I'm a bit behind, but still, I'm sticking with September 1993. This was the month the U.K. Independence Party was formed. Yep, the same people that brought you Brexit and that British guy who shows up at all the Trump rallies. Thanks guys. Meanwhile, on the charts...
40 - "Heaven Knows," Luther Vandross
The late soul legend had dozens of hits on both sides of the Atlantic, but many of them were only successful on one side or the other. This one only made the 40 in Britain. It's the kind of light, playful love-funk he specialized in. Another chance to revisit a great voice.
39 - "Heart-Shaped Box," Nirvana
What would prove to be the Seattle trio's highest-charting U.K. hit was this sludgy rock number that seems to be a love song wrapped in visceral imagery about tar pits, carnivorous flowers, and cancer. I would rate it as the most complete and effective song Kurt Cobain ever wrote. It perfectly melds his passion and conflict with pop and rock structuring. Unfortunately, we can't know if he ever would have topped it.
38 - "Sometimes," James
This Manchester band was formed in 1982, but they didn't break through until 1991 when they hit #2 with "Sit Down." Their ninth Top 40 was this acoustic rocker about rain and the eyes being the windows to the soul. Their seems to be a constant English niche for this sort of thing, and James were the gap-fillers of the moment.
37 - "She Kissed Me," Terence Trent D'Arby
The ex-U.S. military man turned soul star wasn't nearly as hot as he was in his late-80s heyday, but he could still crack the British Top 20 with songs like this rock song about a wild lady who kissed him and "put it there." What she put where remains a mystery, and I like it that way. For some reason, I feel like in some alternate universe, he and Lenny Kravitz switch career trajectories.
36 - "Now I Know What Made Otis Blue," Paul Young
The last Top 20 for this Luton blue-eyed soulster was this slick, Motownish tune about loneliness. Serviceable and well-sung, but not much more than that.
35 - "Fascinated," Lisa B.
Brooklynite Lisa Barbuscia has had some success as a model and actress, and also scored a handful of hits in Britain, including this house cover of Company B.'s 1986 dance hit about being enamored with someone's "love toy." I'm not inrtigued in the least.
34 - "Love Scenes," Beverley Craven
Born in Sri Lanka to a British Kodak employee, Craven had a brief early-90s run of hits, the fourth and last being this jealousy waltz. It has a charm that belies its chart peak.
33 - "Move," Moby
New York DJ Richard Melville Hall took his stage name from his alleged relationship to the author of Moby Dick, and he became a star first in Britain in the early-90s with tracks like this house groove that has all the hallmarks, including the soul vocal sample. It doesn't quite grab the non-dancing listener the way some of his later work would, but I'd say it's above average for the genre.
32 - "Two Steps Behind," Def Leppard
The Leps with an acoustic ballad about either devotion or stalking. Hard to tell which. It was from the soundtrack of the infamous Arnold Schwarzenegger disappointment Last Action Hero. Magic ticket my ass, McBain!
31 - "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)," US3 featuring Rashaan
The only major hit for London jazz/hip-hop producer Geoff Wilkinson was this track that remixes a Herbie Hancock track and adds a rap from Rashaan Kelly. Catchy and different, but not enough to have much of a shelf life.
30 - "Slave to the Vibe," Aftershock
British boy-band dance music. The rapping isn't too bad, but just okay otherwise.
29 - "Jewel," Cranes
The biggest hit for these Portsmouth dream-poppers was this ethereal love song featuring the girlish vocals of singer Alison Shaw. I feel like this song is trying to accomplish the same vibe as Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" only not nearly as well. Costume jewelry at best.
28 - "When You Gonna Learn," Jamiroquai
The debut hit by buffalo-hatted Jay Kay and co. was this enviro-funk number. It doesn't add anything to what Marvin Gaye did with "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)." Having a digeridoo on it doesn't really make a difference either. I would never have predicted international stardom for this guy based on this
27 - "Ace of Spades," Motorhead
Formed in 1975 by Ian Kilmister, who would go on to be known the world over as "Lemmy," this band took rock to unprecedented speeds and volumes and became metal pioneers. This was a reissue of their 1980 breakthrough hit, a guitar bomb about gambling and other risks. It's just two-and-a-half minutes of amped-up, noisy, out-of-control rock n'roll. Lemmy didn't have to do anything else in his life to be mourned as a legend, but he certainly did. We won't forget the joker.
