So at last, here's the rest.
20 - "The Key: The Secret," Urban Cookie Collective
The first and biggest of four Top 40s for this British dance group was this house track about having a key, and also a secret "to another way." That pretty much sums up the lyric. The backing track is pretty good, though. A bit above average.
19 - "Here We Go," Stakka Bo
The only major international hit for Swede Bo Johan Renck was this pop/hip-hop number that rails against consumer culture. Catchy, with an interesting if awkwardly-rapped message. And one of the better post-disco uses of flute. Renck has gone on to direct music videos and TV shows, including episodes of Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead.
18 - "Big Scary Animal," Belinda Carlisle
The ex-Go-Go was no longer having hits at home, but she was still charting regularly in Britain, scoring the fourteenth of her 19 Top 40s with this pop-rocker that compares romance to a ferocious beast. She employs the rockier rasp in her voice more than she did on her American hits, and I like that. I missed the edge.
17 - "Living on My Own," Freddie Mercury
This posthumous remix of a 1985 single became the legendary Queen frontman's only solo #1. It's a dance-rocker about loneliness and longing for better days. Not a strong song, but Freddie's outsized charisma sells it.
16 - "Faces," 2 Unlimited
The seventh of 14 U.K. hits for the Dutch dance group known for their sports arena-friendly tracks was this number featuring a rap about accepting each other and things of that nature. The music is a little darker-sounding than their more familiar hits, but I think it makes for a better song that doesn't become an annoying earworm in the "Get Ready for This" or "No Limit" vein.
15 - "Dreamlover," Mariah Carey
This was her seventh #1 in the U.S., but only her third Top Ten here. Meh, it's okay, as she goes. She is what she is.
14 - "Rubberband Girl," Kate Bush
The ethereal chanteuse had another hit with this, er, bouncy pop song about a desire to be elastic. The kind of strangeness you want from her, and in this field, that's good enough for an Uneasy Rider.
13 - "Creep," Radiohead
The first major hit for the Oxford band who became one of the most acclaimed and influential groups of the last quarter-century was this grungy rock blast about the love/hate relationship a stalker has with the object of his obsession. For a while, the band seemed dismayed by its popularity and shunned performing it live, but they seemed to have reclaimed it in recent years. As they should, because it's just this perfect little rock song.
12 - "It Must Have Been Love," Roxette
A re-release of the Swedes' 1990 Pretty Woman monster hit. Still one of their less interesting efforts to these ears.
11 - "The River of Dreams," Billy Joel
His last Top Five on both sides of the Atlantic was this sprightly, gospellish number about spiritual searching. My main thought about this is that Paul Simon did stuff like this better.
10 - "On the Ropes EP," The Wonder Stuff
This band from the West Midlands picked up thirteen Top 40 hits between '88 and '94. Number ten was this EP whose title track is a rock song about the battle between artistic and commercial instincts. I think that's it. Very good, er, stuff, and I'm more interested to check out their other material now than I was when they were kind of a fringe band on the playlist of Toronto "modern rock" station CFNY.
9 - "Condemnation," Depeche Mode
This latest hit from the Essex synth stars was this gospel-tinged ballad about always feeling unjustly persecuted. This could be Donald Trump's campaign song. When will we stop being so unfair to that kind, respectful, warm, and loving humanitarian?
8 - "Life," Haddaway
The first of three other U.K. Top Tens from the man who gave us "What is Love," is this dance tune about romantic uncertainty. Some definite similarities to his best-known hit, but more minor chords and electric guitar. Decent, but it's easy to see why it's not the perennial that other song is.
7 - "It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)," Bitty McLean
Given his nickname due to his diminutive stature, Birmingham-born Delroy McLean began a two-year run of hits with this dancehall cover of a 1961 Fats Domino song about being left by a lover. It's okay, even if the toasting bits seem superfluous. I should look up the original, though.
6 - "She Don't Let Nobody," Chaka Demus and Pliers
The Jamaican duo of emcee John Taylor and singer Everton Bonner had the second of sic Brit hits with this ode to a faithful lady. Pleasant reggae-pop, no more or less.
5 - "Right Here,/Human Nature" SWV
Sisters With Voices transatlantic Michael Jackson-assisted Top Five. Okay.
4 - "Movin' on Up," M People
This Manchester dance group had a whopping 19 hits in the 90s, the biggest being this one, which reached #2. This is a frankly brilliant update of classic disco, with singer Heather Small delivering a powerhouse vocal about leaving an inadequate lover. I will admit that I liked this song so much that it was the sole reason I acquired the soundtrack to The Full Monty back in the day. Ah, the strange things we did for one song back in the pre-everything on demand world.
3 - "Mr. Vain," Culture Beat
This German group formed by Frankfurt DJ Torsten Fenslau had one of the bigger Eurodance hits of the decade with this international charttopper. It's a catchy beat over which rapper Jay Supreme boasts of how irresistable his sexual prowess is to the female of the species. It's definitely one of the songs in the genre that stands out and has some legs.
2 - "Go West," The Pet Shop Boys
The London synthpop duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have had some success in America, but at home they have been prolific hitmakers, scoring 42 Top 40 hits to date, including this cover of a 1979 Village People song about heading to a "promised land," often interpreted as San Francisco given the group's not-exactly-disguised homosexuality. The Boys' version is impressively epic-sounding, even incorporating an all-male Broadway choir on backing vocals. It's quite rousing and inspirational, and blows away the original.
And topping the charts way back when was...
1 - "Boom! Shake the Room," Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince.
The duo of Jeff Townes and Will Smith (who had by this time dropped the words "DJ" and "The" from their name) never charted higher than #4 at home (with 1991's "Summertime"), but they managed a charttopper here with this harder-edged track. Smith's rap is shoutier than it had been before (and would be afterward), but it doesn't seem like a pose, and it works for the song. They wanted to be taken more seriously, but not too much more seriously, and this was an effective effort. A solid party jam.
There you have it. I slowed down a bit there, but I'm not done, and I will return soon. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Gloves Across the Water: UKT40 September 25, 1993 Part One
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
GATW: UKT40 September 19, 1981 Part One
September 1981. This month, a group of Welsh women set up a peace camp at Greenham Common Royal Air Force Base in Berkshire to protest nuclear weapons. The camp would remain for nearly twenty years. I regret to tell you that a lot of the songs I'm about to tell you about lack such staying power. But see for yourself.
40 - "I Love Music," Enigma
Not the Romanian guy who gave us the gothy dance hits "Sadeness" and "Return to Innocence" in the 90s. but rather a British disco group with a medley of other people's hits. Read the second half of that sentence and you'll get a recurring theme of this list.
39 - "Back to the Sixties," Tight Fit
Speaking of which, here's another bunch with a disco medley of a bunch of hits from two decades earlier. There's Stones, there's Kinks, there's Motown, there's other stuff, all done by reasonable soundalikes. No reason at all to go back and find this instead of listening to the originals.
