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 Nov 1985 Charts

3rd November 1985

It’s a first week on top for Cities In Dust, Siouxsie’s 2nd chart-topper, and a relatively unknown corker. UB40 climb to 4 – their 2nd highest charting single to date, after debut Food For Thought peaked at 2. Talking Heads get a 2nd top 10, Feargal Sharkey leaps to 9, and his first solo top 10 and goes where 3 Undertones singles have been. Kate Bush completes a fabulous top 10 – as usual in her case, it’s more remarkable if she doesn’t go top 10.

Lloyd Cole has a mighty quantum leap into the 40, as he searches for a Lost Weekend and his best track that isn’t called Perfect Skin. Marc Almond keeps the long run of top 40’s going and ZZ Top make it 4 in a row. After the previous week invasion of new entries, it’s a bit calmer this time, but still room for some classics: The Waterboys enter at 66 with future 1991 Number 1 in my chart (on reissue) The Whole Of The Moon, a track I heard in a record store in 1989 in a College town in Vermont, and it still sounded fab. Music is memories….

Prefab Sprout have a good return single as the highest new entry, Paul Hardcastle disappoints following up a unique huge single, Tina Turner & Bryan Adams cap of a good year for them both with a rocky duet, Patsy Kensit debuts with Eighth Wonder, better times lie ahead chartwise (cough, Pet Shop Boys, cough), Dee C. Lee ex-of Wham! backing singers, and Paul Weller’s better-half of the time brings a lush fab ballad into the lower reaches and on it’s way up – though one I grew to love more in later years. There’s also Shaky.

1 ( 2 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
2 ( 1 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
3 ( 3 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Far Corporation
4 ( 14 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
5 ( 5 ) NIKITA Elton John
6 ( 6 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
7 ( 4 ) SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM Grace Jones
8 ( 12 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads
9 ( 21 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
10 ( 20 ) CLOUDBUSTING Kate Bush

11 ( 18 ) SOMETHING ABOUT YOU Level 42
12 ( 16 ) BRING ON THE DANCING HORSES Echo & The Bunnymen
13 ( 7 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
14 ( 9 ) RAIN The Cult
15 ( 8 ) THIS IS ENGLAND The Clash
16 ( 22 ) ALIVE AND KICKING Simple Minds
17 ( 29 ) KING FOR A DAY The Thompson Twins
18 ( 15 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
19 ( 10 ) ST. ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION) John Parr
20 ( 11 ) THE LODGERS The Style Council

21 ( 24 ) BIG DEAL Bobby G
22 ( 17 ) IT’S A MANS MANS MANS MANS WORLD Brilliant
23 ( 26 ) MIAMI VICE THEME Jan Hammer
24 ( 40 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
25 ( 13 ) THE GAMBLER Madonna
26 ( 19 ) LEAN ON ME (AH-LI-AYO) Red Box
27 ( 46 ) ELECTION DAY Arcadia
28 ( 31 ) LA FEMME ACCIDENT OMD
29 ( 23 ) REBEL YELL Billy Idol
30 ( 36 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD The Communards

31 ( 25 ) TRAPPED Colonel Abrams
32 ( 67 ) LOST WEEKEND Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
33 ( 37 ) THE TASTE OF MY TEARS King
34 ( 38 ) FORTRESS AROUND MY HEART Sting
35 ( 35 ) YEH YEH Matt Bianco
36 ( 28 ) PART TIME LOVER Stevie Wonder
37 ( 32 ) RUNNING UP THAT HILL Kate Bush
38 ( 59 ) LOVE LETTER Marc Almond
39 ( 62 ) ONE OF THE LIVING Tina Turner
40 ( 49 ) SLEEPING BAG ZZ Top

41 ( 27 ) CLOSE TO ME The Cure
42 ( 33 ) ANGEL Madonna
43 ( 41 ) DRIVE The Cars
44 ( 58 ) OH SHEILA Take On The World
45 ( 52 ) AFTER THE FIRE Roger Daltrey
46 ( 30 ) THE SWEETEST TABOO Sade
47 ( 34 ) POP LIFE Prince
48 ( 39 ) KNOCK ON WOOD/ LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
49 ( 42 ) SINGLE LIFE Cameo
50 ( 45 ) YOU AND YOUR HEART SO BLUE Bucks Fizz

