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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 9, 2018 20:52:23 GMT 1
378. Another Level Featuring Ghostface Killah - I Want You For Myself (#2, 17 Jan 1999, 1 week) Just when I thought I couldn't remember any other Another Level track than 'Freak Me' I am reminded of another one. This is quite a cool sounding track actually, and much better than the dull 911 cover which entered at #1 that week. 7.5/10
379. Terrorvision - Tequila (#2, 24 Jan 1999, 1 week) It was with a little help of a remix by Mint Royale that this did so well. Only The Offspring kept this off the top spot, making quite a cool top two for that period. This is a fun party track which I haven't heard in ages, and is welcome in my life right now. 9/10
380. The Corrs - Runaway (#2, 21 Feb 1999, 1 week) On its original release in 1995 this flopped, but after the massive success of their second album 'Talk On Corners' this was remixed by Tin Tin Out and gave them their biggest hit to date. I've always had a soft spot for the Corrs and their brand of Irish folk rock, and this is one of their (if not the) very best. 10/10
381. Blur - Tender (#2, 28 Feb 1999, 1 week) This is one of their better songs definitely.. My only complaint would be that, at nearly eight minutes, it's way too long. I was never really into them at any point in their career, but all of their singles sound better in retrospect... to me anyway. 8/10
382. Steps - Better Best Forgotten (#2, 14 Mar 1999, 1 week) This is much better than 'Heartbeat'! Actually it's one of my favourite singles by them, even if it is cheesy as f**k with its nods to 'Take a Chance On Me'. 9.5/10
383. Cartoons - Witch Doctor (#2, 28 Mar 1999, 1 week) This was a bizarre hit. Actually it was a cover version of a 1958 song by David Seville, and it still turns up on Halloween playlists... even though it's about as scary as jelly. It's insanely catchy, which makes it hard to dislike really. 8/10
384. Eminem - My Name Is (#2, 4 Apr 1999, 1 week) I must admit I've never been able to listen to a whole album by Eminem, as his voice just grates on me and I find him really annoying on the whole. That said, I can listen to quite a few of his singles on their own, when it's part of a compilation. This one isn't one of my favourites, but it's not one of his worst either. 7/10
385. Phats & Small - Turn Around (#2, 18 Apr 1999, 1 week) Every so often a dance anthem comes on that I had completely forgotten existed. This is one such track... and there was no escaping it at the time! Hearing it after so long means I can totally get back into it again, without having been ruined by overplay. 9.5/10
386. Fatboy Slim - Right Here Right Now (#2, 25 Apr 1999, 1 week) This is another banger! I can even remember the clever video of this, which told the complete story of evolution right from the big bang up to 'Right Here Right Now'. Fatboy Slim was a definite master of his craft. 9.5/10
387. The Offspring - Why Don't You Get A Job? (#2, 2 May 1999, 1 week) I couldn't work out what this reminded me of but it is 'Cecilia' by Simon & Garfunkel (and later Suggs), and there are also bits of 'Ob-la-di Ob-la-da' in there too. What the hell, it's not as good as 'Pretty Fly', but it's still infectious. 8/10
388. Geri Halliwell - Look At Me (#2, 16 May 1999, 1 week) When this came out I couldn't believe what I was hearing... I thought it was one of the worst things I had ever heard! I thought it was trying to be 'Big Spender' but sounded more like Spent Out. Embarrassingly I am enjoying it more now I'm listening 19 years later with fresh ears. I mean, it's still no 'Wuthering Heights' but it's ok-ish. 6.5/10
389. The Wiseguys - Ooh La La (#2, 30 May 1999, 1 week) Another track I had completely forgotten existed. This was another that was only a hit on re-release after being featured in a TV commercial, and it's a definite friday night tune... so if I were going out tonight it would be perfect. 7.5/10
390. Madonna - Beautiful Stranger (#2, 13 Jun 1999, 1 week) William Orbit remixed this Austin Powers track for its single release, making it the perfect continuation from Madge's successful 'ray Of Light' era. She was on top form during this period, and back in favour with the critics and the public alike... making this a sure-fire hit. It's just a shame it wasn't enough beat S Club 7 to the top. 9/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 9, 2018 21:53:27 GMT 1
391. Whitney Houston - My Love Is Your Love (#2, 27 Jun 1999, 1 week) Whitney had four UK #1 hits during her lifetime, but this was her only #2. It sounds all the more poignant now as it features young Bobbi Kristina's voice on it... of course she was to die in similar circumstances to her mother, at the age of just 22. Anyway back to the song, and this was the title track from the album which put her back on the map in the late nineties when she went down a more R&B route than the pop and balladry of her early career. 10/10
392. Will Smith - Wild Wild West (#2, 4 Jul 1999, 1 week) This samples Stevie Wonder's classic 'I Wish', and I have to admit I'm enjoying the Will Smith tracks a lot more than I thought I'd be liking them now. 8/10
393. Steps - Love's Got A Hold On My Heart (#2, 18 Jul 1999, 1 week) Wasting no time after the success of the first album, Steps returned with the first song from album #2.. and the song went to #2. It's one of their catchiest too, so bode well for the rest of the album. 8.5/10
394. Five - If Ya Gettin' Down (#2, 25 Jul 1999, 1 week) This is the bassline to 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life'.... I definitely think Five were better when they were doing in your face pop songs like this, rather than that last ballad I had to listen to. 7.5/10
395. Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone (#2, 8 Aug 1999, 3 weeks) Unbelievably we're into August and this is the first song to spend more than a week at #2, such was the fast turnover of the charts in those days. This is a dance anthem and one of the best of the year easily. It was kept off the top by three different artists: Ronan Keating, Westlife and Geri Halliwell! 10/10
396. Shaft - (Mucho Mambo) Sway (#2, 29 Aug 1999, 1 week) Latin fever struck the UK this week, as we had Mambo #5 at the top... and this wonderful track at number 2, which samples Perez Prado's 'Sway'. The proper song has been recorded by many people, including Rosemary Clooney and Dean Martin, but this electronic act brought it right up to date. 9.5/10
