|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 19, 2018 15:06:42 GMT 1
507. Orbital - Satan Live (#3, 5 Jan 1997, 1 week) Originally a track from their 1990 III EP, 'Satan' was re-released as a live version for Orbital, who are an electronic band that I have never really gotten into.. or really attempted to if I'm honest. I can imagine being there, and off your face on whatever, it would sound quite good, but it's not really doing much for me sat at home with just a cup of coffee to enhance my mind. 5/10
508. East 17 - Hey Child (#3, 12 Jan 1997, 1 week) Oh now I really adored this gorgeous little ballad at the time, and bought the single on its week of release. It's just a shame that this was pretty much it for the band as far as decent singles went. 9/10
509. Texas - Say What You Want (#3, 19 Jan 1997, 1 week) This was the song which really paved the way for Texas, eight years after their previous biggest hit 'I Don't Want A Lover'. Sadly they never really managed to have that second massive hit - until this came along and its parent album 'White On Blonde', which is a fantastic album that I haven't dug out in years. This song sounds as good as ever though. 9/10
510. George Michael - Older/I Can't Make You Love Me (#3, 26 Jan 1997, 1 week) Impressively, this #3 hit was the lowest charting position of all the six singles from 'Older' - all of the other five went top 2... To be fair the title track on its own doesn't sound like a top three hit, and isn't one of his best ballads. I'd probably give it 6.5/10 'I Can't Make You Love Me' received airplay too, and I'm sure is the song which gave the single the majority of its sales. Bonnie Raitt did the original in 1991, but it wasn't a hit until George's version... and later Adele too. It is probably one of the tenderest ballads he sings on, and although I do actually prefer Bonnie Raitt's original, he does do the song justice. 8/10
511. Mark Owen - Clementine (#3, 9 Feb 1997, 1 week) I couldn't remember how this one went... all I could think of was "Oh my darling, clementine..". Thankfully it's not that one, but it's actually quite a good pop song which is a totally different musical direction to anything he did with Take That. I actually think he deserved more solo success judging by what I've heard so far. 8/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 19, 2018 17:11:47 GMT 1
512. The Source Featuring Candi Staton - You Got The Love (1997) (#3, 23 Feb 1997, 1 week) The Now Voyager Radio Mix, released in 1997 went one place higher than the 1991 version which everyone knows and loves. Although this version was updated slightly for the '97 release, I still prefer the original (well it wasn't really the original, but you know what I mean). It was to be done even better in 2009 by a totally different kind of artist. 8/10
513. Eternal - Don't You Love Me (#3, 2 Mar 1997, 1 week) This was the lead single from their third album, Before The Rain. It's quite a haunting little track, and one that seems to have been cruelly forgotten along the passage of time. I think it's one of their best actually, and a deserved top three hit. 9/10
514. The Fugees Featuring A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes & John Forté - Rumble In The Jungle (#3, 9 Mar 1997, 1 week) This is another track which has largely been forgotten over the years. There's a lot of different voices going on there, plus an Abba sample... and it's from the soundtrack to the Muhammad Ali film 'When We Were Kings'. I love Lauryn Hill's parts the best - especially the "Send me an angel in the morning" part, which is based on P.P. Arnold's classic hit 'Angel Of The Morning'. 8/10
515. Wet Wet Wet - If I Never See You Again (#3, 16 Mar 1997, 1 week) This is a far cry from the soulfulness of early hits like 'Wishing I Was Lucky' and 'Sweet Little Mystery', and it lacks the power of big nineties ballads like 'Goodnight Girl' and 'Love Is All Around'. It's not bad, but it's more what I'd expect Boyzone to have been releasing at this time. 6.5/10
516. Orbital - The Saint (#3, 13 Apr 1997, 1 week) This was an updated version of the original Saint theme from the 1960s, which was the theme to an updated film version of the series featuring Simon Templar. It's a darn sight more endearing than the last Orbital track I had to listen to, and I don't know how I came to miss this at the time. 8/10
517. U2 - Staring At The Sun (#3, 20 Apr 1997, 1 week) I think this is so much better than 'Discotheque', which was the first single from their 'Pop' album (and got to #1). I'm afraid I couldn't get into that one at all, but I've always thought this was a good song... they're still being experimental with their sound, but it has a good melody too. 8/10
518. 911 - Bodyshakin' (#3, 27 Apr 1997, 1 week) They're coming thicker and faster now we're reaching the tail end of the decade and there was a much faster turnaround of hits than previous years. This is probably the only song of theirs I could hum which wasn't a cover, and it's quite a good dancey pop song actually. 7.5/10
519. The Seahorses - Love Is The Law (#3, 4 May 1997, 1 week) Not a band I know anything about, but I do quite like this song. I don't think I've heard it in at least twenty years though, so it's a nice little rediscovery. 8/10
520. Damage - Wonderful Tonight (#3, 11 May 1997, 1 week) Considering this R&B band had nine top 40 hits, I can't recall how any of them go... well except this one obviously, and that's only because of the Eric Clapton original, which is up there with the best love songs ever written. After hearing this sickly interpretation, Eric's will most definitely still be my goto version of the song. 5/10
521. Katrina And The Waves - Love Shine A Light (#3, 18 May 1997, 1 week) Who can believe it's 21 years since we last won Eurovision? I can remember it like it was yesterday, and it was a totally deserved win for the 'Walking On Sunshine' hitmakers as it is just totally catchy, wave your hands in the air nonsense. 9.5/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 19, 2018 18:11:37 GMT 1
522. Radiohead - Paranoid Android (#3, 1 Jun 1997, 1 week) This is where I upset a few people... I have tried getting into the OK Computer album because so-called music experts made me feel like I had to. But I just can't find anything about it to grasp hold of, and need more convincing that it's not just pretentious rubbish. To me this is just noise. 3/10
523. No Doubt - Just A Girl (#3, 29 Jun 1997, 1 week) Thankfully this was re-released after only just scraping inside the top 40 a year earlier, obviously on the back of the success of 'Don't Speak'. It's a perfect rock song, showcasing the feistier side of Gwen Stefani than the tenderness she displayed on the other song. 9/10
524. 911 - The Journey (#3, 6 Jul 1997, 1 week) I didn't expect these to crop up again so soon, but as far as boyband pop songs go it's quite generic for the time. It features the obligatory choir on the end chorus which normally features on a Christmas single. 6/10
