My May 1991 Charts

5th May 1991

It’s a first week on top for the 2nd chart-topper from The KLF, a banging dance epic still and now available on streaming after 3 decades absent from availability, Enigma get a 2nd top 5 track, and Belinda Carlisle adds to her run of top 10’s while OMD are back in top echelon after missing out for the most part since last topping my chart in 1985 with So In Love, with the glam rock Sailing On The Seven Seas. Roxette grow a 55-place bloom as Fading Like A Flower hits 12, and Addams & Gee are back in the 40 with Chung Kuo rebounding to a new high of 17. Wilson Philips & Deee-Lite grab more top 40 spots as both 1990 chart-toppers stay good. 

The Bee Gees new single is the highest new entry, When He’s Gone being even better than Secret Love, albeit not as commercial, in at 46, REM get a quick follow-up with Shiny Happy People aided by the B52’s Kate, Beverley Craven is begging Promise Me, deep breath, with her debut which annoys if you hear it too much, Black make it 5 years of classy ballad action with Feel Like Change, The Farm keep ’em coming fast, and Jellyfish debut with a decent track. Meanwhile a-ha sneak in with a belated chart position for flop single Early Morning, courtesy of me seeing them in concert this week, they were great and underlined how their best stuff can be categorised as The Dramatic Ballad, tempo variable. The happier poppy stuff sticks out less (not that there’s really much of that anyway).

1 ( 2 ) LAST TRAIN TO TRANCENTRAL (LIVE FROM THE LOST CONTINENT) The KLF featuring Ricardo Da Force 
2 ( 1 ) RESCUE ME Madonna
3 ( 3 ) GET THE MESSAGE Electronic
4 ( 11 ) MEA CULPA PART II Enigma
5 ( 5 ) YOU’RE SO VAIN Carly Simon
6 ( 6 ) SIT DOWN James
7 ( 12 ) THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT’S IN HIS KISS) Cher
8 ( 8 ) BORN FREE Vic Reeves & The Roman Numerals
9 ( 13 ) VISION OF YOU (REMIX) Belinda Carlisle
10 ( 14 ) SAILING ON THE SEVEN SEAS Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

11 ( 4 ) LONG TRAIN RUNNING Bananarama
12 ( 67 ) FADING LIKE A FLOWER Roxette
13 ( 18 ) FUTURE LOVE PARADISE Seal
14 ( 20 ) TOUCH ME (ALL NIGHT LONG) Cathy Dennis
15 ( 10 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
16 ( 7 ) SENZA UNA DONNA Zucchero & Paul Young
17 ( 68 ) CHUNG KUO (REVISITED) Addams & Gee
18 ( 21 ) THERE’S NO OTHER WAY Blur
19 ( 9 ) CAN YOU DIG IT? The Mock Turtles
20 ( 38 ) ACROSS THE UNIVERSE E.L.O. Part II

21 ( 23 ) JUST A GROOVE Nomad
22 ( 17 ) WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME – CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU/HOW CAN YOU EXPECT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY? Pet Shop Boys
23 ( 15 ) GOLDEN BROWN The Stranglers
24 ( 31 ) GET READY Roachford
25 ( 29 ) FOOTSTEPS FOLLOWING ME Frances Nero
26 ( 16 ) BY MY SIDE INXS
27 ( 19 ) UNFINISHED SYMPATHY Massive Attack featuring Shara Nelson
28 ( 35 ) SILENT LUCIDITY Queensryche
29 ( 53 ) YOU’RE IN LOVE Wilson Phillips
30 ( 37 ) THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER Elvis Costello

31 ( 22 ) THE SIZE OF A COW The Wonder Stuff
32 ( 25 ) HUMAN NATURE Gary Clail & The On-U Sound System
33 ( 50 ) THANK YOU WORLD World Party
34 ( 32 ) SADENESS PART I Enigma
35 ( 30 ) MERCY MERCY ME/ I WANT YOU Robert Palmer
36 ( 24 ) COWBOYS AND ANGELS George Michael
37 ( 45 ) I DON’T WANT TO WAIT Lindy Leyton
38 ( 69 ) GOOD BEAT Deee Lite
39 ( 39 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
40 ( 46 ) CHILDREN EMF

41 ( 33 ) DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME Elton John
42 ( 28 ) ANTHEM N JOI
43 ( 27 ) SECRET LOVE The Bee Gees
44 ( 34 ) THIS IS YOUR LIFE Banderas
45 ( NEW ) WHEN HE’S GONE The Bee Gees
46 ( 36 ) JOYRIDE Roxette
47 ( 43 ) JUST THE WAY IT IS BABY The Rembrandts
48 ( 73 ) RING RING RING De La Soul
49 ( 61 ) TAINTED LOVE ’91 Marc Almond
50 ( 44 ) (THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU/ MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING Carpenters

51 ( 51 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
52 ( 41 ) LOOSE FIT Happy Mondays
53 ( 52 ) BEING BORING Pet Shop Boys
54 ( 26 ) WHERE LOVE LIVES Alison Limerick
55 ( 55 ) ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER The Jimi Hendrix Experience
56 ( 48 ) (I WANNA GIVE YOU) DEVOTION Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom
57 ( 57 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas
58 ( 56 ) WICKED GAME Chris Isaak
59 ( 42 ) RHYTHM OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
60 ( 49 ) YOU GOT THE LOVE The Source featuring Candi Staton

61 ( NEW ) SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE REM
62 ( 62 ) LET IT BE The Beatles
63 ( NEW ) RESCUE ME Beverley Craven
64 ( NEW ) FEEL LIKE CHANGE Black

65 ( 59 ) HEAL THE PAIN George Michael
66 ( 64 ) HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE The Bee Gees
67 ( 40 ) ROCK THE CASBAH The Clash
68 ( NEW ) DON’T LET ME DOWN The Farm
69 ( NEW ) BABY’S COMING BACK Jellyfish

70 ( 70 ) ESCAPADE Janet Jackson

71 ( 71 ) KISS THEM FOR ME Siouxsie & The Banshees
72 ( 47 ) WILD THING The Troggs
73 ( NEW ) EARLY MORNING a-ha
74 ( 54 ) SEAL OUR FATE Gloria Estefan
75 ( 58 ) LOSING MY RELIGION REM

a-ha Live at Bournemouth Pavilion
1 The Sun Always Shines On TV
2 Manhattan Skyline
3 Stay On These Roads
4 Hunting High And Low
5 Take On Me
6 The Living Daylights

12th May 1991

It’s 2 weeks on top for the KLF, as Free’s 1973 top 10 is back at 2 – their best record, Wishing Well gets a Bob Clearmountain spruce-up remix, which makes it sound sharper, though I’m unsure as to whether it sounds better than the original. It’s loads better than the just-been-a-hit-yet-again All Right Now, but sadly didn’t hit as well. ELO Part II aka Bev Bevan get a first, and last, top 10 with Honest Men, while Beverley Craven takes Promise Me (gasp) into the top 20 just before both started to annoy me a bit fairly quickly, but with corrected titles this week along with REM. I heard stuff on the radio and had to remember the title (and sometimes mis-remembered). I also didn’t chart any Eurovision songs at all in this weekends contest as I couldnt recall their names either, but listed them instead in the Playlist under the country names. With the internet I can now correct that and bung them in at 76 and 77 as extras. Amina will go up, anyway, and should have won, but they gave it to the same-scoring Swedish pop-by-the-numbers entry instead. Amina was robbed! Classy.

Siouxsie rockets up to 14, on course for a last big hit after 13 years of them, and US singer Amy Grant is singing Baby Baby sweetly at 18, newly in. Jason Donovan is back with another SAW track, R.S.V.P. if you like it more than I do. In at 27. Talking of SAW, I’m shocked that the way-better Kylie track enters lower down at 52. She’ll peak higher though! NKOTB, which I’ve always dyslexically read as KNOBS, return with Call It What You Want at 70. I call it another in a series of largely disposable pop singles, but not bad as such. It’ll be 1998 before an ex-member releases a single that is better than their entire career. Give It To Me, Jordan…!

1 ( 1 ) LAST TRAIN TO TRANCENTRAL (LIVE FROM THE LOST CONTINENT) The KLF featuring Ricardo Da Force 
2 ( NEW ) WISHING WELL (REMIX) Free
3 ( 3 ) GET THE MESSAGE Electronic
4 ( 2 ) RESCUE ME Madonna
5 ( 12 ) FADING LIKE A FLOWER Roxette
6 ( 14 ) TOUCH ME (ALL NIGHT LONG) Cathy Dennis
7 ( 13 ) FUTURE LOVE PARADISE Seal
8 ( 17 ) CHUNG KUO (REVISITED) Addams & Gee
9 ( 10 ) SAILING ON THE SEVEN SEAS Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
10 ( 20 ) HONEST MEN E.L.O. Part II

11 ( 5 ) YOU’RE SO VAIN Carly Simon
12 ( 6 ) SIT DOWN James
13 ( 8 ) BORN FREE Vic Reeves & The Roman Numerals
14 ( 71 ) KISS THEM FOR ME Siouxsie & The Banshees
15 ( 4 ) MEA CULPA PART II Enigma
16 ( 11 ) LONG TRAIN RUNNING Bananarama
17 ( 18 ) THERE’S NO OTHER WAY Blur
18 ( NEW ) BABY BABY Amy Grant
19 ( 7 ) THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT’S IN HIS KISS) Cher
20 ( 63 ) PROMISE ME Beverley Craven

21 ( 15 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
22 ( 30 ) THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER Elvis Costello
23 ( 16 ) SENZA UNA DONNA Zucchero & Paul Young
24 ( 46 ) WHEN HE’S GONE The Bee Gees
25 ( 9 ) VISION OF YOU (REMIX) Belinda Carlisle
26 ( 33 ) THANK YOU WORLD World Party
27 ( NEW ) R.S.V.P. Jason Donovan
28 ( 29 ) YOU’RE IN LOVE Wilson Phillips
29 ( 19 ) CAN YOU DIG IT? The Mock Turtles
30 ( 22 ) WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME – CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU/HOW CAN YOU EXPECT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY? Pet Shop Boys

31 ( 24 ) GET READY Roachford
32 ( 23 ) GOLDEN BROWN The Stranglers
33 ( 61 ) SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE REM
34 ( 48 ) RING RING RING De La Soul
35 ( 64 ) FEEL LIKE CHANGE Black
36 ( 39 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
37 ( 34 ) SADENESS PART I Enigma
38 ( 35 ) MERCY MERCY ME/ I WANT YOU Robert Palmer
39 ( NEW ) I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL YOU… Soul Family Sensation
40 ( 26 ) BY MY SIDE INXS

41 ( 41 ) DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME Elton John
42 ( 21 ) JUST A GROOVE Nomad
43 ( 27 ) UNFINISHED SYMPATHY Massive Attack featuring Shara Nelson
44 ( 50 ) (THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU/ MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING Carpenters
45 ( 37 ) I DON’T WANT TO WAIT Lindy Leyton
46 ( 73 ) EARLY MORNING a-ha
47 ( 36 ) COWBOYS AND ANGELS George Michael
48 ( 31 ) THE SIZE OF A COW The Wonder Stuff
49 ( 38 ) GOOD BEAT Deee Lite
50 ( 51 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles

51 ( NEW ) SHOCKED Kylie Minogue
52 ( 28 ) SILENT LUCIDITY Queensryche
53 ( 53 ) BEING BORING Pet Shop Boys
54 ( 55 ) ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER The Jimi Hendrix Experience
55 ( 44 ) THIS IS YOUR LIFE Banderas
56 ( 32 ) HUMAN NATURE Gary Clail & The On-U Sound System
57 ( 57 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas
58 ( 40 ) CHILDREN EMF
59 ( 58 ) WICKED GAME Chris Isaak
60 ( 43 ) SECRET LOVE The Bee Gees

61 ( 62 ) LET IT BE The Beatles
62 ( 47 ) JOYRIDE Roxette
63 ( 69 ) BABY’S COMING BACK Jellyfish
64 ( 52 ) LOOSE FIT Happy Mondays
65 ( 66 ) HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE The Bee Gees
66 ( 60 ) YOU GOT THE LOVE The Source featuring Candi Staton
67 ( 56 ) (I WANNA GIVE YOU) DEVOTION Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freedom
68 ( 59 ) RHYTHM OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
69 ( 70 ) ESCAPADE Janet Jackson
70 ( NEW ) CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT New Kids On The Block

71 ( NEW ) ANASTASIA T99

72 ( 65 ) HEAL THE PAIN George Michael
73 ( NEW ) UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Susanna Hoffs
74 ( NEW ) THIS HOUSE Tracie Spencer
75 ( NEW ) RHYTHM OF LIFE Oleta Adams
76 ( NEW ) COULD IT BE Georgina & Paul Giordimaina
77 ( NEW ) C’EST LE DERNIER QUI A PARLE QUI A RAISON Amina

EUROVISION 1991 
1 NON HO L’ETA PER AMARTI Gigliola Cinquetti (1964 oldie)
2 COULD IT BE (Malta) Georgina & Paul Giordimaina
3 C’EST LE DERNIER QUI A PARLE QUI A RAISON (France) Amina

19th May 1991

It’s a first week on top for a spruced-up 1973 Rock gem, as Free get a chart-topper belatedly with the fab Wishing Well. Meanwhile Soft Cell return Tainted Love into the top 10 for the 3rd time spurred on by Marc Almond’s underwhelming new version which drops out the chart, first topped my chart 10 years earlier and still sounding great at 5. The Bee Gees make it 2 top 10’s in a row as When He’s Gone leaps to 6, and Siouxsie takes the Banshees’ top 10’s into 13 years, as Kiss Them For Me rises to 7. Jason Donovan gets a 4th top 10, RSVP I have to admit I havent heard in 30 years so no idea how it’s weathered, and Amy Grant grabs a first with Baby Baby, a song I have heard recently.

Bob Marley’s 1984 belated hit One Love is back at 22, while Color Me Badd are the highest new track with future UK chart-topper I Wanna Sex You Up, which is not nearly as racey as it sounds, merely decent teen soul pop. Pet Shop Boys’ Behaviour track Jealousy is out as a final single off the album and debuts at 34, fairly modest for such a great showstopping ballad anthem. Crystal Waters debuts with Gypsy Woman at 40 – all together now, La Da Di La Da Da.

Sonia pops back with Only Fools at 46 as UK Eurovision entry Samantha Janus scrapes in and Amina climbs fast into the top 40 with the song that was unjustly pipped at the post. Sonia’s Eurovision future is to be an improvement on Samantha’s. Kylie’s sis has some Success at 48, and Massive Attack’s brilliant debut is followed-up by the fab Safe From Harm at 60. Paul Weller is having a Movement, looking Into Tomorrow he has just spotted his new album has topped the UK charts for a 6th solo and 8th time in total including The Jam & Style Council. Still not in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame though. Prob never heard of him, I’m guessing, not as if he has been around for 44 years or anything.

1 ( 2 ) WISHING WELL (REMIX) Free
2 ( 1 ) LAST TRAIN TO TRANCENTRAL (LIVE FROM THE LOST CONTINENT) The KLF featuring Ricardo Da Force 
3 ( 5 ) FADING LIKE A FLOWER Roxette
4 ( 6 ) TOUCH ME (ALL NIGHT LONG) Cathy Dennis
5 ( NEW ) TAINTED LOVE Soft Cell
6 ( 25 ) WHEN HE’S GONE The Bee Gees
7 ( 14 ) KISS THEM FOR ME Siouxsie & The Banshees
8 ( 4 ) RESCUE ME Madonna
9 ( 28 ) R.S.V.P. Jason Donovan
10 ( 18 ) BABY BABY Amy Grant

11 ( 3 ) GET THE MESSAGE Electronic
12 ( 36 ) FEEL LIKE CHANGE Black
13 ( 8 ) CHUNG KUO (REVISITED) Addams & Gee
14 ( 9 ) SAILING ON THE SEVEN SEAS Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
15 ( 7 ) FUTURE LOVE PARADISE Seal
16 ( 11 ) YOU’RE SO VAIN Carly Simon
17 ( 22 ) THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER Elvis Costello
18 ( 12 ) SIT DOWN James
19 ( 20 ) PROMISE ME Beverley Craven
20 ( 10 ) HONEST MEN E.L.O. Part II

21 ( 23 ) SENZA UNA DONNA Zucchero & Paul Young
22 ( NEW ) ONE LOVE Bob Marley & The Wailers
23 ( 16 ) LONG TRAIN RUNNING Bananarama
24 ( 17 ) THERE’S NO OTHER WAY Blur
25 ( 27 ) THANK YOU WORLD World Party
26 ( 15 ) MEA CULPA PART II Enigma
27 ( 13 ) BORN FREE Vic Reeves & The Roman Numerals
28 ( 19 ) THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT’S IN HIS KISS) Cher
29 ( 40 ) I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL YOU… Soul Family Sensation
30 ( 21 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys

31 ( 34 ) SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE REM
32 ( NEW ) I WANNA SEX YOU UP Color Me Badd
33 ( RE ) FOOTSTEPS FOLLOWING ME Frances Nero
34 ( NEW ) JEALOUSY Pet Shop Boys
35 ( 52 ) SHOCKED Kylie Minogue
36 ( 31 ) WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME – CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU/HOW CAN YOU EXPECT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY? Pet Shop Boys
37 ( 77 ) C’EST LE DERNIER QUI A PARLE QUI A RAISON Amina
38 ( 37 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
39 ( 29 ) YOU’RE IN LOVE Wilson Phillips
40 ( NEW ) GYPSY WOMAN Crystal Waters

41 ( 33 ) GOLDEN BROWN The Stranglers
42 ( 39 ) MERCY MERCY ME/ I WANT YOU Robert Palmer
43 ( 38 ) SADENESS PART I Enigma
44 ( 42 ) DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME Elton John
45 ( 45 ) (THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU/ MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING Carpenters
46 ( NEW ) ONLY FOOLS Sonia
47 ( 26 ) VISION OF YOU (REMIX) Belinda Carlisle
48 ( NEW ) SUCCESS Dannii Minogue
49 ( 30 ) CAN YOU DIG IT? The Mock Turtles
50 ( 41 ) BY MY SIDE INXS

51 ( 51 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
52 ( 44 ) UNFINISHED SYMPATHY Massive Attack featuring Shara Nelson
53 ( 35 ) RING RING RING De La Soul
54 ( 46 ) I DON’T WANT TO WAIT Lindy Leyton
55 ( 55 ) ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER The Jimi Hendrix Experience
56 ( 71 ) CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT New Kids On The Block
57 ( 32 ) GET READY Roachford
58 ( 58 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas
59 ( 54 ) BEING BORING Pet Shop Boys
60 ( NEW ) SAFE FROM HARM Massive Attack featuring Shara Nelson

61 ( 60 ) WICKED GAME Chris Isaak
62 ( 62 ) LET IT BE The Beatles
63 ( 47 ) EARLY MORNING a-ha
64 ( 48 ) COWBOYS AND ANGELS George Michael
65 ( NEW ) INTO TOMORROW Paul Weller Movement
66 ( 66 ) HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE The Bee Gees
67 ( 56 ) THIS IS YOUR LIFE Banderas
68 ( 43 ) JUST A GROOVE Nomad
69 ( 70 ) ESCAPADE Janet Jackson
70 ( 63 ) JOYRIDE Roxette

71 ( 69 ) RHYTHM OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
72 ( 61 ) SECRET LOVE The Bee Gees
73 ( NEW ) MESSAGE TO YOUR HEART Samantha Janus
74 ( 73 ) HEAL THE PAIN George Michael
75 ( NEW ) WONDERFUL THING Munks Of Funk

Oldies
1 DEAR JESSIE Madonna
2 ZING WENT THE STRINGS OF MY HEART The Trammps
3 FANTASY ISLAND Tight Fit

26th May 1991

It’s up to the top spot for a great forgotten Bee Gees track, the flop follow-up to a hit, When He’s Gone. I’ve always loved their flops as much as the hits, never really got why some don’t sell when they have a consistent good quality across their career. Anyways that makes a 5th for the band, with Robin an extra one solo, though they’d also been unlucky to peak at 2 on many occasions – but more chart-toppers still to come, new and old. In at 2, held off the top, The Doors reactivated classic Light My Fire is back 24 years on thanks to the movie about them, and it’s their first top 10 20 years since Riders Of The Storm debuted. Jim Morrison never made my charts while he was alive.

Color Me Badd top the UK charts and climb into my top 10, Sonia leaps into the 20 ahead of Pet Shop Boys and Amina’s Eurovision song, and we have two Minogue’s in the 40 – Shocked at that Success! Highest new track is at 36 for Kirsty MacColl, and her fabulous Walking Down Madison, quite probably my fave track of hers, love it. Seal gets a quickie new track entry while he still has one on the list, and the radio fave Highway 5 crosses the Atlantic for The Blessing, but was out of step with the UK music scene by and large, sadly. Queen rush Headlong in at 57 for a final bit of new rocking Freddie. 

1 ( 6 ) WHEN HE’S GONE The Bee Gees
2 ( NEW ) LIGHT MY FIRE The Doors
3 ( 3 ) FADING LIKE A FLOWER Roxette
4 ( 4 ) TOUCH ME (ALL NIGHT LONG) Cathy Dennis
5 ( 2 ) LAST TRAIN TO TRANCENTRAL (LIVE FROM THE LOST CONTINENT) The KLF featuring Ricardo Da Force 
6 ( 5 ) TAINTED LOVE Soft Cell
7 ( 7 ) KISS THEM FOR ME Siouxsie & The Banshees
8 ( 32 ) I WANNA SEX YOU UP Color Me Badd
9 ( 1 ) WISHING WELL (REMIX) Free
10 ( 10 ) BABY BABY Amy Grant

11 ( 12 ) FEEL LIKE CHANGE Black
12 ( 8 ) RESCUE ME Madonna
13 ( 9 ) R.S.V.P. Jason Donovan
14 ( 22 ) ONE LOVE Bob Marley & The Wailers
15 ( 11 ) GET THE MESSAGE Electronic
16 ( 46 ) ONLY FOOLS Sonia
17 ( 34 ) JEALOUSY Pet Shop Boys
18 ( 25 ) THANK YOU WORLD World Party
19 ( 15 ) FUTURE LOVE PARADISE Seal
20 ( 37 ) C’EST LE DERNIER QUI A PARLE QUI A RAISON Amina

21 ( 16 ) YOU’RE SO VAIN Carly Simon
22 ( 14 ) SAILING ON THE SEVEN SEAS Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
23 ( 21 ) SENZA UNA DONNA Zucchero & Paul Young
24 ( 35 ) SHOCKED Kylie Minogue
25 ( 13 ) CHUNG KUO (REVISITED) Addams & Gee
26 ( 31 ) SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE REM
27 ( 18 ) SIT DOWN James
28 ( 20 ) HONEST MEN E.L.O. Part II
29 ( 29 ) I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL YOU… Soul Family Sensation
30 ( 17 ) THE OTHER SIDE OF SUMMER Elvis Costello

31 ( 23 ) LONG TRAIN RUNNING Bananarama
32 ( 19 ) PROMISE ME Beverley Craven
33 ( 48 ) SUCCESS Dannii Minogue
34 ( 40 ) GYPSY WOMAN Crystal Waters
35 ( 24 ) THERE’S NO OTHER WAY Blur
36 ( NEW ) WALKING DOWN MADISON Kirsty MacColl
37 ( 28 ) THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT’S IN HIS KISS) Cher
38 ( 60 ) SAFE FROM HARM Massive Attack featuring Shara Nelson
39 ( 38 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
40 ( 30 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys

41 ( 26 ) MEA CULPA PART II Enigma
42 ( 36 ) WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME – CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU/HOW CAN YOU EXPECT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY? Pet Shop Boys
43 ( 45 ) (THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU/ MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING Carpenters
44 ( 44 ) DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME Elton John
45 ( 43 ) SADENESS PART I Enigma
46 ( 42 ) MERCY MERCY ME/ I WANT YOU Robert Palmer
47 ( RE ) WHAT COMES NATURALLY Sheena Easton
48 ( 27 ) BORN FREE Vic Reeves & The Roman Numerals
49 ( 51 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
50 ( 41 ) GOLDEN BROWN The Stranglers

51 ( 33 ) FOOTSTEPS FOLLOWING ME Frances Nero
52 ( NEW ) HOLD ON TO THE LOVE Seal
53 ( NEW ) HIGHWAY 5 The Blessing

54 ( 39 ) YOU’RE IN LOVE Wilson Phillips
55 ( 53 ) RING RING RING De La Soul
56 ( 55 ) ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER The Jimi Hendrix Experience
57 ( NEW ) HEADLONG Queen
58 ( 58 ) WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER (1990 TK REMIX) Timmy Thomas
59 ( 56 ) CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT New Kids On The Block
60 ( 52 ) UNFINISHED SYMPATHY Massive Attack featuring Shara Nelson

61 ( 59 ) BEING BORING Pet Shop Boys
62 ( 62 ) LET IT BE The Beatles
63 ( 50 ) BY MY SIDE INXS
64 ( 61 ) WICKED GAME Chris Isaak
65 ( 49 ) CAN YOU DIG IT? The Mock Turtles
66 ( NEW ) WHENEVER YOU NEED ME T’Pau
67 ( 66 ) HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE The Bee Gees
68 ( NEW ) NOW IS TOMORROW Definition Of Sound
69 ( 69 ) ESCAPADE Janet Jackson
70 ( 75 ) WONDERFUL THING Munks Of Funk

71 ( 47 ) VISION OF YOU (REMIX) Belinda Carlisle
72 ( NEW ) SEE THE LIGHT Simple Minds
73 ( 67 ) THIS IS YOUR LIFE Banderas
74 ( 71 ) RHYTHM OF MY HEART Rod Stewart
75 ( 74 ) HEAL THE PAIN George Michael

My April 1988 Charts

mum dad vicki gavin sue mark Swanage 1987 994

Dorset…

3rd April 1988

It’s 3 weeks on top for Pet Shop Boys’ Heart – keeping their own I’m Not Scared off the top, peaking now at 2 for Eighth Wonder, with new top 10 climbs for a-ha, Debbie Gibson and Brenda Russell. Top 40 climbs for Wet Wet Wet (their biggest since Wishing I was Lucky), Pebbles, Jellybean’s 4th, The Adventures, and two new entries, Paul Hardcastle returning with a cover of Junior Walker’s fabulous Walk In The Night at 38, and Eurythmics following-up the sublime Shame with the more-perfunctory I Need A Man at 40 ( a much bigger hit for them in the UK charts – go figure!).

Neal Hefti brings the 22-year-old TV theme into the charts for the first time (though it would have charted in 1967 for me had I been charting as a kiddie), probably during one of the regular TV-repeat-runs of the show, in at 49. Jermaine Stewart is beside himself as he gets lucky at 54, and Wally Jump Jnr follows-up at 59. Danny Wilson return with the yet-to-hit Mary’s Prayer, which had charted for me in 1987, Cher insists We All Sleep Alone at 66 – I’ll let you know in 4 years if that’s true – and Smokey Robinson extends his chart run to a sweet 19 years, Cher to 17 years. Robert Palmer pops in briefly with Sweet Lies, and Hazell Dean is back 4 years after a couple of biggie SAW hits – with another SAW hit. I saw her in a gay bar performance back in the early 00’s, back when local bars & clubs were an actual thing before topping-up booze at home, internet phones, Grindr and other factors combined to kill them off.


1 ( 1 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
2 ( 5 ) I’M NOT SCARED Eighth Wonder
3 ( 4 ) EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac
4 ( 3 ) JOE LE TAXI Vanessa Paradis
5 ( 2 ) FATHER FIGURE George Michael
6 ( 6 ) LADY MADONNA The Beatles
7 ( 8 ) DON’T TURN AROUND Aswad
8 ( 14 ) STAY ON THESE ROADS a-ha
9 ( 13 ) ONLY IN MY DREAMS Debbie Gibson
10 ( 17 ) PIANO IN THE DARK Brenda Russell

11 ( 10 ) THESE DREAMS/NEVER Heart
12 ( 16 ) LOVE CHANGES (EVERYTHING) Climie Fisher
13 ( 7 ) I WANT TO BE YOUR MAN Roger
14 ( 23 ) DREAMING Glen Goldsmith
15 ( 27 ) CROSS MY BROKEN HEART Sinitta
16 ( 9 ) BEAT DIS Bomb The Bass
17 ( 12 ) THAT’S THE WAY IT IS Mel & Kim
18 ( 11 ) LOVE IS CONTAGIOUS Taja Seville
19 ( 15 ) DOCTORIN’ THE HOUSE Coldcut/ Yazz & The Plastic Population
20 ( 20 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash

21 ( 19 ) I GET WEAK Belinda Carlisle
22 ( 22 ) RECKLESS Afrika Bambaata/ UB40
23 ( 18 ) HEART OF GOLD Johnny Hates Jazz
24 ( 35 ) I WANT YOU BACK Bananarama
25 ( 40 ) I WANT HER Keith Sweat
26 ( 49 ) TEMPTATION Wet Wet Wet
27 ( 52 ) GIRLFRIEND Pebbles
28 ( 39 ) AIN’T COMPLAININ’ Status Quo
29 ( 26 ) TELL IT TO MY HEART Taylor Dayne
30 ( 28 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson

31 ( 55 ) JUST A MIRAGE Jellybean/ Adele Bertei
32 ( 32 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
33 ( 24 ) DEVIL INSIDE INXS
34 ( 38 ) BASS (HOW LOW CAN YOU GO) Simon Harris
35 ( 21 ) I KNOW YOU GOT SOUL Eric B & Rakim
36 ( 62 ) BROKEN LAND The Adventures
37 ( 34 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles
38 ( NEW ) WALK IN THE NIGHT Paul Hardcastle
39 ( 31 ) CRAZY Icehouse
40 ( NEW ) I NEED A MAN Eurythmics

41 ( 41 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
42 ( 42 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
43 ( 43 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND Pet Shop Boys
44 ( 72 ) PINK CADILLAC Natalie Cole
45 ( 30 ) CRASH The Primitives
46 ( 33 ) HOW MEN ARE Aztec Camera
47 ( 46 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
48 ( 51 ) DROP THE BOY Bros
49 ( NEW ) BATMAN THEME Neil Hefti
50 ( 48 ) THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL Michael Jackson

51 ( 53 ) PROVE YOUR LOVE Taylor Dayne
52 ( 25 ) SHIP OF FOOLS Erasure
53 ( 29 ) I PRONOUNCE YOU Madness
54 ( NEW ) GET LUCKY Jermaine Stewart
55 ( 37 ) SAY IT AGAIN Jermaine Stewart
56 ( 59 ) COULD’VE BEEN Tiffany
57 ( 57 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
58 ( 36 ) TOGETHER FOREVER Rick Astley
59 ( NEW ) PRIVATE PARTY Wally Jump Jnr
60 ( 60 ) BAD Michael Jackson

61 ( 50 ) SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE Was (Not Was)
62 ( 54 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin
63 ( 63 ) FAMILY AFFAIR/RUNNIN’ AWAY Sly & The Family Stone
64 ( 64 ) SHAME Eurythmics
65 ( NEW ) MARY’S PRAYER Danny Wilson
66 ( NEW ) WE ALL SLEEP ALONE Cher
67 ( 44 ) CARS AND GIRLS Prefab Sprout
68 ( 67 ) RENT Pet Shop Boys
69 ( 69 ) PUSH IT Salt ‘n’ Pepa
70 ( NEW ) LOVE DON’T GIVE A REASON Smokey Robinson

71 ( 71 ) HUMAN Human League
72 ( 45 ) I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY Kylie Minogue
73 ( 61 ) WHEN WILL I BE FAMOUS Bros
74 ( NEW ) SWEET LIES Robert Palmer
75 ( NEW ) WHO’S LEAVING WHO Hazell Dean

3rd Apr
PLAYIST OLDIES

1 DIGGING YOUR SCENE Blow Monkeys
2 IF IT WASN’T FOR THE NIGHTS Abba
3 DON’T LET IT FADE AWAY Darts

10th April 1988

It’s 4 weeks on top for Heart as the Eighth Wonder threat subsides, though more than likely One More Chance would have been pushing it hard had I allowed album tracks in the chart – topping my non-current-single playlist that week I’ve slipped it in again as a number 76 – as I can’t say for sure where in the chart it would have charted, it has to settle for 76. Fleetwood Mac finally get up to 2 and is one of 3 tracks threatening, as Louis Armstrong’s gorgeously heart-warming What A Wonderful World is re-issued 20 years on, entering at 3. I hadn’t started charting in early 1968, but it probably would have topped my chart as I loved it as a kid. In at 4, it’s an instant high new entry for a Giorgio Moroder girl band project, When The Love Is Good is utterly fab. They had an album, 3 singles, a tour, lead singer Bobbi Eakes (a former Miss Georgia) had a powerful voice and this song was one of Moroder’s best – and it stiffed, the band didn’t catch on. I suspect it’s down to the sudden change in musical climate in 1988.

Jermaine Stewart has a big climb, into the 20 for the 3rd time, and George Michael pulls another Faith album track out as a single, the sublime gospel-ish One More Try, in at 22, as Cher leaps into the 30. Natalie Cole, Tiffany and Taylor Dayne all bring some female vocal action to the 40, and among the 14 new entries are DJ’s Pat & Mick killing, oops I mean covering, 1978 Michael Zager Band hit Let’s All Chant, Jesus & Mary Chain sidewalking, presumably like crabs, and the brilliant Israeli dance vibe of I’m Nin Alu from Ofra Haza. Even more significant is the debut from S-Express, sampling the achingly brilliant Rose Royce riff from 1979’s Is It Love You’re After, and creating an even more brilliant very different cut ‘n’ paste dance smash, Theme From S-Express with that all-important hyphen.

The Christians’ 4-year-run of great singles continues with Born Again, Born Again Christians, arf, the Christian Brothers must have been having a Scouse laugh at that one, Expose get another Miami-dance-vibe charter, T’Pau do a live single, S-Ex Talk, oh hang on, not Essex Talk, there’s no hyphen, and Aerosmith keep the revival strong with Angel. That leaves Lloyd Cole entering with From The Hip as I was about to see him live at Poole Arts Centre with his Commotions – more next week – and Def Leppard Armageddin’ It, a bad pun to be proud of.

1 ( 1 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
2 ( 3 ) EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac
3 ( NEW ) WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD Louis Armstrong
4 ( NEW ) WHEN THE LOVE IS GOOD Big Trouble
5 ( 2 ) I’M NOT SCARED Eighth Wonder
6 ( 10 ) PIANO IN THE DARK Brenda Russell
7 ( 8 ) STAY ON THESE ROADS a-ha
8 ( 7 ) DON’T TURN AROUND Aswad
9 ( 4 ) JOE LE TAXI Vanessa Paradis
10 ( 14 ) DREAMING Glen Goldsmith

11 ( 9 ) ONLY IN MY DREAMS Debbie Gibson
12 ( 5 ) FATHER FIGURE George Michael
13 ( 11 ) THESE DREAMS/NEVER Heart
14 ( 6 ) LADY MADONNA The Beatles
15 ( 15 ) CROSS MY BROKEN HEART Sinitta
16 ( 27 ) GIRLFRIEND Pebbles
17 ( 12 ) LOVE CHANGES (EVERYTHING) Climie Fisher
18 ( 24 ) I WANT YOU BACK Bananarama
19 ( 54 ) GET LUCKY Jermaine Stewart
20 ( 40 ) I NEED A MAN Eurythmics

21 ( 13 ) I WANT TO BE YOUR MAN Roger
22 ( NEW ) ONE MORE TRY George Michael
23 ( 36 ) BROKEN LAND The Adventures
24 ( 17 ) THAT’S THE WAY IT IS Mel & Kim
25 ( 26 ) TEMPTATION Wet Wet Wet
26 ( 16 ) BEAT DIS Bomb The Bass
27 ( 19 ) DOCTORIN’ THE HOUSE Coldcut/ Yazz & The Plastic Population
28 ( 28 ) AIN’T COMPLAININ’ Status Quo
29 ( 66 ) WE ALL SLEEP ALONE Cher
30 ( 18 ) LOVE IS CONTAGIOUS Taja Seville

31 ( 31 ) JUST A MIRAGE Jellybean/ Adele Bertei
32 ( 44 ) PINK CADILLAC Natalie Cole
33 ( 32 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
34 ( 21 ) I GET WEAK Belinda Carlisle
35 ( 23 ) HEART OF GOLD Johnny Hates Jazz
36 ( 56 ) COULD’VE BEEN Tiffany
37 ( 30 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson
38 ( 37 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles
39 ( 51 ) PROVE YOUR LOVE Taylor Dayne
40 ( 29 ) TELL IT TO MY HEART Taylor Dayne

41 ( 65 ) MARY’S PRAYER Danny Wilson
42 ( 20 ) I FOUGHT THE LAW The Clash
43 ( 42 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
44 ( 41 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
45 ( 49 ) BATMAN THEME Neil Hefti
46 ( 69 ) PUSH IT Salt ‘n’ Pepa
47 ( 43 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND Pet Shop Boys
48 ( 75 ) WHO’S LEAVING WHO Hazell Dean
49 ( NEW ) LET’S ALL CHANT Pat and Mick
50 ( 47 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac

51 ( 22 ) RECKLESS Afrika Bambaata/ UB40
52 ( NEW ) SIDEWALKING Jesus And Mary Chain
53 ( 50 ) THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL Michael Jackson
54 ( 25 ) I WANT HER Keith Sweat
55 ( NEW ) I’M NIN ALU Ofra Haza
56 ( 39 ) CRAZY Icehouse
57 ( NEW ) THEME FROM S-EXPRESS S-Express
58 ( 57 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
59 ( 38 ) WALK IN THE NIGHT Paul Hardcastle
60 ( NEW ) BORN AGAIN The Christians

61 ( 35 ) I KNOW YOU GOT SOUL Eric B & Rakim
62 ( 60 ) BAD Michael Jackson
63 ( 33 ) DEVIL INSIDE INXS
64 ( 63 ) FAMILY AFFAIR/RUNNIN’ AWAY Sly & The Family Stone
65 ( 64 ) SHAME Eurythmics
66 ( 59 ) PRIVATE PARTY Wally Jump Jnr
67 ( NEW ) SEASONS CHANGE Expose
68 ( 34 ) BASS (HOW LOW CAN YOU GO) Simon Harris
69 ( 68 ) RENT Pet Shop Boys
70 ( NEW ) SEX TALK (LIVE) T’Pau

71 ( NEW ) TELL THAT GIRL TO SHUT UP Transvision Vamp
72 ( 55 ) SAY IT AGAIN Jermaine Stewart
73 ( NEW ) ANGEL Aerosmith
74 ( NEW ) FROM THE HIP Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
75 ( NEW ) ARMAGEDDIN’ IT Def Leppard
76 ( RE ) ONE MORE CHANCE Pet Shop Boys

Playlist oldies and album tracks of that week
1 ONE MORE CHANCE Pet Shop Boys
2 SOMEBODY WANTS TO LOVE YOU The Partridge Family
3 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell & The Drells
4 DANNY’S SONG Anne Murray


17th April 1988

It’s 5 weeks on top for Pet Shop Boys, this week Heart sees off a threat from highest new entry I Want You Back, 2nd-time around for the 1969 Jackson 5 debut classic, albeit largely due to the inferior remix version, and also sees off high new entries from last week in Big Trouble and Louis Armstrong. George Michael gets a 3rd top 10 off Faith as One More Try climbs to 6, and Theme From S’Express rockets 50 spots to 7, one of them will top the chart next week, place your bets now….

Bananarama make it 3 out of 4 singles top 10’s with the not-a-Jackson-5-cover song, and The Adventures just miss out. Natalie Cole finally gets a top 20 track after 13 years of trying, The Kane Gang cover Don’t Look Any Further, the Dennis Edwards & Siedah Garrett oldie, in at 27, and The Christians keep the top 40’s regular for the 4th year. Lloyd Cole shoots into the 40 with From The Hip as I go to see him live in concert – I think it was my very first-ever gig on my own with no-mates along. Johnny-No-Mates as I was that night. Having survived the night, it was the start of zillions more, including both Pet Shop Boys and Katy Perry in Barcelona. It’s either that or never go to acts I really want to see just cos friends have no taste for great music.

John Cougar checks it out, new, Godley & Creme are pushing a decade with 10,000 angels, or 16 years with 10CC included. 10’s whichever you look at it then. Sade is also Class of 1984 returning, Aussie band Midnight Oil pop in with burning beds a year or so ahead of having a hit with it, and Roachford debuts with Family Man, while All About Eve add to their list.

1 ( 1 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
2 ( NEW ) I WANT YOU BACK/ I WANT YOU BACK (’88 remix) The Jackson 5
3 ( 2 ) EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac
4 ( 4 ) WHEN THE LOVE IS GOOD Big Trouble
5 ( 3 ) WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD Louis Armstrong
6 ( 22 ) ONE MORE TRY George Michael
7 ( 57 ) THEME FROM S-EXPRESS S-Express
8 ( 6 ) PIANO IN THE DARK Brenda Russell
9 ( 18 ) I WANT YOU BACK Bananarama
10 ( 10 ) DREAMING Glen Goldsmith

11 ( 5 ) I’M NOT SCARED Eighth Wonder
12 ( 23 ) BROKEN LAND The Adventures
13 ( 16 ) GIRLFRIEND Pebbles
14 ( 7 ) STAY ON THESE ROADS a-ha
15 ( 9 ) JOE LE TAXI Vanessa Paradis
16 ( 20 ) I NEED A MAN Eurythmics
17 ( 19 ) GET LUCKY Jermaine Stewart
18 ( 17 ) LOVE CHANGES (EVERYTHING) Climie Fisher
19 ( 32 ) PINK CADILLAC Natalie Cole
20 ( 13 ) THESE DREAMS/NEVER Heart

21 ( 8 ) DON’T TURN AROUND Aswad
22 ( 12 ) FATHER FIGURE George Michael
23 ( 14 ) LADY MADONNA The Beatles
24 ( 39 ) PROVE YOUR LOVE Taylor Dayne
25 ( 29 ) WE ALL SLEEP ALONE Cher
26 ( 31 ) JUST A MIRAGE Jellybean/ Adele Bertei
27 ( NEW ) DON’T LOOK ANY FURTHER The Kane Gang
28 ( 11 ) ONLY IN MY DREAMS Debbie Gibson
29 ( 49 ) LET’S ALL CHANT Pat and Mick
30 ( 41 ) MARY’S PRAYER Danny Wilson

31 ( 48 ) WHO’S LEAVING WHO Hazell Dean
32 ( 60 ) BORN AGAIN The Christians
33 ( 36 ) COULD’VE BEEN Tiffany
34 ( 33 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
35 ( 24 ) THAT’S THE WAY IT IS Mel & Kim
36 ( 21 ) I WANT TO BE YOUR MAN Roger
37 ( 74 ) FROM THE HIP Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
38 ( 37 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson
39 ( 45 ) BATMAN THEME Neil Hefti
40 ( 38 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles

41 ( 46 ) PUSH IT Salt ‘n’ Pepa
42 ( 27 ) DOCTORIN’ THE HOUSE Coldcut/ Yazz & The Plastic Population
43 ( 26 ) BEAT DIS Bomb The Bass
44 ( 55 ) I’M NIN ALU Ofra Haza
45 ( 40 ) TELL IT TO MY HEART Taylor Dayne
46 ( 43 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
47 ( 44 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
48 ( 15 ) CROSS MY BROKEN HEART Sinitta
49 ( NEW ) CHECK IT OUT John Cougar Mellencamp
50 ( 30 ) LOVE IS CONTAGIOUS Taja Seville

51 ( 50 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
52 ( 52 ) SIDEWALKING Jesus And Mary Chain
53 ( 47 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND Pet Shop Boys
54 ( NEW ) 10,000 ANGELS Godley And Creme
55 ( 34 ) I GET WEAK Belinda Carlisle
56 ( 53 ) THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL Michael Jackson
57 ( 35 ) HEART OF GOLD Johnny Hates Jazz
58 ( 58 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
59 ( 75 ) ARMAGEDDIN’ IT Def Leppard
60 ( 73 ) ANGEL Aerosmith

61 ( 28 ) AIN’T COMPLAININ’ Status Quo
62 ( 25 ) TEMPTATION Wet Wet Wet
63 ( 70 ) SEX TALK (LIVE) T’Pau
64 ( 62 ) BAD Michael Jackson
65 ( 64 ) FAMILY AFFAIR/RUNNIN’ AWAY Sly & The Family Stone
66 ( 71 ) TELL THAT GIRL TO SHUT UP Transvision Vamp
67 ( NEW ) LOVE IS STRONGER THAN PRIDE Sade
68 ( 65 ) SHAME Eurythmics
69 ( NEW ) NITE AND DAY Al B. Sure
70 ( 67 ) SEASONS CHANGE Expose

71 ( NEW ) BEDS ARE BURNING Midnight Oil
72 ( 69 ) RENT Pet Shop Boys
73 ( NEW ) FAMILY MAN Roachford
74 ( NEW ) EVERY ANGEL All About Eve
75 ( NEW ) THE COLOURS Men They Couldn’t Hang

Playlist oldies of the week Lloyd Cole & The Commotions Live at Poole Arts Centre
1 MY BAG
2 ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN
3 RATTLESNAKES

 

 

 

24th April 1988

It’s a new number one as S-Express climb from 7 with the old Rose Royce classic Is It Love You’re After as the backbone to an exciting new creation which worked beautifully. Still fab. The Adventures finally go top 10 with the wonderful Broken Land, and Ofra Haza rockets to 7 with I’m Nin Alu as Pebbles gets her only top 10 – unless you count The 52’s Meet The Flintstones – and Natalie Cole at long last gets a top 10 13 years after starting her chart career, and does it with a Springsteen song – Natalie beat Bruce into the 1975 charts by mere weeks.

Danny Wilson get much higher than first time round as Mary’s Prayer is up at 12, Hazell Dean gets a 2nd top 20 4 years late, Cher adds to her long list of top 20’s, and Godley & Creme rocket up with 10,000 Angels, making it 16 years’-worth including 10CC. Highest new entry is New Order, back with a remix of Blue Monday at 37, 5 years on from first-time round, Swimming With Sharks debut with Careless Love, and singer Inga would go on to top my chart in 2 years time.

Fairground Attraction debut with future UK chart-topper Perfect, Will Downing with A Love Supreme, Billy Ocean makes it another entry 14 years since he was aka Scorched Earth, this time Calypso Crazy, and Prince returns with a forthcoming new album and the fab single Alphabet Street. 50’s rock ‘n’ roll classic Something Else is a hit all over again thanks to a TV commercial, having already charted for The Sex Pistols cover in 1979, but now it’s the original Eddie Cochran version 29 years old – not the oldest track to make my chart at the time, but well up there. Narada has dropped his Michael Walden, Aztec Camera resurge 5 years on from Oblivious thanks to the fab Somewhere In My Heart, Belinda Carlisle’s on a great hit streak as her best-yet Circle In The Sand pops quietly in, James Brown extends his hits run, and Deacon Blue add to theirs too.

