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:
30. Travis - Tied To The 90's (New)
This was the 3rd Top 40 hit of the 90s for Travis but the first to make the Top 40. It was a sign that times were changing from the Britpop era to the boring indie era at the end of the 90s. It was also a time when there was a character on Home & Away called Travis.
Verdict - Rubbish
Mark Owen released the very namby pamby "Child" as his first solo single. He followed up with the more Britpop sounding "Clementine". Then he's gone out and out rock with this 3rd Top 40 single of his. I have to say Mark Owen isn't very convincing as a rock singer. It would seem others agreed with this single flopping and him getting dropped by his label shortly afterwards.
Verdict - Rubbish
The follow up to their chart topper "You're Not Alone" which was their only other Top 40 hit. I'm not sure I actually remember this being a single, but I own the album so I'm very familiar with it. Not as good as the big hit but a solid effort nonetheless.
Verdict - Good
Although Lil Kim is the only credited artist on this record, it actually features a few more female rappers and then there's even more female rappers and singers who appear in the video. It's based on "Ladies Night" by Kool & the Gang hence all the ladies in the video. All this showboating though disguises the fact it's a piss poor record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the Top 40 debut for The Mamas and the Papas back in 1966 but re-entered the charts and did better in 1997 after it appeared on a Carling advert. One of those classic 60s hits that makes me nostalgic about a decade I never lived in.
Verdict - Good
25. The BlueBoy - Sandman (New)
The lesser known follow up to "Remember Me" which was his only other Top 40 hit. It was actually his first single that failed to reach the Top 40 when first released. It's also experimental in nature and quite different but both records are good in their own way.
Verdict - Good
I would say this was the last Levellers hit that was widely remembered. It was the last time they made the Top 20 anyway and they never made the Top 10. I guess it's a catchy enough record and pleasant enough to listen to.
Verdict - Good
The 2nd Top 40 hit for Sash! and the 2nd to make number 2. Whilst it's predecessor was in French, this one was in Spanish. I always found this one a bit annoying, the shouting of the word "Ecuador" in particular.
Verdict - Rubbish
There does seem to be something significant about the Stereophonics and Travis both hitting the Top 30 for the first time in the same week, To me they were the 2 leading bands of the boring indie music at the end of the 90s.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the 3rd Top 40 hit for K-CI & JoJo and first not to feature 2Pac. It was the lead single from their "Love Always" album. I own that album and have to say this wasn't the obvious choice for a single full stop let alone first single. There isn't a bad song on the album though.
Verdict - Good
When Peter Andre came out of the wilderness in the 21st century a lot of people thought his only hit was "Mysterious Girl". I remembered him having other hits though and I'd point out he'd had 2 number ones and "Mysterious Girl" wasn't one of them. However even I don't remember this record and it reached number 3. 1997 continues to give us high charting hits nobody remembers.
Verdict - Rubbish
The successful comeback for Texas continues in 1997 with this record. This is their attempt at making a Motown record. This is what I sense they are trying to do anyway, but the result is something that would no doubt get rejected on Motown.
Verdict - Rubbish
It had been over a year since Oasis had last been in the Top 40. In that time we had an Oasis tribute band plus many other acts try to make their own Oasis songs. They were so big that the record shops would open at midnight to enable people to buy this single. The actual record though is just a noise, the worst thing I'd heard Oasis do and that's really saying something.
Verdict - Rubbish
17. Livin' Joy - Deep In You (New)
The final Top 40 hit for Livin Joy who were past their commercial peak by this point. They did change their sound slightly on this one presumably in an attempt to become relevant again, but it doesn't really work and still bears a resemblance to their older material but not as good.
Verdict - Rubbish
There was absolutely no avoiding this record at the time. I remember it appearing on Club Nation and then an advert for the single appeared in the advert break. It didn't take me too long to get absolutely sick of it. Not a bad record by any means but I thought this record was just alright in the first place and that's my view of it now.