38 - "Classical Muddly," Porstmouth Sinfonia
Another one, but this is a little more interesting. This group was formed at the Portsmouth School of Art in 1970, and they invited anyone with little or no musical training to pick an instrument, do their best to learn how to play, and then play together. The results were charmingly amateurish, and they achieved some fame and performed frequently until disbanding in 1979. But two years later, coinciding with the medley trend, they put together some of their takes at various familiar pieces, set them to a beat, and released a single that scraped into the Top 40. It's pretty fun, and makes stuff we think of as stuffy a lot more relatable. I like it a lot, and I also give it this chart's Uneasy Rider.
37 - "Everlasting Love," Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet
Only Brit hit for him, second for her. They take on this oft-covered song originated by Robert Knight in 1967. He belts overwroughtly, she goes for rock sultriness. They goof around and pretend to get married in the video. It's charmingly cheesy.
36 - "Wunderbar," Tenpole Tudor
Founded by Londoner Edward Tudor-Pole, this band first gained notice in the post-breakup Sex Pistols film The Great Rock n' Roll Swindle. They would pick up their only two Top 40s this year, the second being this weird little punk rocker/beer hall singalong about how life is bad but good anyway. Or something like that. A cool little tune.
35 - "Seasons of Gold," Gidea Park
Named for a London neighborhood, this is another disco group doing a medley, this one of the Four Seasons. The producer and main singer, Adrian Baker, does a pretty good Frankie Valli. Otherwise, nothing to hear here.
34 - "Happy Birthday," Stevie Wonder
Wonder wrote this song to make the case that there should be a U.S. national holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Though it hit #2 here, it barely charted at home, but it still contributed to King's birthday being established as a holiday, and Wonder performed the song on January 20, 1986, at a celebration of the first official MLK Day. Just another fact that proves that Stevie is the man.
33 - "Stars on 45 (Volume 3)," Starsound
Yet another medley, this one by the Dutch group that really made these things popular. This one is mostly instrumental, consisting of the opening parts of songs ranging from the themes of Star Wars, M*A*S*H, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, to pop and rock hits including "Layla," "Y.M.C.A.,"
"All Right Now," and even "Ma Baker." It gets some extra credit for that last one, but otherwise, it's completely irrelevant now.
32 - "Green Door," Shakin' Stevens
Stevens' second #1 was this cover of a 1956 Jim Lowe hit about a wild yet inaccessible party. Solid retro-rockabilly. Whether you liked what he did or not, he did it well.
31 - "Hooked on Classics," The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The dance medley featuring Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky, and many more went to #2 here and #10 in the U.S. I guess this would work if you want to work out but be cultured at the same time. I don't know why else this exists.
30 - "Under Your Thumb," Godley and Creme
In the States the ex-10cc duo only hit with 1985's "Cry," but at home they had two hits before that, the first being this haunting synthpop song about a man on a train encountering the ghost of a woman who had committed suicide by throwing herself from that very train. Another cool discovery, and something to slip onto any Halloween mix you might make.
29 - "Passionate Friend," The Teardrop Explodes
From Liverpool, this New Wave band's third and final U.K. Top 40 was this tune about the end of a love affair. Decent pop, but nothing that grabs me as much as the band's name.
28 - "Holliedaze," The Hollies
Another medley, this one stringing together a bunch of hits from the Manchester British Invasion vets. Useful because a few of the songs included weren't U.S. hits, but otherwise, listen to the originals in full, ferfucksake.
27 - "Girls on Film," Duran Duran
The Duranies third home hit (and first Top Ten) was this grooving pop-rocker about the exploitation of models, which ironically was marketed with a Godley and Creme-directed video containing sex and nudity. Irony abounds. But still, one of their better songs.
26 - "Chemistry," The Nolans
Born in Ireland but raised in Blackpool, sisters Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda, Bernadette, and Colleen Nolan got their start as regulars on a Cliff Richard variety show, then broke through in 1979 with "I'm in the Mood for Dancing. which not only made the U.K. Top Five but also hit #1 in Japan. Their seventh of eight British Top 40s was this disco tune about clicking with someone. Sprightly, but forgettable. I didn't feel the spark.
25 - "Birdie Song," The Tweets
What this is is record producer Henry Hadaway's version of a song composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas to accompany what anyone who has been to a wedding in the last thirty years knows as "The Chicken Dance." You know it. It's in your head now. You're fighting the temptation to start doing it, aren't you? I'm sorry.
24 - "Hand Held in Black and White," Dollar
Our second encounter with this Anglo-Canadian duo. I really have no idea what it's about. It mentions Tokyo and flying and graffiti. Otherwise, it's sevriceable synth-pop. More like a quarter than a dollar.
23 - "The Caribbean Disco Show," Lobo
This is not the American 70s star behind "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo," but rather a Dutchman who had a hit with a calypso medley highlighted by "The Banana Boat Song," and a song about a woman named Judy who drowned. This medley thing is even worse than the current Hollywood trend of remaking old hit movies. This may have been the rock bottom of British pop.
22 - "In and Out of Love," Imagination
The second of nine Top 40s for this London funk band was this midtempo ballad about a tumultuous relationship. Silkily soulful. Plus bonus points for the way singer Leee John spells his name. The triple e is genius.
21 - "Rainy Night in Georgia," Randy Crawford
The Georgia soulstress's fourth U.K hit was a cover of Brook Benton's 1970 hit about percipitation in Crawford's home state. She nails the lonely, hopeless vibe. Britain had it right in making her the pop star she wasn't at home.
In Part Two: barriers, holdups, and fairy tales.
40 - "I Love Music," Enigma
Not the Romanian guy who gave us the gothy dance hits "Sadeness" and "Return to Innocence" in the 90s. but rather a British disco group with a medley of other people's hits. Read the second half of that sentence and you'll get a recurring theme of this list.
39 - "Back to the Sixties," Tight Fit
Speaking of which, here's another bunch with a disco medley of a bunch of hits from two decades earlier. There's Stones, there's Kinks, there's Motown, there's other stuff, all done by reasonable soundalikes. No reason at all to go back and find this instead of listening to the originals.
38 - "Classical Muddly," Porstmouth Sinfonia
Another one, but this is a little more interesting. This group was formed at the Portsmouth School of Art in 1970, and they invited anyone with little or no musical training to pick an instrument, do their best to learn how to play, and then play together. The results were charmingly amateurish, and they achieved some fame and performed frequently until disbanding in 1979. But two years later, coinciding with the medley trend, they put together some of their takes at various familiar pieces, set them to a beat, and released a single that scraped into the Top 40. It's pretty fun, and makes stuff we think of as stuffy a lot more relatable. I like it a lot, and I also give it this chart's Uneasy Rider.
37 - "Everlasting Love," Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet
Only Brit hit for him, second for her. They take on this oft-covered song originated by Robert Knight in 1967. He belts overwroughtly, she goes for rock sultriness. They goof around and pretend to get married in the video. It's charmingly cheesy.