525. Coolio Featuring 40 Thevz - C U When U Get There (#3, 13 Jul 1997, 1 week) This is a great lost rap single which is down to it's brilliantly catchy chorus, and proof that Coolio wasn't just a one-trick pony. 9/10
526. Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back) (#3, 27 Jul 1997, 1 week) Due to its horror-like video, this seems to have been re-catagorised as a Halloween song over the years.. meaning that over-familiarity has taken away from the fact that it's actually a fantastic little pop song. 9/10
527. Peter Andre - All About Us (#3, 3 Aug 1997, 1 week) I do have a vague recollection of this, but I'm pretty sure I didn't like it much at the time. Much as it pains me to admit it, I am quite enjoying it this time around with its summery R&B vibe and catchy chorus. 7.5/10
528. Shola Ama - You're The One I Love (#3, 24 Aug 1997, 1 week) Oh who could forget little Shola Ama? Well I had actually.. but not because she wasn't good. In fact I'd forgotten how good she was - this is a lovely little R&B groove. 8/10
529. Mariah Carey - Honey (#3, 31 Aug 1997, 1 week) The lead single from 'Butterfly' was from the same cup as 'Fantasy' (the lead single from her previous album) and did even better on the chart-front. It's another great summery R&B track that reminds me of a time when I thought she could do no wrong. 9/10
530. Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me (#3, 5 Oct 1997, 1 week) I'd forgotten how many Backstreet Boys songs I liked, embarrassingly. No I don't care really, if I think a song is good I'll say so - no matter who is singing it. This is just a solid ballad with a great chorus. 8/10
531. Barbra Streisand & Celine Dion - Tell Him (#3, 9 Nov 1997, 1 week) Two female vocal giants here deliver the nineties version of Paige & Dickson's 'I Know Him So Well'. It's an absolutely gorgeous ballad, with stunning vocals by both which always makes my hair stand on end. 10/10
532. Steven Houghton - Wind Beneath My Wings (#3, 23 Nov 1997, 1 week) He was a dishy firefighter on ITV's drama London's Burning (which I was a massive fan of), who sang this on the show and got everybody's hearts racing. Bette Midler's version of this is in my top ten recordings of all-time, and listening to this for the first time in over twenty years, his singing voice is one hell of a lot better than that of Robson & Jerome and I think this is actually a really good version. 8.5/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 19, 2018 21:28:42 GMT 1
533. Wildchild - Renegade Master '98 (#3, 11 Jan 1998, 1 week) The original of this reached #11 in 1995, about a month before Wildchild (AKA Roger McKenzie) died aged just 24. I never realised at the time that he had died, or that it was Fatboy Slim who did this '98 remix, which is a club stomper by the way. 8/10
534. Catatonia - Mulder And Scully (#3, 25 Jan 1998, 1 week) This is a band I haven't thought to listen to in ages, but I owned the 'International Velvet' album (from which this song is taken) at the time, and thought it was great. Cerys's welsh accent is so strong that it is obvious when she sings too, which gives her a really distinctive voice.. and this is the second single on this marathon that is X-files related! 9/10
535. Will Smith - Gettin' Jiggy Wit It (#3, 1 Feb 1998, 1 week) One you wouldn't automatically put on a list of Nile Rodgers related hits, but this samples his Sister Sledge hit 'He's The Greatest Dancer', which is what gives the whole song its bassline... and without it would sound pretty mediocre. As it is, and thanks to that sample, it's one to work your groove thang to! 7/10
536. Cleopatra - Cleopatra's Theme (#3, 8 Feb 1998, 1 week) This is one girlband that I had completely forgotten about. I can't even remember what else they sang, but this was their debut single and it did well to go straight in at #3... especially since it's not especially memorable. 6/10
537. Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You (#3, 22 Mar 1998, 1 week) It's weird because I remember this as having a much longer chart run than 7 weeks total in the top forty.. or maybe it's because the song has been overplayed over the years to the point of wanting to rip Robbie's face off. I have to be objective in my scoring though, and this is probably what I would have given it on first listen too 6.5/10
538. Sash! - La Primavera (#3, 29 Mar 1998, 2 weeks) The first Sash! hit not to go to #2, but still an impressive position.. it was only massive hits by Celine and Run DMC that held them back. It reminds me of something you'd hear at a carnival, and it is intensely catchy. Yet another winner for this production team. 9/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 20, 2018 22:08:06 GMT 1
539. Kula Shaker - Sound Of Drums (#3, 26 Apr 1998, 1 week) Kula Shaker had more hits than I thought they had - and we still haven't got to the one I most remember them for yet! This one is taken from their brilliantly titled album 'Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts', and it's got shades of Oasis about it. There's something that strikes a chord with me here... I really like it! 8.5/10
540. Wyclef Jean - Gone Till November (#3, 10 May 1998, 1 week) This is one that I haven't heard in an age! I'd forgotten how much I liked it actually, and he can actually sing really good unlike a lot of hip-hop artists, who just rap. Yeah, this is a nice little forgotten treasure that I'm glad I dug up. 8.5/10
541. Lutricia McNeal - Stranded (#3, 24 May 1998, 1 week) Talking of things that time forgot - Lutricia McNeal. I mean, she came, she entertained us greatly for a few singles, then she went away again - and with it erased all memory of her existence from our minds. Well mine anyway.... This is the reason I wanted to do this project, to recover some forgotten treasures, and I can't wait to re-hear the rest of her small catalogue of hits. This should not be left stranded back in the nineties anymore!! 9/10
542. Five - Got The Feelin' (#3, 14 Jun 1998, 1 week) I remembered this as soon as the chorus came on, but it does sound rather dated now I have to say. It's not one of their worst, but it's not one of their best either. 7/10
543. Savage Garden - To The Moon And Back (#3, 16 Aug 1998, 1 week) These always reminded me of an eighties band but I could never put my finger on it. I could certainly imagine somebody like Tears For Fears doing this song, as it is a really well-crafted pop song.. and with a killer hook. I just absolutely adore it, and I'm so happy to be reliving it again. 10/10
544. The Corrs - What Can I Do (#3, 23 Aug 1998, 1 week) This was originall released in January of that year, but it took a Tin Tin Out remix (which totally transforms the original album version) to get it into the upper regions of the chart. The Corrs were great, they made Irish folk music cool again for a while.. due in no small part to the amazing 'Talk On Corners' album, which I haven't heard in years but am itching to play again now. It will have to wait though... 9/10
545. Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) (#3, 27 Sep 1998, 1 week) We've had one former member of the Fugees, now here's another... and I can remember a time when Lauryn Hill was considered massive... What happened? This R&B/Hip Hop groove-fest was a great start for her solo career and I think this is as good as anything Beyoncé has put out. 9.5/10
546. Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin' (#3, 11 Oct 1998, 1 week) This is just genius - it's got shades of everything in there, but it all gels perfectly as all of Fatboy Slim's singles of this era did. Just a great track really. 9.5/10
547. U2 - Sweetest Thing (#3, 25 Oct 1998, 1 week) From that famous top five - of which every track was a gem. This was actually released to conincide with their Best of 1980-1990 album (which is a first class Greatest Hits album, needed in any collection), and is a re-recording of what was originally the B-side to their 'Where The Streets Have No Name' single in 1987. How this was only a B-side for so long I don't know, as it's up there with some of their best songs. 10/10
548. Touch And Go - Would You...? (#3, 1 Nov 1998, 1 week) This is why I haven't been peeking ahead with the charts, if I can help it. Because I love it when something unexpected like this comes up! I used to love it at the time but had completely forgotten about it... and it's just a really clever jazz track, with a woman's voice sampled onto it inviting some bloke to bed with her. 9.5/10
549. The Tamperer Featuring Maya - If You Buy This Record Your Life Will Be Better (#3, 8 Nov 1998, 1 week) I've no idea if this worked for anybody, because I didn't actually buy the record. I don't know what to say about it really, it's cheap and tacky to the extreme - and it's only really the Material Girl sample that makes it worth listening to - let alone make your life better. 6/10
550. Stereophonics - The Bartender And The Thief (#3, 15 Nov 1998, 1 week) The first single from the Welsh rockers' second album 'Performance And Cocktails', this was their only top three hit before the millennium. It's just a great sing-along indie rock anthem - although I still think 'Dakota' is their standout moment. 8/10
551. Celine Dion & R. Kelly - I'm Your Angel (#3, 22 Nov 1998, 1 week) Our Celine does it again... this time on an R. Kelly track, which I always think of as a Christmas song (even though it isn't really) - it was featured on Celine's festive album 'These Are The Special Times' though, and has definitely got a Christmassy feel about it. I'd have been happy if this had been Christmas #1 that year. 10/10
552. Will Smith - Miami (#3, 29 Nov 1998, 1 week) That's six solo top three hits for Will Smith now - four of them from his 'Big Willie Style' album. This is recognisable for the riff taken from The Whispers' classic disco hit 'And The Beat Goes On', but is still a great song in its own right. It sounds more like a summer record than a Christmas one though, but who cares. 8/10
553. Bryan Adams Featuring Melanie C - When You're Gone (#3, 6 Dec 1998, 1 week) Aided by Sporty Spice, this was the Canadian rockers' biggest hit since 'All For Love', nearly six years earlier. It's got big hit written all over it as well, as it is just non-stop sing-along from start to end... even if you've forgotten half of the words! To be fair, I think this would have sounded just as good without Mel C... 9.5/10
554. Billie - She Wants You (#3, 13 Dec 1998, 1 week) I don't recall this one at all, but it's a pleasant little surprise actually. It's certainly better than either of the number ones she had before it. She reminds me a bit of Tiffany here actually. 7.5/10
555. Denise And Johnny - Especially For You (#3, 20 Dec 1998, 1 week) This is Denise Van Outen (who has a good singing voice really), and Johnny Vegas (who really doesn't), and I can remember loving watching them present The Big Breakfast on Channel 4 every morning in the late nineties. (Why did they ever have to cancel that??) Anyhow, it's not the same as hearing Kylie and Jason sing it, but it's not a really uncomfortable listen either. 6.5/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 21, 2018 20:52:36 GMT 1
556. Blockster - You Should Be... (#3, 10 Jan 1999, 1 week) This is a club remake of the Bee Gees disco classic 'You Should Be Dancing' from 1976. The trouble is, it's pretty impossible not to dance to it. It's a pretty good version really. 8/10
557. Tatyana Ali Featuring Will Smith - Boy You Knock Me Out (#3, 7 Feb 1999, 1 week) She may have had more lasting success as an actress, but Tatyana Ali had a couple of hit singles in the late nineties - which I had completely forgotten, I might add. This is fine within its field, and quite a nice little revisit.. if nothing to get over excited about. 7/10
558. 2pac Featuring Talent - Changes (#3, 14 Feb 1999, 1 week) Tupac Shakur, to give him his proper name, was shot dead in September '96 and this is a track he recorded in 1992. It features elements of Bruce Hornsby & The Range's 1986 hit 'The Way It Is'. I can't profess to be a massive 2pac fan, but I can appreciate this is a bit of a hip-hop anthem. 7.5/10
559. Whitney Houston - It's Not Right But It's Okay (#3, 28 Feb 1999, 1 week) This was a big comeback for Whitney at the time.. I mean she hadn't had a top three hit in six years, and now she was back was an R&B stomper. I actually had the album before this single came out, so I already knew this was just the tip of the iceberg of things to come. 9.5/10
560. The Vengaboys - We Like To Party! (The Vengabus) (#3, 7 Mar 1999, 1 week) This is somewhere in between a children's nursery rhyme and an Ibiza club banger. It is just a bit of fun though.. and there's no need to be serious all the time, is there? 8/10
561. Billie - Honey To The Bee (#3, 28 Mar 1999, 1 week) So that's four top 3 hits from her debut album... that's quite impressive really. I seem to remember this having a bit of a revival when Chris Moyles decided to have a go at manipulating the charts when they started counting downloads. This is actually quite a decent pop song... I think the two that only reached #3 were far better than her two chart toppers from that album. I did like 'Day and Night', but sadly that came after the nineties. 7.5/10
562. TLC - No Scrubs (#3, 2 May 1999, 1 week) I remember this was a rare climber at the time... meaning that a song got to the top end of the charts purely on its own merits and nothing else. It's obvious why, as this is easily one of the catchiest R&B tracks of the era, and I think TLC were quite underrated compared to some R&B girlbands who were around at the same time. 9.5/10
563. 911 - Private Number (#3, 9 May 1999, 1 week) Oh dear, not another inferior cover by this boyband! I like the Judy Clay/William Bell original, but this is just karaoke done not particularly well really. Just average. 5/10
