fast-disappearing Old Singapore and new Singapore 1995
2nd April 1995
Take That get a second chart-topper and it’s their best record, still, the brilliant song that is Back For Good. I seriously didn’t believe Gary Barlow had it in him, as most of his own songs (bar the sublime Pray) just hadn’t impressed me until this one came along. I never let preconceived opinions get in the way though, and was thoroughly convinced by this, their only US hit of significance, and a big UK chart-topper. Simple Minds get a quick number 2 to add to a number 1, and I was Hypnotised enough to rate it. The Beatles get their first “new” single top 10 in 13 years, though I’ll Follow The Sun on the B Side was an actual Beatles song and a better choice for an A side, I thought.
Mica Paris has a big jump to 14 with U2’s One, Rednex inexplicably get a second top 20, as do Love City Groove (for the first and last time) the UK’s Eurovision biggest UK entry since the 70’s, most likely. In at 27, and it’s Bobby Brown’s best record, a remix of Two Can Play That Game belatedly making it big, while Australia’s Tina Arena is in Chains at 28, a great drama ballad. As always, The Lightning Seeds are Marvellous, at 30, and competing with Pet Shop Boys for those one-word very British song titles. We go on Strike at 34, well U sure do anyway, a good dance track, at 36 Massive Attack return with a cover of Karma Chameleon. not. The soulful Brownstone harmonise with passion at 37, If You Love Me, Bitty McLean is Over The River and still having a surprisingly long run of reggae singles charting, Roxette are still vulnerable at 60, Corona go pop with Baby Baby, and Tin Tin Out cover Sandie Shaw (or Dionne Warwick dpending on which Bacharach/David version you regard as the definitive) in a dance-stylee a few years ahead of breaking through with an actual hit.
1 ( 4 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
2 ( 7 ) HYPNOTISED Simple Minds
3 ( 1 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
4 ( 6 ) THE FIRST THE LAST ETERNITY Snap! featuring Summer
5 ( 3 ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
6 ( 2 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
7 ( 9 ) THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD Crash Test Dummies
8 ( 8 ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
9 ( 5 ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
10 ( 18 ) BABY IT’S YOU/ I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN The Beatles
11 ( 14 ) GET WILD New Power Generation
12 ( 10 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
13 ( 12 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
14 ( 45 ) ONE Mica Paris
15 ( 15 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
16 ( 11 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
17 ( 13 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
18 ( 37 ) OLD POP IN AN OAK Rednex
19 ( 19 ) BELIEVE Elton John
20 ( 27 ) LOVE CITY GROOVE Love City Groove
21 ( 21 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
22 ( 25 ) DON’T GIVE ME YOUR LIFE Alex Party
23 ( 17 ) IT’S A LOVING THING C.B. Milton
24 ( 16 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
25 ( 29 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
26 ( 26 ) YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS Tom Petty
27 ( NEW ) TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME Bobby Brown
28 ( NEW ) CHAINS Tina Arena
29 ( 20 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
30 ( 58 ) MARVELLOUS The Lightning Seeds
31 ( 23 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
32 ( 22 ) CLOSE TO YOU Brand New Heavies
33 ( 63 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU Barry White
34 ( NEW ) U SURE DO Strike
35 ( 31 ) DON’T STOP (WIGGLE WIGGLE) The Outhere Brothers
36 ( NEW ) KARMACOMA Massive Attack
37 ( NEW ) IF YOU LOVE ME Brownstone
38 ( 49 ) BUBBLIN’ HOT Pato Banton featuring Rankin’ Roger