1 ( 7 ) THEME FROM S-EXPRESS S-Express
2 ( 2 ) I WANT YOU BACK/ I WANT YOU BACK (’88 remix) The Jackson 5
3 ( 6 ) ONE MORE TRY George Michael
4 ( 1 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
5 ( 3 ) EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac
6 ( 12 ) BROKEN LAND The Adventures
7 ( 45 ) I’M NIN ALU Ofra Haza
8 ( 9 ) I WANT YOU BACK Bananarama
9 ( 13 ) GIRLFRIEND Pebbles
10 ( 19 ) PINK CADILLAC Natalie Cole

11 ( 4 ) WHEN THE LOVE IS GOOD Big Trouble
12 ( 30 ) MARY’S PRAYER Danny Wilson
13 ( 5 ) WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD Louis Armstrong
14 ( 8 ) PIANO IN THE DARK Brenda Russell
15 ( 31 ) WHO’S LEAVING WHO Hazell Dean
16 ( 17 ) GET LUCKY Jermaine Stewart
17 ( 25 ) WE ALL SLEEP ALONE Cher
18 ( 10 ) DREAMING Glen Goldsmith
19 ( 54 ) 10,000 ANGELS Godley And Creme
20 ( 24 ) PROVE YOUR LOVE Taylor Dayne

21 ( 15 ) JOE LE TAXI Vanessa Paradis
22 ( 11 ) I’M NOT SCARED Eighth Wonder
23 ( 29 ) LET’S ALL CHANT Pat and Mick
24 ( 18 ) LOVE CHANGES (EVERYTHING) Climie Fisher
25 ( 14 ) STAY ON THESE ROADS a-ha
26 ( 33 ) COULD’VE BEEN Tiffany
27 ( 27 ) DON’T LOOK ANY FURTHER The Kane Gang
28 ( 20 ) THESE DREAMS/NEVER Heart
29 ( 16 ) I NEED A MAN Eurythmics
30 ( 37 ) FROM THE HIP Lloyd Cole & The Commotions

31 ( 69 ) NITE AND DAY Al B. Sure
32 ( 32 ) BORN AGAIN The Christians
33 ( 23 ) LADY MADONNA The Beatles
34 ( 26 ) JUST A MIRAGE Jellybean/ Adele Bertei
35 ( 34 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
36 ( 59 ) ARMAGEDDIN’ IT Def Leppard
37 ( NEW ) BLUE MONDAY (REMIX) New Order
38 ( NEW ) CARELESS LOVE Swimming With Sharks
39 ( 74 ) EVERY ANGEL All About Eve
40 ( 21 ) DON’T TURN AROUND Aswad

41 ( 40 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles
42 ( 38 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson
43 ( 60 ) ANGEL Aerosmith
44 ( 71 ) BEDS ARE BURNING Midnight Oil
45 ( 47 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
46 ( NEW ) PERFECT Fairground Attraction
47 ( 35 ) THAT’S THE WAY IT IS Mel & Kim
48 ( 22 ) FATHER FIGURE George Michael
49 ( 75 ) THE COLOURS Men They Couldn’t Hang
50 ( 47 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield

51 ( 51 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
52 ( NEW ) A LOVE SUPREME Will Downing
53 ( NEW ) CALYPSO CRAZY Billy Ocean
54 ( NEW ) ALPHABET STREET Prince
55 ( 73 ) FAMILY MAN Roachford
56 ( NEW ) SOMETHIN’ ELSE Eddie Cochran
57 ( 56 ) THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL Michael Jackson
58 ( 58 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVIN’ FEELIN’ The Righteous Brothers
59 ( 28 ) ONLY IN MY DREAMS Debbie Gibson
60 ( NEW ) WHEN WILL YOU MAKE MY TELEPHONE RING Deacon Blue

61 ( 46 ) TELL IT TO MY HEART Taylor Dayne
62 ( 53 ) ALWAYS ON MY MIND Pet Shop Boys
63 ( NEW ) CHANGES Alan Price
64 ( NEW ) KING OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Prefab Sprout
65 ( 65 ) FAMILY AFFAIR/RUNNIN’ AWAY Sly & The Family Stone
66 ( 64 ) BAD Michael Jackson
67 ( 43 ) BEAT DIS Bomb The Bass
68 ( 42 ) DOCTORIN’ THE HOUSE Coldcut/ Yazz & The Plastic Population
69 ( NEW ) DIVINE EMOTIONS Narada
70 ( NEW ) SOMEWHERE IN MY HEART Aztec Camera

71 ( NEW ) CIRCLE IN THE SAND Belinda Carlisle
72 ( 36 ) I WANT TO BE YOUR MAN Roger
73 ( NEW ) I STILL LOVE YA Judy Cheeks
74 ( NEW ) PAYBACK MIX James Brown
75 ( NEW ) IS THIS THE LIFE The Cardiacs

Playlist faves of that week
1 YEAR OF THE CAT Al Stewart
2 LONELY DAYS LONELY NIGHTS Don Downing
3 THE LAST TIME Agnetha Faltskog

My Sept-Dec 2019 Charts

P1090292
Parasailing along the Gran Canaria coast – errr not me, I was on the boat between Puerto De Mogan and Arguineguin
29th December 2019

It’s Sparks up to the top slot for the final chart of the decade, the brotherly duo getting a second number one 45 years and 7 months since getting This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us to 1 on debut. The boys have been consistently good over the years since but have never peaked higher than 2 in the interim, and with Please Don’t F**k Up My World (a sentiment that applies in more than one sense) they finally get that deserved elusive 2nd chart-topper, which gives them the biggest gap between number ones with new material by quite a few years, and also the longest stretch of chart-toppers in my chart by virtue of no-one who topped my chart between 1968 and 1974 having topped my chart in the last 6 years. Granted very few of them are still active! Sparks are though, i saw them supporting Beck the other year and fab they still were with then-new album Hippopotamus.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons finally go top 10 with The Night 47 years late, having missed out in 1975 as a belated Northern Soul reissued smash, Harry Styles make it a 3rd top 10 in a row in 4 months – that’s just greedy! Pet Shop Boys keep their top 10 run of official singles intact with Burning The Heather as B side Decide enters at 60. I think only 2 official singles have failed to make my top 10. Probably. One day I’ll check when I get my 20th century charts on spreadsheets finally done.

Highest new entry at 18 is another good single from the late Avicii, Fades Away, with great vocal support from Mishcatt, Kim Wilde enters the top 20 with Hope as another of hers exits from the Winter Songbook album, and in at 39, one of Rod Stewart’s great songs, done over by the RPO – The Killing Of Georgie was a groundbreaking song in 1976, and was based on the murder of a gay friend, making it the first overtly gay-supporting hit record. Sir Rod, like all his best records, wrote it himself. We had previously had My Girl Bill in 1974, which got Rod’s bestie Elton all excited when he reviewed it for Record Mirror – till writer Jim Stafford sneakily stuck a comma in at the end and dashed expectations, cos she’s my girl, Bill. Incidentally, I have a bone to pick with Elton – here I am thinking I’ve possibly got the longest-running personal chart in the world and he goes and announces he still does his own charts too, and must have started long before I did! Outrageous. Publish them Elton!

Down at t’other end of the chart, Kim Wilde gets another track in, Coldplay get a 3rd off the new album, and Travis return for the first time in 6 years and increase their span of entries to 22 years. And that was the 2010’s that was. I now have 5 complete decades of charts, hope to compile my Top 100 of 2019, the 2010’s and the 21st Century, before long….

1 18 1 2 PLEASE DON’T f*** UP MY WORLD Sparks 192000
2 1 1 3 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 400000
3 3 1 8 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 649100
4 4 1 11 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1275100
5 7 5 4 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 152600
6 11 6 4 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 123500
7 5 3 6 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 278200
8 37 8 4 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 83600
9 20 9 6 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 114850
10 8 3 9 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 460400

11 9 8 9 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 271100
12 2 2 2 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 150000
13 26 13 7 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 102700
14 15 14 6 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 124200
15 10 1 9 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 919000
16 12 9 6 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 186500
17 14 4 12 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 505400
18 NEW 18 1 FADES AWAY Avicii featuring Mishcatt 22000
19 39 19 3 HOPE Kim Wilde 48300
20 6 4 3 ISOBEL’S DREAM Kim Wilde 32000

21 25 14 8 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 125200
22 22 16 6 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 117000
23 16 4 9 TOMIE GHOST DATA 359450
24 23 1 18 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1040650
25 19 7 6 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 219750
26 21 10 8 MONSTERS James Blunt 196050
27 17 17 6 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 91200
28 32 28 9 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 126700
29 35 29 4 WANDERING STAR Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 59100
30 13 13 4 DON’T START WITHOUT ME (2019 RADIO EDIT) The Fizz 106000

31 24 8 10 ORPHANS Coldplay 276000
32 27 23 8 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 115250
33 47 33 5 CLEAN Hey Violet 51350
34 28 28 9 THE TRUTH James Blunt 118400
35 30 1 16 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 913150
36 38 36 7 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 89600
37 29 29 7 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 72250
38 31 18 10 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 156700
39 NEW 39 1 THE KILLING OF GEORGIE PARTS I & II Rod Stewart featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 17100
40 33 24 12 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 159900

41 34 34 8 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 108100
42 36 36 7 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 91450
43 48 43 4 HAMMER Louise 41400
44 41 33 9 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 109250
45 44 9 13 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 295350
46 49 15 13 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 236800
47 56 47 4 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 39900
48 53 48 5 LYING DOWN Celine Dion 46050
49 52 49 6 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 58900
50 54 50 5 CALIFORNIA HALO BLUE AWOLNATION 48800

51 40 40 2 LIGHT THE NIGHT Andy Burrows 28750
52 43 8 13 ECHOES Lola Marsh 329400
53 50 1 22 I TRANCE Agnes 1643400
54 59 54 4 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 32700
55 55 55 3 KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Kim Wilde 28700
56 42 10 15 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 299150
57 70 57 4 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 27200
58 46 3 12 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 458850
59 61 59 5 NEVER TEAR US APART INXS 36400
60 NEW 60 1 DECIDE Pet Shop Boys 10000

61 45 25 6 HEYO The Makemakes 72200
62 62 62 7 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 44100
63 64 63 6 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 37700
64 57 2 14 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 585850
65 NEW 65 1 WINTER SONG Kim Wilde 7000
66 68 66 4 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 24000
67 58 45 9 PUMP IT UP Endor 87800
68 72 68 3 FADING LIKE A FLOWER (EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE) Roxette 17000
69 63 6 14 YOU. Lucy Daydream 371750
70 65 19 13 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 195650

71 75 71 3 THE LOOK Roxette 15000
72 NEW 72 1 EVERYDAY LIFE Coldplay 5600
73 74 73 4 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO Speedwagon 19200
74 67 18 10 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 157700
75 NEW 75 1 KISSING IN THE WIND Travis 5000

DROP OUTS
51 51 2 NEW LIFE Kim Wilde 18350
60 39 5 I FEEL LOVE Sam Smith 64100
66 66 2 LAST CHRISTMAS Kim Wilde 10800
69 69 1 LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud 6200
71 20 8 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 130450
73 73 3 THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Elton John & Gladys Knight 14600

22nd December 2019

It’s a first week on top, and second in total some 6 years on, for the remix of Roxette’s fab The Sweet Hello The Sad Goodbye, a Xmas tribute to the sad loss of the Marie Fredriksson, and originally a 1991 B side that has charted 3 times for me now. That keeps off a Christmas classic that I just keep coming back to each year, heartwarming as ever to remind me that the stress horror that is Xmas each year is for a good reason, Chris Rea’s Driving Home For Christmas first made my top 10 in 1986, hit a new peak of 4 in 1994, and finally hit the top spot in 2017 its 13th chart year, and its 7th top appearance.

Sparks enter with a christmass-ish new track with a fab theme for everyone. The title says it all. That’s Sparks 45th year of top 20’s, since they topped my chart in 1974. Doris Day gets a christmas top 30 with a 60’s track, Andy Burrows is back with his charming The Snowman And The Snowdog song, Mud also return with their 1974 UK chart-topper which topped my chart in 1985 and pops back from time to time when I’m in a wistful, whimsical mood, the song was both a sad Xmas song and a pastiche of Elvis Presley doing a sad Xmas song, so its always mixed emotions a bit.

1 2 1 2 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 285000
2 NEW 2 1 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 115000
3 5 1 7 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 564100
4 1 1 10 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1210100
5 3 3 5 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 228200
6 4 4 2 ISOBEL’S DREAM Kim Wilde 120000
7 11 7 3 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 92600
8 7 3 8 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 418400
9 8 8 8 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 234900
10 6 1 8 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 892000

11 21 11 3 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 68500
12 9 9 5 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 161500
13 14 13 3 DON’T START WITHOUT ME (2019 RADIO EDIT) The Fizz 88000
14 12 4 11 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 482400
15 17 15 5 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 95200
16 10 4 8 TOMIE GHOST DATA 340200
17 20 17 5 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 72800
18 NEW 18 1 PLEASE DON’T F**K UP MY WORLD Sparks 22000
19 13 7 5 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 201000
20 25 20 5 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 69850

21 15 10 7 MONSTERS James Blunt 177550
22 16 16 5 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 97500
23 18 1 17 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1021650
24 19 8 9 ORPHANS Coldplay 258100
25 22 14 7 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 105450
26 30 26 6 EVERYTHING I WANTED Billie Eilish 70700
27 23 23 7 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 97450
28 29 28 8 THE TRUTH James Blunt 100800
29 53 29 6 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 54950
30 27 1 15 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 895650

31 26 18 9 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 139500
32 36 32 8 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 108400
33 24 24 11 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 142900
34 34 34 7 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 94100
35 38 35 3 WANDERING STAR Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 40900
36 37 36 6 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 77700
37 47 37 3 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 35600
38 39 38 6 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 72200
39 58 39 2 HOPE Kim Wilde 27300
40 NEW 40 1 LIGHT THE NIGHT Andy Burrows 17000

41 33 33 8 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 96000
42 28 10 14 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 288550
43 31 8 12 ECHOES Lola Marsh 317900
44 32 9 12 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 282350
45 35 25 5 HEYO The Makemakes 64700
46 40 3 11 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 448650
47 51 47 4 CLEAN Hey Violet 33650
48 55 48 3 HAMMER Louise 27900
49 42 15 12 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 224050
50 44 1 21 I TRANCE Agnes 1632150

51 67 51 2 NEW LIFE Kim Wilde 18350
52 54 52 5 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 46800
53 59 53 4 LYING DOWN Celine Dion 33750
54 57 54 4 CALIFORNIA HALO BLUE AWOLNATION 36800
55 64 55 2 KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Kim Wilde 17900
56 60 56 3 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 27400
57 41 2 13 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 578750
58 45 45 8 PUMP IT UP Endor 81200
59 68 59 3 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 21700
60 43 39 5 I FEEL LOVE Sam Smith 64100

61 63 61 4 NEVER TEAR US APART INXS 26300
62 62 62 6 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 36700
63 46 6 13 YOU. Lucy Daydream 365550
64 66 64 5 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 30500
65 49 19 12 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 189650
66 80 66 2 LAST CHRISTMAS Kim Wilde 10800
67 50 18 9 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 152500
68 69 68 3 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 17200
69 NEW 69 1 LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud 6200
70 71 70 3 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 16800

71 48 20 8 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 130450
72 75 72 2 FADING LIKE A FLOWER Roxette 10600
73 76 73 3 THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Elton John & Gladys Knight 14600
74 77 74 3 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO Speedwagon 13800
75 79 75 2 THE LOOK Roxette 9200

DROP OUTS
52 44 7 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 67800
56 50 7 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 64100
61 4 16 THE BEACH The Makemakes 489650
65 16 12 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 189900
70 23 8 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 111600
72 47 7 GLORYBOX (773500) Portishead 64550
73 57 3 LAZY The Vaccines & Kylie Minogue 22200
74 14 15 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 210200
78 9 10 LONELY Noah Cyrus 274750

15th December 2019

It’s a 4th week on top for Sigma and Jack Savoretti, who were nearly overhauled by the return of Roxette’s 2013 remixed chart-topper at 2 – it was their 3rd and final number one, following It Must Have Been Love and the double A Look Into My Heart/Dangerous in 1990. Marie Fredriksson sadly lost her battle with cancer this week, and a couple of other singles that under-performed in my charts also enter lower down (if you can call peaking at 2 for Fading Like a Flower under-performing), but the chart-toppers had at least 2 runs each.

I also saw Kim Wilde in acoustic concert with her bruv Ricky and his daughter Scarlett this week, and they were doing intimate low-key Christmas themed hits featuring the Wilde Winter Songbook, assorted Xmas classics, and acoustic covers of her biggest hits for a totally charming, flawless gig, very different from the 3 previous full-on rockpop gigs I’ve caught her at. Just fab, and that’s why there’s a bunch of new entries for non-charting tracks, and 2 re-entries headed by the lovely Isobel’s Dream, back for a 3rd Xmas and a new chart peak of 4. Kim has been having chart entries for almost 39 years, and Ricky (as songwriter-producer of all her stuff) for 47 years – he debuted in 1972 with I Am An Astronaut, a sort of charming pre-teen kiddie novelty single that came out for xmas 1972 and flopped in the UK charts.

The Weeknd leaps up Blindingly to 11, in stark contrast with the non-charting Heartless, which I must be to exclude it. Frankie Valli’s 1972 oldie, 1975 UK hit, The Night returns to the top 30 after being away for 44 years, thanks to an advert, Billie Eilish gets another top 40, and Noel Gallagher gets his 4th of 2019 as his Xmas song wanders upwards like a star. There’s a lot of Xmas tracks in the chart – but not the usual suspects that chart in the UK charts each year, though Last Christmas is here via Kim Wilde’s cover. I count 9 of ’em, but there’s still time for Chris Rea and others to return, assuming I actually hear them. I’m not on my usual pre-xmas holiday this year so I’m not out and about seeing xmas videos and karaoke in the pub.

1 1 1 9 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 1145100
2 NEW 2 1 THE SWEET HELLO THE SAD GOODBYE (BASSFLOW REMAKE) Roxette 115000
3 5 3 4 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 168200
4 NEW 4 1 ISOBEL’S DREAM Kim Wilde 65000
5 2 1 6 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 479100
6 3 1 7 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 850000
7 6 3 7 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 370400
8 13 8 7 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 189900
9 9 9 4 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 126500
10 4 4 7 TOMIE GHOST DATA 315200

11 72 11 2 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 42600
12 8 4 10 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 453400
13 7 7 4 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 180000
14 15 14 2 DON’T START WITHOUT ME (2019 RADIO EDIT) The Fizz 56000
15 10 10 6 MONSTERS James Blunt 157800
16 16 16 4 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 78000
17 17 17 4 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 68200
18 12 1 16 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 1002400
19 11 8 8 ORPHANS Coldplay 239100
20 30 20 4 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 49800

21 51 21 2 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 31500
22 14 14 6 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 86700
23 24 23 6 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 79050
24 26 24 10 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 125200
25 40 25 4 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 49850
26 18 18 8 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 121600
27 23 1 14 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 877650
28 19 10 13 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 274800
29 29 29 7 THE TRUTH James Blunt 82500
30 45 30 5 EVERYTHING I WANT Billie Eilish 52200

31 20 8 11 ECHOES Lola Marsh 304400
32 25 9 11 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 269000
33 35 33 7 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 82000
34 37 34 6 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 76500
35 32 25 4 HEYO The Makemakes 51700
36 41 36 7 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 90600
37 38 37 5 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 60300
38 69 38 2 WANDERING STAR Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 23400
39 43 39 5 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 55000
40 22 3 10 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 435900

41 21 2 12 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 568350
42 36 15 11 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 211950
43 39 39 4 I FEEL LOVE Sam Smith 54100
44 31 1 20 I TRANCE Agnes 1620150
45 46 45 7 PUMP IT UP Endor 71000
46 28 6 12 YOU. Lucy Daydream 358350
47 71 47 2 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 18300
48 27 20 7 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 124650
49 34 19 11 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 182650
50 33 18 8 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 145900

51 73 51 3 CLEAN Hey Violet 21150
52 44 44 7 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 67800
53 59 53 5 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 36750
54 54 54 4 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 35300
55 76 55 2 HAMMER Louise 15600
56 50 50 7 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 64100
57 60 57 3 CALIFORNIA HALO BLUE AWOLNATION 25800
58 NEW 58 1 HOPE Kim Wilde 10200
59 63 59 3 LYING DOWN Celine Dion 22500
60 66 60 2 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 16800

61 48 4 16 THE BEACH The Makemakes 489650
62 64 62 5 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 29300
63 65 63 3 NEVER TEAR US APART INXS 18800
64 NEW 64 1 KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Kim Wilde 7100
65 49 16 12 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 189900
66 67 66 4 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 23400
67 NEW 67 1 NEW LIFE Kim Wilde 6600
68 74 68 2 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 11600
69 77 69 2 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 10800
70 42 23 8 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 111600

71 75 71 2 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 10800
72 47 47 7 GLORYBOX Portishead 64550
73 57 57 3 LAZY The Vaccines & Kylie Minogue 22200
74 68 14 15 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 210200
75 NEW 75 1 FADING LIKE A FLOWER Roxette 5000
76 78 76 2 THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Elton John & Gladys Knight 9200
77 80 77 2 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO Speedwagon 8600
78 55 9 10 LONELY Noah Cyrus 274750
79 NEW 79 1 THE LOOK Roxette 4200
80 NEW 80 1 LAST CHRISTMAS Kim Wilde 4000

ROP OUTS
52 33 9 FREEDOM Rayelle 88000
53 25 11 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 159200
56 56 2 CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers 18100
58 15 11 HERE COMES THE SUN (760950) The Beatles 205000
61 31 7 ARABESQUE Coldplay 91150
62 49 7 I AM Club Yoko 69900
70 32 9 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 105750
79 1 30 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1884700

8th December 2019

It’s back up for a 3rd week on top for Sigma & Jack Savoretti, a track with legs that really should be charting considering how much tosh there is in streaming charts and this one isn’t. Hey ho. Harry Styles gets a second consecutive top 5 with his watermelons, and greedily has a new single lower down to boot entering at 71. Fall Out Boy make it two top 10’s in a row. Highest new entry is a spruced-up even-more festive-sounding of The Fizz’ recent Christmas offering which should also by now have become a modern standard, being as it’s one of the best of the decade, along with the likes of Gwen Stefani. Hey ho. Ageism.

Robbie’s new Xmas offering goes top 30, The Makemakes make it 2 top 40’s in a row, and Pet Shop Boys replace themsleves in the 40 as Burning The Heather makes progress without setting the chart alight. I’m sure that’s what they would want. FRankie Valli’s Four Seasons 1975 UK hit of a Northern Soul scene oldie dating from the 60’s is back 44 years on, it’s selling for some reason on itunes and I dont need much of an excuse to add some more Northern Soul to my list.

Ella Henderson gets 2 featuring new entries at once, 5 years since she was ghosted, with Sigala and Jax Jones adding to their lists. Noel gallagher gets his 4th of 2019, The Weeknd is blindingly back after a gap of a year or two, Sting continues his recent “unlikely collabs” entries, this time Steve Aoki, and makes it close on 41 years of chart entries. Louise also pops back with another 2019 entry, Halsey drops by, and 2 from 1985 re-chart following itunes action – REO Speedwagon is due to Bastille’s cover, but not sure why the Aids charity single is selling for Dionne & friends again, but it was very worthy then, and still is now.

1 2 1 8 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 975100
2 1 1 5 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 419100
3 3 1 6 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 795000
4 4 4 6 TOMIE GHOST DATA 273200
5 24 5 3 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 83200
6 5 3 6 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 320400
7 7 7 3 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 148000
8 6 4 9 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 418400
9 16 9 3 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 81500
10 10 10 5 MONSTERS James Blunt 130800

11 8 8 7 ORPHANS Coldplay 218100
12 9 1 15 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 980400
13 11 11 6 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 141900
14 19 14 5 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 67200
15 NEW 15 1 DON’T START WITHOUT ME (2019 RADIO EDIT) The Fizz 27000
16 30 16 3 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 53000
17 29 17 3 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 45200
18 18 18 7 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 103100
19 14 10 12 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 256500
20 15 8 10 ECHOES Lola Marsh 286500

21 12 2 11 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 554350
22 13 3 9 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 418900
23 17 1 13 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 859250
24 35 24 5 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 59800
25 21 9 10 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 251200
26 40 26 9 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 106200
27 20 20 6 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 112350
28 28 6 11 YOU. Lucy Daydream 345600
29 32 29 6 THE TRUTH James Blunt 64300
30 66 30 3 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 29800

31 26 1 19 I TRANCE Agnes 1606900
32 56 25 3 HEYO The Makemakes 34200
33 22 18 7 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 133900
34 31 19 10 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 171550
35 37 35 6 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 64300
36 36 15 10 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 198200
37 38 37 5 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 58900
38 47 38 4 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 43000
39 39 39 3 I FEEL LOVE Sam Smith 40600
40 59 40 3 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 31100

41 41 41 6 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 73200
42 23 23 7 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 105600
43 50 43 4 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 37900
44 46 44 6 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 56300
45 60 45 4 EVERYTHING I WANT Billie Eilish 34200
46 53 46 6 PUMP IT UP Endor 58000
47 48 47 6 GLORYBOX Portishead 58950
48 43 4 15 THE BEACH The Makemakes 482150
49 44 16 11 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 182900
50 54 50 6 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 53500

51 NEW 51 1 THE NIGHT Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 11750
52 33 33 9 FREEDOM Rayelle 88000
53 25 25 11 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 159200
54 64 54 3 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 24300
55 34 9 9 LONELY Noah Cyrus 270350
56 61 56 2 CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers 18100
57 68 57 2 LAZY The Vaccines & Kylie Minogue 16800
58 27 15 11 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 205000
59 71 59 4 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 25500
60 73 60 2 CALIFORNIA HALO BLUE AWOLNATION 15400

61 45 31 7 ARABESQUE Coldplay 91150
62 49 49 7 I AM Club Yoko 69900
63 74 63 2 LYING DOWN Celine Dion 12400
64 70 64 4 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 21900
65 77 65 2 NEVER TEAR US APART INXS 11600
66 NEW 66 1 WE GOT LOVE Sigala featuring Ella Henderson 6800
67 72 67 3 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 16600
68 58 14 14 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 205000
69 NEW 69 1 WANDERING STAR Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 6200
70 52 32 9 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 105750

71 NEW 71 1 ADORE YOU Harry Styles 5800
72 NEW 72 1 BLINDING LIGHTS The Weeknd 5600
73 80 73 2 CLEAN Hey Violet 9400
74 NEW 74 1 2 IN A MILLION Steve Aoki, Sting & SHAED 5200
75 NEW 75 1 FINALLY//BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Halsey 5000
76 NEW 76 1 HAMMER Louise 4800
77 NEW 77 1 THIS IS REAL Jax Jones & Ella Henderson 4600
78 NEW 78 1 THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Elton John & Gladys Knight 4400
79 75 1 30 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1884700
80 NEW 80 1 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO Speedwagon 4000

DROP OUTS
42 29 6 MY SILVER LINING First Aid Kit 90150
51 1 12 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 798200
55 24 9 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 130400
57 2 17 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 741800
62 9 12 SANREMO Mika 283750
63 20 10 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 132500
65 38 5 INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF LEISURE La Roux 56300
67 67 3 SWIMMERS Zero 7 featuring Jem Cooke 16800
69 34 6 EVERY ONE OF US Rick Astley 81500
76 76 1 DER KOMMISSAR After The Fire 4800
78 40 9 GO The Black Keys 90050
79 79 1 SCARY KISSES Voice Of The Beehive 4200

1st December 2019

It’s a first week on top for the late George Michael, almost 3 years since he died, his first posthumous single, his 10th solo chart-topper, or his 12th including duets with Aretha & Whitney, or his 14th including Wham!, or his 16th including his uncredited contributions to Band Aid and David Cassidy’s The Last Kiss. Take your pick. James Blunt gets his 2nd top 10 of the year as he simultaneously gets his 3rd top 40. It’s his 6th top 10.

Lots of big climbers this week as the top 40 blockage fragments bigly, Fall Out Boy literally beside themselves with joy taking Bob Dylan to 16, for an 8th top 20, AU/RA staying happy as she rockets to 19, Harry Styles gets a 2nd top 40 as his previous is still top 10, Efisio Cross climbs 50 places to make it the 3rd instrumental in the 40, Bastille get a 3rd top 30 (and a second cover), Collard gets a second top 40, Jonas Blue, Broken Bells and Liam Payne add to their list, while Donna Summer & Giorgio Moroder Feel Love at 39 under the pseudonym Sam Smith. That’s their 4th top 40 not including guest contributions on much better chart-topping material: La La La.

Some oldies drop out the chart and some oldies enter the chart: 3rd-time round for Army Of Lovers’ Crucified after a gap of 27 years or so, After The Fire return with Der Kommisar 36 years later, and Voice Of The Beehive have Scary Kisses 23 years on. INXS’ Never Tear Us Apart has been covered by Paloma Faith in the interim, but also returns after 31 years. New entries from Celine Dion, her 2nd of 2019, extending her chart run to 30 years give or take, The Vaccines & Kylie from the Sean The Sheep movie, the lads getting a 4th chart entry 6 years since the last one, while Kylie is never out the chart and hasn’t been since 1988. AWOLNATION finally get a chart entry that isn’t Sail, 6 years on, and Hey Violet return for the first time since their 2016 top 20.

1 3 1 4 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 304100
2 2 1 7 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 805100
3 1 1 5 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 710000
4 5 4 5 TOMIE GHOST DATA 208200
5 4 3 5 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 265400
6 6 4 8 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 370400
7 8 7 2 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 98000
8 9 8 6 ORPHANS Coldplay 181100
9 7 1 14 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 945400
10 19 10 4 MONSTERS James Blunt 88800

11 16 11 5 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 109900
12 11 2 10 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 534600
13 12 3 8 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 399400
14 10 10 11 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 235500
15 13 8 9 ECHOES Lola Marsh 266500
16 52 16 2 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 36500
17 17 1 12 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 840000
18 24 18 6 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 81100
19 67 19 4 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 38200
20 23 20 5 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 93950

21 14 9 9 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 232450
22 18 18 6 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 116200
23 26 23 6 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 91850
24 79 24 2 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 23200
25 27 25 10 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 147950
26 22 1 18 I TRANCE Agnes 1589000
27 15 15 10 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 194800
28 20 6 10 YOU. Lucy Daydream 327300
29 80 29 2 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 22200
30 60 30 2 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 28000

31 35 19 9 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 153950
32 47 32 5 THE TRUTH James Blunt 46100
33 34 33 8 FREEDOM Rayelle 76500
34 21 9 8 LONELY Noah Cyrus 259550
35 56 35 4 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 40800
36 25 15 9 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 180800
37 43 37 5 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 46800
38 45 38 4 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 41600
39 68 39 2 I FEEL LOVE Sam Smith 23500
40 42 40 8 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 87700

41 44 41 5 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 59200
42 29 29 6 MY SILVER LINING First Aid Kit 90150
43 30 4 14 THE BEACH The Makemakes 469850
44 28 16 10 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 170800
45 31 31 6 ARABESQUE Coldplay 83650
46 49 46 5 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 43050
47 61 47 3 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 25800
48 51 48 5 GLORYBOX Portishead 46450
49 50 49 6 I AM Club Yoko 62500
50 65 50 3 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 24400

51 36 1 12 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 798200
52 32 32 8 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 99750
53 55 53 5 PUMP IT UP Endor 45250
54 57 54 5 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 41500
55 33 24 9 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 130400
56 71 56 2 HEYO The Makemakes 16400
57 46 2 17 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 741800
58 39 14 13 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 198600
59 RE 59 2 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 14100
60 66 60 3 EVERYTHING I WANT Billie Eilish 21200

61 NEW 61 1 CRUCIFIED Army Of Lovers 7500
62 40 9 12 SANREMO Mika 283750
63 37 20 10 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 132500
64 69 64 2 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 13300
65 38 38 5 INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF LEISURE La Roux 56300
66 75 66 2 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 11800
67 72 67 3 SWIMMERS Zero 7 featuring Jem Cooke 16800
68 NEW 68 1 LAZY The Vaccines & Kylie Minogue 6400
69 41 34 6 EVERY ONE OF US Rick Astley 81500
70 77 70 3 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 14800

71 76 71 3 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 15400
72 78 72 2 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 10000
73 NEW 73 1 CALIFORNIA HALO BLUE AWOLNATION 5400
74 NEW 74 1 LYING DOWN Celine Dion 5200
75 70 1 29 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1680500
76 NEW 76 1 DER KOMMISSAR After The Fire 4800
77 NEW 77 1 NEVER TEAR US APART INXS 4600
78 58 40 9 GO The Black Keys 90050
79 NEW 79 1 SCARY KISSES Voice Of The Beehive 4200
80 NEW 80 1 CLEAN Hey Violet 4000

DROP OUTS
48 4 11 STRANGE Celeste 379500
53 46 5 EATING ME UP Four Of Diamonds 47150
54 42 5 FAITH Galantis & Dolly Parton featuring Mr Probz 51350
59 6 13 COLD James Blunt 315000
62 5 14 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 406800
63 30 7 LOVER Taylor Swift 92900
64 21 12 INSTANTANE Paradis 166850
73 5 13 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 254350
74 1 15 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 699750

24th November 2019

It’s 3 weeks on top for the gorgeous One Shy Morning as the late George Michael gets his biggest charting hit since 2002 when his Human League sampling Shoot The Dog topped my charts. The highest new entry is actually the oldest Northern Soul track to chart for me, a mere 54 years old and a debut for what is considered to be a key track for the Northern Soul scene – those too young to know, it was an early 70’s scene based around Wigan featuring largely US soul-dance tracks, and unusually was heavily male-centric with athletic prowess being a thing. This track was withdrawn by Frank before release, the masters destroyed, after an argument with Motown owner Berry Gordy. Demand built, and it finally came out in the UK in 1979. On Saturday it featured in a great dance routine on Strictly Come Dancing, and has bounded into the itunes sales chart as a result.

Coldplay add to their top 10’s, and Bob Dylan is new at 52. Actually he’s not, he hasn’t recorded anything I’ve liked since the Traveling Wilburys, which at least shows consistency over decades, but he is the title of the follow-up to Fall Out Boy’s chart-topping single. At 60 it’s a cover of an REO Speedwagon 80’s rockballad – I always preferred Keep On Loving You which topped my charts in 1981, but have to say the new cover by Bastille and an orchestra shows Can’t Fight This Feeling is actually a pretty strong song too. Sounds like a christmas smash to me. At least in a chart where sales count rather than background playlists.

Sam Smith covers Donna Summer. That takes a lot of nerve, given the groundbreaking brilliance of the original, a record which literally can’t be improved on, one which blew my mind the first moment I heard it, an instant number one that sounded like it had dropped out of the 21st century somehow back in 1977. Sam gets away with it though, thanks to that great voice, and the sheer relief that it’s not the usual whining dollop of dreariness that has dominated since La La La.

Sabrina Carpenter raises her thumbs again after a couple of years off the chart, The Makemakes make it 2 in a row, Robbie Williams gets the first actual new christmas record of 2019 into my chart, thereby extending his run to 23 years solo, Stormzy gets only his 2nd chart entry, and Harry Styles gets his 2nd of the year with a slice of Watermelon, Sugar. Don’t call me Sugar, Harry!


1 1 1 4 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 625000
2 2 1 6 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 690100
3 10 3 3 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 134100
4 3 3 4 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 205400
5 5 5 4 TOMIE GHOST DATA 143200
6 4 4 7 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 315400
7 7 1 13 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 900400
8 NEW 8 1 DO I LOVE YOU (INDEED I DO) Frank Wilson 48000
9 13 9 5 ORPHANS Coldplay 133100
10 11 10 10 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 206500

11 8 2 9 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 499600
12 6 3 7 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 367400
13 12 8 8 ECHOES Lola Marsh 239500
14 9 9 8 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 212700
15 17 15 9 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 176400
16 18 16 4 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 72900
17 16 1 11 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 817000
18 19 18 5 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 97700
19 27 19 3 MONSTERS James Blunt 46800
20 14 6 9 YOU. Lucy Daydream 309000

21 15 9 7 LONELY Noah Cyrus 241950
22 20 1 17 I TRANCE Agnes 1570500
23 26 23 4 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 73950
24 31 24 5 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 59100
25 21 15 8 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 163400
26 29 26 5 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 72600
27 32 27 9 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 129200
28 22 16 9 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 157550
29 38 29 5 MY SILVER LINING First Aid Kit 76400
30 30 4 13 THE BEACH The Makemakes 456350

31 35 31 5 ARABESQUE Coldplay 70650
32 36 32 7 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 88250
33 24 24 8 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 119600
34 37 34 5 FREEDOM Rayelle 58800
35 47 19 8 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 136050
36 28 1 11 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 786450
37 23 20 9 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 125300
38 45 38 4 INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF LEISURE La Roux 49300
39 39 14 12 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 188400
40 33 9 11 SANREMO Mika 276350

41 34 34 5 EVERY ONE OF US Rick Astley 75300
42 44 42 7 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 70700
43 67 43 4 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 29500
44 51 44 4 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 45200
45 66 45 3 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 24400
46 40 2 16 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 731400
47 70 47 4 THE TRUTH James Blunt 28300
48 25 4 11 STRANGE Celeste 379500
49 63 49 4 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 30300
50 54 50 5 I AM Club Yoko 50400

51 57 51 4 GLORYBOX Portishead 34150
52 NEW 52 1 BOB DYLAN Fall Out Boy 11500
53 46 46 5 EATING ME UP Four Of Diamonds 47150
54 42 42 5 FAITH Galantis & Dolly Parton featuring Mr Probz 51350
55 56 55 4 PUMP IT UP Endor 34000
56 64 56 3 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 23300
57 61 57 4 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 30500
58 52 40 8 GO The Black Keys 85650
59 41 6 13 COLD James Blunt 315000
60 NEW 60 1 CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING Bastille featuring Contemporary London Orchestra 10000

61 71 61 2 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 13300
62 59 5 14 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 406800
63 43 30 7 LOVER Taylor Swift 92900
64 50 21 12 INSTANTANE Paradis 166850
65 73 65 2 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 12400
66 78 66 2 EVERYTHING I WANT Billie Eilish 11200
67 68 67 3 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 17200
68 NEW 68 1 I FEEL LOVE Sam Smith 6400
69 NEW 69 1 THUMBS Sabrina Carpenter 6200
70 60 1 28 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1675500

71 NEW 71 1 HEYO The Makemakes 5800
72 77 72 2 SWIMMERS Zero 7 featuring Jem Cooke 10200
73 49 5 13 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 254350
74 62 1 15 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 699750
75 NEW 75 1 TIME FOR CHANGE Robbie Williams 5000
76 76 76 2 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 9600
77 79 77 2 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 8800
78 NEW 78 1 OWN IT Stormzy featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy 4400
79 NEW 79 1 WATERMELON SUGAR Harry Styles 4200
80 NEW 80 1 CAN I KEEP YOU Efisio Cross 4000

DROP OUTS
48 33 6 NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU Liam Gallagher 78300
53 25 5 RIGHT ON! (890650) Silicone Soul featuring Louise Clare Marshall 79700
55 13 13 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 240200
58 18 12 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 176400
65 65 5 LOSE CONTROL Meduza, Becky Hill & GOODBOYS 30000
69 56 6 SWEET CHILD Simply Red 48500
72 22 8 WHY DON’T YOU JUST CALL ME Antony & Cleopatra 104100
74 74 3 AVEM (THE AVIATION THEME) Alan Walker 14000
75 75 3 WOMAN IN LOVE Barbra Streisand 13000
80 80 1 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 4000

17th November 2019

It’s 2 weeks on top for Amon Tobin, as fellow ambient track GHOST DATA is up 24 places to 5, leaving only Dua Lipa popping up the top 5, her 3rd top 3. The late much-missed George Michael is getting high into the 10 from 64, the biggest climber, and posthumously his first new top 10 since 2006, and extends his solo run to 35 years. James Blunt replaces himself in the top 40 with new emotionally-touching ballad Monsters, Pete Tong gets a 3rd top in 3 years, and Boy George a first top 40 in 5 years, extending his solo run to 32 years.

New entries include another track from Pet Shop Boys forthcoming Hotspots album, House Of Pain jumping around for the first time in 27 years or so, another Billie Eilish low-key track, Zero 7 returning to chart action after a 15-year-gap with new material and an 18-year span of charting. Taylor Swift combines with Andrew Lloyd-Webber for a movie theme from Cats, and carries it off, and Train and Skylar Grey both return in combo – a 14th for Train, and a 3rd for Skylar who first debuted in 2011, Train in 2001. That leaves our first new Christmas song – well, new to me at any rate. Doris Day’s I’ll Be Home For Christmas dates from 1964 and is about to be upgraded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, so she pops in in anticipation.

1 1 1 3 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 455000
2 2 1 5 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 575100
3 7 3 3 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 140400
4 5 4 6 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 260400
5 29 5 3 TOMIE GHOST DATA 83200
6 3 3 6 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 332400
7 6 1 12 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 850400
8 4 2 8 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 462600
9 10 9 7 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 183700
10 64 10 2 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 49100

11 12 11 9 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 164500
12 8 8 7 ECHOES Lola Marsh 207500
13 19 13 4 ORPHANS Coldplay 88100
14 11 6 8 YOU. Lucy Daydream 289000
15 9 9 6 LONELY Noah Cyrus 222200
16 13 1 10 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 794000
17 18 17 8 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 149400
18 27 18 3 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 47900
19 22 19 4 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 75700
20 17 1 16 I TRANCE Agnes 1551000

21 15 15 7 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 144650
22 16 16 8 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 139250
23 20 20 8 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 108000
24 26 24 7 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 101900
25 14 4 10 STRANGE Celeste 367200
26 28 26 3 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 54700
27 62 27 2 MONSTERS James Blunt 25800
28 21 1 10 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 769050
29 30 29 4 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 54100
30 24 4 12 THE BEACH The Makemakes 438350

31 60 31 4 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 40100
32 34 32 8 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 110800
33 23 9 10 SANREMO Mika 259350
34 37 34 4 EVERY ONE OF US Rick Astley 61300
35 38 35 4 ARABESQUE Coldplay 51750
36 42 36 6 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 70450
37 47 37 4 FREEDOM Rayelle 41200
38 39 38 4 MY SILVER LINING First Aid Kit 58200
39 25 14 11 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 171300
40 32 2 15 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 718650

41 31 6 12 COLD James Blunt 304900
42 50 42 4 FAITH Galantis & Dolly Parton featuring Mr Probz 40350
43 35 30 6 LOVER Taylor Swift 85700
44 45 44 6 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 56950
45 48 45 3 INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF LEISURE La Roux 32100
46 51 46 4 EATING ME UP Four Of Diamonds 35900
47 36 19 7 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 118550
48 33 33 6 NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU Liam Gallagher 78300
49 40 5 12 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 248950
50 44 21 11 INSTANTANE Paradis 159750

51 59 51 3 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 31950
52 49 40 7 GO The Black Keys 75450
53 41 25 5 RIGHT ON! Silicone Soul featuring Louise Clare Marshall 79700
54 55 54 4 I AM Club Yoko 38400
55 43 13 13 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 240200
56 65 56 3 PUMP IT UP Endor 23200
57 70 57 3 GLORYBOX Portishead 22400
58 46 18 12 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 176400
59 53 5 13 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 399400
60 54 1 27 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1669500

61 66 61 3 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 20100
62 58 1 14 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 694550
63 71 63 3 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 18200
64 72 64 2 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 12700
65 67 65 5 LOSE CONTROL Meduza, Becky Hill & GOODBOYS 30000
66 77 66 2 STACK IT UP Liam Payne featuring A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie 11400
67 74 67 3 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 16000
68 79 68 2 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 10600
69 56 56 6 SWEET CHILD Simply Red 48500
70 75 70 3 THE TRUTH James Blunt 15800

71 NEW 71 1 MAI TAIS Train & Skylar Grey 5800
72 52 22 8 WHY DON’T YOU JUST CALL ME Antony & Cleopatra 104100
73 NEW 73 1 BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS Taylor Swift 5400
74 78 74 3 AVEM (THE AVIATION THEME) Alan Walker 14000
75 80 75 3 WOMAN IN LOVE Barbra Streisand 13000
76 NEW 76 1 I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Doris Day 4800
77 NEW 77 1 SWIMMERS Zero 7 featuring Jem Cooke 4600
78 NEW 78 1 EVERYTHING I WANT Billie Eilish 4400
79 NEW 79 1 JUMP AROUND House Of Pain 4200
80 NEW 80 1 BURNING THE HEATHER Pet Shop Boys 4000

DROP OUTS
57 9 12 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 250100
61 4 13 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 542650
63 14 12 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 229050
68 15 11 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 186350
69 19 11 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 155650
73 7 12 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 347950
76 8 12 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 308300

 

 

 

 

P1090264

unflattering selfie, Puerto De Mogan, Gran Canaria Oct 2019

10th November 2019

It’s a first week on top for Brazilian producer Amon Tobin with the lovely ambient One Shy Morning, with another ambient instrumental rocketing up to 29 for GHOST DATA, but the highest climber is Dua Lipa’s Don’t Start Now up to 7 from 73, giving her a 6th Top 10. RUFUS DU SOL get a 3rd top 40, and Pet Shop Boys get a current 3rd top 40 track and Coldplay a 2nd.

Not many new entries, as the chart is jam-packed already with stuff on the way up, just James Blunt grabbing 3 charting tracks off his new album with the touching song Monsters leaping over his own The Truth. George Michael also returns with posthumous new material, as a new movie featuring his songs is about to be released, and his first new-charting track for 5 years, extending his run to 37 years.

Liam Payne pops in, bringing the total of One Direction acts in my chart to 4, including Harry Styles top 5. Never would have predicted that 5 years ago. C’mon Louis pull your finger out quick you’ve a new album due, I need a full set!

1 2 1 2 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 285000
2 1 1 4 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 460200
3 4 3 5 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 287400
4 3 2 7 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 414600
5 6 5 5 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 195400
6 5 1 11 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 800400
7 73 7 2 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 55400
8 8 8 6 ECHOES Lola Marsh 172500
9 9 9 5 LONELY Noah Cyrus 195200
10 13 10 6 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 138700

11 10 6 7 YOU. Lucy Daydream 260000
12 20 12 8 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 127500
13 11 1 9 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 769000
14 7 4 9 STRANGE Celeste 348450
15 15 15 6 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 124900
16 16 16 7 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 119750
17 14 1 15 I TRANCE Agnes 1531000
18 22 18 7 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 126400
19 27 19 3 ORPHANS Coldplay 56100
20 24 20 7 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 88750

21 12 1 9 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 750750
22 29 22 3 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 54700
23 18 9 9 SANREMO Mika 241650
24 17 4 11 THE BEACH The Makemakes 420350
25 19 14 10 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 154200
26 26 26 6 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 82900
27 61 27 2 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 25900
28 32 28 2 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 36100
29 75 29 2 TOMIE GHOST DATA 23200
30 45 30 3 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 36000

31 21 6 11 COLD James Blunt 290900
32 23 2 14 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 701650
33 33 33 5 NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU Liam Gallagher 66000
34 35 34 7 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 93000
35 30 30 5 LOVER Taylor Swift 72200
36 28 19 6 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 106050
37 37 37 3 EVERY ONE OF US Rick Astley 44600
38 53 38 3 ARABESQUE Coldplay 34250
39 39 39 3 MY SILVER LINING First Aid Kit 41000
40 31 5 11 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 236850

41 25 25 4 RIGHT ON! Silicone Soul featuring Louise Clare Marshall 68450
42 47 42 5 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 53050
43 36 13 12 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 229400
44 38 21 10 INSTANTANE Paradis 147750
45 55 45 5 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 43700
46 34 18 11 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 166200
47 63 47 3 FREEDOM Rayelle 23900
48 66 48 2 INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF LEISURE La Roux 19100
49 40 40 6 GO The Black Keys 63950
50 62 50 3 FAITH Galantis & Dolly Parton featuring Mr Probz 26600

51 65 51 3 EATING ME UP Four Of Diamonds 23150
52 41 22 7 WHY DON’T YOU JUST CALL ME Antony & Cleopatra 98500
53 48 5 12 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 389300
54 51 1 26 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1659500
55 60 55 3 I AM Club Yoko 27400
56 58 56 5 SWEET CHILD Simply Red 42300
57 42 9 12 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 250100
58 54 1 13 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 687150
59 59 59 2 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 20200
60 69 60 3 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 22200

61 46 4 13 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 542650
62 NEW 62 1 MONSTERS James Blunt 7400
63 49 14 12 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 229050
64 NEW 64 1 THIS IS HOW (WE WANT YOU TO GET HIGH) George Michael 7100
65 72 65 2 PUMP IT UP Endor 12600
66 71 66 2 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 12600
67 68 67 4 LOSE CONTROL Meduza, Becky Hill & GOODBOYS 23000
68 44 15 11 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 186350
69 43 19 11 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 155650
70 70 70 2 GLORYBOX Portishead 12000

71 74 71 2 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 11000
72 NEW 72 1 STONE Collard featuring Bakar 5600
73 52 7 12 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 347950
74 79 74 2 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 9400
75 76 75 2 THE TRUTH James Blunt 9800
76 56 8 12 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 308300
77 NEW 77 1 STACK IT UP Liam Payne 4600
78 78 78 2 AVEM (THE AVIATION THEME) Alan Walker 8800
79 NEW 79 1 STAY HAPPY AU/RA 4200
80 80 80 2 WOMAN IN LOVE Barbra Streisand 8000

DROP OUTS
50 35 8 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 115700
57 10 13 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 257500
64 2 15 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 531900
67 30 10 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 99650
77 77 1 LIP UP FATTY Bad Manners 4600

 

 

3rd November 2019

It’s 2 weeks on top for Sigma & Jack Savoretti, just holding off the highest new entry from Amon Tobin, a gorgeous ambient instrumental from the Brazilian producer who describes it as Margot Robbie riding a unicorn. I look forward to the next Suicide Squad film then with Harley atop a horny horse. Harry Styles gets his first ever top 10 as he Lights Up the upper end, and Israeli indie band Lola Marsh Echo that.

Ariana, Miley & Lana all notch up another top 20 with the Charlie’s Angels track that is better than it’s swift real-world chart-dropping would suggest, SHAED return at 32 with Trampoline – with ZAYN on tow this time for the former early 2019 goodie, making it 3 One Directioners listed, 2 to go then for a full house. Gwen Stefani’s 2004 chart-topper What You Waiting For is back following some itunes sales action, in at 59, tick tock tick tock; RUFUS DU SOL get another chart entry with No Place at 61, their 3rd for the Aussie act, following their top 5 debut in 2014 with Sundream – presumably where the Du Sol came from for the former RUFUS which prob got the elbow from Chaka Khan’s former hitmakers.

