Here is the Top 40 in full.
Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.
Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.
So this is the top 30 from this week in 1990 with my verdict on each record:
30. Criminal Element Orchestra/Wendell Williams - Everybody (Rap) (New)
This is a record that is missing from everyhit.com. It's basically Wally Jump Jr & The Criminal Element, who had a hit in 1987 with "Tighten Up - I Just Can't Stop Dancing", under an altered name and is an alias of Arthur Baker. The main sample is from "Everybody Everybody" by Black Box which was a single just a couple of months beforehand. The lack of screaming vocals make it better than the record it sampled.
Verdict - Good
29. The Adventures Of Stevie V - Body Language (New)
The Adventures Of Stevie V had another hit apart from "Dirty Cash" which is this. I think this record is better, maybe in part because I haven't heard this too often, in fact if it wasn't for YouTube I may have never heard it at all. Still seems to be lacking something though.
Verdict - OK
28. KLF ft The Children Of The Revolution - What Time Is Love?
The first Top 40 hit for The KLF on paper, though they previously had a number one with "Doctorin the Tardis" as The Timelords. I absolutely loved The KLF at the time, still do. In fact when I first came across the fact music video's were uploaded to YouTube, The KLF were one of the first that I looked up.
Verdict - Good
27. A-ha - Crying In The Rain (New)
A-ha have had quite an odd career in a way. To some their only song is "Take On Me", even though their singles discography also includes a number one and a James Bond song. Regular listeners of Popmaster will also know their chart career went beyond the 80s, with questions about their 90s/00s hits being asked more regularly than one would expect. This is the first of those 90s hits, a cover of the Everly Brothers song. Recently I did ask myself whether I like any A-ha song apart from "Take On Me", the answer is no.
Verdict - Rubbish
26. Adamski - The Space Jungle
1990 had been a good year for Adamski so far. First came "N-R-G", then the number one "Killer". Then he follows it up with this, which is essentially a cover of "All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley. A different, far better version of this appears on his best of album, but this radio version is crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
25. Neneh Cherry - I've Got You Under My Skin
Neneh Cherry was on the panel of Juke Box Jury where Glenn Medeiros was the mystery guest and his new song was completely slated. I agreed with the panel, it was rubbish. Whilst Vic and Bob were basically taking the piss, and Alan Freeman and John Fashanu were stating they didn't think it was any good, I thought Neneh Cherry was being particularly bitchy about it. Particularly when a couple of weeks later she released this crap, which is even worse than the Glenn Medeiros song.
Verdict - Rubbish
24. Chimes - Heaven
This failed to reach the Top 40 when first released in 1989 but after the success of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" this was re-released and made the Top 40 this time. It's not a bad record, but doesn't have that wow factor to make it a good record. It would be the last we'd see Chimes in the Top 40 but singer Pauline Henry would return as a solo artist.
Verdict - OK
23. The Charlatans - Then
This was the 2nd Top 40 hit for The Charlatans. Whilst they started off with quite a catchy number, this and every other hit that followed is instantly forgettable.
Verdict - Rubbish
22. The Cure - Never Enough
I've often found that The Cure's music is better than it should be. The whole image they portray suggests their music should be noisy guitars and not much else, but then you hear some of their tunes and it's not like that at all. However, this one does sound more like what I would expect.
Verdict - Rubbish
21. The Sisters Of Mercy - More (New)
You hear quite often about bands who take a long time to release a new album such as Guns n Roses. One you don't really hear about is The Sisters Of Mercy who have now gone 30 years and counting since their last album. This is the first single from their last album. Not my kind of music if I'm honest.
Verdict - Rubbish
20. MC Tunes Vs 808 State - Tunes Splits The Atom
It's the other Top 40 hit from MC Tunes vs 808 State. Perhaps not as catchy as "The Only Rhyme That Bites" but still a great tune.
Verdict - Good
19. Cliff Richard - From A Distance (New)
Cliff Richard probably didn't realise it wasn't the 60s anymore, the days when an English act would cover an American song before it became well known over here. The American version was by Bette Midler which was released in America at the same time this version was released over here. It was originally by Nanci Griffith 3 years earlier though. The Bette Midler version would eventually chart in the UK the following year, and did better than this version. Both versions are crap though.
Verdict - Rubbish
18. Hi-Tek 3 ft Ya Kid K - Spin That Wheel (Turtles Get Real)
This failed to make the Top 40 when released at the beginning of the year. Presumably after the success of another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles record, "Turtle Power" by Partners In Kryme, they gave it another go. Hi-Tek 3 is Technotronic under another name. Although not so blatantly a Turtles song, it's still too cheesy for my liking.
Verdict - Rubbish
17. Depeche Mode - World In My Eyes
The 4th and final single from the "Violator" album. This is band member Andy Fletcher's favourite. It's not my favourite, but I still like it.
Verdict - Good
16. New Kids On The Block - Let's Try It Again / Didn't I (Blow Your Mind) (New)
The 6th New Kids On The Block single of 1990, which was a double a-side. Given "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" was still in the Top 40 at the beginning of 1990, that means I've had to listen to 8 New Kids On The Block songs in this series of posts so far. "Let's Try It Again" was the beginning of the end for them in America, failing to reach the Top 40 over there. "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)" is a cover of The Delfonics song which appeared on their debut album from 1986 when they really were kids. It's a poor cover version and I've only heard "Let's Try It Again" once and will happily never hear it again.
