Sunday 12 May 2024

Top 30 in 1994 Reviewed: Week 20

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:


I've never heard this before in my life and hopefully I'll never hear it again. I've said before that football and music don't mix so this record by a football club is predictably crap. Unfortunately I know from memory that we'll have another Chelsea song later on in the decade.

Verdict - Rubbish


The 4th Top 40 hit for Mary J Blige and the last one from her "What's the 411?" album. I like a lot of R&B music from this era and this record is no exception. It's the sort of music that makes me look back at the 90s so fondly.

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 2nd Top 40 hit for The Cranberries. I do remember people at school getting into The Cranberries but I was never a fan. These were rock music fans and I recall thinking this record in particular sounded too namby pamby for a rock fan. Still find it crap now.

Verdict - Rubbish


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


Enigma had already had their 2 big hits by this point and this was their 3rd Top 40 hit. I would say this one takes more effort to get into. It's a bit too much for me if I'm honest, it's pleasant enough and isn't a bad record but I'm not blown away by it no matter how many time I listen.

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


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


Controversy in music was nothing unusual in 1994 and would often help to sell records. One person you wouldn't have expected to cause controversy though was Roger Taylor. This was banned from the radio and record shops stopped stocking it. That's probably why I don't recall ever hearing this at the time. Listening to it now though it seems I didn't miss out on much.

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


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


This was the Top 40 debut for R Kelly. It's taken from his "12 Play" album which is an album I own and this record was one of the contributing factors to my decision to buy it. Say what you want about R Kelly, but his music is fantastic.

Verdict - Good


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


The Levellers had some great records and this ones up there with the best of them. It's one where you have to listen to the lyrics which really strike a chord with me. I can't claim to be like the character in question but it hits home about how the way of the world makes me a lot more bitter now than I was when I was younger.

Verdict - Good


When I was reviewing "I Lift My Cup" which was the Top 40 debut for Gloworm I recall saying that my only complaint about it was it wasn't "Carry Me Home". Well here is the far better "Carry Me Home" which is such a good tune. All I can say really is give it a listen and you'll know what I mean.

Verdict - Good


After Michael Bolton had a couple of original hits he's back to doing the covers again with this record which is a cover of the Bill Withers song. All I can say is listen to the Bill Withers song instead, it's much better.

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 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 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 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


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


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


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 only been a few months since East 17 had last been in the Top 40 but here they are with the lead single from the "Steam" album. In the lyrics they sing "there's no place like home" and having seen Tony Mortimer's home on the East 17 reunion documentary I'm inclined to agree with him. As regular readers will know, I love a bit of East 17.

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


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


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


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


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

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 14.5/30, or 48%. So close to 50%, will we get there next week?
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