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:
I've said before that Morrissey's songs can have funny lyrical content, but they're delivered in such a boring way that it makes the song a bit of a non-entity. I find these lyrics amusing plus he sings "ha ha ha" in the chorus. At the same time it's surprisingly catchy for a Morrissey record. It's not that good though.
Verdict - OK
Although we were still in the Stock, Aitken & Waterman era of Kylie Minogue minus Aitken, this was a preview of what was to come in the future for Kylie Minogue with Brothers In Rhythm on remix duties. This one isn't even catchy though.
Verdict - Rubbish
We've seen the Top 40 debut of Curtis Stigers who was basically Michael Bolton and Kenny G all in one i.e. a long haired singer of ballads and saxophonist. Now we have Michael Bolton and Kenny G collaborating which surely has to be a reaction to the emergence of Curtis Stigers. Have to say I prefer the Curtis Stigers songs.
Verdict - Rubbish
The last Top 40 hit to date and highest charting single for Flowered Up. You could describe them as being London's answer to Madchester. Basically it's a dance and rock crossover record and is 13 minutes long.
Verdict - Good
My memory of Texas was them doing "I Don't Want A Lover" in 1989 then disappearing until 1997 when they reappeared with "Say What You Want". Turns out they had a few minor hits in between, none of which I remember. I did however become aware of this Al Green cover when it appeared on a love songs compilation around 20 years ago. My thoughts were why would you put this on there instead of the Al Green version.
Verdict - Rubbish
Thomas Dolby is best known for "She Blinded Me With Science", but that record never made the Top 40. It had been 8 years since he had last been in the Top 40. This features Eddie Van Halen on the guitar and the intro makes you think this will be a rock record, but once it gets going it's basically an electronic record with a rock influence. Works pretty well I think.
Verdict - Good
I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this record as I couldn't remember how it went. I definitely know it after listening though. It's a British R&B record that's written by Don-E himself and could easily pass as an American one which is a good thing.
Verdict - Good
This long forgotten record was an insight into the future of British pop. Allison Jordan won a competition on the TV show "That's Life" and with it came a recording contract with Simon Cowell. Predictably its a poor cover song which only got to 23 and Allison Jordan then got dropped. The nearest I could find to a video was a clip from "That's Life" showing her recording the video and performing in the studio for the final minute or so.
Verdict - Rubbish
22. Richard Marx - Hazard (New)
My memory of this record is going on holiday around this time to the same place I went when the other big Richard Marx hit "Right Here Waiting" was in the charts. I like the record at the time without paying too much attention to the lyrics. Aside from the mystery behind the story I think it also highlights how judgmental some rural communities can be.
Verdict - Good
Apparently "Join Our Club" was intended to be most commercial song they could write. I can sort of see where they're coming from, but at the same time it sounds too much like they made it in their bedroom for it to sound that commercial. "People Get Real" was a song that the label didn't think would work as a single on its own, but I'm not really sure why. Either way this double a-side gave them their first Top 30 hit.
Verdict - Good / Good
I always imagined this record to be sung by someone who was old, but it was recorded in 1990 when Vanessa Williams would have been 26 or 27. Maybe I just thought it was music for old people, and it's inclusion on the Bisto adverts more or less confirmed that for me.
Verdict - Rubbish
This originally failed to chart when first released in 1983. It was re-released to promote a compilation album. The Sisters Of Mercy were a band I never really liked but tried to like because they were one of the cool bands to like amongst the rock crowd at school. Then they were considered to be 80s crap and no longer cool which to me was a relief.
Verdict - Rubbish
This song is probably better remembered for having Naomi Campbell in the video than for the actual song. It was written and produced by Teddy Riley and it was around this time he took The Neptune's under his wing. Part of me wonders whether it was really The Neptune's who produced this as it does very much sound like them. Then again maybe this provided inspiration for future Neptune's productions.
Verdict - Good
Kim Wilde in the 90s? That's right, this was her first Top 40 hit of the 90s and it wasn't her last. It was written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley who had written several hits for Belinda Carlisle. As a result it sounds like it should be a Belinda Carlisle record but has Kim Wilde singing on it instead.