397. DJ Jean - The Launch (#2, 5 Sep 1999, 1 week) This, DJ Jean's only UK hit, was a massive dance tune in '99 and did well to get to #2 amongst all of the pop music around at the time. Even though there's really not that much to it, it is still a good weekend anthem. 8/10
398. S Club 7 - S Club Party (#2, 26 Sep 1999, 2 weeks) S Club's second single couldn't match the number 1 position of the debut, but it still managed a couple of weeks as Bridesmaid to Eiffel 65's 'Blue (Ba Da Dee)'. It has probably aged even worse than the first one, and it wasn't that great to start with. I'm still feeling quite generous though. 7/10
399. Ann Lee - 2 Times (#2, 10 Oct 1999, 2 weeks) Well I had completely forgotten about this one. It's quite a tacky little Eurodance track really in retrospect, but I remember quite liking it at the time. It hasn't aged that well, but it's making me feel quite happy. 7/10
400. R. Kelly - If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time (#2, 31 Oct 1999, 1 week) Irrelevant of what he's been accused of over the years, R. Kelly has made some pretty amazing music.. not least this insanely gorgeous ballad, which should have given him another #1 as it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. 10/10
401. Tin Tin Out Featuring Emma Bunton - What I Am (#2, 7 Nov 1999, 1 week) It was battle of the solo spices this week, but Geri's 'Lift Me Up' pipped Baby Spice to the top. I've always thought the original by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians deserved much better than the measly #31 position it achieved in the UK, and that version would score an easy 10/10 from me. Emma Bunton actually doesn't ruin this song, and with electronic outift Tin Tin Out on the case it was actually a decent version of a classic. 8.5/10
402. Will Smith - Will 2K (#2, 14 Nov 1999, 1 week) As we lead up to the big Millennium (when all the computer systems are going to shut down, planes are going to fall out of the sky etc..), lots of songs are charting to celebrate the event (Cliff is next week!). Taking a massive Clash anthem like 'Rock The Casbah' didn't really work as well as some of his other hits for me, and I wasn't playing this on the 31st December. 7/10
403. Artful Dodger Featuring Craig David - Re-Rewind The Crowd Say Bo Selecta (#2, 5 Dec 1999, 2 weeks) The song which inspired a whole TV series.. and introduced the world to Craig David. This is the only time you'll see him in the nineties, but I still think this is his best track. Artful Dodger were to produce a few more banging tunes in the noughties too. 9/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 10, 2018 11:32:07 GMT 1
And so to the songs in the nineties which missed the top by two:
404. Soul II Soul - Get A Life (#3, 7 Jan 1990, 1 week) This actually had three (non-censecutive) weeks at #3 in total, but two of them were in the eighties. Soul II Soul had a fantastic 1989, with three top 5 hits in total... this was the first not to feature soul/R&B singer Caron Wheeler on vocals and is actually my favourite of theirs. I saw them at the Rewind festival a couple of years ago and was gutted when they didn't do this track, but hey ho life goes on - and I got one! 10/10
405. The 49ers - Touch Me (#3, 14 Jan 1990, 1 week) One of those very late eighties house tracks that you could include on an 80s or a 90s playlist. It's one that seems to have been forgotten over the years, but it still sounds uplifting and wonderful nearly three decades on. 9/10
406. Michael Bolton - How Am I Supposed To Live Without You (#3, 25 Feb 1990, 3 weeks) Michael Bolton will forever be dismissed as naff now, but back in 1990 he was actually delivering some great tracks, and he had a hand in some of the material that Cher was releasing around this time too.. which isn't that surprising as you can just imagine her belting this power ballad out. Even though he wrote this song though, it was originally recorded by Laura Branigan. 9/10
407. Erasure - Blue Savannah (#3, 18 Mar 1990, 1 week) I'm going to see these tomorrow so I expect I'll hear this quite a bit in the run up to that! Erasure, I think, made some of the very best pop music of the 80s.. and I still maintain that 'A Little Respect' is one of the best pop songs ever recorded in the history of music. This is the third single from the excellent 'Wild!' album, of which the first track 'Drama!' is another solid gold pop classic. This isn't quite as good as that one but is still a great pop song nonetheless. 9/10
408. Candy Flip - Strawberry Fields Forever (#3, 25 Mar 1990, 2 weeks) This Madchester band had their only hit with a cover of a Beatles classic, and is it a sacrilige to say that I like this version almost as much as the original? They just took a song which was very much a 1967 Summer Of Love anthem and made it sound like a Madchester Rave anthem, and very much 1990. 9/10
409. Chad Jackson - Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked) (#3, 3 Jun 1990, 2 weeks) This one had completely slipped my memory. I can remember not really being into it much at the time, which is probably why I haven't gone back and revisited it since.. but sometimes age can improve a track, and I think this is one of those instances. 7/10
410. Roxette - It Must Have Been Love (#3, 24 Jun 1990, 2 weeks) One of my favourite songs of all-time! Roxette almost broke through in the UK a year earlier when 'The Look' became a top ten hit, but unfortunately subsequent singles from their 'Look Sharp' album failed to impact... Lucky then that this gorgeous power ballad (which actually started life as a Christmas song, several years earlier) from the 'Pretty Woman' soundtrack stormed up the charts and opened the door to a successful 90s for them. 10/10
411. MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This (#3, 5 Aug 1990, 1 week) Insanely cheesy hip-hop dance track, which I'm guessing people either love or hate. It took it's main riff from Rick James's hit 'Super Freak', and when the original comes on the radio now I always think it's MC Hammer - that's the power of the sample... for good or for bad. I love it of course. 9.5/10
412. New Kids On The Block - Tonight (#3, 26 Aug 1990, 1 week) I thought I'd have heard loads by these by now, as I remember them being huge at the beginning of the 90s... This is only the third so far though, so they obviously weren't a big hits band in the same way as Take That or Boyzone etc... Anyway, this is one of the few of theirs that I can remember and I've always thought it's the best thing they ever did by far. It maybe does sound a little dated now, but it's still very infectious. 8/10