39 ( 48 ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet
40 ( 34 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
41 ( 36 ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
42 ( 24 ) I’M NOT IN LOVE (1995) 10CC
43 ( 28 ) HERE I GO 2 Unlimited
44 ( 39 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
45 ( 38 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
46 ( 30 ) YOU GOTTA BE Des’ree
47 ( 40 ) AXEL F Clock
48 ( 32 ) PURPLE MEDLEY Prince
49 ( NEW ) OVER THE RIVER Bitty McLean
50 ( 60 ) FUNTIME Boy George
51 ( 33 ) OUR RADIO ROCKS PJ & Duncan
52 ( 50 ) WHATEVER Oasis
53 ( 53 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
54 ( 41 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
55 ( 55 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
56 ( 54 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
57 ( 44 ) COWBOY DREAMS Jimmy Nail
58 ( 43 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting featuring Pato Banton
59 ( 47 ) THE ONLY ONE Gun
60 ( NEW ) VULNERABLE Roxette
61 ( 35 ) SOME PEOPLE SAY Terrorvision
62 ( 51 ) WHEN I KISS YOU (I HEAR CHARLIE PARKER PLAYING)/ THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US (BBC VERSION) Sparks
63 ( NEW ) BABY BABY Corona
64 ( 64 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
65 ( 74 ) HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED A WOMAN Bryan Adams
66 ( 70 ) I’M JUST YOUR (PUPPET ON A STRING) Londonbeat
67 ( 67 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
68 ( 65 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
69 ( 69 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
70 ( 68 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
71 ( 71 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
72 ( NEW ) ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME Tin Tin Out featuring Espiritu
73 ( 72 ) STARS China Black
74 ( 62 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
75 ( 75 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
poole harbour
9th April 1995
2 weeks Back For Good and Take That still on top, as Crash Test Dummies grab a sudden double A sided single peak of 2, their biggest single and even bigger than XTC’s original top 10 Pumpkinhead. Love City Groove leap to 3, and in one fell swoop is officially the biggest Eurovision entry from the UK since the New Seekers hit 1 in 1972 with Beg Steal Or Borrow. Bobby Brown gets a 3rd top 10 track, and highest new entry is Guaglione, Prez Prado’s 1950’s instrumental hit pushed in a TV advert and becoming a most unlikely hit. Actually, it’s a re-entry as it charted in my charts in January, but with a bit of a gap between.
Grace, Not Over yet, in at 18, one of the great dance records of the 90’s, no less. It just gets better with age, and this wasn’t the last time it would chart by any means, yes it’s that good, passionate, exciting, great production (Paul Oakenfold wasn’t lacking in that department, he was in the band), great tune, great vocal from Patti Low (original singer with the band) who was later blended in with regular jazz singer band member Dominique Atkins on later versions. Let Loose also return, with a good ballad, Best In Me at 30. From memory think they mean bringing out (The Best In Me), rather than, it’s (The Best In Me). 33 and Weezer arrive with a bang and a fantastic Happy Days TV sitcom tribute video to their terrific Buddy Holly. Weezer were consistently good, and consistently under-rated commercially. As with all bands, critics regard being witty as in some way inferior to being intense. It’s not. Both are equally valid.
Terence Trent D’Arby returns at 37 some 8 years on after being a huge new act that never managed to really follow it up, sadly. Corona make the top 40 with Baby Baby, Sleeper drop in on Vegas at 46, and a Duran Duran snippet fires a new entry at 61, Shut Up And Dance, I say, and BoyzIIMen thank me for that at 63.