36 - "Wunderbar," Tenpole Tudor
Founded by Londoner Edward Tudor-Pole, this band first gained notice in the post-breakup Sex Pistols film The Great Rock n' Roll Swindle. They would pick up their only two Top 40s this year, the second being this weird little punk rocker/beer hall singalong about how life is bad but good anyway. Or something like that. A cool little tune.
35 - "Seasons of Gold," Gidea Park
Named for a London neighborhood, this is another disco group doing a medley, this one of the Four Seasons. The producer and main singer, Adrian Baker, does a pretty good Frankie Valli. Otherwise, nothing to hear here.
34 - "Happy Birthday," Stevie Wonder
Wonder wrote this song to make the case that there should be a U.S. national holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Though it hit #2 here, it barely charted at home, but it still contributed to King's birthday being established as a holiday, and Wonder performed the song on January 20, 1986, at a celebration of the first official MLK Day. Just another fact that proves that Stevie is the man.
33 - "Stars on 45 (Volume 3)," Starsound
Yet another medley, this one by the Dutch group that really made these things popular. This one is mostly instrumental, consisting of the opening parts of songs ranging from the themes of Star Wars, M*A*S*H, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, to pop and rock hits including "Layla," "Y.M.C.A.,"
"All Right Now," and even "Ma Baker." It gets some extra credit for that last one, but otherwise, it's completely irrelevant now.
32 - "Green Door," Shakin' Stevens
Stevens' second #1 was this cover of a 1956 Jim Lowe hit about a wild yet inaccessible party. Solid retro-rockabilly. Whether you liked what he did or not, he did it well.
31 - "Hooked on Classics," The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The dance medley featuring Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Tchaikovsky, and many more went to #2 here and #10 in the U.S. I guess this would work if you want to work out but be cultured at the same time. I don't know why else this exists.
30 - "Under Your Thumb," Godley and Creme
In the States the ex-10cc duo only hit with 1985's "Cry," but at home they had two hits before that, the first being this haunting synthpop song about a man on a train encountering the ghost of a woman who had committed suicide by throwing herself from that very train. Another cool discovery, and something to slip onto any Halloween mix you might make.
29 - "Passionate Friend," The Teardrop Explodes
From Liverpool, this New Wave band's third and final U.K. Top 40 was this tune about the end of a love affair. Decent pop, but nothing that grabs me as much as the band's name.
28 - "Holliedaze," The Hollies
Another medley, this one stringing together a bunch of hits from the Manchester British Invasion vets. Useful because a few of the songs included weren't U.S. hits, but otherwise, listen to the originals in full, ferfucksake.
27 - "Girls on Film," Duran Duran
The Duranies third home hit (and first Top Ten) was this grooving pop-rocker about the exploitation of models, which ironically was marketed with a Godley and Creme-directed video containing sex and nudity. Irony abounds. But still, one of their better songs.
26 - "Chemistry," The Nolans
Born in Ireland but raised in Blackpool, sisters Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda, Bernadette, and Colleen Nolan got their start as regulars on a Cliff Richard variety show, then broke through in 1979 with "I'm in the Mood for Dancing. which not only made the U.K. Top Five but also hit #1 in Japan. Their seventh of eight British Top 40s was this disco tune about clicking with someone. Sprightly, but forgettable. I didn't feel the spark.
25 - "Birdie Song," The Tweets
What this is is record producer Henry Hadaway's version of a song composed by Swiss accordionist Werner Thomas to accompany what anyone who has been to a wedding in the last thirty years knows as "The Chicken Dance." You know it. It's in your head now. You're fighting the temptation to start doing it, aren't you? I'm sorry.
24 - "Hand Held in Black and White," Dollar
Our second encounter with this Anglo-Canadian duo. I really have no idea what it's about. It mentions Tokyo and flying and graffiti. Otherwise, it's sevriceable synth-pop. More like a quarter than a dollar.
23 - "The Caribbean Disco Show," Lobo
This is not the American 70s star behind "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo," but rather a Dutchman who had a hit with a calypso medley highlighted by "The Banana Boat Song," and a song about a woman named Judy who drowned. This medley thing is even worse than the current Hollywood trend of remaking old hit movies. This may have been the rock bottom of British pop.
22 - "In and Out of Love," Imagination
The second of nine Top 40s for this London funk band was this midtempo ballad about a tumultuous relationship. Silkily soulful. Plus bonus points for the way singer Leee John spells his name. The triple e is genius.
21 - "Rainy Night in Georgia," Randy Crawford
The Georgia soulstress's fourth U.K hit was a cover of Brook Benton's 1970 hit about percipitation in Crawford's home state. She nails the lonely, hopeless vibe. Britain had it right in making her the pop star she wasn't at home.
In Part Two: barriers, holdups, and fairy tales.
Monday, September 19, 2016
GATW: UKT40 September 10, 1977
Closing out '77
20 - "Spanish Stroll," Mink DeVille
Formed in San Francisco in 1974, this group relocated to New York a year later and became one of the house bands at the legendary punk club CBGB, even though their sound was more bluesy and traditional than many of their peers. Their first and only hit in Britain was this cool rock strut with lyrics about street characters in the City. Pretty damn great. The band would accumulate lots of acclaim but little sales until their breakup in 1985, then singer Willy DeVille would begin a solo career that peaked when he wrote and sung "Storybook Love," the Oscar-nominated closing theme to the film The Princess Bride, and continued until his death from cancer in 2009. This definitely has me interested in exploring more Mink DeVille at the very least.
19 - "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," The Adverts
This London punk band burst onto the scene with this topical, controversial single. In January of 1977, convicted murderer became the first person to suffer the death penalty in the United States in over ten years when he was executed by firing squad in Utah. It was revealed that Gilmore asked that his organs be donated for transplant, including his corneas, and so this song imagines a hospital patient waking up to realize that his new eyes originally belonged to the infamous criminal, because somehow the imprint of Gilmore's crimes can be detected by the eyes' new host. I'm not sure if that's how things work scientifically, but it's an interesting thought in a shock/sci-fi sense, and this angle definitely makes this otherwise boilerplate punk song interesting. Interesting enough to win this chart's Uneasy Rider.
18 - "We're All Alone," Rita Coolidge
She's boring af, as the kids say. I've said this repeatedly. Moving on...
17 - "Looking After Number One," The Boomtown Rats
This Irish New Wave group just missed the Top Ten with their first single, this punk blast about being selfish and getting by any way one can. Good, as dumb rebellion goes. Their later stuff got more interesting, peaking with the classic "I Don't Like Mondays." And of course, Bob Geldof is best known for Live Aid. Given how he made his first public impression, that's pretty ironic.
16 - "Telephone Man," Meri Wilson
The Atlanta one-hit wonder's novelty about making a "connection" with a phone installer. Reach out and touch someone, indeed.
15 - "Tulane," The Steve Gibbons Band
After spending the 60s in a bunch of minor British bands. Birmingham's Gibbons found his biggest success with this cover of a Chuck Berry song about two guys who run afoul of the law because their "novelty shop" is a cover for their traffic in some sort of illegal substance. It sounds like British dudes covering Chuck Berry. Not much more to it than that.