Verdict - Rubbish
After they spent a long time at number one with "Stay" Shakespear's Sister followed up with this. I do remember this annoying me at the time, but as it's long forgotten I don't think I've heard it for 30 years. Listening to it now reminds me of how I found it irritating, here's hoping I won't hear it for another 30 years at least.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the Top 40 debut for Ugly Kid Joe. They were a pretty cool band to like at the time as I recall, but very quickly they became uncool. I guess it's hard to tell if they're trying to carry on the legacy of hair metal or fit into the grunge movement. One record I do recall being out at a similar time is "Lithium" by Nirvana and without really knowing the ins and outs I considered them both similar in style. I did consider this to be the better record out of the two.
Verdict - Good
When Celine Dion did her cover of "The Power Of Love" in 1994 I assumed she was making her Top 40 debut. Turns out she did this song a couple of years earlier with Peabo Bryson. It's from the film of the same name. I do question why cartoon films have to have such depressing songs to accompany them.
Verdict - Rubbish
Del Amitri had 3 hits in the Billboard 100 and this was one of them. It was their 4th UK Top 40 hit and lead single from their "Change Everything" album. It's not a bad record but is a bit generic.
Verdict - OK
This was the final Top 40 hit from the "Pornograffitti" album and in my opinion the best one. It's a ballad, but given the acoustic nature of "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted" it probably hasn't received the same level of criticism as other rock ballads get from the purists. I'm not a purist though and sometimes I think the rock ballads are better then the heavier ones.
Verdict - Good
I'm a big fan of Dutch music of the 90s in general. The trouble I have with this record though is that it doesn't sound very Dutch or very 90s for that matter. By my reckoning this is the only Top 40 hit of the 90s by a Dutch act that is neither dance music or a novelty record. That doesn't make it a bad record though
Verdict - Good
Here's out monthly 1992 record from The Wedding Present. This was the only one of theirs to make the Top 10. I can't think of anything about this record that would make it chart higher than the others. Just sounds like The Wedding Present. Maybe now their monthly releases were gaining momentum they were acquiring more fans. Not me though.
Verdict - Rubbish
For some reason I associate Curtis Stigers with late 1992 instead of early 1992 which he had his two big hits, this being the second. It's not that it took me a while to discover him as I remember him appearing on Top of the Pops. The nostalgia factor means that I do quite like this record.
Verdict - Good
This was the first Top 40 hit from the "Funky Divas" album which I own. It was their 2nd Top 40 hit overall with their debut "Hold On" coming 2 years prior. My memory of this record at the time is that it was out a similar time to "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing" by Incognito. When I first properly got into R&B, En Vogue were one of the first groups I bought albums of
Verdict - Good
I used to get stick for saying my favourite Metallica song was "Nothing Else Matters". People were baffled I didn't prefer any of the heavier ones. One person even speculated it was the only Metallica song I knew. I stand by this opinion though, it is my favourite Metallica song.
Verdict - Good
This is the final Top 10 hit to date for Marc Almond. Like with all his other Top 10 hits, this is a cover with the original being by David McWilliams. As Marc Almond is a songwriter, this fact is probably quite annoying for him. I would say though that generally speaking I prefer his covers to his original compositions.
Verdict - Good
I remember getting really annoyed that this record made number one and Mr Big hadn't. I absolutely hated this record as a result of that. However I've not really cared how the records I like do in the charts for the bulk of the last 30 years and I still think this record is crap and would have still thought that if Mr Big got to number one instead.
Verdict - Rubbish
As a rule I find it more difficult to identify a tune by the intro than by the chorus. With this record though it's the opposite. The intro with chimes from the clock is how I remember it, the rest of it is forgettable eurodance cheese.
Verdict - Rubbish
After 3 years away from the Top 40, Curiosity Killed the Cat were back with a shortened name and their final Top 40 hit to date. It seems a few 80s acts were having low charting and long forgotten 90s hits around this time, but this one made number 3. It's not for me though.
Verdict - Rubbish
I loved this record at the time and still do now. The odd thing is that this was before the scene split into happy hardcore and jungle and this sounds like it's gearing towards what would become jungle yet Slipmatt of SL2 would become one of the pioneers of happy hardcore. The only downside is that after "On A Ragga Tip 97" came out which was faster, it makes this record sound a bit slow.
Verdict - Good
This was the first version of "Please Don't Go" that I heard. The original is by KC & the Sunshine Band, but it's basically a clone of a cover done the same year by Italian act Double You. I do like it, but the other tune "Game Boy" is better. Whilst "Please Don't Go" is a commercial dance record, "Game Boy" is very much a rave record.
Verdict - Good / Good
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 16/30, or 53%. We're getting even closer to dropping below 50%.
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