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 1992 with my verdict on each record:
The first of two Top 40 hits for Senseless Things. I vaguely remember this record, but it never had much impact on me and I certainly couldn't sing it in my head. Listening now though I'm finding this record is pretty good.
Verdict - Good
Another underground rave act to cross over into the charts, this was the Top 40 debut for Dream Frequency. Another thing coming out of the rave scene was putting towns and cities outside of the big ones like London and Manchester on the music map. Dream Frequency hailed from Preston.
Verdict - Good
I'm surprised that this is amongst the lowest charting Lisa Stansfield Top 40 hits as I'd have this down as one of her better known records. Not my cup of tea though, I find it a bit boring.
Verdict - Rubbish
When Siobhan left Bananarama and formed Shakespear's Sister they had a Top 10 hit with "You're History" in 1989. By the end of 1991 it looked like they were history have failed to reach the Top 40 with any of their other singles. Then came this, which topped the charts and stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. I do think that the contrast between the vocals of Marcella and Siobhan is a good concept, but I've never been able to bring myself to like this record.
Verdict - Rubbish
The Top 40 debut from Curtis Stigers who was a sort of Michael Bolton and Kenny G all in one i.e. a singer and saxophonist with long hair. I've since read that Curtis Stigers hair had only just grown when he broke through and then he cut it short straight after he toured his first album, but that's what he'll forever be remembered for. I have to admit though, I do quite like this song.
Verdict - Good
Cappella made their Top 40 debut in 1989, but it took them till this record to score their next Top 40 hit. It's a shift away from house music to eurodance, but not quite the sound they became best known for the following year. That's a good thing though.
Verdict - OK
The third so called "Toytown Techno" record to make the Top 40. I'll concede the kids TV samples are a bit cringeworthy but if you take them out you've got a decent record that doesn't sound particularly cheesy. In fact the samples are only a small part of the overall tune, they just stand out when you hear them.
Verdict - Good
Isotonik is Chris Paul who was promotor of the Orange raves back in the early 90s. This was the first of two Top 40 hits for him. Whilst it's definitely a rave record, it's quite soulful too and that blend really works.
Verdict - Good
This was the first Top 40 hit for The Beautiful South since they topped the charts with "A Little Time". It's a song about an alcoholic who dies and I love the line "Old red he died, and every single landlord in the district cried". The Beautiful South tend to have good lyrics but often the music is a bit middle of the road for my liking.
Verdict - OK
Although this was very much the era of gangsta rap, it was the more radio friendly rap music that was getting in the charts. The notable exception to that was Public Enemy, with this being their 7th Top 40 hit. The only other rap acts who could claim to have had that many by this point were De La Soul, Salt-N-Pepa and MC Hammer. Whatever sort of rap music has been happening though, there's always room for Public Enemy in my book.
Verdict - Good
The original of this had only left the Top 40 the previous week. The original is best known for the guitar riff but there appears to be no guitar whatsoever on this remix. Seems a bit strange to leave out the bit that makes the tune, but I actually don't mind it.
Verdict - OK
I don't remember Paula Abdul still being around in 1992 but I do remember this record. This was written by the members of The Family Stand of "Ghetto Heaven" fame. Before listening to it I thought it was OK but the piano in it has upgraded it to good. That's why I always listen to the record before giving my verdict.
Verdict - Good
I'm a big fan of Motown and like many Diana Ross records both as a solo artist and with The Supremes. Unfortunately this isn't one of them. It's quite an achievement for someone who's been around since the 60s to have a number two hit in 1991 and had Freddie Mercury not died this would have likely been Christmas number one. It's just too much of a ballad for my liking.
Verdict - Rubbish
The only Top 40 hit for the Sugarcubes, who were the band Bjork was in before she went solo. Whilst it's undeniably Bjork singing, it's different than your average Bjork record. Not really to my liking though.
Verdict - Rubbish
I don't think I've heard this one for 30 years, it's very much overshadowed by "I'm Too Sexy" and "Deeply Dippy". I was ready to dismiss this as cheesy crap but on listening to it again I've changed my mind. Don't get me wrong, it is Right Said Fred and is therefore still cheesy but it feels more of a song than their other records. The vocals of Jocelyn Brown in this probably help.