1 ( 1 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
2 ( 7 ) GOD SHUFFLED HIS FEET/ THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD Crash Test Dummies
3 ( 20 ) LOVE CITY GROOVE Love City Groove
4 ( 2 ) HYPNOTISED Simple Minds
5 ( 4 ) THE FIRST THE LAST ETERNITY Snap! featuring Summer
6 ( 27 ) TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME Bobby Brown
7 ( 3 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
8 ( RE ) GUAGLIONE Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and His Orchestra
9 ( 5 ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
10 ( 6 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
11 ( 8 ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
12 ( 9 ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
13 ( 14 ) ONE Mica Paris
14 ( 11 ) GET WILD New Power Generation
15 ( 10 ) BABY IT’S YOU/ I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN The Beatles
16 ( 30 ) MARVELLOUS The Lightning Seeds
17 ( 16 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
18 ( NEW ) NOT OVER YET Grace
19 ( 28 ) CHAINS Tina Arena
20 ( 12 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
21 ( 15 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
22 ( 37 ) IF YOU LOVE ME Brownstone
23 ( 13 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
24 ( 17 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
25 ( 36 ) KARMACOMA Massive Attack
26 ( 38 ) BUBBLIN’ HOT Pato Banton featuring Rankin’ Roger
27 ( 33 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU Barry White
28 ( 21 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
29 ( 34 ) U SURE DO Strike
30 ( NEW ) THE BEST IN ME Let Loose
31 ( 19 ) BELIEVE Elton John
32 ( 49 ) OVER THE RIVER Bitty McLean
33 ( NEW ) BUDDY HOLLY Weezer
34 ( 25 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
35 ( 18 ) OLD POP IN AN OAK Rednex
36 ( 24 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
37 ( NEW ) HOLDING ON TO YOU Terence Trent D’Arby
38 ( 23 ) IT’S A LOVING THING C.B. Milton
39 ( 63 ) BABY BABY Corona
40 ( 29 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
41 ( 32 ) CLOSE TO YOU Brand New Heavies
42 ( 35 ) DON’T STOP (WIGGLE WIGGLE) The Outhere Brothers
43 ( 40 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
44 ( 22 ) DON’T GIVE ME YOUR LIFE Alex Party
45 ( 39 ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet
46 ( NEW ) VEGAS Sleeper
47 ( 26 ) YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS Tom Petty
48 ( 41 ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
49 ( 31 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
50 ( 44 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
51 ( 45 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
52 ( 42 ) I’M NOT IN LOVE (1995) 10CC
53 ( 53 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
54 ( 52 ) WHATEVER Oasis
55 ( 47 ) AXEL F Clock
56 ( 55 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
57 ( 46 ) YOU GOTTA BE Des’ree
58 ( 56 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
59 ( 48 ) PURPLE MEDLEY Prince
60 ( 65 ) HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED A WOMAN Bryan Adams
61 ( NEW ) SAVE IT TILL THE MOURNING AFTER Shut Up And Dance
62 ( 62 ) WHEN I KISS YOU (I HEAR CHARLIE PARKER PLAYING)/ THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US (BBC VERSION) Sparks
63 ( NEW ) THANK YOU BoyzIIMen
64 ( 64 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
65 ( 43 ) HERE I GO 2 Unlimited
66 ( NEW ) SUDDENLY Sean Maguire
67 ( 69 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
68 ( 68 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
69 ( 67 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
70 ( 70 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
71 ( 71 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
72 ( 54 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
73 ( 59 ) THE ONLY ONE Gun
74 ( 73 ) STARS China Black
75 ( 75 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
16th April 1995
3 weeks for Take That on top, as Let Loose are looking for the Best In Me at 7, their 3rd top 10 and The Lightning Seeds have an even longer run of top 10 entries and that’s Marvellous, at 9. Brownstone strut into the top 10, too, fabbily, leaving Mary J. Blige chasing fast highest new entry at 13 with the equally soulful attitudinal I’m Goin’ Down, and equally good.
Paul Young’s 60’s cover returns to the 40, Grazing grass as Portishead enter at 29 with some Sour Times. In a quiet week, the only other new entry of note is an early 70’s track from Bob Marley, Keep On Moving, written by Curtis Mayfield and remixed 1995 stylee.