Verdict - OK
Back when N-Trance did "Set You Free" it was a turning point in my life. It played a massive part in me converting from a grunger to a raver. Unfortunately the N-Trance records the followed immediately afterwards were a bit crap. With this record though they were back doing decent music again
Verdict - Good
This was the 9th Top 40 hit for Boyzone and just the 2nd that wasn't a ballad. It was from the Mr Bean movie so it would have been odd for them to do a ballad for a movie like that. Whilst a relief from the usual dreary rubbish they'd usually come out with, it's still crap.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the final Top 40 hit for the 90s for Wet Wet Wet before they split up and is a cover of The Beatles record. It meant they now had 3 Top 40 hits to their name that were Beatles covers. It just sounds lazy really, like they just did any old thing as they were on their way out anyway.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the 13th Top 40 hit for Mary J Blige but just her 2nd to make the Top 10 and was her highest charting hit to this point. It's another Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis composition which sampled "You Are Everything" and interpolates "Sukiyaki". That's a good thing in a way as I don't think a straight cover of either would have worked.
Verdict - Good
11. OTT - All Out Of Love (New)
After reaching number 12 with a cover and then failing to reach the Top 20 with an original composition, OTT went back to doing a cover version for their 3rd Top 40 hit. Much like the Boyzone covers they've completely ruined it, but it did give them their joint highest charting Top 40 hit.
Verdict - Rubbish
I was such a rave purist in 1997 that I specifically remember pretending to people at the time that I didn't like this record because it wasn't rave. In reality I loved this record and ended up buying the single. I just gets better as it goes on, I love the final verse to it.
Verdict - Good
9. Suede - Film Star (New)
Another Top 10 hit for Suede who in reality were never going to fail to make the Top 10 in 1997 given their status. This one is a bit heavier than their last few singles but still sounds a bit wet. I feel you either get it or you don't, and I don't.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was a record that made an impact from it's title alone. It had all been done several times before though, first by the Rolling Stones with a song of the same title back in 1971. It sounds like it could be an Alanis Morissette record.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the 2nd posthumous Top 40 hit for The Notorious BIG and became his biggest hit to this point. It samples "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross and I love the way it has been sampled. You could have literally any rapper rapping on this and it would still be a decent record.
Verdict - Good
As the title might suggest, this was a comeback single for the Backstreet Boys even though it had been just 5 months since they'd last been in the Top 40. It was however the lead single from their 2nd album. I was written by Denniz Pop and Max Martin and the way the Backstreet Boys were marketing themselves in this record tells you what this was all about.
Verdict - Rubbish
My biggest memory of this record was watching a TV show that I think was called "Holidays From Hell". It documented the holiday of 2 old ladies taking a holiday to Ibiza and their hotel was right in the middle of San Antonio amongst the Club 18-30 crowd and this was being blasted out repeatedly to the point that one of them was pointing out it was that song again. To be fair as a youngster at the time I would have hated hearing this all the time as well as I've never liked it.
Verdict - Rubbish
Dannii Minogue had last been in the Top 40 in 1994. In the time in between she was presenting The Bigger Breakfast which was an extension of The Big Breakfast in the school holidays. That made me think she'd given up her singing career, but then came this which was her biggest Top 40 hit to date. I would call this an example of how sex sells.
Verdict - Rubbish
We've had the first posthumous hit for The Notorious BIG. Now we have the tribute record by his label boss and his widow. It interpolates "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. I would say this topped the charts because of what it was rather than how it sounds, it's a pretty poor record.
Verdict - Rubbish
2. Chumbawamba - Tubthumping (New)
Chumbawamba first formed back in 1982 but this was the first time they hit the Top 40. It sounds like the sort of record that would make the charts because of a major football tournament happening, but there wasn't. Maybe it was just compensating for the lack of major football tournament.
Verdict - Rubbish
With Will Smith an established actor by this point and Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince now split up you would think Will Smith would have given up on the rapping. Unfortunately he was only just getting started as a solo artist with this being his Top 40 debut.
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 9.5/30, or 32%. We're slipping again.
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