413. Betty Boo - Where Are You Baby? (#3, 2 Sep 1990, 1 week) Oh whatever happened to Betty Boo? I used to love her back in the day and had her first two albums. The 1989 single she did with The Beatmasters is one of my favourite house/club tracks of the eighties and this is insanely catchy too. 9/10
414. Iron Maiden - Holy Smoke (#3, 16 Sep 1990, 1 week) Like pretty much all of Iron Maiden's post 1988 output I don't recall this one at all. I couldn't sit through a whole album of theirs, but I am quite enjoying this one if I'm honest. 7/10
415. Berlin - Take My Breath Away (#3, 28 Oct 1990, 2 weeks) Another of my all-time favourite power ballads, I had forgotten that this recharted in this year so it's a fabulous surprise to hear it now. A massive #1 in 1986, and the theme to 'Top Gun' for anybody who has been living under a rock (or anyone too young to remember... I actually work with people who have never heard of Erasure!). Just stunning vocals by lead singer Terri Nunn, who should have been massive IMO. 10/10
416. EMF - Unbelievable (#3, 25 Nov 1990, 2 weeks) It's hard to categorise this one, but it's definitely influenced by the Madchester dance acts of the era (Happy Mondays, Primal Scream, James etc.) It was even used as the title for a fantastic duo of compilation albums released in the early noughties to celebrate the music from that era. 8.5/10
417. Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' (#3, 23 Dec 1990, 1 week) Just to milk the success of 'Unchained Melody', this was re-released as a follow-up and gave the brothers another top 3 smash in the run up to Christmas. And why not, it's one of the best songs of the sixties. 10/10
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Post by o on Feb 10, 2018 11:43:30 GMT 1
EMF just brings back memories of uni days down the local club at the Quayside, brilliant! Think the bass player was dating one of the girls in our halls, she soon got dumped as they took off!
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 10, 2018 12:09:15 GMT 1
EMF just brings back memories of uni days down the local club at the Quayside, brilliant! Think the bass player was dating one of the girls in our halls, she soon got dumped as they took off! Great story. I always thought they were going to be massive after a great start, but they just disappeared after a couple of albums.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 10, 2018 14:45:51 GMT 1
418. John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John - The Grease Megamix (#3, 6 Jan 1991, 1 week) Guaranteed to be heard now at every cheesy wedding and birthday party disco you go to, this is a perfect blend of 3 of the best soundtrack songs ever made. I have to admit I wanted this to be Christmas #1 at the time, but in hindsight it's good that Cliff got it. I especially love the clapping part where it goes from 'Greased Lightning' to 'Summer Nights'. 10/10
419. C+C Music Factory Featuring Freedom Williams - Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) (#3, 13 Jan 1991, 1 week) One of the big dance hits of the time that I still hear quite regularly on the radio now. It's hard to believe it's so old really as I think it could still be a hit if it were released today. 9/10
420. 2 In A Room - Wiggle It (#3, 3 Feb 1991, 1 week) Oh yeah, I had forgotten about this one. I used to love it at the time... I'm actually surprised it hasn't been adopted by mobile DJs in the same way as Groove Armada's 'I See You Baby' (Shaking that ass!) 8/10
421. Rod Stewart - Rhythm Of My Heart (#3, 17 Mar 1991, 3 weeks) I have a real soft spot for Rodders, especially when he is doing arms in the air, anthemic sing-along ditties like this one. The album 'Vagabond Heart' was barely out of my cassette player for a few weeks in this year, and it's an absolute joy to hear this again... I need to listen to him more often! 10/10
422. The Waterboys - The Whole Of The Moon (#3, 7 Apr 1991, 1 week) Criminally ignored on its first release in 1985 (well it made #26, but that is nowhere near good enough for such an anthem!), thankfully they saw sense to re-release it six years later, where it did much, much better. In fact I think of this as a nineties song now, despite it being released in the eighties. What the hell, it's a stone cold classic. 10/10
423. Madonna - Rescue Me (#3, 14 Apr 1991, 1 week) Madge's first #3 of the decade was the second and final new track on her 'Immaculate Collection' album, and in my opinion the better of the new tracks, despite being criminally ignored now. If you are listening Madonna - I want this on your next tour's setlist please. 10/10
424. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Sailing On The Seven Seas (#3, 5 May 1991, 1 week) A remarkable comeback for the 80s synth-pop band, who in my opinion have never made a bad single. It had been seven years since their last top ten hit though, which funnily enough was also about crossing the ocean - in 'Locomotion'. I do think this is up there with their best though, and a worthy top three comeback. 10/10
425. Beverley Craven - Promise Me (#3, 19 May 1991, 1 week) We're in a golden section again alright, as this is one of my favourite songs of the year. I've always loved Beverley Craven's voice and songwriting ability, and I think she should be a lot more famous than she is. Just stunning. 10/10
426. Erasure - Chorus (#3, 23 Jun 1991, 2 weeks) Oh I hope they do this one tomorrow night, it's one of their best! It's the title track and lead single from the album of the same name, which is another amazing album in my opinion. When it enetered at #3 there must have been hope for them to get their first ever number one, but sadly a certain Bryan Adams song was to leapfrog above them and it couldn't climb any higher. It's still one of their biggest hits though. 10/10
427. Guns N' Roses - You Could Be Mine (#3, 7 Jul 1991, 2 weeks) This was the theme to Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Guns N' Roses' first single of the nineties. In fact they came back with not one, but two albums at once - 'Use Your Illusion I & 2'. The song is no 'Sweet Child O' Mine' or 'Paradise City', but it's not bad, even though it goes on a bit at the end. 7/10
428. P.M. Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss (#3, 18 Aug 1991, 2 weeks) This isn't one I've listened to much since '91, but I do remember it samples 'True' by Spandau Ballet. All the versions on Spotify seem to be re-recorded, but I do have the original version. It's a good soulful, laid back R&B tune that you can just chill to on a lazy saturday afternoon. 7.5/10
429. The Prodigy - Charly (#3, 1 Sep 1991, 2 weeks) One of the biggest tracks of the rave era, this was The Prodigy's introductory single... and they decided to sample an old BBC Public Information Broadcast to do it. It's still one of their best, I think. 8/10
