Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 27 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Friday.
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 1997 with my verdict on each record:
The 20th Top 40 hit for George Michael which was also the title of the album this was taken from. I certainly considered George Michael to be old at the time, but he was only 33. Most people old enough to remember this would be over 33 now. Anyway like "Jesus To a Child" a year prior to this, it's slow and boring.
Verdict - Rubbish / Rubbish
Amen! UK was one of many aliases of Paul Masterson who had previously charted as Candy Girls and Dorothy. I loved the main riff to this, it made up for the fact it wasn't as fast as a typical tune I would listen to at the time.
Verdict - Good
Even Skunk Anansie were going soft in 1997. This was probably the softest hit they'd had but at the same time appropriate for the dark theme of the record. Not a bad record but does lack a little something to make me truly like it.
Verdict - OK
Gabrielle had written all of her Top 40 hits prior to her collaboration with East 17 when she did a cover. She then followed of with another cover with this being a cover of the Dionne Warwick song. It goes without saying that it's not as good as the original, but it's actually a decent cover and probably the best hit Gabrielle has ever had.
Verdict - Good
I mentioned on their previous Top 40 hit "Wide Open Space" that it was the only Top 40 hit of theirs I remember. Despite this one getting to the Top 10 it completely passed me by, but given how much I hated "Wide Open Space" I probably trained myself to avoid them. Doesn't sound like I've missed out on much.
Verdict - Rubbish
Here's Whitney Houston with yet another song taken from a movie. This time it's "The Preachers Wife" which Whitney Houston was also in herself. It's a cover of an Annie Lennox record. There was also a happy hardcore version of this which I thought was dreadful, much like what I think of this.
Verdict - Rubbish
Just when you thought Michelle Gayle's pop career was over, here she is back in the Top 10 with the lead single from her 2nd album. A big talking point about this record at the time was Michelle Gayle appearing topless (but covered) in the video. That possibly helped boost sales, I can't imagine the music itself did.
Verdict - Rubbish
I remember this comeback of Depeche Mode. It had been 3 years since they had last been in the Top 40 and came after a time when Dave Gahan was having drug problems which resulted in him briefly dying which I remember him talking about on the "The O-Zone". As you could imagine then, this is a pretty dark record but if anyone knows how to make a dark record it's Depeche Mode.
Verdict - Good
At first listen this raises the question, was this a 60s record that has made it's way back in the Top 40 for some reason? Turns out the answer is no, it's taken from a film of the same name that was set in the 60s and this was the band in the movies song. It's therefore a cheesy crap imitation of a 60s record.
Verdict - Rubbish
When I first came across this record I thought wow Will from TFI Friday has made a record. Of course it wasn't really Will from TFI Friday, just a lookalike. It was one of those tunes I quietly enjoyed. I don't remember anyone talking about it, or Eels at the time. When I got to university they seemed to be everyone's favourite band.
Verdict - Good
The 4th Top 40 hit for the Backstreet Boys and 2nd penned by Max Martin and Herbie Crichlow, but no Denniz Pop with them this time. It became their highest charting hit to that point, a sign that American pop singers backed by Swedish songwriters were here to stay. Unfortunately it's mostly crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
What had become apparent by this point was that not only were the Spice Girls here to stay, but they were almost inevitably going to top the charts with everything they release. I knew someone who bought this single because you could see Geri's legs on the cover, that's how effective their marketing seemed to be. It even made its was onto the Christmas episode of "Only Fools And Horses". Musically though it's really poor.
Verdict - Rubbish
Boyzone had pretty much established themselves as the leading boy band by this point, with Take That split up and East 17 in turmoil. Their formula consisted mostly of doing shit covers. Now we have some poundland Boyzone in the shape off OTT. This was the Top 40 debut for Irish boy band OTT which like Boyzone begin their Top 40 career with a shitty Osmonds cover.
Verdict - Rubbish
This seems quite an odd collaboration in a way, but then when you consider that both Bryan Adams and Barbra Streisand seemed to make songs for films a lot it almost made sense for them to collaborate. As you might expect, its from a film which was "The Mirror Has Two Faces". Also as you might expect, it's shit.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the big comeback single for Texas after being in the wilderness since 1989. They had a few hits in-between, but none that anyone remembers. Chris Evans was a big fan of this as I recall and helped put Texas back in the limelight. Judging by a lot of the music that appeared on TFI Friday though taught me that Chris Evans didn't have the best taste in music.
