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 3rd and final Top 40 hit to date for Kym Sims. Her first two hits were Steve "Silk" Hurley compositions but this one wasn't. One of the composers of this was E-Smoove who had previously worked with Steve "Silk" Hurley. The result is that you can almost tell it's from the same artist who did "Too Blind To See It" and "Take My Advice" and sounds like someone's trying to write in the style of Steve "Silk" Hurley but it doesn't live up to the real thing.
Verdict - OK
After having their biggest hit to date with "Weather With You", Crowded House follow up with another weather related song. It's a record I remember being much better than it actually is. Perhaps it just hasn't aged well, not a bad tune but at the same time I'm finding myself waiting for it to start.
Verdict - OK
In an era where I have more music available to listen to on the internet but less time to listen to it, I find myself listening to the shortened version of songs most of the time. Not with this one though, I'm more inclined to listen to a longer live version. It's a pretty basic song really but Guns n Roses take it to another level.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Sophie B Hawkins. I think that all her records that I know have aged really well. I'm pretty certain I did like this at the time, but after listening to it just now I find myself wanting to listen to it again.
Verdict - Good
For years I thought this was a 60s record that had been re-released. Turns out this was recorded by Roy Orbison in 1987 and not released until 1992. In hindsight this would have been well ahead of it's time if it was a 60s record.
Verdict - Good
This was originally a Top 40 hit in 1985. The original is a fantastic record, I have it on a mostly 90s R&B compilation and it doesn't sound out of place on it despite being older. This remix by Frankie Knuckles though ruins it.
Verdict - Rubbish
Megadeth were one of those bands I was supposed to like as a rock fan in the early 90s, but never really did. Before I'd knowingly heard a Megadeth record I heard about how heavy they were supposed to be. I can't remember whether it was this record I heard first, but it's not really heavy at all in my opinion and a bit boring.
Verdict - Rubbish
The 3 men behind this record are Micky Finn, Aphrodite and Claudio Giussani. Micky Finn was already one of the big name DJs in the rave scene at this point and would become one of the biggest names in drum & bass. The beats in this are quite something and is amongst the better rave tunes of this era.
Verdict - Good
Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine were one of those groups I never gave much thought to after the early 90s. Then years later I did a picture quiz which had a picture of them on it and in being reminded of their existence the first record that came into my head was this one. In terms of chart performance this is middle ground amongst their hits, but this must have had the biggest impact on me. I do prefer "After The Watershed", but this is maybe the 2nd best of their hits.
Verdict - Good
The B-52s are one of those groups that tread that fine line between being innovative and annoying. This record more or less sits on that line, I can appreciate it and it's not a bad one to listen to but at the same time it's a bit cheesy and irritating.
Verdict - OK
When I was doing my best year series of posts where I listened to the Top 40 for the first week of July in each year, I picked this as the best record from the 1992 Top 40 I listened to. This is one of the all time greats from the early 90s.
Verdict - Good
This was the Top 40 debut for TLC and only Top 40 hit from their "Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip" album. It's one of those records I'd be happy to hear if I heard it out and about, but not one I'd really want to sit down and listen to.
Verdict - OK
This was the 4th Top 40 hit from their "Achtung Baby" album which had now been out for over 6 months. The one word that springs to mind with this record is average. It's alright to listen to but I'm not going to seek it out to listen to.
Verdict - OK
I remember how I find out who made this record. Somebody told me they'd just bought the Kris Kross record and I thought they were talking about Christopher Cross of "Arthurs Theme" fame. Then they played it and I realised it was a completely different act. In theory 2 squeaky voiced kids rapping should be terrible, but this one isn't. The actual tune helps a lot, but they rap it well too.
Verdict - Good
16. Altern 8 - Hypnotic St-8 (New)
The 4th and final Top 40 hit to date for Altern 8. From a chart perspective Altern 8 were the biggest rave act at this point. The Prodigy were still just 2 singles into their Top 40 career. Whilst The Prodigy have made some questionable records over the years even by their own admission, Altern 8 never made a bad one.
Verdict - Good
I remember this one being much better than it actually is. It doesn't sound as lively as I remember it being so I'm struggling to really get into it. Maybe it needs a few more listens to get back into it, but at the moment it's simply ok.
Verdict - OK
This was the first single to be taken from the album of the same name. Even though it sounds like a typical Elton John record, it somehow sounds catchier than most. Maybe I've just heard it too many times in my life. It's a decent enough record but hasn't quite got enough about it for me to truly like it.
Verdict - OK
In my college days I bought an old rave compilation from Cash Converters and put it on in the common room. Several people in the common room weren't into rave and weren't familiar with most of the tunes. I was there saying they were missing out, this was good stuff. Then this tune came on which everyone did know, but I had to concede that this one was shit. Think that was the only one we all agreed on.
Verdict - Rubbish
We're in an era where grunge had supposedly killed the rock music which existed before it. People are quick to point the finger at the ballads rock bands were making, but I would point my finger at records like this. It just sounds so bland. At least the ballads have a bit of character.
Verdict - Rubbish
The Top 40 debut for The Orb which stands at just under 40 minutes long. There is a much shorter radio edit though and the album version stands at just 17 minutes 34 seconds long. I own the "UFOrb" album so no surprise that I like this record.
Verdict - Good
I'm a big fan of Motown in the 60s and 70s, but not so much Motown in the 90s. The problem with this record is that technology has allowed this record to be produced much better than it would have in the 60s. In doing that though it loses it's charm. If this was made in the 60s I'd probably have liked it, but as it wasn't it doesn't quite get there.
Verdict - OK
Although this wasn't their debut hit, this was really the beginning of Take That becoming more or less the biggest pop act of the early 90s. Their debut "Do What You Like" never charted at all, then "Promises" only made 38, the next single "Once You've Tasted Love" didn't make the Top 40 and then came this. This was also their first single not to be written by Gary Barlow as it was a cover of the Tavares record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was George Michael's last hit before his legal battle with Sony. I can't remember what I thought about this record at the time, I just remember it existing. Given the circumstances around this single being released though it does sound a bit like he's put out any old crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
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
6. Electronic - Disappointed (New)
This is a great name the artist record for a music quiz because you will inevitably have people say it's the Pet Shop Boys. It does of course have Neil Tennant on lead vocals and came in the first year the Pet Shop Boys didn't have any Top 40 hits since their 1985 debut. It was also the highest charting hit for Electronic and I'd say probably their best one too.
Verdict - Good
I remember this on Top of the Pops with the chanting of "Utah Saints". It was their 2nd Top 40 hit and highest charting single to date. When the awful 2008 version was released I was quick to point towards this, the much better version.
Verdict - Good
I did like this record at the time. It was the theme music to the TV series of the same name which starred Nick Berry which had just began at a similar time on a Friday night. Unfortunately from the 2nd series it was on a Sunday night and has therefore since reminded me that I have school in the morning. If I'd carried on watching it once I joined the world of work then it would probably remind me of that similar dread of having work in the morning too.
Verdict - Rubbish
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
When I was doing my best year series of posts where I listened to the Top 40 for the first week of July in each year, I picked this as the worst record from the 1992 Top 40 I listened to. I remember watching it on Top of the Pops and wanting to throw the TV out the window.
Verdict - Rubbish
Erasure had 16 Top 40 hits to their name prior to this record. I like all 16 of those records, but then came this. It's an EP full of Abba covers with the main track being "Take A Chance On Me" that features a rap from MC Kinky. I don't like any of them.
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 17/30, or 57%. This was from the Top 40 I reviewed for the best year search and it's since improved by 0.5 courtesy of Elton John.
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