51 ( NEW ) WHEN LOVE BREAKS DOWN Prefab Sprout
52 ( 43 ) FEEL EMOTION Twiggy
53 ( NEW ) JUST FOR THE MONEY Paul Hardcastle
54 ( 44 ) THE BOY WITH THE THORN IN HIS SIDE The Smiths
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 48 ) WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? Blancmange
57 ( 56 ) HOLIDAY Madonna
58 ( NEW ) IT’S ONLY LOVE Tina Turner & Bryan Adams
59 ( 61 ) MEGAREX T.Rex
60 ( 50 ) MY HEART GOES BANG Dead Or Alive

61 ( 60 ) THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART) Eurythmics
62 ( 57 ) DON’T STOP THE DANCE Bryan Ferry
63 ( 73 ) THE WIND OF CHANGE Robert Wyatt & The Swapo Singers
64 ( 74 ) UNCLE SAM Madness
65 ( 64 ) “19” Paul Hardcastle
66 ( NEW ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
67 ( 47 ) THE HEAVEN I NEED The Three Degrees
68 ( 65 ) I WONDER IF I TAKE YOU HOME Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force
69 ( NEW ) HIT AND RUN Total Contrast
70 ( 70 ) ROCK ME BABY Johnny Nash

71 ( 51 ) I’LL BE GOOD Rene And Angela
72 ( 63 ) DON’T MESS WITH DR. DREAM The Thompson Twins
73 ( NEW ) STAY WITH ME Eighth Wonder
74 ( NEW ) SEE THE DAY Dee C. Lee
75 ( NEW ) LIPSTICK POWDER AND PAINT Shakin’ Stevens

OLDIES PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK:
1 IT’S FOR YOU Cilla Black
2 LIVERPOOL LULLABY Cilla Black
3 ELENORE The Turtles

 

10th NOVEMBER 1985

Feargal Sharkey does what the Undertones never managed – he tops my chart, with the fab A Good Heart. Meanwhile Huey Lewis is back with a bang with his 1982 non-hit in the UK, the terrific Heart & Soul, outdoing his most-famous song Power Of Love in my charts. Lloyd Cole rockets up to 11, and The Waterboys go into orbit seeing the Whole Of The Moon up 48 places to 18. Classic! The Communards hit the 20 for the first time, and in at 27 it’s a significant chart debut for them and for me: West End Girls is still their most famous song, and kick-started a glorious career for the Pet Shop Boys which continues to this day. Far and away easily my top fave act of the last 32 years, on record and in concert, and one of my Big Three along with The Beatles and Abba.

Wham! crack back with the great I’m Your Man, while a bunch of pop stars do an anti-Apartheid track (Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Bob Geldof, Jackson Browne, Bono, some Temptations, Afrika Bambaata, Hall & Oates, Bobby Womack and many many more) and it’s pretty good. In at 36 and 37 respectively as at 38 Dire Straits make it 6 years of top 40 hits with the atmospheric Brothers In Arms title track, as the new-format CD took off big-time spearheaded by this album.

Fine Young Cannibals are a bit blue, Queen notably didn’t play on Sun City as they had recently actually played Sun City and sparked the protest, having just the one vision, and Starship drop the Jefferson and the Airplane and the quality, coming back 5 years on from Jane to build a city. An annoying one by the time it dropped out of the charts. A bunch of follow-up’s enter lower, the most notable being David & Jaki’s 70’s-soul-styled Mated, a bit Philly and a bit fab.

1 ( 9 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
2 ( 1 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
3 ( 3 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Far Corporation
4 ( 4 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
5 ( 8 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads
6 ( 5 ) NIKITA Elton John
7 ( 2 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
8 ( 11 ) SOMETHING ABOUT YOU Level 42
9 ( 16 ) ALIVE AND KICKING Simple Minds
10 ( NEW ) HEART AND SOUL Huey Lewis & The News

11 ( 32 ) LOST WEEKEND Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
12 ( 7 ) SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM Grace Jones
13 ( 18 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
14 ( 17 ) KING FOR A DAY The Thompson Twins
15 ( 10 ) CLOUDBUSTING Kate Bush
16 ( 6 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
17 ( 13 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
18 ( 66 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
19 ( 30 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD The Communards
20 ( 24 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin

21 ( 21 ) BIG DEAL Bobby G
22 ( 12 ) BRING ON THE DANCING HORSES Echo & The Bunnymen
23 ( 27 ) ELECTION DAY Arcadia
24 ( 22 ) IT’S A MANS MANS MANS MANS WORLD Brilliant
25 ( 14 ) RAIN The Cult
26 ( 15 ) THIS IS ENGLAND The Clash
27 ( NEW ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
28 ( 20 ) THE LODGERS The Style Council
29 ( 33 ) THE TASTE OF MY TEARS King
30 ( 19 ) ST. ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION) John Parr

31 ( 31 ) TRAPPED Colonel Abrams
32 ( 23 ) MIAMI VICE THEME Jan Hammer
33 ( 53 ) JUST FOR THE MONEY Paul Hardcastle
34 ( 51 ) WHEN LOVE BREAKS DOWN Prefab Sprout
35 ( 28 ) LA FEMME ACCIDENT OMD
36 ( NEW ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
37 ( NEW ) SUN CITY Artists United Against Apartheid
38 ( NEW ) BROTHERS IN ARMS Dire Straits
39 ( 26 ) LEAN ON ME (AH-LI-AYO) Red Box
40 ( 45 ) AFTER THE FIRE Roger Daltrey

41 ( 25 ) THE GAMBLER Madonna
42 ( 58 ) IT’S ONLY LOVE Tina Turner & Bryan Adams
43 ( 37 ) RUNNING UP THAT HILL Kate Bush
44 ( 36 ) PART TIME LOVER Stevie Wonder
45 ( 43 ) DRIVE The Cars
46 ( NEW ) BLUE Fine Young Cannibals
47 ( 29 ) REBEL YELL Billy Idol
48 ( 34 ) FORTRESS AROUND MY HEART Sting
49 ( NEW ) ONE VISION Queen
50 ( 35 ) YEH YEH Matt Bianco

51 ( 39 ) ONE OF THE LIVING Tina Turner
52 ( 38 ) LOVE LETTERS Marc Almond
53 ( 50 ) YOU AND YOUR HEART SO BLUE Bucks Fizz
54 ( 41 ) CLOSE TO ME The Cure
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 64 ) UNCLE SAM Madness
57 ( 42 ) ANGEL Madonna
58 ( NEW ) WE BUILT THIS CITY Starship
59 ( 40 ) SLEEPING BAG ZZ Top
60 ( 57 ) HOLIDAY Madonna

61 ( 59 ) MEGAREX T.Rex
62 ( 61 ) THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART) Eurythmics
63 ( NEW ) THAT CERTAIN SMILE Midge Ure
64 ( 48 ) KNOCK ON WOOD/ LIGHT MY FIRE Amii Stewart
65 ( 56 ) WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? Blancmange
66 ( 65 ) “19” Paul Hardcastle
67 ( NEW ) LOSE YOUR LOVE Blancmange
68 ( 44 ) OH SHEILA Take On The World
69 ( 74 ) SEE THE DAY Dee C. Lee
70 ( 62 ) DON’T STOP THE DANCE Bryan Ferry

71 ( NEW ) GET OUTTA TOWN Dan Hartman
72 ( 68 ) I WONDER IF I TAKE YOU HOME Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force
73 ( NEW ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
74 ( 60 ) MY HEART GOES BANG Dead Or Alive
75 ( NEW ) EMERGENCY Kool & The Gang

CLASSIC OLDIES FAVES OF THE WEEK

1 HIGH FLY John Miles
2 THE SUN AIN’T GONNA SHINE ANYMORE The Walker Brothers
3 NO. 9 DREAM John Lennon

 

17th November 1985

2 weeks on top for Feargal Sharkey, as Stairway To Heaven climbs to 2, and Wham! shoot up 30 to 6 with I’m Your Man. The Waterboys & Eurythmics both go top 10, giving Aretha Franklin a 2nd top 10 of the year after a 14 year gap since her previous – Spanish Harlem. My boys climb into the 20 for the first time, and never long absnet from it ever since, Neil & Chris and West End Girls. Sun City climbs fast, as do ones they protest, Queen , hot off Live Aid’s show-stopping set.

