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.
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 1990 with my verdict on each record:
My understanding of reggae music at the time was that most of it came from Jamaica, but I was unsure whether UB40 came from Jamaica or not (as mentioned previously, I was still of primary school age in 1990). This song though suggested to me that they were as Kingston is the capital of Jamaica. I would eventually find out they came from Birmingham and this was a cover. However, Lord Creator, the songwriter and original artist, isn't from Jamaica himself, he's from Trinidad and Tobago. Do I like it though? Well yes, I like a bit of UB40, both covers and non-covers.
Verdict - Good
Innocence had 6 Top 40 hits overall, and I don't remember a single one of them. They weren't high charting singles, with this their first hit being the highest charting reaching 16 and being the only one to make the Top 20. I did come across them later on in life. I found their music difficult to get into to start off with, but I could sense that if I listen enough times I'll get to like it, so I did. It did the trick, I like this one.
Verdict - Good
The first time I'd heard of The Cure they were a band in my Smash Hits sticker album. I can't remember whether I ever got the sticker for The Cure or not, but after seeing Robert Smith for the first time it was a sticker I could have probably done without. Despite his scary looks though, I thought some of their music was good. Not this one though, it's a bit boring if I'm honest.
Verdict - Rubbish
First we had Double Trouble and the Rebel MC, then we had Rebel MC and Double Trouble, now here we have Rebel MC on his own. Allegedly Rebel MC was getting a lot of stick at the time for the music he was making, but I like it.
Verdict - Good
After beginning his solo career with a couple of covers, Jimmy Somerville follows up with this, a record he wrote himself. It's not bad, but it doesn't have anything about it that makes me think good tune.
Verdict - OK
The 3rd single for Big Fun, the Stock Aitken & Waterman boy band that nobody remembers. It wasn't their last either. Again it's just your usual Stock Aitken & Waterman drivel.
Verdict - Rubbish
The only UK Top 40 hit for Family Stand which was given the remix treatment by Jazzie B and Nellee Hooper of Soul II Soul. It does sound a cross between Soul II Soul and Massive Attack, which makes sense as Nellee Hooper was also a member of The Wild Bunch alongside members of Massive Attack. It's a great formula to have.
Verdict - Good
I always thought this record was older than it actually is, it definitely sounds like it belongs in the 80s. It was written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and apparently Heart themselves don't like it and don't play it live. It would be their penultimate UK Top 40 hit with their final one 3 years later also being written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. I'm inclined to agree with Heart, I don't like it either.
Verdict - Rubbish
Technotronic weren't the only Belgians having UK hits in 1990, we also had this, the only hit for Bizz Nizz. This sounds more like what you'd expect a dance record from Belgium in the early 90s to sound like, much better than Technotronic in my opinion. The story of Bizz Nizz doesn't end with this tune though, the following year they would return with 2 Dutch vocalists and become known as 2 Unlimited. Don't let that put you off though, this really is a good tune.
Verdict - Good
A cover of the Phil Collins record from German act Jam Tronik. Retrospectively it seems like an 80s hit getting a 90s makeover, but whilst they are 80s and 90s hits respectively, the Phil Collins version only came out in November 1989 and remained in the Top 40 until the final week of 1989, so just 3 months before this came out. I like both versions myself. Although the only Top 40 hit for Jam Tronik, they would continue to release records, many of which were covers of recent hits at the time with their final one being of "Forever Love" by Gary Barlow in 1996.
Verdict - Good
It's the record Sinead O'Connor is most famous for that was famously written by Prince. I don't think I particularly liked it at the time, I recall finding it boring except for the line about eating dinner in a fancy restaurant. However I did start to like it at some point and it is a good song. Years ago I mentioned to my housemate at the time that I liked this song and he asked whether I owned any Sinead O'Connor albums to which I said know. He owned "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" which featured this song and I took a listen, I didn't like any of it apart from this song. In fact I don't like any other Sinead O'Connor songs I've ever heard, this is the only good one. But as mentioned, it was written by Prince.
Verdict - Good
Long before he hit the charts in 2004 with the god awful "Weekend", Michael Gray tasted his first chart success this this, a dance medley for the Brit Awards. As mentioned previously, it's difficult to declare a medley good as it pretty much relies on all tunes in the medley being good. However, there isn't a bad tune in this one, so I guess it's good.
Verdict - Good
I first saw this record written down before I actually heard it. What I didn't notice was the lack of comma between Queen and Latifah. Therefore I thought it was going to be Queen collaborating with someone called Latifah and De La Soul. Seemed a bit of an odd collaboration, but then they did collaborate with the likes of Wyclef Jean and 5ive in later years. Anyway, I finally heard this and realised it had nothing to do with Queen. I like De La Soul, but like with many acts I like, they can't get it right all the time and this is one of those times. I can't say I'm a fan of Queen Latifah though, which could be a factor in why I don't like this.
Verdict - Rubbish
Here's where it all began for Orbital with their debut hit. Although they had higher charting singles in later years, this has to be the one they're best known for. Great tune.
Verdict - Good
The Top 40 debut from Primal Scream and first single from their 3rd album "Screamadelica" which is a remix of "I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have", a track from their self title 2nd album. The remix was done by Andrew Weatherall, a well known DJ in the dance music world. The experimental nature of Primal Scream means there music can be very hit or miss, but this one is definitely hit.
