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. The Human League - Heart Like A Wheel
I recall The Human League saying that there is no point in them making new music anymore because people are only interested in their 80s music. They have a point as this first effort of the 90s from them sounds very 80s, but not as good as their 80s music.
Verdict - Rubbish
29. Anthrax - In My World (New)
Anthrax were one of the thrash metal bands you were supposed to like when I was into that sort of music a couple of years later. It took a while for me to hear any of their music, but then someone bought their "Sound of White Noise" album which I didn't think much of. I have heard some of their earlier stuff since, and some of it's alright. Wouldn't say I like this record, but don't mind it.
Verdict - OK
28. Tricky Disco - Tricky Disco
I don't remember this record at the time, but it was on a techno compilation I bought a few years later. Liking my music underground as I did, I was disappointed to see in my British Hit Singles book that this had been a hit. It was the only Top 40 hit for Tricky Disco, but not the only one for it's members. They would return to the charts in 1996 as Technohead with "I Want To Be A Hippy".
Verdict - Good
27. Primal Scream - Come Together
Unlike the Wet Wet Wet song, this isn't a Beatles cover. It's the 2nd Top 40 hit for Primal Scream and this time it has singing on it and it was produced by Terry Farley. Again we have that nice blend of dance and rock music crossover.
Verdict - Good
26. Madonna - Hanky Panky
I don't think I've heard this record since 1990, I guess the sheer quantity of Madonna hits means there's bound to be a number that you don't hear anymore. I'd happily wait another 30 years until I hear it again, I thought it was crap at the time and my opinion hasn't changed.
Verdict - Rubbish
25. Aswad - Next To You (New)
It's no "Don't Turn Around" and it's no "Shine". It sounds like they've gone in a similar direction to what Maxi Priest did with "Close To You", though this does sound more reggae. It's alright, but nothing outstanding.
Verdict - OK
24. Sonia - End Of The World (New)
This had been the lowest charting hit for Sonia to date, but if you were to ask me to name a Sonia record that isn't "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" then this would be it. She was singing about the end of the world, but it was also the end of her Stock Aitken & Waterman career. Unfortunately it wasn't the end of her Top 40 career.
Verdict - Rubbish
23. Jason Donovan - Rhythm Of The Rain (New)
After his previous single "Another Night" failed to reach the Top 10, Jason Donovan managed to return to the Top 10 with this cover of the Cascades song. Quite predictably, it's a pretty poor cover.
Verdict - Rubbish
22. Lindy Layton ft Janet Kay - Silly Games
Lindy Layton had been the singer on the Beats International singles, and here she is venturing out on her own, kind of. This features the original artist of the song, Janet Kay, on backing vocals. The thing is, you don't need any sort of vocal talent to sing on dance records, but a song like this you do. Unfortunately the one with the vocal talent is the one on the backing vocals.
Verdict - Rubbish
21. Sting - Englishman In New York
Sting is one of those people who you'd say has managed to have a successful solo career following the break up of his band. However, if you look at his record in the singles chart it's not great, particularly in the early days. Up to this point he'd had 9 solo singles, but only 3 of them made the Top 40 and none of them made the Top 40. This single was one of those that failed to make the Top 40 when first released, but it finally charted thanks to this remix from Ben Liebrand. This was the first Sting song I remember hearing and remember thinking it was a bit crap. I still haven't changed my mind.
Verdict - Rubbish
20. Go West - King Of Wishful Thinking
80s group Go West amazingly had 50% of their Top 40 hits in the 90s. This was the first of the 90s ones. It was also their biggest hit in America. When it comes to cheesy music, which this is, there's a thin line between it being fun and irritating. This falls into the irritating category.
Verdict - Rubbish
19. Together - Hardcore Uproar
I remember when this came out, I thought it was the theme music to "The Clothes Show" made into a single. It does have it's similarities, but that's no bad thing as the theme tune was pretty much the only thing I liked about "The Clothes Show". This is a better tune though, it's one which came out of the Hacienda. Sadly one of the members of Together, Jon Donaghy, died in a road accident when they were out in Ibiza promoting this.
Verdict - Good
18. Jon Bon Jovi - Blaze Of Glory
The debut solo hit for Jon Bon Jovi. Having your surname (well surname of your stage name) as your band name is going to make it difficult to differentiate between your band and your solo career. Having a solo song that sounds like it could be your band is going to make it even more difficult. Still, nothing wrong with sounding like Bon Jovi, they have some good songs and I like this song too.
Verdict - Good
17. Soup Dragons ft Junior Reid - I'm Free
This song taught me the drawbacks of buying a single. I didn't buy it myself, but I knew somebody who did. We were going somewhere in his mums car and he played this single both there and back. The problem was there was just this song and the b-side on the tape so it only lasted about 7 minutes and the car journey was a lot longer than that. Needless to say I was completely sick of the song by the end of it. Fortunately 30 years have passed since then so it's given me enough time to appreciate it for what it is. It's a cover of the Rolling Stones song done in a 90s Madchester style, except Soup Dragons aren't from Manchester, they're from Scotland.