Highest new entry is a debut, a promising (largely unfulfilled, if hugely successful) classy start from Whitney Houston, cousin of Dionne Warwick, who brings her pop friends along (such as Elton, Stevie & Gladys) a charity record for the rapidly-spreading new deadly disease AIDS. Written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, it was the first time Burt & Dionne had hit together since the 60’s, and That’s What Friends Are For enters lower at 64.

Tina Turner is beside herself with Mad Max joy, literally, along with Bryan Adams. David Grant & Jaki Graham are mated (not really, cos I saw David Grant on TV this morning on a serious news item with his actual wife on behalf of children with learning difficulties) at 29, while Fine Young Cannibals, Midge Ure and Dee C. Lee (no longer backing Wham! she’s backing her own man, Paul Weller, who’s one place above her at 37).

Princess joins King and Queen, though not Prince sadly, with her 2nd hit, Glenn Frey flies solo from The Eagles with his best single, You belong To The City, The Cult make it a quick trio of hits, though not the Beatles’ Revolution, B side to my first chart Number One Hey Jude – despite Paul McCartney also entering with a comedy movie theme: Spies Like Us was as good as the film. Spirited effort but not that great.

Lionel Richie somehow breaks into the bottom end with another dull ballad, Say Who? Say Me! New Order find themselves a bit subcultured, and Go West return with another goodie.

1 ( 1 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
2 ( 3 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Far Corporation
3 ( 4 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
4 ( 5 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads
5 ( 2 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
6 ( 36 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
7 ( 10 ) HEART AND SOUL Huey Lewis & The News
8 ( 18 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
9 ( 20 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
10 ( 11 ) LOST WEEKEND Lloyd Cole & The Commotions

11 ( 8 ) SOMETHING ABOUT YOU Level 42
12 ( 7 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
13 ( 6 ) NIKITA Elton John
14 ( 27 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
15 ( 13 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
16 ( 19 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD The Communards
17 ( 12 ) SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM Grace Jones
18 ( 37 ) SUN CITY Artists Against Apartheid
19 ( 9 ) ALIVE AND KICKING Simple Minds
20 ( 49 ) ONE VISION Queen

21 ( 38 ) BROTHERS IN ARMS Dire Straits
22 ( 17 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
23 ( 15 ) CLOUDBUSTING Kate Bush
24 ( 14 ) KING FOR A DAY The Thompson Twins
25 ( NEW ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
26 ( 16 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
27 ( 33 ) JUST FOR MONEY Paul Hardcastle
28 ( 24 ) IT’S A MANS MANS MANS MANS WORLD Brilliant
29 ( 73 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
30 ( 46 ) BLUE Fine Young Cannibals

31 ( 34 ) WHEN LOVE BREAKS DOWN Prefab Sprout
32 ( 23 ) ELECTION DAY Arcadia
33 ( 22 ) BRING ON THE DANCING HORSES Echo & The Bunnymen
34 ( 21 ) BIG DEAL Bobby G
35 ( 51 ) ONE OF THE LIVING Tina Turner
36 ( 42 ) IT’S ONLY LOVE Tina Turner & Bryan Adams
37 ( 28 ) THE LODGERS The Style Council
38 ( 69 ) SEE THE DAY Dee C. Lee
39 ( 58 ) WE BUILT THIS CITY Starship
40 ( 63 ) THAT CERTAIN SMILE Midge Ure

41 ( 26 ) THIS IS ENGLAND The Clash
42 ( 56 ) UNCLE SAM Madness
43 ( 30 ) ST. ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION) John Parr
44 ( 25 ) RAIN The Cult
45 ( 45 ) DRIVE The Cars
46 ( 39 ) LEAN ON ME (AH-LI-AYO) Red Box
47 ( 43 ) RUNNING UP THAT HILL Kate Bush
48 ( NEW ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess
49 ( 31 ) TRAPPED Colonel Abrams
50 ( NEW ) YOU BELONG TO THE CITY Glenn Frey