564. Shania Twain - That Don't Impress Me Much (#3, 16 May 1999, 3 weeks) I was willing this to beat the top 2 of Boyzone and Geri Halliwell the week it entered the charts, even though I knew it would never happen! It did outdo them both in the long run though so she had the last laugh. I was a fan of Shania right from hearing 'You're Still The One' a year earlier, and I instantly fell in love with the 'Come On Over' album - I genuinely believe that every song on there is #1 single-worthy. This still sounds great, if a little marred by overplay over the years. 9.5/10
565. The Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl (#3, 6 Jun 1999, 1 week) This is one of their more accessible singles, I'd say. Well this and 'Galvanize' (which is awesome by the way). It soulds better in a club but I can't deny it's a banging track. 8/10
566. Britney Spears - Sometimes (#3, 20 Jun 1999, 1 week) There's not much more Britney to come in the nineties (I wonder if she'll go on to have more hits next decade?!) so I'd better make the most of this, her first, and possibly her finest ballad. She had an endearing innocence about her sound back then - a bit like when Madonna first started out, and hearing this again just makes me want to dig out the album. 9.5/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 22, 2018 19:16:09 GMT 1
567. Bran Van 3000 - Drinking In L.A. (#3, 15 Aug 1999, 1 week) This is a one-hit wonder I had completely forgotten about! Bran Van 3000 were a Canadian alternative rock/hip-hop outfit, and this song just seemed to explode out of nowhere at the time. It still doesn't sound dated when you listen to it now, and I could even imagine it being a hit in today's climate. 9/10
568. Bob Marley vs. Funkstar De Luxe - Sun Is Shining (#3, 19 Sep 1999, 1 week) This old Marley track was given the Funkstar De Luxe treatment and it became an absolute summer smash - 18 years after the singer's death. It's just a shame he wasn't alive to see how well-known this song became. 9/10
569. Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like A Woman! (#3, 26 Sep 1999, 2 weeks) Another number three hit for the lady who made country music popular again, with what is probably her party anthem track. She certainly latched onto the Girl Power theme here, and made sure she became the staple of hen nights for years to come probably! The only thing wrong with this song is that it has been done to absolute death, but I have to judge based on if I were listening with fresh ears. 9/10
570. ATB - Don't Stop (#3, 17 Oct 1999, 1 week) I forgot they had a follow up hit to '9pm (Til I Come)', and it's not a million miles away from that but it is still different enough for me to consider it a great little Ibiza trance track in its own right. 8/10
571. A1 - Everytime/Ready Or Not (#3, 14 Nov 1999, 1 week) This is the first appearance for boyband A1... all I can remember them for is murdering A-ha's 'Take On Me' - but that was a different decade so we won't dwell on that here. 'Everytime' is a not too bad actually ballad, although not as good as the Britney song of the same name. 6.5/10 'Ready Or Not' is a more upbeat pop song, which is quite pleasant without being anything out of the ordinary. I like it more than I thought I would though. 6.5/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 24, 2018 15:24:33 GMT 1
572. Boyzone - Every Day I Love You (#3, 28 Nov 1999, 1 week) This was the boyband's last single before their initial split, and unlike Take That they went out with a bit of a whimper - if this is anything to go by. It's not a terrible ballad, but it's not particularly memorable either.. so it's no surprise I'd forgotten it really. 6.5/10
573. The Vengaboys - Kiss (When The Sun Don't Shine) (#3, 12 Dec 1999, 1 week) This was the first single from their second album, and sadly I'm not going to relive the album highlight 'Uncle John From Jamaica', as that one missed the timeline for this thread. It's hardly Lennon and McCartney calibre songwriting, but it's deeply infectious and feel-good. 7.5/10
574. John Lennon - Imagine (#3, 19 Dec 1999, 2 weeks) Speaking of Lennon! This was the last number three hit of the nineties, and an all-time classic which had already been a hit in the seventies, then a number 1 smash in the eighties after Lennon's tragic death, now it was a top ten hit in the nineties too... and it also hung around long enough to make it a top ten hit for four decades in a row - it has less than two years to make it five!! 10/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 24, 2018 16:32:59 GMT 1
575. Band Aid II - Do They Know It's Christmas (#4, 7 Jan 1990, 1 week) Obviously this had just fallen from number one, where it had spent Christmas of '89. It feels weird listening in late February, but it's not one I think to revisit often (nearly always opting for the superior original). I do think this is better than the critics would have you believe though - and it's certainly better than the two subsequent efforts. 7.5/10
576. Mantronix featuring Wondress - Got To Have Your Love (#4, 14 Jan 1990, 1 week) (28 Jan 1990, 1 week) I always think of this as a nineties dance track, even though it was released late 1989. Whatever, it's a great soulful club record, and better than anything else Mantronix had done. It still sounds quite fresh today. 9.5/10
577. Lonnie Gordon - Happenin' All Over Again (#4, 4 Feb 1990, 2 weeks) I've seen negative reviews about this S/A/W production, but I happen to think it's an absolutely phenonemal pop record and one of the best things the hit production team ever released. Apparently it was originally intended for Donna Summer, and I can well imagine her singing it if she hadn't parted company with them at the time - well at least she stayed with them long enough to record their best ever song, 'This Time I Know It's For Real'! 10/10
578. Black Box - I Don't Know Anybody Else (#4, 18 Feb 1990, 1 week) I had Black Box's debut album 'Dreamland' on cassette, which produced a massive six hit singles - and there was still greatness left on the album to spare, like the fantastic 'Hold On'. This is obviously not as good as 'Ride On Time', but then not many dance singles are. It's still a fine piece of Italo House though, all the same. 8/10
579. Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers - That Sounds Good To Me (#4, 11 Mar 1990, 2 weeks) I don't really have a problem with Jive Bunny to be honest. This is the first single of theirs not to go number one, which must have been a bit of a disappointment to them at the time not to break the record. It's just a good mix of fifties and sixties Rock N' Roll classics really, for people who can't be bothered to listen to the full versions. 7/10
580. UB40 - Kingston Town (#4, 8 Apr 1990, 2 weeks) One of many hit cover versions for UB40, but this is taken from their really good 'Labour Of Love II' album and has become one of the tracks I most associate them with now. I actually like this version better then the original. 10/10
581. New Kids On The Block - Cover Girl (#4, 13 May 1990, 2 weeks) I'm afraid I don't remember this one at all. It's OK, defnitely not a forgotten treasure, but not an altogether painful listen either. 6.5/10
