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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:06:46 GMT 1
I'd forgotten how many bangers they had done until watching the recent 2-part documentary, so I originally thought of doing a top 40 - which extended to 50, and then 60! Even then I have had to be quite ruthless and leave out some of the lesser favourite Kylie and Jason songs, and a few others I really like in order to squeeze them all in.
I also didn't have room for Sonia (even though I quite like her #1 song), Big Fun or the Reynolds Girls - and some lesser known stuff I would have liked to included by the likes of Brilliant and Boy Krazy). To be honest, it's pretty much cheesy banger after banger - so if you're not over keen on mixing said dairy product with your music then I would look away now!
I'll start straight away with:
#60. Jason Donovan - When You Come Back To Me (1989 UK #2)
Set around the Christmas period, this was the Neighbours star's sixth single, and fifth top 2 hit in a row, and was actually kept off the top by 3 singles - 2 Christmas ones, by Jive Bunny and Band Aid II (which doesn't make this list, even though I don't mind it too much), and then by New Kids On The Block.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:11:10 GMT 1
#59. Stock Aitken Waterman - Roadblock (1987 UK #13)
Not content with making records with other artists, the three producers somehow found the time to record this dance number, which was released anonymously at first to prove to the critics that they were credible producers.
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,516
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 29, 2023 14:11:52 GMT 1
Im ok with this especially as you have excluded Sonia,Reynolds Girls and Big Fun, they are the worst!
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,516
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 29, 2023 14:14:16 GMT 1
#59. Stock Aitken Waterman - Roadblock (1987 UK #13)
Not content with making records with other artists, the three producers somehow found the time to record this dance number, which was released anonymously at first to prove to the critics that they were credible producers.
So why didn't they incorporate it more? Just a bit more influence from house and hiphop would have stopped their sound getting so tired by 1990.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:16:03 GMT 1
58. Kylie Minogue - Never Too Late (1989 UK #4)
Kylie's eight single (all released within 22 months) was her first not to reach one of the top two positions on the chart, so maybe there could have been a feeling at the time of Kylie-fatigue. I still think it's a great tune though - hence why it was one of the ones of hers that I kept in!)
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:17:38 GMT 1
#59. Stock Aitken Waterman - Roadblock (1987 UK #13)
Not content with making records with other artists, the three producers somehow found the time to record this dance number, which was released anonymously at first to prove to the critics that they were credible producers.
So why didn't they incorporate it more? Just a bit more influence from house and hiphop would have stopped their sound getting so tired by 1990. This is true. Kylie's third album was more dance orientated, but I think that was more fulfilling her desires than theirs.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:22:12 GMT 1
57. Kylie Minogue - What Do I Have To Do (1991 UK #6)
She's back again! You will be hearing quite a bit more from her later, but for now this was her lowest performing single to date at the time - even though it's become a bit of a fan favourite I think.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:27:27 GMT 1
56. Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Success (1988 #31)
It seems that when they did try something a bit different then the chart 'Success' wasn't as strong. This new wave band had a big hit in 1986 with 'Love Missile F1-11' and to hear that you would think they'd be the last people to turn to S/A/W for a song. I did actually like their follow-up song 'Dancerama' even more, but 'Success' was a one-off collaboration between them so it doesn't qualify.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:32:26 GMT 1
I have to add that I've left off songs like Pepsi & Shirlie's 'Heartache', which was never actually produced by S/A/W themselves. I've also tried to keep it just to songs that were produced by them all as a trio, although I've allowed Sybil to sneak in due to her featuring on the documentary! (I know Steps got a mention too but they were just Pete Waterman's baby).