5 years MIA, La Roux is back with her 6th entry and 10 years of chart entries – once Bulletproof, that must be why she’s now an International Woman Of Leisure. 1995 chart-topper Glorybox also brings Portishead back to the chart after itunes sales, while 1980 hits Lip Up Fatty gives Bad Manners a boost, and Barbra Streisand’s Bee Gees song Woman In Love does the same as both pop up in the itunes too. Any excuse for oldies….! I once reviewed Bad Manners concert in Record Mirror, a much-missed music paper.

Tame Impala have a second track off the forthcoming album enter, a 9th chart appearance in 4 years, Endor’s Club Chart-topping hypnotic beats debut a full 42 years since Star-Wars-related product topped my charts (Endor is a planet in the franchise), Dua Lipa’s back fresh off Graham Norton, Of Monsters & Men get a 5th entry since their chart-topping debut in 2012, James Blunt makes it 2 off the new album, while Alan Walker & Jonas Blue both return for some chart action, Alan Walker having topped my charts previously, Jonas Blue, err not, though he did take a Polaroid with a 4th One Directioner, Liam Payne.


1 1 1 3 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 345200
2 NEW 2 1 ONE SHY MORNING Amon Tobin 115000
3 2 2 6 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 349600
4 5 4 4 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 202400
5 3 1 10 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 745400
6 11 6 4 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 135400
7 4 4 8 STRANGE Celeste 319450
8 13 8 5 ECHOES Lola Marsh 124500
9 9 9 4 LONELY Noah Cyrus 150200
10 6 6 6 YOU. Lucy Daydream 223000

11 7 1 8 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 737000
12 8 1 8 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 731000
13 15 13 5 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 96700
14 10 1 14 I TRANCE Agnes 1508000
15 16 15 5 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 97900
16 20 16 6 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 94750
17 12 4 10 THE BEACH The Makemakes 401350
18 14 9 8 SANREMO Mika 222400
19 19 14 9 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 135450
20 24 20 7 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 92500

21 17 6 10 COLD James Blunt 273000
22 29 22 6 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 104400
23 18 2 13 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 682850
24 27 24 6 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 68750
25 30 25 3 RIGHT ON! Silicone Soul featuring Louise Clare Marshall 54450
26 26 26 5 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 64400
27 33 27 2 ORPHANS Coldplay 35100
28 25 19 5 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 88650
29 40 29 2 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 35200
30 32 30 4 LOVER Taylor Swift 54700

31 21 5 10 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 219850
32 NEW 32 1 TRAMPOLINE SHAED featuring ZAYN 17800
33 36 33 4 NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU Liam Gallagher 48300
34 23 18 10 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 153450
35 39 35 6 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 75400
36 28 13 11 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 215900
37 60 37 2 EVERY ONE OF US Rick Astley 27300
38 38 21 9 INSTANTANE Paradis 134500
39 66 39 2 MY SILVER LINING First Aid Kit 23900
40 50 40 5 GO The Black Keys 51850

41 22 22 6 WHY DON’T YOU JUST CALL ME Antony & Cleopatra 87000
42 34 9 11 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 239700
43 31 19 10 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 149450
44 37 15 10 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 179950
45 75 45 2 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 18000
46 41 4 12 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 535150
47 54 47 4 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 39300
48 46 5 11 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 378050
49 49 14 11 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 221850
50 35 35 8 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 115700

51 43 1 25 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1648500
52 45 7 11 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 342550
53 71 53 2 ARABESQUE Coldplay 17050
54 52 1 12 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 676950
55 62 55 4 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 30700
56 47 8 11 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 303500
57 48 10 13 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 257500
58 59 58 4 SWEET CHILD Simply Red 31700
59 NEW 59 1 WHAT YOU WAITING FOR? Gwen Stefani 10100
60 67 60 2 I AM Club Yoko 16600

61 NEW 61 1 NO PLACE RUFUS DU SOL 7500
62 63 62 2 FAITH Galantis & Dolly Parton featuring Mr Probz 14600
63 79 63 2 FREEDOM Rayelle 11400
64 56 2 15 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 531900
65 78 65 2 EATING ME UP Four Of Diamonds 11400
66 NEW 66 1 INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF LEISURE La Roux 6800
67 51 30 10 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 99650
68 74 68 3 LOSE CONTROL Meduza, Becky Hill & GOODBOYS 16400
69 70 69 2 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 12200
70 NEW 70 1 GLORYBOX Portishead 6000

71 NEW 71 1 IT MIGHT BE TIME Tame Impala 5800
72 NEW 72 1 PUMP IT UP Endor 5600
73 NEW 73 1 DON’T START NOW Dua Lipa 5400
74 NEW 74 1 WILD ROSES Of Monsters And Men 5200
75 NEW 75 1 TOMIE GHOST DATA 5000
76 NEW 76 1 THE TRUTH James Blunt 4800
77 NEW 77 1 LIP UP FATTY Bad Manners 4600
78 NEW 78 1 AVEM (THE AVIATION THEME) Alan Walker 4400
79 NEW 79 1 YOUNGER Jonas Blue & HRVY 4200
80 NEW 80 1 WOMAN IN LOVE Barbra Streisand 4000

DROP OUTS
42 3 11 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 584050
44 18 7 SUMMER FADE Snakehips featuring Anna Of The North 109550
53 17 10 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 176100
55 55 4 ABOUT YOU Papa Zeus 36400
57 57 5 EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac 45800
58 58 4 DO ANYTHING YOU WANNA DO Eddie & The Hot Rods 32400
61 9 13 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 265300
64 58 5 BEVERLEY HILLS Zivert 34700
65 65 5 GOODBYE The Beatles 30400
68 3 22 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 834400
69 69 3 LADY LIKE Ingrid Andress 17200
72 61 6 HALOES Ina Wrolsden 34000
73 44 5 WHEN SHE FINDS YOU Shakespears Sister featuring Richard Hawley 49950
76 76 3 WHY DO YOU LOVE Charlotte Lawrence 13800
77 77 4 OVER YOU Lily Moore 17000
80 80 2 DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME) (267400) Simple Minds 8000

 

 

27th October 2019

It’s the biggest climb ever to top my chart, I think, up from 74 to 1 for Sigma and Jack Savoretti’s You And Me As One, all moody drum’n’bass dance. That’s a second chart-topper for Sigma, following 2014’s Changing with Paloma Faith – yes I didn’t think it was 5 years ago either! It’s also their 5th Top 10 in 6 years, all of them collaborations. Jack Savoretti has been releasing most of the tracks off his latest album as singles at a furious pace, seemingly, Candelight going top 10, as did his Kylie duet, which makes this his 5th top 10 in 4 years and first chart-topper.

Mountains hasn’t quite reached the summit, sadly, while a showstopping performnace on Jools Holland helps Celeste climb to 4 – just piano and her voice. Amazing. Harry Styles is on the verge of the top 10, having never previously made the top 40, and out-performing every single One Direction track by hitting 11. PNAU get a second top 40 of the year, their 8th in total not including other projects, Liam Gallagher was also on Jools Holland and gets a 3rd top 40 of the year, just behind Bruv, while the highest new entry is Coldplay, back with Orphans at 33, and Arabesque at 71, hot off the new album due shortly. They seem to be following in the uncredited World Music project they’ve been involved in recently, soundwise, rather than traditional Coldplay, and are diving into social commentary too.

Pet Shop Boys release a single of Dreamland remixes and another with B sides – as always, I opt for the extra tracks not extended more-of-the-same – with An Open Mind at 40, the lads still in social commentary mode, and ditto for the song written for the musical My Beautiful Laundrette, based on the early 80’s film, with No Boundaries sneaking in with Asian sounds at the lower end. Rick Astley is back with another vocal stormer at 60, 32 years into his career while Never Gonna Give You Up is probably more popular than ever these days as a classic oldie – it was featured at my brother’s 60th Saturday, along with Dance Monkey and Everywhere, 3 charting tracks played by the DJ. My voice is now croakey from 4 hours of singing and talking, not used to it these days smile.gif

First Aid Kit return with 2014’s My Silver Lining, selling well currently, while Galantis finally follow-up their 2017 chart-topper True Feeling, by calling on Dolly Parton for their 5th charter in 4 years, Mr Probz gets a second, and Dolly Parton gets her first new material since her movie theme song with Sia last year, her 18th of the 21st century, and a chart career going back to top 10 Jolene in 1976. 43 years ain’t bad, and driving a bus to boot in the new video.


1 74 1 2 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 175200
2 4 2 5 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 264600
3 1 1 9 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 685400
4 6 4 7 STRANGE Celeste 269450
5 5 5 3 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 137400
6 7 6 5 YOU. Lucy Daydream 181000
7 3 1 7 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 700000
8 2 1 7 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 696000
9 10 9 3 LONELY Noah Cyrus 105200
10 8 1 13 I TRANCE Agnes 1479000

11 16 11 3 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 80400
12 9 4 9 THE BEACH The Makemakes 378350
13 20 13 4 ECHOES Lola Marsh 76500
14 11 9 7 SANREMO Mika 200400
15 21 15 4 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 64700
16 17 16 4 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 70900
17 12 6 9 COLD James Blunt 253250
18 13 2 12 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 663600
19 14 14 8 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 114450
20 23 20 5 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 69750

21 15 5 9 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 201950
22 24 22 5 WHY DON’T YOU JUST CALL ME Antony & Cleopatra 73000
23 18 18 9 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 135850
24 30 24 6 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 72500
25 19 19 4 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 70350
26 47 26 4 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 45900
27 51 27 5 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 49750
28 22 13 10 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 198500
29 34 29 5 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 84900
30 33 30 2 RIGHT ON! Silicone Soul featuring Louise Clare Marshall 35700

31 31 19 9 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 135950
32 49 32 3 LOVER Taylor Swift 36700
33 NEW 33 1 ORPHANS Coldplay 17700
34 25 9 10 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 225950
35 35 35 7 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 103700
36 62 36 3 NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU Liam Gallagher 30600
37 26 15 9 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 166700
38 29 21 8 INSTANTANE Paradis 117300
39 42 39 5 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 57900
40 NEW 40 1 AN OPEN MIND Pet Shop Boys 17000

41 27 4 11 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 522400
42 28 3 11 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 584050
43 41 1 24 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1636750
44 32 18 7 SUMMER FADE Snakehips featuring Anna Of The North 109550
45 37 7 10 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 331050
46 46 5 10 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 365750
47 39 8 10 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 292900
48 36 10 12 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 247100
49 43 14 10 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 209750
50 53 50 4 GO The Black Keys 34850

51 38 30 9 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 93050
52 48 1 11 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 665950
53 40 17 10 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 176100
54 56 54 3 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 26800
55 55 55 4 ABOUT YOU Papa Zeus 36400
56 45 2 14 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 524800
57 57 57 5 EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac 45800
58 60 58 4 DO ANYTHING YOU WANNA DO Eddie & The Hot Rods 32400
59 66 59 3 SWEET CHILD Simply Red 21500
60 NEW 60 1 EVERY ONE OF US Rick Astley 10000

61 54 9 13 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 265300
62 64 62 3 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 19900
63 NEW 63 1 FAITH Galantis & Dolly Parton featuring Mr Probz 7200
64 58 58 5 BEVERLEY HILLS Zivert 34700
65 65 65 5 GOODBYE The Beatles 30400
66 NEW 66 1 MY SILVER LINING First Aid Kit 6800
67 NEW 67 1 I AM Club Yoko 6600
68 59 3 22 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 834400
69 70 69 3 LADY LIKE Ingrid Andress 17200
70 NEW 70 1 SYMPHONY OF YOU Pete Tong & HERO featuring Boy George 6000

71 NEW 71 1 ARABESQUE Coldplay 5800
72 61 61 6 HALOES Ina Wrolsden 34000
73 44 44 5 WHEN SHE FINDS YOU Shakespears Sister featuring Richard Hawley 49950
74 76 74 2 LOSE CONTROL Meduza, Becky Hill & GOODBOYS 10000
75 NEW 75 1 NO BOUNDARIES Pet Shop Boys 5000
76 77 76 3 WHY DO YOU LOVE Charlotte Lawrence 13800
77 78 77 4 OVER YOU Lily Moore 17000
78 NEW 78 1 EATING ME UP Four Of Diamonds 4400
79 NEW 79 1 FREEDOM Rayelle 4200
80 80 80 2 DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME) Simple Minds 8000

DROP OUTS
50 50 5 AFTERLIFE Hailee Steinfeld 44000
52 52 10 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 98000
63 20 9 I’M ALRIGHT Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy 114700
67 44 8 BOYFRIEND Ariana Grande & Social House 69750
68 29 7 SUPERPOWER Adam Lambert 86200
69 13 12 FRIENDS Dido 238000
71 55 5 MY BEST FRIEND’S GIRL The Cars 42900
72 48 6 INDESTRUCTIBLE The Goo Goo Dolls 45000
73 41 5 LET’S GO The Cars 54250
75 75 3 ELECTRICITY Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 13400
79 79 1 THAT’S LIFE Frank Sinatra 4200

 

DSC_0788

London Film & Comic Con where I got autographs of sci-fi stars, reverted to 10 years-old, and enjoyed Jason Isaacs Q&A.

20th October 2019

It’s 2 weeks on top for The S.L.P. ahead of his Jools Holland slot, and the laid-back grooves of Nobody Else holding off a host of tracks, notably Jeff Lynne taking his ELO back into the top 5 for the first time in 3 years. Jeff invariably goes top 10 more often than not and has being doing that since 1970 when in The Move, and since ELO’ first chart-topper in 1972 with 10538 Overture – pretty much a fan from Day One, From Out Of Nowhere sounding much like it could be a track off Out Of The Blue 40 years back.

Noah Cyrus gets another top 10, her 3rd or so, joining Celeste in the top 10 sparse ballad section, as a bunch of tracks go top 20 in a changeover at the top end, notably Harry Styles leapfrogging his ol’ mucker Niall Horan, Kylie adding to her vast number, as Riton & Oliver Heldens get the highest leap into the 40 at 21 borrowing from Yazoo. Highest new entry is 2001 chart-topper Right On!, a fab oldie from Silicone Soul that wasn’t the big hit it should have been, back at 33, while the unlikely partnership of Sigma and Jack Savoretti sneak in at 74, Meduza & GOODBOYS return with Becky Hill drafted in on the follow-up, and Frank Sinatra benefits from some Joker exposure, well That’s Life, and a touring Simple Minds pushes them back in the charts 34 years on from the film theme first exploding worldwide and hitting my top 10.

1 1 1 8 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 600400
2 2 1 6 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 648000
3 3 1 6 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 650000
4 5 4 4 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 149600
5 36 5 2 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 77400
6 6 6 6 STRANGE Celeste 204450
7 8 7 4 YOU. Lucy Daydream 126000
8 11 1 12 I TRANCE Agnes 1437000
9 4 4 8 THE BEACH The Makemakes 343350
10 29 10 2 LONELY Noah Cyrus 60200

11 9 9 6 SANREMO Mika 171400
12 7 6 8 COLD James Blunt 230250
13 12 2 11 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 641600
14 23 14 7 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 93450
15 10 5 8 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 182200
16 27 16 2 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 43400
17 26 17 3 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 45900
18 24 18 8 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 116600
19 20 19 3 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 51600
20 31 20 3 ECHOES Lola Marsh 44500

21 46 21 3 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 37700
22 13 13 9 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 180200
23 33 23 4 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 49750
24 38 24 4 WHY DON’T YOU JUST CALL ME Antony & Cleopatra 53500
25 17 9 9 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 208350
26 16 15 8 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 149400
27 14 4 10 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 508400
28 15 3 10 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 570300
29 21 21 7 INSTANTANE Paradis 100100
30 35 30 5 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 53500

31 19 19 8 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 118050
32 18 18 6 SUMMER FADE Snakehips featuring Anna Of The North 96300
33 NEW 33 1 RIGHT ON! Silicone Soul featuring Louise Clare Marshall 17700
34 34 34 4 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 66700
35 37 35 6 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 86200
36 22 10 11 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 234800
37 25 7 9 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 318050
38 30 30 8 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 81300
39 28 8 9 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 280400
40 32 17 9 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 164850

41 40 1 23 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1623250
42 53 42 4 COME AND GET IT (STUDIO DEMO) The Beatles 40800
43 39 14 9 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 197650
44 45 44 4 WHEN SHE FINDS YOU Shakespears Sister featuring Richard Hawley 44450
45 42 2 13 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 514200
46 41 5 9 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 353000
47 59 47 3 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 27400
48 44 1 10 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 654450
49 66 49 2 LOVER Taylor Swift 18900
50 50 50 5 AFTERLIFE Hailee Steinfeld 44000

51 63 51 4 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 31350
52 52 52 10 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 98000
53 65 53 3 GO The Black Keys 22850
54 47 9 12 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 257800
55 62 55 3 ABOUT YOU Papa Zeus 25600
56 74 56 2 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 15800
57 60 57 4 EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac 35400
58 68 58 4 BEVERLEY HILLS Zivert 27600
59 54 3 21 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 828000
60 67 60 3 DO ANYTHING YOU WANNA DO Eddie & The Hot Rods 22200

61 64 61 5 HALOES Ina Wrolsden 28400
62 71 62 2 NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU Liam Gallagher 13200
63 48 20 9 I’M ALRIGHT Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy 114700
64 73 64 2 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 12500
65 70 65 4 GOODBYE The Beatles 23400
66 77 66 2 SWEET CHILD Simply Red 11400
67 49 44 8 BOYFRIEND Ariana Grande & Social House 69750
68 56 29 7 SUPERPOWER Adam Lambert 86200
69 57 13 12 FRIENDS Dido 238000
70 75 70 2 LADY LIKE Ingrid Andress 11000

71 55 55 5 MY BEST FRIEND’S GIRL The Cars 42900
72 58 48 6 INDESTRUCTIBLE The Goo Goo Dolls 45000
73 51 41 5 LET’S GO The Cars 54250
74 NEW 74 1 YOU AND ME AS ONE Sigma & Jack Savoretti 5200
75 79 75 3 ELECTRICITY Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 13400
76 NEW 76 1 LOSE CONTROL Meduza, Becky Hill & GOODBOYS 4800
77 78 77 2 WHY DO YOU LOVE Charlotte Lawrence 9000
78 80 78 3 OVER YOU Lily Moore 12400
79 NEW 79 1 THAT’S LIFE Frank Sinatra 4200
80 NEW 80 1 DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME) Simple Minds 4000

DROP OUTS
43 10 4 DRIVE The Cars 101500
61 46 9 HERE YOU COME AGAIN Dolly Parton 83800
69 15 10 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 164700
72 19 10 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 146100
76 1 16 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 493650

 

 

13th October 2019

It’s a first week on top for any member of Kasabian – aka Sergio from the band on a side project. He’ll be on Jools Holland any day now along with new act Celeste, who is up to 6 with the hauntingly fab Strange. I’m hoping for bigger things for both after they get the TV plug. Big Mountain climbs for Bjorn and Arcteec, up to 5, while Lucy Daydream’s about You. At 8. It’s basically Wicked Game with the notes in a slightly different order.

Niall Horan gets his first ever top 20 hit, and that includes One Direction tracks, while his old mucker Harry Styles gets his biggest ever track too, both of them getting the highest new entries of the last 2 weeks, Harry at 27. For such a disposable band career they’ve all done alright solo. Who’da thunk it! Noah Cyrus decides to join sis Miley in the chart, both of them doing really interesting stuff musically these days.

Jeff Lynne’s ELO is back again – his new stuff hot on the heels of his comeback album: you wait 30 years for a new album and then 2 come along at once! From Out Of Nowhere is typical ELO, and as usual the mp3 itunes download is poor sound quality, he’s determined to try and force me to buy the album! Taylor Swift gets a 3rd simultaneous, and 6th track off Lover, this time the title track, Liam Gallagher gets a 3rd off his album, Broken Bells return after after a break of 5 years since peaking at 2 with Holding On For Life, and 9 years since the fab THe High Road hit 7 – though Dangermaus has also charted in between.

Xenomania pop in with a new protoge, as the good Girls Aloud chart years fade and they now struggle, last having success with other acts with Pet Shop Boys. Simply Red also return as they knock out the previous single from the chart, some 34 years since Money was too tight to mention, beating Pet Shop Boys into the chart by a few months, who drop off the top spot.

1 2 1 7 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 430400
2 1 1 5 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 533000
3 3 1 5 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 565000
4 4 4 7 THE BEACH The Makemakes 298350
5 38 5 3 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 84600
6 12 6 5 STRANGE Celeste 149450
7 6 6 7 COLD James Blunt 195250
8 36 8 3 YOU. Lucy Daydream 76000
9 9 9 5 SANREMO Mika 134400
10 5 5 7 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 155200

11 10 1 11 I TRANCE Agnes 1389000
12 11 2 10 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 609600
13 14 13 8 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 160700
14 8 4 9 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 490000
15 7 3 9 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 552000
16 15 15 7 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 130900
17 13 9 8 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 189600
18 18 18 5 SUMMER FADE Snakehips featuring Anna Of The North 78500
19 19 19 7 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 100150
20 56 20 2 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 30600

21 21 21 6 INSTANTANE Paradis 81900
22 16 10 10 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 217400
23 30 23 6 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 64450
24 26 24 7 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 94600
25 17 7 8 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 300750
26 78 26 2 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 22900
27 NEW 27 1 LIGHTS UP Harry Styles 18400
28 20 8 8 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 263300
29 NEW 29 1 LONELY Noah Cyrus 18200
30 39 30 7 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 64100

31 67 31 2 ECHOES Lola Marsh 24500
32 22 17 8 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 147850
33 65 33 3 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 30500
34 35 34 3 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 49100
35 63 35 4 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 35500
36 NEW 36 1 FROM OUT OF NOWHERE Jeff Lynne’s ELO 17400
37 37 37 5 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 68700
38 47 38 3 WHY DON’T YOU JUST GET ME Antony & Cleopatra 34500
39 28 14 8 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 184150
40 34 1 22 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1609250

41 23 5 8 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 340250
42 32 2 12 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 501200
43 24 10 4 DRIVE The Cars 101500
44 31 1 9 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 642150
45 45 45 3 WHEN SHE FINDS YOU Shakespears Sister featuring Richard Hawley 31200
46 74 46 2 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 17950
47 25 9 11 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 246800
48 27 20 8 I’M ALRIGHT Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy 107500
49 44 44 7 BOYFRIEND Ariana Grande & Social House 63150
50 50 50 4 AFTERLIFE Hailee Steinfeld 32000

51 41 41 4 LET’S GO The Cars 48850
52 52 52 9 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 86500
53 58 53 3 COME AND GET IT The Beatles 27050
54 43 3 20 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 817900
55 55 55 4 MY BEST FRIEND’S GIRL The Cars 37100
56 29 29 6 SUPERPOWER Adam Lambert 78800
57 40 13 11 FRIENDS Dido 231800
58 48 48 5 INDESTRUCTIBLE The Goo Goo Dolls 39400
59 76 59 2 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 14900
60 61 60 3 EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac 25000

61 46 46 9 HERE YOU COME AGAIN Dolly Parton 83800
62 62 62 2 ABOUT YOU Papa Zeus 14800
63 69 63 3 FEEL LOVE Feed Me featuring Rosie Doonan 19600
64 73 64 4 HALOES Ina Wrolsden 20900
65 77 65 2 GO The Black Keys 11600
66 NEW 66 1 LOVER Taylor Swift 6800
67 72 67 2 DO ANYTHING YOU WANNA DO Eddie & The Hot Rods 12200
68 68 68 3 BEVERLEY HILLS Zivert 17400
69 49 15 10 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 164700
70 70 70 3 GOODBYE The Beatles 16400

71 NEW 71 1 NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU Liam Gallagher 5800
72 42 19 10 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 146100
73 NEW 73 1 GOOD LUCK Broken Bells 5400
74 NEW 74 1 RED IS THE WAY Paige Cavell & Xenomania 5200
75 NEW 75 1 LADY LIKE Ingrid Andress 5000
76 60 1 16 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 493650
77 NEW 77 1 SWEET CHILD Simply Red 4600
78 NEW 78 1 WHY DO YOU LOVE Charlotte Lawrence 4400
79 79 79 2 ELECTRICITY Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 8400
80 80 80 2 OVER YOU Lily Moore 8000

DROP OUTS
33 33 8 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen 102800
51 38 7 TIME Sophia Bel 75300
53 43 7 THINKING OF YOU Simply Red 67450
54 54 4 SMALL TALK Katy Perry 34200
57 26 10 FALLING LEON 151050
59 20 10 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 162050
64 64 3 JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars 17900
66 16 10 I’M GOOD Wafia 159200
71 10 10 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 232350
75 75 3 RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang 14600

 

6th October 2019

It’s a first week on top for Pet Shop Boys, 3 years since their last hat-trick of toppers, 34 years since West End Girls did the trick and dozens of number ones ago before Dreamland. Years And Years also get a third chart-topper, since King and Shine did the trick in 2015. Big climbs for PJ Brennan who is inhabiting the Land Of Make Believe rhythms, James Blunt gets his 6th top 10, Mika his 10th. Snakehips shoot up into the 20, Tove Lo & Kylie into the 40, as does John Newman, all having been there before, in the case of Kylie having been there a lot!

New entries from Niall Horan with a jolly decent track is a surprise highest new entry, his first solo was 2 years ago and peaked at 23, while elsewhere The Black Keys return, Oliver Heldens sneaks back in, PNAU have a quick follow-up to a top 10, Papa Zeus re-do Ce Ce Peniston’s classic Finally, and 2 70’s tracks return: OMD finally get there debit single into my charts 40 years late, and the sad death of lead singer of Eddie & The Hot Rods, Barrie Masters, brings their best track back – Do Anything You Want To Do from the summer of 77 – actually I have sad memories attached to it as my beloved pet budgie died while it was on TV, he’d not been well a few days and had one last mad flutter, I gently picked him up and he just went then and there. It might not sound like much, but I was upset, he’d been part of the family for 5 years and loved getting his own way, not afraid of anything much.

1 2 1 4 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 418000
2 6 2 6 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 260400
3 1 1 4 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 480000
4 7 4 6 THE BEACH The Makemakes 233350
5 26 5 6 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 113200
6 13 6 6 COLD James Blunt 145250
7 3 3 8 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 525000
8 4 4 8 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 461000
9 19 9 4 SANREMO Mika 89400
10 5 1 10 I TRANCE Agnes 1352000

11 8 2 9 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 574600
12 18 12 4 STRANGE Celeste 94450
13 9 9 7 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 166600
14 16 14 7 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 128700
15 22 15 6 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 105900
16 10 10 9 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 197900
17 12 7 7 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 282000
18 40 18 4 SUMMER FADE Snakehips featuring Anna Of The North 56500
19 23 19 6 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 79150
20 14 8 7 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 245000

21 36 21 5 INSTANTANE Paradis 62150
22 17 17 7 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 130050
23 11 5 7 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 326250
24 15 10 3 DRIVE The Cars 88000
25 25 9 10 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 234300
26 30 26 6 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 75600
27 20 20 7 I’M ALRIGHT Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy 95200
28 21 14 7 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 167050
29 29 29 5 SUPERPOWER Adam Lambert 68200
30 65 30 5 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 45200

31 24 1 8 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 628900
32 28 2 11 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 487450
33 35 33 8 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen 102800
34 27 1 21 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1592250
35 41 35 2 HERE COMES THE SUN The Beatles 31500
36 56 36 2 YOU Lucy Daydream 28000
37 39 37 4 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 51400
38 62 38 2 MOUNTAINS Bjorn Olav Edvardson & Arcteec 24600
39 58 39 6 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 46100
40 34 13 10 FRIENDS Dido 221400

41 45 41 3 LET’S GO The Cars 37100
42 31 19 9 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 140500
43 37 3 19 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 806900
44 50 44 6 BOYFRIEND Ariana Grande & Social House 51050
45 74 45 2 WHEN SHE FINDS YOU Shakespears Sister featuring Richard Hawley 18200
46 48 46 8 HERE YOU COME AGAIN Dolly Parton 76300
47 76 47 2 WHY DON’T YOU JUST GET ME Antony & Cleopatra 17300
48 64 48 4 INDESTRUCTIBLE The Goo Goo Dolls 29200
49 33 15 9 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 158500
50 80 50 3 AFTERLIFE Hailee Steinfeld 20000

51 38 38 7 TIME Sophia Bel 75300
52 52 52 8 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 75000
53 43 43 7 THINKING OF YOU Simply Red 67450
54 54 54 4 SMALL TALK Katy Perry 34200
55 59 55 3 MY BEST FRIEND’S GIRL The Cars 26300
56 NEW 56 1 NICE TO MEET YA Niall Horan 10600
57 42 26 10 FALLING LEON 151050
58 72 58 2 COME AND GET IT The Beatles 15800
59 32 20 10 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 162050
60 60 1 15 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 488850

61 61 61 2 EVERYWHERE Fleetwood Mac 15000
62 NEW 62 1 ABOUT YOU Papa Zeus 7400
63 70 63 3 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 18000
64 68 64 3 JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars 17900
65 71 65 2 ABOUT YOU Otto Knows 12800
66 46 16 10 I’M GOOD Wafia 159200
67 NEW 67 1 ECHOES Lola Marsh 6600
68 77 68 2 BEVERLEY HILLS Zivert 11000
69 69 69 2 FEEL LOVE Feed Me 12400
70 78 70 2 GOODBYE The Beatles 10400

71 44 10 10 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 232350
72 NEW 72 1 DO ANYTHING YOU WANNA DO Eddie & The Hot Rods 5600
73 79 73 3 HALOES Ina Wrolsden 13800
74 NEW 74 1 TURN ME ON Riton & Oliver Heldens featuring Vula 5200
75 75 75 3 RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang 14600
76 NEW 76 1 ALL OF US PNAU featuring Ollie Gabriel 4800
77 NEW 77 1 GO The Black Keys 4600
78 NEW 78 1 DREAMS OF YOU Icarus featuring Rae Morris 4400
79 NEW 79 1 ELECTRICITY Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 4200
80 NEW 80 1 OVER YOU Lily Moore 4000

DROP OUTS
47 34 7 SHOOT ME DOWN Fiona Walden 104600
49 30 9 ONLY WHEN YOU’RE AROUND The Dualers 130550
51 20 6 VISIONS OF GIDEON Sufjan Stevens 97850
53 20 6 I’LL BE THERE Walk Off The Earth 94550
55 10 9 THE WAYFARER Bruce Springsteen 195600
57 48 6 TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND Cedric Gervais & Chris Willis 59700
63 40 9 TWO NIGHTS PART II Lykke Li, Skrillex & Ty Dolla $ign 90100
66 8 14 MAD LOVE Mabel 305400
67 67 4 HAVE IT ALL Cosmo’s Midnight featuring Age.Sex.Location 22400
73 73 3 HOME Cavetown 14600

 

 

22nd September 2019

It’s a first week on top for Fall Out Boy and Wyclef-Jean, a first for both acts after a decade of attempts from the boys, and 23 years from Wyclef. Patience is rewarded! Pet Shop Boys are up to 3, The S.L.P. Kasabian spin-off is rocketing up to 6, and The Cars have 4 oldies enter following the sad death of Ric Okasek, the highest at 10 for the heart-rendingly perfect Drive at 10. It would have been higher if it hadn’t topped my chart recently in orchestral version, for the third time.

Lana Del Ray gets her 4th top 20 of the year and also enters another from a movie, along with Miley and Ariana. James Blunt makes it 14 years of top 20’s, while Mika leaps again into the 40 this year, with Sanremo, also 14 years of chart entries here. New entries are thin on the ground, just Hailee Steinfeld and Ina Wrolsden, but there will be more pending soon as a gap appears!

1 6 1 2 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 225000
2 1 1 8 I TRANCE Agnes 1250000
3 8 3 2 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 133000
4 3 3 6 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 390000
5 4 4 6 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 348000
6 39 6 4 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 90400
7 5 5 5 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 270000
8 2 2 7 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 489600
9 9 9 4 THE BEACH The Makemakes 118350
10 NEW 10 1 DRIVE The Cars 42000

11 10 7 5 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 224000
12 13 12 7 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 130900
13 11 8 5 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 196000
14 14 14 5 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 129000
15 7 1 6 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 592000
16 18 16 5 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 89600
17 12 9 8 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 196800
18 29 18 4 COLD James Blunt 58250
19 30 19 5 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 74700
20 21 20 8 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 134150

21 33 21 2 STRANGE Celeste 37450
22 23 22 5 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 87550
23 15 2 9 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 451350
24 19 19 7 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 108850
25 17 1 19 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1556250
26 37 26 4 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 59400
27 38 27 5 I’M ALRIGHT Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy 56800
28 24 15 7 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 128700
29 22 13 8 FRIENDS Dido 186800
30 26 26 8 FALLING LEON 126900

31 16 10 8 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 214300
32 72 32 2 SANREMO Mika 23400
33 27 3 17 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 776100
34 36 34 6 SHOOT ME DOWN Fiona Walden 92100
35 62 35 4 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 34700
36 58 36 3 SUPERPOWER Adam Lambert 31800
37 60 37 4 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 38900
38 20 20 5 VISIONS OF GIDEON Sufjan Stevens 86100
39 44 39 6 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen 67600
40 59 40 4 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 39100

41 65 41 3 INSTANTANE Paradis 25000
42 55 42 5 TIME Sophia Bel 46350
43 25 16 8 I’M GOOD Wafia 138650
44 35 30 8 ONLY WHEN YOU’RE AROUND The Dualers 118450
45 28 20 5 I’LL BE THERE Walk Off The Earth 83300
46 32 10 8 THE WAYFARER Bruce Springsteen 184800
47 57 47 5 THINKING OF YOU Simply Red 42700
48 50 48 5 TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND Cedric Gervais & Chris Willis 49300
49 73 49 2 SUMMER FADE Snakehips featuring Anna Of The North 17500
50 40 40 8 TWO NIGHTS PART II Lykke Li, Skrillex & Ty Dolla $ign 82900

51 34 26 8 GREYHOUND Collard 130550
52 31 18 8 DAYS GO BY (CAMELPHAT REMIX) Dirty Vegas 139700
53 54 53 6 HERE YOU COME AGAIN Dolly Parton 51250
54 47 47 8 YOUNG AND IN LOVE Ingrid Michaelson 77750
55 43 8 13 MAD LOVE Mabel 298600
56 56 56 6 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 52000
57 67 57 2 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 17000
58 63 58 4 BOYFRIEND Ariana Grande & Social House 25800
59 NEW 59 1 LET’S GO The Cars 10100
60 52 1 13 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 468850

61 41 19 10 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 140700
62 76 62 2 SMALL TALK Katy Perry 12200
63 45 4 19 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 661750
64 71 64 4 IF THEY ONLY KNEW Black Atlass 21700
65 70 65 5 COMPROMISE JeanGa & George featuring Eartha Kitt 26200
66 66 66 3 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 20200
67 77 67 4 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 18800
68 68 68 5 FALLING DEEP IN LOVE (JOEY NEGRO DISCO BLEND) Horse Meat Disco & Kathy Sledge 26800
69 48 10 11 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 222700
70 75 70 3 HAVE IT ALL Cosmo’s Midnight featuring Age.Sex.Location 15800

71 46 9 13 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 305500
72 79 72 2 INDESTRUCTIBLE The Goo Goo Dolls 9800
73 NEW 73 1 MY BEST FRIEND’S GIRL The Cars 5400
74 80 74 2 HOME Cavetown 9200
75 61 1 20 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 1021750
76 NEW 76 1 DON’T CALL ME ANGEL (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Ray 4800
77 NEW 77 1 RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang 4600
78 NEW 78 1 JUST WHAT I NEEDED The Cars 4400
79 NEW 79 1 HALOES Ina Wrolsden 4200
80 NEW 80 1 AFTERLIFE Hailee Steinfeld 4000

DROP OUTS
42 1 13 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 1160900
49 20 7 EMOTION Purple Disco Machine featuring The Emotions 118400
51 47 7 HIGHER LOVE Kygo & Whitney Houston 69050
53 40 7 TRUE LOVE Ariana & The Rose 76500
64 5 17 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 484500
69 7 17 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 404250
74 29 7 FAVORITE SOUND Audien & Echosmith 100450
78 52 7 SILHOUETTES Friendly Fires 54300

 

 

 

15th September 2019

It’s Agnes back on top for a 6th week, the longest run for 3 years, as Paul Kalkbrenner is close behind at 2. I hope to be dancing a bit next week in Spain, all being well. Highest new entry is… not the Pet Shop Boys! Yes, their Years & Years collab could “only” manage 8, though it is great and the boys are on TV tonight BBC4 live in concert. I have my next ticket for the Greatest Hits tour. So who beats them? Fall Out Boy! Pet Shop Boys lead tracks off new studio albums always always always go top 10 for me (34 years and counting), but Fall Out Boys don’t always go top 10 – they hit 3 in 2007 with the Arms Race track, 2 in 2013 with My Songs Know/ In The Dark track, the Munsters-sampling Uma Thurman hit 7 in 2015 and in 2017 they hit 7 again with Hold Me Tight Or Don’t. So they get the third-highest chart-peak 12 years on with Dear Future Self, draft in the Munsters rhythms again, and feature Wyclef Jean who hit 4 21 years ago with Gone Till November, Fugee’d it up earlier than that, and also peaked at 4 with Shakira and Hips Don’t Lie – so this is his 3rd solo credit top 10, one a decade on average.

The Makemakes get a big climb to 9, Celeste debuts at 33, new and looking good for future success, Noel Gallagher gets his 3rd of the year as bro Liam hits 3, Mika has a swift return after his Savoretti duet, Snakehips are back featuring in Anna Of The North who also return, Katy Perry sneaks her 2nd of the year in, and the Goo Goo Dolls are back! Last seen 20 years ago when Iris made my top 40, and has since gone on to be something of an ever-popular anthem. Nice to see 90’s rock again.


1 2 1 7 I TRANCE Agnes 1135000
2 3 2 6 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 441600
3 4 3 5 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 325000
4 5 4 5 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 288000
5 6 5 4 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 220000
6 NEW 6 1 DEAR FUTURE SELF (HANDS UP) Fall Out Boy featuring Wyclef Jean 55000
7 1 1 5 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 565000
8 NEW 8 1 DREAMLAND Pet Shop Boys featuring Years & Years 48000
9 39 9 3 THE BEACH The Makemakes 73350
10 7 7 4 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 187000

11 8 8 4 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 164000
12 9 9 7 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 173700
13 17 13 6 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 95900
14 14 14 4 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 100000
15 11 2 8 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 432100
16 10 10 7 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 196400
17 12 1 18 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1537500
18 24 18 4 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 64600
19 23 19 6 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 89850
20 22 20 4 VISIONS OF GIDEON Sufjan Stevens 68900

21 29 21 7 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 114150
22 13 13 7 FRIENDS Dido 168600
23 25 23 4 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 68050
24 15 15 6 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 110400
25 16 16 7 I’M GOOD Wafia 125150
26 27 26 7 FALLING LEON 108900
27 19 3 16 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 758400
28 20 20 4 I’LL BE THERE Walk Off The Earth 70300
29 42 29 3 COLD James Blunt 36250
30 32 30 4 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 53700

31 18 18 7 DAYS GO BY (CAMELPHAT REMIX) Dirty Vegas 128200
32 21 10 7 THE WAYFARER Bruce Springsteen 172050
33 NEW 33 1 STRANGE Celeste 17700
34 26 26 7 GREYHOUND Collard 118800
35 30 30 7 ONLY WHEN YOU’RE AROUND The Dualers 105200
36 36 36 5 SHOOT ME DOWN Fiona Walden 74500
37 45 37 3 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 40900
38 50 38 4 I’M ALRIGHT Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy 38400
39 55 39 3 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 35400
40 43 40 7 TWO NIGHTS PART II Lykke Li, Skrillex & Ty Dolla $ign 72900

41 28 19 9 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 133200
42 35 1 13 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 1160900
43 34 8 12 MAD LOVE Mabel 287800
44 44 44 5 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen 50500
45 31 4 18 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 654550
46 33 9 12 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 299700
47 48 47 7 YOUNG AND IN LOVE Ingrid Michaelson 66750
48 38 10 10 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 216500
49 37 20 7 EMOTION Purple Disco Machine featuring The Emotions 118400
50 57 50 4 TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND Cedric Gervais & Chris Willis 37000

51 47 47 7 HIGHER LOVE Kygo & Whitney Houston 69050
52 41 1 12 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 458850
53 40 40 7 TRUE LOVE Ariana & The Rose 76500
54 54 54 5 HERE YOU COME AGAIN Dolly Parton 40000
55 58 55 4 TIME Sophia Bel 32600
56 56 56 5 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 41400
57 60 57 4 THINKING OF YOU Simply Red 30200
58 79 58 2 SUPERPOWER Adam Lambert 14400
59 65 59 3 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 22100
60 66 60 3 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 21600

61 53 1 19 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 1016750
62 70 62 3 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 17200
63 74 63 3 BOYFRIEND Ariana Grande & Social House 15600
64 51 5 17 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 484500
65 80 65 2 INSTANTANE Paradis 11000
66 67 66 2 REALLY DON’T LIKE U Tove Lo featuring Kylie Minogue 13400
67 NEW 67 1 THIS IS THE PLACE Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 6600
68 68 68 4 FALLING DEEP IN LOVE (JOEY NEGRO DISCO BLEND) Horse Meat Disco & Kathy Sledge 20400
69 59 7 17 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 404250
70 71 70 4 COMPROMISE JeanGa & George featuring Eartha Kitt 19200

71 73 71 3 IF THEY ONLY KNEW Black Atlass 14600
72 NEW 72 1 SANREMO Mika 5600
73 NEW 73 1 SUMMER FADE Snakehips featuring Anna Of The North 5400
74 46 29 7 FAVORITE SOUND Audien & Echosmith 100450
75 76 75 2 HAVE IT ALL Cosmo’s Midnight featuring Age.Sex.Location 9800
76 NEW 76 1 SMALL TALK Katy Perry 4800
77 77 77 3 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 12200
78 52 52 7 SILHOUETTES Friendly Fires 54300
79 NEW 79 1 INDESTRUCTIBLE The Goo Goo Dolls 4200
80 NEW 80 1 HOME Cavetown 4000

DROP OUTS
49 23 9 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 131750
61 3 13 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 597500
62 18 13 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 216050
63 6 14 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 382950
64 5 10 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 304600
69 10 18 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 344100
72 12 11 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 230300
75 23 10 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 145500
78 59 5 LITTLE HELP The BossHoss featuring Mimy & Josy 29900

 

 

 

1st September 2019

It’s 5 weeks on top for Agnes, the longest run since Panic! At The Disco’s Look Ma did 5 weeks last year, and it’s 50 years ago today that I flew on an RAF VC-10 plane to Singapore to live. My first view of life outside England & Wales was coming in to land on a stop-over in the Indian Ocean – the RAF island base of Gan, a tropical paradise, shimmering green, a sea of blue, sunshine, and tropical reefs from the air. Just gorgeous. Still my idea of paradise. My fave song was In The Year 2525 by Zager & Evans – always looking to the future, me!

The top 9 songs jostle places, still loving them all, Emeli Sande gets a big climb into the 20 with Nana Rogues, Walk Off The earth shoot into the 30, as do Jonas Brothers and Sufjan Stevens, while OMD tick off another top 40 – I havent counted but they have probably averaged well over one a year over 40 years. Highest new entry is from The Makemakes, I’d rather be on The Beach actually, myself. At 61, a Kasabian member side-project is a goodie, Yves V helps Icona Pop back into the charts after a break, Black Atlass belatedly follows-up his chart-topper form late 2018, Ariana adds another to her total, and John Newman gets a second of the year.


1 1 1 5 I TRANCE Agnes 850000
2 2 2 3 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 345000
3 3 3 4 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 241600
4 5 4 3 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 175000
5 6 5 3 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 163000
6 7 6 2 BIRD SONG Lene Lovich 105000
7 9 7 2 LONDON BOY Taylor Swift 95000
8 4 2 6 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 368100
9 8 1 16 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1479500
10 11 10 2 CRUEL SUMMER Taylor Swift 79000

11 16 11 5 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 129400
12 19 12 5 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 93700
13 15 13 5 FRIENDS Dido 117100
14 10 10 5 THE WAYFARER Bruce Springsteen 134500
15 12 3 14 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 719000
16 39 16 2 I DON’T KNOW Nana Rogues & Emeli Sande 42100
17 26 17 4 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 64400
18 22 18 5 DAYS GO BY (CAMELPHAT REMIX) Dirty Vegas 88300
19 24 19 7 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 100900
20 27 20 5 I’M GOOD Wafia 81400

21 13 4 16 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 623650
22 14 9 10 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 269250
23 17 8 10 MAD LOVE Mabel 256700
24 45 24 2 I’LL BE THERE Walk Off The Earth 32000
25 20 20 5 EMOTION Purple Disco Machine featuring The Emotions 89000
26 28 26 5 GREYHOUND Collard 82700
27 54 27 2 VISIONS OF GIDEON Sufjan Stevens 29400
28 18 10 8 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 187000
29 34 29 5 FAVORITE SOUND Audien & Echosmith 82500
30 43 30 4 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 40900

31 21 1 11 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 1129650
32 35 32 5 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 76200
33 33 33 5 FALLING LEON 72000
34 37 34 4 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 49600
35 38 35 5 ONLY WHEN YOU’RE AROUND The Dualers 69700
36 23 23 8 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 119650
37 46 37 2 TEETH 5 Seconds Of Summer 30050
38 68 38 2 DON’T GO Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 23600
39 50 39 3 SHOOT ME DOWN Fiona Walden 39700
40 29 5 15 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 465650

41 32 1 10 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 433350
42 25 3 12 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 590000
43 78 43 2 THE GREATEST Lana Del Ray 17900
44 30 18 12 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 208650
45 31 12 10 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 224700
46 47 46 5 TRUE LOVE Ariana & The Rose 48250
47 44 1 17 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 998000
48 40 7 15 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 387950
49 36 6 13 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 375750
50 55 50 5 TWO NIGHTS PART II Lykke Li, Skrillex & Ty Dolla $ign 42400

51 52 51 5 YOUNG AND IN LOVE Ingrid Michaelson 41950
52 41 5 9 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 297500
53 NEW 53 1 THE BEACH The Makemakes 11250
54 42 23 9 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 140500
55 56 55 5 HIGHER LOVE Kygo & Whitney Houston 44800
56 NEW 56 1 EVERY NIGHT YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE ME Mass Gothic 10600
57 51 10 17 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 337900
58 60 58 5 SILHOUETTES Friendly Fires 38400
59 66 59 4 LITTLE HELP The BossHoss featuring Mimy & Josy 25500
60 62 60 3 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen 24000

61 NEW 61 1 NOBODY ELSE The S.L.P. 7500
62 63 62 2 TURN YOUR LOVE AROUND Cedric Gervais & Chris Willis 14600
63 65 63 3 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 20200
64 59 1 20 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 906600
65 69 65 3 HERE YOU COME AGAIN Dolly Parton 18000
66 48 48 7 CASTLES Freya Ridings 54550
67 67 67 3 HOLA (RADIO EDIT) Dario G 17200
68 76 68 2 TIME Sophia Bel 11600
69 49 49 6 FADE OUT Seeb & Olivia O’Brien & Space Primates 55800
70 70 70 4 TRUTH Mark Ronson featuring Alicia Keys & The Last Artful, Dodgr 23400

71 80 71 2 THINKING OF YOU Simply Red 9800
72 53 53 5 MONEY Michael Kiwanuka & Tom Misch 45450
73 81 73 2 I’M ALRIGHT Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy 9200
74 58 26 12 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 155500
75 NEW 75 1 WE GOT THAT COOL Yves V featuring Afrojack & Icona Pop 5000
76 NEW 76 1 DANCE MONKEY Tones & I 4800
77 84 77 2 FALLING DEEP IN LOVE (JOEY NEGRO DISCO BLEND) Horse Meat Disco & Kathy Sledge 7800
78 NEW 78 1 COLD James Blunt 4400
79 79 79 3 HUNGRY HEART Bruce Springsteen 12600
80 83 80 2 COMPROMISE JeanGa & George 7400

81 NEW 81 1 40 DAYS PJ Brennan 3800
82 57 57 6 HOW GLAD I AM Chrissie Hynde with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble 46800
83 NEW 83 1 IF THEY ONLY KNEW Black Atlass 3400
84 NEW 84 1 BOYFRIEND Ariana Grande & Social House 3200
85 NEW 85 1 WITHOUT YOU John Newman & Nina Nesbitt 3000

DROP OUTS
61 8 14 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 291450
64 36 5 SOMEONE LIKE YOU (ATARI HERO REMIX) The Sugarhill Gang Grandmaster Mele Mel & SCORPIO Furious5 featuring Barshon 61900
71 71 4 MINE RIGHT NOW Sigrid 20400
72 29 8 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 104500
73 48 6 SCHOOL’S OUT (572100) Alice Cooper 60300
74 74 4 MEN BEHAVING BADLY Chiedu Oraka & Deezkid featuring Jacob Aaron 19000
75 50 7 CAN WE PRETEND Pink featuring Cash Cash 56000
77 10 8 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 163700
82 3 16 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 611500
85 85 1 BECAUSE THE NIGHT Bruce Springsteen 3000

 

My May-Aug 2019 Charts

DSC_0787

Ruthless megalomaniac at the London Film & Comic Con, and some Daleks.

