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
The only thing worse than an almost 8 minute long Meat Loaf song is an almost 8 minute Meat Loaf song that never really gets started. I've said before that I'm not a fan of how over the top is records are but at least they generally burst into life at various points. You expect this one to do the same, but it never does.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was originally a Top 40 hit for Grace Jones back in 1985 which returned to the Top 40 in 1994 with a Love to Infinity remix. It's a pretty decent effort, it brings it into the 90s without ruining the original. At the same time though I'm not a big fan of the song, but it's not bad.
Verdict - OK
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
This was a remix of a track from the "Hard Or Smooth" album which "Rump Shaker" also appears on. It's the final Top 40 hit to date for Wreckx-N-Effect but Apache Indian would be back. I can't say I'm convinced by this remix if I'm honest, it's like it's trying to be 2 records at the same time and it's not really working.
Verdict - Rubbish
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 3rd and final Top 40 hit to date for Sonic Youth. It features Kim Gordon on vocals this time. What I liked about Sonic Youth at the time was their music was more experimental and more interesting. This record is a prime example of that, it's weird but great.
Verdict - Good
An Andrew Lloyd Webber penned song from a musical that's sung by Barbra Streisand. Sounds like my idea of hell. I really cannot stand this sort of music and sitting through a musical full of this rubbish sounds like torture.
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
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
This was the 4th and final Top 40 hit from the excellent "Black Sunday" album. It's fair to say that first first 3 singles follow a similar formula where B Real says a line in the chorus and Sen Dog says a similar line e.g. "Insane in the membrane" followed by "Insane in the brain". This one follows a different formula but is just as good.
Verdict - Good
This was the only Top 40 hit for T-Empo who were better known for their remixes. One thing I do struggle with is club music about going to the club. I'm not completely against it, but a lot of these records make me cringe and this is one of them.
Verdict - Rubbish
The Top 40 debut for Motiv 8 aka Steve Rodway and the only one to make the Top 30. He would have greater chart success as composer of "Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit" by Gina G a couple of years later. Here's proof I'm not completely anti-eurodance, it's a eurodance record I like.
Verdict - Good
17. Judy Cheeks - Reach (New)
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Judy Cheeks which was also her highest charting and perhaps the one she's most famous for. It's the sort of tune I'd enjoy hearing when out and about or a bit of background music, but it's nothing to get excited about.
Verdict - OK
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
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
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
This is one of those records I've continuously liked since I first heard it. At the time I wasn't devoted to any particular scene, then when it got re-released the Red Hot Chili Peppers were a cool band to like and the "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" album was one I carried on listening to once I got into rave initially. Then in the late 90s when the All Saints covered it both versions were played one after the other on the radio and I remember thinking this sounds so much better.
Verdict - Good
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
I would call this a prime example of pop music disguising itself as R&B. It's written by the same people who wrote "Rewind" for Precious a few years later and one of the writers also wrote for S Club 7. The singings too over the top for me and I just find it irritating.
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
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
Football songs are generally shit, especially ones by actual football teams. I don't think people really buy football songs for the actual music, but I'm surprised this got to number one because surely only Man Utd fans would have bought it. Maybe it shows just how many Man Utd fans there are.
Verdict - Rubbish
This record is most famous for being the one that Boyzone danced to on "The Late Late Show" before they were famous. This was before they were famous in the UK at least. I don't know whether it's a consequence of that, but this record has always irritated me.
Verdict - Rubbish
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
5. Stiltskin - Inside (New)
Another chart topper thanks to it's inclusion on the Levi's advert. This one was specifically written for the advert though by Pete Lawlor and then Stiltskin were formed off the back of it. Inevitably comparisons were drawn between it and Nirvana, particularly as Kurt Cobain had only died quite recently. In all honesty though I think it's better than anything Nirvana ever did.
Verdict - Good
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
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
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
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
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%. Edging closer to 50%.
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