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. Britney Spears - Sometimes
A teenage love ballad sung from a teenage girls perspective, written by a 36 year old bloke from Sweden.
Verdict - OK
19. 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
18. 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
17. Underworld - King Of Snake (New)
I've mentioned this a lot in these reviews and I'll mention it again, Kiss Ibiza 99. This was on the Trance CD of that compilation. As far as Underworld singles go, this is probably my favourite.
Verdict - Good
16. 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
15. 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
14. Hepburn - Bugs (New)
What's this, Hepburn had a Top 40 hit that wasn't "I Quit"? Well yes, they actually 3 Top 40 hits and this was the second. I don't remember this myself, I discovered it when I was doing my yearly chart review for 1999. Like "I Quit" though, it's crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
13. 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
12. 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
11. Binary Finary - 1999 (New)
This is a remix of "1998" by Binary Finary and was more successful in the charts than it's predecessor. I love the build up on this one and I remember Dave Pearce playing this a lot on his show. I also recall this being a great exercise tune, it was a time of my life I realised how unhealthy I'd become since my school days when I had PE lessons so tried to do something about it and I'd associate this tune with that period of my life above others.
Verdict - Good
10. Apollo 440 - Stop The Rock (New)
Apparently this tune was inspired by Status Quo. I'd never made the association before, but on knowing that I can kind of understand how. Is this a good or a bad thing? Well having heard over 50 Status Quo songs, I can't say I particularly like any of them. I can't say I particularly dislike any of them either and I guess I could say the same about this tune.
Verdict - OK
9. 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
8. 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
7. 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
6. TLC - Unpretty (New)
I first heard this in the most unlikely place, the Pete Tong show. Yes that's right, it wasn't just Dance Music he'd play on his show at the time. Anyway, I absolutely love this tune, hands down the best TLC tune I've ever heard. It's written by Dallas Austin, the man responsible for transforming Pink from R&B inspired Pop to Rock inspired Pop. The guitar in this suggests he is warming up for that moment. I think when done really well, incorporating Rock elements into non-Rock music can sound second to none and this is a good example of that.
Verdict - Good
5. Texas - Summer Son (New)
For some reason, I'd sing along to the chimes in this song in my head with "1,2 sound of the Slipmatt" and still do now. Despite the random association with Slipmatt created by me, I can't think of anything good about this tune.
Verdict - Rubbish
4. Bran Van 3000 - Drinking In LA
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
3. Westlife - If I Let You Go
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
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. Geri Halliwell - Mi Chico Latino (New)
Back in 1996 I knew of someone who bought the "2 Become 1" single by the Spice Girls for the simple fact it had Geri's legs on the cover. He surely bought this single then because it has Geri in a bikini on the cover. In fact a lot of people must have bought it for that simple fact, hence it got to number one.
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 10/20, or 50%. Not good, not bad.
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