430. Oceanic - Insanity (#3, 22 Sep 1991, 3 weeks) I was insanely mad about this at the time, but it's another that has been largely forgotten over the years.. so what a delight it is to rediscover it! I don't know why though, but I remember it as being better than it actually is... Oh well, it's still getting a 9/10
431. Monty Python - Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life (#3, 13 Oct 1991, 1 week) An extremely random one now, and I've completely forgotten why this Life Of Brian song was a hit in 1991, but what the hell it's fun and it's totally feel-good. In fact it's a classic! 9/10
432. K-Klass - Rhythm Is A Mystery (#3, 10 Nov 1991, 1 week) There was a lot of house music around this year, and this is another that had slipped my memory but I can remember liking it at the time. It's quite a good revisit again. 7.5/10
433. Altern 8 - Activ 8 (Come With Me) (#3, 24 Nov 1991, 1 week) Total off-your-tits madness now, and I genuinely believe you really have to be on ecstacy to enjoy some of these deeper rave cuts from the era. When I'm sober and sat at my computer I just want it to end I'm afraid... and I really wanted to like this one too! There are parts of it I like though. 6/10
434. East Side Beat - Ride Like The Wind (#3, 1 Dec 1991, 1 week) For some bizarre reason Christopher Cross's original of this flopped in the UK, and it is an absolutely brilliant song too. I played this remake to death when it came out, and thought it was the best thing ever... but I hadn't heard the original so I can be excused for that surely? Anyway, I'm enjoying hearing it again even if it is generic dance. 9/10
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Post by Smurfie on Feb 10, 2018 21:59:06 GMT 1
You have Simon Mayo to thank for the Bright Side Of Life revival - but if memory recalls it was always banned on TV due to being blasphemous and Channel 4 ran a series of banned films around that time (Blonde Sinner, Life Of Brian, the one which I forget but a whole load of nuns get their tits out). I’m pretty sure it conincided at the same time.
Oh and Chorus is 10/10 as Erasure goes.
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Post by Smurfie on Feb 10, 2018 22:11:15 GMT 1
405. Touch Me - brilliant brilliant dance track. One of my gym running tracks (when I actually go)
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 12, 2018 11:21:41 GMT 1
435. Right Said Fred - Don't Talk Just Kiss (#3, 5 Jan 1992, 1 week) Featuring uncredited vocals by the fabulous Jocelyn Brown. This is probably my favourite of the singles from 'Up', and it was a nice surprise after assuming they would be one-hit wonders with a novelty song.. this revealed them to be more serious artists, but still with a fun nature. 9/10
436. Michael Jackson - Remember The Time (#3, 16 Feb 1992, 1 week) Michael's venture into New Jack Swing style R&B was well received by the record buying public, and this is a good song with a great video. There were definitely better singles to come from the 'Dangerous' album though. 8/10
437. Mr. Big - To Be With You (#3, 22 Mar 1992, 3 weeks) Oh this is a nice little rediscovery - I haven't heard this in a long time. This was a massive hit across the world, but was the only one that the American rock band could score over here... although the follow-up 'Just Take My Heart' managed to go top 30. 9/10
438. Vanessa Williams - Save The Best For Last (#3, 12 Apr 1992, 1 week) Another one-hit wonder over here, although she is quite famous in the US, I loved this song to bits when it was in the charts. I believe it was also used in a TV ad, for Bisto gravy or something? Anyhow, it's still a fantastic song and should have been #1. 10/10
439. The Sisters Of Mercy - Temple Of Love (1992) (#3, 26 Apr 1992, 1 week) I have to admit I don't know much about the Sisters of Mercy beyond their 80s hits 'This Corrosion' and 'Dominion', and I can't even remember this being in the charts, but it's a remake of a song they originally released in 1983. I'm actually really enjoying this and need to explore more of their work. It features extra vocals by Ofra Haza. 8.5/10
440. Curiosity - Hang On In There Baby (#3, 10 May 1992, 1 week) They had ditched the 'killed the cat' from their name by this time, although this was their only big hit under this guise. I hadn't heard the original Johnny Bristol version when this came out so I thought it was a great return for them. It's still a good version though, and his smooth silky voice suits the song well. 8.5/10
441. Ugly Kid Joe - Everything About You (#3, 31 May 1992, 1 week) Another great rediscovery! It's probably one of the most negative feel-good songs I've ever heard haha, but I just love it. 9/10
442. Richard Marx - Hazard (#3, 21 Jun 1992, 2 weeks) In hindsight this is obviously a re-write of Bruce Springsteen's 'The River', but (and I'm probably going to get slaughtered for this) I like it better. It's easily my favourite Richard Marx song, and one of my favourites of the year. 10/10
443. Madonna - This Used To Be My Playground (#3, 26 Jul 1992, 2 weeks) This was Madge's first single in over a year (which at the time was quite a long break for her!) and filled a bit of a gap before the release of her 'Erotica' album later in the year. The hauntingly beautiful ballad was taken from the soundtrack to the film 'A League Of Their Own' and is one of my favourite ballads of hers. 9.5/10
444. Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart (#3, 16 Aug 1992, 2 weeks) Back when Miley was still in her mother's womb, her dad Billy Ray was the first Cyrus to score a massive hit. Country music wasn't massively popular in the singles chart in the early 90s, so this was a bit of a random one to be such a big hit... although it's catchy as hell, and not overplayed these days like a lot of this type of record, and I'll take this over the massively overrated 'Wrecking Ball' any day of the week! 9.5/10
445. Bizarre Inc. Featuring Angie Brown - I'm Gonna Get You (#3, 18 Oct 1992, 1 week) After an overload of dance music in '91 this is the first one in '92 to peak at the runner-up to runner-up spot in the charts. And it's a forgotten classic... well I hadn't exactly forgotten it but it's been a while since I've heard it anywhere, and it sounds as great today as it did then. 9/10
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Post by o on Feb 12, 2018 14:26:02 GMT 1
Oceanic - Insanity, now there's a blast from the past, and also good to see Temple of love and Sisters of Mercy featuring, I did like them!