26 - "Everlasting Love," Worlds Apart
Another boy band with another cover of the song we last heard done by Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet. I don't know why this is such a go-to for pop acts in search of a hit. It's a good song and all, but still, And this version makes me long for Sexy Rexy. I can't forgive these guys for that.
25 - "Nuff Vibes EP," Apache Indian
Birmingham rapper Steven Kapur combined Indian bhangra with Jamaican dancehall to some success in the early 90s, most notably with this Top Five EP that featured the song "Boom Shack-a-Lak," a dance track that has been used in multiple movies and commercials since its release. It's one of those songs that needed to exist but was never going to launch a career.
24 - "Higher Ground," UB40
The followup to their worldwide charttopping cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love" was this pop-reggae tune about appreciating nature. I think that's it. Not too bad, as their watered-down era output goes.
23 - "Heaven Help," Lenny Kravitz
Speaking of Lenny, his fifth hit here was this soul ballad about taking a chance on love. Competent and earnest, but nothing special. That describes a lot of his stuff, actually.
22 - "One Woman," Jade
Third of four Brit hits for this American R&B trio. Basic ballad about wanting a man to be faithful. Like a poor man's En Vogue.
21 - "One Goodbye in Ten," Shara Nelson
After singing lead on the Massive Attack classic "Unfinished Sympathy," Londoner Nelson would score five solo Top 40s, the second being this bit of old-school heartbreak soul. Great song, great singer, nothing more to say.
In Part Two: city biscuits, elastic femininity, and proud narcissism.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Saturday, October 8, 2016
GATW: UKT40 September 19, 1981 Part Two
But wait, there's more!
20 - "One of Those Nights," Bucks Fizz
This group's third hit was another bit of ABBAishness about being depressed about losing a lover. Well, it's better than another medley.
19 - "So This is Romance," Linx
The fourth and last Top 40 for this British soul group in which singer David Grant talks about how his cousin's girlfriend cheated on him. That's different, and it's also kinda catchy. Grant apparently is now a vocal coach for TV singing competitions. Good for him.
18 - "Abacab," Genesis
The now-trio's third UK Top Ten was this song about, um, being sneaky and stealing someone's girlfriend and then wrapping them in cellopahane. And it's named after chord changes. Well, they still had a little weirdness left before they became straight pop.
17 - "You'll Never Know," Hi-Gloss
Can't find much about the group, but the song is slick funk featuring a woman telling a man how he blew a good thing with her. Superior soul in the Sade/Swing Out Sister vein. Worth seeking out.
16 - "She's Got Claws," Gary Numan
The fifth Top Ten by the London New Wave pioneer was this dark number about love and betrayal. He takes you into a similar world to the one Bowie does, but his is even more cold and mechanical. But it's always fascinating to be there.
15 - "The Thin Wall," Ultravox
The fifth hit for this London band was this darkly atmospheric New Wave tune about the world's manipulators and those they manipulate. I think that's it. A solid contribution to the genre. Rocking, but with a suitably cool vibe.
14 - "Everybody Salsa," Modern Romance
The first hit for the group we encountered with "Queen of the Rapping Scene" are here with their debut hit, an attempt to combine British dance music with Latin rhythms. It just comes off as loungey, gimmicky cheese.
13 - "Endless Love," Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
A U,S. #1 and a Top Ten here. Sappy ballad from a movie about fucked-up teenage love. I'm not sure I'd burn down a house for Brooke Shields.
12 - "One in Ten," UB40
Their fifth hit was this slow burning reggae track about people on the margins of society. Sincere and urgent. Before they went unabashedly pop, these guys were legit.
11 - "Slow Hand," The Pointer Sisters
The siblings' first British Top Ten was this slow groove about taking your time during sex. Up there among their best.