1 ( 1 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
2 ( 3 ) LOVE CITY GROOVE Love City Groove
3 ( 2 ) GOD SHUFFLED HIS FEET/ THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD Crash Test Dummies
4 ( 4 ) HYPNOTISED Simple Minds
5 ( 6 ) TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME Bobby Brown
6 ( 5 ) THE FIRST THE LAST ETERNITY Snap! featuring Summer
7 ( 30 ) BEST IN ME Let Loose
8 ( 7 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
9 ( 16 ) MARVELLOUS The Lightning Seeds
10 ( 22 ) IF YOU LOVE ME Brownstone
11 ( 18 ) NOT OVER YET Grace
12 ( 19 ) CHAINS Tina Arena
13 ( NEW ) I’M GOIN’ DOWN Mary J. Blige
14 ( 8 ) GUAGLIONE Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and His Orchestra
15 ( 13 ) ONE Mica Paris
16 ( 10 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
17 ( 9 ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
18 ( 12 ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
19 ( 32 ) OVER THE RIVER Bitty McLean
20 ( 15 ) BABY IT’S YOU/ I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN The Beatles
21 ( 14 ) GET WILD New Power Generation
22 ( 11 ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
23 ( 33 ) BUDDY HOLLY Weezer
24 ( 29 ) U SURE DO Strike
25 ( 17 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
26 ( 26 ) BUBBLIN’ HOT Pato Banton featuring Rankin’ Roger
27 ( RE ) GRAZING IN THE GRASS Paul Young
28 ( 21 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
29 ( NEW ) SOUR TIMES Portishead
30 ( 20 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
31 ( 39 ) BABY BABY Corona
32 ( 37 ) HOLDING ON TO YOU Terence Trent D’Arby
33 ( 34 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
34 ( 63 ) I THANK YOU BoyzIIMen
35 ( 24 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
36 ( 23 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
37 ( 27 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU Barry White
38 ( 36 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
39 ( 25 ) KARMACOMA Massive Attack
40 ( 42 ) DON’T STOP (WIGGLE WIGGLE) The Outhere Brothers
41 ( 28 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
42 ( 31 ) BELIEVE Elton John
43 ( 35 ) OLD POP IN AN OAK Rednex
44 ( 40 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
45 ( 38 ) IT’S A LOVING THING C.B. Milton
46 ( 46 ) VEGAS Sleeper
47 ( 41 ) CLOSE TO YOU Brand New Heavies
48 ( 43 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
49 ( 61 ) SAVE IT TILL THE MOURNING AFTER Shut Up And Dance
50 ( 47 ) YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS Tom Petty
51 ( 51 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
52 ( 60 ) HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED A WOMAN Bryan Adams
53 ( 50 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
54 ( 53 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
55 ( 56 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
56 ( 44 ) DON’T GIVE ME YOUR LIFE Alex Party
57 ( 54 ) WHATEVER Oasis
58 ( 52 ) I’M NOT IN LOVE (1995) 10CC
59 ( 58 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
60 ( 48 ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
61 ( 65 ) HERE I GO 2 Unlimited
62 ( 62 ) WHEN I KISS YOU (I HEAR CHARLIE PARKER PLAYING)/ THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US (BBC VERSION) Sparks
63 ( 49 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
64 ( 64 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
65 ( NEW ) YOU AND I WILL NEVER SEE THINGS EYE TO EYE Kingmaker
66 ( 67 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
67 ( 55 ) AXEL F Clock
68 ( NEW ) KEEP ON MOVING Bob Marley And The Wailers
69 ( 68 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
70 ( 70 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
71 ( 69 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
72 ( 71 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
73 ( 45 ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet
74 ( NEW ) CALLING OUT YOUR NAME Jimmy Nail
75 ( 75 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
Raffles..
23rd April 1995
4 weeks at 1 for Back For Good, as the charts go a little weird. That’s because I went on a 3-week holiday adventure around the world with mum and my brother, booked myself by fax, and multiple plane connections. Consequently current UK chart hits not that much in evidence, and all sorts of odd tracks (mostly American) getting airplay in odd places. So plenty don’t move, drop unexpectedly, or climb after peaking previously. Mary J. Blige goes top 10, Portishead top 20, and highest new entry is MC Saar and The Real McCoy at 15 with Love And Devotion. I wouldn’t put money on it going up though as I heard no UK radio for almost a month and a lot of the hit tracks of those weeks are either unknown or forgotten from lack of hearing them!
In at 20, and overshadowing their own current UK single, it’s BoyzIImen and their previous single On Bended Knee, heard somewhere between Heathrow Airport and Singapore City – I’ve misplaced the holiday diary for the moment so no expanded stories and anecdotes and details. Suffice to say it was a voyage of nostalgia for us, returning to our old house at Bedokville and old haunts around the former RAF Changi , and a very modern metropolitan city much-changed around Orchard Road, hot, humid, sunny. Rather lack0lustre singles take on a false lease of life in such circumstances – which explains BoyzIImen at 20. That’s my excuse anyway!
