it was certainly a factor and Technotronic are an example of that, Ya Kid being the "face" of the group if you like. However they were deemed to be a big enough act to support Madonna that year as her Blond Ambition Tour rolled into Europe but now we're getting ahead of ourselves. Not a bad start to the decade and certainly better than.......

[Gezza]

10TH MARCH- BRITS 1990- Various Artists (2 weeks)


Really I'm surprising they didn't do this every year but back in 1990 the organisers of the BRITS thought it would be a good idea to put out this megamix presumably to a) evidence the growing influence of dance music on mainstream pop and b) to capitalise on the clear market for medley's as demonstrated by the success of Jive Bunny in 1989. Out of interest the tracks are:

Double Trouble & Rebel MC - Street Tuff
A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
S'Express - Theme From S'Express
Beatmasters - Hey DJ I Can't Dance
Jeff Wayne - Eve Of The War
808 State - Pacific State
D Mob - We Call It Acieed
Cookie Crew - Got To Keep On

and yes some of them are 1988 hits! Anyway there isn't much to say it is what it is- not something I would choose to listen to again, but it has to be said though it was nice hearing it for the first time in years. Reminds me of school days and wearing Paisley Shirts, shell suits, hooded tops. In our school at least a kind of hippyness was in style wise- I blame Madchester personally- this time around mixed with materialism obviously, a curious mixture really but 1990 is one of those years but we'll put this one down to a late new year hangover.....

[raliverpool]

The BRITS 1990- Various Artists medley, wasn't that Jonathan King's idea?

In fact I know it was JK's idea, as he was responsible for the running of the BRITs that year post Fleetwood/Foxgate. And the memory of that Tory supporting tosspot impresario (and future convicted paedophile) having a snippet in the show of famous people singing bits of the first record they ever owned including Maggie "There's no such thing as community" Thatcher singing "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window (woof woof), the one with the waggly tail ...." is about as pleasant a memory as watching the average Madonna movie.

[vastar iner]

Pretty sure King was in the BRITS 1990 promo video.

Had a thing for Ya Kid K. She was the vocalist on "Pump Up The Jam" but that was created to the less attractive model Felly. Technotronic, almost uniquely for a techno act, had as much success Stateside as they did here. I think one of their singles was a number 1 in the bestseller chart.

[Earl Purple]

The strange thing about Ya Kid K was she turned up on my playlist last week. Actually had 2 songs out, I selected one of them. It is set to be my 16th highest entry in the chart I am shortly about to publish, and I'm not sure if I even charted Technotronic.

[Gezza]

24TH MARCH- LOVE SHACK- The B-52's (3 weeks)



Ok unpopular opinion here but I REALLY don't lilke "Love Shack" maybe for the same reasons I dislike Madness. It has a sense of false jollity, the wakyness/ crazyness that grates, like when you're at uni and one of your new friends invites a friend from home that is really "Crazy"- you rarely agree with them in a positive sense! I didn't immediately dislike this record but the hatred grew after months of being overplayed, having said all of that (and not wishing to appear like a miserable sod) I can see the attraction that it holds for some. It's a mindless "feelgood" record, and those records have their place and time, indeed the song made No 1 i the US, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand amongst others yet I suspect it just doesn't have anything beyond that emotion, thusly it's rather an empty one dimensional record to my ears.

There are times within the record when the vocal style and slant/ accent on certain words becomes annoying and gimmicky, certainly I felt so at the time, yet having listened to it for the first time in some years I have to conceed that it has stood the test of time rather well, well better than some we will meet from 1990 but it's never gonna be a record I will ever come to love.....

[Gezza]

21ST APRIL- BLACK VELVET- Alannah Myles (2 weeks)



How to sell sex on vinyl? well this lady could give a masterclass- coming out of Canada like a female Elvis I recall Myles looking quite exotic and vampish for 1990, that's no bad thing and "Black Velvet" was the perfect record to project this image of sex siren, it's a song about Elvis Presley actually- "Black Velvet" was apparently the tone of hair dye he used on his normally brown hair to give that black hue, and the song focuses on his effects on fans.

It's a song delivered with panache, flair, and conviction, it's sold on that allure of slow sensual sex (steady on) there are overtones of smoke filled jazz clubs etc, it's all a heady mix and a rare combination of when record and singer come together perfectly (there will be another instance coming up very soon of this) but I feel that this is a bit of an underrated track these days and certainly my favourite of 1990 so far.....

[vastar iner]

Champers and Guinness, isn't it?

[Gezza]

5TH MAY- OPPOSITES ATTRACT- Paula Abdul Duet with the Wild Pair (1 week)



Somewhat incredibly this was Abdul's 4th US chart topper, thankfully we've never quite fallen for the charms of her in quite the same way and this remains her biggest hit this side of the pond. It's a duet between Abdul, Marv Gunn and Bruce DeShazer, and in an odd way sums up Paula Abdul's career rather aptly. It's superficially pleasing and eye catching, and somehow manages to come across as more than it actually is. Abdul never really struck me as a pop star, she's a dancer who decided that she could dance better than the pop stars she choreographered (if that's a word) so why shouldn't she sing too? Fair enough "Straight Up" is a decent track, but 1991's "Rush Rush" is largely laughable as Abdul tries the mini movie video and ropes in Keanu Reeves to give the pop promo some gravitas, all of which fails miserably.

