Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.
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 1991 with my verdict on each record:
The final Top 40 hit for Karyn White which was also an American number one. You could almost imagine Janet Jackson singing on a track like this, partly because it was composed by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis who penned a number of Janet Jackson records. Those are the ones I tend to like.
Verdict - Good
I remember the video for this appearing on Top of the Pops and the presenter saying that Ian Rush would be in the video, but he wasn't. This was 30 years ago say I may have misremembered or misunderstood what was said. It's not a bad record.
Verdict - OK
The second single from the album of the same name and first Michael Bolton single that wasn't written by Michael Bolton himself. It wasn't a cover though, it was written by Diane Warren who wrote other hits in collaboration with Michael Bolton. This just seems too American for my liking.
Verdict - Rubbish
One of the more obscure REM hits from this era, which is a good thing in that it doesn't get played to death. Not enough to it for my to like it though.
Verdict - OK
Another soap star launching a pop career. This time it's Sophie Lawrence from Eastenders with this Donna Summer cover, produced by Simon Cowell. Quite predictably it's crap. She would follow up with a Kylie Minogue cover that never got released and that was the end of her pop career.
Verdict - Rubbish
The less known follow up to "Baby Baby" in this country at least, it fared much better in America reaching number 2. This is how a pop record should be, a good sounding catchy song. Admittedly I do prefer "Baby Baby" and haven't listened to this in a long time, maybe I should listen to it more.
Verdict - Good
A long forgotten Blur song that the band themselves hate and it's not included on their greatest hits albums. They have a point, it's not the worst song I've ever heard but it's not great. It was written in 15 minutes and I think it shows, just lacks any substance.
Verdict - Rubbish
The second and final Top 40 hit from the "De La Soul Is Dead" is album. Loads of samples in this one which makes the tune. De La Soul only had one further Top 40 hit in the 90s which only made 39 so that won't feature.
Verdict - Good
The fourth and final original Top 40 hit for Vanilla Ice. It samples the Rolling Stones record and the beginning of the first verse seems a play on "Funky Cold Medina". It's a very commercial record that wasn't that commercially successful, it never charted in America. Probably because its crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
A cover of the Stacy Lattisaw song, this is probably the best known Dannii Minogue hit from this particular era. That doesn't mean it's any good though.
Verdict - Rubbish
Diane Warren is back to songwriting duties for Cher after the god awful "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)". It's an improvement, but that's not saying much really.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was originally the follow up to her debut hit "C'mon and Get My Love" but failed to make the Top 40 when released in 1989. It once again failed to make the Top 40 again in 1990, but 3rd time lucky it got into the Top 40 finally in 1991. Her debut was credited to D Mob with Cathy Dennis, but although D Mob co-wrote and provided backing vocals to this it's credited to just Cathy Dennis. It's simple no nonsense pop music.
Verdict - Good
The 3rd of 5 Top 40 hits for Voice Of The Beehive and the 2nd best in my opinion. It was the lead single from their "Honey Lingers" album. My personal favourite was their final hit "Perfect Place" but that never made the Top 30.
Verdict - Good
Level 42 in 1991? Yes, and this wouldn't be the last we'd see of them in the charts. I have a memory of seeing Level 42 on Pebble Mill some time in the 90s, can't remember what song it was though but as we were in the school holidays it would make sense for it to be this. It's a pretty forgettable song to be fair.
Verdict - Rubbish
The first Top 40 hit from the "Use Your Illusion" albums, this one coming from the second one. If you love screaming your head off at karaoke like I do then this is a great one to sing. The bit at 4 minutes 15 seconds into the song is particularly good to sing.
Verdict - Good
The final number one for Jason Donovan. It was taken from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" which he was starring in at the time. By the time I saw it a couple of years later he'd been replaced by Phil Schofield. Anyway, like pretty much every other song from a musical it's shit.
Verdict - Rubbish
Another Top 10 hit for OMD with just Andy McCluskey in the group. The lyrics are described as dealing with the less glamourous side of celebrity which is quite ironic from the man who introduced the world to Kerry Katona. I won't let that fact cloud my judgement of this record though.
Verdict - Good
The only Top 40 hit for Young Disciples, though lead singer Carleen Anderson would have a few solo hits in the 90s and also provided vocals for the Brand New Heavies cover of this which charted in 2000. This is one of those tunes that I like but not listened to of my own accord. I think I've mostly heard clips of the chorus because the rest of it doesn't sound that familiar.
Verdict - Good
There are some records that I really cannot stand, ones that just irritate me and make me angry. This is one of those records. I don't know what it is, maybe the stupid lyrics has something to do with it.
Verdict - Rubbish
This isn't a cover of the Isley Brothers record, it's a Ricky Ross composition. I'd forgotten what this was called, something that irritated me when I heard it for the first time in years in 2004. Its a great record, one of the better Deacon Blue ones.
Verdict - Good
The 2nd Top 40 hit from DJ Jazzy Jeff And The Fresh Prince which came around 5 years after their first. It's not as bad as your average Will Smith record, but whilst Jazzy Jeff is a decent enough DJ, Will Smith is a terrible rapper. It has potential, put a decent rapper on their we could have a decent tune. But it has Will Smith on it, therefore it's crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
The lead single and opening track on their self titled album also known as "The Black Album". This was when Metallica alienated the purists by making music that was softer and more commercial. Granted it's not as heavy as their earlier stuff, but it's hardly namby pamby either. In fact when I first heard it I remember thinking how aggressive James Hetfield sounded when he started singing. Anyway their quest to make something that appeals to the non-metal purists like myself worked because I like it.
Verdict - Good
This is one of a number of records Bryan Adams stopped from topping the charts. It's American rap music, but it doesn't sound out of place amongst the British dance records that were coming out at the time.
Verdict - Good
This was my record of the year for 1991. It's such a great record all I can say is give it a listen if you haven't already.
Verdict - Good
We're definitely in the summer holidays now, this so reminds me of that summer. It topped the charts in America and did quite well here, but in this country at least it will always be their other hit. I loved this record though at the time and was one I started listening to again in the early days of YouTube, except I'd listen to it on Google Videos because it wasn't on YouTube.
Verdict - Good
A sign the summer holidays will soon be coming to an end, this reminds me of the journey to school but the weather still being warm. I should hate it given that association, but I actually quite like it. Samples "True" by Spandau Ballet and a great use of the sample in my opinion.
Verdict - Good
I've always know this record to be by The Shamen but don't remember hearing of them until "Ebeneezer Goode" which was just over a year later. Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me. It was after the shooting of this video that member Will Sinnott died.
Verdict - Good
The song everyone knows Extreme for, so much so that people don't realise they're a rock band. This didn't go down well with the purists, ballads were very much frowned upon but an acoustic ballad was viewed as criminal. I'm not a purist though, I do think Extreme have better songs but I've always quite liked this one even if I haven't always admitted it.
Verdict - Good
I remember being at some kids club on holiday at the time and we had to dance along to this multiple times. I thought why, this song is fuckin shit. My opinion still hasn't changed.
Verdict - Rubbish
Summer holidays are on the way, this so reminds me of the summer holidays of 1991 where it was number one the whole time and beyond. Quite remarkable for a 31 year old 80s singer who'd failed to even make the Top 40 with most of his prior singles. I got pretty sick of this at the time like most people, but I actually quite like it.
Verdict - Good
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 18/30, or 60%. Quite a drop from last week, but then last week was quite something.
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