 

18th August 2019

It’s 3 weeks on top for Agnes, still Trancing strongly, what a fabulous track it is, so strong it holds off an 80’s grade A classic from a-ha, as 1986 chart-topper The Sun Always Shines On TV returns at 2 following a feature in the good Blinded By The Light movie, set in 1987, and showcasing pop at that time (see It’s A Sin entering lower down) and Bruce Springsteen songs – though not the track up to 13 off his new album, still making great music 44 years since Born To Run debuted in my chart – and which is also back thanks to the film.

Highest climber is Paul Kalkbrenner up 63 to 4 – I could do with some decent clubs to jiggle about a bit to this and Agnes, chances are low I’ll find one with a DJ to my taste that opens from 6pm to 9.30pm! Highest new track is Liam Gallagher, replacing himself in my 40 with his second Oasis-sounding top 10 of the year – One Of Us is not an Abba cover, it’s clearly another mouthing off about his older, more-talented brother. Yes, Noel, the one who drops out the top 10 and who wrote a good song called Slide Away. No, not the Slide Away entering at 8 for Miley Cyrus, that’s another fab new song, her second top of the year, and I’m really rating her new stuff lately.

Kaiser Chiefs also get a second top 10 of the year, Shallou and Colin get a big top 40 climb, Lana Del Ray gets a second top 40 of 2019 with Looking For America. So am I, but I think it may be some time. LEON has a decent climb, she’s not Falling at all, and P.P. Arnold gets her first-ever solo top 40 only 51 years late….! Dario G is back 5 years on from his top 20 track with Shirley Bassey, and 21 years on from topping with his Carnaval De Paris, and finally Dolly Parton’s Here You Come Again returns 41 years on since it fell short of my top 40. It’s sounding fab in a current advert, so that peak chart position needs correcting belatedly!


1 1 1 2 I TRANCE Agnes 340000
2 NEW 2 1 THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV a-ha 115000
3 2 2 4 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 255100
4 67 4 2 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 71600
5 3 1 14 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1386500
6 6 4 14 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 571900
7 NEW 7 1 ONE OF US Liam Gallagher 50000
8 NEW 8 1 SLIDE AWAY Miley Cyrus 48000
9 10 9 8 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 220750
10 15 10 6 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 146700

11 5 1 9 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 1092000
12 11 3 12 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 657000
13 19 13 3 THE WAYFARER Bruce Springsteen 63500
14 4 3 10 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 557500
15 8 8 8 MAD LOVE Mabel 214450
16 16 16 3 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 67400
17 7 5 13 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 430450
18 18 18 10 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 177400
19 20 19 3 FRIENDS Dido 58100
20 12 12 8 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 193800

21 9 1 8 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 401550
22 45 22 3 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 37700
23 13 6 11 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 346250
24 14 5 7 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 272000
25 26 25 3 EMOTION Purple Disco Machine featuring The Emotions 50250
26 28 26 6 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 83000
27 39 27 5 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 60900
28 35 28 3 DAYS GO BY (CAMELPHAT REMIX) Dirty Vegas 46800
29 23 23 7 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 115750
30 37 30 3 GREYHOUND Collard 45900

31 17 7 13 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 358650
32 32 32 3 I’M GOOD Wafia 43000
33 74 33 2 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 22900
34 40 34 3 FAVORITE SOUND Audien & Echosmith 46700
35 48 35 3 FALLING LEON 36600
36 21 10 15 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 315750
37 43 37 3 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 40900
38 38 26 10 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 140100
39 24 8 13 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 283950
40 31 1 15 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 972250

41 36 36 4 SOMEONE LIKE YOU (ATARI HERO REMIX) The Sugarhill Gang Grandmaster Mele Mel & SCORPIO Furious5 featuring Barshon 54800
42 53 42 3 ONLY WHEN YOU’RE AROUND The Dualers 35000
43 34 29 7 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 98900
44 22 10 7 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 159100
45 46 45 5 GO! Public Service Broadcasting 56400
46 27 5 11 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 353050
47 25 11 7 RESCUE ME OneRepublic 166550
48 50 48 5 SCHOOL’S OUT Alice Cooper 54900
49 49 49 4 FADE OUT Seeb & Olivia O’Brien & Space Primates 37500
50 58 50 6 CAN WE PRETEND Pink featuring Cash Cash 51000

51 44 1 18 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 889400
52 30 22 8 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 111350
53 56 53 5 CASTLES Freya Ridings 35450
54 59 54 3 MONEY Michael Kiwanuka & Tom Misch 28600
55 33 20 7 BLOW Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars 116100
56 NEW 56 1 SHOOT ME DOWN Fiona Walden 10600
57 65 57 3 TRUE LOVE Ariana & The Rose 23000
58 60 58 4 HOW GLAD I AM Chrissie Hynde with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble 32800
59 77 59 2 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 14700
60 63 60 3 HIGHER LOVE Kygo & Whitney Houston 23400

61 41 3 15 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 607900
62 54 1 12 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 563050
63 29 29 10 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 121100
64 66 64 3 YOUNG AND IN LOVE Ingrid Michaelson 18700
65 69 65 3 SILHOUETTES Friendly Fires 18200
66 68 66 3 TWO NIGHTS PART II Lykke Li, Skrillex & Ty Dolla $ign 19600
67 NEW 67 1 BORN TO RUN Bruce Springsteen 6600
68 76 20 8 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 121150
69 47 35 8 6AM Max Pope 88100
70 NEW 70 1 IT’S A SIN Pet Shop Boys 6000

71 72 71 2 TRUTH Mark Ronson featuring Alicia Keys & The Last Artful, Dodgr 11400
72 75 72 3 MINE RIGHT NOW Sigrid 14600
73 73 73 3 EVER AGAIN (SINGLE MIX) Robyn 15400
74 79 74 2 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 9400
75 78 75 3 MEN BEHAVING BADLY Chiedu Oraka & Deezkid featuring Jacob Aaron 13800
76 NEW 76 1 HERE YOU COME AGAIN Dolly Parton 4800
77 80 77 2 LITTLE HELP The BossHoss featuring Mimy & Josy 8600
78 42 17 8 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 134500
79 NEW 79 1 HUNGRY HEART Bruce Springsteen 4200
80 NEW 80 1 HOLA (RADIO EDIT) Dario G 4000

DROP OUTS
51 34 7 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 85650
52 37 7 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 75300
55 55 6 LULLABY The Cure 47000
57 43 6 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid 51700
61 30 6 ALL THE LOVERS Kylie Minogue 74600
62 62 4 BRIGHT BLUE SKIES Mitch James 25600
64 48 5 DEATH OF ME PVRIS 39900
70 70 4 SHINE Emeli Sande 22400
71 71 3 GONE Charli XCX & Christine And The Queens 17400

 

11th August 2019

It’s a 2nd week on top for the fab Agnes I Trance, holding off the late Avicii and his Vargas & Lagola combo Peace Of Mind at 2, his highest-charting track, beating Hey Brother which peaked at 5. Post malone & Swae Lee get a first top 10, Snow Patrol climb bigly into the 20, their first to do that since Chasing Cars 12 years back, Dido gets another top 20 of this year, and Brooooce also does the same on the day I saw the fab Blinded By The Light. Springsteen still has it, 44 years on from his debut Born To Run – which featured in the movie, quite rightly.

A second top 40 in a row for Purple Disco Machine, Wafia climbs up fast, loads of others climb in a week of few new entries – there just is no more room in my chart with so many climbing! Highest is Paul Kalkbrenner, who charted with a Leonard Cohen remix previously, Mark Ronson also pops back with a 5th track off his album, giving Alicia Keys a rare chart entry these days – 18 years since Fallin’ and 9 years since Empire State Of Mind topped with Jay-Z. Lana Del Ray and Keane make swift chart returns on the previous singles, JOnas Brothers get a 3rd off the new LP, and The BossHoss are back 2 years on from Word Up.

1 1 1 2 I TRANCE Agnes 340000
2 8 2 3 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 170100
3 2 1 13 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1326500
4 4 3 9 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 528500
5 3 1 8 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 1055000
6 7 4 13 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 516900
7 5 5 12 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 407450
8 10 8 7 MAD LOVE Mabel 187450
9 6 1 7 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 381800
10 14 10 7 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 175750

11 11 3 11 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 622000
12 13 12 7 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 173800
13 9 6 10 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 327000
14 12 5 6 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 253000
15 15 15 5 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 104700
16 36 16 2 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 42400
17 23 7 12 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 341750
18 18 18 9 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 155400
19 57 19 2 THE WAYFARER Bruce Springsteen 31500
20 39 20 2 FRIENDS Dido 37100

21 19 10 14 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 298350
22 16 10 6 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 145850
23 25 23 6 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 97550
24 24 8 12 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 266850
25 17 11 6 RESCUE ME OneRepublic 153950
26 45 26 2 EMOTION Purple Disco Machine featuring The Emotions 31500
27 21 5 10 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 340300
28 32 28 5 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 64500
29 33 29 9 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 113900
30 22 22 7 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 99850

31 26 1 14 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 955250
32 62 32 2 I’M GOOD Wafia 25200
33 20 20 6 BLOW Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars 105550
34 29 29 6 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 85400
35 54 35 2 DAYS GO BY (CAMELPHAT REMIX) Dirty Vegas 28500
36 40 36 3 SOMEONE LIKE YOU (ATARI HERO REMIX) The Sugarhill Gang Grandmaster Mele Mel & SCORPIO Furious5 featuring Barshon 40800
37 56 37 2 GREYHOUND Collard 27900
38 28 26 9 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 122900
39 52 39 4 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 42500
40 49 40 2 FAVORITE SOUND Audien & Echosmith 29100

41 31 3 14 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 600400
42 27 17 7 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 130100
43 59 43 2 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 23600
44 38 1 17 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 877650
45 74 45 2 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 18200
46 46 46 4 GO! Public Service Broadcasting 43400
47 35 35 7 6AM Max Pope 81900
48 66 48 2 FALLING LEON 19100
49 64 49 3 FADE OUT Seeb & Olivia O’Brien & Space Primates 25400
50 51 50 4 SCHOOL’S OUT Alice Cooper 42600

51 34 34 7 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 85650
52 37 37 7 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 75300
53 60 53 2 ONLY WHEN YOU’RE AROUND The Dualers 21250
54 47 1 11 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 555650
55 55 55 6 LULLABY The Cure 47000
56 73 56 4 CASTLES Freya Ridings 24200
57 43 43 6 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid 51700
58 58 58 5 CAN WE PRETEND Pink featuring Cash Cash 39000
59 61 59 2 MONEY Michael Kiwanuka & Tom Misch 17600
60 65 60 3 HOW GLAD I AM Chrissie Hynde with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble 22600

61 30 30 6 ALL THE LOVERS Kylie Minogue 74600
62 67 62 4 BRIGHT BLUE SKIES Mitch James 25600
63 69 63 2 HIGHER LOVE Kygo & Whitney Houston 13400
64 48 48 5 DEATH OF ME PVRIS 39900
65 72 65 2 TRUE LOVE Ariana & The Rose 12600
66 76 66 2 YOUNG AND IN LOVE Ingrid Michaelson 11600
67 NEW 67 1 NO GOODBYE Paul Kalkbrenner featuring Chiara Hunter 6600
68 68 68 2 TWO NIGHTS PART II Lykke Li, Skrillex & Ty Dolla $ign 12800
69 75 69 2 SILHOUETTES Friendly Fires 11200
70 70 70 4 SHINE Emeli Sande 22400

71 71 71 3 GONE Charli XCX & Christine And The Queens 17400
72 NEW 72 1 TRUTH Mark Ronson featuring Alicia Keys & The Last Artful, Dodgr 5600
73 77 73 2 EVER AGAIN (SINGLE MIX) Robyn 10000
74 NEW 74 1 LOOKING FOR AMERICA Lana Del Ray 5200
75 80 75 2 MINE RIGHT NOW Sigrid 9000
76 42 20 7 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 114750
77 NEW 77 1 LOVE TOO MUCH Keane 4600
78 78 78 2 MEN BEHAVING BADLY Chiedu Oraka & Deezkid featuring Jacob Aaron 8800
79 NEW 79 1 ONLY HUMAN The Jonas Brothers 4200
80 NEW 80 1 LITTLE HELP The BossHoss featuring Mimy & Josy 4000

DROP OUTS
41 24 7 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 102200
44 28 8 GOD CONTROL Madonna 100450
50 37 4 SING IT WITH ME JP Cooper & Astrid S 50950
53 53 5 PRAYING Keiino 44100
63 63 4 STILL THE GOOD OLD DAYS Sheryl Crow featuring Joe Walsh 19800
79 10 12 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 236250

 

 

4th August 2019

It’s straight in on top for a track I’ve known for less than 24 hours, Agnes and her self-descriptive fab single I Trance. Her 2009 chart-topper Release Me was a bit of an anthem in my Gran Canaria late-night holiday club days, but she hasnt charted since 2012, and this is only her 4th chart entry. At 8 a huge leap for Avicii, posthumously claiming his 5th top 10 with the sad-themed Peace Of Mind, with Vargas & Lagola also getting a 2nd top 10 of the year. Mabel gets a 2nd too.

All the action is lower-down the chart though, as there is another mass invasion, this time new tracks, and I’ve had to extend my chart to 80 again to accomodate them. In at 36 Snow Patrol get a first top 40 in 9 years (and that was a re-entry) and their 8th in total after a break of 8 years away, with Time Won’t Go Slowly. So true! Dido’s back for a 3rd top 40 0f 2019, The Sugarhill gang get a 3rd top 40 40 years since their first, and Grandmaster Flash/Mele Mel a 4th 36 years on. Purple Disco Machine replace themselves in my chart at 45 with the Emotions-sampling Emotion, which charted 42 years ago as I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love and has been sampled heavily since, notably by Primal Scream in 1990 on Loaded.

Dirty Vegas have been camelphat-ed at 54, a shocking 18 years on from Days Go By peaking at 4, and 17 years since the remix peaked at 3 in my charts. 3rd time lucky? Collard’s Greyhound is a smooth new soul track which came up as an advert on Youtube just for me, as I was looking at 60’s soul tracks, and which made a change from being bombarded endlessly by a bloody Grammarly hype. Collard is one of the few times in my life when an advert has got a sale out of me. Cos it’s good. Springsteen is back with a 2nd hit of the year, still Born To Run 44 years on. That’s nothing though…

In at 59 with Baby Blue gives P.P. Arnold her first-ever solo hit – 52 years late. P.P. had UK soul success in the late 60’s, but too early for my first charts, despite later failed attempts by Barry Gibb to get an album release for her of stuff he had produced. Following the death of her daughter she concentrated on guest vocals in the 70’s onwards, and last charted with Ocean Colour Scene in 1998. Steve Cradock is a huge fan, and drafted in his big mate, also a fan, Paul Weller for a brand new album, of which this is the first track. So, 52 years-late here she is, still soulful. Check her guest spots on, ooh 3am Eternal (KLF), Itchycoo Park (The Small faces), the original version of Cat Stevens’ First Cut Is The Deepest, Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, Beatmasters Burn It Up and more.

Whitney is also back, a decade literally late, with her Kygo revamp of her cover of Steve Winwood’s Higher Love. The first track on the aforementioned PP arnold Barry Gibb album was a Steve Winwood track – the album eventually got released a few years back thanks to the efforts of Steve Cradock. I love a circular anecdote.

1 NEW 1 1 I TRANCE Agnes 170000
2 3 1 12 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1241500
3 2 1 7 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 995000
4 4 3 8 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 463500
5 5 5 11 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 357450
6 1 1 6 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 336800
7 7 4 12 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 461900
8 64 8 2 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 55100
9 6 6 9 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 295000
10 12 10 6 MAD LOVE Mabel 139450

11 9 3 10 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 585000
12 8 5 5 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 224000
13 15 13 6 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 138800
14 16 14 6 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 133750
15 19 15 4 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 77700
16 10 10 5 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 126350
17 11 11 5 RESCUE ME OneRepublic 135200
18 18 18 8 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 133400
19 13 10 13 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 278600
20 22 20 5 BLOW Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars 87850

21 14 5 9 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 321900
22 23 22 6 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 81850
23 20 7 11 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 318750
24 17 8 11 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 247850
25 25 25 5 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 78300
26 21 1 13 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 937350
27 27 17 6 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 116350
28 31 26 8 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 105700
29 30 29 5 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 67800
30 40 30 5 ALL THE LOVERS Kylie Minogue 67100

31 26 3 13 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 586400
32 34 32 4 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 46200
33 33 33 8 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 95700
34 35 34 6 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 73900
35 36 35 6 6AM Max Pope 69400
36 NEW 36 1 TIME WON’T GO SLOWLY Snow Patrol 17400
37 38 37 6 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 63800
38 32 1 16 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 864400
39 NEW 39 1 FRIENDS Dido 17100
40 68 40 2 SOMEONE LIKE YOU (ATARI HERO REMIX) The Sugarhill Gang Grandmaster Mele Mel & SCORPIO Furious5 featuring Barshon 23400

41 24 24 7 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 102200
42 29 20 6 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 109950
43 50 43 5 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid 41300
44 28 28 8 GOD CONTROL Madonna 100450
45 NEW 45 1 EMOTION Purple Disco Machine featuring The Emotions 13000
46 49 46 3 GO! Public Service Broadcasting 30650
47 39 1 10 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 544650
48 52 48 4 DEATH OF ME PVRIS 32800
49 NEW 49 1 FAVORITE SOUND Audien & Echosmith 12100
50 37 37 4 SING IT WITH ME JP Cooper & Astrid S 50950

51 51 51 3 SCHOOL’S OUT Alice Cooper 30600
52 59 52 3 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 25400
53 53 53 5 PRAYING Keiino 44100
54 NEW 54 1 DAYS GO BY (CAMELPHAT REMIX) Dirty Vegas 11000
55 55 55 5 LULLABY The Cure 36200
56 NEW 56 1 GREYHOUND Collard 10600
57 NEW 57 1 THE WAYFARER Bruce Springsteen 10400
58 58 58 4 CAN WE PRETEND Pink featuring Cash Cash 28800
59 NEW 59 1 BABY BLUE P.P. Arnold 10100
60 NEW 60 1 ONLY WHEN YOU’RE AROUND The Dualers 10000

61 NEW 61 1 MONEY Michael Kiwanuka & Tom Misch 7500
62 NEW 62 1 I’M GOOD Wafia 7400
63 63 63 4 STILL THE GOOD OLD DAYS Sheryl Crow featuring Joe Walsh 19800
64 69 64 2 FADE OUT Seeb & Olivia O’Brien & Space Primates 13300
65 72 65 2 HOW GLAD I AM Chrissie Hynde with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble 12600
66 NEW 66 1 FALLING LEON 6800
67 67 67 3 BRIGHT BLUE SKIES Mitch James 18200
68 NEW 68 1 TWO NIGHTS PART II Lykke Li, Skrillex & Ty Dolla $ign 6400
69 NEW 69 1 HIGHER LOVE Kygo & Whitney Houston 6200
70 70 70 3 SHINE Emeli Sande 16400

71 71 71 2 GONE Charli XCX & Christine And The Queens 11600
72 NEW 72 1 TRUE LOVE Ariana & The Rose 5600
73 75 73 3 CASTLES Freya Ridings 13600
74 NEW 74 1 COUNT ON Shallou & Colin 5200
75 NEW 75 1 SILHOUETTES Friendly Fires 5000
76 NEW 76 1 YOUNG AND IN LOVE Ingrid Michaelson 4800
77 NEW 77 1 EVER AGAIN (SINGLE MIX) Robyn 4600
78 NEW 78 1 MEN BEHAVING BADLY Chiedu Oraka & Deezkid featuring Jacob Aaron 4400
79 46 10 12 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 236250
80 NEW 80 1 MINE RIGHT NOW Sigrid 4000

DROP OUTS
41 28 7 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 93300
42 12 13 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 239500
43 43 7 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 61700
44 26 9 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 123300
45 18 12 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 208550
47 47 5 WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG The Killers 39850
48 36 5 CROWN Stormzy 77000
54 9 12 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 299650
56 40 5 STARRY NIGHT Peggy Gou 56800
57 57 2 INFO FREAKO Jesus Jones 15000
60 60 5 THIS CHARMING MAN The Smiths 30200
61 1 15 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 632400
62 9 13 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 278650
65 65 4 WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Craig David 24400
66 46 6 WOKE UP LATE Drax Project featuring Hailee Steinfeld 49350
73 1 21 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 846900
74 74 2 FEEL THE BENEFIT 10c.c. 8200

 

 

DSC_0779

That’s Conchita Wurst on stage in Gran Canaria – you’ll have to take my word for it! 🙂

 

28th July 2019

It’s a return to the top spot for classic 2011 chart-topper Titanium, now getting it’s 3rd week on top. It was the first of 2 chart-toppers from the Nothing But The Beat album which I bought in a posh Florida shopping mall record store – one of the few left that I could find in the 21 years since my first visit when stores were everywhere and malls were full. It’s still also Sia’s only chart-topper, though her other oldie (with Zero 7) gives a double top ten week.

Kaiser Chiefs also meet themselves in the top 20 as the new climbs to 19, Jack Savoretti keeps his top 40’s going, and Mika gets a credit to boot – his 16th top 40 in 12 years, including one number one (not the one you think, either, it’s Rain). Blossoms get a big climb into the 40 and I cut my chart down to 75, having a bit of a clear-out of oldies now Glasto is gone. There are few new entries, but Seeb get a second in the 75 with Fade Out entering, Avicii gets another posthumous entry, this one with Vargas & Lagola’s 3rd chart entry, Charli XCX joins forces with Christine and both return – and some golden oldies return, both from 1979 debuts:

Chrissie Hynde debuted with The Pretenders’ Stop Your Sobbing and has never really stopped charting since, just not as regularly as of old – well, she’s back with an orchestra (of sorts) and a cover of the 1964 Nancy Wilson blues/jazz classic How Glad I Am – which belatedly made my top 10 in 2013, and first charted for me in a version by Kiki Dee in 1975. The other comeback? The Sugarhill Gang! First charting with Rapper’s Delight, the first proper “rap” record as such to be a crossover hit. Most recently in my top 10 in 2015 with oldie Apache, this is their first new material to chart since the early 80’s! It’s also bringing back Grandmaster Mele Mel – why the ‘L’ he’s dropped an L from his name I don’t know but he’s the brains and voice behind The Message and White Lines, the greatest rap records of the 80’s for me, not to mention Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan, let me love Chaka Khan on I Feel For You. He brings along his Furious5, who are probably livid rather than furious these days.

1 6 1 5 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 281800
2 1 1 6 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 910000
3 2 1 11 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1126500
4 3 3 7 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 398500
5 7 5 10 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 297450
6 8 6 8 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 250000
7 4 4 11 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 411900
8 5 5 4 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 189000
9 9 3 9 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 548000
10 14 10 4 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 101350

11 11 11 4 RESCUE ME OneRepublic 112200
12 16 12 5 MAD LOVE Mabel 97450
13 10 10 12 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 257600
14 12 5 8 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 302150
15 17 15 5 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 106800
16 18 16 5 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 104750
17 13 8 10 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 228850
18 21 18 7 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 111400
19 33 19 3 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 50700
20 19 7 10 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 299500

21 15 1 12 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 918850
22 25 22 4 BLOW Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars 67850
23 35 23 5 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 62350
24 27 24 6 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 88200
25 37 25 4 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 59550
26 24 3 12 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 568500
27 22 17 5 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 97950
28 30 28 7 GOD CONTROL Madonna 87200
29 20 20 5 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 96200
30 41 30 4 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 49600

31 26 26 7 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 87400
32 29 1 15 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 847200
33 40 33 7 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 78000
34 70 34 3 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 28400
35 38 35 5 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 56300
36 45 36 5 6AM Max Pope 51900
37 53 37 3 SING IT WITH ME JP Cooper & Astrid S 38950
38 43 38 5 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 46500
39 39 1 9 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 532150
40 42 40 4 ALL THE LOVERS Kylie Minogue 49100

41 28 28 7 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 93300
42 23 12 13 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 239500
43 52 43 7 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 61700
44 31 26 9 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 123300
45 34 18 12 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 208550
46 32 10 11 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 232050
47 51 47 5 WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG The Killers 39850
48 36 36 5 CROWN Stormzy 77000
49 71 49 2 GO! Public Service Broadcasting 17900
50 63 50 4 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid 27800

51 64 51 2 SCHOOL’S OUT Alice Cooper 18850
52 72 52 3 DEATH OF ME PVRIS 20500
53 54 53 4 PRAYING Keiino 32850
54 44 9 12 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 299650
55 66 55 4 LULLABY The Cure 25400
56 50 40 5 STARRY NIGHT Peggy Gou 56800
57 77 57 2 INFO FREAKO Jesus Jones 15000
58 69 58 3 CAN WE PRETEND Pink featuring Cash Cash 18600
59 81 59 2 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 13900
60 68 60 5 THIS CHARMING MAN The Smiths 30200

61 59 1 15 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 632400
62 60 9 13 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 278650
63 83 63 3 STILL THE GOOD OLD DAYS Sheryl Crow featuring Joe Walsh 12600
64 NEW 64 1 PEACE OF MIND Avicii featuring Vargas & Lagola 7100
65 67 65 4 WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Craig David 24400
66 46 46 6 WOKE UP LATE Drax Project featuring Hailee Steinfeld 49350
67 75 67 2 BRIGHT BLUE SKIES Mitch James 11600
68 NEW 68 1 SOMEONE LIKE YOU (ATARI HERO REMIX) The Sugarhill Gang Grandmaster Mele Mel & SCORPIO Furious5 featuring Barshon 6400
69 NEW 69 1 FADE OUT Seeb & Olivia O’Brien & Space Primates 6200
70 78 70 2 SHINE Emeli Sande 10400

71 NEW 71 1 GONE Charli XCX & Christine And The Queens 5800
72 NEW 72 1 HOW GLAD I AM Chrissie Hyne with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble 5600
73 73 1 21 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 846900
74 85 74 2 FEEL THE BENEFIT 10c.c. 8200
75 84 75 2 CASTLES Freya Ridings 8200

DROP OUTS
47 47 6 IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU Shawn Mendes 54600
48 20 9 MY LOVE Will Young 135200
49 32 5 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Prince 76600
55 55 3 LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Kylie Minogue 24300
56 5 10 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 326950
57 3 10 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 374350
58 9 10 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 256100
61 8 12 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 279000
62 29 11 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 144600
65 28 9 ALONE Richard Hawley 103900
74 48 6 INTO HAPPINESS Phantogram 50150
76 76 3 CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD Kylie Minogue 11400
79 79 3 BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW Kylie Minogue 12200
80 10 12 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 220450
82 6 15 DATE STAMP ABC 291950

 

 

21st July 2019

It’s four weeks on top for ELO, 6 in total, as nothing new comes along to challenge it, the nearest fresh challenger is The Regrettes at 5, their second chart hit, and first top 40. Fun! Titanium goes top 10 7 years after topping my chart, and Sia’s other oldie beats it’s previous peak of 16 in 2000 for Zero 7’s lovely Destiny, which I under-rated at the time. Dominic Fike finally makes the top 10 after 11 weeks of trying.

Meanwhile, 50 years ago on the 21st July I was watching footage of the Moon Landing on our black and white TV, specially allowed to broadcast overnight and in the morning – though I didn’t get woken up for the glorious actual moment which contrary to media coverage happened in the UK on the 21st, not the 20th! I still say GMT should be the primary source when events happen off-planet laugh.gif It was enormously impressive as any achievement to this 11-year-old, and hugely risky, so all the more awesome. As a sort-of tribute, Public Service Broadcasting enter belatedly with Go! based on Apollo 11, and sampling Nasa heavily, in at 71. While School’s Out made the itunes chart, and although it was 3 years too late for Apollo, it was sort of appropriate as Primary School was indeed Out for me around that time. Alice Cooper made my top 5 in 1972, and charted again in 1974.

The Kaisers get a big climb into the 40, Lykke Li gets a second top 40, ditto Lizzo, and Shawn Mendes overtakes himself with Camila,as Senorita goes into the 40. Shawn’s 3rd top 40, and Camila’s 3rd too. I finally get to cut down the size of the chart to 85 in a quiet week for newcomers, as a load of Glasto oldies depart in a rush, Mitch James being the highest actual new current track at 75! Even with PVRIS and P!nk climbing into the 75 that’s historically low for a top 75 chart. It has been manic of late though, so it gives room for lots of climbers to grab a more representative chart position. Jesus Jones return 29 years on with the fab Info Freako, a non-hit of the time that deserved better.

1 1 1 5 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 795000
2 2 1 10 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 1041500
3 3 3 6 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 333500
4 4 4 10 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 361900
5 5 5 3 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 141000
6 11 6 4 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 111800
7 8 7 9 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 237450
8 9 8 7 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 195000
9 6 3 8 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 503000
10 14 10 11 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 225600

11 19 11 3 RESCUE ME OneRepublic 75200
12 7 5 7 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 273150
13 10 8 9 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 205850
14 34 14 3 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 59350
15 13 1 11 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 899100
16 33 16 4 MAD LOVE Mabel 62450
17 20 17 4 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 79800
18 18 18 4 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 79750
19 15 7 9 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 279500
20 21 20 4 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 78000

21 25 21 6 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 89400
22 17 17 4 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 79550
23 12 12 12 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 225750
24 16 3 11 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 550000
25 39 25 3 BLOW Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars 48350
26 35 26 6 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 69500
27 30 27 5 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 69200
28 28 28 6 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 79300
29 24 1 14 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 829400
30 36 30 6 GOD CONTROL Madonna 68900

31 26 26 8 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 110050
32 23 10 10 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 219300
33 50 33 2 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 29700
34 22 18 11 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 195550
35 59 35 4 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 43100
36 37 36 4 CROWN Stormzy 64700
37 47 37 3 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 40800
38 58 38 4 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 38800
39 29 1 8 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 515050
40 49 40 6 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 60300

41 54 41 3 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 31600
42 53 42 3 ALL THE LOVERS Kylie Minogue 32100
43 70 43 4 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 29300
44 38 9 11 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 288650
45 63 45 4 6AM Max Pope 34500
46 60 46 5 WOKE UP LATE Drax Project featuring Hailee Steinfeld 42550
47 56 47 6 IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU Shawn Mendes 54600
48 31 20 9 MY LOVE Will Young 135200
49 32 32 5 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Prince 76600
50 40 40 4 STARRY NIGHT Peggy Gou 46200

51 62 51 4 WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG The Killers 27350
52 55 52 6 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 48200
53 57 53 2 SING IT WITH ME JP Cooper & Astrid S 21650
54 68 54 3 PRAYING Keiino 21600
55 64 55 3 LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Kylie Minogue 24300
56 46 5 10 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 326950
57 44 3 10 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 374350
58 45 9 10 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 256100
59 52 1 14 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 624900
60 51 9 12 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 271250

61 42 8 12 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 279000
62 43 29 11 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 144600
63 75 63 3 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid 15800
64 NEW 64 1 SCHOOL’S OUT Alice Cooper 7100
65 41 28 9 ALONE Richard Hawley 103900
66 77 66 3 LULLABY The Cure 14600
67 72 67 3 WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Craig David 17400
68 73 68 4 THIS CHARMING MAN The Smiths 20200
69 89 69 2 CAN WE PRETEND Pink featuring Cash Cash 8400
70 76 70 2 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 10800

71 NEW 71 1 GO! Public Service Broadcasting 5800
72 83 72 2 DEATH OF ME PVRIS 9000
73 69 1 20 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 841500
74 48 48 6 INTO HAPPINESS Phantogram 50150
75 NEW 75 1 BRIGHT BLUE SKIES Mitch James 5000
76 81 76 3 CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD Kylie Minogue 11400
77 NEW 77 1 INFO FREAKO Jesus Jones 4600
78 NEW 78 1 SHINE Emeli Sande 4400
79 79 79 3 BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW Kylie Minogue 12200
80 61 10 12 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 220450

81 NEW 81 1 FORGIVE OR FORGET Ina Wrolsden 3800
82 27 6 15 DATE STAMP ABC 291950
83 90 83 2 STILL THE GOOD OLD DAYS Sheryl Crow featuring Joe Walsh 5400
84 NEW 84 1 CASTLES Freya Ridings 3200
85 NEW 85 1 FEEL THE BENEFIT 10c.c. 3000

DROP OUTS
65 50 6 JOY Bastille 50600
66 18 9 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 164750
67 67 3 SUMMERTIME DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 18000
71 1 13 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 647200
74 13 12 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 221700
78 78 2 THE LOVECATS The Cure 7400
80 80 2 CLOSE TO ME The Cure 8000
82 82 2 WHERE THE WILD ROSES GROW Kylie Minogue & Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 7000
84 84 2 HUMAN The Killers 5200
85 15 11 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 168450
86 86 2 SPINNING AROUND Kylie Minogue 5000
87 87 2 IN BETWEEN DAYS The Cure 5200
88 88 2 BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure 4800

 

 

14th July 2019

It’s 3 weeks on top for ELO, 5 weeks in total, cos it still sounds so fab played loud these 43 years later, and becomes their longest-running number one. Noel Gallagher gets his highest-charting solo record, ahead of AKA..What A Life which peaked at 5 in 2011, with Sail On – though obviously not quite up their Oasis chart-toppers like Whatever, Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger and The Importance Of Being Idle. Up debuting inside the top 5, with their second chart hit, it’s The Regrettes and the fab I Dare You, while Keith Urban gets his second top 10, following 2017 number 2 The Fighter with Drop Top Down. Miley Cyrus gets her 6th top 10, as Titanium rockets up 30 places to 11 – 8 years on from topping my charts and it still sounds fresh and exciting, one of the great singles of the decade.

OneRepublic shoot up into the top 20 for the 9th time, Mark Ronson for the 7th, while Madonna goes top 40 with God Control, her 4th of the year. Ed Sheeran replaces himself in the 40, which is a bit of a BLOW, I’m sure, while highest new entry is Kaiser Chiefs at 50 with People Know How To Love One Another, their 2nd on the list. JP Cooper returns with a newie at 57. Sing It With Me! Blossoms also return with Your Girlfriend. She certainly isn’t mine. PVRIS enter in my still-extended chart rundown of 90, at 83, much lower than they would be without all the Glasto oldies hogging the chart spots, Pink gets a 5th track off Hurts 2 B Human entering, and Sheryl Crow returns, extending her run to 25 years of chart hits – this time bringing along Joe Walsh. Joe has charted umpteen times as part of The Eagles, going back to New Kid In Town around the time Livin’ Thing was charting, but he’d been on records back in the 60’s, 70’s and beyond, for his guitar skills, a whole who’s who in music it is too from The Beach Boys to The Foo Fighters. As a solo act, though, he debuted in 1978 with Life’s Been Good, a fab single, and…that was it. 41 years later and he gets a follow-up co-credit, that must be a record wait for a follow-up to a one-hit-wonder with new material!

1 1 1 4 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 625000
2 2 1 9 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 926500
3 4 3 5 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 248500
4 7 4 9 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 296900
5 19 5 2 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 81000
6 3 3 7 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 458000
7 5 5 6 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 238150
8 12 8 8 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 187450
9 11 9 6 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 147000
10 8 8 8 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 173850

11 41 11 3 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 56800
12 13 12 11 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 206500
13 6 1 10 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 872100
14 14 14 10 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 183600
15 9 7 8 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 258500
16 10 3 10 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 531000
17 23 17 3 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 60050
18 25 18 3 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 57750
19 38 19 2 RESCUE ME OneRepublic 38200
20 26 20 3 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 56800

21 22 21 3 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 58000
22 18 18 10 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 177950
23 15 10 9 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 201500
24 17 1 13 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 811200
25 30 25 5 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 69650
26 31 26 7 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 92150
27 16 6 14 DATE STAMP ABC 288350
28 35 28 5 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 61000
29 21 1 7 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 497950
30 36 30 4 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 50800

31 20 20 8 MY LOVE Will Young 122900
32 37 32 4 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Prince 64500
33 42 33 3 MAD LOVE Mabel 37450
34 46 34 2 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 30350
35 48 35 5 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 51000
36 49 36 5 GOD CONTROL Madonna 50900
37 40 37 3 CROWN Stormzy 47300
38 24 9 10 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 275400
39 47 39 2 BLOW Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapeleton & Bruno Mars 29600
40 55 40 3 STARRY NIGHT Peggy Gou 34200

41 28 28 8 ALONE Richard Hawley 96900
42 27 8 11 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 271500
43 29 29 10 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 137200
44 33 3 9 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 363950
45 34 9 9 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 245900
46 39 5 9 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 316350
47 54 47 2 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 23500
48 53 48 5 INTO HAPPINESS Phantogram 44950
49 56 49 5 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 43300
50 NEW 50 1 PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER The Kaiser Chiefs 12000

51 45 9 11 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 261250
52 44 1 13 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 614800
53 64 53 2 ALL THE LOVERS Kylie Minogue 18350
54 67 54 2 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 17600
55 59 55 5 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 36700
56 57 56 5 IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU Shawn Mendes 42100
57 NEW 57 1 SING IT WITH ME JP Cooper & Astrid S 10400
58 70 58 3 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 21600
59 61 59 3 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 25600
60 62 60 4 WOKE UP LATE Drax Project featuring Hailee Steinfeld 29800

61 43 10 11 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 216450
62 77 62 3 WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG The Killers 16600
63 63 63 3 6AM Max Pope 21500
64 68 64 2 LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Kylie Minogue 13500
65 50 50 6 JOY Bastille 50600
66 32 18 9 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 164750
67 71 67 3 SUMMERTIME DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 18000
68 79 68 2 PRAYING Keiino 10600
69 69 1 19 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 836100
70 73 70 3 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 15800

71 60 1 13 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 647200
72 74 72 2 WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Craig David 10800
73 78 73 3 THIS CHARMING MAN The Smiths 13800
74 51 13 12 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 221700
75 82 75 2 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid 8600
76 NEW 76 1 YOUR GIRLFRIEND Blossoms 4800
77 84 77 2 LULLABY The Cure 7800
78 85 78 2 THE LOVECATS The Cure 7400
79 81 79 2 BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW Kylie Minogue 8000
80 80 80 2 CLOSE TO ME The Cure 8000

81 86 81 2 CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD Kylie Minogue 6600
82 83 82 2 WHERE THE WILD ROSES GROW Kylie Minogue & Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 7000
83 NEW 83 1 DEATH OF ME PVRIS 3400
84 90 84 2 HUMAN The Killers 5200
85 75 15 11 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 168450
86 89 86 2 SPINNING AROUND Kylie Minogue 5000
87 87 87 2 IN BETWEEN DAYS The Cure 5200
88 88 88 2 BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure 4800
89 NEW 89 1 CAN WE PRETEND Pink featuring Cash Cash 2200
90 NEW 90 1 STILL THE GOOD OLD DAYS Sheryl Crow featuring Joe Walsh 2000

DROP OUTS
52 44 7 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 64950
58 23 6 TINY DANCER Elton John 88750
65 65 6 FIND U AGAIN Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello 33400
66 50 7 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 62250
72 72 5 DREAM GLOW BTS & Charli XCX 23600
76 48 8 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 69550

 

 

7th July 2019

It’s a second week on top, and the fourth week in total, for 1976 sweeping strings classic Livin’ Thing, not the first chart-topping ELO oldie by any means. Noel Gallagher leapfrogs his younger brother at 4, and Bananarama get a second top 10 of the year 38 years since their debut. The highest new entry is from The Regrettes channeling The Strokes in a poppy fashion, and the chart has been extended thanks to an invasion of Kylie & Cure tracks from Glastonbury which sold well on itunes for a few days afterwards.

OneRepublic return, straight in the 40 at 38 for Rescue Me, giving them 11 years of entries since Stop And Stare went top 3 in 2008. Sia has 2 oldies on the chart as her 2000 top 20 returns, the lovely Destiny with Zero 7, at 47, and Ed Sheeran gets a hat-trick with 2 more tracks off his collaborations album doing what none of his previous albums has managed, at least simultaneously. Highest placed is a right old rock-it-up with Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars, t’other a more soulful Sheeran with Khalid lending a hand, both of them vast improvements on Whiny Romantic Ed.

Lizzo gets a second chart entry, Jack Savoretti is back yet again like a bullet, this time in a collab with Mika, who’s knocking on 15 years of hits before too long, nestling by a former chart-topper from his previous duet partner Kylie. Craig David is on the re-re-wind for 2 decades of hits as his latest pops in, and Keiino get a quick follow-up with a track that’s not entirely unlike their Eurovision popular-vote-winner.

1 1 1 3 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 455000
2 2 1 8 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 811500
3 3 3 6 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 403000
4 9 4 4 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 163500
5 5 5 5 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 188150
6 4 1 9 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 840100
7 8 7 8 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 231900
8 22 8 7 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 131850
9 11 7 7 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 231500
10 7 3 9 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 506000

11 16 11 5 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 102000
12 14 12 7 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 139450
13 19 13 10 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 171500
14 23 14 9 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 154600
15 10 10 8 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 191250
16 6 6 13 DATE STAMP ABC 269950
17 13 1 12 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 792200
18 21 18 9 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 158450
19 NEW 19 1 I DARE YOU The Regrettes 21000
20 30 20 7 MY LOVE Will Young 105000

21 12 1 6 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 479750
22 25 22 2 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 38250
23 32 23 2 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 37050
24 15 9 9 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 258200
25 40 25 2 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 35750
26 28 26 2 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 36800
27 17 8 10 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 257750
28 29 28 7 ALONE Richard Hawley 82900
29 31 29 9 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 123700
30 37 30 4 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 50900

31 36 31 6 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 73650
32 18 18 8 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 157950
33 20 3 8 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 350700
34 24 9 8 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 232900
35 49 35 4 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 42700
36 54 36 3 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 32800
37 39 37 3 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Prince 46700
38 NEW 38 1 RESCUE ME OneRepublic 17200
39 26 5 8 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 303600
40 45 40 2 CROWN Stormzy 30000
41 41 42 2 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 19800
42 42 43 2 MAD LOVE Mabel 19750
43 43 10 10 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 208950
44 44 1 12 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 603300
45 45 9 10 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 249500
46 46 47 1 DESTINY Zero 7 featuring Sia 12750
47 47 48 1 BLOW Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapeleton & Bruno Mars 12500
48 48 49 4 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 33500
49 49 50 4 GOD CONTROL Madonna 33500
50 50 51 5 JOY Bastille 43600

51 51 13 11 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 216500
52 52 44 7 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 64950
53 53 54 4 INTO HAPPINESS Phantogram 32650
54 54 55 1 GOOD AS HELL Lizzo 11000
55 55 56 2 STARRY NIGHT Peggy Gou 17200
56 56 57 4 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 31200
57 57 58 4 IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU Shawn Mendes 31500
58 58 23 6 TINY DANCER Elton John 88750
59 59 60 4 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 25900
60 60 1 12 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 641400

61 61 62 2 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 14500
62 62 63 3 WOKE UP LATE Drax Project featuring Hailee Steinfeld 19800
63 63 64 2 6AM Max Pope 14300
64 NEW 64 1 ALL THE LOVERS Kylie Minogue 7100
65 69 65 6 FIND U AGAIN Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello 33400
66 50 50 7 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 62250
67 NEW 67 1 YOUTH & LOVE Jack Savoretti featuring Mika 6600
68 NEW 68 1 LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT Kylie Minogue 6400
69 63 1 18 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 829900
70 73 70 2 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 11400

71 72 71 2 SUMMERTIME DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 11400
72 75 72 5 DREAM GLOW BTS & Charli XCX 23600
73 78 73 2 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 9800
74 NEW 74 1 WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Craig David 5200
75 47 15 10 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 165450
76 48 48 8 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 69550
77 77 77 2 WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG The Killers 9200
78 80 78 2 THIS CHARMING MAN The Smiths 8400
79 NEW 79 1 PRAYING Keiino 4200
80 NEW 80 1 CLOSE TO ME The Cure 4000

81 NEW 81 1 BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW Kylie Minogue 3800
82 NEW 82 1 BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid 3600
83 NEW 83 1 WHERE THE WILD ROSES GROW Kylie Minogue & Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 3400
84 NEW 84 1 LULLABY The Cure 3200
85 NEW 85 1 THE LOVECATS The Cure 3000
86 NEW 86 1 CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD Kylie Minogue 2800
87 NEW 87 1 IN BETWEEN DAYS The Cure 2600
88 NEW 88 1 BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure 2400
89 NEW 89 1 SPINNING AROUND Kylie Minogue 2200
90 NEW 90 1 HUMAN The Killers 2000

 

 

DROP OUTS
41 6 12 SHOW ME ABC 241000
42 20 7 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 116900
46 7 7 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 205200
51 23 5 TAKE YOU HOME Dido 79600
52 36 7 I RISE Madonna 95500
53 3 10 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 357050
57 4 10 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 292650
61 17 10 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 162450
74 19 11 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 167650
76 20 9 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 127550
79 16 9 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 150000

 

30th June 2019

It’s a third week on top for ELO as Livin’ Thing returns to the top almost 43 years later, since Steely Dan knocked them off the top with a Haitian Divorce. Thanks to the Toy Story 4 trailer, which is a solid 8/10 film, still got it does Pixar. I also bought the Spiderman multiverse DVD which belatedly brings Sunflower into my chart for Post Malone & Swae Lee, while voice actor in it Hailee Steinfeld goes up a few spots with her guest vocal. I saw Hailee support Katy Perry in Barcelona a year or two back, she was good, and Katy was fab, she makes the top 40 with her latest, just ahead of former frenemy Taylor Swift. Talking of concerts, Stormzy got a boost at Glasto and enters with Crown, while The Killers return with When We were Young due to back catalogue itunes boosting after their set with the Pet Shop Boys and Johnny Marr. Only fair since the Pets got his support at the Brits a decade ago, and they have also worked with Johnny consistently over the years, The Smiths entering again with their Glasto cover from Brandon. His two fave acts and albums don’t cha know, both together. Suedey and I both saw Marr, Tennant & Lowe them in The Royal Albert Hall t’other year. They were fab. Name-dropper!

2 Gallaghers sailing in the top 10 for the price of one, bit of a Shockwave, MIley Cyrus grabs another top 20, Kool & The Gang also get one after decades of drought, with their earliest track and one that never charted for me originally. The advert is good too! Highest new entry – prepare yourselves – is, err Celine Dion. 6 years since she last graced my top 20, and 30 years since she first scraped into my chart, she’s only gone and done a dance banger where for once her OTT vocals suit it. Celine has had the occasional top 10 from me (around one a decade on average and she’s overdue another…). Mark Ronson gets a 3rd album track in my chart, another goodie, while Lykke Li fresh of his chart-topper, also enters with her own track. Mabel’s back with a follow-up, David Guetta gets a second – well Titanium is back, thanks to an advert, for a third run in my chart. Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello both get a simultaneous 2nd charter, and Keane sneak in extending their chart run to knocking on 15 years.