51 ( NEW ) REVOLUTION The Cult
52 ( 32 ) MIAMI VICE THEME Jan Hammer
53 ( 29 ) THE TASTE OF MY TEARS King
54 ( 44 ) PART TIME LOVER Stevie Wonder
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 53 ) YOU AND YOUR HEART SO BLUE Bucks Fizz
57 ( 67 ) LOSE YOUR LOVE Blancmange
58 ( 41 ) THE GAMBLER Madonna
59 ( 35 ) LA FEMME ACCIDENT OMD
60 ( NEW ) SPIES LIKE US Paul McCartney

61 ( 40 ) AFTER THE FIRE Roger Daltrey
62 ( 61 ) MEGAREX T.Rex
63 ( 60 ) HOLIDAY Madonna
64 ( NEW ) THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne Warwick & Friends
65 ( 62 ) THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART) Eurythmics
66 ( NEW ) SAY YOU SAY ME Lionel Richie
67 ( NEW ) SUBCULTURE New Order
68 ( 66 ) “19” Paul Hardcastle
69 ( NEW ) DON’T LOOK DOWN Go West
70 ( 57 ) ANGEL Madonna

71 ( 68 ) OH SHEILA Take On The World
72 ( 47 ) REBEL YELL Billy Idol
73 ( 54 ) CLOSE TO ME The Cure
74 ( 52 ) LOVE LETTERS Marc Almond
75 ( 65 ) WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? Blancmange

26th November 1985

It’s Wham! grabbing a first week on top for the second time (three for George Michael) on a change of chart-day-of-the-week compilation for me, and with the then-traditional 3rd-week-in-November deluge of record releases – 20 new entries! Huey Lewis hits his chart-peak of 4, Pet Shop Boys break into the 10 for the first time, and John & Yoko get the highest new entries. Not actually their Christmas classic, though, it’s a track off Yoko’s fab new album with a fab new video, Hell In Paradise, outdoing her late husband’s single release of his original 14-year-old album track as taken to 1 by Roxy Music 4 years earlier. In fact it’s a real family affair, as John’s son Julian enters with Because – not the Beatles classic album track, though, it’s another offcut from Dave Clark’s Time musical. Talking of The Beatles, The Thompson Twins enter at 45 with a cover of Revolution, B side to Hey Jude. Talking of the Beatles, Paul McC, John’s co-writer in the Fabs (as if anyone didn’t know) enters the 40 with his movie theme.

Talking of movie themes, Phil Collins duets with Marilyn Mansun. I mean McCoo. No, I mean Martin. Talking of Revolution, The Cult are one place higher than the different song of the same name. It’s 1985, so Madonna must be due another monthly hit – and here it is, dressing us up at 14 with her best effort since Into The Groove. Slade are back! 14 years of singles chart entries, and in at 25. A mere 6 years since Roxanne, Sting has another solo single, but for once this one is worthy of having a The Police moniker. The sentiments of Russians were quite worthy of the time, and the moody sweeping classical Russian backdrop was also worthy of entering at 29.

Another Propaganda goodie into the 40, and a host of lesser entries, from Doug E. Fresh, Nik Kershaw, Five Star, Amazulu and China Crisis. Dream Academy cover The Smiths, Aretha Franklin keeps the revival zoomin’ hot, Elton John is also on the 14-year-bandwagon, dragging along an uncredited modest George Michael I think, though these days it would guarantee a “featuring” credit on Wrap Her Up, hot on the heels of his uncredited vocal backing to the late David Cassidy. Simon May returns 9 years on from his excruciating Top Of The Pops live vocal experience, wisely sticking with his Orchestral TV Theme, and The New Seekers are back – guess what, 14-years-on. Spirit of ’71! Sadly, there was no Lyn Paul, Eve Graham or Peter Doyle in the line-up, leaving only Paul Layton & Marty Kristian from the original hit-making band.

