More more more.
20 - "Rhythm of My Heart," Rod Stewart
Rod's first hit of the decade went Top Five on both sides of the Atlantic. This midtempo rock ballad was written five years ago for a Dutch singer named Rene Shuman, but Rod added his own touch by putting bagpipes on it. It's about wanting to go home and return to love after running from it for so long. I think that's it. Helicopters and kerosene and bridges and slot machines. It's not as profound as it thinks it is, but it's all right.
19 - "Losing My Religion," R.E.M.
The Athens, Georgia band that had built from cult act to genuine rock stars in the 80s gained superstar status with the Out of Time album, which hit #1 both at home and abroad largely on the strength of this iconic first single. Based on a southern expression for giving up hope, it's not about denying faith but rather being hopelessly in love and not having the courage to do anything about it. Both it and its striking video are now deserved 90s touchstones.
18 - "The One and Only," Chesney Hawkes
From Berkshire, Hawkes was 19 when he went #1 with this catchy, self-affirming pop rocker. We encountered it in the States, where it hit #10. His career went downhill from here, although apparently he had become a staple of British celebrity reality shows. It's a living, I suppose.
17 - "Happy," Ned's Atomic Dustbin
This West Midlands punk-pop band produced five Top 40s, the first and biggest of which was this song about frustration. It plays, I kind of like it, but then it's gone.
16 - "Get Here," Oleta Adams
Born in Seattle in 1953, Adams moved to L.A. in the 70s to pursue her music career, but finding little success, she found herself singing in a Kansas City hotel bar in 1985 when she was spotted by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears, who would later call her to sing backup on their album The Seeds of Love. Her performances on that album led to her getting her own record deal, and she was vaulted to stardom when this cover of a Brenda Russell song about wanting someone to come home whatever way they can became an anthem for U.S. troops fighting the Gulf War in Iraq and their families awaiting their return. (The line about "cross(ing) the desert like an Arab man" may have provided extra resonance). On it's own, it's a very good ballad powerfully performed.
15 - "Over Rising," The Charlatans
Like Ned's Atomic Dustbin, these guys were from the West Midlands. But because of their trippy, dance-floor friendly sound, they were able to ride the "Madchester" wave. But they were one of the few bands from that scene to carve out a long career (surviving member deaths and prison stints along the way), as this was the third of what would be 21 Top 40 singles. This is a swirly rock tune that might be about having sex. Or being suspicious that a lover might steal from you. Or both. Either way, I like it. And if you're looking these guys up, you might have to look under "The Charlatans UK," because of an American band by that name from the sixties.
14 - "Today Forever EP," Ride
This Oxford band was one of the early pioneers of a feedback-and-effect-pedal heavy style of rock known as "shoegaze" (so dubbed by British journalists because the bands often performed with their heads down rather than looking at the audience). I've decided not to listen to this whole four-song, 20-minute EP, but instead to focus on its semi-title track "Today." It's sleepy. ethereal droning about being indecisive about a girl. This just isn't for me. It seems like music to be lazy and depressed to. And I for one don't need music for that.
13 - "Unfinished Sympathy," Massive
This band would be better known by their full name, Massive Attack, but because of the ongoing Gulf War, their label opted to shorten it for this single's release. Although it only reached this high on the charts, it has become a classic in Britain, often appearing high on "Best Songs of All Time" lists, and it helped create a new genre known as "trip-hop." Do I get it? Absolutely. It's spacey and ethereal, but in a much more exciting way than, say, Ride. The beats provided by 3D, Daddy G, and Mushroom move body and soul, and Shara Nelson singing about being devastated by an emotionally distant lover complements that perfectly. This is more than just a mere dance track, although it is excellent in that context. It's a truly timeless piece of music.
12 - "Love Rears Its Ugly Head," Living Colour
This New York band were distinctive when they broke through in 1989, as they were African-Americans playing hard rock. Their biggest UK hit, however, didn't really reflect this. The album version of this track about the risks of falling in love was kind of a midtempo funk rocker. But what hit in Britain was the "Soulpower" mix, which strips out pretty much everything but the vocals and the guitar solo sets them to essentially a trip-hop arrangement. I prefer the original, but Corey Glover's vocals work just as well in this context. Anyway, I'm glad Britain eventually rewarded them for spelling the second word in their name the "right" way.
11 - "All Right Now," Free
The 1970 smash by Paul Rodgers' first band was remixed and re-released to promote a greatest-hits compilation. It's not a radical reworking, but you can tell it's different, especially the drums and the choruses. Wasn't really necessary. The song was all right as it was.
