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 1991 with my verdict on each record:
It had now been 7 years since Karen Carpenter passed away and 12 years since The Carpenters last had a Top 40 hit. This final Top 40 hit for them was a double a-side of a Christmas song that was originally recorded in 1970 and failed to make the Top 40 when released in Christmas 1971. the other song was their first UK Top 40 hit from 1970. Both songs are alright, I'd say I appreciate them more than I enjoy them.
Verdict - OK
It's amazing how you can go 30 years without hearing a song, then when it comes to listening to it again it sounds quite different to how you remember it. This is one of those. My memory was this didn't sound as silly as her earlier efforts, and I guess it doesn't. Still crap though.
Verdict - Rubbish
Once again we have a record in the charts thanks to a remix by Ben Liebrand. This originally came out in 1983 and failed to chart. I think I liked this record at the time but don't think I've heard it since 1990. Listening to it now though I'm not so keen.
Verdict - Rubbish
This song is from 1964 but was never a hit. Thanks to Simon Mayo though this finally became a hit in 1990. I wonder how many people who bought it actually liked it though.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the new jack swing era for Whitney Houston, but she still did pop songs as well such as this, which was originally by Linda Clifford. It's a very dreary and instantly forgettable song.
Verdict - Rubbish
When it comes to dance anthems you have those which are genuine classics and those which were just cheesy commercial crap. I place this one in the latter category, I've never been a fan of C&C Music Factory. This is probably their best tune and I don't like it.
Verdict - Rubbish
One of the better INXS hits in my opinion. I remember walking through the school corridor singing this at the time, particularly the "do do do do" bit.
Verdict - Good
When I first heard this record my first thoughts were that it's fast and that's what I like about it. Then I discovered it was a cover of a Joe Jackson song and that Joe Jackson didn't like this cover because it was too slow. After hearing that I had to listen to the original version, but I don't find it any faster.
Verdict - Good
What's this? Yazoo in 1990? Yes, although Yazoo had long split up, this record got the remix treatment and charted in 1990. It was originally the b-side to "Only You". I'd say this is an example of the b-side being better than the a-side, and I like "Only You".
Verdict - Good
I didn't realise this was an old song at the time but I did think it was sung by an old lady. It was actually 29 years old and was by someone who was 29 at the time and died when she was 30. I guess the reason I thought it was sung by an old lady was that I considered it to be old ladies sort of music and not my sort.
Verdict - Rubbish
This was the second and final collaboration between Twenty4Seven and Captain Hollywood to make the UK Top 40. Like with the first hit, not as cheesy as your average Eurodance record but still pretty average at the same time.
Verdict - OK
This has one of the most famous music videos of all time, the one with Helena Christensen in it with him. Maybe it's just as well for Chris Isaak that this video has made such an impact because it diverts the attention away from the fact it's a very dull song.
Verdict - Rubbish
The penultimate Top 40 hit for Jive Bunny and probably the most bizarre. I don't remember it at the time but I did listen to all the Jive Bunny hits several years ago. This reminds me of a performance Screech on Saved By the Bell did at one of their many school parties which was very cringeworthy. That sums up this song, bloody awful.
Verdict - Rubbish
The mid-80s saw the launch of EastEnders, and not long after a number of actors from the show were having hits. Then towards the end of the 80s we had Neighbours actors in the charts. Now was the turn of Emmerdale with this. Though I caught the odd episode of Emmerdale, it's not a programme I ever watched properly and have just discovered that Malandra Burrows character, Kathy, sang this on the show itself. It wouldn't be the last we'd hear of Emmerdale in the charts, but more of that if I'm still doing these posts in 6 years time.
Verdict - Rubbish
The 40th Top 40 hit Status Quo and follow up to part one of The Anniversary Waltz. It wasn't as successful though, only reaching number 16. They've had a further 17 Top 40 hits since and none of them have made the Top 10. Like with the first part, it's ok.
Verdict - OK
The 7th New Kids On The Block hit of 1990. Picture the scene, you're at a work Christmas party having a sit down meal, a pianist is playing as you eat, then I come up to the piano and start singing this. Fortunately that never happened, but a work colleague of mine once suggested I did that. She was the New Kids On The Block fan, I was just someone who knew enough New Kids On The Block songs to be able to converse with her about them.