Annie Lennox, former number one, climbs again after I heard it in an orange juice kiosk on Orchard Road, air-conditioned relief from the humidity, and in at 27 it’s Richard Marx covering a Tom Jones country-music cover from 1967 (at least for me) which was a US hit in 1969 when I lived in Singapore, and the lyrics of which I bought in a songbook of current pop hits sheet music aged 11 or 12. Sometimes life is so circular… Meanwhile Sleeper go top 40, and Mark Morrison debuts in my charts with Crazy at 34, and what looked to be a promising classy Brit soul career.
At 40, it’s 20 fingers and Gillette, Mr. Personality, a eurodance hit that missed in the UK but made it in North America (as a minor hit). Taylor Swift might approve of it’s Toni Basil-esque Mickey rhythms. At 43 TLC return with the naughty Red Light Special, some other US chart ballads, and REM with some strange currencies. In my case, the Singapore dollar. Which I used to buy LOADS of nostalgia-driven souvenirs in Changi Village from a Sikh shop-owner who was about my age, and who excitedly introduced us to his family when we told him we were there in 1969 through 1971, when he was a boy helping his dad run a shack shop. All of the shacks in Changi Village had been knocked down and replaced with brick things, somewhat better to work in, but charmless. I missed all the smells and bustling village that it once was. These days, it was a very quiet hotel stopping place near new Changi International Airport, but off the beaten track. I missed the old Singapore. Remarkably, 24 years on, I still easily found our old house, and school, and swimming pool, everything was as clear as day to me, and still is vivid, despite diversions from new builds, new roads and building out into what was coastal waters.
1 ( 1 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
2 ( 2 ) LOVE CITY GROOVE Love City Groove
3 ( 3 ) GOD SHUFFLED HIS FEET/ THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD Crash Test Dummies
4 ( 4 ) HYPNOTISED Simple Minds
5 ( 5 ) TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME Bobby Brown
6 ( 6 ) THE FIRST THE LAST ETERNITY Snap! featuring Summer
7 ( 7 ) BEST IN ME Let Loose
8 ( 8 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
9 ( 13 ) I’M GOIN’ DOWN Mary J. Blige
10 ( 9 ) MARVELLOUS The Lightning Seeds
11 ( 12 ) CHAINS Tina Arena
12 ( 11 ) NOT OVER YET Grace
13 ( 10 ) IF YOU LOVE ME Brownstone
14 ( 29 ) SOUR TIMES Portishead
15 ( NEW ) LOVE AND DEVOTION Mc Sar and The Real McCoy
16 ( 18 ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
17 ( 19 ) OVER THE RIVER Bitty McLean
18 ( 14 ) GUAGLIONE Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and His Orchestra
19 ( 24 ) U SURE DO Strike
20 ( NEW ) ON BENDED KNEE BoyzIIMen
21 ( 15 ) ONE Mica Paris
22 ( 23 ) BUDDY HOLLY Weezer
23 ( 16 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
24 ( 28 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
25 ( 32 ) HOLDING ON TO YOU Terence Trent D’Arby
26 ( 44 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
27 ( NEW ) I’M NEVER GONNA FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Richard Marx
28 ( 20 ) BABY IT’S YOU/ I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN The Beatles
29 ( 17 ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
30 ( 21 ) GET WILD New Power Generation
31 ( 22 ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
32 ( 34 ) THANK YOU BoyzIIMen
33 ( 46 ) VEGAS Sleeper
34 ( NEW ) CRAZY Mark Morrison
35 ( 38 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
36 ( 42 ) BELIEVE Elton John
37 ( 26 ) BUBBLIN’ HOT Pato Banton featuring Rankin’ Roger
38 ( 25 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
39 ( 43 ) OLD POP IN AN OAK Rednex
40 ( NEW ) MR. PERSONALITY 20 Fingers featuring Gillette
41 ( 48 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
42 ( 30 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
43 ( NEW ) RED LIGHT SPECIAL TLC
44 ( 59 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
45 ( 35 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
46 ( RE ) WONDERFUL Adam Ant
47 ( 31 ) BABY BABY Corona
48 ( NEW ) LOVE OF MY LIFE Fun Factory
49 ( 67 ) AXEL F Clock
50 ( 27 ) GRAZING IN THE GRASS Paul Young
51 ( 51 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