10 - "(I Wanna Give You) Devotion," Nomad
This trio's biggest hit was this okay dance rapper. The MC on this however, one Mikee Freedom, doesn't really distinguish himself though. I prefer the slightly differently named Freedom Williams, of C+C Music Factory fame.
9 - "It's Too Late," Quartz featuring Dina Carroll
Another U.K. with their biggest hit, a cover of the Carole King classic. The beat is unintrusive, and guest Carroll gives a performance that illustrates why her career would be much more fruitful than Quartz' Not exactly an essential cover, but a decent listen.
8 - "Joyride," Roxette
Coming off their massive Pretty Woman hit "It Must Have Been Love," the Swedish duo continued their roll in the English-speaking world with this, the fourth of their five U.K. Top Tens and their fourth and final U.S #1. It's somewhat Beatlesque pop, with somewhat hippieish lyrics that wouldn't make more sense even if English was their first language. Me, I think it's a mini-masterpiece, and by far my favorite of their hits. If it was a person, I would introduce myself to it by saying "Hello, you fool, I love you."
7 - "Move Your Body," Xpansions
The dance duo consisting of Phil Drummond and Sally Ann Marsh had their biggest hit with this okay but unmemorable dance track. My body did move a bit, but not very enthusiastically.
6 - "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)," Stevie B.
Miami's Steven Bernard Hill had a lot of uptempo Latin freestyle hits, but his only U.S. #1 (and sole British hit) was this goopy ballad about getting a letter and writing a song. Blecch. But he's still big in Brazil, so good for him.
5 - "You Got the Love," The Source featuring Candi Staton
Alabama soul singer Staton had a couple hits in the 70s, but then had her biggest with a remix of a song she first recorded in 1986. Staton's voice has gospel power as she sings about how faith keeps her going, and the beats are danceable yet unintrusive. Good stuff.
4 - "Crazy for You," Madonna
Madge's first ballad hit made it to #2 here in 1984, then did it again on this re-release to promote her Immaculate Collection hits package. She did the slow stuff better and better as time went on, but this was a decent start.
3 - "Do the Bartman," Bart Simpson
Yes, at last, a song related to that show I reference so much here. In 1990, The Simpsons was a white-hot cultural phenomenon. Merchandise was everywhere, pundits debated its influence on children, and Fox moved it to Thursday to take on the juggernaut that was The Cosby Show. In the wake of all this came The Simpsons Sing The Blues, an album featuring songs performed by the show's characters. The featured track on the album was this track featuring a rap by the show's most popular character at the time, son Bart. He (or rather voice actor Nancy Cartwright) rhymes about cheating on tests, leaving banana peels for people to trip on, and "put(ting) mothballs in the beef stew." He also talks about his new would-be dance craze, which, if successfully performed, means you are "bad like Michael Jackson." That line came at the insistence of Jackson himself, a big fan of the show, who actually sang backup on the track and, depending on who you believe, may or may not have written it. Anyway, to me, it's not much more of a curio, and its blatant commercial nature seems disconnected with the subversive spirit the show had in its golden years (which to me are the first ten seasons, after which it started to dip and then descend into being derivative of its self to the point where I haven't watched a new episode in years). But it was a huge smash, hitting #1 here and in several other countries (but not the U.S., where it wasn't released as a single despite getting major radio and video airplay). Anyway, if I want to listen to Simpsons music, I'll play one of the many great original songs that have actually been used in the show. My favorite is probably the medley from Troy McClure's musical, Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off! But this does get the Uneasy Rider.
2 - "The Stonk," Hale and Pace and The Stonkers
The comedy duo of Gareth Hale and Norman Pace were frequent presences on British radio and television in the 80s and 90s, but their lasting legacy is this rockabilly novelty that they performed with the help of other comedians and musicians (including Queen's Brian May) for the anti-poverty charity Comic Relief. It's about a dance that involves "put(ting) a red nose on your conk," a reference to the charity's signature event, Red Nose Day. The song is inconsequential frivolity, but the worthiness of the cause cannot be denied.
And on top in Britain a quarter century ago was...
1 - "Should I Stay or Should I Go," The Clash
The punk legends only U.K. charttopper came when this nine-year-old song was re-released to promote a best-of album. One of their most famous songs, it's an urgent rocker about indecision, enhanced by those shouted Spanish phrases in the background. Nothing to say but good good good.
And another one's gone. I have a Twitter follower now. Yes, as in one. Wanna join him? Look me up @MrBGlovehead.
I shall return.
No comments:
Post a Comment