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 20 from this week in 1999 with my verdict on each record:
20. Feeder - Yesterday Went Too Soon (New)
Feeder were a band that didn't appear on my radar until they did the one about the brand new car with a CD player. Prior to that though they had 5 Top 40 singles of which this was the 5th and the first to reach the Top 20 which it only just about did. I'd say the main reason I don't remember this one though is because of how boring it is.
Verdict - Rubbish
19. The Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be
The tune that was described as a blatant rip off of "Tomorrow Never Knows" by the Beatles. I'd never heard said song at the time but thought surely the Chemical Brothers, a Dance Music duo of the 90s couldn't sound that similar to the Beatles, a guitar group of the 60s. When I did hear the Beatles song though I realised just how similar it sounded. Do I like it though? Yes I do.
Verdict - Good
18. Vengaboys - Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!
The night before this charted at number one, I was in a bar where I heard this for the first time and someone informed me it was the new Vengaboys song. Given the history of cheesy euro acts releasing the record every knows them for, followed by a record that sounds the same, followed by fading into obscurity, I assumed the Vengaboys would do the same. Instead they had their first number one, I felt the same as I did when I realised the Spice Girls weren't going to be a one hit wonder.
Verdict - Rubbish
17. The Divine Comedy - The Pop Singer's Fear Of The Pollen Count (New)
This is actually one of the Divine Comedy's older songs from 1993, which was before people in this country knew who the Divine Comedy was. A humorous song about suffering from hay fever but it being ok because it's summer. Perhaps released a little late given the hay fever season is over by August, but then maybe that's the point as it's easier to have a laugh about it when you're no longer suffering, and it's still summer.
Verdict - Good
16. Britney Spears - Sometimes
A teenage love ballad sung from a teenage girls perspective, written by a 36 year old bloke from Sweden.
Verdict - OK
15. Steps - Love's Got A Hold On My Heart
Oh no, it's Steps. This was allegedly a song Pete Waterman wrote in 1991 but he had better songs to give to his artists at the time. By 1999 I guess he figured he could give any old crap to Steps and it would still sell a lot of records, so he did.
Verdict - Rubbish
14. ATB - 9PM (Till I Come)
This was so overplayed at the time I couldn't stand it. Everywhere you'd go someone would be singing that riff. However once it stopped being played all the time and I'd listen to it on occasion as the opening track on the Trance CD on "Kiss in Ibiza 99" I realised that I actually like it.
Verdict - Good
13. Puff Daddy ft Hurricane G - PE 2000 (New)
I remember this futuristic video which hasn't aged well at all. I could say the same for the music too, though I never liked it in the first place.
Verdict - Rubbish
12. Phats And Small - Feel Good
The follow up to "Turn Around", I don't know how well remembered this one is but I certainly remember it. It follows the same sort of formula as "Turn Around" but doesn't sound too similar, this sounds like more of a summer tune so probably a good thing they released it in the summer.
Verdict - Good
11. Travis - Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
If you want to listen to this then instead of clicking the link I would recommend watching this being performed on Ali G instead. Before the song is performed, Ali G say's to singer Fran Healy "we listened to your music, and it's fuckin miserable" which pretty much sums up my thoughts. During the performance Ali G puts some beats to it, starts rapping and advises Fran he no longer needs his guitar. A big improvement if you ask me.
Verdict - Rubbish
10. Whitney Houston - My Love Is Your Love
This Wyclef Jean penned song is actually quite clever. It's impossible to listen to this without thinking about "No Woman No Cry" by Bob Marley. Yet when you try and sing "No Woman No Cry" along with this in your head you find these sudden changes that stop it from being a blatant rip off, even though it kind of is. It's hard to look past the fact it's not as good as the song that inspires it, but then if that song didn't exist I wouldn't hesitate to call it good.
Verdict - Good
9. Five - If Ya Gettin' Down
I remember this as being the song where Five are trying to sound like the Backstreet Boys. I was therefore surprised to learn it wasn't written by anyone in the Swedish songwriting team responsible for many of the Backstreet Boys hits and some of Fives early hits too. That said now I'm listening to it for probably the first time in 20 years I'm finding it doesn't sound as much like the Backstreet Boys as I remember. It is rather irritating though.
Verdict - Rubbish
8. Basement Jaxx - Rendez-Vu
The opening tune to Pete Tong's Essential Selection at Café Mambo in Ibiza in 1999. No I wasn't there unfortunately, but I did record the show and listened to it a lot. He went on to say what a tune to open with, and I can't argue with that. It was certainly my favourite Basement Jaxx single to date.
Verdict - Good
7. Eminem ft Dr Dre - Guilty Conscience
For some reason this completely passed me by at the time. The first time I recall hearing it was the following year when I bought "The Slim Shady LP". Much like his debut hit "My Name Is" this is controversial with a bit of humour and Dr Dre contributes more to the vocals this time giving him a credit on the record. I'd say I prefer this to "My Name Is".
Verdict - Good
6. Will Smith ft Dru Hill - Wild Wild West
I like Dru Hill, I've seen them in concert. I therefore find it a bit of a shame that their biggest UK hit was a collaboration with Will Smith. This was taken from a film of the same name that Will Smith was in. I once read an article about rappers who went on to act in films. On Will Smith, they said "he became so successful at acting in films that he stopped rapping, at least that's what we wish he did". That pretty much sums this up.
Verdict - Rubbish
5. Ricky Martin - Livin' La Vida Loca
This wasn't the debut hit for Ricky Martin, but I'd say it's the song that made a name for himself. His previous 2 singles were basically that crappy Spanish song you hear on holiday in Spain that makes it's way into the UK Top 40. This ones no different in that respect, except you know it's Ricky Martin from America.
Verdict - Rubbish
4. Ronan Keating - When You Say Nothing At All
Boyzone weren't quite finished yet, but this was the start of Ronan Keating's solo career. It could just as easily have been a Boyzone song as it followed the same formula of being a poor cover of an older song.
Verdict - Rubbish
3. Bran Van 3000 - Drinking In LA (New)
This brings back memories of coming back from the pub on a Friday night and watching "Ibiza Uncovered" and pretty much every advert break had the Rolling Rock advert in it which featured this tune. It had actually been a minor hit before but the advert gave it a new lease of life. Despite hearing it multiple times every Friday for a period of time I still have fond memories of this tune.
Verdict - Good
2. DJ Jurgen Presents Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone
I can still picture where I was when I first heard this, I was sat in a car waiting for somebody whilst listening to the Pete Tong show. What a tune, I thought. A common misconception is that Alice Deejay is the female singer, but it's actually a group of Dutch producers with the singer and 2 dancers fronting it.
Verdict - Good
1. Westlife - If I Let You Go (New)
The second hit and second number one for Westlife. This was written by the Swedish team of songwriters responsible for many Backstreet Boys hits amongst others. It does sound a bit like Boyzone do the Backstreet Boys (yes I do mean Boyzone, Westlife were still just getting started).
Verdict - Rubbish
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 9.5/20, or 47.5%. We're sliding again.
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