Verdict - Good
16. Mariah Carey - Vision Of Love
I've mentioned previously how dreadful I found the female solo pop singers from America during this era, but fortunately the likes of Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Taylor Dayne were more or less yesterdays news by this point. Unfortunately America gave us another dreadful artist in Mariah Carey. Ok I'm not going to knock her singing ability, but her music is just abysmal.
Verdict - Rubbish
15. MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This
Love it or hate it, you can't deny the impact this record has had on the world. Whenever someone shouts "stop", many people no doubt at least think "hammer time". I did like this at the time, but since then it's been played to death, plus I've gone through a period of being really into rap music of a more controversial nature and resenting more party rap music like this. On that basis it gets an ok.
Verdict - OK
14. The Steve Miller Band - The Joker (New)
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
13. Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart / What Is Love (New)
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
12. Partners In Kryme - Turtle Power
Given the amount of rap music you get in the charts these days, it's hard to think that it actually got off to quite a slow start commercially in the UK. It had been 11 years since the Sugarhill Gang gave us the first rap Top 40 hit, but finally we get the first rap number one. Few would have predicted the first rap number one would be about a kids TV show. Like pretty much every boy of my age, I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and I liked this record for that very reason. Do I still like it though? Well it is pretty awful, but there is that novelty factor so it gets the ok.
Verdict - OK
11. 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
10. Cliff Richard - Silhouettes
What a load of crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
9. Blue Pearl - Naked In The Rain
Here we have the bass player from an 80s band making a name for himself in the dance music world. It isn't Norman Cook though, it's Youth, formerly of Killing Joke. This reminds me of a school trip I went on to the Science Museum around this time. Not sure why, maybe it came on the radio on the bus. Anyway, good tune.
Verdict - Good
8. Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers - Can Can You Party
Surely the novelty of Jive Bunny must have worn off by their 5th Top 40 hit. Seemingly it hadn't quite, but this was their last Top 10 hit.
Verdict - Rubbish
7. Roxette - Listen To Your Heart / Dangerous
In 1995 there was a Happy Hardcore tune called "Smile, Fuck Up" by DJ Psycangle which sampled the first verse of this. A year or so later I heard "Listen To Your Heart" for probably the first time since 1990 and that's when I realised it was the song "Smile, Fuck Up" sampled. Of course, this song has it's similarities to "Alone" by Heart, and the title suggests that's where they may have got their inspiration from. It doesn't matter though, both are good songs. The other side, "Dangerous" is one I never remember hearing at the time. It's not as good, but I still like it.
Verdict - Good / Good
6. George Michael - Praying For Time
George Michael has always been one of those artists I've never got what all the fuss was about. At the same time though, I can't really fault his music, he's actually had records I quite like. I don't like this one enough to consider it good, but it's alright though.
Verdict - OK
5. DNA ft Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner
I remember misreading the title of this record at the time as Tom's Dinner and thought fancy naming a record after somebodies dinner. The original title of this was "Oh Suzanne" as it's a remix by DNA of a Suzanne Vega record. I never knew any of this at the time, but I always thought it was a great record and I've since heard the original, and think this is better.
Verdict - Good
4. Betty Boo - Where Are You Baby?
Not only did Betty Boo manage a 2nd solo single, but the 2nd single also did better than the 1st. I'm not sure how well remembered this is, but I certainly remember it. I also remember it being bloody awful, and my opinion hasn't changed.
Verdict - Rubbish
3. New Kids On The Block - Tonight
I thought I was mishearing the lyrics at the time. I was hearing "Hangin Tough" and "The Right Stuff" but I've never been good at making out lyrics so thought I was only hearing those words because of their other hits. Turns out I wasn't mishearing, they are quoting the titles of their other songs. It's the sort of thing you might expect when a group has been around a long time, but it had only been 9 months since they first hit the Top 40. In reality though they formed in 1984 and were now on their 4th album. I don't actually mind this record though.
Verdict - OK
2. Deacon Blue - Four Bacharach And David Songs (EP)
What I find somewhat baffling is that Deacon Blue were a band I particularly liked and this was their highest charting single, but it completely passed me by. The lead song from the EP is "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and I had this on a compilation several years later.
Verdict - Good
1. Bombalurina - Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
The summer holidays had arrived, and that meant Wacaday would be on. This summer though we had a double dose of Timmy Mallett courtesy of this song. Bizarrely I always thought he seemed more serious in this song than he did on Wacaday. Anyway, as much as I liked Wacaday and Timmy Mallett, there's no denying this song is bloody awful.
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 14.5/30, or 48%. We've gone below 50%.