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 12, 2018 17:51:43 GMT 1
446. Madonna - Erotica (#3, 25 Oct 1992, 1 week)
After waiting ages for a new Madonna album, I remember being quite disappointed when I heard this, the lead single from it. In fact, with a few exceptions, the album took a while to grow on me... Now I consider it to be one of her most underrated efforts. It's probably the most sexual song she ever did, and at the time I just wanted her to go back to pop.. Now I love her for her variety. 8.5/10
447. Rage - Run To You (#3, 1 Nov 1992, 1 week)
A club remake of the Bryan Adams classic - I had totally forgotten this one! The vocals aren't great, but I still can't sit still to it so it must have something. I would definitely dance to it if it came on in a club, even now! 8/10
448. Take That - Could It Be Magic (#3, 3 Jan 1993, 2 weeks)
It took a few weeks to get there, but the boys' version of the Barry Manilow classic eventually became their first top three hit... and first of many as it turns out. I like their version, it's just pure sing-along pop funness. 8/10
449. Faith No More - I'm Easy/Be Aggressive (#3, 17 Jan 1993, 1 week)
Faith No More released a couple of fantastic hard rock singles a few years previously, yet it was their slow cover of The Commodores classic song 'Easy' which provided them with their biggest hit. I adore the original and that would get 10/10, and this version is only slightly less good. 9.5/10
I'd never heard the other A-side 'Be Aggressive' before, and it's different again to what I've heard before from them. To be honest it sounds like a mish-mash of bits of songs to me and I think it would have been better just left as a B-side. 6/10
450. West End Featuring Sybil - The Love I Lost (#3, 24 Jan 1993, 2 weeks)
Ahhh this was one of my favourites of the year... I always thought that Sybil was on the verge of becoming big a few times, but never quite got there. This is a cover of a Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes soul song, with a club makeover... and I think it's a vast improvement dare I say! 10/10
451. Annie Lennox - Little Bird/Love Song For A Vampire (#3, 7 Feb 1993, 4 weeks)
Surely one of the longest running #3s of the decade, and one of the finest double A-sides ever I'd say. I genuinely can't pick which one deserves top billing, and I seem to remember them both receiving pretty much equal airplay at the time too - which was rare. Normally the radio stations went with the first listed song each time they played it. Anyway, 'Little Bird' was the fifth and final single taken from the fantastic 'Diva' album, when Annie really was top of her game, and it is just totally infectious... one of the best she ever wrote IMO. 10/10
More evidence that Annie Lennox is a superb songwriter is on the other song, the absolutely hauntingly stunning 'Love Song For A Vampire' - from the 1992 film version of Bram Stoker's Dracula. I can't speak highly enough of this one either... I think Annie could do no wrong around this period. 10/10
452. Shabba Ranks - Mr. Loverman (#3, 14 Mar 1993, 2 weeks)
For one of those weeks it was a completely reggaefied top 3, with Shaggy, Snow and Shabba... which is actually quite a tongue twister!! This belter was originally released a year earlier but only reached #23. It also features vocals by Chevelle Franklin, and I've always had a real liking for it. 9.5/10
453. Sub Sub Featuring Melanie Williams - Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) (#3, 18 Apr 1993, 1 week)
This club anthem has aged remarkably well compared to some of the others from the era, and I could actually see this being a hit if it were released today. Sadly Melanie Williams never managed to make much impression on the charts with any of her solo stuff, but it was nice of them to give her a credit on this anyway (I'm looking at you Shabba Ranks!) 9.5/10
454. Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing (#3, 25 Apr 1993, 2 weeks)
Is it worth me writing about this one? It's obviously one of the finest vocal performances of all-time. These days it's a staple at X-Factor auditions for girls who think they can belt out a tune (and I'm not saying all of them can't - some are really good). This version will never be bettered though. 10/10
455. Inner Circle - Sweat (A La La La La Long) (#3, 16 May 1993, 3 weeks)
I remember hearing this song for the very first time on the top 40 show, the week it entered the charts - and I was absolutely and completely obsessed with it from that first hearing. I rushed out and bought the cassette single the very next morning and just played it to death... I even bought the album 'Bad To The Bone', which has to be one of the most underrated albums of all-time - every track is just brilliant. These days it normally gets put on whenever I have a summer barbecue, but I still think it's one of the best reggae tracks ever! 10/10
456. The Spin Doctors - Two Princes (#3, 6 Jun 1993, 1 week)
The Spin Doctors are an American rock band, of who I don't know much beyond this single... but it is such a great song that I'm thinking I should venture further into their catalogue - and I have Spotify now so there's really no excuse! 9/10
457. Chaka Demus & Pliers - Tease Me (#3, 4 Jul 1993, 1 week)
This summertime reggae anthem may have only spent a solitary week at #3, but it was one place below at #4 for an incredible five weeks, so it was one of the massive hits of the year. It's impossible not to love this, it's just a feelgood sunny classic. 9/10
458. Billy Joel - The River Of Dreams (#3, 29 Aug 1993, 1 week)
While I was trying to anticipate which artists may be coming up, Billy Joel was not one that even came into my head. I remember it now though, and it is really great to hear it again. It's funny how many songs you forget about over the years - this project has been great for rediscovering great tunes - here's another! 9/10
459. SWV - Right Here (#3, 5 Sep 1993, 1 week)
Whenever I hear this (which is pretty much never these days) I think Michael Jackson is going to start singing after the intro.... That is of course because it samples his 'Human Nature' track. I remember liking this at the time, but it wasn't one of my favourites.. Now though it's like hooking up with an old friend you haven't seen in years, and it sounds quite divine. 8/10