1 2 1 2 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 285000
2 1 1 7 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 696500
3 4 3 5 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 318000
4 3 1 8 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 785100
5 9 5 4 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 128150
6 8 6 12 DATE STAMP ABC 244950
7 5 3 8 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 464000
8 10 8 7 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 181900
9 12 9 3 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 98500
10 16 10 7 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 164250

11 7 7 6 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 186500
12 6 1 5 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 460000
13 13 1 11 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 769200
14 22 14 6 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 104450
15 15 9 8 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 239200
16 29 16 4 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 65000
17 11 8 9 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 239350
18 18 18 7 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 140150
19 27 19 9 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 139500
20 14 3 7 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 333000

21 24 21 8 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 136450
22 28 22 6 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 83850
23 26 23 8 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 125600
24 17 9 7 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 215300
25 NEW 25 1 FLYING ON MY OWN Celine Dion 18750
26 19 5 7 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 286500
27 20 10 9 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 195450
28 NEW 28 1 DON’T LET ME BE LONELY Mark Ronson featuring YEBBA 18300
29 37 29 6 ALONE Richard Hawley 64600
30 35 30 6 MY LOVE Will Young 85000

31 38 31 8 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 105500
32 NEW 32 1 RENAISSANCE Culture Shock 17800
33 25 13 10 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 204750
34 23 23 5 TINY DANCER Elton John 78550
35 30 9 9 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 236500
36 42 36 5 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 55750
37 56 37 3 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 32900
38 40 1 11 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 590050
39 48 39 2 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Prince 29400
40 NEW 40 1 SUNFLOWER Post Malone & Swae Lee 17000

41 21 6 12 SHOW ME ABC 241000
42 32 20 7 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 116900
43 31 1 11 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 631400
44 49 44 6 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 53450
45 NEW 45 1 CROWN Stormzy 13000
46 33 7 7 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 205200
47 44 15 9 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 160450
48 50 48 7 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 64750
49 64 49 3 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 25200
50 53 50 6 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 55450

51 34 23 5 TAKE YOU HOME Dido 79600
52 36 36 7 I RISE Madonna 95500
53 46 3 10 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 357050
54 78 54 2 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 15400
55 60 55 4 JOY Bastille 31600
56 73 56 3 INTO HAPPINESS Phantogram 21400
57 43 4 10 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 292650
58 70 58 3 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 20600
59 71 59 3 IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU Shawn Mendes 21100
60 67 60 3 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 21200

61 45 17 10 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 162450
62 62 62 3 GOD CONTROL Madonna 21400
63 61 1 17 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 823700
64 NEW 64 1 6AM Max Pope 7100
65 NEW 65 1 SEX MONEY FEELINGS DIE Lykke Li 7000
66 72 66 2 WOKE UP LATE Drax Project featuring Hailee Steinfeld 12400
67 74 67 3 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 15800
68 NEW 68 1 STARRY NIGHT Peggy Gou 6400
69 69 69 5 FIND U AGAIN Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello 26400
70 NEW 70 1 MAD LOVE Mabel 6000

71 NEW 71 1 TITANIUM David Guetta featuring Sia 5800
72 NEW 72 1 SUMMERTIME DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince 5600
73 NEW 73 1 SENORITA Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello 5400
74 52 19 11 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 167650
75 76 75 4 DREAM GLOW BTS & Charli XCX 18000
76 54 20 9 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 127550
77 NEW 77 1 WHEN WE WERE YOUNG The Killers 4600
78 NEW 78 1 THE WAY I FEEL Keane 4400
79 51 16 9 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 150000
80 NEW 80 1 THIS CHARMING MAN The Smiths 4000

DROP OUTS
39 39 6 LET ME KNOW (RADIO EDIT) (168900) Roisin Murphy 73950
41 41 4 BENNIE AND THE JETS Elton John 50500
47 31 6 REPLAY Tamta 91200
55 48 6 LIKE IT ZENA 63600
57 37 6 SHE GOT ME Luca Hanni 71450
58 58 5 YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY Emma Bunton featuring Jade Jones 39600
59 8 9 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 186700
63 10 12 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 218500
65 65 4 SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FIGHTING) Elton John 25800
66 66 4 CROCODILE ROCK (947700) Elton John 25600
68 52 7 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 55700
75 39 6 (I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN Elton John & Taron Egerton 67950
77 57 7 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 54400
79 53 7 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 59400
80 1 13 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 811800

 

 

23rd June 2019

It’s 2 weeks on top for the two Norwegian duos as ELO enter at 2 following Livin’ Thing’s use in Toy Story 4’s movie trailer – possibly my fave ELO song, topping my charts around December 1976 as we headed into huge snowfalls in Mansfield (where I lived at that time aged 18). Ah memories, nice to see it featuring again. ABC also get an oldies top 10, this time it’s the turn of Date Stamp from The Lexicon Of Love, the 6th following on the heels of the 5th top 10 from the classic album. If you haven’t heard the album, shame! (rings bell) Shame! (rings bell) Shame! (rings bell)

Liam Gallagher knocks his older bruv out my top 10, as Noel gets 11 and 12, so they are both winners really. I’m sure if they saw my charts they would approve of both getting one up on the other. Now, now children! Richard Hawley gets his 12th top 40 entry in 17 years. Liam’s on his 3rd top 10 and 5th top 40, some way to go to catch up with Noel or Oasis. Sheeran & Bieber go top 40 too, so how many have they had? Justin is on 7 now, over 7 years, which is one more a year than I was expecting – HHOK – while Ed’s on his 4th. In fact Sheeran has only had 10 including collaborations make my chart at all in 8 years and only 2 of them went top 10. Hey ho, over-rated IMHO. Nice bloke though.

Few new entries this week, bit of a relief, I:m hoping to get back to a 75 soon, but Prince has a new album of his original versions of his songs gifted to others – I’m sure he would have not approved of breaking into his sealed vault and bunging them out, most of them not a patch on the hit versions, sounding a bit demo-ey for a reason, but The Glamorous Life is a pretty good version of his production/song for Sheila E, his protege. Which is a polite way of saying girlfriend and co-worker. Sheila’s version only peaked at 33 in my 1985 charts, so just 15 places to go to equal it then!

1 1 1 6 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 581500
2 NEW 2 1 LIVIN’ THING Electric Light Orchestra 115000
3 3 1 7 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 720100
4 5 4 4 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 233000
5 4 3 7 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 414000
6 2 1 4 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 425000
7 7 7 5 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 149500
8 16 8 11 DATE STAMP ABC 189950
9 25 9 3 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 68150
10 15 10 6 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 133900

11 8 8 8 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 216350
12 26 12 2 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 53500
13 9 1 10 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 737200
14 10 3 6 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 313000
15 14 9 7 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 212200
16 17 16 6 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 122250
17 11 9 6 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 196300
18 19 18 6 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 118150
19 13 5 6 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 268000
20 12 10 8 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 177050

21 6 6 11 SHOW ME ABC 227000
22 27 22 5 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 75450
23 29 23 4 TINY DANCER Elton John 60950
24 30 24 7 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 116700
25 18 13 9 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 187050
26 28 26 7 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 106350
27 31 27 8 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 118500
28 33 28 5 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 64350
29 38 29 3 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 40000
30 22 9 8 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 219000

31 24 1 10 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 617900
32 20 20 6 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 103150
33 21 7 6 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 192450
34 23 23 4 TAKE YOU HOME Dido 67850
35 36 35 5 MY LOVE Will Young 67000
36 40 36 6 I RISE Madonna 84000
37 58 37 5 ALONE Richard Hawley 46400
38 45 38 7 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 87600
39 42 39 6 LET ME KNOW (RADIO EDIT) Roisin Murphy 73950
40 32 1 10 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 572850

41 43 41 4 BENNIE AND THE JETS Elton John 50500
42 50 42 4 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 38350
43 34 4 9 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 282250
44 39 15 8 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 147950
45 35 17 9 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 154950
46 37 3 9 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 345800
47 41 31 6 REPLAY Tamta 91200
48 NEW 48 1 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Prince 12300
49 56 49 5 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 40200
50 53 50 6 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 52450

51 44 16 8 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 145800
52 46 19 10 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 162450
53 54 53 5 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 43450
54 47 20 8 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 122750
55 48 48 6 LIKE IT ZENA 63600
56 75 56 2 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 15600
57 51 37 6 SHE GOT ME Luca Hanni 71450
58 60 58 5 YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY Emma Bunton featuring Jade Jones 39600
59 49 8 9 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 186700
60 71 60 3 JOY Bastille 20800

61 55 1 16 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 816500
62 67 62 2 GOD CONTROL Madonna 14000
63 57 10 12 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 218500
64 70 64 2 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 13100
65 65 65 4 SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FIGHTING) Elton John 25800
66 66 66 4 CROCODILE ROCK Elton John 25600
67 77 67 2 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 11200
68 59 52 7 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 55700
69 76 69 4 FIND U AGAIN Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello 20200
70 78 70 2 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 10400

71 74 71 2 IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU Shawn Mendes 11000
72 NEW 72 1 WOKE UP LATE Drax Project featuring Hailee Steinfeld 5600
73 73 73 2 INTO HAPPINESS Phantogram 10800
74 80 74 2 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 9200
75 52 39 6 (I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN Elton John & Taron Egerton 67950
76 79 76 3 DREAM GLOW BTS & Charli XCX 13000
77 63 57 7 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 54400
78 NEW 78 1 RUNAWAY RUNAWAY Mars Argo 4400
79 61 53 7 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 59400
80 64 1 13 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 811800

DROP OUTS
62 28 5 FUTURE Madonna & Quavo 75250
68 59 5 STORM Victor Crone 35900
69 56 5 SOLDI Mahmood 42000
72 72 4 RUNAWAY TRAIN Boy George & Culture Club featuring Gladys Knight 20000

 

16th June 2019

It’s a first week on top for 2 Norwegian duo’s Seeb, and Highasakite, Free To Go comfortably beating previous chart entries, Seeb’s Under YOur Skin hit 10 in 2017, and Highasakite err, none at all. ABC belatedly get a 5th top 10 from The Lexicon Of Love album 37 years late, and Kaiser Chiefs make it 15 years of top 10’s since they started with a bang, chart-toppingly I Predict A Riot. Liam Gallagher creates shockwaves rocketing up one place above the new entry from his older brother Noel – though Noel still has one in the top 10, to throw raspberries at each other.

Miley Cyrus climbs big into the 40, Madonna gets a 4th track on the chart with the last remaining good track on her new album. I’m guessing she got an autotune programmer for Xmas cos it quite gets on yer tits over the course of an album when overdone. Or even done. I’m getting severely teed-off at the cliched drivel disguised by the bleepings and fartings on numerous chart tracks when it’s totally unnecessary. If you can’t sing hire someone who can. If you want to remove all emotion from a song, hire a robot. Suddenly Ed Sheeran sounds super-human in comparison!

Still waiting for chart spaces, new entries cluster round the bottom end, Shawn Mendes belatedly adding to his modest handful of chart entries, Sigala a few more, David Guetta oodles and oodles (well, 20-odd) since 2006, including 2 number ones. That leaves Vangelis oldie Chung Kuo sneaking in, one I rated muchly back in the 80’s but which never charted as I only discovered it as an oldie (and they were banned unless they were in the UK charts) – it was written inspirationally based on music from China, back in those days still behind an Iron Curtain culturally and politically. I loved Chinese instruments and sounds from my days in Singapore as a child/teen, and the synth sounds made it sound modern. Vangelis had topped my chart in 1980 with Jon Anderson, and first charted in 1975 with Aphrodite’s Child, along with Demis Roussos.

1 2 1 5 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 411500
2 1 1 3 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 370000
3 3 1 6 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 635100
4 4 3 6 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 354000
5 5 5 3 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 168000
6 14 6 10 SHOW ME ABC 207250
7 15 7 4 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 99500
8 8 8 7 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 179350
9 6 1 9 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 705200
10 11 3 5 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 284000

11 9 9 5 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 173300
12 10 10 7 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 157050
13 7 5 5 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 247000
14 12 9 6 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 185200
15 24 15 5 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 91900
16 22 16 10 DATE STAMP ABC 141950
17 17 17 5 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 97250
18 13 13 8 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 168300
19 20 19 5 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 96150
20 23 20 5 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 85350

21 16 7 5 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 174750
22 18 9 7 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 201000
23 26 23 3 TAKE YOU HOME Dido 50250
24 19 1 9 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 600000
25 78 25 2 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 23150
26 NEW 26 1 SAIL ON Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 18500
27 27 27 4 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 55950
28 30 28 6 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 87800
29 35 29 3 TINY DANCER Elton John 41700
30 33 30 6 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 97700

31 34 31 7 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 100100
32 28 1 9 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 555850
33 51 33 4 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 46050
34 21 4 8 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 268750
35 29 17 8 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 141950
36 44 36 4 MY LOVE Will Young 49500
37 25 3 8 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 333050
38 77 38 2 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 21800
39 41 15 7 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 134700
40 40 40 5 I RISE Madonna 66600

41 31 31 5 REPLAY Tamta 78700
42 45 42 5 LET ME KNOW (RADIO EDIT) Roisin Murphy 56850
43 50 43 3 BENNIE AND THE JETS Elton John 36500
44 36 16 7 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 134050
45 46 45 6 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 70400
46 32 19 9 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 150950
47 38 20 7 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 111750
48 49 48 5 LIKE IT ZENA 52800
49 37 8 8 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 176600
50 65 50 3 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 24600

51 43 37 5 SHE GOT ME Luca Hanni 61050
52 39 39 5 (I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN Elton John & Taron Egerton 62950
53 55 53 5 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 40450
54 60 54 4 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 32200
55 47 1 15 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 809000
56 64 56 4 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 28100
57 48 10 11 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 211300
58 61 58 4 ALONE Richard Hawley 29100
59 52 52 6 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 49300
60 62 60 4 YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY Emma Bunton featuring Jade Jones 29400

61 53 53 6 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 55200
62 42 28 5 FUTURE Madonna & Quavo 75250
63 57 57 6 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 49800
64 58 1 12 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 807800
65 66 65 3 SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FIGHTING) Elton John 18800
66 67 66 3 CROCODILE ROCK Elton John 18800
67 NEW 67 1 GOD CONTROL Madonna 6600
68 59 59 5 STORM Victor Crone 35900
69 56 56 5 SOLDI Mahmood 42000
70 NEW 70 1 STRANGER NIGHTS Patrick Martin 6000

71 75 71 2 JOY Bastille 10800
72 72 72 4 RUNAWAY TRAIN Boy George & Culture Club featuring Gladys Knight 20000
73 NEW 73 1 INTO HAPPINESS Phantogram 5400
74 NEW 74 1 IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU Shawn Mendes 5200
75 NEW 75 1 YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN Taylor Swift 5000
76 76 76 3 FIND U AGAIN Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello 14000
77 NEW 77 1 WISH YOU WELL Sigala featuring Becky Hill 4600
78 NEW 78 1 STAY (DON’T GO AWAY) David Guetta featuring Raye 4400
79 80 79 2 DREAM GLOW BTS & Charli XCX 8200
80 NEW 80 1 CHUNG KUO Vangelis 4000

DROP OUTS
54 54 8 ONE STEP BEYOND (439400) Madness 66600
63 6 8 NEVERMIND Dennis Lloyd 237850
68 68 2 I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES (553100) Elton John 12600
69 5 5 BLACK HILLS OF DAKOTA Doris Day & Howard Keel 129600
70 70 2 BOYS GO WILD LP 11200
71 71 2 DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART (606450) Elton John & Kiki Dee 10400
73 73 2 IN THESE SHOES (134100) Kirsty MacColl 9600
74 30 8 RAINBOW Kacey Musgraves 81900
79 79 2 LA VENDA Miki Nunez 8200

 

 

9th June 2019

It’s a first week on top for a key biopic track on Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road came out during a period of great records back in late 1973 as I was moving to Gloucester and a new school, and so never topped the chart as Crocodile Rock had done, and Bennie & The Jets would do in 1974, but better 45 years late than never, it becomes his 13th chart-topper – or 14th if you count Scissor Sisters’ I Don’t Feel Like Dancing co-write which has Elton written large all over it. See his Taron Egerton duet for more examples of that style, while Taron takes Rocket Man into the 10. Pity his solo stuff since 1990 has ignored fun in favour of “serious” music styles.

Seeb and Highasakite just miss out on top spot, as KDA give Angie Stone a career peak almost 2 decades on, and a higher peak than Human League’s Sound Of The Crowd has had to date. Oops! Unfair! A sudden big climb for Noel Gallagher as his younger estranged brother enters low with a Shockwave, Noel’s third solo top 10 in 8 years to add to the 14 or 15 Oasis have. Big climbs for Kaiser Chiefs 11th top 20 in 14 years, Dido and Keith Urban go top 40, and the only other newies are Bastille with a spot of Joy at getting a 6th chart entry, Miley Cyrus replacing her dad in the chart, and BTS debuting helping Charli XCX to another notch on the bedpost of her chart positions – 5th.


1 3 1 2 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 255000
2 4 2 4 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 241500
3 2 1 5 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 550100
4 5 3 5 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 289000
5 8 5 2 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 108000
6 1 1 8 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 660200
7 7 5 4 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 215000
8 26 8 6 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 131350
9 10 9 4 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 136300
10 11 10 6 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 122050

11 6 3 4 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 242000
12 9 9 5 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 156200
13 15 13 7 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 146300
14 18 14 9 SHOW ME ABC 152250
15 35 15 3 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 49500
16 13 7 4 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 155000
17 23 17 4 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 74250
18 16 9 6 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 181500
19 14 1 8 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 581000
20 25 20 4 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 75150

21 12 4 7 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 251150
22 32 22 9 DATE STAMP ABC 116950
23 31 23 4 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 65350
24 29 24 4 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 64900
25 17 3 7 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 315750
26 49 26 2 TAKE YOU HOME Dido 31000
27 46 27 3 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 37550
28 21 1 8 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 538050
29 24 17 7 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 124450
30 34 30 5 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 69500

31 33 31 4 REPLAY Tamta 64700
32 19 19 8 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 138200
33 38 33 5 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 79700
34 39 34 6 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 82200
35 70 35 2 TINY DANCER Elton John 23500
36 27 16 6 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 120800
37 22 8 7 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 164500
38 20 20 6 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 99250
39 40 39 4 (I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN Elton John & Taron Egerton 51450
40 43 40 4 I RISE Madonna 49600

41 30 15 6 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 117600
42 28 28 4 FUTURE Madonna & Quavo 67850
43 37 37 4 SHE GOT ME Luca Hanni 49300
44 44 44 3 MY LOVE Will Young 32100
45 47 45 4 LET ME KNOW (RADIO EDIT) Roisin Murphy 43100
46 48 46 5 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 57400
47 41 1 14 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 798200
48 42 10 10 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 200900
49 50 49 4 LIKE IT ZENA 40500
50 54 50 2 BENNIE AND THE JETS Elton John 23000

51 57 51 3 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 28350
52 52 52 5 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 39200
53 53 53 5 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 47700
54 59 54 8 ONE STEP BEYOND Madness 66600
55 64 55 4 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 29200
56 56 56 4 SOLDI Mahmood 35800
57 60 57 5 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 42600
58 51 1 11 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 800700
59 62 59 4 STORM Victor Crone 29500
60 68 60 3 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 21200

61 65 61 3 ALONE Richard Hawley 18900
62 67 62 3 YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY Emma Bunton featuring Jade Jones 19400
63 36 6 8 NEVERMIND Dennis Lloyd 237850
64 71 64 3 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 17500
65 72 65 2 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 12600
66 75 66 2 SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FIGHTING) Elton John 11800
67 73 67 2 CROCODILE ROCK Elton John 12000
68 69 68 2 I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES Elton John 12600
69 45 5 5 BLACK HILLS OF DAKOTA Doris Day & Howard Keel 129600
70 74 70 2 BOYS GO WILD LP 11200

71 77 71 2 DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART Elton John & Kiki Dee 10400
72 76 72 3 RUNAWAY TRAIN Boy George & Culture Club featuring Gladys Knight 14400
73 79 73 2 IN THESE SHOES Kirsty MacColl 9600
74 55 30 8 RAINBOW Kacey Musgraves 81900
75 NEW 75 1 JOY Bastille 5000
76 78 76 2 FIND U AGAIN Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello 9200
77 NEW 77 1 MOTHER’S DAUGHTER Miley Cyrus 4600
78 NEW 78 1 SHOCKWAVE Liam Gallagher 4400
79 80 79 2 LA VENDA Miki Nunez 8200
80 NEW 80 1 DREAM GLOW BTS & Charli XCX 4000

DROP OUTS
58 18 7 OLD TOWN ROAD Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus 125150
61 3 13 KIND OF LOVE Rat City featuring Isak Heim 510250
63 15 8 WEDDING BELL BLUES Morrissey featuring Billie Joe Armstrong & Lydia Night 142950
66 1 10 JACKIE (1685300) Scott Walker 583200

 

2nd June 2019

It’s a first week on top at last for Mark Ronson and Lykke Li, Mark’s 2nd of the year and 3rd in total, and Lykke Li’s first-ever. They just overhauled Arcade and the highest new entry from the Elton John chart invasion off the back of Rocketman – which I’ve seen twice already and is rather fab. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has a key feature in the climax of the film, Taron Egerton does a fantastic acting job, and a singing job too, the new versions are often great in new ways, not least Rocket man rocketing up to 11 for Taron’s version – Elton’s version has already charted 3 times and topped my chart. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has always been a fave Elton track from the Autumn of 1973 when it just fell short of Number 1 in my charts – but it’s never had another run until now.

It’s another load of new entries pushing out great tracks far too early, and not allowing me to reduce my chart back to 75 – quite frankly I could easily have expanded it to 100, but am trying not to as it’s too much work! In at 8 it’s a KDA re-imagining of Angie Stone’s 2002 I Wish I Didn’t Miss You, which peaked at 23 first time round in my charts, backed up with the non-credited rhythm-track to Human League’s Sound Of The Crowd. It works so well! Lana Del ray grabs yet another top 10, her 9th in 8 years, and The Kaiser Chiefs shoot into the 40 with the very La Roux Bulletproof-inspired Record Collection, their 16th in 14 years.

Dido gets a 3rd chart entry of the year, her 17th in 18 years, and the Elton John mini-invasion continues with my 1974 chart-topper (it was banished in the UK to a B-side of the tedious Candle In The Wind) Bennie & The Jets, the 1972 chart-topper Crocodile Rock, 1976 chart-topper Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, and a batch of others, with other huge Elton tracks not charting as they’ve already had big runs. Elton has had a load of Number Ones in my charts….

Lower down, Katy Perry returns with her 2nd of the year, LP is back with Boys Go Wild, but songs charting in different years are not re-entries to me, they are new chart runs, Mark Ronson gets a 3rd of 2019, this time with Camila Cabello, the late great Kirsty is back with her shoes, a 2000 number 16 track shortly before she died tragically, and Miki Nunez sneaks in with his Spanish Eurovision entry as I have a fab gatefold CD with lyric sheets from Eurovision in Israel especially for me – via a friend who was there.

1 2 1 7 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 605200
2 1 1 4 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 465100
3 NEW 3 1 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD Elton John 85000
4 8 4 3 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 126500
5 3 3 4 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 224000
6 4 3 3 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 205000
7 5 5 3 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 165000
8 NEW 8 1 THE HUMAN STONE KDA featuring Angie Stone 48000
9 9 9 4 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 121200
10 13 10 3 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 91300

11 36 11 5 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 80050
12 6 4 6 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 231400
13 7 7 3 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 130000
14 10 1 7 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 560000
15 15 15 6 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 114300
16 11 9 5 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 159500
17 12 3 6 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 297000
18 20 18 8 SHOW ME ABC 123250
19 22 19 7 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 120400
20 21 20 5 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 82050

21 16 1 7 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 519750
22 14 8 6 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 147200
23 25 23 3 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 51250
24 17 17 6 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 106250
25 26 25 3 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 55150
26 28 26 5 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 83350
27 18 16 5 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 103400
28 29 28 3 FUTURE Madonna & Quavo 54100
29 35 29 3 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 45900
30 19 15 5 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 103600

31 38 31 3 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 46100
32 32 32 8 DATE STAMP ABC 97450
33 40 33 3 REPLAY Tamta 46800
34 37 34 4 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 51500
35 75 35 2 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 22500
36 23 6 7 NEVERMIND Dennis Lloyd 230650
37 43 37 3 SHE GOT ME Luca Hanni 35800
38 39 38 4 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 62000
39 41 39 5 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 64600
40 46 40 3 (I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN Elton John & Taron Egerton 34350

41 33 1 13 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 785700
42 24 10 9 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 188600
43 47 43 3 I RISE Madonna 32600
44 72 44 2 MY LOVE Will Young 18850
45 27 5 4 BLACK HILLS OF DAKOTA Doris Day & Howard Keel 123400
46 68 46 2 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 19150
47 55 47 3 LET ME KNOW (RADIO EDIT) Roisin Murphy 30100
48 51 48 4 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 44650
49 NEW 49 1 TAKE YOU HOME Dido 12100
50 50 50 3 LIKE IT ZENA 28400

51 45 1 10 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 790500
52 52 52 4 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 27700
53 54 53 4 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 36450
54 NEW 54 1 BENNIE AND THE JETS Elton John 11000
55 30 30 7 RAINBOW Kacey Musgraves 76700
56 56 56 3 SOLDI Mahmood 25200
57 69 57 2 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 16600
58 42 18 7 OLD TOWN ROAD Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus 125150
59 59 59 7 ONE STEP BEYOND Madness 55600
60 60 60 4 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 32200

61 44 3 13 KIND OF LOVE Rat City featuring Isak Heim 510250
62 63 62 3 STORM Victor Crone 19400
63 53 15 8 WEDDING BELL BLUES Morrissey featuring Billie Joe Armstrong & Lydia Night 142950
64 64 64 3 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 18400
65 78 65 2 ALONE Richard Hawley 11400
66 61 1 10 JACKIE Scott Walker 583200
67 73 67 2 YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY Emma Bunton featuring Jade Jones 12000
68 76 68 2 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 11200
69 NEW 69 1 I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES Elton John 6200
70 NEW 70 1 TINY DANCER Elton John 6000

71 77 71 2 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 10400
72 NEW 72 1 NEVER REALLY OVER Katy Perry 5600
73 NEW 73 1 CROCODILE ROCK Elton John 5400
74 NEW 74 1 BOYS GO WILD LP 5200
75 NEW 75 1 SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT (FOR FIGHTING) Elton John 5000
76 80 76 2 RUNAWAY TRAIN Boy George & Culture Club featuring Gladys Knight 8800
77 NEW 77 1 DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART Elton John & Kiki Dee 4600
78 NEW 78 1 FIND U AGAIN Mark Ronson featuring Camila Cabello 4400
79 NEW 79 1 IN THESE SHOES Kirsty MacColl 4200
80 NEW 80 1 LA VENDA Miki Nunez 4000

DROP OUTS
31 18 4 AS LONG AS I HAVE TO Vargas & Lagola 79900
34 11 10 PATIENCE Tame Impala 204250
48 7 12 OCEAN EYES Billie Eilish 284450
49 25 3 MOVE OVER DARLING (508150) Doris Day 49050
57 6 12 YOU BELONG TO ME Cat Pierce 470100
58 7 12 DON’T CALL ME UP Mabel 240300
62 22 7 BORDERLINE Tame Impala 99200
65 65 4 VENUS Shocking Blue 23800
66 11 10 FEEL THE SAME Olly Murs featuring Nile Rodgers 202800
67 38 6 THINK OF ME The Veronicas 66400
70 1 13 AMERICAN GENERATION (457750) The Ritchie Family 452550
71 5 12 STUFF LIKE THAT Bananarama 325700
74 74 3 SOFIA Alvaro Soler 15600
79 79 1 BOYS KEEP SWINGING (550650) David Bowie 4200

 

 

26th May 2019

It’s a second week on top for Arcade, meaning poor ol Mark Ronson & Lykke Li get 3 weeks stuck at 2. Eurovision songs consolidate their hold throughout the chart, and it remains an expanded 80 due to more great new tracks out. Caravan Palace climb to 3, while massive climbs for SEEB & Highasakite to enter the top from outside the 40, and Sam Bluer climbs to 9.

Lana Del Ray gets a great climb to 13 with her Summertime rewrite, still clocking up regular high chart slots several years on from her debut, Jax Jones & co go top 20, as does Taylor Swift and Brendan whose run of hits is Lana Del Ray-ish in terms of years, longer for PATD. ABC get a 5th track from absolute classic album The Lexicon Of Love to go top 20 – some 37 years since the last one – MARUV and Pnau go top 40, Taron Egerton gets a top 40 with an Elton song as they both climb with a new combo, and climbers galore outside the top 40 in a massively busy chart.

New entries from Keith Urban, clearly all pop not country right now, Bananarama’s 3rd off the new album to chart, Will Young’s 2nd, Kaiser Chief’s return after a couple of years away, and a 14-year chart run since they started with a couple of chart-toppers in 2005. Emma BUnton is spicefully back with a Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell cover, Vampire Weekend, Jess Glynne, Jax Jones getting a 2nd in the chart, all return, while Richard Hawley is back after 4-years away and extends his chart run to 17 years. Bowie returns after being released and making the sales charts, 3rd-time round for Boys Keep Swinging his 1979 cross-dressing gem, and Bog George & Culture Club sneak in with a duet with Gladys Knight, certainly one I never expected to see! Runaway Train means George gets his first chart entry for 5 years, Culture Club get their first for 20 years, and Gladys for getting on 30 years (barring oldies)! Culture Club first charted 37 years ago, Gladys 47 years ago, though her career predates my personal charts and she def would have charted in 1967 had I started earlier.

1 1 1 3 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 350100
2 2 2 6 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 435200
3 7 3 3 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 164000
4 3 3 2 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 150000
5 6 5 2 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 115000
6 4 4 5 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 196400
7 8 7 2 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 98000
8 43 8 2 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 61500
9 19 9 3 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 76200
10 5 1 6 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 531000

11 9 9 4 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 134500
12 10 3 5 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 274000
13 37 13 2 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 49300
14 12 8 5 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 127700
15 29 15 5 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 87300
16 11 1 6 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 500000
17 21 17 5 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 87250
18 16 16 4 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 85000
19 15 15 4 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 85600
20 26 20 7 SHOW ME ABC 101250

21 28 21 4 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 62050
22 22 22 6 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 99400
23 14 6 6 NEVERMIND Dennis Lloyd 213250
24 17 10 8 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 174850
25 44 25 2 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 32000
26 31 26 2 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 36400
27 13 5 3 BLACK HILLS OF DAKOTA Doris Day & Howard Keel 110400
28 33 28 4 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 64850
29 34 29 2 FUTURE Madonna & Quavo 35800
30 30 30 6 RAINBOW Kacey Musgraves 65900

31 18 18 4 AS LONG AS I HAVE TO Vargas & Lagola 79900
32 32 32 7 DATE STAMP ABC 79650
33 20 1 12 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 771700
34 23 11 10 PATIENCE Tame Impala 204250
35 58 35 2 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 27700
36 46 36 4 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 43050
37 55 37 3 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 33900
38 54 38 2 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 28200
39 39 39 3 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 44800
40 49 40 2 REPLAY Tamta 29100

41 47 41 4 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 47500
42 24 18 6 OLD TOWN ROAD Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus 114950
43 75 43 2 SHE GOT ME Luca Hanni 18500
44 27 3 12 KIND OF LOVE Rat City featuring Isak Heim 502750
45 40 1 9 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 778750
46 77 46 2 (I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN Elton John & Taron Egerton 17350
47 67 47 2 I RISE Madonna 19100
48 35 7 12 OCEAN EYES Billie Eilish 284450
49 25 25 3 MOVE OVER DARLING Doris Day 49050
50 78 50 2 LIKE IT ZENA 16400

51 56 51 3 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 32350
52 61 52 3 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 26200
53 41 15 7 WEDDING BELL BLUES Morrissey featuring Billie Joe Armstrong & Lydia Night 135750
54 64 54 3 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 25200
55 66 55 2 LET ME KNOW (RADIO EDIT) Roisin Murphy 17600
56 80 56 2 SOLDI Mahmood 14600
57 48 6 12 YOU BELONG TO ME Cat Pierce 470100
58 52 7 12 DON’T CALL ME UP Mabel 240300
59 62 59 6 ONE STEP BEYOND Madness 45500
60 69 60 3 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 22200

61 50 1 9 JACKIE Scott Walker 576400
62 38 22 7 BORDERLINE Tame Impala 99200
63 76 63 2 STORM Victor Crone 12000
64 79 64 2 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 11300
65 72 65 4 VENUS Shocking Blue 23800
66 42 11 10 FEEL THE SAME Olly Murs featuring Nile Rodgers 202800
67 51 38 6 THINK OF ME The Veronicas 66400
68 NEW 68 1 DROP TOP Keith Urban featuring Kassi Ashton 6400
69 NEW 69 1 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE (RADIO MIX) Bananarama 6200
70 70 1 13 AMERICAN GENERATION (457750) The Ritchie Family 352550

71 36 5 12 STUFF LIKE THAT Bananarama 325700
72 NEW 72 1 MY LOVE Will Young 5600
73 NEW 73 1 YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY Emma Bunton featuring Jade Jones 5400
74 74 74 3 SOFIA Alvaro Soler 15600
75 NEW 75 1 RECORD COLLECTION The Kaiser Chiefs 5000
76 NEW 76 1 THIS LIFE Vampire Weekend 4800
77 NEW 77 1 ONE TOUCH Jess Glynne & Jax Jones 4600
78 NEW 78 1 ALONE Richard Hawley 4400
79 NEW 79 1 BOYS KEEP SWINGING David Bowie 4200
80 NEW 80 1 RUNAWAY TRAIN Boy George & Culture Club featuring Gladys Knight 4000

DROP OUTS
45 25 6 HUSTLE P!nk 104950
53 39 5 SO CLOSE NOTD, Felix Jaehn & Captain Cuts featuring Georgia Ku 67350
57 18 6 SOS Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc 106400
59 35 6 PIECE OF YOUR HEART Meduza featuring GOODBOYS 91700
60 48 4 LOVE IS ON THE LINE Jack Savoretti 40600
63 2 14 365 Zedd & Katy Perry 600150
65 46 5 MAIN TITLE (GAME OF THRONES) Ramin Djawadi 52400
68 52 4 YOU SAY Lauren Daigle 36150
71 37 2 SECRET LOVE (133950) Doris Day 22800
73 3 14 BEST 54 (ALL GOOD NOW) Jungle 589800

 

19th May 2019

It’s a huge climb of 58 places for the Eurovision winner from Duncan Laurence – I didn’t actually know it was entered last week, oops, I just liked it! Arcade is the highest climb to the top for ages, and also the first Eurovision song to top for 5 years and the first winner to top since 2010. An actual great Coldplay-ish song, and deserved winner for The Netherlands who topped my chart in 1975 with Ding A Dong (Teach-In). Elsewhere there’s a Eurovision invasion, I’ve had to expand my charts to 80 to cope with the huge influx of new tracks and not enough dropping out. Keiino won the popular vote and enter at 3 for Norway, Australia did an amazing performance and are at 6, and Azerbaijan as always put their oil money where their music mouth is and buy in another great pop song, in at 8. That all means Mark Ronson stays at 2, and a bunch of hot tracks are kicked out of the 10.

Sam Bluer rockets into the 20, an old early 70’s soul fave has made the itunes chart (I’ve no idea why but it gives me an excuse to finally chart it 20-odd years after I’d come across it on US oldies stations): Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose’s Too Late To Turn Back Now, in at 31. Madonna gets 2 new entries, fresh from her Eurovision performance of Future, in at 34, and I Rise at 67. A one-time popular pop star plugging his greatest hits said this week that Madonna would do anything for money, as criticism of her turning up in Israel. 1. No she doesn’t, you dont catch her doing TV adverts for cash like many I could mention 2. You can rely on Madonna to be controversial and make political or social comments ESPECIALLY if she’s told not to do something 3. It’s a music competition, slag off her, slag off every country for taking part, and every performer, or accept it’s supposed to be above politics as sporting events are.

Lana Del Ray is back with a rewrite of the classic Summertime, a George Gershwin cover hit for Fun Boy Three in 1983, and dating back to 1934 and the definitive Billie Holliday version sometime after. The number of ancient songs in my chart just grows, not least the 60’s Jimmy Fortuna song heavily unnoficially reworked by Offer Nissim in at 54! Highasakite are back after a gap of a few years, Pnau also return as Empire Of The Sun hang on to a top 20 spot, spot the connection! Finally, Elton has a film soundtrack duet with Taron Egerton to go with Taron’s climbing Rocket Man cover.

1 59 1 2 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 180100
2 2 2 5 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 320200
3 NEW 3 1 SPIRIT IN THE SKY Keiino 85000
4 7 4 4 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 141400
5 1 1 5 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 489000
6 NEW 6 1 ZERO GRAVITY Kate Miller-Heidke 55000
7 14 7 2 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 79000
8 NEW 8 1 TRUTH (RADIO EDIT) Chingiz 48000
9 9 9 3 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 97500
10 3 3 4 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 239000

11 4 1 5 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 475000
12 8 8 4 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 98700
13 5 5 2 BLACK HILLS OF DAKOTA Doris Day & Howard Keel 92000
14 6 6 5 NEVERMIND Dennis Lloyd 194000
15 15 15 3 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 64600
16 20 16 3 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 63000
17 10 10 7 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 155850
18 19 18 3 AS LONG AS I HAVE TO Vargas & Lagola 62000
19 58 19 2 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 31200
20 13 1 11 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 754000

21 36 21 4 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 64250
22 26 22 5 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 79900
23 11 11 9 PATIENCE Tame Impala 186650
24 18 18 5 OLD TOWN ROAD Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus 101200
25 29 25 2 MOVE OVER DARLING Doris Day 36950
26 28 26 6 SHOW ME ABC 81250
27 12 3 11 KIND OF LOVE Rat City featuring Isak Heim 489500
28 40 28 3 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR (EDIT) Georgia 42300
29 32 29 4 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 60300
30 33 30 5 RAINBOW Kacey Musgraves 47900

31 NEW 31 1 TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose 17900
32 42 32 6 DATE STAMP ABC 61850
33 34 33 3 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 46550
34 NEW 34 1 FUTURE Madonna & Quavo 17600
35 17 7 11 OCEAN EYES Billie Eilish 272100
36 16 5 11 STUFF LIKE THAT Bananarama 319900
37 NEW 37 1 DOIN’ TIME Lana Del Ray 17300
38 22 22 6 BORDERLINE Tame Impala 91800
39 56 39 2 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 27700
40 21 1 8 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 765750

41 24 15 6 WEDDING BELL BLUES Morrissey featuring Billie Joe Armstrong & Lydia Night 124500
42 23 11 9 FEEL THE SAME Olly Murs featuring Nile Rodgers 196000
43 NEW 43 1 FREE TO GO Seeb & Highasakite 13500
44 NEW 44 1 FOCUS ON ME MARUV 13250
45 25 25 6 HUSTLE P!nk 104950
46 61 46 3 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 25650
47 54 47 3 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 33500
48 27 6 11 YOU BELONG TO ME Cat Pierce 459700
49 NEW 49 1 REPLAY Tamta 12100
50 31 1 8 JACKIE Scott Walker 568900

51 38 38 5 THINK OF ME The Veronicas 59800
52 41 7 11 DON’T CALL ME UP Mabel 230100
53 39 39 5 SO CLOSE NOTD, Felix Jaehn & Captain Cuts featuring Georgia Ku 67350
54 NEW 54 1 EL MUNDO Offer Nissim Presents Jimmy Fontana 11000
55 71 55 2 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 16600
56 60 56 2 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 20600
57 30 18 6 SOS Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc 106400
58 NEW 58 1 SOLID GOLD PNAU featuring Kira Divine & Marques Toliver 10200
59 35 35 6 PIECE OF YOUR HEART Meduza featuring GOODBOYS 91700
60 48 48 4 LOVE IS ON THE LINE Jack Savoretti 40600

61 63 61 2 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 14700
62 62 62 5 ONE STEP BEYOND Madness 35400
63 44 2 14 365 Zedd & Katy Perry 600150
64 64 64 2 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 14200
65 46 46 5 MAIN TITLE (GAME OF THRONES) Ramin Djawadi 52400
66 NEW 66 1 LET ME KNOW (RADIO EDIT) Roisin Murphy 6800
67 NEW 67 1 I RISE Madonna 6600
68 65 52 4 YOU SAY Lauren Daigle 36150
69 70 69 2 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 12200
70 55 1 12 AMERICAN GENERATION The Ritchie Family 446550

71 37 37 2 SECRET LOVE Doris Day 22800
72 72 72 3 VENUS Shocking Blue 16800
73 47 3 14 BEST 54 (ALL GOOD NOW) Jungle 589800
74 74 74 2 SOFIA Alvaro Soler 10400
75 NEW 75 1 SHE GOT ME Luca Hanni 5000
76 NEW 76 1 STORM Victor Crone 4800
77 NEW 77 1 (I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN Elton John & Taron Egerton 4600
78 NEW 78 1 LIKE IT ZENA 4400
79 NEW 79 1 NAKED ALONE L Devine & INDIIA 4200
80 NEW 80 1 SOLDI Mahmood 4000

DROP OUTS
43 25 4 FEELINGS John Newman 61150
45 1 12 YOUR EX Paloma Faith 635300
49 12 10 OLD WILD MEN 10cc 142800
50 50 3 SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP (352900) The Kinks 35500
51 28 7 MY SHIP IS COMING IN The Walker Brothers 90300
52 9 10 SUCKER Jonas Brothers 275850
53 16 6 STRETCH Louise 103450
57 57 2 COME AND GET YOUR LOVE (729000) Redbone 20600
66 10 13 TALK Khalid & Disclosure 349000
67 67 1 WHATEVER WILL BE, WILL BE (QUE SERA, SERA Doris Day 6600
68 68 3 LE FREAK (12” MIX) (672200) Chic 17800
69 39 4 YOU AND I LEON 48900
73 1 10 IT’S OVER Morrissey featuring LP 529700
75 75 1 ALL THIS LOVE Robin Schulz featuring Harloe 5000

 

 

12th May 2019

It’s a first week on top for Madonna & Maluma, ahead of her Eurovision appearance, with the fab latin rhythms of Medellin, which came swanning out of speakers by my gloriously sunny and hot hotel pool in Gran Canaria last week. How appropriate! Hence the lateness of this chart. That becomes Madonna’s first number one in 4 years, and her 20th in total, her oldest track to top my chart being 1984’s Holiday, though the first was 1986’s Papa Don’t Preach.

As yet another legend passes away, the 97-year-old movie star fave Doris Day – who I was watching in a movie musicals bar only days before – enters with 4 tracks that meant the most to me, largely from Calamity Jane or Move Over Darling (my fave movies of hers), the highest being the debut for Black Hills Of Dakota at 5. Move Over Darling topped my charts in 1987. With the 40’s Harry James at 3, and Doris’ 50’s track at 5, and the Raleigh Ritchie’s featured 30’s sounding sample at 4, it’s easily the oldest top 5 ever for me, and bung in 60-year-old Madonna as well, a positive youngster compared to Doris!

The top end of the chart gets frantic as loads of great new tracks take my fancy, headed by Springsteen’s first top 10 in a few years, Florence + The Machine’s haunting Game Of Thrones song taking her back into the top 10 for a 10th occasion in 10 years, and Hot Chip getting a second top 10 11 years late. Bruce ‘n’ Flo have both topped my charts previously. Highest new track is Caravan Palace with a very naughty video at 14, fab, and a massive climb into the 20 for Kylie – never far away from my charts since 1988 – and New York City.

Noel Gallagher goes top 40, Georgia gets a biggie climb for a second top 40 in a row, Purple Disco Machine debut with a Funkytown-ish funk-out, the first Eurovision song this year pops in at 59, Gesaffelstein (bless you!), Pharrell, Two-Door Cinema Club all return at the lower end, Pharrell will be knocking on 16 years with his NERD debut, Billie Eilish yet again gets 2 in the chart simultaneously, and a former Buzzjack song that I heard on my hols also pops in at 74.

1 2 1 4 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 429000
2 4 2 4 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 205200
3 3 3 3 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 197000
4 1 1 4 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 438000
5 NEW 5 1 BLACK HILLS OF DAKOTA Doris Day & Howard Keel 60000
6 6 6 4 NEVERMIND Dennis Lloyd 165000
7 20 7 3 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 76400
8 59 8 3 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 63700
9 61 9 2 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 52500
10 16 10 6 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 132850

11 17 11 8 PATIENCE Tame Impala 167400
12 5 3 10 KIND OF LOVE Rat City featuring Isak Heim 471100
13 10 1 10 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 734000
14 NEW 14 1 MIRACLE Caravan Palace 29000
15 56 15 2 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 37600
16 8 5 10 STUFF LIKE THAT Bananarama 302500
17 7 7 10 OCEAN EYES Billie Eilish 254600
18 19 18 4 OLD TOWN ROAD Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus 82200
19 24 19 2 AS LONG AS I HAVE TO Vargas & Lagola 40000
20 30 20 2 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 38000

21 9 1 7 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 748750
22 22 22 5 BORDERLINE Tame Impala 74600
23 11 11 8 FEEL THE SAME Olly Murs featuring Nile Rodgers 182250
24 15 15 5 WEDDING BELL BLUES Morrissey featuring Billie Joe Armstrong & Lydia Night 110500
25 27 25 5 HUSTLE P!nk 91950
26 31 26 4 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 60400
27 14 6 10 YOU BELONG TO ME Cat Pierce 447400
28 32 28 5 SHOW ME ABC 62750
29 NEW 29 1 MOVE OVER DARLING Doris Day 18200
30 18 18 5 SOS Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc 96000

31 13 1 7 JACKIE Scott Walker 556900
32 35 32 3 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 42100
33 45 33 4 RAINBOW Kacey Musgraves 29900
34 53 34 2 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 28850
35 36 35 5 PIECE OF YOUR HEART Meduza featuring GOODBOYS 81600
36 39 36 3 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 44500
37 NEW 37 1 SECRET LOVE Doris Day 17300
38 46 38 4 THINK OF ME The Veronicas 48050
39 40 39 4 SO CLOSE NOTD, Felix Jaehn & Captain Cuts featuring Georgia Ku 56100
40 65 40 2 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR Georgia 24000

41 21 7 10 DON’T CALL ME UP Mabel 218600
42 47 42 5 DATE STAMP ABC 44050
43 25 25 4 FEELINGS John Newman 61150
44 33 2 13 365 Zedd & Katy Perry 592950
45 26 1 12 YOUR EX Paloma Faith 635300
46 51 46 4 MAIN TITLE (GAME OF THRONES) Ramin Djawadi 45400
47 37 3 13 BEST 54 (ALL GOOD NOW) Jungle 584400
48 49 48 3 LOVE IS ON THE LINE Jack Savoretti 30600
49 12 12 10 OLD WILD MEN 10cc 142800
50 50 50 3 SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP The Kinks 35500

51 28 28 7 MY SHIP IS COMING IN The Walker Brothers 90300
52 34 9 10 SUCKER Jonas Brothers 275850
53 29 16 6 STRETCH Louise 103450
54 60 54 2 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 21000
55 48 1 11 AMERICAN GENERATION The Ritchie Family 440550
56 NEW 56 1 BODY FUNK Purple Disco Machine 10600
57 58 57 2 COME AND GET YOUR LOVE Redbone 20600
58 NEW 58 1 BODY HIGH Sam Bluer 10200
59 NEW 59 1 ARCADE Duncan Laurence 10100
60 NEW 60 1 I DON’T CARE Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber 10000

61 73 61 2 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 12900
62 62 62 4 ONE STEP BEYOND Madness 28000
63 NEW 63 1 BLAST OFF Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams 7200
64 NEW 64 1 TALK (SINGLE EDIT) Two Door Cinema Club 7100
65 52 52 3 YOU SAY Lauren Daigle 29750
66 38 10 13 TALK Khalid & Disclosure 349000
67 NEW 67 1 WHATEVER WILL BE, WILL BE (QUE SERA, SERA Doris Day 6600
68 68 68 3 LE FREAK (12” MIX) Chic 17800
69 43 39 4 YOU AND I LEON 48900
70 NEW 70 1 BAD GUY Billie Eilish 6000

71 NEW 71 1 3 NIGHTS Dominic Fike 5800
72 72 72 2 VENUS Shocking Blue 11200
73 54 1 10 IT’S OVER Morrissey featuring LP 529700
74 NEW 74 1 SOFIA Alvaro Soler 5200
75 NEW 75 1 ALL THIS LOVE Robin Schulz featuring Harloe 5000

DROP OUTS
23 3 6 ROCK THE BOAT The Hues Corporation 317250
41 2 8 SPARROW Emeli Sande 436250
42 30 9 WE’RE THROUGH The Hollies 122950
44 37 6 HERE WITH ME Marshmello Featuring CHVRCHES 66800
55 36 4 DRUM Noa Kirel 62900
57 9 6 MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF The Walker Brothers 139500
63 13 9 NEVER COMIN DOWN Keith Urban 181400
64 28 9 CASIO Jungle 127100
66 47 9 SO AM I Ava Max 80300
67 51 5 COOL The Jonas Brothers 48450
69 56 5 KING JAMES Anderson .Paak 39200
70 70 2 SUMMER DAYS Martin Garrix featuring Macklemore & Patrick Stump pf Fall Out Boy 12000
71 71 2 LOVE ME ANYWAY P!nk featuring Chris Stapleton 11600
74 10 9 LIFTED Parker Bossley 187650
75 75 1 OVERKILL Motorhead 5000

 

 

5th March 2019

It’s a second week on top for Raleigh Ritchie’s lovely track which speaks to me as much as him, I expect – the sentiment is something I can relate to, being as my life is a rollercoaster of busy-ness interspersed with the odd bit of time doing charts. Just sitting and enjoying life gently passing by isn’t something I get to do much. Madonna is still at 2 for a second week and Harry James & Kitty Kallen shoot up to 3, which easily makes it the highest-placed charting track to predate the 1950’s, courtesy of Endgame’s closing credits.

Mark Ronson makes it 2 in a row top 10’s, and his 4th in total, Lykke Li getting her first, while Dennis Lloyd does the same. Bruce Springsteen leaps into the 20 in a single bound, his first top 20 charting track in 5 years, or his 10th in the last 20 years, and umpteenth since his first in 1975. Yes that one. Born To Run peaked outside the top 10 first time round but topped my chart in 2009. Vargas and Legoland get a second simultaneous top 30 as As Long As I Have To enters, while Selfish goes top 20, and a debut for New Hope Club at 30 outdoes more established acts entering like Noel Gallagher at 53, making 26 Oasisfestfilled years, Kylie in New York City – with some way to go to match T.Rex’s 1975 song of the same name – Redbone returning for a fourth run courtesy of Avengers again, one from 1974 and the rest from Marvel film boosts.