582. Don Pablo's Animals - Venus (#4, 3 Jun 1990, 1 week) This is a house remake of the Shocking Blue song, which was also a hit in my favourite version for Bananarama. I'm guessing this version isn't too fondly remembered, but I'm actually quite enjoying it right now, and would definitely get up and dance if it came on in a club. 7.5/10
583. The Stone Roses - One Love (#4, 8 Jul 1990, 1 week) This isn't too bad actually... it has quite a good sing-along chorus. I still don't understand the hype though... There are indie bands around at the same time that I like much better. 7/10
584. Blue Pearl - Naked In The Rain (#4, 5 Aug 1990, 2 weeks) Possibly one of the coolest sounding dance records from the years, this sounds as great now as it did nearly thirty years ago. It's one that doesn't get played enough these days. 9.5/10
585. Pet Shop Boys - So Hard (#4, 30 Sep 1990, 1 week) The Pets' first single of the nineties and first from their fourth studio album 'Behaviour'. It entered at #4 in its first week, but sadly couldn't better that position despite it being classic Pet Shop Boys. 9.5/10
586. Kylie Minogue - Step Back In Time (#4, 4 Nov 1990, 1 week) Another top five hit for Kylie, although after the success of 'Better The Devil You Know' I'm guessing this was expected to be another top two hit. Sadly her music was getting a bit dated by this time... but in retrospect it's another great little pop song. 8/10
587. The Farm - All Together Now (#4, 9 Dec 1990, 1 week) This is a sing-along anthem that was just written for festivals... and I can confirm that it is amazing done live. If The Farm are only remembered for one song then this will be it, even though they have done other good ones too. 10/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 25, 2018 11:36:14 GMT 1
588. Praise - Only You (#4, 10 Feb 1991, 1 week) This is a bit of an odd one.. it's a bit Enigma-ish. I really like the new age style of it though, it's a shame you don't hear music like this in the charts any more. 8/10
589. Oleta Adams - Get Here (#4, 17 Feb 1991, 1 week) This gorgeous little soul ballad was actually written by Brenda Russell, and featured on her 1988 album of the same name... It was the same album that also included one of my favourite soul ballads ever - Piano in The Dark. Oleta Adams had a fantastic voice, and it's a shame she didn't receive much success with any of her original material.. although she had scored a top thirty hit in 1989 by featuring on Tears For Fears' brilliant 'Woman in Chains'. 9.5/10
590. The Source Featuring Candi Staton - You Got The Love (#4, 24 Feb 1991, 2 weeks) We've already had the '97 remix, now here's the '91 Source version, which is a remix of the '86 original Candi Staton version. Confusing eh? This is the version I remember the most, and the one they used to play to death in the clubs in the early part of the decade. 8.5/10
591. Roxette - Joyride (#4, 17 Mar 1991, 1 week) (31 Mar 1991, 1 week) After the delayed success of their 'Look Sharp!' album and the amazing 'It Must Have Been Love' single, I was eagerly awaiting the lead single from Roxette's next album... and it was a pop-fest which it sounded like they had a lot of fun making, with lots going on in there. It was also the title single of what I think is their best album, and how 'Perfect Day' was never a single I will never know. 9/10
592. Pet Shop Boys - Where The Streets Have No Name-Can't Take My Eyes Off You/How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? (#4, 24 Mar 1991, 1 week) With surely one of the longest single titles in chart history, the Pet Shop Boys are back with a double A-side.. the first of which is a medley of the U2 rock classic 'Where The Streets Have No Name' and the Andy Williams easy listening staple 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You', and they actually flow perfectly together. To be honest, I think when the Pet Shop Boys do a cover they generally do a really good job of making it their own (think Always On My Mind, Go West, It's Alright) - this is another fine example. 9.5/10 'How Can You Expect To Be...' is the third single from their underrated 'Behaviour' album, and it probably wouldn't have done so well without the medley on the other A-side... especially after the scandalous under-performance of the second single 'Being Boring'. It's a good song though. 8/10
593. Zucchero Featuring Paul Young - Senza Una Donna (Without A Woman) (#4, 5 May 1991, 1 week) I had completely forgotten that Paul Young had a bit of a revival in the nineties with this song, when he teamed up with Italian singer Zucchero. What a rediscovery though - I absolutely adore it! 9.5/10
594. Kenny Thomas - Thinking About Your Love (#4, 23 Jun 1991, 1 week) Ah yes, for a while Kenny Thomas was going to be the next big male solo star, with his silky smooth voice and soulful tunes. This was the best of them, and it still stands up today as a great pop song. These days he tours with Living In A Box, as their new lead singer, on the retro circuit. 9.5/10
595. C+C Music Factory Featuring Freedom Williams - Things That Make You Go Hmmmm... (#4, 21 Jul 1991, 1 week) C+C Music Factory do it again, with another club banger hot on the heels of 'Gonna Make You Sweat' from the previous year. This one features hip hop artist Freedom Williams. 7.5/10
596. The Shamen - Move Any Mountain (#4, 28 Jul 1991, 3 weeks) This is a remix of their 'Pro>gen' single from 1991. The Beatmasters did a great job of re-inventing the song and it gave the Shamen their first big hit, over a year before their 'Ebeneezer Goode' smash. This is more in keeping with the Madchester sound of the era than the ravey stuff they went on to do, and one of the biggest hits of that particular genre. 8.5/10
597. Prince & The New Power Generation - Gett Off (#4, 1 Sep 1991, 1 week) The lead single from the Purple One's thirteenth studio album 'Diamonds and Pearls' was a totally different sound to anything he had done before, and with a whole new backing band too. At the time I wasn't immediately struck with it - although I did really like the singles that follwed from the album - but over time it has struck more of a chord... and it sounds better when listened to in the context of the album. 8/10
598. Zoe - Sunshine On A Rainy Day (#4, 8 Sep 1991, 1 week) Another that I haven't heard in such a long time, this is a great little song. I don't know much about Zoe, but it's a shame she never managed to ever repeat the success of this one. 9/10
599. Erasure - Love To Hate You (#4, 22 Sep 1991, 2 weeks) Yay! Always a pleasure to hear this one... one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite bands. Hot on the heels of top three hit 'Chorus', this one was equally infectious - and just a pop classic basically! 10/10
600. Kiri Te Kanawa - World In Union (#4, 13 Oct 1991, 2 weeks) And now for a classical interlude... No, I really loved the fact that songs like this and 'Nessun Dorma' could reach the higher rungs of the chart back then. This was a hit because of the Rugby, if my memory serves me correctly, and I even bought the single of this! 9.5/10