10 - "Love Action," The Human League
The synth stars' first U.K. Top Five was this tinkly number about relishing the ups and downs of romance. It strikes me as the warmup version of "Don't You Want Me." A little tweaking and boom, an iconic classic.
9 - "Start Me Up," The Rolling Stones
Their biggest hit of the 80s. Everyone knows the opening riff. I still feel weird about that lyric about the orgasming corpse, though. If you don't know it, look it up. It's there.
8 - "Pretend," Alvin Stardust
Nottinghamshire's Bernard Jewry's two biggest breaks came when he was asked to carry on for someone else. In the early 60s, he was asked not only to become the new frontman of a group called Shane Fenton and the Fentones after Fenton had been killed in a car accident, he also took on the name "Shane Fenton." A decade later, after singer Peter Shelley created a glam rock persona called Alvin Stardust but did not want to make appearances with the gimmick after debut single "My Coo-Ca-Choo" became a hit, Jewry was tapped to take on the role. Jewry/Stardust would pick up six Top 40 hits between '73 and '75, then return to the charts six years later with this cover of a 1953 Nat King Cole hit about romantic denial. It's limp, too-slick faux rockabilly. Stardust would have three more 80s hits, then would pretty much become a nostalgia act until his death from prostate cancer in 2014.
7 - "Hold On Tight," The Electric Light Orchestra
A straight-ahead rocker with a "don't give up" message in two languages. A little dull for them.
6 - "Japanese Boy," Aneka
Scotswoman Mary Sandeman's one claim to pop fame was this gimmicky Asian-themed pop embarrassment. From the fake-"Oriental" sounds to her adopting of a pseudo-Japanese look, it's all very stereotypical, and almost too silly to be offensive. I have to give an extra Uneasy Rider this week to this one. Fun Fact: this song failed to become a hit in Japan itself because people there found it "too Chinese."
5 - "Wired for Sound," Cliff Richard
Yet more from Sir Cliff. This one is peppy lite-pop about how much he loves music and needs to hear it wherever he goes. Meh. Not great, but the only thing really offensive about it is how he tries to rhyme "plastic" with "ecstatic." No.
4 - "Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)," Ottowan
The second and last Top Five for this French dance duo is this reggae/pop number that compares love to armed robbery. That's a little dark for such a sunny-sounding song. Nothing more romantic than a mugging.
3 - "Souvenir," Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
The Merseyside bands third Top 40 and first Top 5 was this ethereal synth ballad about not being able to get where one is going. Relaxing chill-out music.
2 - "Tainted Love," Soft Cell
The song that made them one-hit wonders in America was followed up with eleven more Top 40s at home. Britain for the win.
And today's 35-year-old charttopper is...
1 - "Prince Charming," Adam and the Ants
The insectcentric London group's second and last #1 was this jittery acoustic rock song encouraging listeners to be their flamboyant, outrageous selves. "Ridicule is nothing to be scared of." I agree. These guys were more than just dressup dandies.
Thank you for reading. I shall return. Farewell.
20 - "One of Those Nights," Bucks Fizz
This group's third hit was another bit of ABBAishness about being depressed about losing a lover. Well, it's better than another medley.
19 - "So This is Romance," Linx
The fourth and last Top 40 for this British soul group in which singer David Grant talks about how his cousin's girlfriend cheated on him. That's different, and it's also kinda catchy. Grant apparently is now a vocal coach for TV singing competitions. Good for him.
18 - "Abacab," Genesis
The now-trio's third UK Top Ten was this song about, um, being sneaky and stealing someone's girlfriend and then wrapping them in cellopahane. And it's named after chord changes. Well, they still had a little weirdness left before they became straight pop.
17 - "You'll Never Know," Hi-Gloss
Can't find much about the group, but the song is slick funk featuring a woman telling a man how he blew a good thing with her. Superior soul in the Sade/Swing Out Sister vein. Worth seeking out.
16 - "She's Got Claws," Gary Numan
The fifth Top Ten by the London New Wave pioneer was this dark number about love and betrayal. He takes you into a similar world to the one Bowie does, but his is even more cold and mechanical. But it's always fascinating to be there.