Kool & The Gang have never charted with Jungle Boogie, which is a bit surprising for a track and I knew at the time and quite liked, but then my chart was limited to a top 30 in those days – even Redbone only just scraped in, and turnover was fast to try and squeeze records in back in 1974. It’s also one of their best records and is currently getting blanket TV ad plays, much better than their bland disco phase that lasted for eternity. So, 27 years since they last charted, and 46 years since it was released, that would be impressive if Harry James wasn’t making it look quite recent in comparison.

It’s been 9 years since Hot Chip last charted, but they belatedly get their 6th some 13 years after their first, in at 61 with a funky workout, Georgia gets a second, Shocking Blue get a 3rd-time-round hit with a World Record Store vinyl release of Venus almost 50 years since the first time, Taron Egertin is about to star in the Fantasy Elton John biopic, and enters with Rocket Man, his second charting song (the first was in 2016 with Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark & Hugh Jackman, from the Eddie The eagle biopic spin-off album, Thrill Me), a former Elton chart-topper from 1972, and Motorhead return for a third WRS Day vinyl-pushed blowout with a spot of Overkill.

1 1 1 3 TIME IN A TREE Raleigh Ritchie 373000
2 2 2 3 MEDELLIN Madonna & Maluma 259000
3 15 3 2 IT’S BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME Harry James & His Orchestra & Kitty Kallen 112000
4 29 4 3 LATE NIGHT FEELINGS Mark Ronson featuring Lykke Li 90200
5 3 3 9 KIND OF LOVE Rat City featuring Isak Heim 436100
6 12 6 3 NEVERMIND Dennis Lloyd 110000
7 7 7 9 OCEAN EYES Billie Eilish 231600
8 5 5 9 STUFF LIKE THAT Bananarama 277500
9 4 1 6 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers 729000
10 6 1 9 CHRYSALIS Empire Of The Sun 702000

11 14 11 7 FEEL THE SAME Olly Murs featuring Nile Rodgers 163000
12 18 12 9 OLD WILD MEN 10cc 130700
13 10 1 6 JACKIE Scott Walker 539000
14 8 6 9 YOU BELONG TO ME Cat Pierce 429000
15 17 15 4 WEDDING BELL BLUES Morrissey 91500
16 32 16 5 SELFISH Vargas & Lagola 90850
17 20 17 7 PATIENCE Tame Impala 130400
18 21 18 4 SOS Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc 78000
19 19 19 3 OLD TOWN ROAD Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus 60200
20 68 20 2 HELLO SUNSHINE Bruce Springsteen 26400

21 11 7 9 DON’T CALL ME UP Mabel 204600
22 33 22 4 BORDERLINE Tame Impala 55100
23 9 3 6 ROCK THE BOAT The Hues Corporation 317250
24 NEW 24 1 AS LONG AS I HAVE TO Vargas & Lagola 19000
25 28 25 3 FEELINGS John Newman 47650
26 13 1 11 YOUR EX Paloma Faith 622300
27 27 27 4 HUSTLE P!nk 73200
28 35 28 6 MY SHIP IS COMING IN The Walker Brothers 78550
29 16 16 5 STRETCH Louise 92200
30 NEW 30 1 LOVE AGAIN New Hope Club 18000

31 34 31 3 LET ME DOWN SLOWLY Alec Benjamin featuring Alessia Cara 41900
32 46 32 4 SHOW ME ABC 44450
33 26 2 12 365 Zedd & Katy Perry 579700
34 22 9 9 SUCKER Jonas Brothers 264350
35 66 35 2 ALL DAY AND NIGHT Jax Jones, Martin Solveig (aka Europa) & Madison Beer 24300
36 38 36 4 PIECE OF YOUR HEART Meduza featuring GOODBOYS 64100
37 25 3 12 BEST 54 (ALL GOOD NOW) Jungle 571900
38 24 10 12 TALK Khalid & Disclosure 342200
39 60 39 2 ME! Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco 27100
40 50 40 3 SO CLOSE NOTD, Felix Jaehn & Captain Cuts featuring Georgia Ku 39000

41 23 2 8 SPARROW Emeli Sande 436250
42 30 30 9 WE’RE THROUGH The Hollies 122950
43 39 39 3 YOU AND I LEON 42700
44 37 37 6 HERE WITH ME Marshmello Featuring CHVRCHES 66800
45 58 45 3 RAINBOW Kacey Musgraves 29800
46 49 46 3 THINK OF ME The Veronicas 30850
47 62 47 4 DATE STAMP ABC 30300
48 43 1 10 AMERICAN GENERATION The Ritchie Family 429750
49 69 49 2 LOVE IS ON THE LINE Jack Savoretti 18300
50 52 50 2 SUPERSONIC ROCKETSHIP The Kinks 23500

51 55 51 3 MAIN TITLE (GAME OF THRONES) Ramin Djawadi 32650
52 53 52 2 YOU SAY Lauren Daigle 22750
53 NEW 53 1 BLACK STAR DANCING Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 11250
54 40 1 9 IT’S OVER Morrissey featuring LP 524300
55 36 36 4 DRUM Noa Kirel 62900
56 NEW 56 1 NEW YORK CITY Kylie Minogue 10600
57 31 9 6 MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF The Walker Brothers 139500
58 NEW 58 1 COME AND GET YOUR LOVE Redbone 10200
59 72 59 2 JENNY OF OLDSTONES (GAME OF THRONES) Florence + The Machine 15700
60 NEW 60 1 JUNGLE BOOGIE Kool & The Gang 10000

61 NEW 61 1 HUNGRY CHILD Hot Chip 7500
62 65 62 3 ONE STEP BEYOND Madness 20600
63 45 13 9 NEVER COMIN DOWN Keith Urban 181400
64 41 28 9 CASIO Jungle 127100
65 NEW 65 1 ABOUT WORK THE DANCEFLOOR Georgia 7000
66 47 47 9 SO AM I Ava Max 80300
67 51 51 5 COOL The Jonas Brothers 48450
68 75 68 2 LE FREAK (12” MIX) Chic 11400
69 56 56 5 KING JAMES Anderson .Paak 39200
70 70 70 2 SUMMER DAYS Martin Garrix featuring Macklemore & Patrick Stump pf Fall Out Boy 12000

71 71 71 2 LOVE ME ANYWAY P!nk featuring Chris Stapleton 11600
72 NEW 72 1 VENUS Shocking Blue 5600
73 NEW 73 1 ROCKET MAN Taron Egerton 5400
74 42 10 9 LIFTED Parker Bossley 187650
75 NEW 75 1 OVERKILL Motorhead 5000

DROP OUTS
44 39 8 THE BIRD SYML 87500
48 40 7 HURRICANES Dido 80650
54 13 8 WHAT MORE CAN I DO? Jack Savoretti 155100
57 14 10 WALK ME HOME P!nk 179900
59 14 11 COLD IN LA Why Don’t We 193200
61 5 8 SON OF MAN GG/06 aka 10cc (Kevin Godley & Graham Gouldman) featuring Hotlegs 220400
63 33 6 ALL THE SONGS Will Young 74850
64 2 14 SWAN SONG Dua Lipa 463900
67 64 4 JUST YOU AND I Tom Walker 25300
73 73 3 MIRACLE Alan Parsons featuring Jason Mraz 15800
74 21 9 KILLING MY TIME G-Flip 147350

 

My March 1987 Charts

3rd March 1987

It’s straight in on top for a remix of Children Of The Revolution as 1972 and 60’s nostalgia takes a firm hold on me in the absence of any new mighty classics. I missed Marc Bolan terribly by this time, and the record had under-performed first-time round, so now they get a 6th chart-topper keeping off Jackie Wilson’s 1972 big hit reissue of I Get The Sweetest Feeling as I got nostalgic for the music of my teens and childhood. Throw in The Beatles epic anniversary reissue of a previous chart-topper and that’s 80% of my top 5 oldies. I’ll be honest if Mental as Anything and The Jets were at 2 and 3 I would have been over-rating them, though Christians & a-ha have lost out as 4 and 5 would still have been too low..

Big Audio Dynamite rocket in at 27 as V13 is the highest new song, Cyndi covers Marvin Gaye quite nicely and is in at 35, and The Cult get a 3rd top 40. The Beastie Boys get a big climb into the 40, and the Rainmakers debut at 53 with a great song title (and song). Freddie Mercury goes solo again, as he put his heart on his sleeve with his choice of Platters cover – he really was telling the whole world what he had, but no-one realised. Erasure return quickly, and it’s a hugely welcome return from the fab Labi Siffre, absent since 1972, although Madness had made a big hit of his gorgeous It Must Be Love in 1981, 10 years on. This time it’s a South African political commentary, and powerful with it.

1 ( NEW ) CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION ’87 T.Rex
2 ( NEW ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING Jackie Wilson
3 ( 2 ) I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) Aretha Franklin & George Michael
4 ( 1 ) STAND BY ME Ben E. King
5 ( NEW ) PENNY LANE/STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
6 ( 6 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
7 ( 3 ) WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN Percy Sledge
8 ( 8 ) CRUSH ON YOU The Jets
9 ( 4 ) FORGOTTEN TOWN The Christians
10 ( 27 ) MANHATTAN SKYLINE a-ha

11 ( 7 ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
12 ( 5 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY The Blow Monkeys
13 ( 9 ) MISSIONARY MAN Eurythmics
14 ( 26 ) MALE STRIPPER Man 2 Man Meet Parrish
15 ( 15 ) SKIN TRADE Duran Duran
16 ( 11 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD The Communards
17 ( 23 ) SONIC BOOM BOY Westworld
18 ( 18 ) SOUL MAN Lou Reed and Sam Moore
19 ( 10 ) DOWN TO EARTH Curiosity Killed The Cat
20 ( 13 ) BEST KEPT SECRET China Crisis

21 ( 12 ) YOU SEXY THING (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX) Hot Chocolate
22 ( 14 ) ALMAZ Randy Crawford
23 ( 32 ) THE RIGHT THING Simply Red
24 ( 29 ) SHIP OF FOOLS World Party
25 ( 16 ) FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT (GOTTA WEAR SHADES) Timbuk 3
26 ( 17 ) YOU DON’T KNOW Berlin
27 ( NEW ) V13 Big Audio Dynamite
28 ( 20 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil
29 ( 19 ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY Vesta Williams
30 ( 22 ) NO MORE THE FOOL Elkie Brooks

31 ( 21 ) MAGIC SMILE Rosie Vela
32 ( 59 ) (YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY The Beastie Boys
33 ( 36 ) A TRICK OF THE NIGHT Bananarama
34 ( 46 ) RUNNING IN THE FAMILY Level 42
35 ( NEW ) WHAT’S GOING ON Cyndi Lauper
36 ( 28 ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
37 ( 24 ) SOMETHING IN MY HOUSE Dead Or Alive
38 ( NEW ) LOVE REMOVAL MACHINE The Cult
39 ( 54 ) PLEASE YOURSELF The Big Supreme
40 ( 53 ) HOW MANY LIES Spandau Ballet

41 ( 39 ) STAY OUT OF MY LIFE Five Star
42 ( 25 ) BEHIND THE MASK Eric Clapton
43 ( 50 ) FREE TO FALL Debbie Harry
44 ( 37 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
45 ( 73 ) RESPECTABLE Mel & Kim
46 ( 70 ) DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES Paul Simon
47 ( 69 ) RESPECT YOURSELF Bruce Willis
48 ( 33 ) REAL WILD CHILD (WILD ONE) Iggy Pop
49 ( 57 ) STILL THE SAME Slade
50 ( 75 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Boy George

51 ( 34 ) THIS WHEELS ON FIRE Siouxsie & The Banshees
52 ( 49 ) HUMAN Human League
53 ( NEW ) LET MY PEOPLE GOGO The Rainmakers
54 ( 31 ) I LOVE MY RADIO Taffy
55 ( 55 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
56 ( 30 ) HEARTACHE Pepsi & Shirlie
57 ( 41 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
58 ( 58 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
59 ( 35 ) ROCK THE NIGHT Europe
60 ( 56 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin

61 ( 48 ) CANDY Cameo
62 ( 64 ) GOOD TO GO LOVER Gwen Guthrie
63 ( 52 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
64 ( 72 ) WHEN LOVE COMES CALLING Paul Johnson
65 ( 63 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
66 ( 66 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
67 ( 71 ) HAVE YOU EVER LOVED SOMEBODY Freddie Jackson
68 ( 68 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
69 ( 38 ) LOVE LIKE A ROCKET Bob Geldof
70 ( 51 ) REET PETITE Jackie Wilson

71 ( NEW ) I GOT THE FEELING (IT’S OVER) Gregory Abbott
72 ( NEW ) THE GREAT PRETENDER Freddie Mercury
73 ( NEW ) (SOMETHING INSIDE) SO STRONG Labi Siffre
74 ( 40 ) SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD UNITE The Smiths
75 ( NEW ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE Erasure

PLAYIST OLDIES

1 CITY LIGHTS David Essex
2 THESE DREAMS Heart
3 OH PEOPLE Patti Labelle

 

 

10th March 1987

It’s yet another oldie on top as they take turns, The Beatles replacing T.Rex with their 1967 classic double A that last topped my charts in 1976. Cyndi lauper joins the oldies vibe rocketing up to 10 with her Marvin Gaye cover, making only 3 of the top 10 actually being released on single in 1987 as new songs. Talking of oldies, Boy George shoots into the 20 with his Ken Boothe cover of his reggae cover of the Bread ballad. The Beastie Boys launch nicely into my top 20. Now I may be wrong, and stand to be corrected (if I spot one one day) but this was their one and only top 20 track I think, for me. Mel & Kim get a respectable leap into the 30, Prince enters at 26 with one of his very greatest tracks, Sign O’ The Times – though the line about the rocketship exploding as if the Challenger disaster was in some way responsible for the world’s ills still bugs me.

Bruce Willis also gets a respect-able top 40 climb, as his TV show theme enters at 38 for Al Jarreau – far and away the best hour-long US TV show of the time (hard to call it drama, except during that turgid 3rd season) – and The Rainmakers Let My People Go Go at 31. Alison Moyet enters at 34 with one she didn’t bother doing when I saw her the other week, a goodie regardless, Iggy Pop shades himself lower down the chart, Nick Kamen jumps on the classic soul cover bandwagon (Four Tops), Berlin get a 3rd hit and a 3rd in the chart simultaneously. That won’t last, mark my words! Frankie taper out watching wildlife, Billy Idol starts a good year for him with a good single 9 years on from Generation X, Tina Turner shoves out another album track single, and Genesis do the same.

1 ( 5 ) PENNY LANE/STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
2 ( 2 ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING Jackie Wilson
3 ( 4 ) STAND BY ME Ben E. King
4 ( 3 ) I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) Aretha Franklin & George Michael
5 ( 1 ) CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION ’87 T.Rex
6 ( 6 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
7 ( 7 ) WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN Percy Sledge
8 ( 9 ) FORGOTTEN TOWN The Christians
9 ( 10 ) MANHATTAN SKYLINE a-ha
10 ( 35 ) WHAT’S GOING ON Cyndi Lauper

11 ( 24 ) SHIP OF FOOLS World Party
12 ( 14 ) MALE STRIPPER Man 2 Man Meet Parrish
13 ( 17 ) SONIC BOOM BOY Westworld
14 ( 50 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Boy George
15 ( 15 ) SKIN TRADE Duran Duran
16 ( 8 ) CRUSH ON YOU The Jets
17 ( 13 ) MISSIONARY MAN Eurythmics
18 ( 12 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY The Blow Monkeys
19 ( 27 ) V THIRTEEN Big Audio Dynamite
20 ( 32 ) (YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY The Beastie Boys

21 ( 11 ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
22 ( 23 ) THE RIGHT THING Simply Red
23 ( 16 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD ’87 The Communards
24 ( 34 ) RUNNING IN THE FAMILY Level 42
25 ( 45 ) RESPECTABLE Mel & Kim
26 ( NEW ) SIGN O’ THE TIMES Prince
27 ( 47 ) RESPECT YOURSELF Bruce Willis
28 ( 38 ) LOVE REMOVAL MACHINE The Cult
29 ( 20 ) BEST KEPT SECRET China Crisis
30 ( 33 ) A TRICK OF THE NIGHT Bananarama

31 ( 53 ) LET MY PEOPLE GOGO The Rainmakers
32 ( 21 ) YOU SEXY THING (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX) Hot Chocolate
33 ( 18 ) SOUL MAN Lou Reed and Sam Moore
34 ( NEW ) WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY Alison Moyet
35 ( 19 ) DOWN TO EARTH Curiosity Killed The Cat
36 ( 22 ) ALMAZ Randy Crawford
37 ( 39 ) PLEASE YOURSELF The Big Supreme
38 ( NEW ) MOONLIGHTING Al Jarreau
39 ( 46 ) DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES Paul Simon
40 ( 28 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil

41 ( 25 ) FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT (GOTTA WEAR SHADES) Timbuk 3
42 ( 26 ) YOU DON’T KNOW Berlin
43 ( 43 ) FREE TO FALL Debbie Harry
44 ( 36 ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
45 ( NEW ) SHADES Iggy Pop
46 ( 30 ) NO MORE THE FOOL Elkie Brooks
47 ( 72 ) THE GREAT PRETENDER Freddie Mercury
48 ( 44 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
49 ( 63 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
50 ( 31 ) MAGIC SMILE Rosie Vela

51 ( 29 ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY Vesta Williams
52 ( 75 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE Erasure
53 ( 55 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
54 ( 52 ) HUMAN Human League
55 ( 37 ) SOMETHING IN MY HOUSE Dead Or Alive
56 ( 67 ) HAVE YOU EVER LOVED SOMEBODY Freddie Jackson
57 ( NEW ) LOVING YOU IS SWEETER THAN EVER Nick Kamen
58 ( 58 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
59 ( 48 ) REAL WILD CHILD (WILD ONE) Iggy Pop
60 ( 64 ) WHEN LOVE COMES CALLING Paul Johnson

61 ( 40 ) HOW MANY LIES Spandau Ballet
62 ( 51 ) THIS WHEELS ON FIRE Siouxsie & The Banshees
63 ( 60 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin
64 ( 49 ) STILL THE SAME Slade
65 ( 71 ) I GOT THE FEELING (IT’S OVER) Gregory Abbott
66 ( 66 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
67 ( 65 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
68 ( 68 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
69 ( NEW ) LIKE FLAMES Berlin
70 ( NEW ) WATCHING THE WILDLIFE Frankie Goes To Hollywood

71 ( NEW ) DON’T NEED A GUN Billy Idol
72 ( 54 ) I LOVE MY RADIO Taffy
73 ( NEW ) WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE Tina Turner
74 ( 41 ) STAY OUT OF MY LIFE Five Star
75 ( NEW ) TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT Genesis

PLAYLISTED TRACKS OF THE WEEK
1 I’M INTO SOMETHING GOOD Herman’s Hermits
2 I’LL BE THERE The Jackson 5
3 HELL IN PARADISE Yoko Ono

 

 

17th March 1987

It’s another week, another oldie on top – this time Jackie Wilson makes it third time lucky after I get The Sweetest feeling peaked inside my top 10 in 1972 (4 years after it’s US chart-run), then top 30 in 1975, and finally peaking with a spiffy new video (there were no performances or videos for the track at all for either run). Percy Sledge goes back up to a new peak of 2, but it’s not all oldies, there’s a mass influx of new tracks, including many fab ones, the highest of which is a belated entry for La Isla Bonita (I’d already loved it for months but couldn’t chart it till it was released as a single, due to my daft chart rules), in at 4.

Mel & Kim get a second top 10, Prince an umpteenth with a big climb for his brilliant Sign O’ The Times, and The Beastie Boys also bring some life to a previously stagnant oldies-dominated top 10. Herb Alpert is the first of 2 Jam & Lewis entries, as they make the veteran trumpeter go all 80’s dance – not as unlikely as you might think if you bear in mind that he owned the label Janet Jackson was signed to, who also appears on Herb’s album, and new in at 74 with a Jam & Lewis ballad. That’s Herb’s first chart entry in 7 years and a chart run of 19 years almost (he was high in my first chart in 1968 with This Guy’s In Love).

Aretha’s back with a solo, for 2 in the chart, Ruby Turner covers Chicken Shack aka Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac 18 years on for I’d Rather Go Blind, and there’s a Magician popping up at 34 – from Scottish band Secession, a tune that sounds very familiar, the instrumental riff is SO Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, Ryuichi Sakamoto’s fab movie theme. Gary Moore’s back, still in rock mode (yawn) his much better Blues period coming in the 90’s. John Farnham gets a debut solo biggie, You’re The Voice on the way to being as big as his top 10 1979 Little River Band vocal for Lonesome Loser, which I bought on holiday in California with student friends after working most of the summer to pay for it.

U2 return with a classic..and I’m bizarrely under-whelmed. Think I was expecting another Pride, not a subdued starter. Club Nouveau enter with a danced-up cover of Bill Wither’s brilliant 1972 chart-topper Lean On Me. To be honest it’s not even as good as Mud’s pretty good cover from 1976. The Pretenders return for an 8th year, Lionel Richie for a 13th year (or 6th year solo), Lone Justice pop in with another forgotten goodie, and Wet Wet Wet take bottom rung with a perfect pop record, all tuneful, bouncy and wistful at the same time. Nothing they did was ever as good, as they decided warbling dreary ballads was the way forward (or godawful covers of 60’s songs), though when they showed restraint and a bit more class they could pull it off.

1 ( 2 ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING Jackie Wilson
2 ( 7 ) WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN Percy Sledge
3 ( 1 ) PENNY LANE/STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
4 ( NEW ) LA ISLA BONITA Madonna
5 ( 3 ) STAND BY ME Ben E. King
6 ( 10 ) WHAT’S GOING ON Cyndi Lauper
7 ( 25 ) RESPECTABLE Mel & Kim
8 ( 26 ) SIGN O’ THE TIMES Prince
9 ( 4 ) I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) Aretha Franklin & George Michael
10 ( 20 ) (YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY The Beastie Boys

11 ( 6 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
12 ( 13 ) SONIC BOOM BOY Westworld
13 ( 8 ) FORGOTTEN TOWN The Christians
14 ( 14 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Boy George
15 ( 27 ) RESPECT YOURSELF Bruce Willis
16 ( 9 ) MANHATTAN SKYLINE a-ha
17 ( 34 ) WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY Alison Moyet
18 ( 5 ) CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION ’87 T.Rex
19 ( 37 ) PLEASE YOURSELF The Big Supreme
20 ( 11 ) SHIP OF FOOLS World Party

21 ( 12 ) MALE STRIPPER Man 2 Man Meet Parrish
22 ( 31 ) LET MY PEOPLE GOGO The Rainmakers
23 ( 17 ) MISSIONARY MAN Eurythmics
24 ( NEW ) KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME Herb Alpert
25 ( 39 ) DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES Paul Simon
26 ( 16 ) CRUSH ON YOU The Jets
27 ( 21 ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
28 ( 15 ) SKIN TRADE Duran Duran
29 ( 18 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY The Blow Monkeys
30 ( RE ) (SOMETHING INSIDE) SO STRONG Labi Siffre

31 ( 22 ) THE RIGHT THING Simply Red
32 ( 19 ) V THIRTEEN Big Audio Dynamite
33 ( 23 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD ’87 The Communards
34 ( NEW ) THE MAGICIAN Secession
35 ( 38 ) MOONLIGHTING Al Jarreau
36 ( 24 ) RUNNING IN THE FAMILY Level 42
37 ( 52 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE Erasure
38 ( 57 ) LOVING YOU IS SWEETER THAN EVER Nick Kamen
39 ( 32 ) YOU SEXY THING (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX) Hot Chocolate
40 ( 47 ) THE GREAT PRETENDER Freddie Mercury

41 ( 49 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
42 ( NEW ) SEVERINA The Mission
43 ( 71 ) DON’T NEED A GUN Billy Idol
44 ( NEW ) JIMMY LEE Aretha Franklin
45 ( 69 ) LIKE FLAMES Berlin
46 ( NEW ) I’D RATHER GO BLIND Ruby Turner
47 ( 36 ) ALMAZ Randy Crawford
48 ( 40 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil
49 ( 70 ) WATCHING THE WILDLIFE Frankie Goes To Hollywood
50 ( 73 ) WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE Tina Turner

51 ( 29 ) BEST KEPT SECRET China Crisis
52 ( 48 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
53 ( 44 ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
54 ( 28 ) LOVE REMOVAL MACHINE The Cult
55 ( 53 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
56 ( 54 ) HUMAN Human League
57 ( 75 ) TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT Genesis
58 ( 35 ) DOWN TO EARTH Curiosity Killed The Cat
59 ( 46 ) NO MORE THE FOOL Elkie Brooks
60 ( 58 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross

61 ( 33 ) SOUL MAN Lou Reed and Sam Moore
62 ( NEW ) WILD FRONTIER Gary Moore
63 ( 30 ) A TRICK OF THE NIGHT Bananarama
64 ( NEW ) YOU’RE THE VOICE John Farnham
65 ( NEW ) WITH OR WITHOUT YOU U2
66 ( 45 ) SHADES Iggy Pop
67 ( 66 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
68 ( 68 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
69 ( NEW ) LEAN ON ME Club Nouveau
70 ( 67 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna

71 ( NEW ) MY BABY The Pretenders
72 ( NEW ) SELA Lionel Richie
73 ( NEW ) I FOUND LOVE Lone Justice
74 ( NEW ) LET’S WAIT AWHILE Janet Jackson
75 ( NEW ) WISHING I WAS LUCKY Wet Wet Wet

Playlist oldies of the week
1 NO FEAR NO HATE NO PAIN Eurythmics
2 HOUND DOG Elvis Presley
3 KITES Simon Dupree & The Big Sound

50’s 60’s 80’s this week. I always did like oldies, even ones older than me laugh.gif

 

 

24th March 2019

It’s 2 weeks on top for Jackie Wilson as he also tops my playlist of the week with his next single and future chart-topper. Oops gave it away! Madonna hits 2, Bruce Willis gets his only top 10 single, Alison Moyet adds to her list of top 10’s about 8 or 9 to date, and obscure band Secession leap up to 9, hoho that’s Magic! Herb Alpert is top 20, Billy Idol shoots his gun straight into the 20 from outside the 40, his 4th or 5th, Club Nouveau do even better, from doing a 69 they make Lean On Me a third-time top 20 song.

Labi Siffre gets his first top 20 in 15 years, hooray! Highest new entry starts a theme of cover versions, this time charity record Let It Be, The Beatles former twice-chart-topper, from Ferry Aid, while Siouxsie does another cover, Iggy Pop this time (The Passenger), and Fine Young cannibals radically rework Buzzcocks, not so much punk as funk. Dead Or Aliove get the highest new song, keeping the run of success going at 47 with Hooked On Love (at least here if not the UK charts). Janet Jackson gets a huge leap into the top 40, not content to wait awhile at all, Peter Gabriel does a funked up Big Time clone follow-up to his classic Sledgehammer, David Grant keeps his 7-year run going on diminishing returns, ditto The Thompson Twins 4-year-run, Jaki Graham’s 2-year-run, and Smokey Robinson has a come-back after being away a few years, to extend his run to 18 years. Most significant debut, though, is Terence Trent D’Arby one of the key egos, I mean key acts, sorry, of 1987. If You Let Me Stay was a goodie and set him up to be an albums success to boot.

1 ( 1 ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING Jackie Wilson
2 ( 4 ) LA ISLA BONITA Madonna
3 ( 3 ) PENNY LANE/STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
4 ( 7 ) RESPECTABLE Mel & Kim
5 ( 8 ) SIGN O’ THE TIMES Prince
6 ( 5 ) STAND BY ME Ben E. King
7 ( 15 ) RESPECT YOURSELF Bruce Willis
8 ( 17 ) WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY Alison Moyet
9 ( 34 ) THE MAGICIAN Secession
10 ( 2 ) WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN Percy Sledge

11 ( 6 ) WHAT’S GOING ON Cyndi Lauper
12 ( 24 ) KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME Herb Alpert
13 ( 13 ) FORGOTTEN TOWN The Christians
14 ( 10 ) (YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY The Beastie Boys
15 ( 9 ) I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) Aretha Franklin & George Michael
16 ( 43 ) DON’T NEED A GUN Billy Idol
17 ( 22 ) LET MY PEOPLE GOGO The Rainmakers
18 ( 69 ) LEAN ON ME Club Nouveau
19 ( 30 ) (SOMETHING INSIDE) SO STRONG Labi Siffre
20 ( 11 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything

21 ( 14 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Boy George
22 ( 16 ) MANHATTAN SKYLINE a-ha
23 ( 19 ) PLEASE YOURSELF The Big Supreme
24 ( NEW ) LET IT BE Ferry Aid
25 ( 18 ) CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION ’87 T.Rex
26 ( 37 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE Erasure
27 ( 12 ) SONIC BOOM BOY Westworld
28 ( 27 ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
29 ( 44 ) JIMMY LEE Aretha Franklin
30 ( 42 ) SEVERINA The Mission

31 ( 21 ) MALE STRIPPER Man 2 Man Meet Parrish
32 ( 74 ) LET’S WAIT AWHILE Janet Jackson
33 ( 23 ) MISSIONARY MAN Eurythmics
34 ( 40 ) THE GREAT PRETENDER Freddie Mercury
35 ( 38 ) LOVING YOU IS SWEETER THAN EVER Nick Kamen
36 ( 20 ) SHIP OF FOOLS World Party
37 ( 45 ) LIKE FLAMES Berlin
38 ( 46 ) I’D RATHER GO BLIND Ruby Turner
39 ( 26 ) CRUSH ON YOU The Jets
40 ( 49 ) WATCHING THE WILDLIFE Frankie Goes To Hollywood

41 ( 36 ) RUNNING IN THE FAMILY Level 42
42 ( 65 ) WITH OR WITHOUT YOU U2
43 ( 64 ) YOU’RE THE VOICE John Farnham
44 ( 39 ) YOU SEXY THING (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX) Hot Chocolate
45 ( 35 ) MOONLIGHTING Al Jarreau
46 ( 50 ) WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE Tina Turner
47 ( NEW ) HOOKED ON LOVE Dead Or Alive
48 ( 33 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD ’87 The Communards
49 ( 29 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY The Blow Monkeys
50 ( NEW ) THE PASSENGER Siouxsie & The Banshees

51 ( 31 ) THE RIGHT THING Simply Red
52 ( 57 ) TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT Genesis
53 ( 41 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
54 ( 51 ) BEST KEPT SECRET China Crisis
55 ( 55 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
56 ( 52 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
57 ( 28 ) SKIN TRADE Duran Duran
58 ( 53 ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
59 ( 56 ) HUMAN Human League
60 ( NEW ) EVER FALLEN IN LOVE Fine Young Cannibals

61 ( 25 ) DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES Paul Simon
62 ( NEW ) BIG TIME Peter Gabriel
63 ( 60 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
64 ( 71 ) MY BABY The Pretenders
65 ( NEW ) TAKE US BACK David Grant
66 ( 72 ) SELA Lionel Richie
67 ( 47 ) ALMAZ Randy Crawford
68 ( 68 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
69 ( NEW ) IF YOU LET ME STAY Terence Trent D’Arby
70 ( 67 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!

71 ( 48 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil
72 ( NEW ) JUST TO SEE HER Smokey Robinson
73 ( 70 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
74 ( NEW ) STILL IN LOVE Jaki Graham
75 ( NEW ) GET THAT LOVE The Thompson Twins

Oldies Playlist
1 HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson
2 ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald
3 WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER Timmy Thomas

 

 

31st March 1987

It’s 3 weeks on top for the late Jackie Wilson as Prince threatens to get his first chart-topper at 2 with the awesome Sign ‘O The Times. Billy Idol gets a 5th top 10, and Hot Choc remix their 1978 terrific riff-laden Winner back in at 8, top 10 for the second time. Ferry Aid means one Beatle song in, one out, of the 10 and Herb Alpert gets his 3rd top 10, one for each decade.

Rod Stewart brings Sailing back into the 20 for the 3rd time, I have no idea why, Tina Turner goes top 40, and Fleetwood Mac drop the first single to their great comeback album Tango In The Night, Big Love at 28. Boy George’s version of Ken Boothe’s cover of Bread’s Everything I Own plummets, as Ken enters at 29 13 years on. U2 finally go top 40, Peter Gabriel grabs another shot at the Big Time too, and FYC return all Buzzcocky, Siouxsie rides along, and The Pretenders also go top 40 for a very much ’78/’79 theme, along with The Whispers coming back new at 48 with 1980 top 10 And The Beat Goes On.

Future 90’s oldie smash, Crazy, from Patsy Cline enters at 50 20-odd years after she died in a plane crash, following a terrific vintage clip on The Tube I think, and veteran 60’s World Music star charter Hugh Masekela is also back with new material keeping the anti-apartheid theme strong in the chart. That leaves Kool & The Gang sneaking in for a last time (probably) and The Stranglers Shakin’ Life A Leaf, probably for the same reason.

1 ( 1 ) I GET THE SWEETEST FEELING Jackie Wilson
2 ( 5 ) SIGN O’ THE TIMES Prince
3 ( 7 ) RESPECT YOURSELF Bruce Willis
4 ( 2 ) LA ISLA BONITA Madonna
5 ( 4 ) RESPECTABLE Mel & Kim
6 ( 8 ) WEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF BEAUTY Alison Moyet
7 ( 16 ) DON’T NEED A GUN Billy Idol
8 ( NEW ) EVERYONE’S A WINNER (REMIX) Hot Chocolate
9 ( 24 ) LET IT BE Ferry Aid
10 ( 12 ) KEEP YOUR EYE ON ME Herb Alpert

11 ( 11 ) WHAT’S GOING ON Cyndi Lauper
12 ( 3 ) PENNY LANE/STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER The Beatles
13 ( 6 ) STAND BY ME Ben E. King
14 ( 18 ) LEAN ON ME Club Nouveau
15 ( 19 ) (SOMETHING INSIDE) SO STRONG Labi Siffre
16 ( 17 ) LET MY PEOPLE GOGO The Rainmakers
17 ( 9 ) THE MAGICIAN Secession
18 ( 13 ) FORGOTTEN TOWN The Christians
19 ( NEW ) SAILING Rod Stewart
20 ( 30 ) SEVERINA The Mission

21 ( 10 ) WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN Percy Sledge
22 ( 15 ) I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) Aretha Franklin & George Michael
23 ( 26 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE Erasure
24 ( 32 ) LET’S WAIT AWHILE Janet Jackson
25 ( 46 ) WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE Tina Turner
26 ( 14 ) (YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO PARTY The Beastie Boys
27 ( 29 ) JIMMY LEE Aretha Franklin
28 ( NEW ) BIG LOVE Fleetwood Mac
29 ( NEW ) EVERYTHING I OWN Ken Boothe
30 ( 20 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything

31 ( 42 ) WITH OR WITHOUT YOU U2
32 ( 62 ) BIG TIME Peter Gabriel
33 ( 35 ) LOVING YOU IS SWEETER THAN EVER Nick Kamen
34 ( 31 ) MALE STRIPPER Man 2 Man Meet Parrish
35 ( 36 ) SHIP OF FOOLS World Party
36 ( 25 ) CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION ’87 T.Rex
37 ( 22 ) MANHATTAN SKYLINE a-ha
38 ( 60 ) EVER FALLEN IN LOVE Fine Young Cannibals
39 ( 64 ) MY BABY The Pretenders
40 ( 50 ) THE PASSENGER Siouxsie & The Banshees

41 ( 28 ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
42 ( 43 ) YOU’RE THE VOICE John Farnham
43 ( 33 ) MISSIONARY MAN Eurythmics
44 ( 38 ) I’D RATHER GO BLIND Ruby Turner
45 ( 27 ) SONIC BOOM BOY Westworld
46 ( 69 ) IF YOU LET ME STAY Terence Trent D’Arby
47 ( 47 ) HOOKED ON LOVE Dead Or Alive
48 ( NEW ) AND THE BEAT GOES ON The Whispers
49 ( 44 ) YOU SEXY THING (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX) Hot Chocolate
50 ( NEW ) CRAZY Patsy Cline

51 ( 21 ) EVERYTHING I OWN Boy George
52 ( 52 ) TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT Genesis
53 ( 23 ) PLEASE YOURSELF The Big Supreme
54 ( 39 ) CRUSH ON YOU The Jets
55 ( 55 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
56 ( 49 ) IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY The Blow Monkeys
57 ( 66 ) SELA Lionel Richie
58 ( 34 ) THE GREAT PRETENDER Freddie Mercury
59 ( 53 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
60 ( 56 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna

61 ( 59 ) HUMAN Human League
62 ( NEW ) BRING HIM BACK HOME Hugh Masekela
63 ( 63 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
64 ( 37 ) LIKE FLAMES Berlin
65 ( 65 ) TAKE US BACK David Grant
66 ( 48 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD ’87 The Communards
67 ( 54 ) BEST KEPT SECRET China Crisis
68 ( 40 ) WATCHING THE WILDLIFE Frankie Goes To Hollywood
69 ( 68 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
70 ( 72 ) JUST TO SEE HER Smokey Robinson

71 ( 75 ) GET THAT LOVE The Thompson Twins
72 ( RE ) WISHING I WAS LUCKY Wet Wet Wet
73 ( 73 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
74 ( NEW ) STONE LOVE Kool And The Gang
75 ( NEW ) SHAKIN’ LIKE A LEAF The Stranglers

FAVE OLDIES OF THE WEEK
1 THING Edwina Biglet & The Miglets
2 LOVING YOU AIN’T EASY Pagliaro
3 WEEKEND Alvin Stardust

My January 1987 Charts

chris n bev's wedding 1986 169

me with hairdo

6th January 1987

It’s 3 weeks on top for Madonna as Slade get a post-christmas high entry at 2, a new peak for the track 13 years late in one of it’s many festive appearances until I got so sick of it I can’t bear charting it any more. I’ve not gone mad, oldies only made my charts if they made the UK singles chart, at the time, and Slade sneaked in in the published charts over the Christmas period, so the delay is due to that.

Elkie Brooks gets her first top 10 since Sunshine After The Rain a decade earlier, David Cassidy has a live EP of his biggest 70’s UK singles enter at 17, and by this time I was well into 70’s nostalgia, the lead track turning out to be the under-appreciated (by me) version of How Can I Be Sure, now one of my all-time fave records and better even then Dusty’s version (the roiginal 1972 studio version that is, not this live cover).

Little Richard is back with his first ballad to make my charts, 30 years since his heyday predating me never mind my charts! Siouxsie covers This Wheel’s On Fire nicely, albeit not as classic as the original, for 9 years of hits, Swing Out Sister get a soundalike follow-up, UB40 change lead vocalist for the rat in the iamspamspamami Dead Or Alive keep the string of SAW-pop hits coming 2 years on, The Bangles sneak in with a lesser track, and Lou Reed covers Sam n Dave’s Soul Man, and brings along Sam to boot…

1 ( 1 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
2 ( NEW ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
3 ( 4 ) REET PETITE Jackie Wilson
4 ( 2 ) CANDY Cameo
5 ( 9 ) CARAVAN OF LOVE The Housemartins
6 ( 7 ) THE MIRACLE OF LOVE Eurythmics
7 ( 5 ) SO COLD THE NIGHT The Communards
8 ( 8 ) SOMETIMES Erasure
9 ( 15 ) NO MORE THE FOOL Elkie Brooks
10 ( 6 ) THE RAIN Oran ‘Juice’ Jones

11 ( 3 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
12 ( 14 ) CRY WOLF a-ha
13 ( 10 ) SHAKE YOU DOWN Gregory Abbott
14 ( 12 ) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN Europe
15 ( 11 ) LAND OF CONFUSION Genesis
16 ( 16 ) IS THIS LOVE Alison Moyet
17 ( NEW ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
18 ( 13 ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine
19 ( 19 ) THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE Paul Simon
20 ( 18 ) CHANGE OF HEART Cyndi Lauper

21 ( 17 ) THIS LOVE Bad Company
22 ( 21 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin
23 ( 25 ) YOU DON’T KNOW Berlin
24 ( 26 ) SANTA CLAUS IS ON THE DOLE Spitting Image
25 ( 29 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil
26 ( 27 ) BIG FUN The Gap Band
27 ( 32 ) IN MY LIFE Rod Stewart
28 ( 22 ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi
29 ( 33 ) REAL WILD CHILD Iggy Pop
30 ( 34 ) HYMN TO HER The Pretenders

31 ( 20 ) SLOW RIVERS Elton John & Cliff Richard
32 ( 47 ) BEHIND THE MASK Eric Clapton
33 ( 36 ) DREAMING Status Quo
34 ( 23 ) SHOWIN’ OUT (GET FRESH AT THE WEEKEND) Mel & Kim
35 ( 40 ) A SPACEMAN CAME TRAVELLING Chris De Burgh
36 ( 28 ) KEEP EACH OTHER WARM Bucks Fizz
37 ( 24 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
38 ( 38 ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman
39 ( 30 ) ONLY LOVE REMAINS Paul McCartney
40 ( 50 ) CROSS THAT BRIDGE The Ward Brothers

41 ( 41 ) HUMAN Human League
42 ( 42 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
43 ( 31 ) I WASN’T BORN YESTERDAY Daryl Hall
44 ( NEW ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
45 ( 35 ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens
46 ( NEW ) WHEELS ON FIRE Siouxsie & The Banshees
47 ( 39 ) FRENCH KISSING IN THE USA Debbie Harry
48 ( 55 ) YOU CAN DANCE Go Go Lorenzo
49 ( 46 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys
50 ( 65 ) OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY Gary Moore

51 ( 43 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Kim Wilde
52 ( 52 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
53 ( 45 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker
54 ( 60 ) BIG IN AMERICA The Stranglers
55 ( 48 ) (WAITING FOR) THE GHOST TRAIN Madness
56 ( 56 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
57 ( 71 ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY Vesta Williams
58 ( 49 ) WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles
59 ( NEW ) SURRENDER Swing Out Sister
60 ( 61 ) NO ROPE AS LONG AS TIME Latin Quarter

61 ( 54 ) IN THE ARMY NOW Status Quo
62 ( 44 ) STEP RIGHT UP Jaki Graham
63 ( 63 ) GOLDMINE The Pointer Sisters
64 ( 53 ) EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART Nick Kamen
65 ( 67 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
66 ( 58 ) THIS IS THE WORLD CALLING Bob Geldof
67 ( NEW ) RAT IN MI KITCHON UB40
68 ( 68 ) HE SAID LOVE Barclay james Harvest
69 ( 62 ) DANGER ZONE Kenny Loggins
70 ( NEW ) SOMETHING IN MY HOUSE Dead Or Alive

71 ( 51 ) I NEED YOUR LOVIN’ Human League
72 ( NEW ) WALKING DOWN YOUR STREET The Bangles
73 ( 72 ) RAIN OR SHINE Five Star
74 ( 74 ) BALLERINA GIRL Lionel Richie
75 ( NEW ) SOUL MAN Lou Reed and Sam Moore

6th Jan
PLAYIST OLDIES

1 ROCK AND ROLL (Live at the BIC) Gary Glitter
2 MY LITTLE LADY The Tremeloes
3 DEVIL GATE DRIVE Suzi Quatro

13th January 1987

It’s a first week on top for David Cassidy since 1972 when he had 2 of 3 chart-toppers with The Partridge Family, but my residual affection for his solo singles – none of them topped my chart – is enough for these lesser versions to top my chart in combination by way of compensation in particular for How Can I Be Sure which remains one of my tear-jerking singles in the original version, but which fell short of my top 10 at the time. a-ha keep the top 10’s coming, Paul Simon makes it 2 in a row for the first time in 14 years, and Alison Moyet gets a 4th solo or 7th in total.

A big climb for Siouxsie’s Wheel into the 20, Little Richard goes top 40, and Randy Crawford is the highest new entry 8 years since she had her Streetlife with The Crusaders debut a run of solo follow-ups. In at 44, it’s annoying Jacking sparking off – obviously I quite liked it at first, but it led to dross and this off-spin of House got annoying quickly. Steve Silk Hurley’s minute in the sun. At 53, it’s 5-years since her last hit so it must be Carly Simon: check out the dates: 1972/1977/1982/1987 are all debuts or comebacks regular as clockwork!

In at 58 it’s Drum Theatre who I think supported the Human League who I saw at the Poole Arts Centre (now The Lighthouse, despite not being any such thing) this week, which explains their tracks going back up, and my listing of my fave tracks that night (they were fab, despite me being quite high at the back and having to watch the girls legs only when they sang on a raised platform at the back of the stage) has a lovely co-incidence: Rock & Roll was my top Gary Glitter track the week before for his annual Xmas/New Year gig (it was always hits-packed party-time) and the same song was done good by Phil & co, the Human League being the current regular reliably fab hits-packed party time leading up to christmas most years for the last couple of decades. Happily you can still say you like the Human League.

1 ( 17 ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
2 ( 1 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
3 ( 3 ) REET PETITE Jackie Wilson
4 ( 5 ) CARAVAN OF LOVE The Housemartins
5 ( 4 ) CANDY Cameo
6 ( 9 ) NO MORE THE FOOL Elkie Brooks
7 ( 2 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
8 ( 12 ) CRY WOLF a-ha
9 ( 19 ) THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE Paul Simon
10 ( 16 ) IS THIS LOVE Alison Moyet

11 ( 7 ) SO COLD THE NIGHT The Communards
12 ( 6 ) THE MIRACLE OF LOVE Eurythmics
13 ( 8 ) SOMETIMES Erasure
14 ( 10 ) THE RAIN Oran ‘Juice’ Jones
15 ( 15 ) LAND OF CONFUSION Genesis
16 ( 29 ) REAL WILD CHILD Iggy Pop
17 ( 25 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil
18 ( 23 ) YOU DON’T KNOW Berlin
19 ( 46 ) WHEELS ON FIRE Siouxsie & The Banshees
20 ( 30 ) HYMN TO HER The Pretenders

21 ( 13 ) SHAKE YOU DOWN Gregory Abbott
22 ( 11 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
23 ( 26 ) BIG FUN The Gap Band
24 ( 44 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
25 ( 14 ) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN Europe
26 ( 18 ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine
27 ( 22 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin
28 ( 20 ) CHANGE OF HEART Cyndi Lauper
29 ( 40 ) CROSS THAT BRIDGE The Ward Brothers
30 ( 59 ) SURRENDER Swing Out Sister

31 ( 41 ) HUMAN Human League
32 ( 32 ) BEHIND THE MASK Eric Clapton
33 ( 33 ) DREAMING Status Quo
34 ( 21 ) THIS LOVE Bad Company
35 ( 27 ) IN MY LIFE Rod Stewart
36 ( NEW ) ALMAZ Randy Crawford
37 ( 28 ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi
38 ( 57 ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY Vesta Williams
39 ( 38 ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman
40 ( 50 ) OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY Gary Moore

41 ( 34 ) SHOWIN’ OUT (GET FRESH AT THE WEEKEND) Mel & Kim
42 ( 42 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
43 ( 24 ) SANTA CLAUS IS ON THE DOLE Spitting Image
44 ( NEW ) JACK YOUR BODY Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley
45 ( 45 ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens
46 ( 48 ) YOU CAN DANCE Go Go Lorenzo
47 ( 36 ) KEEP EACH OTHER WARM Bucks Fizz
48 ( 67 ) RAT IN MI KITCHON UB40
49 ( 31 ) SLOW RIVERS Elton John & Cliff Richard
50 ( 37 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush

51 ( 47 ) FRENCH KISSING IN THE USA Debbie Harry
52 ( 52 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
53 ( NEW ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
54 ( 49 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys
55 ( 74 ) BALLERINA GIRL Lionel Richie
56 ( 56 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
57 ( 39 ) ONLY LOVE REMAINS Paul McCartney
58 ( NEW ) EL DORADO Drum Theatre
59 ( 71 ) I NEED YOUR LOVIN’ Human League
60 ( 35 ) A SPACEMAN CAME TRAVELLING Chris De Burgh

61 ( NEW ) HEARTACHE Pepsi & Shirlie
62 ( 53 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker
63 ( 51 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Kim Wilde
64 ( 65 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
65 ( 70 ) SOMETHING IN MY HOUSE Dead Or Alive
66 ( 62 ) STEP RIGHT UP Jaki Graham
67 ( 75 ) SOUL MAN Lou Reed and Sam Moore
68 ( 58 ) WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles
69 ( 72 ) WALKING DOWN YOUR STREET The Bangles
70 ( NEW ) TRAMPOLINE Julian Cope

71 ( 55 ) (WAITING FOR) THE GHOST TRAIN Madness
72 ( 61 ) IN THE ARMY NOW Status Quo
73 ( NEW ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
74 ( NEW ) FACTS AND FIGURES Hugh Cornwell
75 ( 73 ) RAIN OR SHINE Five Star

Human League at Poole Arts Centre
1 LOVE ACTION (I BELIEVE IN LOVE)
2 THE LEBANON
3 ROCK AND ROLL

20th January 1987

It’s a first week on top for the highest entry, a remix of Hot Chocolate’s 12-year-old goodie which failed to top my charts first-time round, despite being a huge Hot Choc fan, and becomes a belated 5th number one for them. Lots of yet more 70’s new entries from The Doobie Brothers 1979 top tenner, cashing in on Michael McDonald’s recent big hits, in at 9, Freeez’ remixed 1983 top 10 enters lower down, the late Phil Lynott’s 1980 track is back, Barbara Jones reggae cover of Olivia Newton-John’s 1975 top 30 track sneaks in, Age Of Chance sort-of cover Prince ahead of Art Of Noise, and the chart goes ballistic as 1987 arrives with a bang and 18 new entries, and big climbs into the top 10 for Robbie Nevil, Little Richard and an instant new entry for Aretha & George on a fab duet, Aretha’s best track since her glorious Atlantic days, and George’s best track since his previous record.