14 - "Dancing in the Moonlight," Thin Lizzy
The fifth U.K. hit for this Irish band is not a cover of the King Harvest song, but rather a Springsteenish strut about being young and free and out after dark. Phil Lynott is definitely one of the great voices of a certain kind of rock n' roll cool.
13 - "The Crunch," The RAH Band
From Teesside, Richard Anthony Hewson was a prolific producer who also scored two #6 hits nine years apart with a non-existent "band" named for his initials. The first of these was this instrumental that sounds as if it was created with synthesizers but was in fact performed on standard guitars and keyboard with the use of effects pedals. It's a fun little song that sounds like it should have been the theme for a sitcom about police or something like that.
12 - "You Got What it Takes," Showaddywaddy
Our second encounter with these Leicester retro-rockers was this cover of a 1959 Marv Johnson about a lady who has that certain je ne sais quoi. They do what they do well enough, but it doesn't really move me.
11 - "Do Anything You Wanna Do," The Rods
This pub-rock group from Essex started as in 1975 as Eddie and the Hot Rods, even though there was no one named Eddie in the band. ("Eddie" was a dummy they had on stage with them at early gigs but quickly abandoned.) Their biggest hit was this tune about not conforming and making your own way. The usual stuff, catchily delivered.
10 - "Nobody Does it Better," Carly Simon
The hit theme from the 007 film The Spy Who Loved Me. I can think of at least three artists who did superior Bond themes, but still, Top Five ain't bad. Don't be so vain, Carly.
9 - "That's What Friends are For," Deneice Williams
Another, "no, it's not that song" songs. The American soul singer's second U.K. Top Ten isn't the one Dionne, Stevie et al recorded, but rather a midtempo ballad about a "friendship" that sounds like it's a little more than that. I really appreciate her voice on this one. I stil don't care for "Let's Hear it for the Boy," though.
8 - "Silver Lady," David Soul
The Starsky and Hutch star's Top 40 reign ended at home with the transatlantic #1 "Don't Give Up on Us," but it continued here with four more hits, including a second charttopper in the form of this disco-popper about returning home to a true love after having wild but fulfilling adventures. Unspectacular, but performed with conviction.
7 - "Nights on Broadway," Candi Staton
The second and last Top Ten for this American soul singer was a cover of the 1975 Bee Gees hit. That's my favorite of theirs, as you may know, but Staton gives it a nice soulful touch that sells me on it. Love it.
6 - "Angelo," Brotherhood of Man
The second of three #1s for this two-man, two woman group was this mumber about a Mexican shepherd boy running off with a rich girl. Like ABBA without the depth.
5 - "Down Deep Inside," Donna Summer
Sultry disco from the underwater thriller The Deep, produced and arranged by Bond composer John Barry. Don't quite understand how it didn't chart in America,
4 - "Oxygene IV," Jean-Michel Jarre
The son of prominent film composer Maurice Jarre, Jean-Michel became a worldwide sensation with the release of his electronic instrumental album Oxygene. The hypnotic fourth track became a major hit and uas been used in multiple media ever since. It's hypnotic and intriguiung, and definitely one of the touchstones of the emerging electronic scene.
3 - "Float On," The Floaters
You don't get much more 70s than this soul ballad where the individual members of this Detroit group list off their Zodiac signs and the qualities they like in women. It's an audio leisure suit.
2 - "Magic Fly," Space
Not to be confused with the English band we encountered in the 90s, this is a French electronic duo whose biggest hit was this Moroder-esque dance instrumental. It doesn't sound dated at all. I would absolutely accept this as, say, a new Daft Punk track.
And on top 39 years ago, we found...
1 - "Way Down," Elvis Presley
Just weeks after his shocking death, the King scored his first U.K. #1 in seven years with this rockabilly number about the effects of love. A very boisterous performance that promised a potential artistic revival that, unfortunately, would not be realized.
More soon. Thanks for listening.
20 - "Spanish Stroll," Mink DeVille
Formed in San Francisco in 1974, this group relocated to New York a year later and became one of the house bands at the legendary punk club CBGB, even though their sound was more bluesy and traditional than many of their peers. Their first and only hit in Britain was this cool rock strut with lyrics about street characters in the City. Pretty damn great. The band would accumulate lots of acclaim but little sales until their breakup in 1985, then singer Willy DeVille would begin a solo career that peaked when he wrote and sung "Storybook Love," the Oscar-nominated closing theme to the film The Princess Bride, and continued until his death from cancer in 2009. This definitely has me interested in exploring more Mink DeVille at the very least.
19 - "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," The Adverts
This London punk band burst onto the scene with this topical, controversial single. In January of 1977, convicted murderer became the first person to suffer the death penalty in the United States in over ten years when he was executed by firing squad in Utah. It was revealed that Gilmore asked that his organs be donated for transplant, including his corneas, and so this song imagines a hospital patient waking up to realize that his new eyes originally belonged to the infamous criminal, because somehow the imprint of Gilmore's crimes can be detected by the eyes' new host. I'm not sure if that's how things work scientifically, but it's an interesting thought in a shock/sci-fi sense, and this angle definitely makes this otherwise boilerplate punk song interesting. Interesting enough to win this chart's Uneasy Rider.
18 - "We're All Alone," Rita Coolidge
She's boring af, as the kids say. I've said this repeatedly. Moving on...
17 - "Looking After Number One," The Boomtown Rats
This Irish New Wave group just missed the Top Ten with their first single, this punk blast about being selfish and getting by any way one can. Good, as dumb rebellion goes. Their later stuff got more interesting, peaking with the classic "I Don't Like Mondays." And of course, Bob Geldof is best known for Live Aid. Given how he made his first public impression, that's pretty ironic.
16 - "Telephone Man," Meri Wilson
The Atlanta one-hit wonder's novelty about making a "connection" with a phone installer. Reach out and touch someone, indeed.
15 - "Tulane," The Steve Gibbons Band
After spending the 60s in a bunch of minor British bands. Birmingham's Gibbons found his biggest success with this cover of a Chuck Berry song about two guys who run afoul of the law because their "novelty shop" is a cover for their traffic in some sort of illegal substance. It sounds like British dudes covering Chuck Berry. Not much more to it than that.
14 - "Dancing in the Moonlight," Thin Lizzy
The fifth U.K. hit for this Irish band is not a cover of the King Harvest song, but rather a Springsteenish strut about being young and free and out after dark. Phil Lynott is definitely one of the great voices of a certain kind of rock n' roll cool.
13 - "The Crunch," The RAH Band
From Teesside, Richard Anthony Hewson was a prolific producer who also scored two #6 hits nine years apart with a non-existent "band" named for his initials. The first of these was this instrumental that sounds as if it was created with synthesizers but was in fact performed on standard guitars and keyboard with the use of effects pedals. It's a fun little song that sounds like it should have been the theme for a sitcom about police or something like that.
