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 1994 with my verdict on each record:
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Toni Braxton and the 2nd to be written by Babyface who is joined by Daryl Simmons on songwriting duties. Despite the title, it's a lot more uplifting than it's predecessor "Breathe Again". Despite it being more uplifting though it's not as catchy. Once again it gets half marks.
Verdict - OK
This Johnny Nash cover was done for the film "Cool Runnings" and gave Jimmy Cliff his first Top 40 hit for 24 years and his final Top 40 hit to date. I remember their being a joke story around this time which ended in the line "I can see Deirdre now Lorraine Has John" which I found quite amusing. Interestingly this peaked at the same position as the Hothouse Flowers cover and a Deborah Harry song called "I Can See Clearly". I've probably heard it too many times now, but it's a decent tune.
Verdict - Good
You would think with this title this would be an uplifting record, but it isn't, it's a ballad. Then you consider that Diana Ross had a hugely successful comeback with the ballad "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" so it seemed wise to stick to the ballads. Also one of the songwriters is Will Jennings who has "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion amongst other ballads to his name. It's a no from me.
Verdict - Rubbish
It had been 2 years since the Brand New Heavies made their Top 40 debut. With 4 Top 40 hits in 1992 they were absent throughout 1993 but back in 1994 with a more commercially successful period which began with this. It does sound more commercial but is pleasant enough.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut for The Cranberries and their joint highest charting single. It also gave them their only American Top 10, something they never managed to achieve in the UK. I guess its a catchy enough record but I can't say I've ever liked it. The singing in particular is not to my taste
Verdict - Rubbish
The 3rd Top 40 hit for gospel ensemble The Sounds Of Blackness. Like their first hit, this was written by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. I did like their first hit, thought it was really catchy. This one doesn't really live up to it though but it's not bad. Easy enough on the ears without being blown away.
Verdict - OK
24. James - Say Something / Jam J (New)
James have released some really good record and some really questionable ones. Now we have a double a-side logic would suggest that one of the songs is good and the other is questionable. That is exactly what has happened. The questionable one is "Say Something" which just sounds really bland. The good one is "Jam J" which is much more interesting. There would be a bit of a gap after this record before we'd see James back in the Top 40.
Verdict - Rubbish / Good
Given Mike Pickering was best known as a resident DJ at The Hacienda prior to M People I did wondering whether this record has anything to do with the Renaissance the club. It doesn't appear to. Again it's a typical M People record, a very commercial sounding dance record that's not to my liking.
Verdict - Rubbish
Roachford are best known for "Cuddly Toy" in 1989. Then a couple of minor hits followed in 1989 and 1991. Then in 1994 they were at their most prolific with 3 Top 40 hits, but they never got any higher than 21 and this will be the only one to feature as the other 2 failed to reach the Top 30. It's not bad but it's no "Cuddly Toy".
Verdict - OK
This is the last Top 40 hit to date for Alison Moyet which came a decade after her first. I do recall thinking Alison Moyet sounded a bit out of place in the 90s. I could never really take to her music including this record.
Verdict - Rubbish
What I think would be a good quiz round would be to guess whether a record is Culture Beat or Cappella. Both seemed to release the same record over and over again around this period. Except this one is different. It's more of an ambient record though still done in a eurodance sort of way. This was it for them until 1996 when they'd release the same record again. It's not as annoying as their other hits but it's still poor.
Verdict - Rubbish
The penultimate Top 40 hit to date for The Wonder Stuff. They'd gone heavier when they came back the previous year but this one is more reflective of their earlier material. That's a good thing and it has a strong chorus which helps.
Verdict - Good
It had been 3 years since Enigma topped the charts with "Sadeness (Part 2)" and this was their next Top 40 hit. I would say this is a more radio friendly record than it's predecessor, it has a pretty catchy hook and really easy on the ears.
Verdict - Good
That's right, K7 had another hit. It was his only other Top 40 hit which followed his big hit "Come Baby Come". It samples "Minnie the Moocher" which you may have guessed from the title. Can't say I'm really feeling this one, not a patch on his big hit
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the solo Top 40 debut for Marcella Detroit after she'd left Shakespear's Sister. As she was the one who could sing in the group she should in theory work better as a solo artist and not have the horrid singing from Siobhan Fahey on the record. It is an improvement and it's not bad, but it's not the best either.