Dead Or Alive rocket into the 20, Carly Simon into the 30, and new entries galore between 42 and 75, the most notable being the fab debut of Curioisty Killed The Cat bringing jazzpop into teen idol branding, The Style Council returning, the bouncy pop of The Jets, Rosie Vela’s delicious sultry Magic Smile, The Blow Monkeys brilliant It Doesn’t Have To be This Way (note sax very much the thing in 1987), and another Jack-track for Raze, who would return in a year with the fab Break 4 Love. Stevie Wonder makes it 19 years of charting in my charts, and Kool & The Gang a mere 8 years.

1 ( NEW ) YOU SEXY THING (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX) Hot Chocolate
2 ( 1 ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
3 ( 6 ) NO MORE THE FOOL Elkie Brooks
4 ( 17 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil
5 ( 2 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
6 ( 24 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
7 ( 10 ) IS THIS LOVE Alison Moyet
8 ( 3 ) REET PETITE Jackie Wilson
9 ( NEW ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
10 ( NEW ) I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) Aretha Franklin & George Michael

11 ( 5 ) CANDY Cameo
12 ( 16 ) REAL WILD CHILD (WILD ONE) Iggy Pop
13 ( 4 ) CARAVAN OF LOVE The Housemartins
14 ( 8 ) CRY WOLF a-ha
15 ( 19 ) WHEELS ON FIRE Siouxsie & The Banshees
16 ( 18 ) YOU DON’T KNOW Berlin
17 ( 65 ) SOMETHING IN MY HOUSE Dead Or Alive
18 ( 20 ) HYMN TO HER The Pretenders
19 ( 23 ) BIG FUN The Gap Band
20 ( 13 ) SOMETIMES Erasure

21 ( 9 ) THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE Paul Simon
22 ( 14 ) THE RAIN Oran ‘Juice’ Jones
23 ( 11 ) SO COLD THE NIGHT The Communards
24 ( 15 ) LAND OF CONFUSION Genesis
25 ( 7 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
26 ( 30 ) SURRENDER Swing Out Sister
27 ( 53 ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
28 ( 29 ) CROSS THAT BRIDGE The Ward Brothers
29 ( 12 ) THE MIRACLE OF LOVE Eurythmics
30 ( 33 ) DREAMING Status Quo

31 ( 36 ) ALMAZ Randy Crawford
32 ( 32 ) BEHIND THE MASK Eric Clapton
33 ( 38 ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY Vesta Williams
34 ( NEW ) IOU (REMIX) Freeez
35 ( 44 ) JACK YOUR BODY Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley
36 ( 22 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
37 ( 40 ) OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY Gary Moore
38 ( 27 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin
39 ( 26 ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine
40 ( 48 ) RAT IN MI KITCHON UB40

41 ( 31 ) HUMAN Human League
42 ( NEW ) I LOVE MY RADIO Taffy
43 ( 21 ) SHAKE YOU DOWN Gregory Abbott
44 ( 70 ) TRAMPOLINE Julian Cope
45 ( NEW ) DOWN TO EARTH Curiosity Killed The Cat
46 ( 42 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
47 ( 61 ) HEARTACHE Pepsi & Shirlie
48 ( 55 ) BALLERINA GIRL Lionel Richie
49 ( 25 ) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN Europe
50 ( NEW ) IT DIDN’T MATTER The Style Council

51 ( 45 ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens
52 ( 52 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
53 ( 73 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
54 ( 74 ) FACTS AND FIGURES Hugh Cornwell
55 ( 28 ) CHANGE OF HEART Cyndi Lauper
56 ( 34 ) THIS LOVE Bad Company
57 ( 56 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
58 ( 58 ) EL DORADO Drum Theatre
59 ( 39 ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman
60 ( 69 ) WALKING DOWN YOUR STREET The Bangles

61 ( NEW ) CRUSH ON YOU The Jets
62 ( NEW ) KING’S CALL Philip Lynott
63 ( 37 ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi
64 ( 67 ) SOUL MAN Lou Reed and Sam Moore
65 ( NEW ) KISS Age Of Chance
66 ( NEW ) MAGIC SMILE Rosie Vela
67 ( 64 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
68 ( 54 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys
69 ( NEW ) IT SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY The Blow Monkeys
70 ( NEW ) PLEASE MISTER PLEASE Barbara Jones

71 ( NEW ) VICTORY Kool & The Gang
72 ( NEW ) BEAUTIFUL IMBALANCE Thrashing Doves
73 ( NEW ) STRANGER ON THE SHORE OF LOVE Stevie Wonder
74 ( NEW ) WASTELAND The Mission
75 ( NEW ) JACK THE GROOVE Raze

Playlist oldies
1 SECONDS Human League
2 LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN Dream Academy
3 NIGHT IN THE CITY E.L.O.

27th January 1987

It’s 2 weeks on top for Hot Choc as Aretha gets her highest chart position since 1971, and her highest to date, and George almost makes it his 5th chart-topper. Dead Or Alive grab yet another top 10 single, having not missed at all since Spin Me Round, and Iggy Pop gets his first ever. Siouxsie adds to her long list of top 10’s over 9 years, and Steve Hurley jacks it up to 14, surprising me at how much I liked it when I thought I didn’t rate it. Memory is such a fickle thing!

Lots of big climbs this week from the rush of new entries last week, and before, including UB40 into the 20, Style Council, Curiosity, Phil Lynott, Rosie Vela into the 40, while new entries from China Crisis, Heaven 17, Red Box and Stevie Winwood extends their runs of entries, but more interesting are the debuts from Georgia Satellites, and Timbuk 3, both goodies. I was clearly into a rock frame of mind when it comes to spinning singles in my bedroom, especially the Wishing Well remix which I’d not charted, having missed it when it came out, but which is fab Free at their best.

1 ( 1 ) YOU SEXY THING (BEN LIEBRAND REMIX) Hot Chocolate
2 ( 10 ) I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME) Aretha Franklin & George Michael
3 ( 2 ) THE EP (HOW CAN I BE SURE/ I’M A CLOWN/ COULD IT BE FOREVER) David Cassidy
4 ( 17 ) SOMETHING IN MY HOUSE Dead Or Alive
5 ( 3 ) NO MORE THE FOOL Elkie Brooks
6 ( 4 ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil
7 ( 6 ) SOMEBODY’S COMING Little Richard
8 ( 9 ) WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES The Doobie Brothers
9 ( 12 ) REAL WILD CHILD (WILD ONE) Iggy Pop
10 ( 15 ) WHEELS ON FIRE Siouxsie & The Banshees

11 ( 5 ) OPEN YOUR HEART Madonna
12 ( 16 ) YOU DON’T KNOW Berlin
13 ( 18 ) HYMN TO HER The Pretenders
14 ( 35 ) JACK YOUR BODY Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley
15 ( 8 ) REET PETITE Jackie Wilson
16 ( 27 ) COMING AROUND AGAIN Carly Simon
17 ( 7 ) IS THIS LOVE Alison Moyet
18 ( 19 ) BIG FUN The Gap Band
19 ( 40 ) RAT IN MI KITCHON UB40
20 ( 26 ) SURRENDER Swing Out Sister

21 ( 21 ) THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE Paul Simon
22 ( 11 ) CANDY Cameo
23 ( 33 ) ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY Vesta Williams
24 ( 31 ) ALMAZ Randy Crawford
25 ( 32 ) BEHIND THE MASK Eric Clapton
26 ( 14 ) CRY WOLF a-ha
27 ( 20 ) SOMETIMES Erasure
28 ( 28 ) CROSS THAT BRIDGE The Ward Brothers
29 ( 22 ) THE RAIN Oran ‘Juice’ Jones
30 ( 13 ) CARAVAN OF LOVE The Housemartins

31 ( 50 ) IT DIDN’T MATTER The Style Council
32 ( 45 ) DOWN TO EARTH Curiosity Killed The Cat
33 ( 62 ) KING’S CALL Philip Lynott
34 ( 34 ) IOU (REMIX) Freeez
35 ( 47 ) HEARTACHE Pepsi & Shirlie
36 ( 42 ) I LOVE MY RADIO Taffy
37 ( 24 ) LAND OF CONFUSION Genesis
38 ( 44 ) TRAMPOLINE Julian Cope
39 ( 23 ) SO COLD THE NIGHT The Communards
40 ( 66 ) MAGIC SMILE Rosie Vela

41 ( 25 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
42 ( 38 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin
43 ( 41 ) HUMAN Human League
44 ( NEW ) BEST KEPT SECRET China Crisis
45 ( 53 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
46 ( 36 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
47 ( 74 ) WASTELAND The Mission
48 ( 39 ) FALLIN’ IN LOVE (UH-UH) Miami Sound Machine
49 ( 60 ) WALKING DOWN YOUR STREET The Bangles
50 ( 64 ) SOUL MAN Lou Reed and Sam Moore

51 ( 29 ) THE MIRACLE OF LOVE Eurythmics
52 ( 46 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna
53 ( 54 ) FACTS AND FIGURES Hugh Cornwell
54 ( 37 ) OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY Gary Moore
55 ( 52 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross
56 ( 65 ) KISS Age Of Chance
57 ( 57 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
58 ( 58 ) EL DORADO Drum Theatre
59 ( NEW ) KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF Georgia Satellites
60 ( 69 ) IT SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY The Blow Monkeys

61 ( 61 ) CRUSH ON YOU The Jets
62 ( NEW ) TROUBLE Heaven 17
63 ( NEW ) FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT (GOTTA WEAR SHADES) Timbuk 3
64 ( 73 ) STRANGER ON THE SHORE OF LOVE Stevie Wonder
65 ( 43 ) SHAKE YOU DOWN Gregory Abbott
66 ( 51 ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens
67 ( 67 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
68 ( 72 ) BEAUTIFUL IMBALANCE Thrashing Doves
69 ( 71 ) VICTORY Kool & The Gang
70 ( 30 ) DREAMING Status Quo

71 ( 63 ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi
72 ( 75 ) JACK THE GROOVE Raze
73 ( 68 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys
74 ( NEW ) HEART OF THE SUN Red Box
75 ( NEW ) BACK IN THE HIGHLIFE AGAIN Stevie Winwood

Oldies Playlist of that week
1 WISHING WELL (REMIX) Free
2 SHE SELLS SANCTUARY The Cult
3 FIREBALL Deep Purple

My June 1986 Charts

4th June 1986

It’s 2 weeks on top for Pet Shop Boys as Jaki Graham reaches a career peak of 2 with Set Me Free, and Tears For Fears Sports Relief-boosted re-record/re-mix pushes Rule The World into my top 10 for the 3rd time in a year. Pete Wylie gets a 3rd top 10, and Grace Jones goes top 10 again 6 years on, just ahead of eyt another classic soul/disco remix entering at 11 – this time Candi Staton’s brilliant 1976 top 3 anthem Young Hearts Run Free. Fellow 1976 remix Can’t Get By Without You also gives The Real Thing a second top 20 of the year.

Falco has Vienna Calling for a 2nd top 20, Nu Shooz shoot into the 30, and Janet Jackson turns Nasty and rockets into the 30 for a second hit. Prince enters at 36 with Mountains, a fab under-rated track in his Paisley period style, as Mantronix debut at 49 – only another 15 years or so to wait for a chart-topper for Kurtis Mantronik though. Freddie Mercury’s Dave Clark musical title track enters just ahead of his own band’s Movie song, at 64, presiding over an influx at the lower end: The Moody Blues are back again for a sweet 16 years of chart entries; Living For The City, probably Stevie Wonder’s greatest record, is covered by DaBooks (formerly Cook Da Books); Freda Payne gets the Bonnie Tyler treatment; The Communards keep the singles coming; a bit of soul dance from Cashflow, a bit of Heavy Rock from AC/DC 8 years into a chart run; and BAD get a second chart entry.

1 ( 1 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
2 ( 4 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
3 ( 2 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
4 ( 5 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
5 ( 3 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
6 ( 12 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN/RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
7 ( 7 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
8 ( 11 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie
9 ( 10 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42
10 ( 15 ) PRIVATE LIFE Grace Jones

11 ( NEW ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
12 ( 18 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
13 ( 6 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s
14 ( 9 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
15 ( 25 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
16 ( 8 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald
17 ( 13 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
18 ( 31 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
19 ( 20 ) BAD BOYS Miami Sound Machine
20 ( 17 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson

21 ( 16 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top
22 ( 14 ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure
23 ( 46 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
24 ( 21 ) I ENGINEER Icehouse
25 ( 34 ) GOD BLESS YOU WOMAN Culture Club
26 ( 37 ) RING A DING DING Perils Of Plastic
27 ( 19 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp
28 ( 75 ) NASTY Janet Jackson
29 ( 27 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
30 ( 24 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

31 ( 23 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
32 ( 26 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD
33 ( 38 ) OVER THE WEEKEND Nick Heyward
34 ( 22 ) XX SEX/ RULES AND REGULATIONS We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It
35 ( 42 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
36 ( 51 ) ADDICTED TO LOVE Robert Palmer
37 ( NEW ) MOUNTAINS Prince
38 ( 40 ) ROLLIN’ HOME Status Quo
39 ( 30 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush
40 ( 43 ) LOVE TOUCH Rod Stewart

41 ( 29 ) FREEWAY OF LOVE Aretha Franklin
42 ( 59 ) INVISIBLE TOUCH Genesis
43 ( 28 ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna
44 ( 49 ) VENUS Bananarama
45 ( 33 ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s
46 ( 39 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
47 ( 36 ) ASK THE LORD Hipsway
48 ( 35 ) KIND WORDS (AND A REAL GOOD HEART) Joan Armatrading
49 ( NEW ) BASSLINE Mantronix
50 ( 58 ) GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY Black Uhuru

51 ( 67 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
52 ( 32 ) SO SERIOUS Electric Light Orchestra
53 ( 44 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds
54 ( 63 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
55 ( 52 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
56 ( 65 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu
57 ( 54 ) STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Frank Sinatra
58 ( 69 ) BIG MOUTH STRIKES AGAIN The Smiths
59 ( 47 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax
60 ( 71 ) HOLDING BACK THE YEARS Simply Red

61 ( 57 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
62 ( 53 ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS
63 ( 70 ) ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE Mike + The Mechanics
64 ( NEW ) TIME Freddie Mercury
65 ( 56 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen
66 ( 66 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
67 ( NEW ) YOUR WILDEST DREAMS The Moody Blues
68 ( 60 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial
69 ( NEW ) LIVING FOR THE CITY DaBooks
70 ( NEW ) BAND OF GOLD Bonnie Tyler

71 ( NEW ) DISENCHANTED The Communards
72 ( 74 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
73 ( NEW ) MINE ALL MINE Cashflow
74 ( NEW ) WHO MADE WHO AC/DC
75 ( NEW ) MEDICINE SHOW Big Audio Dynamite

PLAYIST OLDIES

1 JUDY TEEN Cockney Rebel
2 TOUCH TOO MUCH Arrows
3 RANDY Blue Mink

 

10th June 1986

It’s 3 weeks on top for Pet Shop Boys as Bucks Fizz rocket up to 4, for 5 years worth of top 5 hits, with new member, local girl round these ‘ere parts Shelley Preston replacing departing Jay Aston. Falco makes it 2 Austrian top 5 German-language hits, that’s a first (and a last) for my charts. The Fab Nu Shooz track with that delicious instrumental track hits 9, just ahead of Sly Fox, still hoping to go all the way – get ready to be disappointed lads!

Highest new entry is a-ha, 4 top 40’s and just pipped on a top 20 at 21, a spacious and epic ballad this time showing they can do sweeping strings beautifully. Bananarama take Venus into the 30, Eurythmics enter at 26 When Tomorrow Comes, a bit flattering for a lesser single I think these days, and Haywoode is back at last with Roses getting the recognition it deserved first time round. In at 30, a beautifully amusing I Wanna Be A Cowboy, complete with the late Metal legend Lemmy in the video.

At 32 it’s the 3rd version (and not the last!) of The Locomotion to chart, as Dave Stewart (not Eurythmics Dave Stewart) and Barbara Gaskin fail to what they did 5 years earlier with It’s My Party (top the UK charts). Little Eva was a reissued top 3 hit in 1972, Grand Funk made my top 30 in 1974, and Kylie wasn’t that far away. Lovebug Starski brings some 80’s novelty horror rap into the charts, Wham! are back for the last official single at 39, The Edge Of Heaven EP, and Prince, Smiths and Big Audio Dynamite all make the 40.

Sigue Sigue Sputnik refers to T.Rex, but essentially repeats the first hit to much-less success and credibility, in at 46, and at 56 Marc Almond is back with a Cher cover, all melodrama, as both do well. Midge Ure slips in The Call Of The Wild, Queen under-perform everywhere with Highlander track Friends Will Be Friends, which remains one of the more memorable ballads they did, Mr. Mister get a 3rd entry, somehow, Suzanne Vega has another goodie Left Of Centre, and finally The Housemartins follow like Sheep, bursting with future success cos it’s Happy Hour!

1 ( 1 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
2 ( 2 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
3 ( 4 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
4 ( 51 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
5 ( 15 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
6 ( 7 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
7 ( 3 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
8 ( 8 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie
9 ( 23 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
10 ( 12 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox

11 ( 11 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
12 ( 5 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
13 ( 19 ) BAD BOYS Miami Sound Machine
14 ( 6 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN/RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
15 ( 9 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42
16 ( 18 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
17 ( 14 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
18 ( 25 ) GOD BLESS YOU WOMAN Culture Club
19 ( 28 ) NASTY Janet Jackson
20 ( 16 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald

21 ( NEW ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
22 ( 35 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
23 ( 13 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s
24 ( 17 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
25 ( 44 ) VENUS Bananarama
26 ( NEW ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
27 ( 37 ) MOUNTAINS Prince
28 ( 10 ) PRIVATE LIFE Grace Jones
29 ( NEW ) ROSES Haywoode
30 ( NEW ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry

31 ( 20 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
32 ( NEW ) THE LOCOMOTION Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
33 ( 26 ) RING A DING DING Perils Of Plastic
34 ( 58 ) BIG MOUTH STRIKES AGAIN The Smiths
35 ( 24 ) I ENGINEER Icehouse
36 ( NEW ) AMITYVILLE (HOUSE ON THE HILL) Lovebug Starski
37 ( 29 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
38 ( 56 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu
39 ( NEW ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
40 ( 75 ) MEDICINE SHOW Big Audio Dynamite

41 ( 30 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
42 ( 42 ) INVISIBLE TOUCH Genesis
43 ( 31 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
44 ( 21 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top
45 ( 71 ) DISENCHANTED The Communards
46 ( NEW ) 21ST CENTURY BOY Sigue Sigue Sputnik
47 ( 32 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD
48 ( 22 ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure
49 ( 54 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
50 ( 64 ) TIME Freddie Mercury

51 ( 39 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush
52 ( 60 ) HOLDING BACK THE YEARS Simply Red
53 ( 27 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp
54 ( 36 ) ADDICTED TO LOVE Robert Palmer
55 ( 46 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
56 ( NEW ) A WOMAN’S STORY Marc Almond
57 ( 40 ) LOVE TOUCH Rod Stewart
58 ( 34 ) XX SEX/ RULES AND REGULATIONS We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It
59 ( 53 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds
60 ( 55 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

61 ( 49 ) BASSLINE Mantronix
62 ( 73 ) MINE ALL MINE Cashflow
63 ( 61 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
64 ( 33 ) OVER THE WEEKEND Nick Heyward
65 ( NEW ) CALL OF THE WILD Midge Ure
66 ( NEW ) FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS Queen
67 ( 41 ) FREEWAY OF LOVE Aretha Franklin
68 ( 66 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
69 ( NEW ) IS IT LOVE Mr. Mister
70 ( 38 ) ROLLIN’ HOME Status Quo

71 ( 57 ) STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Frank Sinatra
72 ( NEW ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
73 ( 72 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
74 ( 48 ) KIND WORDS (AND A REAL GOOD HEART) Joan Armatrading
75 ( NEW ) LEFT OF CENTRE Suzanne Vega

Playlist Oldies Of The Week
1 HE’S A REBEL The Crystals
2 LONELY MAN The Godfathers
3 BE MY BABY The Ronettes

 

18th June 1986

It’s a first week on top for Bucks Fizz Mark 2, giving them a 5th and final chart-topper, as Wham! are shooting up into the 20 for the final time (with a new single), while highest new entry is 1985’s back-again Bangles track, the fab Katrina & The waves cover Going Down To Liverpool – which I did several times a year in those days to pick up my grandma or visit.

Bowie’s back with another movie song – though not exactly in the same musical league as Absolute Beginners, the film is very much better remembered than Ab Beginners – Labyrinth. The Housemartins get a first top 40, and booze it up, while Genesis scrape another 40, and Marc Almond adds to his list too. Madonna also returns with her best record to date, a creative step up, the fab Papa Don’t Preach.

Matt Bianco havent covered Martha Reeves it’s a new jolly tune, 80’s dance chart-topper Dhar Braxton enters, Art Of Noise drag Max Headroom in and the result isn’t quite the same standard as Duane Eddy, but fellow 50’s rocker Little Richard also pops in with a very 50’s-sounding revisit of his old sound. That leaves INXS with a second fab funkrock entry, Listen Like Thieves.

1 ( 4 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
2 ( 1 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
3 ( 3 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
4 ( 5 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
5 ( 9 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
6 ( 2 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
7 ( 6 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
8 ( 8 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie
9 ( 11 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
10 ( 7 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel

11 ( 10 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
12 ( 13 ) BAD BOYS Miami Sound Machine
13 ( 16 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
14 ( 30 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
15 ( 12 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
16 ( 21 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha
17 ( 39 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
18 ( 26 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
19 ( 19 ) NASTY Janet Jackson
20 ( NEW ) GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL The Bangles

21 ( 25 ) VENUS Bananarama
22 ( 22 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
23 ( 27 ) MOUNTAINS Prince
24 ( 17 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
25 ( 18 ) GOD THANK YOU WOMAN Culture Club
26 ( 14 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN/RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
27 ( 15 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42
28 ( 20 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald
29 ( 29 ) ROSES Haywoode
30 ( 34 ) BIG MOUTH STRIKES AGAIN The Smiths

31 ( 24 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
32 ( 32 ) THE LOCOMOTION Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
33 ( 36 ) AMITYVILLE (HOUSE ON THE HILL) Lovebug Starski
34 ( 38 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu
35 ( NEW ) UNDERGROUND David Bowie
36 ( 40 ) THE MEDICINE SHOW Big Audio Dynamite
37 ( 72 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
38 ( 23 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s
39 ( 42 ) INVISIBLE TOUCH Genesis
40 ( 56 ) A WOMAN’S STORY Marc Almond

41 ( 46 ) 21ST CENTURY BOY Sigue Sigue Sputnik
42 ( 66 ) FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS Queen
43 ( 31 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
44 ( 41 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
45 ( 52 ) HOLDING BACK THE YEARS Simply Red
46 ( 37 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
47 ( 33 ) RING A DING DING Perils Of Plastic
48 ( 43 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
49 ( 49 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
50 ( 65 ) CALL OF THE WILD Midge Ure

51 ( 28 ) PRIVATE LIFE Grace Jones
52 ( 45 ) DISENCHANTED The Communards
53 ( 35 ) I ENGINEER Icehouse
54 ( NEW ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
55 ( 55 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
56 ( 54 ) ADDICTED TO LOVE Robert Palmer
57 ( 44 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top
58 ( 51 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush
59 ( 48 ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure
60 ( 62 ) MINE ALL MINE Cashflow

61 ( 47 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD
62 ( 60 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
63 ( 53 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp
64 ( 63 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
65 ( NEW ) DANCING IN THE STREET Matt Bianco
66 ( 50 ) TIME Freddie Mercury
67 ( NEW ) JUMP BACK (SET ME FREE) Dhar Braxton
68 ( 68 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
69 ( 69 ) IS IT LOVE Mr. Mister
70 ( NEW ) PARANOIMIA Art Of Noise and Max Headroom

71 ( 73 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
72 ( 75 ) LEFT OF CENTRE Suzanne Vega
73 ( NEW ) GREAT GOSH A MIGHTY Little Richard
74 ( 59 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds
75 ( NEW ) LISTEN LIKE THIEVES INXS

1 GOOD GRIEF CHRISTINA Chicory Tip
2 WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO Donnie Elbert
3 SAMSON AND DELILAH Middle Of The Road

 

24th June 1986

2 weeks on top for Bucks Fizz as Nu Shooz are kept off the top spot, Sandie Shaw gets her 3rd top 5, Eurythmics keep the top 10’s coming – just two misses since Sweet Dreams – and The Bangles make it 2 Top 10’s, and a-ha 4 in a row. Highest new entry at 16 is the 20th anniversary reissue of Paperback Writer, last charting in 1976 for The Beatles, while The Housemartins get a first top 20, and Prince adds to his already long list of top 20’s dating back to 1999 in 1983 and 1985 and will chart again in 1999 and 2016. Confused?

Madonna’s up 30 with Papa Don’t Preach, to 24, Queen are into the 40, and the fab unknown A View From A Hill single No Conversation is in at 34. El DEBarge goes solo and asks Who’s Johnny? Ask The Teacher! Big Country are one place lower. Real Roxanne is also solo and Bang Zoom – but not To The Moon Alice, one for TV’s Honeymooners fans there, assuming any are still alive. The Temps are in at 59 with future chart-topper My Girl in 1991, and also another 2000’s run, having predated my charts on 60’s runs, but keeping the Motown back catalogue alive.

Stevie Winwood is back, with his greatest solo track Higher Love, Steve Harley is also back to give him 12 years of chart entries, and the late Marvin Gaye is X rated posthumously giving him 17 years of chart entries.

1 ( 1 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz
2 ( 5 ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz
3 ( 2 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys
4 ( 4 ) VIENNA CALLING Falco
5 ( 7 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw
6 ( 18 ) WHEN TOMORROW COMES Eurythmics
7 ( 17 ) THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Wham!
8 ( 11 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox
9 ( 20 ) GOING DOWN TO LIVERPOOL The Bangles
10 ( 16 ) HUNTING HIGH AND LOW a-ha

11 ( 3 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
12 ( 14 ) I WANNA BE A COWBOY Boys Don’t Cry
13 ( 21 ) VENUS Bananarama
14 ( 6 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham
15 ( 8 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie
16 ( NEW ) PAPERBACK WRITER The Beatles
17 ( 10 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
18 ( 37 ) HAPPY HOUR The Housemartins
19 ( 29 ) ROSES Haywoode
20 ( 23 ) MOUNTAINS Prince

21 ( 19 ) NASTY Janet Jackson
22 ( 22 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul
23 ( 15 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
24 ( 54 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna
25 ( 9 ) YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (REMIX) Candi Staton
26 ( 35 ) UNDERGROUND David Bowie
27 ( 34 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu
28 ( 33 ) AMITYVILLE (HOUSE ON THE HILL) Lovebug Starski
29 ( 13 ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing
30 ( 12 ) BAD BOYS Miami Sound Machine

31 ( 24 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
32 ( 36 ) THE MEDICINE SHOW Big Audio Dynamite
33 ( 42 ) FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS Queen
34 ( NEW ) NO CONVERSATION A View From The Hill
35 ( 49 ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin
36 ( 28 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald
37 ( 39 ) INVISIBLE TOUCH Genesis
38 ( 27 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42
39 ( 50 ) CALL OF THE WILD Midge Ure
40 ( 31 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

41 ( 25 ) GOD THANK YOU WOMAN Culture Club
42 ( NEW ) WHO’S JOHNNY El DeBarge
43 ( NEW ) THE TEACHER Big Country
44 ( 30 ) BIG MOUTH STRIKES AGAIN The Smiths
45 ( 32 ) THE LOCOMOTION Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin
46 ( NEW ) (BANG ZOOM) LET’S GO GO Real Roxanne
47 ( 38 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s
48 ( 44 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
49 ( 43 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
50 ( 72 ) LEFT OF CENTRE Suzanne Vega

51 ( 26 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN/RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
52 ( 41 ) 21ST CENTURY BOY Sigue Sigue Sputnik
53 ( 48 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes
54 ( RE ) BAND OF GOLD Bonnie Tyler
55 ( 46 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
56 ( 65 ) DANCING IN THE STREET Matt Bianco
57 ( 40 ) A WOMAN’S STORY Marc Almond
58 ( 45 ) HOLDING BACK THE YEARS Simply Red
59 ( NEW ) MY GIRL The Temptations
60 ( 67 ) JUMP BACK (SET ME FREE) Dhar Braxton

61 ( 55 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
62 ( 47 ) RING A DING DING Perils Of Plastic
63 ( NEW ) HIGHER LOVE Stevie Winwood
64 ( 62 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
65 ( 64 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
66 ( 75 ) LISTEN LIKE THIEVES INXS
67 ( NEW ) IRRESISTIBLE Steve Harley
68 ( 57 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top
69 ( 73 ) GREAT GOSH A MIGHTY Little Richard
70 ( 68 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha

71 ( 58 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush
72 ( NEW ) BRILLIANT MIND Furniture
73 ( NEW ) MATCHSTICK FLOTILLA Thrashing Doves
74 ( NEW ) THE WORLD IS RATED X Marvin Gaye
75 ( 71 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

Playlist Oldies
1 BANG A BOOMERANG Abba
2 DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME Elton John
3 SUNSHINE The Archies

My April 1986 Charts

1st April 1986

It’s a first week on top for the brilliant E=MC2, presiding over a rapid-moving upper-chart and sluggish lower-end. George Michael rockets up to 8 with his gorgeously touching A Different Corner, as 50’s oldie Peter Gunn gives Duane Eddy an updated 80’s top 10, his first since 1975, while Sam Cooke gets his first top 10 with the Jeans-advert oldie, and still definitive version of the much-covered song.

Stevie Wonder is Overjoyed at just missing the top 10, and Queen are magic at 13, with Stevie Nicks making it 2 top 20’s in a row. Heart get that elusive top 40 at last, as Bryan Adams adds to his, and Atlantic Starr leap up. Highest new entry is a Shellshocked New Order, as Tom Waits gruffly enters in the neighbourhood, trombones blazing. Jim Diamond extends his run to 4 years since PhD topped the chart, a-ha get a third, Bronski Beat a 5th-ish, Julian Lennon a 4th (or so), and Jermaine Jackson a 6th or 7th or 8th solo (I can’t be arsed to look it up) but a whole plethora of Jackson 5 tracks on top of that.

1 ( 8 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
2 ( 1 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
3 ( 3 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing
4 ( 6 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
5 ( 5 ) LIVIN’ DOLL Cliff Richard & The Young Ones
6 ( 2 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys
7 ( 4 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
8 ( 62 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
9 ( 22 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy
10 ( 23 ) WONDERFUL WORLD Sam Cooke

11 ( 26 ) OVERJOYED Stevie Wonder
12 ( 9 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys
13 ( 38 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen
14 ( 16 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie
15 ( 11 ) MOVE AWAY Culture Club
16 ( 12 ) KYRIE Mr. Mister
17 ( 18 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution
18 ( 7 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik
19 ( 21 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks
20 ( 10 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross

21 ( 17 ) CELEBRATE YOUTH Rick Springfield
22 ( 30 ) THEME FROM NEW YORK NEW YORK Frank Sinatra
23 ( 29 ) TOUCH ME Samantha Fox
24 ( 14 ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics
25 ( 15 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares
26 ( 20 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
27 ( 19 ) THE HONEY THIEF Hipsway
28 ( 28 ) CANDYMAN Siouxsie & The Banshees
29 ( 36 ) NO-ONE IS TO BLAME Howard Jones
30 ( 25 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears

31 ( 13 ) ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART The Mint Juleps
32 ( 32 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
33 ( 24 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles
34 ( 40 ) DARE TO DREAM Viola Wills
35 ( 35 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some
36 ( 27 ) ANOTHER NIGHT Aretha Franklin
37 ( 45 ) THESE DREAMS Heart
38 ( 31 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
39 ( 42 ) THIS TIME Bryan Adams
40 ( 66 ) SECRET LOVERS Atlantic Starr

41 ( 41 ) JUST BUGGIN’ Whistle
42 ( 33 ) VOICES Russ Ballard
43 ( 64 ) IS YOUR LOVE STRONG ENOUGH Bryan Ferry
44 ( 44 ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes
45 ( 34 ) LOVE IS WAR Brilliant
46 ( 39 ) ELOISE The Damned
47 ( NEW ) SHELLSHOCK New Order
48 ( 43 ) HARLEM SHUFFLE The Rolling Stones
49 ( 50 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega
50 ( 37 ) ROCK ME TONIGHT Freddie Jackson

51 ( 49 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
52 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
53 ( 46 ) ONE DANCE WON’T DO Audrey Hall
54 ( 75 ) HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT BLUE The Style Council
55 ( 51 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win
56 ( 48 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE/ SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN Billy Joel
57 ( 59 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
58 ( 58 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
59 ( NEW ) IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Tom Waits
60 ( 60 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean

61 ( 52 ) POWER OF LOVE/ DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE Huey Lewis & The News
62 ( 70 ) CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Lick The Tins
63 ( 57 ) DON’T WASTE MY TIME Paul Hardcastle
64 ( 61 ) THE CAPTAIN OF HER HEART Double
65 ( 68 ) COME HELL OR WATERS HIGH Dee C. Lee
66 ( NEW ) HI HO SILVER Jim Diamond
67 ( NEW ) HELLO DARLING Tippa Irie
68 ( NEW ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha
69 ( 71 ) UNDER A RAGING MOON Roger Daltrey
70 ( 69 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!

71 ( 74 ) BORDERLINE Madonna
72 ( 63 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
73 ( NEW ) C’MON C’MON Bronski Beat
74 ( NEW ) STICK AROUND Julian Lennon
75 ( NEW ) DO YOU REMEMBER ME Jermaine Jackson

1st April Playlist Oldies

1 TEENAGE DREAM T.Rex
2 I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
3 HE’S GONNA STEP ON YOU AGAIN John Kongos

 

8th April 1986

It’s an utter gem on top as George takes his greatest track to the top for a second solo chart-topper, and a 4th in total (unless you count his contribution to David Cassidy’s The Last Kiss, in which case 5th). It’s a fab top 40, with Queen up to 5 for 12 years of top 5’s, and Bowie’s fab Absolute Beginners gives him 14 years of top 10’s, and 5 years since both of them topped my chart together. The Style Council make it 3 years of top 20’s as Have You Ever Had It Blue whoops up the chart 39 spots, and Sam Fox inexplicably makes my top 20.

It’s Immaterial have the highest new entry with the fab Driving Away From Home in at 21, and the fab Wax debut at 24 with the cruelly-flopped Right Between The Eyes. It’s a terrific pop track with impeccable credentials, being as it’s a joint Andrew Gold & Graham Gouldman effort. That’ll be 9 years since Lonely Boy for Andrew, and 20 pre-chart years since teenage Graham wrote a bunch of 60’s classics like Bus Stop, or 14 years since 10CC debuted with chart-topper Donna.

New Order and a-ha both are a bit shellshocked at riding the train into the top 30, and Bryan Ferry cruises smoothly in to boot, also 14 years on since he first did it. Spirit of 72! Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis were already making great smooth, classy dance tracks, and this week they underlined they were the sound of the mid-80’s dance soul with Janet Jackson debuting with one of theirs, and the SOS Band returning with another cheek to cheek at 36 and 35 proving they The Finest.

Lower down another reggae stalwart debut from Maxi Priest, always smooth n tuneful, a nice soul tune I’d forgotten from Lonnie Hill, a great Simple Minds stormer, and a very Jim Steinman-ish Bonnie Tyler effort. That’ll be because he produced it. If it sounds like Bon Jovi’s You Give Love A Bad Name (which it totes does) that’ll be because Desmond Child rewrote for them after he wasn’t happy with the original song. Kerching!

Oldies faves of the week, my all-time fave Baker Street, the fab Rod Argent song from late 1971 when I first heard it on Fluff Freeman’s Pick Of The Pops, and the South African tribal gem from John Kongos of the same time – influenced his sons if no-one else, happily, check out the good recent KONGOS singles.

1 ( 8 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
2 ( 1 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
3 ( 2 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
4 ( 4 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
5 ( 13 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen
6 ( 6 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys
7 ( 10 ) WONDERFUL WORLD Sam Cooke
8 ( 3 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing
9 ( 9 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy
10 ( 14 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie

11 ( 11 ) OVERJOYED Stevie Wonder
12 ( 19 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks
13 ( 12 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys
14 ( 7 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
15 ( 54 ) HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT BLUE The Style Council
16 ( 17 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution
17 ( 5 ) LIVING DOLL Cliff Richard & The Young Ones
18 ( 23 ) TOUCH ME (I WANT YOUR BODY) Samantha Fox
19 ( 15 ) MOVE AWAY Culture Club
20 ( 20 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross

21 ( NEW ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial
22 ( 35 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some
23 ( 16 ) KYRIE Mr. Mister
24 ( NEW ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax
25 ( 47 ) SHELLSHOCK New Order
26 ( 68 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha
27 ( 18 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik
28 ( 43 ) IS YOUR LOVE STRONG ENOUGH Bryan Ferry
29 ( 34 ) DARE TO DREAM Viola Wills
30 ( 37 ) THESE DREAMS Heart

31 ( 26 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
32 ( 25 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares
33 ( 24 ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics
34 ( 40 ) SECRET LOVERS Atlantic Starr
35 ( NEW ) THE FINEST SOS Band
36 ( NEW ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
37 ( 22 ) THEME FROM NEW YORK NEW YORK Frank Sinatra
38 ( 49 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega
39 ( 30 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
40 ( 33 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles

41 ( 21 ) CELEBRATE YOUTH Rick Springfield
42 ( 61 ) POWER OF LOVE/ DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE Huey Lewis & The News
43 ( 27 ) THE HONEY THIEF Hipsway
44 ( 38 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
45 ( 29 ) NO-ONE IS TO BLAME Howard Jones
46 ( 28 ) CANDYMAN Siouxsie & The Banshees
47 ( 62 ) CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Lick The Tins
48 ( NEW ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest
49 ( 66 ) HI HO SILVER Jim Diamond
50 ( 36 ) ANOTHER NIGHT Aretha Franklin

51 ( 31 ) ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART The Mint Juleps
52 ( 32 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything
53 ( 52 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
54 ( 51 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
55 ( 44 ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes
56 ( 74 ) STICK AROUND Julian Lennon
57 ( 42 ) VOICES Russ Ballard
58 ( 45 ) LOVE IS WAR Brilliant
59 ( 67 ) HELLO DARLING Tippa Irie
60 ( 46 ) ELOISE The Damned

61 ( 41 ) JUST BUGGIN’ Whistle
62 ( 57 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
63 ( 58 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
64 ( 48 ) HARLEM SHUFFLE The Rolling Stones
65 ( 39 ) THIS TIME Bryan Adams
66 ( NEW ) GALVESTON BAY Lonnie Hill
67 ( 59 ) IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Tom Waits
68 ( 73 ) C’MON C’MON Bronski Beat
69 ( 56 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE/ SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN Billy Joel
70 ( 53 ) ONE DANCE WON’T DO Audrey Hall

71 ( NEW ) LOOK AWAY Big Country
72 ( NEW ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds
73 ( 60 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean
74 ( NEW ) IF YOU WERE A WOMAN (AND I WAS A MAN) Bonnie Tyler
75 ( 55 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win

Playlist Oldies Of The Week
1 BAKER STREET Gerry Rafferty
2 HOLD YOUR HEAD UP Argent
3 TOKOLOSHE MAN John Kongos

 

15th April 1986

It’s a second week on top for George Michael as Falco and Queen move closer, It’s Immaterial get a fab top 10 worthy slot and Stevie Nicks gets her first solo top 10, though she had already been there before with Dreams, Gypsy and Sara amongst her many classic Mac tracks. Janet Jackson almost makes it a Jam & Lewis top 10, as do Andrew Gold & Graham Gouldman waxing lyrical.

Simple Minds rocket into the 20, up 54 places, while the highest new entry is Five Star’s Can’t Wait Another Minute at 28. Bonnie Tyler takes future Bon Jovi smash You Give Love A Bad Name If You Were A Woman into the 40, and Tavares get a decade-old belated new entry with It Only Takes A Minute, never a hit because I never got to hear it first-time round – though it did top my chart in the violin-riff-led version by Jonathan King working under an alias (100 Ton & A Feather) in 1976. Talking of JK, much of the chart was pushed by his No Limits show, and guess what – he’s also back in the pseudonym game covering It’s All In The Game in at 45, giving him 16 years-worth of chart action. Or 21 years if I had been charting in 1965 with kiddie fave Everyone’s Gone To The Moon.

In at 48, it’s another charity effort, a metal band get-together featuring stars like Rob Halford of Judas Priest. Check out the video, I guarantee you will never see a greater show of permed hair in your life in a music video, it’s the Olympic Event of 80’s hairdressing. Icehouse are back, with the fab No Promises – such an under-rated band – as is Sheila E with her latest Prince record, A Love Bizarre. Pretty much a Prince duet and joint songwriting credit. ZZ Top are back with their most touching track, and a fab scifi video, and Billy Ocean adds to his 12 years of hits with one of his most mundane singles. That leaves Gary Glitter and Girlschool, a cover of his 1973 top 10 (in my charts) – I can’t imagine what attracted Gary to want to duet with a band called Girlschool, but I’d suggest sticking to the original or preferably playing the HeadSchool duet Please Don’t Touch instead..

1 ( 1 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
2 ( 2 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
3 ( 4 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
4 ( 5 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen
5 ( 3 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
6 ( 9 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy
7 ( 7 ) WONDERFUL WORLD Sam Cooke
8 ( 21 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial
9 ( 12 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks
10 ( 6 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys

11 ( 36 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
12 ( 24 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax
13 ( 8 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing
14 ( 15 ) HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT BLUE The Style Council
15 ( 10 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie
16 ( 11 ) OVERJOYED Stevie Wonder
17 ( 13 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys
18 ( 72 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds
19 ( 26 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha
20 ( 14 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

21 ( 35 ) THE FINEST SOS Band
22 ( 22 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some
23 ( 16 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution
24 ( 28 ) IS YOUR LOVE STRONG ENOUGH Bryan Ferry
25 ( 25 ) SHELLSHOCK New Order
26 ( 38 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega
27 ( 19 ) MOVE AWAY Culture Club
28 ( NEW ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
29 ( 20 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
30 ( 18 ) TOUCH ME (I WANT YOUR BODY) Samantha Fox

31 ( 17 ) LIVING DOLL Cliff Richard & The Young Ones
32 ( 47 ) CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Lick The Tins
33 ( 27 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik
34 ( 34 ) SECRET LOVERS Atlantic Starr
35 ( 74 ) IF YOU WERE A WOMAN (AND I WAS A MAN) Bonnie Tyler
36 ( 31 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
37 ( NEW ) IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE Tavares
38 ( 23 ) KYRIE Mr. Mister
39 ( 48 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest
40 ( 32 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares

41 ( 39 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
42 ( 29 ) DARE TO DREAM Viola Wills
43 ( 33 ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics
44 ( 40 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles
45 ( NEW ) IT’S ALL IN THE GAME The Man (aka Jonathan King)
46 ( 44 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
47 ( 30 ) THESE DREAMS Heart
48 ( NEW ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid
49 ( 37 ) THEME FROM NEW YORK NEW YORK Frank Sinatra
50 ( 59 ) HELLO DARLING Tippa Irie

51 ( 45 ) NO-ONE IS TO BLAME Howard Jones
52 ( 43 ) THE HONEY THIEF Hipsway
53 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
54 ( 54 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
55 ( 49 ) HI HO SILVER Jim Diamond
56 ( 71 ) LOOK AWAY Big Country
57 ( 41 ) CELEBRATE YOUTH Rick Springfield
58 ( 68 ) C’MON C’MON Bronski Beat
59 ( 55 ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes
60 ( 50 ) ANOTHER NIGHT Aretha Franklin

61 ( 58 ) LOVE IS WAR Brilliant
62 ( 57 ) VOICES Russ Ballard
63 ( 62 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
64 ( 63 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
65 ( 42 ) POWER OF LOVE/ DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE Huey Lewis & The News
66 ( NEW ) NO PROMISES Icehouse
67 ( 46 ) CANDYMAN Siouxsie & The Banshees
68 ( 60 ) ELOISE The Damned
69 ( NEW ) A LOVE BIZARRE Sheila E
70 ( 52 ) LIVE IT UP Mental As Anything

71 ( 51 ) ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART The Mint Juleps
72 ( NEW ) I’M THE LEADER OF THE GANG Gary Glitter & Girlschool
73 ( 66 ) GALVESTON BAY Lonnie Hill
74 ( NEW ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top
75 ( NEW ) THERE’LL BE SAD SONGS Billy Ocean

PLAYLIST OLDIES OF THE WEEK

1 EMMA Hot Chocolate
2 I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
3 GET IT ON T.Rex

 

22nd April 1986

It’s an otherwise hectic chart as George grabs a 3rd week on top, chased suddenly by a 1967 classic released as a single in the USA in 1968 and topped the UK chart in 1969. I Heard It Through The Grapevine made my top 5 that year but never got as high as 2 – with this jeans advert classic replacing the same company’s Sam Cooke track in the top 10. Levi 501’s I think. Everyone was wearing them. I know I was. Nick Kamen getting his kit off in the laundrette was enough for no-one to realise that the songs used were tatty soundalikes, not the originals.

Janet Jackson gets a first top 5, one of many, and Simple Minds keep their hot streak going with another top 10, and Five Star snatch a second in a row. New at 26, Madonna’s low-key debut single off the forthcoming True Blue album is the highest new song, Live To Tell being far and away her best ballad to date, what with being classy and all rather than dirge-like. Hear’n’Aid go top 30, which is ironically what several of the metal members now need after decades of ear abuse. The Grange Hill Cast also enter high – in my defence I enjoyed the show, and it was a good cause, and good advice that no-one heeded as the Aceeeeed generation loomed.

Princess gets another newie, Whitney covers George Benson, replacing jazz subtlety with foghorn volume, 9 years since the original made my top 30, and the ever-good OMD keep the initial-for-group-name flag flying with the sweet If You Leave, and PIL join in with Home giving them 8 years of action, and OMD 6 years. The Force MD’s debut with a nice soul number, and INXS storm in with a debut great, What You Need. Michael Hutchence was one of the great frontmen of all-time, and INXS’ funked-up rock anthems were just fab – I saw them in concert only once, in Bournemouth, but my word that man was a star and the band were rock-funking.

John Cougar is also back, with a goodie, albeit a superfluous Mellencamp – his original decision to drop the surname was the right one. Depeche Mode keep the sombre entries going, Fine Young Cannibals keep The Beat flag flying, and The Bangles get a 3rd top 75. Surprisingly, one of the lower debuts is for an absolute belting classic with a famous video – Sledgehammer, and Peter Gabriel peaking after 9 years of chart action solo, and 12 years including Genesis.