12 - "You Got What it Takes," Showaddywaddy
Our second encounter with these Leicester retro-rockers was this cover of a 1959 Marv Johnson about a lady who has that certain je ne sais quoi. They do what they do well enough, but it doesn't really move me.
11 - "Do Anything You Wanna Do," The Rods
This pub-rock group from Essex started as in 1975 as Eddie and the Hot Rods, even though there was no one named Eddie in the band. ("Eddie" was a dummy they had on stage with them at early gigs but quickly abandoned.) Their biggest hit was this tune about not conforming and making your own way. The usual stuff, catchily delivered.
10 - "Nobody Does it Better," Carly Simon
The hit theme from the 007 film The Spy Who Loved Me. I can think of at least three artists who did superior Bond themes, but still, Top Five ain't bad. Don't be so vain, Carly.
9 - "That's What Friends are For," Deneice Williams
Another, "no, it's not that song" songs. The American soul singer's second U.K. Top Ten isn't the one Dionne, Stevie et al recorded, but rather a midtempo ballad about a "friendship" that sounds like it's a little more than that. I really appreciate her voice on this one. I stil don't care for "Let's Hear it for the Boy," though.
8 - "Silver Lady," David Soul
The Starsky and Hutch star's Top 40 reign ended at home with the transatlantic #1 "Don't Give Up on Us," but it continued here with four more hits, including a second charttopper in the form of this disco-popper about returning home to a true love after having wild but fulfilling adventures. Unspectacular, but performed with conviction.
7 - "Nights on Broadway," Candi Staton
The second and last Top Ten for this American soul singer was a cover of the 1975 Bee Gees hit. That's my favorite of theirs, as you may know, but Staton gives it a nice soulful touch that sells me on it. Love it.
6 - "Angelo," Brotherhood of Man
The second of three #1s for this two-man, two woman group was this mumber about a Mexican shepherd boy running off with a rich girl. Like ABBA without the depth.
5 - "Down Deep Inside," Donna Summer
Sultry disco from the underwater thriller The Deep, produced and arranged by Bond composer John Barry. Don't quite understand how it didn't chart in America,
4 - "Oxygene IV," Jean-Michel Jarre
The son of prominent film composer Maurice Jarre, Jean-Michel became a worldwide sensation with the release of his electronic instrumental album Oxygene. The hypnotic fourth track became a major hit and uas been used in multiple media ever since. It's hypnotic and intriguiung, and definitely one of the touchstones of the emerging electronic scene.
3 - "Float On," The Floaters
You don't get much more 70s than this soul ballad where the individual members of this Detroit group list off their Zodiac signs and the qualities they like in women. It's an audio leisure suit.
2 - "Magic Fly," Space
Not to be confused with the English band we encountered in the 90s, this is a French electronic duo whose biggest hit was this Moroder-esque dance instrumental. It doesn't sound dated at all. I would absolutely accept this as, say, a new Daft Punk track.
And on top 39 years ago, we found...
1 - "Way Down," Elvis Presley
Just weeks after his shocking death, the King scored his first U.K. #1 in seven years with this rockabilly number about the effects of love. A very boisterous performance that promised a potential artistic revival that, unfortunately, would not be realized.
More soon. Thanks for listening.
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
GATW: UKT40 September 10, 1977
September 1977. That month, it was revealed that foreign-built cars were outselling British-made vehicles for the first time ever. Six days after the date of this chart, T. Rex's Marc Bolan died in a London car crash. The car, for the record, was a domestic Mini 1275GT. Meanwhile, on the charts...
40 - "I Got to Sing," The J.A.L.N. Band
Our second encounter with this Birmingham funk band. Jazzy disco about the need to vocalize musically. Okay.
39 - "Thunder in My Heart," Leo Sayer
The Sussex man with the magnificent white Afro had his eight Top 40 with this urgent dance rocker about passionate love. I like it more than I thought I would. It only hit #22, but 19 years later a remix would go to #1. It was pretty much the same, just with modern beats, but it gave the song a more justified outcome.
38 - "It's Your Life," Smokie
More from these guys, this time a reggaeish rock tune addressing a girl who goes out with a guy beneath her where she really should be with the guy singing the song. This is probably the best I've heard from them so far.
37 - "Black Betty," Ram Jam
The Leadbelly cover by the one-hit wonder band that sounded Southern but were from New York. Bam-a-lam indeed.
36 - "All Around the World," The Jam
The Jam session continues with the second hit by the Surrey mod-punks. It's a two-and-a-half-minute "youth explosion." A bracing blast to this day.
35 - "Down the Hall," The Four Seasons
The Jersey boys' last U.K. hit to date was this piano-driven uptempo love song that sounds like an attempt to ape Billy Joel, right down to Frankie Valli's vocals. A very odd decision. Frankie's voice is pretty distinct, and the band's major selling point. This is just off in every way.
34 - "Let's Clean Up the Ghetto," Philadelphia International All Stars
Led by producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the Philadelphia International label was a force in 70s soul, giving the world The O'Jays, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, and many others. Several of the label's acts combined for this socially aware single urging African-Americans to take action to improve their neighborhoods. From the smooth spoken-word opening by Lou Rawls onward, it's funky and awesome, like a late-70s extension of the conscious soul produced by the Temptations, Curtis Mayfield, and others in the first half of the decade. Another great hidden gem.
33 - "Pipeline," Bruce Johnston
The only taste of solo recording success this Beach Boy ever got was when this single reached this peak here. It's a disco cover of The Chantays classic 1962 surf instrumental. Yes, I like my covers to differ from the originals, but everything about this is just wrong on every level. I didn't need this song interpreted with disco strings and female "da da da" vocals. A big time wipeout. Bruce was better off sticking to writing songs like, well, "I Write the Songs."
32 - "Roadrunner," Jonathan Richman
Massachussets native Richman was one of the early innovators of punk with his band The Modern Lovers, but he achieved chart success in Britain as a solo artist. His first hit was a solo recording of a Modern Lovers song about cruising and listening to rock n'roll on the AM car radio. Nothing but joy and fun and beauty and awesome.
31 - "Another Star," Stevie Wonder
This single from Songs in the Key of Life was only a minor hit on both sides of the pond, but its Latin-flavored funk pop is unquestionably sublime. The man is a master.
30 - "Black is Black," La Belle Epoque
Three French girls do a disco cover of Los Bravos 1966 hit. It's campy. Are you surprised?
29 - "Gimme Dat Banana," Black Gorilla
Couldn't find much about the band, nor the lyrics of a song. From a performance clip, they look like at least an eight-piece band. The song is funk-pop nonsense about simians and fruit. Not much to it, but catchy enough that I see why it was a hit.
28 - "Something Better Change/Straighten Out," The Stranglers
The Surrey band's second Top Ten was this double-sider. The A is a straight-ahead rock song that also serves as an announcement of punk's arrival to the masses ("Something's happening and it's happening right now, you're too blind to see it."). The B is a fast cry of frustration with the British establishment. Both are great.
27 - "Best of My Love," The Emotions
The Earth Wind and Fire powered transatlantic #1 by the Hutchinson sisters of Chicago. No way anyone can use this to build their "disco sucks" case.
