Early summer 1989. It seemed to be a period of protests, riots, and strikes. That seems to be a theme of the Thatcher years. And these were the sounds Britons turned to for distraction.
40 - "Voodoo Ray," A Guy Called Gerald
The first and biggest success for Manchester DJ Gerald Simpson was this hypnotic house track featuring samples from a comedy album by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. I find the early examples of this genre the most interesting, and this is case in point.
39 - "Looking for a Love," Joyce Sims
The,last of five U.K. hits for this Rochester, New York singer was this better-than-average soul-dance tune about searching for affection that is "free from all man-made obstacles." The flute was a nice touch.
38 - "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You," Sonia
This Liverpool singer was 18 when she hit #1 with her debut single, this dance-pop anthem of romantic persistence crafted by the Stock/Aitken/Waterman production team. Meh. Might have been better if SAW regular Kylie Minogue had done it.
37 - "Grandpa's Party," Monie Love
Another teenager, London rapper Simone Gooden was about to turn 19 when her second of 11 Top 40s was in the charts. It's a house-flavored jam about a fun-yet-fun-yet-concscious celebration with a pretty cool grandparent. Some good stuff from one of the first major hip-hop artists from Britain.
36 - "Gatecrashing," Living in a Box
The penultimate Top 40 for these soft-funkers was this song about making your own adventure. I think that's it. I actually like this better than their eponymous hit. They do better when they leave the box, apparently.
35 - "Hand on Your Heart," Kylie Minogue
And speaking of Kylie, here is the Austin soap-turned-pop star with her third #1, a SAW concoction about needing to be convinced that a relationship is ending. You can hear some of the spark that would go on to make her more that just an interchangeable component of a hit machine.
34 - "I Won't Back Down," Tom Petty
This was the Florida rocker's highest charating hit here, with or without the Heartbreakers. And it only made it to # 28. Bit of a shame, but I can chalk it up to cultural differences.
33 - "Cry," Waterfront
The only major hit for this Welsh duo was this midtempo pop track about a relationship that cannot be. It was actually a bigger hit in America than it was here. A win for the Brits, who apparently had slightly less appetite for warmed-over Wham.
32 - "Funky Cold Medina," Tone Loc
L.A. rapper Anthony Smith broke through this year with two sexually charged hits that went Top Five in the States, but were a little less successful here. "Wild Thing" went to #21, and this tale of the perils of using the titular aphrodisiac made it to #13. This is probably the one I like better, because the charming, gravel-voiced cad gets his comeuppance. His music career went nowhere after this, but he has acted some since, in the process appearing in two separate movies about specialty detectives designed to make comedians major movie stars. One, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, worked for Jim Carrey. The other, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, didn't for Andrew Dice Clay.
31 - "Waltz Darling," Malcolm McLaren and the Bootzilla Orchestra
After his adventures in band management, the eccentric impresario decided to make his own records, often incorporating street culture and the emerging hip-hop scene. This got him six Top 40s, the fifth being this collaboration with musicians led by P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins. It's of-its-time dance funk that contrasts the tradition and etiquette of the Waltz with the looseness of modern dancing. It's pretty good, but he has more interesting stuff.
30 - "Fight the Power," Public Enemy
Carlton "Chuck D" Ridenhour and William "Flavor Flav" Drayton met in university on Long Island, and together with DJ Norman "Terminator X" Rogers formed a group that brought social consciousness and righteous anger to a whole new level in hip-hop. They had become critically acclaimed and controversial underground stars at home and had picked up three hit singles here when they released this contribution to the soundtrack of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. It's a 1000 megaton bomb of a song that rails against white supremacy and for black empowerment. It was perfect for the film, perfect for the moment, and perfect for life in general. It would definitely be in my Top Ten of British 80s Top 40s.
29 - "Manchild," Neneh Cherry
The Swedish-born hip-hop soulster's second U.K. Top Five was this midtempo track encouraging an immature male to grow up and go out and get the things he wants out of life. More proof that she was one of the artists who promised to flourish in the 90s. She had several U.K. Top 40s then, but I would have expected much more than that.
28 - "The Only One," Transvision Vamp
Fronted by singer Wendy James, these London pop punks had seven hits, the fourth being this peppy devotion tune. Catchy, and James sounds like a cross between Debbie Harry and Joan Jett. But I've heard better from them.
27 - "Cruel Summer '89," Bananarama
A new version of their 1983 hit, redone in a New Jack Swing style and with new recruit Jacquie O'Sullivan, who joined when Siobahn Fahey left to join Shakespear's Sister. Not necessary to anyone outside of the group or their handlers.
26 - "Til I Loved You," Jennifer Rush and Placido Domingo
American Rush had gone to #1 with the original version of future Celine Dion staple "The Power of Love," but only found the Top 40 again teaming up with Mexican-raised opera star Domingo on this overblown ballad from an unproduced musical about Spanish painter Francisco Goya. The previous year, it had reached #25 in the U.S. as performed by Barbra Streisand and then-flame Don Johnson. I'd say this is the better one. No prizes for guessing my reasoning.
25 - "Superwoman," Karyn White
The biggest U.K. hit for this L.A. singer was this ballad about a woman who is tired of being expected to be her man's doormat. A strong, defiant performance.
24 - "I Live for Your Love," Natalie Cole
Nat's daughter had her bigger British success when she went to #2 with this plea for reconciliation. All right.
23 - "Be With You," Bangles
Their follow-up to the transatlantic #1 "Eternal Flame" was this power pop declaration of romantic intent. Pedestrian by their standards. Soon after they would break up for ten years, and this is evidence that the break was needed.
22 - "Patience," Guns n' Roses
G n' R's third Top Ten here was their acoustic ballad possibly based on one or more of the band members' troubled romantic relationships. They had many moments when they effectively blended gritty and beauty, but this time they didn’t bother with the gritty and still showed they could get to the heart.
21 - "I Don't Wanna Get Hurt," Donna Summer
The Disco Queen had made a comeback earlier in the year with "This Time I Know It's For Real," a Stock/Aitken/Waterman production that returned her to the U.S, Top Ten for the first time in seven years, and the British Top Ten for the first time in ten. Here, she followed up with another one in the form of this song about romantic reluctance that sounds like most of its creators' other concoctionsongs. But I'd never even think of replacing Donna with Kylie.
In Part Two: Bond, bats, and a tune that could be about anyone.
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