Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 28 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Wednesday.
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 1995 with my verdict on each record:
This got no further than 29 on it's first release, but fared better when it was rereleased in 1995 after appearing on the Levi's advert. I do however remember hearing this on the radio in 1993 and liking it. The intro to it is very distinctive.
Verdict - Good
After having 6 Top 40 hits from her self titled album already, Janet Jackson releases a double a-side of records both from that same album. There's something quite nostalgic about "Whoops Now", a 60s style record done 90s style if that makes sense. "What'll I Do" is a cover of a 60s soul record, but the original is far far better.
Verdict - Good / Rubbish
This was the 6th Top 40 hit for Mary J Blige and the first time she'd made the Top 20. It's also her first Top 40 hit that was a cover with this originally being by Rose Royce. It's not as good as the original but still a pretty decent cover.
Verdict - Good
I remember watching this video. You had lots of strange looking people enter the photo booth, but then the last one to walk in was an ordinary looking bloke with long hair. Not only did I think the bloke with long hair was a bit out of place for looking normal, but I also thought long hair equaled rock music, and this was a dance record. I was therefore amazed to see the bloke with long hair was the bloke singing it, though in hindsight it makes a lot of sense. A bit overplayed now, but I still like it.
Verdict - Good
26. Boyz II Men - Thank You (New)
As a general rule Babyface wrote ballads for Boyz II Men and Dallas Austin wrote the more upbeat numbers. This one is a Dallas Austin composition. It's clear that selling records was more of a priority than music credibility for Boyz II Men, but as guess this one isn't too bad.
Verdict - OK
The Comic Relief single for 1995. At the time I remember being part of a quiz team and getting the question of who did this record. My team mate correctly answered Cher, Chrissie Hynde and Neneh Cherry, then I added "and Eric Clapton on the guitar". To this very day I still cringe at that moment, maybe because I was trying to point out something positive about the song when even Eric Clapton couldn't stop this song from being dire.
Verdict - Rubbish
I would have placed this record as being from later on in the 90s than it actually was. That's perhaps because of its inclusion in the Renault Scenic advert at a later date. That advert used to really irritate me, but that was more to do with the woman sort of singing along to it. As a standalone record it's pretty decent.
Verdict - Good
Some have nicknamed this record as "Everything Hurts part 2". I see the similarities there but there are enough differences between both of them to be different. In fact I prefer this record, obviously helped by it not being overplayed as I don't think I've heard this since 1995.
Verdict - Good
I remember going on holiday in 1995 and going to a restaurant the first night which was almost empty. As I dined it became apparent why nobody went there. The restaurant manager seemed to love this song, playing it multiple times that evening and encouraging diners to get up and dance to it with him. Needless to say I never went back. A boring depressing record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the big hit for Alex Party. It makes me think of the Smash Hits Poll Winners party but I can't find any evidence of this ever being on it. What it also reminds me of is that a few months prior I couldn't stand this sort of music but I was liking it by this point.
Verdict - Good
When Terence Trent D'Arby went in the rock direction in 1993 I wasn't convinced. He continued to go in the same direction for this 1995 comeback which would be his final Top 40 hit to date. This record is much more like it though, don't know why but it works for me.
Verdict - Good
This was the Top 40 debut for Mark Morrison in 1995, but following the success of "Return of the Mack" this was remixed and charted higher than it did the first time around. I'd say this is an illustration of how British R&B is often inferior to it's American counterpart.
Verdict - Rubbish
18. TLC - Red Light Special (New)
The 3rd Top 40 hit for TLC which was the first one not to be written by Dallas Austin. Instead it's Babyface on songwriting duties. I think you can tell it's a Babyface composition too and as I like Babyface records as a general rule I guess I like this one.
Verdict - Good
The issue I used to have with the Eurovision Song Contest when I was younger was that it sounded like most of the music was stuck in the dark ages. Then in 1995 this record was selected to represent the UK and I thought wow a song that actually sounds modern at Eurovision. I also watched the Eurovision Song Contest that year and it really should have won as it was the best record by far.