26 - "I Feel Love," Donna Summer
Speaking of disco, this was the Queen's only U.K. #1. It sounded like the future then, and it hasn't really dated. Peak Summer, and peak Giorgio Moroder for that matter.
25 - "Dreamer." The Jacksons
The second Top 40 for the brothers post-Motown (and Jermaine) was this Michael-led ballad about pining for an unattainable love. He was starting to show the mature assuredness that would propel him to the stratosphere. I can imagine him throwing it into one of the concerts he gave at his peak (or maybe on the brothers' '84 Victory tour) and having most of the crowd not know it but blowing them all away by the end.
24 - "Ma Baker," Boney M.
The Milli Vanilli precursors' biggest U.K. hit to that point (it hit #2) was this discofied, loose retelling of the tale of Arizona "Ma" Barker, who led her four sons on a robbery spree in the United States in the 20s and 30s. It's as fantastic a slice of danceable fractured history as "Rasputin." Boney M. are both ridiculously wonderful and wonderfully ridiculous.
23 - "I Can't Get You Out of My Mind," Yvonne Elliman
The Hawaiian's third U.K. Top 40 was this ballad about cheating with your best friend's man. Okay material sung well. The mighty "If I Can't Have You" was just around the corner, but I'm disappointed to find that it only made #4 here. You disappoint me, Britain.
22 - "Think I'm Gonna Fall in Love With You," The Dooleys
The first of six hits by the Essex family group comprised mostly of six siblings (three brothers, three sisters) was this limp disco effort. No soul, no funk, just going through the motions because this is what was commercial at the time. This may be even worse that my default worst disco hit ever, "Makin' It."
21 - "Sunshine After the Rain," Elkie Brooks
Our latest encounter with this lady is her second hit, a soul ballad about trying to recover from a breakup that was written by Brill Building stalwart Ellie Greenwich. So far everything I've heard from this lady makes me wish she would have broken through on this side of the ocean.
In Part Two: killer organs, successful rodents, and an enchanted insect.
40 - "I Got to Sing," The J.A.L.N. Band
Our second encounter with this Birmingham funk band. Jazzy disco about the need to vocalize musically. Okay.
39 - "Thunder in My Heart," Leo Sayer
The Sussex man with the magnificent white Afro had his eight Top 40 with this urgent dance rocker about passionate love. I like it more than I thought I would. It only hit #22, but 19 years later a remix would go to #1. It was pretty much the same, just with modern beats, but it gave the song a more justified outcome.
38 - "It's Your Life," Smokie
More from these guys, this time a reggaeish rock tune addressing a girl who goes out with a guy beneath her where she really should be with the guy singing the song. This is probably the best I've heard from them so far.
37 - "Black Betty," Ram Jam
The Leadbelly cover by the one-hit wonder band that sounded Southern but were from New York. Bam-a-lam indeed.
36 - "All Around the World," The Jam
The Jam session continues with the second hit by the Surrey mod-punks. It's a two-and-a-half-minute "youth explosion." A bracing blast to this day.
35 - "Down the Hall," The Four Seasons
The Jersey boys' last U.K. hit to date was this piano-driven uptempo love song that sounds like an attempt to ape Billy Joel, right down to Frankie Valli's vocals. A very odd decision. Frankie's voice is pretty distinct, and the band's major selling point. This is just off in every way.
34 - "Let's Clean Up the Ghetto," Philadelphia International All Stars
Led by producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, the Philadelphia International label was a force in 70s soul, giving the world The O'Jays, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, and many others. Several of the label's acts combined for this socially aware single urging African-Americans to take action to improve their neighborhoods. From the smooth spoken-word opening by Lou Rawls onward, it's funky and awesome, like a late-70s extension of the conscious soul produced by the Temptations, Curtis Mayfield, and others in the first half of the decade. Another great hidden gem.
33 - "Pipeline," Bruce Johnston
The only taste of solo recording success this Beach Boy ever got was when this single reached this peak here. It's a disco cover of The Chantays classic 1962 surf instrumental. Yes, I like my covers to differ from the originals, but everything about this is just wrong on every level. I didn't need this song interpreted with disco strings and female "da da da" vocals. A big time wipeout. Bruce was better off sticking to writing songs like, well, "I Write the Songs."
32 - "Roadrunner," Jonathan Richman
Massachussets native Richman was one of the early innovators of punk with his band The Modern Lovers, but he achieved chart success in Britain as a solo artist. His first hit was a solo recording of a Modern Lovers song about cruising and listening to rock n'roll on the AM car radio. Nothing but joy and fun and beauty and awesome.
31 - "Another Star," Stevie Wonder
This single from Songs in the Key of Life was only a minor hit on both sides of the pond, but its Latin-flavored funk pop is unquestionably sublime. The man is a master.
30 - "Black is Black," La Belle Epoque
Three French girls do a disco cover of Los Bravos 1966 hit. It's campy. Are you surprised?
29 - "Gimme Dat Banana," Black Gorilla
Couldn't find much about the band, nor the lyrics of a song. From a performance clip, they look like at least an eight-piece band. The song is funk-pop nonsense about simians and fruit. Not much to it, but catchy enough that I see why it was a hit.
28 - "Something Better Change/Straighten Out," The Stranglers
The Surrey band's second Top Ten was this double-sider. The A is a straight-ahead rock song that also serves as an announcement of punk's arrival to the masses ("Something's happening and it's happening right now, you're too blind to see it."). The B is a fast cry of frustration with the British establishment. Both are great.
27 - "Best of My Love," The Emotions
The Earth Wind and Fire powered transatlantic #1 by the Hutchinson sisters of Chicago. No way anyone can use this to build their "disco sucks" case.
26 - "I Feel Love," Donna Summer
Speaking of disco, this was the Queen's only U.K. #1. It sounded like the future then, and it hasn't really dated. Peak Summer, and peak Giorgio Moroder for that matter.
25 - "Dreamer." The Jacksons
The second Top 40 for the brothers post-Motown (and Jermaine) was this Michael-led ballad about pining for an unattainable love. He was starting to show the mature assuredness that would propel him to the stratosphere. I can imagine him throwing it into one of the concerts he gave at his peak (or maybe on the brothers' '84 Victory tour) and having most of the crowd not know it but blowing them all away by the end.
24 - "Ma Baker," Boney M.
The Milli Vanilli precursors' biggest U.K. hit to that point (it hit #2) was this discofied, loose retelling of the tale of Arizona "Ma" Barker, who led her four sons on a robbery spree in the United States in the 20s and 30s. It's as fantastic a slice of danceable fractured history as "Rasputin." Boney M. are both ridiculously wonderful and wonderfully ridiculous.
23 - "I Can't Get You Out of My Mind," Yvonne Elliman
The Hawaiian's third U.K. Top 40 was this ballad about cheating with your best friend's man. Okay material sung well. The mighty "If I Can't Have You" was just around the corner, but I'm disappointed to find that it only made #4 here. You disappoint me, Britain.