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:45:42 GMT 1
#55. Mel & Kim - That's The Way It Is (1988 UK #10)
One of pop's most tragic tales, this was the girls' fourth, and last, hit single as a duo. Mel was already seriously ill when this was recorded, and we will never know if they were going to carry on to become big stars had she survived. Whatever they might have been destined for, being wiped out by cancer at just 23 is as cruel as it can get. I always think of Kim Appleby's solo album from 1990, which I love, as their second album which never was.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 14:54:40 GMT 1
#54. Rick Astley - Whenever You Need Somebody (1987 UK #3)
Never ones to waste a good song, the trio realised they need a follow-up single quickly for the former tea-boy's massive #1 hit, and so resurrected this song which had been a #97 flop for singer O'Chi Brown in 1985. I gained a whole new respect for Rick after listening to his 2016 #1 album '50', which is very good indeed. I also saw him live at the Rewind festival the same year and he had the crowd in the palm of his hands.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 15:01:13 GMT 1
#53. Jason Donovan - Sealed With A Kiss (1989 UK #1)
I had to leave most of Jason's 60s covers out, after much deliberation (even though I'm thinking I should have kept 'Rhythm Of The Rain' in), but I love this song so much that I just had to leave it in. This went straight in at #1 in the summer of '89, and stayed there for a couple of weeks - holding off Cliff's 100th single 'The Best Of Me'. Maybe it's revenge for 'Mistletoe & Wine' stopping 'Especially For You' getting the Christmas #1 the previous year.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 15:29:45 GMT 1
#52. Cliff Richard - I Just Don't Have The Heart (1989 #3)
Speaking of Cliff! His 101th single was written and produced by the very people who had kept his 100th off the top spot. It's pretty typical S/A/W fare, but it gave the veteran singer a new lease of life for a moment. It does make you wonder if Elvis would have worked with them had he been alive!
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 15:37:10 GMT 1
#51. Samantha Fox - Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now (1987 UK #8)
Sam Fox is one of those artists that most people would struggle with if she came up as the 3-in-10 artist on Ken Bruce's (not Radio 2's for much longer) Popmaster, but she actually had quite a few hits in the latter half of the 80s. Previously known mainly for her 1986 hit 'Touch Me (I Want Your Body), working with Stock, Aitken and Waterman proved to be a wise move for the former page 3 model. Sadly this is the only song of hers to feature on my top 60 as they didn't do many songs together.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 15:58:38 GMT 1
I was going to stop there for today, but I'm bored so I'll carry on!
50. Bananarama - Love, Truth & Honesty (1988 UK #23)
Bananarama had hit a bit of a lull chart-wise in the mid-80s, so their desire to work with S/A/W proved to be the best decisions they could have made. This was released in 1988 to promote their first Greatest Hits album (the other new song, their cover of the Supremes' 'Nathan Jones' just missed out on a place here) but it under-performed in the UK chart. I think it should have done much better, but they did have bigger hits which have a very good chance of appearing later in the countdown!).
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 16:06:19 GMT 1
49. Brother Beyond - The Harder I Try (1988 UK #2)
The Harder I Try' was Brother Beyond's fifth attempt at a big hit single and it paid off for them, probably helped in no small part that lead singer Nathan Moore was a pretty boy that S/A/W could easily promote. The song is pretty good, although they never really managed anything to match it, but was kept off the top spot by 2 songs - Yazz's dance smash 'The Only Way Is Up' and Phil Collins' cover of 'A Groovy Kind Of Love'.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Jan 29, 2023 16:17:51 GMT 1
#48. Laura Branigan - Shattered Glass (1987 UK #78)
The New York born Laura Branigan had had far less success than she deserved in the first half of the 80s, and for some reason this was one S/A/W collaboration that didn't set the cash registers ringing. Shame, because it's a great song.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 2, 2023 8:26:50 GMT 1
#47. Princess - After The Love Has Gone (1985 UK #28)
Follow-up to the top ten smash 'Say I'm Your Number One', this disappointingly couldn't quite match its predecessor's success, despite being another slice of R&B Pop heaven.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 2, 2023 8:32:05 GMT 1
#46. Dead Or Alive - In Too Deep (1985 UK #14)
It's a shame the Liverpudlian band's run of hits lasted a mere couple of years, because there was a lot of potential for more I feel. This was their third S/A/W smash in a row, and they were definitely one of their more interesting acts.
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Post by Whitneyfan on Feb 2, 2023 9:10:15 GMT 1
#45. Bananarama - I Heard A Rumour (1987 #14)
This was the first, but not biggest, hit single from the popular girl group's fourth studio album, Wow!. I'm not sure why it didn't go higher, because it has all the ingredients of one of their top five hits!
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