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 1993 with my verdict on each record:
This record is best remembered for it's video full of naked people rather than the actual tune. Reading through the video comments I came across one that sums it up perfectly for me "It sounds great and the message is still something to aspire to. It's a shame the years have made me cynical.".
Verdict - Good
29. Runrig - Wonderful (New)
It sounds like it could be a Big Country record from the intro, but as we get further in I would say Runrig sound even more Scottish than their fellow country men. It's an acquired taste, if you're into your celtic rock then you probably would like this. I'm not a big fan of celtic rock though.
Verdict - Rubbish
28. Marxman - All About Eve (New)
Marxman were a group who have been compared to the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead. I can see the resemblance but they had their own sound too. This was their only Top 40 hit and admittedly the one record of theirs I know. I should give their other tunes a listen too really.
Verdict - Good
A cover of the Five Satins song. I do like a bit of 50s doo wop music that you'd expect groups of people singing on street corners at the time. This cover has kept that 50s doo wop sound rather than modernise it. On that basis I can't really fault this record.
Verdict - Good
I remember hearing this on the radio for the first time and the DJ said something along the lines of "here's the new REM record, check out the lyrics to this" before playing it. By the end of the song I think the only lyrics I could make out were "can only swallow money". Many people though he was singing "calling Jamaica" in the chorus but he wasn't. Anyway I guess it all gives the song character.
Verdict - Good
This record brings back so many memories for me. I remember listening to it for the first time on someone's Walkman. I remember being challenged to sing it to someone as proof that I'd heard Rage Against The Machines music. That same person was adamant they were underground and you had to go to a specialist shop to buy the album even though I could see it for sale in the local Our Price. Clearly enough people knew this song when it made Christmas number one in 2009.
Verdict - Good
This originally made the Top 40 in 1991 but was remixed in 1993 to sound more like a pop record which is the direction they took for the rest of the decade. I guess you could call it dance music for people who aren't into dance music. I am into dance music though.
Verdict - Rubbish
Having scored her only Billboard 100 hit to date with her first ballad single "So Close" Dina Carroll followed up with another ballad. It wouldn't be the last ballad she'd have a hit with either. A ballad can be an absolute masterpiece if done well, but 90% of them are just boring and this is one of the 90%.
Verdict - Rubbish
Bryan Ferry began his solo Top 40 career doing nothing but covers. Then he started having original hits in the late 70s and the 80s. Then in the 90s he was back to doing covers which started with this. I do find it some what baffling that a songwriter like Bryan Ferry would do so many covers. I can't say I think much of this.
Verdict - Rubbish
This failed to make the Top 40 when first released the previous year. It was the only solo Top 40 hit for kd Lang. It's one of those record that seems more suited to the American market than the UK one. I guess it's catchy but that's the only good thing about it, if that even is a good thing.
Verdict - Rubbish
If ever there was proof that everyone's got one good song in them, then this is it. I'm not a fan of Duran Duran, I've always found their music irritating generally speaking. But this record is excellent. It's easy to point the finger at the guitaring for making this record so good and it certainly contributes to that, but everything about it is good.
Verdict - Good
The 4th Top 40 hit for Bizarre Inc which put them level at the time with fellow rave acts The Prodigy, Altern-8 and SL2. It was their last Top 40 hit from the rave era, but they would be back with a completely different sound. It's one for the charts rather than the clubs, but I have the album and I never skip it.
Verdict - Good
I remember this one appearing on the radio a lot in the evening at the time. It was a strange record, a bloke talking with a bit of music in the background. The fact it was so unusual and different is what made me like it. The memories this brings back ensures I still like it.
Verdict - Good
You couldn't escape this record at the time, it was everywhere. I recall "The Bodyguard" film which this was taken from being massive as well. Let's just say the film was much better than the song.
Verdict - Rubbish
Yes that's right, Tasmin Archer had another hit. In fact she had 5 Top 40 hits in total with this being her 2nd. I have to say when the chorus comes in and she starts singing "son of a bitch you broke my heart" it's quite something. Unfortunately the rest of the song isn't strong enough for me to truly like it.
Verdict - OK
This was the 6th Top 40 hit of the 90s for Rod Stewart with all 6 hits being covers. It was also his first of the 90s not to make the Top 10. I can't imagine too many people under 40 were buying his records by this point though, I certainly wasn't.
