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:
We're now entering the era of Roxette singles that few people remember. This was their first Top 40 hit to chart outside the Top 20, something the majority of their singles would do from here onwards. This means the only times I've heard it in the last 30 years is by playing it myself.
Verdict - Good
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Ned's Atomic Dustbin. At the time I think I paid more attention to the name than to the music, but they're quite a band. After listening to this and their debut "Happy" properly I feel I should seek out more music of theirs. Basically if you find Blink 182 a bit American high school but like the varying speed of their music, listen to Neds Atomic Dustbin as it fulfills that aspect without sounding the slightest bit American.
Verdict - Good
The follow up to "Gypsy Woman" and I was trying to figure out if this is basically a "Gypsy Woman" mark 2. That's more to do with the number of dance follow ups that sound the same as their predecessor though. I think this is it's own record but you can tell it's by the same artist who did "Gypsy Woman".
Verdict - Good
Marky Mark is Mark Wahlberg before he became an actor. This was his only Top 40 hit, but prior to this he was in New Kids On The Block before they made it big along with his brother Donnie. I guess this record is proof Will Smith wasn't the only movie actor who started out as a dreadful rapper.
Verdict - Rubbish
The comment from writer Richard Easter who was on Steve Wright in the Afternoon on Radio 1 sum this record up nicely. He says of course it was a shit song but hit wrote it for the radio 1 roadshow and was then offered money from a record label to release it, so he did. I'd have done the same myself.
Verdict - Rubbish
PJB stands for Pete John Bellotte, who previously had numerous hits as a songwriter alongside Giorgio Moroder. Quite ironic that the only Top 40 hit he has as an artist is a cover. It's a dance version of the Simon & Garfunkel record. Not sure what to make of it really, on one hand it sounds a bit cheesy and crap but on the other hand I don't actually mind it.
Verdict - OK
24. Marc Almond - Jacky (New)
I liked this one at the time, unaware it was a cover. I don't think much of the original though, it's one of those records that needs a dance beat to sound any good.
Verdict - Good
A dance version of what was originally an Ike & Tina Turner record. The remix was done by former members of M/A/R/R/S CJ Mackintosh and Dave Dorrell. Sounds quite unusual for a Tina Turner record of that era, but not a bad one.
Verdict - OK
Another old record getting a new lease of life thanks to it's inclusion on a Levi's advert. Generally speaking I'm not a fan of 70's glam rock, but T Rex for some reason seem a bit better than the other glam rock bands.
Verdict - OK
The lead single from the "Martika's Kitchen" album which was co-written and produced by Prince. This apparently introduced a more mature sounding Martika but I think that does her previous hits a disservice.
Verdict - Good
The 4th Top 40 hit in 1991 for REM having had just a solitary Top 40 hit prior to the beginning of the year. Unlike the other 3 though, this is a re-issue of a record that failed to make the Top 40 when first released in 1987.
Verdict - Good
The biggest hit to date for The Scorpions who had last been in the Top 40 in 1979 with their debut. My memories of this record at the time was that whenever it got played it never seemed to get played till the end and I was always intrigued as to how it ended.
Verdict - Good
This was the lead single from the "Diamonds & Pearls" album. Prince wrote some great tunes and some that are questionable. This one fits the latter, but as I listen to it for the first time in years it's starting to grow on me. Only taken 30 years.
Verdict - OK
The first single from "Use Your Illusion 1". Initially I found the song to be a bit soft, but it was all part of the build up and once the final verse/chorus comes in it's fantastic. I also love watching the video, a reminder of just how fucked up the band were. The part where Slash crashes the car and then plays the guitar before throwing it up in the air is amazing.
Verdict - Good
The only Top 40 hit for Brothers In Rhythm as artists, but they had other hits as producers and remixers. Member Dave Seaman (not the footballer) is also a big name house DJ who I've seen play before.
Verdict - Good
A bit like it's predecessor "Gett Off", this is a record that had no impact on me at the time and has sounded a bit boring when I've heard it since but listening to it 30 years later it's starting to grow on me.
Verdict - OK
The Top 40 debut for Bizarre Inc and not to be confused with the Brother In Rhythm record with a similar name that entered the Top 40 the same week. This is the Bizarre Inc hit I've most likely heard the least for the simple fact its not on any of their albums, the rest are either on "Energique" or "Surprise", both of which I own. It's a shame it's not on "Energique" really.
Verdict - Good
The 3rd and final Top 40 hit for Julian Lennon which came 6 years after his previous effort. People give Julian Lennon stick for not being John, but with records like this does it really matter? I loved this record at the time and it still sounds great 30 years later.
Verdict - Good
Bryan Adams was still at number one when this, his follow up entered the Top 40. He was also still at number one when this left the Top 40. The title suggests it could almost be about not being able to stop the reign of "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" at the top of the charts. It's alright but nothing special.
Verdict - OK
This was the first single from the hugely successful "Stars" album. My memories of hearing this for the first time was seeing Mick Hucknall's hair had got much longer and loving the bit that follows the chorus. The best single from that album in my opinion. In fact probably the best Simply Red single ever.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Utah Saints, the so called "Stadium House" act. It samples "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" by Eurythmics and "Ain't Nothin' Goin' on But the Rent" by Gwen Guthrie. A common criticism of samples in dance music is they sometimes sound nothing more than the original song with a dance beat on it. This though is a prime example of how sampling should be done in dance music.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for The Prodigy. This has been ridiculed over the years along with other "Toytown Techno" records because of the samples. I will concede that whenever I listen to this tune I listen to the album version where the sample doesn't go beyond "Charly says". But I'm sure if the album version didn't exist I'd listen to this, it really isn't as bad as it's made out to be.
Verdict - Good
This record reminds me of when me and a friend quite ambitiously decided to compile a Top 200 following the realisation that the charts went up to a Top 100. We didn't know who this was by at the time so simple listed it as "Peace". It's not one you really hear anymore but this was definitely as big as the Rozalla record at the time. The Top 200 never did get compiled in the end due to many disagreements between me and my friend regarding what songs should be in it.
Verdict - Good
This is one of several records I associate with starting a new year at school. It was the Top 40 debut for Rozalla and by far the best known. It's been played to death over the years but I've never stopped liking it.
Verdict - Good
At the time I thought of this as being a poor mans "Hippy Chick" but there isn't much resemblance really. Years later there was a happy hardcore version by Slipmatt & Eruption which all the DJs seemed to play but I couldn't stand it. You may have gather I don't think much of this.
Verdict - Rubbish
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
I remember Simon Mayo playing this pretty much every day on the breakfast show when on my way to school but I never got bored of it.
Verdict - Good
There was a happy hardcore version of this in the mid-90s by DNA, Breeze & Munchie which I listened to quite a bit. When I heard this for the first time in years it seemed so slow given I'd got used to the happy hardcore version. That was a long time ago though, nowadays I can take the relative slowness.
Verdict - Good
This record really irritated me at the time. My view hasn't really changed, it's a truly awful record. It was one that Bryan Adams kept off number one.
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 22/30, or 73%. Same as last week but not surprising with only 4 new records.
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