460. Dina Carroll - Don't Be A Stranger (#3, 7 Nov 1993, 2 weeks)
Ahhhhh Dina Carroll!!! I had her down as the next Whitney Houston at the time, as her first album is still up there with the best soul albums ever made IMO. Amazingly this was the sixth single to be taken from it, and was the biggest of them all, I always knew it should be a single as it is an absolutely stunning ballad... I still think it's a crying shame that she only made one more studio album and a few scattered singles, before disappearing off the face of the musical earth. Maybe one day that elusive third album will appear... but I'm not holding my breath anymore. 10/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 13, 2018 21:10:14 GMT 1
461. East 17 - It's Alright (#3, 9 Jan 1994, 1 week) For a band who I always remember as being one of the biggest boybands of the nineties, we have had surprisingly little of East 17 so far. This one starts off slow but builds into a pop dance-fest, and is quite a positive feel-good track. I rather like it actually. 8/10
462. K7 - Come Baby Come (#3, 16 Jan 1994, 2 weeks) K7 is an American rapper, of which this was his biggest and most well-known hit. This is one of the hip-hop anthems of the nineties for me, and always a welcome revival when this comes on. 8.5/10
463. Enigma - Return To Innocence (#3, 6 Feb 1994, 1 week) (27 Feb 1994, 1 week) This is the second of Enigma's really famous hits of the nineties, and although this one didn't get to number 1 like 'Sadeness' I actually think it is the better track of the two. There's something really relaxing about this sort of music, especially if you close your eyes and just let it wash over you. I really don't listen to this one often enough. 10/10
464. Suede - Stay Together (#3, 20 Feb 1994, 1 week) A great run of songs so far... and I haven't heard this one in an age - I used to love Suede. This came on the tail end of the singles from the self-titled debut album, but isn't actually featured on any of their albums. Apparently Brett Anderson doesn't like the song, but I really like it - it's got a good melody and is quite haunting. 9/10
465. C.J. Lewis - Sweets For My Sweet (#3, 1 May 1994, 1 week) And now for something a lot more uplifting... a reggae version of the old Searchers hit (originally recorded by The Drifters) that I had completely forgotten had ever existed! And, surprise surprise, I used to absolutely adore this record when it came out, even if it is pretty much a reggae cover version by numbers it is still totally infectious. 9/10
466. East 17 - Around The World (#3, 15 May 1994, 3 weeks) They're like buses these East 17 hits! You wait ages for one, then two come along at once.... Even though I liked Take That, these boys always seemed to have more attitude and were more endearing. This is another fine tune - not brilliant, but good enough. 8/10
467. Dawn Penn - You Don't Love Me (No, No, No) (#3, 12 Jun 1994, 2 weeks) I had to make sure I found the right version of this... It's a re-recorded dancehall version of an old reggae track which she originally recorded in 1967 and it is an absolute gem. It really should have been #2 ahead of Big Mountain, but I like that as well so I'll let them off. This is just top drawer though. 10/10
468. The Grid - Swamp Thing (#3, 26 Jun 1994, 1 week) Oh, I remember this started one of the Dance Zone CDs that I played to death during the summer of '94. This is another great piece of music, and one of my favourite dance tracks of the summer. 9.5/10
469. Take That - Love Ain't Here Anymore (#3, 3 Jul 1994, 2 weeks) I was just thinking we hadn't had any Take That for a while... and this is one that I had forgotten they had ever done. It's not one of their best ballads I have to say, although the chorus is much better than the verses and it does grow on you towards the end. 7/10
470. The B.C. 52's - (Meet) The Flintstones (#3, 17 Jul 1994, 3 weeks) The B-52's changed their name slightly for their second biggest hit of the decade (and of all-time I think) with a remake of the classic Flintstones theme tune for the new film that was out. It's pretty hard not to love it really, especially as their voices suit the song perfectly. 9/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 13, 2018 21:41:54 GMT 1
471. Youssou N'Dour Featuring Neneh Cherry - 7 Seconds (#3, 4 Sep 1994, 1 week) I think I must love nearly everything because I keep seeing what's next and thinking "Oh I love that one!". I can remember this one taking an absolute age to climb up the chart, but it eventually rested at #3 for one week... I had bought the single when it was in the low 30s and I thought it wasn't going to get any higher. It's obviously nothing like what Neneh Cherry had done before, and I had liked her since I first heard 'Buffalo Stance', which is still a classic! This is great too. 9.5/10
472. Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey - Endless Love (#3, 11 Sep 1994, 2 weeks) For some reason Luther seemed to do better with his duets, even though some of his solo efforts are miles better IMO. Mariah too has cropped up on here mainly with cover versions of classics - Without You, I'll Be There and now this, which I have to say isn't really a patch on the Lionel Richie and Diana Ross original. As they are both great singers though I can't really give it less than 8/10
473. R. Kelly - She's Got That Vibe (#3, 6 Nov 1994, 1 week) Originally Mr. Kelly's debut single in 1991, when it flopped, a re-release turned it into a massive top 3 hit and became a staple of discos and parties for years afterwards. I think it's one of the best party R&B tunes of all-time. 9.5/10
474. Louis Armstrong - We Have All The Time In The World (#3, 27 Nov 1994, 2 weeks) I love doing this, because it is constantly throwing up surprises.... this is another of those songs that had totally slipped my mind. I remember now that it was a hit as it was used on an advert, I think, and it's a shame that we don't get random old hits in the top end of the charts any more. 10/10