601. Kylie Minogue & Keith Washington - If You Were With Me Now (#4, 10 Nov 1991, 1 week) In which our Aussie favourite pop star teams up with American R&B singer Keith Washington on a tender little ballad, taken from Kylie's 'Let's Get To It' album. It's a nice little track, and one that I haven't heard much of since the nineties, I have to say. 7.5/10
602. Bizarre Inc - Playing With Knives (#4, 24 Nov 1991, 1 week) Oh now I'd forgotten how this went, but after listening I realise it's one of the rave anthems of the year. It's a far cry from their later hit with Angie Brown, 'I'm Gonna Get You', and is a lot more serious house... It just sounds cool as f**k basically. 8/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 25, 2018 15:28:20 GMT 1
603. Hammer - Addams Groove (#4, 5 Jan 1992, 1 week) Dropping the MC from his name, Hammer (as he is now known) had a big hit with the theme to the new film version of The Addams Family. It still crops up today on Halloween party playlists, despite being more comedy sounding than spooky in any way. It's a bit of fun though. 7.5/10
604. Kiss - God Gave Rock And Roll To You II (#4, 19 Jan 1992, 1 week) Another soundtrack hit - this time from Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey, Kiss covered the classic Argent rock song to score their joint biggest UK hit with 'Crazy Crazy Nights' from '87. I actually find it incredible that some of their classics like 'Rock And Roll All Nite' and 'I Was Made For Lovin' You' weren't big hits over here. 8.5/10
605. The Pasadenas - I'm Doing Fine Now (#4, 2 Feb 1992, 4 weeks) This is also a cover, this time the original was by a band called New York City. I didn't know the original at the time and I absolutely adored this version. It was like the Pasadenas got their second wind, after having a couple of big soul hits in 1988 with 'Tribute' and 'Riding On A Train'... They were actually a really good band, with great harmonies, so I am surprised they never really quite managed to hit that big time. 9.5/10
606. Guns N' Roses - November Rain (#4, 1 Mar 1992, 1 week) At nearly nine minutes this must be one of the longest singles ever. It's definitely one of the Californian rock band's most memorable songs, and one of their best ballads. 9/10
607. The KLF - America: What Time Is Love (#4, 8 Mar 1992, 2 weeks) This is a total reimagining of the band's 1990 hit 'What Time Is Love', which is brilliant in itself. It's hard to imagine why they felt the need to change the song, but they were never your conventional hitmakers - and it really does work, and gives the track a whole new dimension. 9.5/10
608. Soul II Soul - Joy (#4, 5 Apr 1992, 1 week) You forget how many good songs Soul II Soul had, in that you tend to just think of the 3 big ones: Keep On Movin', Back To Life and Get A Life. 'Joy' features Jamaican singer Richie Stephens, and is more upbeat and funky than the band's previous hits... it's almost gospelly really. 8/10
609. Marc Almond - The Days Of Pearly Spencer (#4, 26 Apr 1992, 2 weeks) Almond's only top ten hit of the nineties was this magnificent cover of the David McWilliams song from 1967, which I think featured in a few peoples' Retro Charts last year (mine included). There's something about all of Marc Almond's covers of classic sixties song, in that every one he touches turns to gold. 9.5/10
610. 2 Unlimited - Workaholic (#4, 10 May 1992, 1 week) The Dutch Eurodance act's third hit followed in the same vein as the first two, with its catchy dance riff running most of the way through it. The stuff from the first album was a bit more ravey than the poppy tracks they became more known for. 7/10
611. En Vogue - My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) (#4, 17 May 1992, 1 week) This was the highest chart position achieved by R&B girl group En Vogue, and I'd forgotten how good their voices sounded together actually. You forget that these predated groups like Destiny's Child, TLC and Eternal, yet don't seem to receive the same level of credit. This is a great track though. 9/10
612. George Michael - Too Funky (#4, 7 Jun 1992, 1 week) This is a stand alone single taken from the 'Red Hot + Dance' AIDS charity album, and I remember at the time expecting this to climb to #1 the following week. Imagine my surprise when it fell a place (although I was pleased that erasure bagged themselves a #1 hit at last). To be fair it's never been one of my favourites of his, but it's still a good solid pop dance track. 8/10
613. Utah Saints - Something Good (#4, 21 Jun 1992, 1 week) This is the track responsible for making Kate Bush's 'Cloudbusting' song cool. In fact the Utah Saints had a string of hits based around samples from old (mainly eighties) hit songs, and they did them well too. 8/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 25, 2018 16:10:40 GMT 1
614. Prince & The New Power Generation - Sexy M.F./Strollin' (#4, 19 Jul 1992, 1 week) Prince was never one to leave it long between albums, and here he was with the first single off The Love Symbol Album. 'Sexy M.F.' was surely intended to shock, with it's "Sexy MotherFu**er" lyrics - although that would probably not be enough to raise an eyebrow these days! Back then though it was quite intense, and the shock factor was probably bigger than the song itself. 7.5/10 'Strollin'' was the song on the other side, and it was taken from the 'Diamonds And Pearls' album. It's quite a quirky little song which is more similar to some of his later eighties output. 8/10
615. Was (Not Was) - Shake Your Head (#4, 2 Aug 1992, 1 week) Ahh there was so much more to this band than 'Walk The Dinosaur'! This poptastic dance hit featured vocals from actress Kim Basinger, and with its nonsensical lyrics it just adds up to a fantastic slice of insanity. 9/10
616. The Shamen - Boss Drum (#4, 8 Nov 1992, 1 week) We fast forward three months now to find the next single that peaked at #4, and it's The Shamen's not as well known follow-up to number one smash 'Ebeneezer Goode'. It was another Beatmasters remix which provided the single mix, and though not as commercial as some of theirs it is still a great slice of nineties dance music. 8.5/10
617. Heaven 17 - Temptation (Brothers In Rhythm Remix) (#4, 22 Nov 1992, 2 weeks) Arguably Heaven 17's one real classic, 'Temptation' was remixed in 1992 and stopped two places short of the #2 position it achieved when originally released in 1983. The original would score 10/10, and this remix is pretty good also. 9/10
618. WWF Superstars - Slam Jam (#4, 6 Dec 1992, 2 weeks) I thought we hadn't had any novelty songs for a while. I think I'd take the Power Rangers over this one! 2/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 26, 2018 21:28:20 GMT 1
619. Arrested Development - Mr. Wendal/Revolution (#4, 10 Jan 1993, 1 week) 'Mr. Wendal' is a bit of a hip hop anthem. It's a great thought provoking track about the plight of the homeless, which sounds as fresh today as it ever did. 9/10 The other side, 'Revolution' is taken from the soundtrack to the film 'Malcolm X'. I don't think I had heard it before today, and it's a great discovery.. I really need to delve deeper into their catalogue because their style of hip hop is unique and deeply infectious. 8/10