1 ( 1 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
2 ( NEW ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
3 ( 2 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
4 ( 11 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
5 ( 8 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial
6 ( 3 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
7 ( 18 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds
8 ( 6 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy
9 ( 4 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen
10 ( 28 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star

11 ( 5 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
12 ( 12 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax
13 ( 7 ) WONDERFUL WORLD Sam Cooke
14 ( 26 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega
15 ( 10 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys
16 ( 19 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha
17 ( 21 ) THE FINEST SOS Band
18 ( 22 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some
19 ( 9 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks
20 ( 13 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing

21 ( 14 ) HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT BLUE The Style Council
22 ( 17 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys
23 ( 20 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
24 ( 16 ) OVERJOYED Stevie Wonder
25 ( 15 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie
26 ( NEW ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna
27 ( 48 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid
28 ( 39 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest
29 ( 32 ) CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Lick The Tins
30 ( 74 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top

31 ( 23 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution
32 ( 24 ) IS YOUR LOVE STRONG ENOUGH Bryan Ferry
33 ( 35 ) IF YOU WERE A WOMAN (AND I WAS A MAN) Bonnie Tyler
34 ( 45 ) IT’S ALL IN THE GAME The Man (aka Jonathan King)
35 ( 37 ) IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE Tavares
36 ( NEW ) JUST SAY NO Grange Hill Cast
37 ( 25 ) SHELLSHOCK New Order
38 ( NEW ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston
39 ( 29 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
40 ( 27 ) MOVE AWAY Culture Club

41 ( 41 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
42 ( 33 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik
43 ( 36 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
44 ( NEW ) I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU Princess
45 ( NEW ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD
46 ( 40 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares
47 ( NEW ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s
48 ( 30 ) TOUCH ME (I WANT YOUR BODY) Samantha Fox
49 ( NEW ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS
50 ( 46 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star

51 ( 56 ) LOOK AWAY Big Country
52 ( 43 ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics
53 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
54 ( 54 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
55 ( 38 ) KYRIE Mr. Mister
56 ( NEW ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp
57 ( 44 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles
58 ( 69 ) A LOVE BIZARRE Sheila E
59 ( NEW ) HOME PIL
60 ( 31 ) LIVING DOLL Cliff Richard & The Young Ones

61 ( 66 ) NO PROMISES Icehouse
62 ( NEW ) A QUESTION OF LUST Depeche Mode
63 ( 42 ) DARE TO DREAM Viola Wills
64 ( 34 ) SECRET LOVERS Atlantic Starr
65 ( NEW ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
66 ( 63 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
67 ( 64 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
68 ( 58 ) C’MON C’MON Bronski Beat
69 ( NEW ) THIS IS LOVE Gary Numan
70 ( 75 ) THERE’LL BE SAD SONGS Billy Ocean

71 ( 59 ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes
72 ( 57 ) CELEBRATE YOUTH Rick Springfield
73 ( 49 ) THEME FROM NEW YORK NEW YORK Frank Sinatra
74 ( NEW ) FUNNY HOW LOVE IS Fine Young Cannibals
75 ( NEW ) IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS The Bangles

Oldies
1 THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
2 SUNSHINE The Archies
3 THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD The Beatles

 

29th April 1986

It’s a first week on top, making it over 17 years from debut to topping the chart, a new record for Marvin Gaye. Simple Minds get a second top 3, Wax get a first top 10 as a duo, or rather Andrew Gold gets one 9 years after his first, and Graham Gouldman 14 years after his first. The Big Sky bangs right in at 9, giving Kate 4 in a row off The Hounds Of Love album, and 8 years of ’em. a-ha get a 3rd top 10 in a row.

Whitney outdoes George Benson’s original in chart performance as she hits the 20, Maxi Priest gets a first top 20, and Shalamar return A Night To Remember 4 years on from the first time it hit my top 10. From here-on the chart gets mega-volatile as last-week’s deluge of new entries climb, while a deluge of 20 enter this week, meaning loads of tracks plummet, including classics. OMD go top 30 in a big climb, ditto PIL, and Icehouse, as Peter Gabriel swoops into the 40. Newies include Blancmange extending their run to 4 years, The Cure re-doing a great oldie that didn’t hit, as Boys Don’t Cry joins Rough Boys and Bad Boys – the latter giving Miami Sound Machine, or Gloria Estefan as they essentially were by this stage, another chart hit ahead of her actual solo launch. One and the same, same vocalist, same husband writer-producer, same success.

ELO are seriously back for a last time for a few decades (at least with Jeff Lynne), Fuzzbox debut with a longer band name and more of an indie vibe, Elaine Page gets another Chess musical song in my chart, so that’s Benny & Bjorn of Abba making it two – Swedish protogee’s Gemini enter with Just Like That, the 1982 Abba song that was never released in a finished form (though it did top my chart a decade later when a shortened version was released). Ted Chippington amusingly talks a Beatles classic into a laidback entry, Jean-Michel Jarre is another Spirit of 1977 to return, since his debut Oxygene Part VI peaked at 2. Only another 40 years to wait to top my chart (with Cyndi Lauper)…

Patti Labelle has dropped the girls of Lady Marmalade, and the shiny spacesuits, now opting 11 years on for a smooth soul duet with Michael MacDonald, now Doobie-less, and On My Own is just beautifully sad and beautifully sung by both. Annabella covers Peggy Lee’s Fever a decade ahead of Madonna, Doctor & The Medics sneak in with a camp soundalike cover of Spirit In The Sky, 16 years on from the classic Norman Greenbaum, Level 42 start the great period rolling with Lessons In Love, Van Halen are David Lee Roth-less, and a bit toothless for me, and Limahl manages to drag another chart entry out 3 years on from Kajaverygoogooey acrimoniously splitting. Kaja who?

1 ( 2 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye
2 ( 1 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael
3 ( 7 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds
4 ( 4 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson
5 ( 3 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite
6 ( 6 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco
7 ( 12 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax
8 ( 10 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star
9 ( NEW ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush
10 ( 16 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha

11 ( 5 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial
12 ( 14 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega
13 ( 8 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy
14 ( 9 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen
15 ( 27 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid
16 ( 38 ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston
17 ( 17 ) THE FINEST SOS Band
18 ( 28 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest
19 ( NEW ) A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Shalamar
20 ( 11 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

21 ( 13 ) WONDERFUL WORLD Sam Cooke
22 ( 45 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD
23 ( 26 ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna
24 ( 61 ) NO PROMISES Icehouse
25 ( NEW ) I CAN SEE IT Blancmange
26 ( 30 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top
27 ( 36 ) JUST SAY NO Grange Hill Cast
28 ( 15 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys
29 ( 59 ) HOME PIL
30 ( NEW ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure

31 ( 20 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing
32 ( 18 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some
33 ( NEW ) BAD BOY Miami Sound Machine
34 ( 49 ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS
35 ( 23 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
36 ( 19 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks
37 ( 47 ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s
38 ( NEW ) SO SERIOUS Electric Light Orchestra
39 ( 65 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel
40 ( 44 ) I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU Princess

41 ( 34 ) IT’S ALL IN THE GAME The Man (aka Jonathan King)
42 ( 22 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys
43 ( 41 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
44 ( 31 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution
45 ( 25 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie
46 ( NEW ) SWEETEST THING Gene Loves Jezebel
47 ( 21 ) HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT BLUE The Style Council
48 ( NEW ) XX SEX We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It
49 ( 62 ) A QUESTION OF LUST Depeche Mode
50 ( 24 ) OVERJOYED Stevie Wonder

51 ( 29 ) CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Lick The Tins
52 ( NEW ) NOBODY’S SIDE Elaine Page
53 ( 43 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
54 ( 56 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp
55 ( 39 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
56 ( NEW ) RENDEZVOUS Jean-Michel Jarre
57 ( 42 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik
58 ( 58 ) A LOVE BIZARRE Sheila E
59 ( 46 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares
60 ( NEW ) GODSTAR Psychic TV

61 ( 40 ) MOVE AWAY Culture Club
62 ( NEW ) SHE LOVES YOU Ted Chippington
63 ( NEW ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald
64 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
65 ( 54 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
66 ( 32 ) IS YOUR LOVE STRONG ENOUGH Bryan Ferry
67 ( NEW ) FEVER Annabella
68 ( 69 ) THIS IS LOVE Gary Numan
69 ( NEW ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics
70 ( 33 ) IF YOU WERE A WOMAN (AND I WAS A MAN) Bonnie Tyler

71 ( NEW ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42
72 ( NEW ) WHY CAN’T THIS BE LOVE Van Halen
73 ( NEW ) JUST LIKE THAT Gemini
74 ( NEW ) MASUKA DAN The Flaming Mussolinis
75 ( NEW ) LOVE IN YOUR EYES Limahl

FAVE OLDIES OF THE WEEK
1 YOU SEND ME Sam Cooke
2 (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
3 SCHOOL LOVE Barry Blue

My February 1986 Charts

4th February 1986

3 weeks on top for a-ha, as Eurythmics get their highest charting single since chart-topper There Must Be An Angel, and Diana Ross rockets Bee Gee style up 60 places to 9 with Chain Reaction, for an 18-year run of top 10’s. Madonna ticks off yet another top 10, Five Star get a first, and Russ Ballard has a big climb for Voices, his biggest solo hit and first top 20 as an artist since Argent’s God Gave Rock ‘N’ Roll To You in 1973.

A big top 40 climb for The Costello Show, and Johnny Rotten is the highest new entry as Public Image Limited get an 8-year-span of hits, John Lydon gets 9 years. Madness cover Scritti Politti and are rewarded with an instant top 40 hit outdoing the previous single, their first top 40 failure in 7 years. Talking Heads get a fab follow-up, Arcadia keep the Duran spin-off ball rolling, and Ruby Turner arrives 2 decades ahead of her Jools Holland career with a Staple Singers cover of a 1974 US chart-topper and Popchartfreak top 30.

Simple Minds keep the hits coming, Leo Sayer covers a standard over a decade after The Righteous did the definitive version, and 4 years ahead of Ghost making that classic a reactivated UK chart-topper. Poor Leo, timing is everything. Leo is great live, catch him if you can, even if not a huge fan, well worth it. Early Madonna-producer Jellybean enters a year ahead of his chart breakthroughs, Survivor return with another Rocky song, 4 years later, and it’s not a patch on Tiger. Finally, The Bangles breakthrough with a Prince-song, and it’s quality time with Manic Monday.

1 ( 1 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
2 ( 2 ) IMAGINATION Belouis Some
3 ( 5 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
4 ( 4 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
5 ( 3 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
6 ( 6 ) RADIO AFRICA Latin Quarter
7 ( 11 ) THE CAPTAIN OF HER HEART Double
8 ( 13 ) BORDERLINE Madonna
9 ( 69 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
10 ( 12 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star

11 ( 27 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean
12 ( 18 ) LA VIE EN ROSE/ PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones
13 ( 24 ) LIFE’S WHAT YOU MAKE IT Talk Talk
14 ( 30 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals
15 ( 15 ) SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON Todd Rundgren
16 ( 22 ) SATURDAY LOVE Cherrelle & Alexander O’Neal
17 ( 10 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin
18 ( 7 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win
19 ( 37 ) VOICES Russ Ballard
20 ( 26 ) ELOISE The Damned

21 ( 8 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
22 ( 9 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
23 ( 23 ) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman
24 ( 16 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
25 ( 52 ) PLEASE DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD The Costello Show (Elvis Costello)
26 ( 40 ) IN A LIFETIME Clannad featuring Bono
27 ( 14 ) YOU LITTLE THIEF Feargal Sharkey
28 ( 19 ) ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME Full Force
29 ( 17 ) SHE’S STRANGE Cameo
30 ( 36 ) LIVING IN AMERICA James Brown

31 ( 21 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West
32 ( 20 ) RUSSIANS Sting
33 ( 33 ) I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
34 ( NEW ) RISE PIL
35 ( 25 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
36 ( 47 ) SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT Fra Lippo Lippi
37 ( NEW ) THE SWEETEST GIRL Madness
38 ( 38 ) WALK OF LIFE Dire Straits
39 ( 57 ) IF I RULED THE WORLD Kurtis Blow
40 ( 60 ) ONLY LOVE Nana Mouskouri

41 ( 39 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
42 ( NEW ) AND SHE WAS Talking Heads
43 ( NEW ) THE PROMISE Arcadia
44 ( NEW ) IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME) Ruby Turner
45 ( 44 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
46 ( 45 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
47 ( 31 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess
48 ( 34 ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
49 ( 43 ) DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Band Aid
50 ( 58 ) CUT ME DOWN Lloyd Cole & The Commotions

51 ( 28 ) NAUGHTY NAUGHTY John Parr
52 ( 35 ) I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU Stevie Wonder
53 ( 50 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
54 ( 42 ) DRESS YOU UP Madonna
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 41 ) HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT Bronski Beat
57 ( 73 ) HOW WILL I KNOW Whitney Houston
58 ( 29 ) GIRLIE GIRLIE Sophia George
59 ( 62 ) MY GUY MY GIRL Amii Stewart & Deon Estus
60 ( 32 ) TORTURE King

61 ( NEW ) IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER Zapp
62 ( 53 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
63 ( NEW ) SANCTIFY YOURSELF Simple Minds
64 ( 46 ) TONIGHT SHE COMES The Cars
65 ( 65 ) SMALLTOWN John Cougar Mellencamp
66 ( NEW ) UNCHAINED MELODY Leo Sayer
67 ( 66 ) DRIVE The Cars
68 ( 64 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
69 ( 75 ) LYING Peter Frampton
70 ( NEW ) SIDEWALK TALK Jellybean

71 ( 68 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
72 ( NEW ) BURNING HEART Survivor
73 ( NEW ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles
74 ( 51 ) RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang
75 ( NEW ) DON’T WASTE MY TIME Paul Hardcastle

OLDIES PLAYLIST
1 BOGART Nik Kershaw
2 SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY U2
3 JACKIE Scott Walker

 

11th February 1986

It’s 4 weeks on top for a-ha presiding over a volatile chart, Billy Ocean leaping to 2 for a career-best chart position after 12 years of trying, starting from 1974’s Top 5 On The Run (under the pseudonym Scorched Earth, and as good as later gems). Five Star go top 3, Eloise takes the Damned to a career-high after 9 years of trying for a top 5 – and also reactivates the former original chart-topper, still the best version, in my oldies playlist. As does Stevie Nicks going top 20 with I Can’t Wait reactivating an oldie on the playlist. Talk Talk get a first Top 10 in 4 years, since Today did it, and the highest new entry is a new peak for a record that pottered about my chart in 1985 – the awesome Behind The Mask in at 10.

PIL, Clannad, James Bown and Bono all return to the top 20 – except James Brown who does it for the actual first time after 16 years of occasional minor hits, admittedly past his 60’s pre-chart peak. Genesis spin-off project of Mike Rutherford, and featuring the smooth vocals of former Ace vocalist Paul Carrack, gives a fab new entry for Silent Running at 23, 12 years after both first charted. Betty Wright pops back in with her first top 30 in 11 years, Manic Monday rockets into the 40 for The Bangles, Huey Lewis is back yet again with the Back To The Future theme, and John Cougar also climbs high with Smalltown – a song which I co-incidentally saw on The Cleveland Show this week.

Ozzy Osbourne is back 16 years since he went Paranoid with Black Sabbath, but not quite So Tired this time as he tries A Shot In The Dark. Midge has a 4th solo entry a decade since his chart career started with Slik-ness, and Kissing The Pink come back after a 3 year-break from The Last Film.

1 ( 1 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
2 ( 11 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean
3 ( 10 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
4 ( 7 ) THE CAPTAIN OF HER HEART Double
5 ( 20 ) ELOISE The Damned
6 ( 13 ) LIFE’S WHAT YOU MAKE IT Talk Talk
7 ( 9 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
8 ( 8 ) BORDERLINE Madonna
9 ( 4 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
10 ( NEW ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes

11 ( 3 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
12 ( 6 ) RADIO AFRICA Latin Quarter
13 ( 5 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
14 ( 14 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals
15 ( 2 ) IMAGINATION Belouis Some
16 ( 19 ) VOICES Russ Ballard
17 ( 33 ) I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
18 ( 34 ) RISE PIL
19 ( 30 ) LIVING IN AMERICA James Brown
20 ( 26 ) IN A LIFETIME Clannad featuring Bono

21 ( 12 ) LA VIE EN ROSE/ PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones
22 ( 23 ) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman
23 ( NEW ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics
24 ( RE ) PAIN Betty Wright
25 ( 25 ) PLEASE DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD The Costello Show (Elvis Costello)
26 ( 16 ) SATURDAY LOVE Cherrelle & Alexander O’Neal
27 ( 36 ) SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT Fra Lippo Lippi
28 ( 15 ) SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON Todd Rundgren
29 ( 42 ) AND SHE WAS Talking Heads
30 ( 18 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win

31 ( 73 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles
32 ( 17 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin
33 ( 37 ) THE SWEETEST GIRL Madness
34 ( 22 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
35 ( 21 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
36 ( 24 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
37 ( NEW ) POWER OF LOVE Huey Lewis & The News
38 ( 39 ) IF I RULED THE WORLD Kurtis Blow
39 ( 65 ) SMALLTOWN John Cougar Mellencamp
40 ( 43 ) THE PROMISE Arcadia

41 ( 44 ) IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME) Ruby Turner
42 ( NEW ) MY MAGIC MAN Rochelle
43 ( 63 ) SANCTIFY YOURSELF Simple Minds
44 ( 35 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
45 ( 57 ) HOW WILL I KNOW Whitney Houston
46 ( 32 ) RUSSIANS Sting
47 ( 29 ) SHE’S STRANGE Cameo
48 ( 31 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West
49 ( 75 ) DON’T WASTE MY TIME Paul Hardcastle
50 ( 27 ) YOU LITTLE THIEF Feargal Sharkey

51 ( 41 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
52 ( 45 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
53 ( 40 ) ONLY LOVE Nana Mouskouri
54 ( 70 ) SIDEWALK TALK Jellybean
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 28 ) ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME Full Force
57 ( 72 ) BURNING HEART Survivor
58 ( 46 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
59 ( 53 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
60 ( NEW ) SHOT IN THE DARK Ozzy Osbourne

61 ( 61 ) IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER Zapp
62 ( 49 ) DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Band Aid
63 ( NEW ) WASTELANDS Midge Ure
64 ( 38 ) WALK OF LIFE Dire Straits
65 ( 48 ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
66 ( 66 ) UNCHAINED MELODY Leo Sayer
67 ( 47 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess
68 ( 69 ) LYING Peter Frampton
69 ( 67 ) DRIVE The Cars
70 ( 68 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha

71 ( 59 ) MY GUY MY GIRL Amii Stewart & Deon Estus
72 ( NEW ) DON’T TELL ME LIES Breathe
73 ( 71 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
74 ( 62 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
75 ( NEW ) ONE STEP Kissing The Pink

Playlist Oldies Of The Week
1 ELOISE Barry Ryan
2 TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks
3 METHOD OF MODERN LOVE Hall & Oates

 

18th February 1986

5 weeks on top for the mighty a-ha, keeping The Damned at 2, the same position the Barry Ryan original reached in the UK chart, and one place lower than it reached in mine. Kate Bush is the highest new entry, outdoing Cloudbusting and making it 3 top 10’s in a row, with the exciting and brilliant Hounds Of Love, candidate for my fave Bush track. PIL get another top 10 3 years on from the last one, 8 years on from the first one, and 9 years on since The Sex Pistols burst onto my charts for Johnny Rotten.

Billy Joel has a double 70’s oldies blast from the past, one having been uncharted at the time (but fab) and the other having been under-appreciated by me in 1978 (Just The Way You Are). 16 is still an under-rating for both songs. Hot Chocolate return for the last time, 16 years on from their amazing run of singles, though not one of their better efforts sadly. Starship and Mr. Mister get quick follow-ups, and the fab Blow Monkeys debut with the equally fab Digging Your Scene, the first CD single I ever bought (OK technically it was a later maxi single featuring a lesser Blow Monkeys single as the lead track, but I bought it for Digging Your Scene). CD’s were on the way…

The mad, glam, and Mad Max-styled Sigue Sigue Sputnik debut with the unusual Love Missile F1-11. I liked it for being different to anything else, and they were having a laugh. It’s a Hi-De-Hi to comic actor Su Pollard not being very amusing in song, and it’s a Heeeere’s Johnny to Prefab Sprout too.

1 ( 1 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
2 ( 5 ) ELOISE The Damned
3 ( 3 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
4 ( 4 ) THE CAPTAIN OF HER HEART Double
5 ( 7 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
6 ( 2 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean
7 ( 10 ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes
8 ( 8 ) BORDERLINE Madonna
9 ( NEW ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
10 ( 18 ) RISE PIL

11 ( 6 ) LIFE’S WHAT YOU MAKE IT Talk Talk
12 ( 23 ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics
13 ( 16 ) VOICES Russ Ballard
14 ( 17 ) I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
15 ( 12 ) RADIO AFRICA Latin Quarter
16 ( NEW ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE/ SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN Billy Joel
17 ( 9 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
18 ( 11 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
19 ( 29 ) AND SHE WAS Talking Heads
20 ( 24 ) PAIN Betty Wright

21 ( 19 ) LIVING IN AMERICA James Brown
22 ( 31 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles
23 ( 14 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals
24 ( 13 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
25 ( RE ) SEX AS A WEAPON Pat Benatar
26 ( 15 ) IMAGINATION Belouis Some
27 ( 27 ) SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT Fra Lippo Lippi
28 ( 37 ) POWER OF LOVE/ DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE Huey Lewis & The News
29 ( 33 ) THE SWEETEST GIRL Madness
30 ( 49 ) DON’T WASTE MY TIME Paul Hardcastle

31 ( RE ) LIVING IN THE PAST Drum Theatre
32 ( 21 ) LA VIE EN ROSE/ PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones
33 ( 28 ) SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON Todd Rundgren
34 ( 39 ) SMALLTOWN John Cougar Mellencamp
35 ( 42 ) MY MAGIC MAN Rochelle
36 ( 41 ) IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME) Ruby Turner
37 ( 43 ) SANCTIFY YOURSELF Simple Minds
38 ( 20 ) IN A LIFETIME Clannad featuring Bono
39 ( 45 ) HOW WILL I KNOW Whitney Houston
40 ( NEW ) HEARTACHE NUMBER 9 Hot Chocolate

41 ( 25 ) PLEASE DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD The Costello Show (Elvis Costello)
42 ( 34 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
43 ( 35 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
44 ( 36 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
45 ( 57 ) BURNING HEART Survivor
46 ( 30 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win
47 ( 22 ) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman
48 ( 26 ) SATURDAY LOVE Cherrelle & Alexander O’Neal
49 ( 32 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin
50 ( 60 ) SHOT IN THE DARK Ozzy Osbourne

51 ( 38 ) IF I RULED THE WORLD Kurtis Blow
52 ( 48 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West
53 ( 44 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
54 ( NEW ) SARA Starship
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 75 ) ONE STEP Kissing The Pink
57 ( 51 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
58 ( NEW ) KYRIE Mr. Mister
59 ( NEW ) FEMALE INTUITION Mai Tai
60 ( 52 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham

61 ( 40 ) THE PROMISE Arcadia
62 ( 66 ) UNCHAINED MELODY Leo Sayer
63 ( 63 ) WASTELANDS Midge Ure
64 ( NEW ) I JUST CAN’T STAND IT Matt Bianco
65 ( 59 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
66 ( NEW ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys
67 ( 46 ) RUSSIANS Sting
68 ( NEW ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik
69 ( NEW ) MOON OVER BOURBON STREET Sting
70 ( 69 ) DRIVE The Cars

71 ( 58 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
72 ( NEW ) HERE COMES THE MAN Boom Boom Room
73 ( 70 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
74 ( NEW ) STARTING TOGETHER Su Pollard
75 ( NEW ) JOHNNY JOHNNY Prefab Sprout

PLAYLIST OLDIES

1 I KNOW THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON Frida
2 I HEAR TALK Bucks Fizz
3 (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra

 

25th February 1986

Back in at 1, it’s a UK chart re-entry giving me an excuse to rechart 1985’s greatest single, Tears For Fears’ pop masterpiece, giving an oldies theme to the upper chart as Eloise holds at 2, Billy Joel climbs to 11 and Huey Lewis’ Back To The Future song hits a new peak belatedly. In at 5, it’s 1976 top 10 disco classic Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel, as it charts all over again. Tavares were early cool disco stars. Yes, disco was cool at it’s best.

Mike + The Mechanics give Mike Rutherford his 4th top 10 (3 with Genesis), and Paul Carrack his first, in 12 years of trying, while Russ Ballard makes it for the first time in 13 years – when Argent took God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To Me a bit higher. The Blow Monkeys have a massive climb, as I am Digging their Scene, and ditto Sigue Sigue Sputnik who shoot like a missile into the 30 as well, while the highest actual new record is ELO having a go at synths with the fab Calling America – their last hit, far too minor, and the end of the road essentially for the band as a unit. Jeff Lynne of course kept on having success in various guises until resurrecting the name recently – and cue more hits in my charts.

Depeche Mode are stripped back, Frankie is still doing it his way 17 years on from his first chart entry with My Way – though his best songs predated my charts and would have been big. Audrey Hall has a gentle reggae bop again, and future fave band for the next 30 years have a second entry at a modest 59 – the gorgeous Love Comes Quickly, being very different from West End Girls, as were all the next singles for a few years – despite naysayers at the time who had a problem with Neil’s vocals making ludicrous claims that they all sound the same. They all sound like Neil Tennant, yes, but not musically the same.

Aretha and Elton are back – not together, that lies a bit in the future, but more notches in the run of solo singles, while Hipsway, a band that might have been successful, debut with The Honey Thief.

1 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears
2 ( 2 ) ELOISE The Damned
3 ( 1 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
4 ( 5 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
5 ( NEW ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares
6 ( 9 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush
7 ( 3 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
8 ( 12 ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics
9 ( 13 ) VOICES Russ Ballard
10 ( 4 ) THE CAPTAIN OF HER HEART Double

11 ( 16 ) JUST THE WAY YOU ARE/ SHE’S ALWAYS A WOMAN Billy Joel
12 ( 22 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles
13 ( 19 ) AND SHE WAS Talking Heads
14 ( 6 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean
15 ( 10 ) RISE PIL
16 ( 25 ) SEX AS A WEAPON Pat Benatar
17 ( 8 ) BORDERLINE Madonna
18 ( 11 ) LIFE’S WHAT YOU MAKE IT Talk Talk
19 ( 28 ) POWER OF LOVE/ DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE Huey Lewis & The News
20 ( 20 ) PAIN Betty Wright

21 ( 15 ) RADIO AFRICA Latin Quarter
22 ( 7 ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes
23 ( 66 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys
24 ( 29 ) THE SWEETEST GIRL Madness
25 ( 14 ) I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
26 ( 68 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik
27 ( 18 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
28 ( NEW ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra
29 ( 17 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
30 ( 30 ) DON’T WASTE MY TIME Paul Hardcastle

31 ( 37 ) SANCTIFY YOURSELF Simple Minds
32 ( 24 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
33 ( 40 ) HEARTACHE NUMBER 9 Hot Chocolate
34 ( 21 ) LIVING IN AMERICA James Brown
35 ( 56 ) ONE STEP Kissing The Pink
36 ( 39 ) HOW WILL I KNOW Whitney Houston
37 ( 26 ) IMAGINATION Belouis Some
38 ( 58 ) KYRIE Mr. Mister
39 ( 45 ) BURNING HEART Survivor
40 ( 36 ) IF YOU’RE READY (COME GO WITH ME) Ruby Turner

41 ( 27 ) SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT Fra Lippo Lippi
42 ( 33 ) SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON Todd Rundgren
43 ( 42 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
44 ( 43 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
45 ( NEW ) STRIPPED Depeche Mode
46 ( 59 ) FEMALE INTUITION Mai Tai
47 ( 44 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
48 ( 32 ) LA VIE EN ROSE/ PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones
49 ( 23 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals
50 ( 46 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win

51 ( NEW ) THEME FROM NEW YORK NEW YORK Frank Sinatra
52 ( 31 ) LIVING IN THE PAST Drum Theatre
53 ( NEW ) ONE DANCE WON’T DO Audrey Hall
54 ( 34 ) SMALLTOWN John Cougar Mellencamp
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 38 ) IN A LIFETIME Clannad featuring Bono
57 ( 64 ) I JUST CAN’T STAND IT Matt Bianco
58 ( 52 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West
59 ( NEW ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys
60 ( 57 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade

61 ( 53 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
62 ( NEW ) ANOTHER NIGHT Aretha Franklin
63 ( 69 ) MOON OVER BOURBON STREET Sting
64 ( 35 ) MY MAGIC MAN Rochelle
65 ( NEW ) THE HONEY THIEF Hipsway
66 ( NEW ) CRY TO HEAVEN Elton John
67 ( 60 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
68 ( 72 ) HERE COMES THE MAN Boom Boom Room
69 ( 65 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
70 ( 74 ) STARTING TOGETHER Su Pollard

71 ( 70 ) DRIVE The Cars
72 ( 41 ) PLEASE DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD The Costello Show (Elvis Costello)
73 ( NEW ) ROCK ME TONIGHT Freddie Jackson
74 ( 49 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin
75 ( NEW ) MY CLEOPATRA The Flaming Mussolinis

Playlist Oldies
1 CITY LIGHTS David Essex
2 SUNSHINE The Archies
3 RADANCER Marmalade

My January 1986 Charts

7th January 1986

It’s new in at 1 with another oldie – the 20 year anniversary reissue recharting Beatles double A side classic, keeping up the run of charting oldies, mostly. That means the actual top new track, West End Girls, has still only had 1 week on top in what otherwise would have been a 6 week-run on top if not for oldies.

A-ha rocket into the top 10 for 2 in a row, The Cars do it for the 3rd time, and Go West shoot into the 20 for the 3rd time. Highest new track is Pat Benatar, while Steve Harley, 12 years on from Judy Teen, teams up with ex-1978 chart-topper Sarah Brightman, now a serious musical star, for the Phantom duet. Fine Young Cannibals cover Elvis, Dire Straits dig deeper into Brothers In Arms, ABC enter a bit blue, and Grace Jones is besides herself at being a new entry with an old Edith Piaf French classic ballad. Literally. As is kate Bush, literally beside herself.

1 ( NEW ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
2 ( 1 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
3 ( 2 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
4 ( 3 ) RUSSIANS Sting
5 ( 22 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
6 ( 4 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
7 ( 6 ) SHE’S STRANGE Cameo
8 ( 8 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
9 ( 9 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess
10 ( 12 ) TONIGHT SHE COMES The Cars

11 ( 13 ) WE ALL STAND TOGETHER Paul McCartney
12 ( 5 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
13 ( 7 ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
14 ( 19 ) HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT Bronski Beat
15 ( 25 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
16 ( 10 ) DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Band Aid
17 ( 17 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE Shakin’ Stevens
18 ( 15 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
19 ( 14 ) DRESS YOU UP Madonna
20 ( 42 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West

21 ( 18 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
22 ( 39 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin
23 ( 40 ) GIRLIE GIRLIE Sophia George
24 ( 16 ) SPIES LIKE US Paul McCartney
25 ( 27 ) WRAP HER UP Elton John
26 ( 11 ) BECAUSE Julian Lennon
27 ( 29 ) MY GUY MY GIRL Amii Stewart & Deon Estus
28 ( 28 ) IT’S IN EVERY ONE OF US Cliff Richard
29 ( 34 ) LEAVING ME NOW Level 42
30 ( 24 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads

31 ( 23 ) WE BUILT THIS CITY Starship
32 ( 21 ) SEE THE DAY Dee C. Lee
33 ( 20 ) SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN Bruce Springsteen
34 ( 38 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
35 ( NEW ) SEX AS A WEAPON Pat Benatar
36 ( 36 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
37 ( 26 ) THE SHOW Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
38 ( 47 ) RING OF ICE Jennifer Rush
39 ( 31 ) DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES Slade
40 ( 37 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey

41 ( 33 ) SUN CITY Artists Against Apartheid
42 ( 45 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
43 ( 43 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
44 ( 30 ) YOU’RE A FRIEND OF MINE Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne
45 ( 32 ) WHITE CHRISTMAS Bing Crosby
46 ( NEW ) NAUGHTY NAUGHTY John Parr
47 ( 67 ) YOU LITTLE THIEF Feargal Sharkey
48 ( 35 ) OH LOUISE Junior
49 ( 55 ) WALKING IN THE AIR Aled Jones
50 ( 41 ) JEALOUS GUY John Lennon

51 ( 49 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Far Corporation
52 ( 48 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
53 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
54 ( 50 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
55 ( 51 ) DON’T YOU JUST KNOW IT Amazulu
56 ( 46 ) SEPARATE LIVES Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
57 ( 57 ) EASIER SAID THAN DOWN Jon Anderson
58 ( NEW ) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman
59 ( 59 ) RAISE THE ROOF The Conway Brothers
60 ( NEW ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals

61 ( 60 ) DRIVE The Cars
62 ( 75 ) ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME Full Force
63 ( 54 ) HEART AND SOUL Huey Lewis & The News
64 ( 63 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
65 ( NEW ) WALK OF LIFE Dire Straits
66 ( 52 ) THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne Warwick & Friends
67 ( 61 ) LOST WEEKEND Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
68 ( 68 ) MEGAREX T.Rex
69 ( NEW ) OCEAN BLUE ABC
70 ( 58 ) P-MACHINERY (REMIX) Propaganda

71 ( 44 ) WINDSWEPT Bryan Ferry
72 ( NEW ) LA VIE EN ROSE Grace Jones
73 ( 73 ) SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM Grace Jones
74 ( 71 ) RUNNING UP THAT HILL Kate Bush
75 ( 74 ) CLOUDBUSTING Kate Bush

Oldies playlist

1 IT’S FOR YOU Cilla Black
2 I’M GONNA BE STRONG Gene Pitney
3 SABRE DANCE Love Sculpture

 

 

14th January 1986

It’s back on top after a break of over a month, to give Pet Shop Boys one week on top in both 1985 and 1986 – it’s unusual for records to do that in my chart, but hey it’s a classic! Even holding off a brand new classic at 2 from a-ha. Go West get a second top 10 and Eurythmics an umpteenth, rare that they didn’t hit my top 10. Broken Wings gets a big climb into the 20, and highest “new” entry is Radio Africa starting the theme of flops becoming hits second time round in 1986, and for this week the trend of loads of re-entries which get called “new” because it’s a new year and I like to see chart runs in different years with as not part of the initial run.

King have yet another top 40 track – who recalled they had so many! Steve Harley and Sarah Brightman both get a first top 40 hit in years, thanks to Andrew Lloyd Webber (never hurts to have your hubbie write the songs), and Full Force rocket into the 30 with Alice, hip-hopping away, in mood if not literally. Fine Young Cannibals cover Elvis – Pet Shop Boys please take note! Sade overtakes Slade, new at 45 – that only works if you pronounce Slade as Slahday – and a famous Billy Ocean chart-topper debuts quite low-down: Romancing The Stone was the film, and indeed, at a 2017 Uptown Country Park 80’s festival, Billy in fine voice, I decided to get going as it was getting tough anticipating the rush for the exit as his encore arrived.

Stevie Nicks fabulous I Can’t Wait is new in at 58, as good as a Mac track, 5 Star’s best single is at 61, give or take Rain Or Shine, Alexander O’Neal is in with Cherrelle – he will be back quite a lot, she won’t. Talking of films, Eddie Murphy has a decent stab at a pop career, the recently sad loss of Phil Lynnot brings 19 into the chart, and Timmy Thomas is back for his only other chart entry that wasn’t his awesome 1973 classic Why Can’t We Live Together – as covered by Sade, in fact, on her album but never a single. A Remix would top my chart for Timmy in 1990.

1 ( 3 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
2 ( 5 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
3 ( 1 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
4 ( 2 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
5 ( 7 ) SHE’S STRANGE Cameo
6 ( 8 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
7 ( 4 ) RUSSIANS Sting
8 ( 20 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West
9 ( NEW ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win
10 ( 15 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics

11 ( 9 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess
12 ( 6 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
13 ( 34 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
14 ( 13 ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
15 ( 22 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin
16 ( NEW ) RADIO AFRICA Latin Quarter
17 ( 23 ) GIRLIE GIRLIE Sophia George
18 ( 10 ) TONIGHT SHE COMES The Cars
19 ( 19 ) DRESS YOU UP Madonna
20 ( 12 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade

21 ( 17 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE Shakin’ Stevens
22 ( 11 ) WE ALL STAND TOGETHER Paul McCartney
23 ( 14 ) HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT Bronski Beat
24 ( 16 ) DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Band Aid
25 ( 18 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
26 ( 47 ) YOU LITTLE THIEF Feargal Sharkey
27 ( 62 ) ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME Full Force
28 ( 21 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
29 ( 29 ) LEAVING ME NOW Level 42
30 ( 24 ) SPIES LIKE US Paul McCartney

31 ( 25 ) WRAP HER UP Elton John
32 ( NEW ) I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU Stevie Wonder
33 ( NEW ) TORTURE King
34 ( 58 ) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman
35 ( 35 ) SEX AS A WEAPON Pat Benatar
36 ( 38 ) RING OF ICE Jennifer Rush
37 ( 28 ) IT’S IN EVERY ONE OF US Cliff Richard
38 ( 30 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads
39 ( 46 ) NAUGHTY NAUGHTY John Parr
40 ( 60 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals

41 ( 36 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
42 ( 27 ) MY GUY MY GIRL Amii Stewart & Deon Estus
43 ( 40 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
44 ( 42 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
45 ( NEW ) IS IT A CRIME Sade
46 ( 43 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
47 ( 65 ) WALK OF LIFE Dire Straits
48 ( 32 ) SEE THE DAY Dee C. Lee
49 ( NEW ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean
50 ( 26 ) BECAUSE Julian Lennon

51 ( 41 ) SUN CITY Artists Against Apartheid
52 ( 52 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
53 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
54 ( 39 ) DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES Slade
55 ( 31 ) WE BUILT THIS CITY Starship
56 ( 54 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
57 ( 51 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Far Corporation
58 ( NEW ) I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
59 ( 37 ) THE SHOW Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
60 ( 50 ) JEALOUS GUY John Lennon

61 ( NEW ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
62 ( 61 ) DRIVE The Cars
63 ( 69 ) OCEAN BLUE ABC
64 ( NEW ) DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME) Simple Minds
65 ( 64 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
66 ( NEW ) ALIVE AND KICKING Simple Minds
67 ( 55 ) DON’T YOU JUST KNOW IT Amazulu
68 ( NEW ) SATURDAY LOVE Cherrelle & Alexander O’Neal
69 ( 72 ) LA VIE EN ROSE/ PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones
70 ( 33 ) SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN/ MY HOMETOWN Bruce Springsteen

71 ( NEW ) PARTY ALL THE TIME Eddie Murphy
72 ( 68 ) MEGAREX T.Rex
73 ( NEW ) THE OAK TREE Morris Day
74 ( NEW ) 19’ Phil Lynnot
75 ( NEW ) NEW YORK EYES Nicole with Timmy Thomas

Playlist Oldies Of The Week
1 I KNOW THERE’S SOMETHING GOING ON Frida
2 IT’S A MAN’S MAN’S MAN’S MAN’S WORLD Brilliant
3 BABY BOOMERANG T.Rex

 

21st January 1986

It’s a first week on top for a-ha’s brilliant Sun Always Shines On TV, proper epic pop, and their second chart-topper in a row. Highest new entry is a return for a great flop track from 1985 (theme of the year again and again), Belouis Some’s Imagination at 3, as Mr. Mister make the top 5. Another ’85 flop hits the top 10, for Latin Quarter, Todd Rundgren is back at 23 with his biggest “hit” since the brilliant Hello It’s Me went top 5 12 years earlier, and the equally brilliant I Saw The Light started his chart career in 1972.

Madonna’s back with another minor hit back bigger, 1984’s Borderline, Double’s charming single enters at 31, and Five Star, Grace Jones, and Stevie Nicks all get deserved big leaps into the 40, and it’s a 1979 Rapper’s Return as the one that kick-started a whole genre returns at 44, while fellow early rap pioneer Kurtis Blow finally follows up his Christmas Rapping with If I Ruled The World just over 6 years on.

Drum Theatre were a good support band I saw at the time, and enter at 48, with the great Talk Talk single in at 50, Life’s What You Make It making it 4 years of good singles. James Brown’s last big hit is in with Living In America, a decade on since his last chart entry – though his song is still on my playlist as done by Brilliant. Gloria Estefan does the Conga, though not getting billing yet 2 years on from Dr. Beat, John Cougar is also back 4 years on from Jack And Diane, with extra unnecessary Mellencamp, and Clannad have a fab duet with Bono.

1 ( 2 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
2 ( 1 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
3 ( NEW ) IMAGINATION Belouis Some
4 ( 9 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win
5 ( 13 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
6 ( 3 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
7 ( 4 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
8 ( 10 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
9 ( 16 ) RADIO AFRICA Latin Quarter
10 ( 5 ) SHE’S STRANGE Cameo

11 ( 15 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin
12 ( 6 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
13 ( 8 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West
14 ( 7 ) RUSSIANS Sting
15 ( 26 ) YOU LITTLE THIEF Feargal Sharkey
16 ( 17 ) GIRLIE GIRLIE Sophia George
17 ( 12 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
18 ( 32 ) I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU Stevie Wonder
19 ( 27 ) ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME Full Force
20 ( 11 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess

21 ( 14 ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
22 ( 33 ) TORTURE King
23 ( NEW ) SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON Todd Rundgren
24 ( 23 ) HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT Bronski Beat
25 ( 19 ) DRESS YOU UP Madonna
26 ( 34 ) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman
27 ( NEW ) BORDERLINE Madonna
28 ( 18 ) TONIGHT SHE COMES The Cars
29 ( 20 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
30 ( 24 ) DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Band Aid

31 ( NEW ) CAPTAIN OF YOUR HEART Double
32 ( 61 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
33 ( 29 ) LEAVING ME NOW Level 42
34 ( 21 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE Shakin’ Stevens
35 ( 69 ) LA VIE EN ROSE/ PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones
36 ( 39 ) NAUGHTY NAUGHTY John Parr
37 ( 28 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
38 ( 40 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals
39 ( 58 ) I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
40 ( 49 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean

41 ( 47 ) WALK OF LIFE Dire Straits
42 ( 25 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
43 ( 68 ) SATURDAY LOVE Cherrelle & Alexander O’Neal
44 ( NEW ) RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang
45 ( 45 ) IS IT A CRIME Sade
46 ( 43 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
47 ( 41 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
48 ( NEW ) LIVING IN THE PAST Drum Theatre
49 ( 38 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads
50 ( NEW ) LIFE’S WHAT YOU MAKE IT Talk Talk

51 ( 31 ) WRAP HER UP Elton John
52 ( 30 ) SPIES LIKE US Paul McCartney
53 ( NEW ) DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE Huey Lewis & The News
54 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
55 ( 22 ) WE ALL STAND TOGETHER Paul McCartney
56 ( 63 ) OCEAN BLUE ABC
57 ( 46 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
58 ( 52 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
59 ( NEW ) LIVING IN AMERICA James Brown
60 ( NEW ) PICTURES IN THE DARK Mike Oldfield with Aled Jones

61 ( 35 ) SEX AS A WEAPON Pat Benatar
62 ( 71 ) PARTY ALL THE TIME Eddie Murphy
63 ( 36 ) RING OF ICE Jennifer Rush
64 ( 56 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
65 ( 62 ) DRIVE The Cars
66 ( NEW ) CONGA Miami Sound Machine
67 ( 65 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
68 ( NEW ) IN A LIFETIME Clannad featuring Bono
69 ( 37 ) IT’S IN EVERY ONE OF US Cliff Richard
70 ( NEW ) SMALLTOWN John Cougar Mellencamp

71 ( 60 ) JEALOUS GUY John Lennon
72 ( 57 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Far Corporation
73 ( 72 ) MEGAREX T.Rex
74 ( NEW ) ONE NATION Masquerade
75 ( NEW ) IF I RULED THE WORLD Kurtis Blow

OLDIES PLAYLIST
1 DREAM WEAVER Gary Wright
2 IT’S A MAN’S MAN’S MAN’S MAN’S WORLD Brilliant
3 HARD WOMAN Mick Jagger

 

28th January 1986

2 weeks on top for the classic a-ha shining on, heading a relatively static top 10, though Eurythmics get another top 5 the same week Aretha follows up her Eurythmics top 10 with a solo effort. Five Star get a big climb into the 20, Madonna finally gets Borderline into the 20, and Grace Jones does Edith Piaf chanson and funk both for a big climb. I prefer La Vie En Rose these days.

Top go Alexander O’Neal for the first time, Talk Talk for the 4th time (ish), James Brown for the second time, and Clannad and Bono (U2 having had several over 5 years). New in are The Damned with a decent cover of Barry Ryan’s classic histrionic ambitious epic chart-topper (for me) from 1968, Eloise at 26. At 37, Russ Ballard debuts with Voices, a great obscure track that gives him a solo chart career of 11 years, or 14 years including Argent. In the interim he wrote loads of classic songs like So You Win Again for Hot Chocolate, and Substitute for Clout.

Fra Lippo Lippi overcome a silly name to enter, Elvis Costello hides unsuccessfully behind a pseudonym for an Animals cover, Nana Mouskouri enters with her only ever chart song – though had I been charting in the early 60’s her fabulous Greek-themed White Rose Of Athens would have been big, cos it’s still a fab toon. Divas are the order of the day down the tail-end and playlist, though, as Diana Ross gets a Bee Gees gift and a half for a Chain Reaction smash, Whitney has a hum ho follow-up, and Nancy, Shirley and Abba grab my playlist oldies. Vinyl playlist, though call it Streaming had it been invented. 2 70’s fave acts return: Betty Wright clean-up woman is back 11 years on from Shoorah Shoorah and Where Is The Love, and Peter Frampton has a 10-year span of hits since topping with Show Me The Way – or 19 years had I been charting in 1967 when The Herd emerged with a teen vocalist.

1 ( 1 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha
2 ( 3 ) IMAGINATION Belouis Some
3 ( 2 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
4 ( 5 ) BROKEN WINGS Mr. Mister
5 ( 8 ) IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) Eurythmics
6 ( 9 ) RADIO AFRICA Latin Quarter
7 ( 4 ) YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Win
8 ( 7 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud
9 ( 6 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles
10 ( 11 ) WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO Aretha Franklin

11 ( 31 ) CAPTAIN OF YOUR HEART Double
12 ( 32 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star
13 ( 27 ) BORDERLINE Madonna
14 ( 15 ) YOU LITTLE THIEF Feargal Sharkey
15 ( 23 ) SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON Todd Rundgren
16 ( 12 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
17 ( 10 ) SHE’S STRANGE Cameo
18 ( 35 ) LA VIE EN ROSE/ PULL UP TO THE BUMPER Grace Jones
19 ( 19 ) ALICE I WANT YOU JUST FOR ME Full Force
20 ( 14 ) RUSSIANS Sting

21 ( 13 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN (THE SEQUEL) Go West
22 ( 43 ) SATURDAY LOVE Cherrelle & Alexander O’Neal
23 ( 26 ) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Steve Harley & Sarah Brightman
24 ( 50 ) LIFE’S WHAT YOU MAKE IT Talk Talk
25 ( 17 ) LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
26 ( NEW ) ELOISE The Damned
27 ( 40 ) WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING Billy Ocean
28 ( 36 ) NAUGHTY NAUGHTY John Parr
29 ( 16 ) GIRLIE GIRLIE Sophia George
30 ( 38 ) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Fine Young Cannibals

31 ( 20 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess
32 ( 22 ) TORTURE King
33 ( 39 ) I CAN’T WAIT Stevie Nicks
34 ( 21 ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
35 ( 18 ) I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU Stevie Wonder
36 ( 59 ) LIVING IN AMERICA James Brown
37 ( NEW ) VOICES Russ Ballard
38 ( 41 ) WALK OF LIFE Dire Straits
39 ( 29 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY Slade
40 ( 68 ) IN A LIFETIME Clannad featuring Bono

41 ( 24 ) HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT Bronski Beat
42 ( 25 ) DRESS YOU UP Madonna
43 ( 30 ) DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Band Aid
44 ( 42 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
45 ( 37 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
46 ( 28 ) TONIGHT SHE COMES The Cars
47 ( NEW ) SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THAT Fra Lippo Lippi
48 ( 48 ) LIVING IN THE PAST Drum Theatre
49 ( 33 ) LEAVING ME NOW Level 42
50 ( 46 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey

51 ( 44 ) RAPPER’S DELIGHT The Sugarhill Gang
52 ( NEW ) PLEASE DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD The Costello Show (Elvis Costello)
53 ( 47 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
54 ( 62 ) PARTY ALL THE TIME Eddie Murphy
55 ( 54 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 56 ) OCEAN BLUE ABC
57 ( 75 ) IF I RULED THE WORLD Kurtis Blow
58 ( NEW ) CUT ME DOWN Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
59 ( 34 ) MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE Shakin’ Stevens
60 ( NEW ) ONLY LOVE Nana Mouskouri

61 ( 49 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads
62 ( RE ) MY GUY MY GIRL Amii Stewart & Deon Estus
63 ( 74 ) ONE NATION Masquerade
64 ( 58 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
65 ( 70 ) SMALLTOWN John Cougar Mellencamp
66 ( 65 ) DRIVE The Cars
67 ( RE ) NEW YORK EYES Nicole with Timmy Thomas
68 ( 64 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
69 ( NEW ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross
70 ( 57 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys

71 ( 67 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
72 ( NEW ) PAIN Betty Wright
73 ( NEW ) HOW WILL I KNOW Whitney Houston
74 ( 55 ) WE ALL STAND TOGETHER Paul McCartney
75 ( NEW ) LYING Peter Frampton

Playlist Oldies of the Week
1 YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE Nancy Sinatra
2 AS LONG AS HE NEEDS ME Shirley Bassey
3 SOS Abba