475. Mighty Morph'n Power Rangers (#3, 11 Dec 1994, 1 week) Oh you've got to be joking! Did these really get to number 3? I remember them being popular and all that, but not this popular..... Well it's not as bad as I had imagined, and it's a darn sight more listenable than The Teletubbies or Mr. Blobby, but it's still not something you'd put on through choice if you were over 8. 4/10
476. Oasis - Whatever (#3, 25 Dec 1994, 1 week) And now common sense prevails! This was the band's first top 3 hit and was a corker... although its B-side 'Half The World Away' (later to be the theme tune to The Royle Family) is even better, and among the very best songs they ever did IMO, proving that they are definitely not just a singles band. 9/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 14, 2018 19:07:40 GMT 1
477. Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On (#3, 5 Mar 1995, 1 week) We have to go all the way to March before we find the first record which peaked at #3 in 1995, and it's a dance/house track by the Nightcrawlers which was originally released three years earlier. I used to find this one a bit repetitive at the time, but it has grown on me quite a lot over the years. 7.5/10
478. Freak Power - Turn On, Tune In, Cop Out (#3, 12 Mar 1995, 1 week) Now I used to love this! It was Norman Cook's latest project at the time and had originally been released in 1993 but was only a big smash after featuring in a Levi's advert. It's just a chilled, laid back groove and a great driving song, and is a welcome re-discovery. 9.5/10
479. Wet Wet Wet - Julia Says (#3, 26 Mar 1995, 1 week) I've no idea who Julia is but this is the follow-up single to the mega-smash hit 'Love Is All Around'. It's obviously not a patch on that, but it is quite nice, and it helps that Marti Pellow has a really listenable voice. 7/10
480. Bobby Brown - Two Can Play That Game (#3, 2 Apr 1995, 4 weeks) This is the K-Klassic Radio Mix of the song, which gives the original album version a whole new lease of life... and it gave Whitney's hubbie a #3 hit for most of April '95. It's still a great dance track, and mobile DJs can often be guaranteed to play this next to R. Kelly's 'She's Got That Vibe'. 10/10
481. Boyzone - Key To My Life (#3, 30 Apr 1995, 1 week) Boyzone's second hit single was their first of many soppy ballads. I don't mind it too much actually, it sounds more youthful and less serious than some of their later ballads, which makes it more appealing somehow. I mean, it's no masterpiece but I don't hate it. 7/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 14, 2018 21:27:48 GMT 1
482. Scatman John - Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop) (#3, 21 May 1995, 1 week) I have to admit to really liking this when it was out, despite it probably annoying the hell out of a lot of people. He actually died in 1999, but this is his legacy! 8.5/10
483. Michael Jackson with Janet Jackson - Scream (#3, 4 Jun 1995, 1 week) The lead single from Jacko's angriest album 'History' (The second disc obviously) didn't grab me straight off, but I do think it's one of his most underrated albums.. and I love the way he has a go at the media, the establishment, the people who set him up to con money out of him, the police.. everybody who has wronged him really. This first single was just the tip of the iceberg, and there were better still on the album. 8/10
484. Baby D - I Need You Lovin' (Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime) (#3, 18 Jun 1995, 1 week) Wow! What a follow-up to the amazing 'Let Me Be Your Fantasy'... this manages to take an old song by the Korgis and improve on it, and make something as good as their last hit. Sadly it was stuck behind Robson & Jerome and U2, but it's easily the best track in that top 3. 10/10
485. EMF with Reeves & Mortimer - I'm A Believer (#3, 2 Jul 1995, 1 week) I had forgotten about this collaboration, which is a cover of the Monkees uber-classic. It hasn't got the same feel as the original, and I'm not keen on the "Oy" bits... but it's hard to mess up such a classic as this. 8/10
486. Boyzone - So Good (#3, 6 Aug 1995, 2 weeks) I remembered it once they started singing, but until then I'm afraid I couldn't recall this song at all. At least it's not another ballad, but it's not a great pop song either... 6/10
487. The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You (#3, 3 Sep 1995, 2 weeks) Unless you've lived on the moon for most of your life then you'll recognise this as the theme from 90s US sitcom 'Friends', which most of my friends were into but I could take or leave really.... I only really kept watching when it happened to be on because I thought Phoebe was hilarious! The song is a great slice of American pop rock and just a classic really, which all I can say bad about it is that it has been vastly overplayed over the years. 9.5/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 16, 2018 12:00:35 GMT 1
488. Smokie Featuring Roy Chubby Brown - Living Next Door To Alice (Who The F**k Is Alice?) (#3, 15 Oct 1995, 1 week) I don't really know what to say about this one... The original Smokie single is fantastic and would get an easy 10/10. As far as novelty songs go this is quite amusing, even though I'm not a fan of Chubby Brown. 8/10
489. Everything But The Girl - Missing (#3, 19 Nov 1995, 2 weeks) It was the Todd Terry remix of this song which gave it a whole new lease of life from the '94 original, and gave the band one of their biggest hits. I think it's a brilliant song for a band which never quite received the success that they deserved. 9.5/10
490. Baby D - So Pure (#3, 7 Jan 1996, 1 week) I had totally forgotten that Baby D had a third top three hit, and while it's nowhere near in the same league as the other two I still really liked it at the time. It probably hasn't aged as well as the others though, but it's still a decent enough club track. 7.5/10
491. Goldbug - Whole Lotta Love (#3, 21 Jan 1996, 1 week) Another one which had completely slipped my memory, this is of course a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic. It's a decent version to be honest, and it's a shame they didn't have any other hits as I quite like their sound. 7.5/10