Verdict - Good
This was the last original Top 40 hit to date for Snap!. They were very much on the commercial side of dance music but purely from an enjoyment perspective I would say their latter hits are the best ones. The way dance music in general had evolved by this point suits this kind of record.
Verdict - Good
Even relative reggae pop newcomer Pato Banton was struggling somewhat from a chart perspective in 1995. He was never able to reach similar heights to his chart topping debut with this being his 3rd Top 40 which like his 2nd got no higher than 15. His debut had the Campbell brothers from UB40, his 2nd had Sting and now his 3rd had Ranking Roger from The Beat. It's a great catchy record and its relative lack of success means it hasn't suffered from overplay.
Verdict - Good
This was the first and biggest Top 40 hit for Bucketheads which was a project of Kenny Dope from Masters At Work. It was the first time I'd come across Kenny Dope and initially I thought he was the bloke in the video. Despite the fact I know what he looks like now, it's still the bloke in the video I picture when I come across Kenny Dope. It's a great record too.
Verdict - Good
13. Portishead - Sour Times (New)
The 2nd and final Top 40 hit from the "Dummy" album which came out in 1994. Like its predecessor this also reached number 13. That album is one of my all time favourites so there is absolutely no doubting my verdict on this record.
Verdict - Good
German eurodance act The Real McCoy were successful in both the UK and America with their first 2 Top 40 hits. This was their 3rd Top 40 hit which failed to reach the Top 10 in the UK and didn't chart in America. I do prefer the first two, but this one is still decent enough.
Verdict - Good
It had been getting on for a year since Wet Wet Wet first topped the charts with "Love Is All Around" until they released this, the follow up. It didn't feel like it though given how long "Love Is All Around" was in the charts for. I do feel like I shouldn't like this record, but I do.
Verdict - Good
10. Deuce - I Need You (New)
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Deuce which was also their highest charting. They were basically Steps before Steps existed. In fact a number of years later I heard this for the first time in years and initially thought I was hearing Steps but then realised later on that I'd misremembered and it was actually Deuce. It's therefore crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
As a raver in 1995 I liked to point out that this was music for young people that old people couldn't understand. This was one such record I liked at the time, little did I know that Paul Oakenfold wrote it with Rob Davis from 70s band Mud. It's a classic for sure.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Brownstone and the record they are best known for. It reached number 8 in both the UK and America. I would also say this is their best Top 40 hit and was very much of it's time, that's a better time.
Verdict - Good
Here's a turn up for the books, an Australian pop singer who wasn't on an Aussie soap. This was the Top 40 debut for Tina Arena and the record she's best known for. This is how you make a pop ballad, once it gets going it's quite something.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Strike which originally charted in 1994 but fared better when it returned to the charts in 1995. Its the record Strike were best known for. It's definitely one of those records that makes me nostalgic about the 90s.
Verdict - Good
Whilst the Corona Top 40 debut "The Rhythm of the Night" charted higher, I would say this follow up hit is the one they're best known for. It's a cheesy eurodance number but it's one of the more enjoyable variety and as such I quite like it.
Verdict - Good
One of the reasons I have 1995 down as being a good year for music is because I'd videotaped the Christmas edition of Top of the Pops and found myself liking many of the records they used to round up the year. There were however exceptions to that and this record stands out as one of those that wasn't so good.
Verdict - Rubbish
This originally made number 38 in 1994 but did better when it returned to the charts in 1995 and gave Bobby Brown his highest charting Top 40 hit to date. It was also the last of his big hits. The single version was a K-Klass remix and is a dance record. A great uplifting record.
Verdict - Good
1995 was the year of The Outhere Brothers and this is where it all began. They were massive in 1995 and then afterwards they were nowhere to be seen really. I was a fan of their music, it was great fun to listen to.
Verdict - Good
At the time me and a couple of others were given lunchtime detention at school for a few days by the science teacher in the science lab. He would listen to his tape which began with this song. We would therefore laugh at this possibly 50 something bloke listening to Take That. I always hated Take That and still think most of their music is crap, but I have to concede that this one is actually quite good.
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 24.5/30, or 82%. It was always going to struggle to match or beat last week but it's only a slight drop.
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