Somewhere between these two extremes is "Opposites Attract", a song about, well opposites attracting really, and it's rather like a McDonalds meal- it fills you for the time you're watching it but immediately after consuming you feel like you got nothing from it- moreover this is also painfully 80s in production and sound- I know it's only 1990 and I can't be expecting ATB or the Vengaboys but this is like Paula never got invited to that New Year's eve bash that happened 5 months prior. Furthermore I really don't buy her as a sex symbol, and for a female solo act in a market place post Madonna this was always gonna be a drawback, even with acts who clearly could belt it out (Whitney and Mariah for instance) they were selling sex as well as their voice, there is just something too mumsy about her.

In conclusion not a bad song certainly but not something I'd listen to now.....

[Gezza]

12TH MAY- DIRTY CASH- The Adventures Of Stevie V (1 week)


Now compare this to "Opposites Attract"- see that difference? THIS is how 1990 sounded my friends. The pursuit of money isn't a new phenomenon new to the 80s or 90s but that was certainly when to openly want and desire it became socially desireable and acceptable, "Dirty Cash" can be read be read in such a socialogical manner, consumerism under the spotlight- late Thatcerism's hunger laid bare for all to see its lyrics telling "I've no excuse, I just want you to use me/ Take me and abuse me/ I got no taboos, I'll make a trade with you/ Do anything you wa-ant me to" in a way it says everything about what pop had become as well. It's the downside to what Madonna had been selling in such a new controversial manner ever since that romp in Venice called "Like A Virgin", well maybe not the downslide but the same tale from a different angle.

"I once had pride, now that's all behind/ I want to get rich quick/I want success and all that goes with it/ And I'm gonna use my sex" was really what the pop world had become by 1990 and what it remains today, it forewarns of the "Heat" culture we have now where celebrity is all and the pursuit of fame is an end in itself- it is a linear link between the 80s and the 2010's that remains unbroken. Of course it's just a dance record yes, but it has a tale to tell, and for me, that's what makes this a superb record over and above the Snap!/ Technotronic acts that were dance 90 otherwise. That deep male voice that utters "I want your money" adds an ominious tone to the record as well, there is no doubt that it is a record that conveys the focus and determination of greed as well, in fact has so many layers that I can't really speak highly enough for the record, which makes Dizzee Rascal's "appropriation" of this song on the one hand annoying, whilst on the other entirely correct in its application to modern day culture.....

[borneoman]

^I kinda like most of the #2s of 1990 so far

Get Up was the best (or less bad) of all the Technotronic singles.

Love Shack... I have mixed feelings, I don't mind listening to it like once every 2/3 years but I don't hate it as much as you do

Black Velvet - I really liked this one back in the day. She was really a one hit wonder wasn't she? I don't recall any other song of hers charting, even in the US...

Paula Andul - I had a soft spot for Paula Abdul from day #1. Loved Straight Up, and even got her album.

Dirty Cash - Loved this too back in the day... but the Dizzie version ruined it for me, cannot listen anymore

[Whitneyfan]

I adore Opposites Attract

[vastar iner]

Sept 8, 2011 18:59:59 GMT 1 borneoman said:

Paula Andul - I had a soft spot for Paula Abdul from day #1.

I had a hard one. One single wonder for me, first single was interesting, the rest absolute dross. "Promise Of A New Day" was a real wtf? US number one, it only got to about 40 in BOTH the airplay and sales charts. Something went seriously awry there.

The Stevie V song was a LOT better. Melody Washington with the hook there, I believe.

[Earl Purple]

After the first two #2s, 1990 is generally showing up as being a better year than 1989.

Black Velvet did reach #1 in my chart, I liked it at the time. Opposites Attract peaked one position higher than Straight Up. In my chart Straight Up was her biggest hit, I think it peaked at #3, and then she had no other major hits.

"Dirty Cash" for me is the kind of dance song I like and wish dance music was more like. This comes under what I would describe as "real music" - a song. It has meaningful lyrics and a melody which is fairly catchy. It was kept out of #1 by "Killer" which is another great song that would probably come under the genre of "dance".

Lyrically I always assumed "Dirty Cash" was about prostitution and don't really see a connection with Thatcher or politics or selling out musically or anything similar.

[Gezza]

Sept 9, 2011 0:40:28 GMT 1 Earl Purple said:

After the first two #2s, 1990 is generally showing up as being a better year than 1989.

Black Velvet did reach #1 in my chart, I liked it at the time. Opposites Attract peaked one position higher than Straight Up. In my chart Straight Up was her biggest hit, I think it peaked at #3, and then she had no other major hits.

"Dirty Cash" for me is the kind of dance song I like and wish dance music was more like. This comes under what I would describe as "real music" - a song. It has meaningful lyrics and a melody which is fairly catchy. It was kept out of #1 by "Killer" which is another great song that would probably come under the genre of "dance".

Lyrically I always assumed "Dirty Cash" was about prostitution and don't really see a connection with Thatcher or politics or selling out musically or anything similar.

That was just my interpretation of the lyrics- I make no claim to be right

or perhaps my mind isn't as mucky as some!