52 ( 52 ) HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED A WOMAN Bryan Adams
53 ( 55 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
54 ( 36 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
55 ( 33 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
56 ( 54 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
57 ( 49 ) SAVE IT TILL THE MOURNING AFTER Shut Up And Dance
58 ( NEW ) ETERNAL LOVE PJ & Duncan
59 ( 57 ) WHATEVER Oasis
60 ( 53 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
61 ( 64 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
62 ( RE ) SUDDENLY Sean Maguire
63 ( 63 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
64 ( 41 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
65 ( 37 ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU Barry White
66 ( 66 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
67 ( NEW ) I BELIEVE Blessid Union Of Souls
68 ( 61 ) HERE I GO 2 Unlimited
69 ( 73 ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet
70 ( 71 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
71 ( 70 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
72 ( 69 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
73 ( 72 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
74 ( NEW ) STRANGE CURRENCIES REM
75 ( 75 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
Green Island Queensland
30th April 1990
5 weeks on top, Back For Good, Take That preside over a static chart with only returns for some recent records and big climbs for recent biggies that get a renewed lease of life as they crop up on flights, in shops, on TV and seem fresher in the new exotic surroundings. Frankly I was far too busy with days out, jetlag and checking in! Just a quick mention that Crash Test Dummies 1994 track God Shuffled His Feet is back up to 2 second time around, Madonna and Edwyn Collins get big boosts back into the 40, with Pato Banton and Rankin’ Roger, and Richard Marx all adding to their run of top 20 hits. Other than that I’m featuring some oldies I heard on the holiday as video links, as there’s nothing much new to feature.
1 ( 1 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
2 ( 3 ) GOD SHUFFLED HIS FEET/ THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD Crash Test Dummies
3 ( 2 ) LOVE CITY GROOVE Love City Groove
4 ( 5 ) TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME Bobby Brown
5 ( 4 ) HYPNOTISED Simple Minds
6 ( 8 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
7 ( 6 ) THE FIRST THE LAST ETERNITY Snap! featuring Summer
8 ( 9 ) I’M GOIN’ DOWN Mary J. Blige
9 ( 7 ) BEST IN ME Let Loose
10 ( 11 ) CHAINS Tina Arena
11 ( 10 ) MARVELLOUS The Lightning Seeds
12 ( 15 ) LOVE AND DEVOTION Mc Sar and The Real McCoy
13 ( 13 ) IF YOU LOVE ME Brownstone
14 ( 12 ) NOT OVER YET Grace
15 ( 22 ) BUDDY HOLLY Weezer
16 ( 16 ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
17 ( 14 ) SOUR TIMES Portishead
18 ( 37 ) BUBBLIN’ HOT Pato Banton featuring Rankin’ Roger
19 ( 27 ) I’M NEVER GONNA FALL IN LOVE AGAIN Richard Marx
20 ( 20 ) ON BENDED KNEE BoyzIIMen
21 ( 18 ) GUAGLIONE Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and His Orchestra
22 ( 26 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
23 ( 32 ) THANK YOU BoyzIIMen
24 ( 19 ) U SURE DO Strike
25 ( 72 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
26 ( 44 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
27 ( 43 ) RED LIGHT SPECIAL TLC
28 ( 24 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
29 ( 21 ) ONE Mica Paris
30 ( 17 ) OVER THE RIVER Bitty McLean
31 ( 23 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
32 ( 34 ) CRAZY Mark Morrison
33 ( 36 ) BELIEVE Elton John
34 ( 25 ) HOLDING ON TO YOU Terence Trent D’Arby
35 ( 28 ) BABY IT’S YOU/ I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN The Beatles
36 ( 31 ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
37 ( 35 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
38 ( 45 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
39 ( 29 ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
40 ( 40 ) MR. PERSONALITY 20 Fingers featuring Gillette
41 ( 33 ) VEGAS Sleeper
42 ( 30 ) GET WILD New Power Generation
43 ( 49 ) AXEL F Clock
44 ( 60 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
45 ( 52 ) HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED A WOMAN Bryan Adams