22 - "Think I'm Gonna Fall in Love With You," The Dooleys
The first of six hits by the Essex family group comprised mostly of six siblings (three brothers, three sisters) was this limp disco effort. No soul, no funk, just going through the motions because this is what was commercial at the time. This may be even worse that my default worst disco hit ever, "Makin' It."
21 - "Sunshine After the Rain," Elkie Brooks
Our latest encounter with this lady is her second hit, a soul ballad about trying to recover from a breakup that was written by Brill Building stalwart Ellie Greenwich. So far everything I've heard from this lady makes me wish she would have broken through on this side of the ocean.
In Part Two: killer organs, successful rodents, and an enchanted insect.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
GATW: UKT40 August 26, 1995
Completing the countdown to Popageddon...
20 - "Alright," Supergrass
The first of two #2s for this Oxford band is this piano-driven slice of summer rock sunshine. A pop classic in any country. Just fantastic.
19 - "Come and Get Your Love," Real McCoy
German dance group covers Redbone's 1974 hit, adds superfluous rapping. Yeah, sure.
18 - "Boom Boom Boom," The Outhere Brothers
The Chicago dance duo of Keith Mayberry and Lamar Malone picked up two U.K. Number Ones, the second and most famous being this house-rap track. Dumb fun background party music. Everybody say way-oh (way-oh).
17 - "So Good," Boyzone
The third #1 for these Irish boys was this "we're made for each other" dance pop bit o'business. Boy band product epitomized.
16 - "I'm Only Sleeping/Off on Holiday," Suggs
The A side of the Madness frontman's first solo hit was a jaunty ska cover of a track from the Beatles' Revolver LP. I like that it's different, but the peppiness kind of negates the lyric. The B is a calypsoish portratit of a family vacation that reminds me a bit of "Our House" in tone. I definitely like the B better.
15 - "Happy Just to Be With You," Michelle Gayle
Londoner Gayle first found fame acting on the popular soap EastEnders in the early 90s, then left to return to her original passion, music. She scored seven Top 40 singles, the fifth being this bit of hip-hop soul featuring samples from Chic's "Good Times." Fairly decent.
14 - "Move Your Body," Xpansions '95
The dance duo of Phil Drummond and Sally Ann Marsh with a remix of their 1990 hit. House stuff for, um, body moving. Functional.
13 - "On the Bible," Deuce
Third of four hits for two guys and two girls. A dance-pop love pledge, with a video appropriately set at a wedding. The hard rock guitar opening catches attention, but otherwise it's just more plastic pop.
12 - "Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over," The Charlatans
Tenth Top 40 for the West Midlands outfit. Danceable rock about returning to an old flame. I appreciate them more now then I did then when I would hear them occasionally on CFNY.
11 - "Shy Guy," Diana King
Biggest international hit for this Jamaican reggae singer. Dancehall about the appeal of quiet men. Don't understand all the patois lyrics, but still, a very good radio single.
10 - "Try Me Out," Corona
Third and last Top Ten for an Italian dance group. A bleepy house come-on. Better than most.
9 - "Kiss From a Rose," Seal
The biggest hit from Heidi Klum's ex was this big ballad that had flopped when released a year earlier but then became a smash when it was used in Batman Forever. Kind of like "Every Breath You Take," in that the lyrics aren't as romantic as people think. Which makes sense, because a kiss from a rose would probably result in painful thorn punctures, you would think. It's a song that annoyed the hell out of me when it was huge, but I can hear goodness in it now. It's no "Crazy," though.
8 - "Human Nature," Madonna
I counted 78 U.K. Top 40s for Madge, and this was #38. It's funky pop on which she rails against media criticism of her speaking her mind. "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me," she declares. It's one of her more underrated hits, as far as I'm concerned.
7 - "Son of a Gun," JX
First of three hits for Brighton DJ Jake Williams. Thumpa-thumpa woah woah dance music. I'm not saying this stuff is bad or doesn't require any craft, but it just all blurs together in my mind. There are standout songs, but I don't find this to be one of them.
6 - "Everybody,"Clock
Third Top Ten from a group referred to as the British equivalent of 2 Unlimited. It stands out a little, in that the groove is hypnotic and the soulful singing is male. But I'm not intrigued enough to look up more, like, say, their cover of "Whoomp! There it Is." I'm just puzzled that a cover of "Whoomp! There it Is" actually exists. And was a hit.
5 - "Waterfalls," TLC
The Atlanta trio's first of two U.K. Top Fives was this cautionary tale about the dangers of drug dealing and unprotected sex. Social messages delivered in a pop song, but not in an awkward way. A fine achievement in hitcraft.
4 - "Never Forget," Take That
Although Robbie Williams had departed the band over drug issues two months earlier, the decade's dominant British boy band was still riding high, scoring their seventh Number One with this midtempo number about the fleeting nature of success and fame ("Someday this will all be someone else's dream"). Pretty good as fluff-pop goes.
3 - "I Luv U Baby," The Original
The only major hit by this American dance group was this house track. Some good singing, which distinguishes it from the massive cluster of Eurodance. Forgive me if I sound like a closed-minded old man when I talk about these 90s dance tracks, but I just feel like so many of them are interchangeable. Maybe it's just harder to make the same machines sound distinct, I don't know. All I can say is how I feel. If you disagree, that's great. I'm not going to deny anyone their pleasure.
And so we have arrived at the battleground. Two bands at the forefront of a growing movement called "Britpop," who were very different from each other. On one side were Oasis, the boys from Manchester led by brawling brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, who were portrayed as Beatles-worshipping, working-class blokes who loved beer and football, and who had broken through the previous year with the fastest-selling British debut album to date, Definitely Maybe. On the other were Blur, a group formed at a London university, who were seen as more literate and posh and Kinks-influenced, and who had seen their own 1994 breakthrough with their third album Parklife, which led to them dominating the subsequent Brit Awards. In early 1995, both bands seemed to see each other as their main obstacle to being Britain's biggest band, and a rivalry developed to the point where both bands released singles from their forthcoming albums on the same day, creating a sort of unofficial referendum on which of them really was the top group in the U.K. The "Battle of Britpop" became a media sensation, and the act of going to buy a particular cassette or CD was portrayed as being as monumental as casting a vote in a national election. So who won? Well, since we count down here, we'll start by revealing the runner-up, which was...
2 - "Roll With It," Oasis
The band sold 216,000 copies of this track on that week, but it wasn't enough. The song is an energetic rocker about being yourself and perservering. Not their greatest song, but a fine distillation of what the band was: upfront, all out, take-us-or-leave-us-but-we're-gonna-party-either-way rock n' roll.
So that means, of course, that the battle was won by...
