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:
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
Part of the reason the pop music world seems like a bit of a closed shop is the sheer quantity of pop singers who went to the Sylvia Young Theatre School. Now here we have Sylvia Youngs daughter in the Top 40. It was the Eurovision entry that year and like most Eurovision songs it's crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Garth Brooks and the last time he'll feature as his 3rd and final Top 40 hit to date never made the Top 30. It's fair to say he was much bigger in America than he was in the UK. His music is just far too American to have worked over here.
Verdict - Rubbish
27. PJ And Duncan - Why Me? (New)
PJ & Duncan were the character names of Ant & Dec on Byker Grove. They started their music career on the show with the song "Tonight I'm Free" which was also released as a single but failed to reach the Top 40. This 2nd single from them did manage the Top 40. It's obviously a piss take and has a resemblance to "Jump" by Kris Kross.
Verdict - Rubbish
I feel like I've known this song all my life but I clearly haven't as it didn't come out until 1994. I can't remember this actually being in the Top 40 but when I discovered it was a 1994 hit I was shocked it wasn't a lot earlier. It manages to be both boring and cringeworthy at the same time.
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
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Terrorvision and this was the first time I'd come across them when I saw this on The Chart Show. It was the lead single from their "How to Make Friends and Influence People" album. I assumed they were American at the time but it turned out they were from Bradford. Always thought this was a decent record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This record was from 1991 but this was it's first time in the UK Top 40. It therefore sounds different to your typical eurodance music from around this time. That said, if you were to ask me to name a few crappy cheesy eurodance records from 1994 this would likely be on that list.
Verdict - Rubbish
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
I've mentioned before that this era of Kate Bush wasn't a great one. This record just further confirms that. It's just a non-entity of a record for me, either you need to listen to it many times to finally get it or you just never will. After 30 years though I don't think it's going to grow on me.
Verdict - Rubbish
I had to look at the history books to check if this record had originally been released in 1992, but it hadn't. My memory is playing tricks on me again because I think of this as being a 1992 record. That said, I've always considered this to be a bit naff so maybe it is better suited to 1994.
Verdict - Rubbish
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
The Top 40 debut for Loveland, a British eurodance group who's members include Pete Waterman's son Paul Waterman amongst it's members. To be fair this record isn't as bad as it sounds, but it's not exactly good either.
Verdict - Rubbish
Crystal Waters had her big hit "Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee)" in 1991 which was then followed by "Makin' Happy" and a megamix. Then nothing until this comeback record. There does seem to be a trend for female house vocalists from 91/92 returning in 1994. It's the last time Crystal Waters will feature as her remaining hits either didn't reach the Top 30 or were in the 21st century. This ones alright but nothing special.
Verdict - OK
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
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
I first came across this record from hearing someone singing it. I have to say the way they sung it and the way it actually sounded were quite different. It's different to your typical Pet Shop Boys record but is still a top record.
Verdict - Good
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
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 by the Drifters and taken to the top of the charts by the Searchers in 1963. This CJ Lewis version is pretty cheesy, it is the sort of record you'd expect Andi Peters to like. At the same time though it's great fun to listen to and pure 90s nostalgia.
Verdict - Good
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
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
I remember when this appeared on Top of the Pops I initially saw guitars on the stage before they introduced this record and was expecting a rock song. Despite that brief moment of disappointment I couldn't help but like this record. It was his 4th Top 40 hit and the final one to make the Top 10.
Verdict - Good
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
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 thought this was a really odd one when I first heard it. My first thought when this was introduced on Top of the Pops was that the singer looked like Neil from the Young Ones. Then he started singing in a loud deep voice, I thought what the fuck is this. However, I started to like it after a few listens. Of course a song sung by a Neil from the Young Ones lookalike with a funny voice and a chorus that is simply "mmm" repeated several times is hard to take seriously. If you listen to the rest of the lyrics though they're actually quite meaningful.
Verdict - Good
4. Erasure - Always (New)
It had been around 2 years since Erasure topped the charts with the "Abba-Esque EP" which I was never a fan of. In the time since the only hit they'd had was a re-issue of "Who Needs Love Like That". Their first new single since was this and it was good to see them back on form. I love the way the chorus comes into this.
Verdict - Good
In the days before YouTube I would look at the list of number ones in my British Hit Singles book, mostly in the 90s. I knew pretty much all of them but I did think what the fuck is this record. I can't remember when I finally did put a song to the name, but it is one I've known all along. Pretty bland dance pop music that deserves to be long forgotten.
Verdict - Rubbish
I feel I knew this song long before it topped the charts. Probably because there was no avoiding Take That at the time and I probably heard someone playing it somewhere. Gary Barlow said their Ian Levine hit "I Found Heaven" was awful but I don't think this Gary Barlow penned record sounds too different and is equally as dreadful.
Verdict - Rubbish
This is the first Top 40 hit for Prince after he became a symbol. It's also his only chart topping single to date. Due to the high pitched singing I did think this was the Bee Gees when I first heard it but soon found out who it really was. I was a big critic of this record at the time but I always secretly liked it.
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 9.5/30, or 32%. A slight improvement.
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