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:
I was really critical of this song at the time. It's called "This Ain't A Love Song" but it clearly is one, something I'd shout when I'd hear it. I was still very much in my anti-Bon Jovi phase. In reality though this is one of my favourite Bon Jovi records and a good one to scream your lungs out to.
Verdict - Good
I don't think anyone saw this one coming. A eurodance record that's rapped by a 53 year old bloke with a stutter. This record is about as 1995 as they come even though it was originally recorded in 1994. What a tune though.
Verdict - Good
Wet Wet Wet were enjoying a revival off the back of the success of "Love I All Around" with this being their 3rd Top 10 hit in a row, something they hadn't managed since their first 3 singles back in 1987. I do quite like it.
Verdict - Good
The 3rd and final Top 40 hit for Amy Grant who had last been in the Top 40 in 1991. It's a cover of the Joni Mitchell record and I believe this was the first version of this record that I heard. I remember thinking it was good to see the singer of "Baby Baby" back in the charts.
Verdict - Good
I love the original "White Lines (Don't Do It)" by Grandmaster & Melle Mel and this cover completely ruins it. I can live with the rock element being added to it but the singing of the lines that were originally rapped is just terrible.
Verdict - Rubbish
The Top 40 debut for britpop band Menswear who were taking advantage of it's popularity by having lots of hype surrounding them before they'd even made a record. It's a pretty catchy number though and I have to concede that I quite like it.
Verdict - Good
This was the 6th Top 40 hit for Boyz II Men. Prior to this the big hits were the Babyface penned ones whilst the others didn't chart so well. This one however is a Babyface penned one that didn't chart so well. It's not very good.
Verdict - Rubbish
The Top 40 debut for Soul For Real. They were a male R&B group with a young lead singer whose voice was yet to break. A sort of 90s New Edition then and given New Edition were all grown up by this point and on hiatus I guess there was a gap in the market for it. I do quite like it myself.
Verdict - Good
22. Del Amitri - Roll To Me (New)
This record is a prime example of having a chart position that doesn't reflect its popularity. It got no higher than 22 and is certainly better known than some of their higher charting records. That said it was an American Top 10 hit which I guess helps raise its popularity. A decent record too.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for the Foo Fighters. The fact that it was former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl's band and the fact it's not a grunge record more or less confirmed that grunge was pretty much finished. Although I had personally moved onto rave by this point, I always did consider this to be a solid debut.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for Jam & Spoon which first charted in 1994. It's their highest charting hit and the one they're best known for. It's nowhere near as good as their less successful records from 1995 and it's difficult to not make the comparison. If I ask myself if it's better than "Don't Make Me Wait" by Loveland ft Rachel McFarlane though I'd say yes it probably is.
Verdict - Good
Michael Jackson first made a name for himself singing with his brothers. Now here he is singing with his sister. The issue I have with this record is it's over the top like a lot of his records are. If I put that to one side though and concentrate on the music alone then I like it if I'm in the right mood.
Verdict - Good
It had only been a few months since the original version of this by The Cranberries had been in the Top 40. This eurodance cover is just about as bad as it gets, a truly awful record.
Verdict - Rubbish
It's difficult to pin point a record that M People are best known for but I'd say this record is definitely a candidate. It's inclusion on the Peugeot advert would probably be a factor, that's what I think of when I hear this record. Not to my liking.
Verdict - Rubbish
The 7th Top 40 hit for Jamiroquai which became their highest charting single to that point. I remember seeing this on Top of the Pops at the time and remember loving how smooth and funky it was. My opinion had pretty much stayed the same.
Verdict - Good
15. Blondie - Heart Of Glass (New)
This was originally a chart topper in 1979 and returned to the charts in 1995 courtesy of a Diddy remix. I think the original is a great record and I much prefer that to this remix. That said I don't think this remix particularly ruins it so still good.
Verdict - Good
14. Liquid - Sweet Harmony / One Love Family (New)
"Sweet Harmony" first made the Top 40 in 1992. This is a remix, there were plenty of remixes or records using the same samples over the years. "One Love Family" was in the Top 40 for the first time. I bought this single so that should tell you what I think of it.
Verdict - Good / Good
Pulp formed in the 70s but it took until 1994 for them to get their first Top 40 hit. It was this record though that made them a household name. I wasn't keen on this record at first, then it grew on me a bit but it's taken quite a few years for me to concede that I do quite like it.
Verdict - Good
The follow up to the chart topping "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" which is a rave version of the Korgis record. There were other rave versions of the same record also going round at the same time. It lends itself well to it though I have to say.
Verdict - Good
Whigfield is best known for her chart topping debut "Saturday Night" which is an irritating record. Then came "Another Day" which is basically the same tune with different lyrics. Then came this which made me think what the fuck, I like this Whigfield record. It's still cheesy don't get me wrong, but in a good way. Those who remember it are likely to remember it for the line "I need you inside me tonight".
Verdict - Good
It had been over 2 years since Shaggy topped the charts with "Oh Carolina" but took until this record for him to score his 2nd Top 40 hit. It's based on the Mungo Jerry record of the same name and features extensive vocals from Rayvon, the first act from Barbados to have a Top 40 hit. A fun record.
Verdict - Good
The solo Top 40 debut for Edwyn Collins who had previous been in the Top 40 as part of Orange Juice. This record is all about the guitar, I love the way it basically repeats the lines that he sings. The rest of the guitaring is great as well.
Verdict - Good
Throughout 1989 and into early 1990 Bobby Brown had a new single every 5 minutes it seemed. Then there was nothing until this record. It continues the new jack swing sound of its predecessors with Babyface, LA Reid and Daryl Simmons on songwriting duties again. It has a more aggressive sound than previous efforts which I guess went with Bobby Browns bad boy persona.
Verdict - Good
Just when you thought that D:Ream were finished they were back with a new single and album. This would however be the final original Top 10 single for the band who would only just be scraping into the Top 40 by the end of the year.
Verdict - Rubbish
This record was famously featured on the soundtrack to "Batman Forever". It's a crap film like all the Batman films are but the music is good. I love the intro/outro riff to this.
Verdict - Good
This was the highest charting Top 40 hit for Clock. It's a eurodance cover of the Tag Team record. I do remember this being pretty big at the time but it's never worked in my opinion. The again very generic eurodance music sold records.
Verdict - Rubbish
4. Diana King - Shy Guy (New)
The Top 40 debut for Diana King and the record she is best known for. It was from the soundtrack to "Bad Boys", a film that has Will Smith in it. The fact it wasn't Will Smith making the record for the film might have indicated that he'd given up on music. Maybe that's why I like this.
Verdict - Good
EMF had a total of 3 Top 10 hits, "Unbelievable", "I Believe" and "I'm A Believer". A bit of a theme going on with that. This would be their final Top 40 hit to date and teaming up with comedians Reeves and Mortimer probably didn't do much for their music credibility. It's crap but that's probably the point.
Verdict - Rubbish
Whilst I generally have a favourable opinion of music from 1995 I'm also conscious that there was also rubbish in the charts that year with Robson & Jerome in particular that springs to mind. This was their Top 40 debut which came about after their Soldier Soldier characters sang it on the show.
Verdict - Rubbish / Rubbish
If I had to pick a record to sum up the summer of 1995 then this would probably be it. This was also my favourite of The Outhere Brothers hits.
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 22/30, or 73%. The good scores keep coming.
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