620. Whitney Houston - I'm Every Woman (#4, 21 Feb 1993, 1 week) Whitney has peaked at least once at every number so far in this thread, and it's thanks in no small part to the hugely successful 'The Bodyguard' soundtrack from which this Chaka Khan cover is taken. Whitney actually did backing vocals on Chaka's version and she even name-checks the soul legend in this version, which is definitely up there with the original. In fact there's really not much to choose between them. 9.5/10
621. Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way (#4, 28 Feb 1993, 2 weeks) The title track to Lenny's third album was a lot rockier than we were used to from him, but it has become one of his anthems. There are obviously influences of Hendrix in his work, but there is so much more to the multi-talented performer than that. I just love him. 9/10
622. Right Said Fred & Friends - Stick It Out (#4, 14 Mar 1993, 1 week) Perhaps this was one novelty record too far for Right Said Fred, but it was for Comic Relief I suppose. It really is just a nonsense though and it hasn't aged very well either. 6/10
623. New Order - Regret (#4, 18 Apr 1993, 1 week) This is such a familiar New Order hit that I forgot it was released in the 90s and not the 80s. It really is them at the top of their game, and they were showing a lot of the indie bands of the time how it was done. 9.5/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 27, 2018 19:26:16 GMT 1
624. 2 Unlimited - Tribal Dance (#4, 2 May 1993, 2 weeks) This was the follow-up to the massive 'No Limit', but it sadly couldn't get beyond its debut position of #4 despite following pretty much the same formula as its predecessor. Needless to say it is catchy as the flu. 8/10
625. Chaka Demus And Pliers - She Don't Let Nobody (#4, 26 Sep 1993, 3 weeks) After a massive gap of nearly five months, we finally come to the next single to peak at #4... and it's the Chaka Demus And Pliers hit that time forgot. Actually I hadn't forgotten it - I've always found it rather lovely, but it's probably the last one people remember - after 'Tease Me' & 'Twist And Shout'. It's a shame, because this is just as good really. 8/10
626. Eternal - Stay (#4, 17 Oct 1993, 1 week) It's funny because I always imagined that these Eternal singles had peaked higher.. sadly not it seems, as this is the first one we come to from their amazing debut album - and it was actually their first hit altogether. If only R&B sounded this good today then I wouldn't mind songs hanging around the charts for months! 9/10
627. Culture Beat - Got To Get It (#4, 7 Nov 1993, 2 weeks) The German Eurodance band's forgotten follow-up to the massive #1 hit 'Mr. Vain'. I can't imagine it would have got to #4 if it hadn't been for 'Mr. Vain' as it's a bit of a poor imitation really. That said, I am enjoying it more than it deserves me to. 7/10
628. U2 - Stay (Faraway, So Close!)/Frank Sinatra With Bono - I've Got You Under My Skin (#4, 5 Dec 1993, 1 week) 'Stay (Faraway, So Close!)' was the sole single hit taken from U2's 'Zooropa' album, and I haven't heard the rest of the album but that song is the band back to their best.. and one of their standout ballads from the nineties. 9/10 The duet with ratpack legend Frank Sinatra on Cole Porter's standard 'I've Got You Under My Skin' is also great.. although it's such a well-known swing track that it's hard to mess it up really. Give me this over Robbie's swing album though! 9/10
629. The Bee Gees - For Whom The Bell Tolls (#4, 19 Dec 1993, 2 weeks) Now this is just an absolute classic from the brothers Gibb - one of their best I'd say. I'd have been quite happy if this had been the Christmas number 1 over Mr. Blobby or Take That's 'Babe' as it is makes me feel festive but yet has timeless qualities at the same time. 10/10
630. Tori Amos - Cornflake Girl (#4, 23 Jan 1994, 1 week) I couldn't leave without listening to this little gem. Not counting the remix of 'Professional Widow' this is her biggest hit, and it's easy to see why as it's one of her most accessible songs which would appeal to the casual listener. In fact I can't see why anybody wouldn't like this - it's brilliant! 10/10
|
|
|
Post by rubcale on Feb 27, 2018 19:38:11 GMT 1
Kingston Town one of UB 40's finest moments as is Roxette's Joyride.
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 27, 2018 21:28:07 GMT 1
631. Celine Dion - The Power Of Love (#4, 6 Feb 1994, 1 week) Celine's big break in the UK came with her cover version of the Jennifer Rush classic. In truth I never thought it was as good as the original, and I would much rather she had broke through with one of her earlier songs like 'Where Does My Heart Beat Now' or 'If You Asked Me To' - both of which I adored on their release earlier in the decade. I mean, she does have the voice to pull off a classic like this (hence the high score), but it's a song I associate so much with Jennifer Rush that any other version will never compare. 9/10
632. D:Ream - U R The Best Thing (#4, 27 Mar 1994, 1 week) I originally loved this song a year earlier when it scandalously only peaked at #19. Imagine my delight then, when it was re-released after they scored a #1 with 'Things Can Only Get Better'. Sadly it couldn't follow that to the top, but at least it gave them another top five hit. It's a great track, and every bit as good as their other famous one. 10/10
633. Erasure - Always (#4, 17 Apr 1994, 2 weeks) The synthpop masters were still scoring big hits at the release of their sixth album 'I Say, I Say' I Say' in '94. In fact, this is probably one of their most popular hits now - it certainly went down a storm when they did it live the other week when I saw them. 9.5/10
634. Maxx - Get-A-Way (#4, 29 May 1994, 2 weeks) Maxx were a German Eurodance outfit, who infused elements of ragga into their sound for this dance stomper, which I am thrilled to be reminded of as I absolutely loved it at the time. I'm glad to say it's lost none of its appeal either. 9/10
635. The Prodigy - No Good (Start The Dance) (#4, 12 Jun 1994, 1 week) This club anthem is probably one of the Prodigy's more commercial sounding efforts, but it's no worse for it. The main sample is from a song called 'You're No Good For Me' by Kelly Charles, and I doubt anybody could listen to that song without thinking of this version now. 8.5/10
636. China Black - Searching (#4, 7 Aug 1994, 2 weeks) Occasionally I come to a song that I really loved at the time but had completely slipped my mind - this is one of those songs! At the time you really couldn't escape the dancefloor ballad, but it's a song that time seems to have forgot. If I recall they didn't have much success after this, but this remains utterly fabulous! 9.5/10