15 - "The Thin Wall," Ultravox
The fifth hit for this London band was this darkly atmospheric New Wave tune about the world's manipulators and those they manipulate. I think that's it. A solid contribution to the genre. Rocking, but with a suitably cool vibe.
14 - "Everybody Salsa," Modern Romance
The first hit for the group we encountered with "Queen of the Rapping Scene" are here with their debut hit, an attempt to combine British dance music with Latin rhythms. It just comes off as loungey, gimmicky cheese.
13 - "Endless Love," Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
A U,S. #1 and a Top Ten here. Sappy ballad from a movie about fucked-up teenage love. I'm not sure I'd burn down a house for Brooke Shields.
12 - "One in Ten," UB40
Their fifth hit was this slow burning reggae track about people on the margins of society. Sincere and urgent. Before they went unabashedly pop, these guys were legit.
11 - "Slow Hand," The Pointer Sisters
The siblings' first British Top Ten was this slow groove about taking your time during sex. Up there among their best.
10 - "Love Action," The Human League
The synth stars' first U.K. Top Five was this tinkly number about relishing the ups and downs of romance. It strikes me as the warmup version of "Don't You Want Me." A little tweaking and boom, an iconic classic.
9 - "Start Me Up," The Rolling Stones
Their biggest hit of the 80s. Everyone knows the opening riff. I still feel weird about that lyric about the orgasming corpse, though. If you don't know it, look it up. It's there.
8 - "Pretend," Alvin Stardust
Nottinghamshire's Bernard Jewry's two biggest breaks came when he was asked to carry on for someone else. In the early 60s, he was asked not only to become the new frontman of a group called Shane Fenton and the Fentones after Fenton had been killed in a car accident, he also took on the name "Shane Fenton." A decade later, after singer Peter Shelley created a glam rock persona called Alvin Stardust but did not want to make appearances with the gimmick after debut single "My Coo-Ca-Choo" became a hit, Jewry was tapped to take on the role. Jewry/Stardust would pick up six Top 40 hits between '73 and '75, then return to the charts six years later with this cover of a 1953 Nat King Cole hit about romantic denial. It's limp, too-slick faux rockabilly. Stardust would have three more 80s hits, then would pretty much become a nostalgia act until his death from prostate cancer in 2014.
7 - "Hold On Tight," The Electric Light Orchestra
A straight-ahead rocker with a "don't give up" message in two languages. A little dull for them.
6 - "Japanese Boy," Aneka
Scotswoman Mary Sandeman's one claim to pop fame was this gimmicky Asian-themed pop embarrassment. From the fake-"Oriental" sounds to her adopting of a pseudo-Japanese look, it's all very stereotypical, and almost too silly to be offensive. I have to give an extra Uneasy Rider this week to this one. Fun Fact: this song failed to become a hit in Japan itself because people there found it "too Chinese."
5 - "Wired for Sound," Cliff Richard
Yet more from Sir Cliff. This one is peppy lite-pop about how much he loves music and needs to hear it wherever he goes. Meh. Not great, but the only thing really offensive about it is how he tries to rhyme "plastic" with "ecstatic." No.
4 - "Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)," Ottowan
The second and last Top Five for this French dance duo is this reggae/pop number that compares love to armed robbery. That's a little dark for such a sunny-sounding song. Nothing more romantic than a mugging.
3 - "Souvenir," Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
The Merseyside bands third Top 40 and first Top 5 was this ethereal synth ballad about not being able to get where one is going. Relaxing chill-out music.
2 - "Tainted Love," Soft Cell
The song that made them one-hit wonders in America was followed up with eleven more Top 40s at home. Britain for the win.
And today's 35-year-old charttopper is...
1 - "Prince Charming," Adam and the Ants
The insectcentric London group's second and last #1 was this jittery acoustic rock song encouraging listeners to be their flamboyant, outrageous selves. "Ridicule is nothing to be scared of." I agree. These guys were more than just dressup dandies.
Thank you for reading. I shall return. Farewell.
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