Verdict - Rubbish
Although there are many resources on the internet these days about White Town, at the time it was a bit of a mystery who White Town actually was. It was also an unlikely number one. It's an experimental tune made by someone who was anonymous but at the same time it was a tune that could be liked by fans of various genres.
Verdict - Good
14. Space - Dark Clouds (New)
Space had a pretty decent 1996 with all 3 of their Top 40 hits being pretty decent. This 4th Top 40 hit from them is taken from the same album. If I was to rank all 4 songs then this would definitely be 4th. It's not a bad record but lacks the excitement of the other 3 records.
Verdict - OK
One reservation I had about this record at the time was seeing them on Top of the Pops with a drum kit. I was basically anti-instruments at the time and thought all good music should have programmed drums which were impossible to play on an actual drum kit. It wasn't enough to stop me from liking the tune though, was definitely one of the best commercial records of its time.
Verdict - Good
After starting his solo career with one of the most namby pamby songs I've ever heard with "Child", he followed up with this Britpop record. Still not convincing though, Britpop didn't exactly mean credible and it sounds more like a record for a Take That fan than a Britpop one.
Verdict - Rubbish
For the first decade or so of LL Cool J's career his Top 40 record was a solitary Top 10 hit and 3 hits that made the 30s. Then he had 3 Top 20 hits in 1996 alone and then he topped the charts at the start of 1997 with this. It was from the Beavis & Butthead soundtrack which would have helped. Does seem odd for a record like this to be on a soundtrack for 2 characters who are into metal though. Can't say I'm a fan of this myself.
Verdict - Rubbish
My one reservation about this record was it being too slow. It wouldn't have really worked as a fast tune though. I remember this and "Your Woman" by White Town being out around the same sort of time. I guess there are similarities between the two.
Verdict - Good
9. James - She's A Star (New)
It had been 3 years since James had last been in the Top 40. At the time I remember thinking that James were a band that could capitalise on the popularity of Britpop so made sense for them to come back. I also thought they sounded like they were turning into Suede on this record, which isn't a good thing.
Verdict - Rubbish
There appears to be a lot of dating shows on the TV these days and I have no interest whatsoever in watching any of them. This record though reminds me there was a dodgy dating show I used to watch in the 90s called "Streetmate" with Davina McCall and this was the theme music. I do remember this record initially grabbing my attention because it was by a DJ, but was disappointed when I actually heard it.
Verdict - Rubbish
7. Daft Punk - Da Funk / Musique (New)
This was the first UK Top 40 hit for Daft Punk. As they were newcomers in that respect I originally thought they were called Da Funk and the tune was called "Daft Punk" and furthermore I thought that was in reference to the man with the dogs head in the video. It wasn't long before I realised it was the other way round and thought why would you call yourselves Daft Punk. I like the tune but I also like the video to the point I almost forget the tune is playing.
Verdict - Good / Good
When this record came out I realised just how big U2 were at the time. There was so much hype about this comeback single and it seemed inevitable it would get to number one. At the same time, those who I know who are U2 fans consider this to be their dodgy period. I'm inclined to agree based on this record, it's a dance record but not really one for dance music fans like myself.
Verdict - Rubbish
It had been 3 years since En Vogue had last been in the Top 40 and they came back here with what I consider to be their best record. It was also the beginning of the end for En Vogue as we knew them with lead singer Dawn Robinson leaving the group shortly after. They still carry on today but nothing they've done since has been as good as this.
Verdict - Good
4. 911 - The Day We Find Love (New)
The 4th Top 40 hit for 911 and their first Top 5. Only 2 of their remaining 10 Top 40 hits would peak outside of the Top 5. I did say their previous hit was a guilty pleasure of mine, but this one isn't. It's the usual boy band fodder, the formula needed to succeed that compromises on quality of music.
Verdict - Rubbish
I seem to recall the blurb about this record on The Chart Show saying that No Mercy were waiters at a Gloria Estefan owned restaurant prior to becoming singers. Can't find any mention of that on the internet so The Chart Show were probably just taking the piss. It does make a convincing story though.
Verdict - Rubbish
I remember this record at the time. It seemed big enough, but not as big as it's predecessor "What's Love Got To Do With It". I was therefore surprised this go as high as number 2 matching it's predecessor. Another solid effort from Warren G.
Verdict - Good
1. No Doubt - Don't Speak (New)
No Doubt seemed to just come out of nowhere with this record. I remember thinking who the fuck are No Doubt and suddenly they were number one. Turns out they'd had a number 38 prior to this. I think they did their best stuff later on in their career, but this ones not bad.
Verdict - OK
If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 11.5/30, or 38%. Slight drop from last week.
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