1 ( 6 ) I’M YOUR MAN Wham!
2 ( 1 ) A GOOD HEART Feargal Sharkey
3 ( 3 ) DON’T BREAK MY HEART UB40
4 ( 7 ) HEART AND SOUL Huey Lewis & The News
5 ( 2 ) STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Far Corporation
6 ( 14 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys
7 ( NEW ) HELL IN PARADISE Yoko Ono
8 ( 9 ) SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
9 ( NEW ) JEALOUS GUY John Lennon
10 ( 4 ) ROAD TO NOWHERE Talking Heads

11 ( 8 ) THE WHOLE OF THE MOON The Waterboys
12 ( 10 ) LOST WEEKEND Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
13 ( 5 ) CITIES IN DUST Siouxsie & The Banshees
14 ( NEW ) DRESS YOU UP Madonna
15 ( 18 ) SUN CITY Artists Against Apartheid
16 ( 11 ) SOMETHING ABOUT YOU Level 42
17 ( 12 ) TAKE ON ME A-Ha
18 ( 25 ) SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU Whitney Houston
19 ( 21 ) BROTHERS IN ARMS Dire Straits
20 ( 20 ) ONE VISION Queen

21 ( 31 ) WHEN LOVE BREAKS DOWN Prefab Sprout
22 ( 13 ) NIKITA Elton John
23 ( 15 ) THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush
24 ( 30 ) BLUE Fine Young Cannibals
25 ( NEW ) DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES Slade
26 ( 29 ) MATED David Grant & Jaki Graham
27 ( 27 ) JUST FOR MONEY Paul Hardcastle
28 ( 17 ) SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM Grace Jones
29 ( NEW ) RUSSIANS Sting
30 ( 64 ) THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Dionne Warwick & Friends

31 ( 16 ) YOU ARE MY WORLD The Communards
32 ( 40 ) THAT CERTAIN SMILE Midge Ure
33 ( 38 ) SEE THE DAY Dee C. Lee
34 ( 22 ) IF I WAS Midge Ure
35 ( 19 ) ALIVE AND KICKING Simple Minds
36 ( 60 ) SPIES LIKE US Paul McCartney
37 ( NEW ) P-MACHINERY (REMIX) Propaganda
38 ( 28 ) IT’S A MANS MANS MANS MANS WORLD Brilliant
39 ( 39 ) WE BUILT THIS CITY Starship
40 ( 57 ) LOSE YOUR LOVE Blancmange

41 ( 26 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra
42 ( 23 ) CLOUDBUSTING Kate Bush
43 ( NEW ) THE SHOW Doug E. Fresh
44 ( 51 ) REVOLUTION The Cult
45 ( NEW ) REVOLUTION The Thompson Twins
46 ( 37 ) THE LODGERS The Style Council
47 ( 45 ) DRIVE The Cars
48 ( 48 ) AFTER THE LOVE HAS GONE Princess
49 ( 24 ) KING FOR A DAY The Thompson Twins
50 ( 50 ) YOU BELONG TO THE CITY Glenn Frey

51 ( 42 ) UNCLE SAM Madness
52 ( 47 ) RUNNING UP THAT HILL Kate Bush
53 ( 46 ) LEAN ON ME (AH-LI-AYO) Red Box
54 ( 69 ) DON’T LOOK DOWN Go West
55 ( 55 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy
56 ( 34 ) BIG DEAL Bobby G
57 ( 66 ) SAY YOU SAY ME Lionel Richie
58 ( NEW ) BECAUSE Julian Lennon
59 ( 56 ) YOU AND YOUR HEART SO BLUE Bucks Fizz
60 ( NEW ) WHEN A HEART BEATS Nik Kershaw

61 ( 41 ) THIS IS ENGLAND The Clash
62 ( NEW ) R.S.V.P. Five Star
63 ( 36 ) IT’S ONLY LOVE Tina Turner & Bryan Adams
64 ( 62 ) MEGAREX T.Rex
65 ( 67 ) SUBCULTURE New Order
66 ( NEW ) SEPARATE LIVES Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin
67 ( NEW ) HOWARD’S WAY THEME The Simon May Orchestra
68 ( NEW ) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME GET WHAT I WANT Dream Academy
69 ( NEW ) DON’T YOU JUST KNOW IT Amazulu
70 ( NEW ) LET THE BELLS RING OUT FOREVER The New Seekers

71 ( NEW ) WRAP HER UP Elton John
72 ( 32 ) ELECTION DAY Arcadia
73 ( NEW ) TIME AIN’T ENOUGH Green On Red
74 ( NEW ) THE HIGHEST HIGH China Crisis
75 ( NEW ) WHO’S ZOOMING WHO Aretha Franklin

My 1995 Charts – April

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.