492. Luniz - I Got 5 On It (#3, 11 Feb 1996, 1 week) I always think I don't like hip-hop these days, but then I'm reminded of how it used to sound in the nineties on tracks like this and I realise that it's just modern stuff I find mostly dull. This is a great track for cruising along on a summer's day, despite being released in February! 8.5/10
493. Mariah Carey - Always Be My Baby (#3, 16 Jun 1996, 1 week) After a massive four month gap between number 3's, we come to one of my very favourite Mariah Carey tracks. It's taken from what is probably her last truly great album, 'Daydream' and is one of the poppier songs from that album. I just love it. 9.5/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 16, 2018 12:31:06 GMT 1
494. Suede - Trash (#3, 4 Aug 1996, 1 week) The Britpop band's second and final top three hit is the first single from their third album 'Coming Up', and is more of a glam rock sound to their previous stuff - which could never be a bad thing as I love a bit of glam. This is one of their best. 9.5/10
495. Backstreet Boys - We've Got It Goin' On (#3, 18 Aug 1996, 1 week) This was originally their debut single and released the previous year... I liked it when it was originally released but it didn't do very well so was glad when it got a re-release. It's a great little pop dance track and one of the best things they ever did. 9/10
496. Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity (#3, 25 Aug 1996, 1 week) The 'Travelling Without Moving' album, from which this was the first single, is probably when Jamiroquai first started doing the big chart hit dance anthems. 'Virtual Insanity' was their first top 5 hit, and is still one of their most famous tracks I'd say. It's hard not to like this really. 8/10
497. The Charlatans - One To Another (#3, 1 Sep 1996, 1 week) I have to confess I don't know many Charlatans songs beyond 'The Only One I Know', and I don't remember this one at all. It doesn't exactly grab me on first listen, I have to say... I know I'm probably "supposed to" like it but it just doesn't do anything much for me. 5.5/10
498. Dina Carroll - Escaping (#3, 22 Sep 1996, 1 week) Oh now when Dina returned with this, after a three year absence, I was absolutely delighted and played it pretty much constantly for days. Unfortunately she has never released a single this great since, but I still adore this. 10/10
499. B.B.E. - Seven Days And One Week (#3, 29 Sep 1996, 1 week) Oh I haven't heard this in donkeys years!! This is a banging trance anthem.. I used to love it. Definitely one of those forgotten gems I've really enjoyed revisiting. 9/10
500. Babybird - You're Gorgeous (#3, 6 Oct 1996, 1 week) Babybird did have other hits apparently, but this is the only one I can remember. Again it's one that I loved at the time, but this is one that I've heard quite regularly over the years so it's not like rediscovering an lost classic - it is a classic all the same though, and the lyrics are great! 10/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 16, 2018 13:03:23 GMT 1
501. Celine Dion - It's All Coming Back To Me Now (#3, 13 Oct 1996, 1 week) Even if you didn't already know, then it would come as no surprise to learn that this was a Jim Steinman composition, with it's overblown theatrical elements, and that infectiously sing-along power ballad chorus. It was originally recorded by a group called Pandora's Box, and I loved it way back in 1989 when they (unbelievably) didn't manage to go top 40 with it. Celine's version is the opening track on her amazing 'Falling Into You' album, and it was the biggest hit from that album. 10/10
502. Faithless - Insomnia (#3, 20 Oct 1996, 1 week) Probably one of the most highly regarded club tracks from the 1990's (and of all-time really)... I don't know anybody who doesn't like this (although I'm sure I'm going to be proved wrong now!) Really though it's just euphoric - a true anthem... and the way it just builds up to that climax.... 10/10
503. Mark Owen - Child (#3, 24 Nov 1996, 1 week) I seem to remember quite liking this song at the time... it reminds me now a bit of John Lennon's 'Mother' - he's definitely done his best to make it sound like a John Lennon track I would say. It is a nice song, and certainly more creative than the solo stuff Gary Barlow was putting out that year. 7.5/10
504. 3T - I Need You (#3, 1 Dec 1996, 1 week) I didn't realise Jacko's nephews had managed a third top 3 hit. And listening to it doesn't jog any memories at all... or maybe I had just chosen to keep them buried, as The Jacksons they certainly ain't! I've just found out that this is a cover version of a song written by Eric Carmen though, and while it's certainly no 'Hungry Eyes' or 'All By Myself', Michael Jackson's backing vocals and the gospelly chorus do aid the song somehwhat. 6.5/10
505. Robert Miles Featuring Maria Nayler - One And One (#3, 15 Dec 1996, 1 week) Proving that Miles was no one-trick pony, we have this delightful little club classic which is another song that I was absolutely obsessed with at the time. In fact Christmas-time 1996 is one year that I do have a lot of fond memories of music-wise, and this is one of the standout tracks from that era. 10/10
506. Madonna - Don't Cry For Me Argentina (#3, 22 Dec 1996, 1 week) Just when I was thinking Madge didn't have any other #3s that decade - how could I forget 'Evita'! I think it's the one film where she proved her worth as an actress and a singer to all the critics who thought she could do neither. And I do think this is a great version of the Julie Covington classic (I wonder if that one will show up in Haven's best #1s countdown?!).. it's just a shame that the original song 'You Must Love Me' from the film wasn't a bigger hit. 10/10
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2018 15:46:24 GMT 1
So much 10s here, for some years I can't give 10 even for my "Song Of Year".
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 16, 2018 16:25:53 GMT 1
So much 10s here, for some years I can't give 10 even for my "Song Of Year". I do tend to err on the generous side when I rate songs.... but I just love so much more music than I dislike.
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