637. Cyndi Lauper - Hey Now (Girls Just Want To Have Fun) (#4, 2 Oct 1994, 1 week) Cyndi's most famous party song was re-done at the time to promote her Greatest Hits album 'Twelve Deadly Cyns...And Then Some!' (of which I nearly wore my copy out!) It's obviously not as good as the 1984 hit version that everybody knows and loves, but she is having fun - and that's all girls want to do I suppose! 9/10
638. Michelle Gayle - Sweetness (#4, 30 Oct 1994, 1 week) Ohhhh Yesssss!!! Whatever happened to Michelle Gayle? She was one ex-soap star who really deserved to do well, as she had the voice, the style and the songs to warrant success. This is one song that I don't play nearly enough any more - and they certainly don't make 'em like this anymore! 10/10
639. Eternal - Oh Baby I... (#4, 6 Nov 1994, 1 week) It's a testiment to how good their debut album 'Always And Forever' was, that they waited until the fifth single before they released this stand-out ballad. I had it ear-marked as a single from the first time I heard it, and I'm sure they could have had their first #1 with it if they'd released it sooner. 9.5/10
640. Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do (#4, 20 Nov 1994, 1 week) The ladies were really showing how it was done back in the fall of '94, with Sheryl Crow getting her first big hit with this countrified rock classic. Luckily the hits kept coming for her, although she never reached the same chart heights again. It's always a pleasure to hear this though. 9/10
641. Jimmy Nail - Crocodile Shoes (#4, 4 Dec 1994, 1 week) This was the Geordie actor's third big shot at being a chart star, and another tick for him with this theme to the TV of the same name - of which he wrote and starred in. I actually don't think he's got that bad a voice, and this has always been a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. 8.5/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 28, 2018 19:15:20 GMT 1
642. Ini Kamoze - Here Comes The Hotstepper (#4, 15 Jan 1995, 4 weeks) I remember this was massive, even if it was the Jamaican reggae star's only UK hit single. It's instantly recognisable though, even now, and hard not to like. 8/10
643. Madonna - Bedtime Story (#4, 19 Feb 1995, 1 week) I had completely forgotten that Madge had a #4 hit with the title track from 'Bedtime Stories' (well it was nearly a title track!) - even it it didn't hang around the charts for very long. If I'm honest it's easily my least favourite of the four singles released from the album, but it is a chilled out electronic track that you can just lose yourself to. 7/10
644. Strike - U Sure Do (#4, 2 Apr 1995, 2 weeks) The "You sure make me feel like loving you" line, which is repeated over and over again to form the main part of the song, is lifted from Donna Allen's 1987 club hit 'Serious'. It's one of those nineties club hits that was massive at the time, and hearing it again just takes you right back there. 8/10
645. Bryan Adams - Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman? (#4, 16 Apr 1995, 1 week) Another movie ballad for Bryan, but this wasn't nearly as big, or as memorable, as the Robin Hood one. It sounds a bit of a rock ballad by numbers really, and he had lost a lot of his charm by this time. Fairly pleasant is how I would sum it up, I think. 6/10
646. Clock - Whoomph! (There It Is) (#4, 25 Jun 1995, 1 week) Clock were a bit naff really weren't they? This was a Eurodance cover of a track originally done by The Tag Team and, even though it's naff that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it just a little bit! 7/10
647. Edwyn Collins - A Girl Like You (#4, 16 Jul 1995, 1 week) Back to a bit of sanity now, with by far the biggest hit from the former lead singer of eighties band Orange Juice. It's a song that's hard to put in a box really - it's not exactly Britpop, but I wouldn't call it soft rock either. It's got elements of soul in it, and it was cool sounding then - and still is now! 9/10
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Mar 1, 2018 19:19:28 GMT 1
648. Seal - Kiss From A Rose/I'm Alive (#4, 30 Jul 1995, 2 weeks) OK so this is listed as a double A-side on the OCC website, but I can't find any evidence of it elsewhere. I'll assume it is for the purposes of this thread anyhow, and 'Kiss From A Rose' is a stunning soul ballad from Seal from the 'Batman Forever' soundtrack. It's possibly his best solo single. 10/10 I wasn't familiar with 'I'm Alive', and I'm still not sure it wasn't just a B-side. It's quite good but not anywhere near the same level as the other track. 7/10
649. TLC - Waterfalls (#4, 13 Aug 1995, 1 week) Sometimes it feels like a song has been much more of a massive hit than it actually was, and this R&B classic is one such track. It's arguably the girls' swan-song - although 'No Scrubs' is definitely up there too. 9/10
650. Berri - The Sunshine After The Rain (#4, 3 Sep 1995, 1 week) This nineties club anthem was originally released a year earlier, but credited to New Atlantic instead. for some reason a re-release saw the rave act's name taken off and singer Berri's put on instead. I've always loved Elkie Brooks's version of this, which was a top ten hit too, but this dance remake of it is great too. 9.5/10
651. Mariah Carey - Fantasy (#4, 17 Sep 1995, 2 weeks) I was expecting this lead single from Ms. Carey's 'Daydream' album to climb from it's entry position, but sadly that was as high as it was going to get. It was probably the most 'street' sounding single she had done up to that point, and a definite high-point in her career (not that she had had many lows up to that point!). 9/10
652. East 17 - Thunder (#4, 29 Oct 1995, 1 week) 'Thunder' was the lead single from East 17's third album 'Up All Night', and was written by band member Tony Mortimer. The verses are quite ballady, but then the chorus smacks you in the face. I really like it actually... it's one that I don't think I've heard since it came out, and it's a nice little rediscovery. 8.5/10
653. Bjork - It's Oh So Quiet (#4, 17 Dec 1995, 3 weeks) This song dates all the way back to 1948, but it's Bjork's dramatic version that most people know. I'll be honest that I don't really 'get' a lot of her music, and I couldn't call myself a fan, but I do really love this song. 10/10
|
|
|
Post by Smurfie on Mar 1, 2018 20:41:05 GMT 1
I don’t remember I’m Alive being the double A either - I guess it may have been as wasn’t this was a re-release rather than an initial release. Kiss From A Rose is, and still is lovely.
Sunshine After The Rain is glorious in every version. I was going to recall a story about a friend who worked in a record shop when I was 18, and played it at top volume until I remembered it was actually “Feels Like Heaven” by Urban Cookie Collective - but still the sentiment remains the same. Love this song to bits.
Is Thunder the one with the adlibs “outside it’s raining, but inside it’s wet”? Or is that Let It Rain - either way not an E17 fan. Or I could have completely made that up, but I’m sure it’s one of theirs.
Good thread - sorry I have not been keeping up.
|
|
|
Post by Smurfie on Mar 1, 2018 20:43:01 GMT 1
Ini Kamoze is a regular staple of our radio stations and still played at least twice a day!
|
|