Big finish now.
20 - "Good Rhymes," Da Click
Rap-dance that samples Chic. The familiar sounds make it listenable.
19 - "Over You," Justin
Nigerian-Scot Justin Osuji had the biggest of his four hits with this R&B heartbreak ballad. It made me look up whether or not "misendeavour" is a word. It doesn't look like it is. That's the sum total of this song's contribution to my life.
18 - "Big Big World, " Emilia
Swede Emilia Rydberg is the daughter of an Ethiopian pop singer and a Swedish woman. Her big international hit was this midtempo pop song about about missing someone. Playlist filler.
17 - "Bad Girls," Juliet Roberts
Grenadian-British singer Roberts had the last of her eight hits with this carbon copy of Donna Summer's 1979 disco classic. Why would anyone bother?
16 - "Rescue Me," Ultra
This British boyband's biggest hit was this midtempo take-me-back ballad. No surprises, no lasting value.
15 - "Get on the Bus," Destiny's Child featuring Timbaland
Back when they were a foursome and Beyonce was still in her teens, the girl group teamed up with rapper/producer Timbaland on this funky kiss-off. This was sort of a rehearsal for Queen Bey's later smash "Irreplaceable. "
14 - "Believe," Cher
The surprise Triple Crown winner that cemented her legend and introduced the world to Auto Tune. It's an okay survival anthem, upgraded by Cher's distinct attitude. We believed.
13 - "End of the Line," Honeyz
Another British girl group, this one having their second Top Ten with this breakup ballad. Some spunk shown, but still, one of the pack.
12 - "Goodbye," The Spice Girls
Their eighth #1 was, ironically enough considering the title, their first single after the departure of Ginger. It's about an amicable and hopeful parting. The group would only have one more hit before going their separate ways. So calling the album this came from Forever was a ltitle off.
11 - "Beautiful Day," 3 Colours Red
Named after the third film in a trilogy by Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski, this London band were tipped as another Bripop sensation after signing with the same label as Oasis. They didn't get huge, but they managed six hits, the biggest being this rock ballad about sticking with someone. There's a lot of strings, reminiscent of The Verve, but it doesn't have nearly the same catchiness.
10 - "Walk Like a Panther," The All Seeing I featuring Tony Christie
The biggest hit for this Sheffield dance group was this cool ltitle groove on which veteran Christie portrays an older man who still feels confident and superior to modern youth. He sells it like a pro, but comes off cooler than he ever did. Well done.
9 - "Chocolate Salty Balls," Chef
Also returning from our 1972 trip is Isaac Hayes, this time in the guise of his South Park character Chef. This is a funky ditty that seems to describe a dessert treat, but it could be misinterpreted by those with dirty minds. And this was a #1 here. Oh, Britannia. And yes, this is your Uneasy Rider for the week.
8 - "You Should Be...," Blockster
Brandon Block was a successful London club DJ in the early 90s, but by mid-decade hard partying had caught up to him, and he had to step aside for awhile. He did make a successful return, and even crossed into recording with this modernized version of the Bee Gees' "You Should be Dancing." Not necessary, but still charming, and everybody loves a good comeback story, right?
7 - "Cassius 1999," Cassius
The first of four hits by this French electronic duo was this bit of, to quote one of the few lyrics "funky music." They weren't quite as interesting as Daft Punk, but there is still more style to this than the generic beats of the time.
6 - "When You're Gone," Bryan Adams and Melanie C
Badams teamed up with Sporty Spice for this pop-rock number about the loneliness of separation. A surprisingly good combination. Nothing earth-shattering, but a nice radio tune.
5 - "More Than This," Emmie
The only hit for Stockport's Emma Morton-Smith was this dance cover of Roxy Music's 1982 hit. A better title might be "Less Than That."
4 - "Praise You," Fatboy Slim
The only #1 for Housemartin-turned-DJ Norman Cook mixed a vocal sample from an obscure Chicago singer Camille Yarbrough with sample from a Disney record and the Fat Albert theme and turned it into a new genre: rave-gospel. I have to celebrate this, baby.
3 - "Heartbeat/Tragedy," Steps
This double-sided single was the first of two Number Ones for this three-woman, two man prefab song and dance troupe. The A is a boring love song, while the B is a cover of a 1979 Bee Gees smash. It lacks everything without Barry's wailing falsetto.
2 - "I Want You For Myself," Another Level featuring Ghostface Killah
The boys' last Top Five was boyband product enlivened by a rap from a Wu-Tang Clan member that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the song. It's still a vast improvement.
1 - "A Little Bit More," 911
Another boyband, another cover, this one of Dr. Hook's 1976 hit about sexual staying power. Yeah, this is why I rarely go very deep into the 90s. There are some rewards, but a whole lot of shit.
And I'm out again. But pop will pull me back in soon enough. Drop by the Facebook page if you'd like, check out some older posts, or just keep an eye for my imminent return. Either way, thank you for your time.
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