Verdict - Rubbish
We're into the final year of Stock and Waterman having hits which begins with this. It sounds like Stock and Waterman had little to do with it though, it's a cover and production was done by West End aka Eddie Gordon amongst others who were uncredited. That would explain why this record is actually quite good.
Verdict - Good
This was the comic relief single for 1993 and was therefore being played all the time at the time. I don't think I've heard it since though. It was a truly dreadful song but I think that was the point.
Verdict - Rubbish
I've often said that the Top 40 record of Nirvana isn't really a reflection of how popular they were. Perhaps the best indication of their popularity from a Top 40 perspective is the fact this charted at all. Had Jesus Lizard released "Puss" by themselves I doubt it would have charted given I don't recall anyone being into them and their noise rock sound isn't exactly chart friendly. The Nirvana tune isn't very chart friendly either, but they were popular enough for people to buy their records regardless of what they sounded like.
Verdict - Rubbish / Rubbish
11. Madonna - Bad Girl (New)
The 30th Top 40 hit for Madonna. Despite being a Top 10 single, just, it was the 2nd lowest charting Top 40 hit she'd had to that point. It also only made number 36 in America. I do remember it, but it's not one you really hear anymore. Hopefully this is the last time I'll hear it.
Verdict - Rubbish
It had already been established that boys weren't supposed to like Take That, but nobody had said anything about East 17 yet. Therefore I would make no secret at the time that I liked this record. It was their first Top 5 hit.
Verdict - Good
It's quite well documented that Depeche Mode got darker as the years went on. In the late 80s their music was darker than the early 80s but still came under the synth pop category. By this point they seemed more of a rock band with synthesizers being replaced by guitars.
Verdict - Good
The lead single from their "Everything Changes" album. I'd say this ones long forgotten now, it's not one you hear anymore. Yet it was Take That's biggest hit to this point. That said they only had 1 single that didn't reach number one after this during their original run. I absolutely detested this song at the time and haven't really changed my mind.
Verdict - Rubbish
7. Suede - Animal Nitrate (New)
I remember mishearing the band name as being Slade when I first heard this and thought wow this sounds a bit different. Then I saw it on the TV with their name on screen and it started to make sense. Suede were one of the most overrated bands of the 90s in my opinion but many bands have one good song in them and for Suede this is the one.
Verdict - Good
A week after Whitney Houston was finally knocked off the top spot we got this Top 5 follow up. It's also from "The Bodyguard" film and is a cover of the Chaka Khan record. At least this one isn't as depressing, but that's the only positive thing I can say about it.
Verdict - Rubbish
I was yet to enter my phase as a rock purist because when this record came out it was my favourite song. I was such a fan that when I was getting sunglasses to go on holiday I said I wanted sunglasses like Shaggy.
Verdict - Good
When it came to peoples Top 10 bands, solo artists were allowed though they rarely featured because rock music was mostly done by bands. One solo artist in many peoples Top 10 around this time was Lenny Kravitz based on this record alone. Then it became apparent this was the same man who did "It Ain't Over Til It's Over" a couple of years prior and he followed this up with the very mellow "Believe". We all still liked this song though, but he was no longer worthy of a place in our Top 10s.
Verdict - Good
This double a-side is often a question on Popmaster and that's how I learned it was a double a-side. "Little Bird" was the one I remember being played at the time and I never really thought much of it. I have no recollection of hearing "Love Song For A Vampire" at the time. I've heard it since and don't think much of it either.
Verdict - Rubbish / Rubbish
The singles kept on coming from the "Dangerous" album with this being the 7th. Whilst most of these singles had been new jack swing ones, this one was a rock song with Slash playing the guitar on it. I never liked it at the time because in my mind it couldn't be a proper rock song if it was by Michael Jackson. It has grown on me since.
Verdict - Good
The tune which knocked Whitney Houston off number one which everybody sang "there's no lyrics" to. I'm terrible at making out lyrics in songs and I remember being criticised for not knowing the words to the other bit she sings and remember other people telling me what the words were. My thoughts were they would have been better of genuinely having no lyrics.
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 15.5/30, or 52%. Sliding but just about keeping above 50%.
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