46 ( 46 ) WONDERFUL Adam Ant
47 ( 38 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
48 ( 48 ) LOVE OF MY LIFE Fun Factory
49 ( RE ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
50 ( 42 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
51 ( 41 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
52 ( 39 ) OLD POP IN AN OAK Rednex
53 ( 53 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
54 ( 51 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
55 ( 58 ) ETERNAL LOVE PJ & Duncan
56 ( 62 ) SUDDENLY Sean Maguire
57 ( 56 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
58 ( 54 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
59 ( 59 ) WHATEVER Oasis
60 ( NEW ) LOVE ME FOR A REASON Boyzone
61 ( 47 ) BABY BABY Corona
62 ( 50 ) GRAZING IN THE GRASS Paul Young
63 ( 61 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
64 ( 66 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
65 ( 57 ) SAVE IT TILL THE MOURNING AFTER Shut Up And Dance
66 ( NEW ) TOTAL ECIPSE OF THE HEART Nicki French
67 ( 67 ) I BELIEVE Blessid Union Of Souls
68 ( 69 ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet
69 ( 55 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
70 ( 70 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
71 ( 71 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
72 ( 73 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
73 ( 63 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
74 ( 64 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
75 ( 75 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
In Singapore: a walk up Mount Faber (on foot, exhausting in the hot sun) and a sweaty cable car ride over to Sentosa (which had aircon hooray!), a boat ride round Singapore harbour (cloudy, but got sunburnt) still as busy with worldwide shipping as it ever was, and some joy with the odd monsoon torrential downpour – no kidding I love warm downpours of rain in the tropics (as long as they aren’t prolonged)! The next step in the holiday was a flight from Changi to Cairns in Australia, with a refuelling stop in Darwin. It was a surprisingly long flight, and Australia is both bigger and further away than you think!
Cairns customs gave us a hard time for the crime of trying to import such vastly hazardous materials through customs as long-life milk (imported to Singapore from Australia, I mean really! Returning it from where it came…?!) Then there was the packets of instant hot chocolate drinks: who knew these were riddled with mad cow disease and that people in the UK were all headed for an old age of slowly dying from it from packets of cocoa. Not to mention the souvenir bamboo coasters we’d bought, which qualified as alien plant products bringing disease into the country. Who knew industrial-processed bamboo was so lethal?! It was reassuring to know that no Australian shops in any way import anything containing bamboo from outside Australia, oh no, that’s 100% for sure. Or food. Or wood. After threats to prosecute us for so flagrantly flouting Australian customs, and their sarcastic, stress-inducing, patronising attitude to tourists where they could have just gently explained and disposed of products, I decided pretty much then and there that I would never go back to Australia. They don’t want my tourist money, and I don’t want the stress, fair exchange. I’ve stuck to that and never been back.
Cairns, though, was a delight, more like Singapore in the 60’s and early 70’s than modern-day Singapore in mood. Largely quiet, far away from the pace of modern life, and locals were friendly and chatty and upfront, which I like. The Barrier Reef was nearby, my brother disappeared for a few days diving, and I took mum to Green Island by boat, and snorkelled happily amongst the coral and fish and golden sands. Bliss. An old steam train trip to Kuranda was like the olden days, and the netted coves of nearby coastal settlements fascinating (to keep out the box jellyfish). I bought some Australian cd’s, some souvenirs, and we stayed in actual ground floor apartment with cooking and fridge and bedrooms and TV so it was much more relaxing than Singapore. I really liked it, just regretted that there was no time to travel the huge distance to Sydney.
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