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 was her follow up to he big hit "Chains" but she was never able to hit the same heights again. It's almost going into country music territory which is evident by the fact a country singer did a cover of it. Not my sort of thing.
Verdict - Rubbish
When I first heard this record I was quite surprised that it was a new record. I thought it sounded like it should be an older record. I still think it wouldn't have sounded out of place long before it was written, but does very much remind me of 1995 these days. It's one of those rare Paul Weller records that I actually like.
Verdict - Good
Tony De Vit was a big name DJ who had made his Top 40 debut earlier on in the year. This time he's teamed up with 99th Floor Elevators who are making their Top 40 debut. A decent dance record.
Verdict - Good
I'm not sure if you would classify Mozaic as a girl group or not. This is basically Paul Oakenfold doing a cover of the Dr Alban record but it's being fronted by a trio of females. As this was before The Spice Girls a girl group wasn't really seen as a bad thing.
Verdict - Good
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
This record originally came out in 1991 but was remixed and made the Top 40 for the first time in 1995. I remember going to a disco at the time and the person putting it on assured me there would be plenty of rave/dance music. This was playing as I walked in and I thought it was a good start. I can't remember much else about the disco if I'm honest.
Verdict - Good
24. Julian Cope - Try Try Try (New)
Julian Cope made his solo Top 40 debut in 1986 but this was just his 5th Top 40 hit. It was also just one of two Julian Cope hits to make the Top 30. I do quite like this one.
Verdict - Good
When PJ and Duncan performed "Tonight I'm Free" few would have predicted it would lead to a music career particularly after said record failed to reach the Top 40. When the novelty of PJ and Duncan making music caught on and led to an album I don't think too many people thought they'd have a 2nd album. Yet here they were with the lead single from their 2nd album. It sounds more polished which takes the fun out if anything.
Verdict - Rubbish
I have a memory of listening to the Chris Evans Breakfast Show one day on Radio 1 at the time and liking everything he was playing on it. I remember this record being one of those that he played. It was the Top 40 debut for Dana Dawson and was her biggest hit.
Verdict - Good
This was the record that made New Order a household name back in 1983. It was remixed and given a new lease of life in 1995 and it's got even more of an electronic sound to it if that's even possible. I guess it's a case of if it was made in 1995 this is what it would sound like and it's not lost any of its charm.
Verdict - Good
This was the 6th Top 40 hit for The Cranberries and first one that I have no memory of. The intro rings a bell because it's been sampled. After an almost promising start though it turns into some generic rubbish that isn't very memorable.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was a question at a music quiz I went to years ago where we heard the clip and had to name the song. I confidently said to my team it was "Reverend Black Grape". When the quizmaster gave the answer as "In The Name Of The Father" I protested saying that was the obvious title but not the real title. It turns out I was wrong, it's a completely different song and they just both have that religious connection. Didn't stop me from liking this though.
Verdict - Good
The solo Top 40 debut for Mary Kiani who had previously been this singer of The Time Frequency. It's a dance record that's very much a commercial sounding one which is kind of expected when the artist is a vocalist. I do like it though.
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
A Pet Shop Boys record where Chris Lowe takes lead vocals instead of Neil Tennant. I've always liked the Pet Shop Boys but never used to admit it. I do however remember at the time thinking that this record would be acceptable for a raver to like, more so than their other hits at least.
Verdict - Good
14. The Connells - 74-'75 (New)
The only UK Top 40 hit for The Connells and I think one of those situations where it may be just as well they left it at that because if I was to hear anything else by them it would most likely be a big disappointment. I absolutely love this record, there's no such thing as perfection but this is pretty damn close to it. Then there's the video showing various people from the class of 74-75 then and now (well 1993 when the video was made). I'm now older than these people were back then by a few years, they would now be of retirement age.
Verdict - Good
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
12. Levellers - Hope Street (New)
The 5th Top 40 hit for the Levellers and the 3rd to make number 12. It was the lead single from their "Zeitgeist" album. When they first broke through their music sounded soft compared to other guitar bands but by this record it was sounding heavy compared to guitar bands at the time. Quite refreshing in a way.
Verdict - Good
11. Ash - Girl From Mars (New)
The Top 40 debut for Ash though I recall them establishing themselves around the same time as Reef. Part of the reason for me transitioning from rock to rave was because the new bands like Ash and Reef were too soft. I've therefore never had a favourable view of this record.
Verdict - Rubbish
10. Felix - Don't You Want Me (New)
This was the record that kicked of hardbag music from a chart perspective in 1992. In 1995 we were really in the peak period for hardbag so it made sense for this to be given a 1995 makeover. It was remixed by Dutch producer Patrick Prins who also had Top 40 hits under the names Ethics and Subliminal Cuts. A decent remix.
Verdict - Good
I've already mentioned a memory of listening to the Chris Evans Breakfast Show one day on Radio 1 around this time and liking everything he was playing. This was another of those records that he played. It became the biggest hit to that point for TLC.
Verdict - Good
The biggest hit for Supergrass and the one they're best known for. I was already familiar with Supergrass courtesy of their previous hits and had them down as a bit of a moody band. I was therefore surprised at how uplifting "Alright" was. They're back to their moody selves on "Time" but are sounding a bit poundland Rolling Stones for my liking.
Verdict - Good / Rubbish
The solo Top 40 debut for Suggs. It's a reggae style cover of the Beatles record and an original record. It's nowhere near as good as the Beatles record but is pleasant enough. Not too keen on "Off On Holiday" though.
Verdict - Good / Rubbish
One thing that makes Corona different to your usual eurodance acts is that they have 3 big hits that could all claim to be their big hit. Not only that but each of those 3 are quite distinctive and not just soundalikes of what they've done before.
Verdict - Good
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
"Kiss From A Rose" was originally a Top 40 hit in 1994 but was given a new lease of life when it featured in the "Batman Forever" soundtrack. I'd never heard "I'm Alive" until I bought the CD single of this.
Verdict - Good / Good
3. Boyzone - So Good (New)
This was the 3rd Top 40 hit for Boyzone and for a while it was the only Boyzone hit that wasn't a ballad. As a result it's quite possibly the best Boyzone single, but it's still crap though.
Verdict - 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
Robbie Williams had left Take That by this point but his vocals were still present on the record. Howard Donald took lead vocals on this record which was unexpected given he was very much in the background prior to this. I hated it at the time, but now it's 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 24/30, or 80%. We were never going to beat last week.
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