An Old Man Abroad: UKT40 October 28, 1989 Part Two

The top half.

20 - “You Keep it All In, “ The Beautiful South

The Housemartins’ offshoot had their first hit with this deceptively sprightly number about repressing impulses, fears and memories.  The kind of pop that does great in Britain but doesn’t find much of an audience elsewhere, which is a shame.

19 - “Don’t Make Me Over,” Sybil

The first of American Sybil Lynch’s two hit dance covers of Burt Bacharach compositions.  In spite of the bells and whistles, the song is the star.

18 - “Sweet Surrender,” Wet Wet Wet

The sixth hit for the drenched Scots was this ballad about missing an ex you thought was the one.  Well-sung but boring.

17 - “I Thank You,” Adeva

The fourth Brit hit for New Jersey dance diva Patricia Daniels was this grateful house track.  Her voice is distinctive enough to hold your attention through the unremarkable beats.

16 - “Eye Know,” De La Soul

This trio from the infamous New York town of Amityville came on the scene bringing a trippier, jazzier sound to hip-hop.  Their third hit epitomizes this, with laid-back rhymes delivered over samples of “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” and Steely Dan’s “Peg.”  It still sounds as joyous and fresh as it did then.

15 - “I Feel the Earth Move,” Martika

The second hit by Californian Marta Marrero was this dance-rock cover of a 1971 Carole King hit.  Too candy-coloured in comparison to the mature sexuality of the original.

14 - “I Want That Man,” Deborah Harry

The Blondie frontwoman had her third hit with sassy, strutting rock knowing what her heart desires, which apparently incleudes actor Harry Dean Stanton.  Debbie is just the diva of all time.  Love love love her.

13 - “All Around the World,” Lisa Stansfield 

This Mancunian soulstress had her breakout solo hit with this breathy chronicle of her ongoing search for her beloved.  #1 here and in six other countries, and #3 in North America.  So the song did its share of globetrotting as well.

12 - “The Road to Hell,” Chris Rea

The Middlesbrough veteran’s only Top Ten was this gritty, downcast blues-rocker about how the modern world is dooming us.  Depressing, but a good song nonetheless.

11 - “Wishing on a Star,” Fresh 4

A breakbeat cover of Rose Royce’s 1978 hit, sung by a cold, accented female voice and featuring a disinterested-sounding rap.  I don’t get it, but at least it’s not a copy of the original.

Scaramouche, will you do the Top Tengo?

10 - “If Only I Could,” Sydney Youngblood

The biggest hit for this American-German singer was this dance plea for world peace.  His voice is interesting enough to carry me through it.

9 - “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Billy Joel

Billy’s history list only got to #7.  I guess his shoutouts to “British Beatlemania” and “British politician sex” weren’t enough. It’s still remarkable to me that pretty much nothing happened between 1963 and 1979.  That seems unlikely.

8 - “Pump Up the Jam,” Technotronic

The track that made house friendly for the North American mainstream on its way to a Triple Top Five.  Making “stomping” rhyme with “pumping” may be one of Belgium’s greatest achievements as a nation.  Probably not, but maybe.

7 - “Room in Your Heart,” Living in a Box

The Manchester band’s biggest non-eponymous hit was this ballad about finding love.  Okay for slow dances and private romances, but I’m not sure why you would need to hear it outside of those contexts.

6 - “If I Could Turn Back Time,” Cher

Sonny’s ex gives in to Diane Warren’s begging and records this power ballad, does a video with her ass hanging out on a Navy battleship, success ensues.  Simple, really.

5 - “Ride on Time,” Black Box

The first hit and only #1 for this Italodance machine was soul shouting over house beats.  Much better than this sounds.  And this was before they started ripping off Martha Wash.

4 - “Leave a Light On,” Belinda Carlisle

The once and future Go-Go, with a dance-rocker pledging that she will always return to her lover.  George Harrison shows up to do a sweet slide guitar solo.  Her solo stuff has grown on me over the years.

3 - “Street Tuff,” Rebel MC and Double Trouble

Islington rapper Michael West had his biggest hit alongside his producer friends with this track.  Decent beats, boastful rhymes, pretty good.

2 - “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You,” Milli Vanilli
Britain denies the lip-syncers a Triple Crown, but at least this sapfest was their biggest hit.  Sadly, it really would be a tragedy for them to see the Dream was over.

And on top back then was...

1 - “That’s What I Like,” Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
These guys again, with their second straight #1.  The victims this time include Chubby Checker, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the theme from Hawaii Five-0.  Creative bankruptcy at its finest.

Back to Britain next time.  Cheers till then.