1 - "Country House," Blur
The song that prevailed with sales of 272,000 was this jaunty tune about a man who escapes to the countryside to avoid the pressures of modern urban life. It's catchy and pointed, with lyrics about analysts, herbal baths, and Prozac. Certainly the more stereotypically British (down to the Benny Hill homages in the video) of the two songs, and to my ears the better one. But the war, as it turned out, would be won by Oasis, whose What's the Story, Morning Glory would sell five times as many copies as Blur's The Great Escape, and would also go multiplatinum in America while Blur's album barely charted there. But both bands are still well-remembered as lynchpins of an exciting era in British music, and the hysteria their "battle" created will likely never be replicated.
So that's that. Next one will come in time. See ya then.
20 - "Alright," Supergrass
The first of two #2s for this Oxford band is this piano-driven slice of summer rock sunshine. A pop classic in any country. Just fantastic.
19 - "Come and Get Your Love," Real McCoy
German dance group covers Redbone's 1974 hit, adds superfluous rapping. Yeah, sure.
18 - "Boom Boom Boom," The Outhere Brothers
The Chicago dance duo of Keith Mayberry and Lamar Malone picked up two U.K. Number Ones, the second and most famous being this house-rap track. Dumb fun background party music. Everybody say way-oh (way-oh).
17 - "So Good," Boyzone
The third #1 for these Irish boys was this "we're made for each other" dance pop bit o'business. Boy band product epitomized.
16 - "I'm Only Sleeping/Off on Holiday," Suggs
The A side of the Madness frontman's first solo hit was a jaunty ska cover of a track from the Beatles' Revolver LP. I like that it's different, but the peppiness kind of negates the lyric. The B is a calypsoish portratit of a family vacation that reminds me a bit of "Our House" in tone. I definitely like the B better.
15 - "Happy Just to Be With You," Michelle Gayle
Londoner Gayle first found fame acting on the popular soap EastEnders in the early 90s, then left to return to her original passion, music. She scored seven Top 40 singles, the fifth being this bit of hip-hop soul featuring samples from Chic's "Good Times." Fairly decent.
14 - "Move Your Body," Xpansions '95
The dance duo of Phil Drummond and Sally Ann Marsh with a remix of their 1990 hit. House stuff for, um, body moving. Functional.
13 - "On the Bible," Deuce
Third of four hits for two guys and two girls. A dance-pop love pledge, with a video appropriately set at a wedding. The hard rock guitar opening catches attention, but otherwise it's just more plastic pop.
12 - "Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over," The Charlatans
Tenth Top 40 for the West Midlands outfit. Danceable rock about returning to an old flame. I appreciate them more now then I did then when I would hear them occasionally on CFNY.
11 - "Shy Guy," Diana King
Biggest international hit for this Jamaican reggae singer. Dancehall about the appeal of quiet men. Don't understand all the patois lyrics, but still, a very good radio single.
10 - "Try Me Out," Corona
Third and last Top Ten for an Italian dance group. A bleepy house come-on. Better than most.
9 - "Kiss From a Rose," Seal
The biggest hit from Heidi Klum's ex was this big ballad that had flopped when released a year earlier but then became a smash when it was used in Batman Forever. Kind of like "Every Breath You Take," in that the lyrics aren't as romantic as people think. Which makes sense, because a kiss from a rose would probably result in painful thorn punctures, you would think. It's a song that annoyed the hell out of me when it was huge, but I can hear goodness in it now. It's no "Crazy," though.
8 - "Human Nature," Madonna
I counted 78 U.K. Top 40s for Madge, and this was #38. It's funky pop on which she rails against media criticism of her speaking her mind. "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me," she declares. It's one of her more underrated hits, as far as I'm concerned.
7 - "Son of a Gun," JX
First of three hits for Brighton DJ Jake Williams. Thumpa-thumpa woah woah dance music. I'm not saying this stuff is bad or doesn't require any craft, but it just all blurs together in my mind. There are standout songs, but I don't find this to be one of them.
6 - "Everybody,"Clock
Third Top Ten from a group referred to as the British equivalent of 2 Unlimited. It stands out a little, in that the groove is hypnotic and the soulful singing is male. But I'm not intrigued enough to look up more, like, say, their cover of "Whoomp! There it Is." I'm just puzzled that a cover of "Whoomp! There it Is" actually exists. And was a hit.
5 - "Waterfalls," TLC
The Atlanta trio's first of two U.K. Top Fives was this cautionary tale about the dangers of drug dealing and unprotected sex. Social messages delivered in a pop song, but not in an awkward way. A fine achievement in hitcraft.
4 - "Never Forget," Take That
Although Robbie Williams had departed the band over drug issues two months earlier, the decade's dominant British boy band was still riding high, scoring their seventh Number One with this midtempo number about the fleeting nature of success and fame ("Someday this will all be someone else's dream"). Pretty good as fluff-pop goes.
3 - "I Luv U Baby," The Original
The only major hit by this American dance group was this house track. Some good singing, which distinguishes it from the massive cluster of Eurodance. Forgive me if I sound like a closed-minded old man when I talk about these 90s dance tracks, but I just feel like so many of them are interchangeable. Maybe it's just harder to make the same machines sound distinct, I don't know. All I can say is how I feel. If you disagree, that's great. I'm not going to deny anyone their pleasure.
And so we have arrived at the battleground. Two bands at the forefront of a growing movement called "Britpop," who were very different from each other. On one side were Oasis, the boys from Manchester led by brawling brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, who were portrayed as Beatles-worshipping, working-class blokes who loved beer and football, and who had broken through the previous year with the fastest-selling British debut album to date, Definitely Maybe. On the other were Blur, a group formed at a London university, who were seen as more literate and posh and Kinks-influenced, and who had seen their own 1994 breakthrough with their third album Parklife, which led to them dominating the subsequent Brit Awards. In early 1995, both bands seemed to see each other as their main obstacle to being Britain's biggest band, and a rivalry developed to the point where both bands released singles from their forthcoming albums on the same day, creating a sort of unofficial referendum on which of them really was the top group in the U.K. The "Battle of Britpop" became a media sensation, and the act of going to buy a particular cassette or CD was portrayed as being as monumental as casting a vote in a national election. So who won? Well, since we count down here, we'll start by revealing the runner-up, which was...
2 - "Roll With It," Oasis
The band sold 216,000 copies of this track on that week, but it wasn't enough. The song is an energetic rocker about being yourself and perservering. Not their greatest song, but a fine distillation of what the band was: upfront, all out, take-us-or-leave-us-but-we're-gonna-party-either-way rock n' roll.
So that means, of course, that the battle was won by...
1 - "Country House," Blur
The song that prevailed with sales of 272,000 was this jaunty tune about a man who escapes to the countryside to avoid the pressures of modern urban life. It's catchy and pointed, with lyrics about analysts, herbal baths, and Prozac. Certainly the more stereotypically British (down to the Benny Hill homages in the video) of the two songs, and to my ears the better one. But the war, as it turned out, would be won by Oasis, whose What's the Story, Morning Glory would sell five times as many copies as Blur's The Great Escape, and would also go multiplatinum in America while Blur's album barely charted there. But both bands are still well-remembered as lynchpins of an exciting era in British music, and the hysteria their "battle" created will likely never be replicated.
So that's that. Next one will come in time. See ya then.
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