Verdict - Good
Boy George and Jeremy Healy were both in pop groups in the 80s in Culture Club and Haysi Fantayzee respectively, and both DJs in the 90s. Boy George is better known as a pop singer and Jeremy Healy is better known as a DJ though. This was the 2 of them collaborating, presumably at the time they were making that transition, along with MC Kinky. This has often been highly praised in the dance music world, but to be honest I hate it. The main reason is the vocals, I just find it irritating. I also remember hearing MC Kinky appearing on live essential mixes in the 90s and finding her irritating.
Verdict - Rubbish
The debut Top 40 hit for Inspiral Carpets. My memories were thinking what a funny name for a band, and also remember the miserable looking singer stood there with his hands in his pockets. I was too young to really know what this song was about, either that or I just didn't pay attention to the lyrics. But lets just say the lyrical content isn't exactly jolly either. Still, it's a good song.
Verdict - Good
An Italian project that wasn't piano house. It was the only hit for JT And The Big Family, though 2 of it's members would return later on in the year as part of Don Pablos Animals and the other member would return 12 years later as part of DB Boulevard. At the start of this tune it sounds a bit like Soul ii Soul, but that's because it's one of several samples that make up this tune. It works really well.
Verdict - Good
The 2nd hit for 49ers following "Touch Me". This one samples "Don't You Want Me" by Jody Watley. It's not a bad record, but it doesn't really do anything for me either. They had 2 further Top 40 hits which didn't make the Top 30, and I'd say the same about those as well.
Verdict - OK
I remember this record at the time without really knowing what it was. However I found out when an excellent remix in 1994 appeared on a techno compilation I bought. I do prefer that remix, but the original version is still an excellent tune. The less said about that awful 2008 version the better.
Verdict - Good
For me, it's impossible to hear this song without thinking about Zack and Kelly's breakup on Saved by the Bell. Except it was Jessie and Slater singing it on the show rather than Michael Bolton. It was the debut UK Top 40 hit from Michael Bolton, so would have come before people would generally by ridiculed for liking Michael Bolton. I remember thinking at the time that he must be cool because he had long hair. He would gain a bit of a reputation for doing covers, and this was also a cover, it was originally by Laura Branigan but didn't chart in the UK. The difference was that Michael Bolton actually wrote it. I've always wanted to hate this song, but I actually quite like it.
Verdict - Good
After reaching number one with their first 3 Top 40 hits, Jive Bunny stalled at number 4 with their 4th. I do vaguely remember this existing, the title rings a bell, but obviously all Jive Bunny records follow the same sort of formula. I don't know what's more strange, the fact Jive Bunny clocked up a 3rd number one with that awful Christmas medley or that they managed to still churn out the hits in the 90s.
Verdict - Rubbish
I have memories of hearing this in the car going down some country roads in the dark, and thinking what a strange song, but I liked it. I don't think I realised how American it was at the time, I seem to recall likening it to the Madchester sound at the time for some reason. Maybe because the band had a weird name, and maybe the weird song title helped too.
Verdict - Good
I've not tested this theory, but it seems common for a pop group to have a ballad as their 3rd single. This was the case with New Kids On The Block. Even in their native America, this came out in 1989 before "Hangin Tough" but their first single over there was "Please Don't Go Girl" didn't chart here, and therefore made this their 3rd hit over there too. It's a bit too namby-pamby for my liking.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the record that taught me that the one in Eurythmics who doesn't sing is Dave Stewart. Seeing his collaborator Candy Dulfer with a saxophone, I though surely he's going to be the one singing on this. No such luck, it's an instrumental. It did make me wonder if I ever would see him sing though. The tune is pretty average, it's probably the last time I've been disappointed by a record not having vocals, been plenty where the opposite is true.
Verdict - OK
When "Praise You" by Fatboy Slim made number one at the end of the 90s, it pretty much set Norman Cook up for life. However, this record, his first number one of the decade had the opposite effect. It's essentially a mash up of "Just Be Good To Me" by SOS Band and "Guns of Brixton", which he got sued for and started to lose money on every record sale and he ended up bankrupt. It's a great record, I loved it back then and still do. I also highly recommend the "Let Them Eat Bingo" album.
Verdict - Good
At the time, the only Savannah I knew was the Renault 21 estate, so I thought that's what he was singing about. The fact he mentions an open highway and a hundred miles an hour in the lyrics also suggested to me that he was singing about the car. I wrote a music quiz a couple of years ago which included a picture round where the picture represents a song title. Truth be told, I only did that round so I could put a picture of a blue Renault Savanna (yes it's spelt differently) in it for this song. I absolutely love this song, it's got better with age in my opinion. One of the best Erasure songs.
Verdict - Good
I remember watching this on Top of the Pops for the first time and thinking my mother seemed to know it very well for a song that's only just come out. What I didn't know at the time was it was a cover of a Beatles song. It was the only Top 40 hit for Candy Flip, and I've often listened to it since they featured in a music picture quiz I came across on the internet several years ago. Needless to say I like it.
Verdict - Good
I remember hearing this for the first time and thinking what an odd song. I didn't mind it though, I quite liked the way Fred Schneider was more shouting in a funny voice rather than singing it, but the females were singing more melodically. However, it's tendency to be overplayed in the pubs and clubs I went to when I was younger means I can't stand it now.
Verdict - Rubbish
Everyone was singing this at the time, well the chorus anyway. It's hard to hear this now though without picturing Phil "The Power" Taylor doing his walk on in the darts. I don't think it's aged very well at all and apart from the hook it's a bit of a nothing tune, so I'm afraid this gets the thumbs down.
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 19.5/30, or 65%. It's getting better.