Verdict - Rubbish/ Rubbish
15. Snap! - Cult Of Snap!
Snap! have gone all tribal for this, their 3rd Top 40 single. What we basically have though is a cheesy euro dance number like "The Power", but not as catchy.
Verdict - Rubbish
14. Monie Love ft True Image - It's A Shame (My Sister)
My memories of Monie Love was that I found her irritating. Listening to this record again confirms that. I also remember her doing this particular tune, but don't remember it being as poor as it is.
Verdict - Rubbish
13. The Farm - Groovy Train
Ever wondered what Suggs did between Madness and his solo career, well here's your answer. This was produced by Suggs along with Terry Farley. The Farm are probably best remembered for being the Madchester band from Liverpool. This was their debut Top 40 hit and was also on the first episode of "The Word". The early 90s have truly arrived now.
Verdict - Good
12. The Steve Miller Band - The Joker
This was never a Top 40 hit back in 1973 when it was an American number one. Thanks to it's appearance in a Levi's advert it became a UK number one in 1990. This is best remembered for its wolf whistle on the guitar, but on a personal level I remember annoying my teacher by singing it in class at school.
Verdict - Good
11. Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart / What Is Love
The best known of this double a-side is of course "Groove Is In The Heart" which I've probably heard everyday since 1990, or at least that's how it feels. Despite it being played to death though and me being pretty sick of it by now, I still regard it as a good tune. The other side, "What Is Love", is one I never heard until one day I wondered how the other side of "Groove Is In The Heart" sounds like and found out. Perhaps because I've only ever listened to it of my own accord, I actually prefer this tune.
Verdict - Good / Good
10. Bass-O-Matic - Fascinating Rhythm
Long before William Orbit became a household name, he was charting with this. It was his only Top 40 hit as Bass-O-Matic, but probably the best Top 40 he's had under any name.
Verdict - Good
9. The Beautiful South - A Little Time
This was the only number one hit for The Beautiful South, quite surprising really given they have better known songs. This song really irritated me at the time, I can tolerate it a bit more now but still don't like it. Despite it's success, The Beautiful South would have another Top 10 hit until 1996 after this.
Verdict - Rubbish
8. MC Hammer - Have You Seen Her
I loved this as a kid, but at the time I'd never heard the original by the Chi-Lites which is far better. That's basically what's wrong with this record, when I hear it now I can only think about how much better the original is. Still gets an ok though thanks to the similarities it does have.
Verdict - OK
7. Twenty4Seven ft Captain Hollywood - I Can't Stand It
Captain Hollywood got his name after being based in Germany as a captain in the US Army. He formed Twenty4Seven with Dutch producer Ruud Van Rijen and this was their debut single. It's not a cheesy as your average euro dance tune.
Verdict - OK
6. Technotronic - Megamix
Just in case we hadn't had enough of Technotronic in 1990, here they are with a megamix. It's just overkill, I feel just doing these reviews I've heard too much Technotronic.
Verdict - Rubbish
5. Pet Shop Boys - So Hard
Regular readers of this blog know I like the Pet Shop Boys and its pretty much a given most of their hits will be rated good. I've been trying to think of what I can say about this tune other than the fact I like it, but there isn't really anything else worth saying.
Verdict - Good
4. Status Quo - The Anniversary Waltz - Part One
The critics likened this to Jive Bunny. I guess it's the same idea, put a bunch of old songs into a megamix. Except Status Quo did it with instruments and made the songs sound like Status Quo. It would be their last Top 10 hit, but there had plenty more Top 40 hits to go.
Verdict - OK
3. Londonbeat - I've Been Thinking About You
Take 3 soul singers in their 40s, put them together with a guitarist to make dance music. That was basically the formula of Londonbeat. Amongst it's singers was Jimmy Helms who had a hit in the 70s with "Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse". It wasn't the debut hit for Londonbeat, but it was their most successful and best known. I was reminded of this tune on the music channels about 15 years ago and then saw their greatest hits in the record shop on offer, and bought it.
Verdict - Good
2. Bobby Vinton - Blue Velvet
The 2nd Top 40 hit who's title is a colour followed by the word velvet and 2nd to making number two, following "Black Velvet" earlier on in the year. This song was written in 1950 and this version originally recorded in 1963, but it never made the UK Top 40. It's appearance in a Nivea advert prompted a re-release in 1990 and it finally charted. I'm not sure if I was aware it was an old song at the time, but I liked it.
Verdict - Good
1. Maria McKee - Show Me Heaven
Confession time. At the time I thought Maria McKee and Mariah Carey were the same person, either I thought this song was by Mariah Carey or I thought Maria McKee did "Vision Of Love". Both were ballads and their names are similar(ish) and both were not well known prior to these records. I do feel I was being a bit harsh on Maria McKee though, this is nowhere near as dreary as your average Mariah Carey record. I wasn't keen on it at the time, but have got to like it more thanks to the Happy Hardcore versions a few years later. I don't like it that much though.
Verdict - OK
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 14/30, or 47%. A new low for 1990.
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