Verdict - Rubbish
I don't think the actual "Total Mix" is on YouTube but have put a Black Box megamix from 1990 which is pretty much the same thing i.e. their hits to date mixed together, some I like and some I don't.
Verdict - OK
I remember seeing this video on Top of the Pops and what confused me was that they were called The Righteous Brothers but there was only one of them. I soon discovered there were two of them, but only Bobby Hatfield featured on this particular record. It was originally released in 1965 but was re-released thanks to it featuring in the movie "Ghost". There are lots of versions of this song, but this is the best one in my opinion.
Verdict - Good
The normal way to wear a cap was with long bit to the front, but it was cool to wear a cap backwards. EMF singer James Atkin on the other hand wore his cap to the side. Everyone was singing this at the time, but I don't recall the cap wearing style catching on. I was one of those singing it, good record.
Verdict - Good
This is the song that taught many people that Seal isn't Adamski. It was the official beginning of Seals Top 40 career, whereas Adamski's had already ended. I have Seals self titled debut album on which this appears, it's a good album.
Verdict - Good
Mix together Prince and Faith No More, add some gospel rapping over the top and you get this. I'd rather just listen to the Prince or Faith No More songs on their own though.
Verdict - Rubbish
Was this the beginning of Toytown Techno? Maybe not, whilst it's based on a nursery rhyme it's perhaps not as blatant as actual Toytown Techno records, though it could have inspired it. Very cheesy though and the rapping is dreadful.
Verdict - Rubbish
Many people had never heard of Lenny Kravitz until he did "It Ain't Over Til It's Over", but they would likely have heard one of his compositions in this song. I wonder how many Lenny Kravitz fans actually like this song though.
Verdict - Rubbish
One could argue this is a Christmas song. It was to do with the Christmas truce during the First World War. This is one of those tunes that I like which also has a happy hardcore version that I like, "Together In Wonderland" by Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo, and I like playing them back to back.
Verdict - Good
After the successful re-issue of "Unchained Melody" the Righteous Brothers re-issued this record, if anything to show the kids hearing them for the first time (i.e. me) that there are 2 of them. I think I preferred this one to "Unchained Melody" at the time, but it's hard to pick between the 2, they're both good.
Verdict - Good
This megamix was released after the film was released on video. Whilst the film has "Summer Nights" at the beginning and "You're the One That I Want" at the end, this is the opposite. I was yet to see the film, but at the time I liked "Summer Nights" but wasn't too fussed about "You're the One That I Want" and "Greased Lightnin". It's all shit really though, the only song from the film that I vaguely like is the title track.
Verdict - Rubbish
When it comes to 90s number ones I can tell you something that was going on in my life at the time for the vast majority of them. This one though completely passed my by and I've only recently figured out why. I spend pretty much the whole of January 1991 ill in bed so therefore wasn't able to follow what was going on in the charts. As for the tune, not really the sort of record you'd expect to get to number one, or even in the charts for that matter which is a compliment.
Verdict - Good
I prefer this to "Mistletoe & Wine", probably because you don't hear it as much at Christmas. That's the only positive thing I can say about it though.
Verdict - Rubbish
I liked this one at the time, but then the following year I became a Queen fan and this famously sampled "Under Pressure". After hearing Brian May say it was crap, I decided it was crap too. I was easily influenced back then. Amongst rap music fans, of which I was one a number of years later, this never had much credibility. Now I'm older and have my own opinions what do I think? Well it is a bit crap to be fair.
Verdict - Rubbish
The only number one for Iron Maiden and a song I've known for years, but as mentioned in my Enigma review I was ill for most of January 1991 so don't remember this being number one at the time. The problem is the best thing about Iron Maiden is the speed of the drumming and this is far too slow for an Iron Maiden song so doesn't get the thumbs up from me.
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 11/30, or 37%. The same score as the last week of 1990, but with only 2 new records in the Top 30 it was always going to be similar.