Verdict - OK
Clivilles and Cole are the same people behind C&C Music Factory. It's a cover of the U2 record done rave style. Whilst that style is very welcome, they've not done a very good job of it in my opinion. It does sound very amateur, but then when the singing comes in it's almost like the rave elements have gone away.
Verdict - Rubbish
"Playing With Knives" by Bizarre Inc had only left the Top 40 a couple of weeks earlier, but here it is being sampled by Blue Pearl. Ironically this actually has "playing with knives" in the lyrics but the Bizarre Inc record doesn't.
Verdict - Good
This was the Top 40 debut for Des'ree. At the time I had no idea who Des'ree was and imagined this to be sung by someone quite old, but Des'ree would have been just 22 at the time of recording. Maybe I thought it sounded like music for old people, I never thought much to it at the time. Now I'm older my opinion hasn't really changed.
Verdict - Rubbish
The first hit for MC Hammer after he became simply Hammer. I liked this at the time and remember irritating the teacher by rapping it in the classroom. I don't think I've heard it since then. Hearing it now I can't say I feel the same, it is a bit rubbish.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the follow up to the chart topping "Dizzy". Miles Hunt resumes lead vocals and this time he's joined by Kirsty MacColl on backing vocals. I have memories of this song coming on the radio on a car journey going somewhere I don't think I'd been before, no idea where it was though. More recently this was one of the songs I played on YouTube quite a bit in the early days.
Verdict - Good
I remember watching this on Top of the Pops at the time. I absolutely loved it. Little did we know at the time that this would be their final completely original Top 40 hit. I mishear lyrics all the time and was convinced I misheard the lyrics "They're justified and they're ancient and they drive an ice cream van" but I didn't.
Verdict - Good
My dance music knowledge was virtually non-existent at the time. I do remember this being out around the same time as "Everybody In The Place" by The Prodigy and thinking of this record as being a poor mans Prodigy.
Verdict - Rubbish
Steve 'Silk' Hurley gave us the first house number one in 1987 and as an artist he never had another Top 40 hit. As a composer though he was back in the Top 40 in 1991 with this record. It was the debut Top 40 hit for Kym Sims and her best known. I would also say it was her best hit.
Verdict - Good
I remember this record being out around the same time as "Fun Day" by Stevie Wonder. The history books tell my I'm not far off, the Stevie Wonder record came out in October 1991 but never made the Top 40. I liked it at the time and I guess I still do now even though it's a bit cheesy.
Verdict - Good
Ce Ce Peniston is thought of as a one hit wonder with "Finally", but amazingly she had 7 Top 40 hits spanning 7 years. This was her second. I'm not a fan of "Finally" but at least it's catchy. I can't say the same for this, it's crap and instantly forgettable.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the last Top 10 Kylie Minogue hit from the Stock, Aitken & Waterman era. It's a cover and quite predictably it sounds like a karaoke version.
Verdict - Rubbish
As a kid I loved "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey", the film in which this record appears. However, I watched it again a couple of years ago and found it was nowhere near as good as I remember it. Fortunately this record hasn't suffered the same fate, still sounds decent now.
Verdict - Good
There had been quite a few rave records that had hit the Top 40 by this point so the rave sound was nothing new anymore. However, I do remember thinking this record was quite groundbreaking at the time. It was the 2nd Top 40 hit for The Prodigy and the follow up to "Charly" and it no doubt went a long way in showing people that they weren't a novelty "toytown techno" act.
Verdict - Good
Following the death of Freddie Mercury "Bohemian Rhapsody" returned to top the charts and became the first record to be Christmas number one twice. I've mentioned before on this blog that I don't consider it the masterpiece it's made out to be and I've heard it far too many times in my life, but it's not a bad record. The other side of this double a-side "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" was a new song and would have probably topped the charts without being aided by "Bohemian Rhapsody" given the circumstances. It's definitely the better of the two in my opinion.
Verdict - OK / Good
Wet Wet Wet hadn't really been away, but this was their first Top 10 hit since 1989. Marti Pellow's hair had grown quite considerably in that time. Despite this being a chart topper I remember everyone hating this record at the time. I on the other hand liked it. This wasn't their big comeback though as they never made the Top 10 again until "Love Is All Around" in 1994.
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%. Same as last week.
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