Verdict - OK
The 3rd Top 40 hit for Worlds Apart and the 3rd which is a cover. It also became their highest charting hit to date. With competition from Bad Boys Inc. and EYC to be the 3rd biggest boy band the days seemed numbered for Worlds Apart. They would be back though.
Verdict - Rubbish
We're heading towards the mid-point of the 90s and Roxette are still going strong with at least one Top 40 hit every year of the decade so far. You sort of knew what you were getting with Roxette and this is a typical Roxette record and I do like a bit of Roxette.
Verdict - Good
13. JX - Son Of A Gun (New)
The Top 40 debut for JX and also the record he's most famous for. It did sound quite futuristic at the time and falls under the progressive house banner. It wasn't his highest charting hit though, that came 2 years later. One of the classics which does mean somewhat overplayed, but still decent enough.
Verdict - Good
After scoring a Top 10 hit with their debut "There's No Other Way" Blur weren't having much success in the Top 40 with none of their next few releases making the Top 20. This was all about to change with this record which led to Blur being pretty much the biggest band in the country at the time. I get the mass appeal of this record and it appeals to me too.
Verdict - Good
11. Haddaway - Rock My Heart (New)
The 4th Top 40 hit for Haddaway and the 4th time he made the Top 10, though he hasn't made the Top 10 since. I thing it's fair to say we go past the point of Haddaways career few people remember after this. In fact I would say this records placing in the Top 10 is a bit misleading as I'm not convinced many people remember this one. Its more of the usual rubbish.
Verdict - Rubbish
10. Madonna - I'll Remember (New)
This one is from the film "With Honors" which doesn't actually have Madonna in it for a change. Madonna has a lot of well remembered records but despite it's title this isn't one of them. I'd say people bought this became it was both Madonna and from a film, but quickly forgot it.
Verdict - Rubbish
The 6th and final Top 40 hit from the "Keep the Faith" album. The timing of this as a Top 40 hit does baffle me. I was into Bon Jovi in 1993 and loved the "Keep the Faith" album but by 1994 I started hating Bon Jovi for not being heavy enough. Logic would say I just remember enjoying this in 1993 when I listened to the album, but I recall liking it when it appeared on The Chart Show too. Anyway I do like it now.
Verdict - Good
Sometimes I come across a record that charted at a different time to when I thought it did. This is one of those records I would have down as 1992 rather than 1994. There's a good reason for that though, it was originally released in 1992 but failed to make the Top 40 at the time. The fact it sounds very 1992 though along with the fact its a dance record can only be a good thing.
Verdict - Good
I bought En Vogues greatest hits album many years ago mainly because I realised I like all the hits I'd heard from them. After purchasing though I was reminded of this hit which wasn't so good. The chorus isn't bad but the Salt-N-Pepa rapping is terrible as always.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was originally a Badfinger song that was made famous and taken to the top of the charts by Nilsson. Shortly before this Mariah Carey version topped the charts Harry Nilsson sadly passed away. This is by far the worst version of the song, done in a typically bland Mariah Carey style.
Verdict - Rubbish
I always thought this record was shit at the time. Then I heard it again a couple of years later and it sounded even worse as it was slower than I remembered. Then I discovered the man behind Reel 2 Real was Erick Morillo, a credible DJ and thought maybe this is credible music. Who was I trying to kid, it was cheesy commercial rubbish that was made to sell by the bucket loads.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the 2nd release of this record which failed to make the Top 40 when first released in 1992. It would take the 3rd release in 1994 to reach its peak. I'm not quite sure how well remembered this is now given their bigger hit, but it was certainly big back in the day. It is just another crappy dance pop record though.
Verdict - Rubbish
The 3rd Top 40 hit for Ace Of Base which many regard as their other hit. It didn't quite match the success of debut "All That She Wants" in the UK making number 2 but it did top the charts in America. Like "All That She Wants", "The Sign" was produced by Denniz Pop, the man who started the Swedish revolution in the songwriting world. A good bit of reggae pop.
Verdict - Good
Bruce Springsteen is one of those legendary artists I've never really got what the hype was about. This record did little to convince me otherwise. It's his highest charting single to date and was taken from the film "Philadelphia". I just find it really dull.
Verdict - Rubbish
I've often been full of praise for the music coming out of Holland in the 90s, but it can't always be good. That was the case with this record which is far too cheesy for my liking. I remember pretty much everyone I knew hated this at the time, but then it topped the charts.
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 13/30, or 43%. Getting closer to 50%, will we make it?
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