My 1995 Charts – March

videos click here

5th March 1995

2 weeks on top for MN8 as Human League leap to 2 with a man in their heart, and The Boo Radleys wake up to the news that they have hit 3. Hooray! Dionne Farris, ex-Arrested Development singer returns solo to the top 10 in one fell swoop where Arrested Development needed a few weeks longer with Tennessee in 1992. Elton John Believes he can still grab a top 10 hit 24 years into his career, and so indeed he can, at 9, and comfortably more than 20+ to date. Which of course leaves PJ & Duncan making number 10 with Our Radio Rocks. No, I’m not quite sure why either!

Sophie B. and The Tabernacle both get deserved top 20 climbs, as does a little obscure ditty by a band called Take That. Back For Good? You can bet on it! The charity collaboration wiv da girls builds a quick chart bridge to 28, and Des’ree enters at 30 with her best record You Gotta Be – it was all diminishing returns from hereon. Mory Kante takes an inferior remix of his 1988 top 3 Ye Ke Ye Ke back into the 40, and the much-missed Kirsty MacColl brings Caroline in just behind at 38. At 40, it’s a debut entry for a massive act. They were huge in the USA, the album sold and sold and sold, and they even had an episode of Friends based around tickets for one of their concerts. Hootie And The Blowfish. Yes, who? They never made it in the UK but had a couple of good singles, Hold My Hand being one, and then pretty much that was that. Hey ho.

Lower down, it’s new entries from Brand New Heavies and Rozalla, both still on a streak of hits, and East 17’s goodie Let It Rain is in at 51.

1 ( 1 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
2 ( 20 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
3 ( 9 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
4 ( 3 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
5 ( 2 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
6 ( 7 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
7 ( 44 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
8 ( 5 ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
9 ( 22 ) BELIEVE Elton John
10 ( 19 ) OUR RADIO ROCKS PJ & Duncan

11 ( 4 ) THE ONLY ONE Gun
12 ( 12 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
13 ( 6 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting featuring Pato Banton
14 ( 10 ) COWBOY DREAMS Jimmy Nail
15 ( 24 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
16 ( 34 ) I KNOW THE LORD The Tabernacle
17 ( 8 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
18 ( 31 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
19 ( 11 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
20 ( 18 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet

21 ( 16 ) BEDTIME STORY Madonna
22 ( 37 ) RUN AWAY MC Saar and The Real McCoy
23 ( 14 ) CRUSH WITH EYELINER REM
24 ( 13 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
25 ( 36 ) OVER MY SHOULDER Mike + The Mechanics
26 ( 32 ) CHILL OUT (THING’S GONNA CHANGE) John Lee Hooker
27 ( 28 ) ALL I WANT Those 2 Girls
28 ( 56 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
29 ( 17 ) OPEN YOUR HEART M People
30 ( NEW ) YOU GOTTA BE Des’ree

31 ( 33 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
32 ( 23 ) CALL IT LOVE Deuce
33 ( 15 ) UNITED WE STAND Reg Dwight aka Elton John
34 ( 25 ) WHATEVER Oasis
35 ( 26 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
36 ( 29 ) U WILL KNOW BMU featuring R Kelly, BoyzIImen
37 ( 53 ) YE KE YE KE (REMIX) Mory Kante
38 ( 45 ) CAROLINE Kirsty MacColl
39 ( 21 ) EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK Jade
40 ( NEW ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish

41 ( 39 ) WALK THIS WORLD Heather Nova
42 ( 35 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
43 ( 27 ) WONDERFUL Adam Ant
44 ( 42 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
45 ( 43 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
46 ( NEW ) CLOSE TO YOU Brand New Heavies
47 ( 64 ) DON’T GIVE ME YOUR LIFE Alex Party
48 ( 47 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
49 ( NEW ) (I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL YOU) BABY Rozalla
50 ( 30 ) YOU’RE NO GOOD Aswad

51 ( NEW ) LET IT RAIN East 17
52 ( 41 ) FOR YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
53 ( 59 ) SOMEDAY I’LL BE SATURDAY NIGHT Bon Jovi
54 ( 54 ) CREEP TLC
55 ( 40 ) I SAW THE LIGHT The The
56 ( 50 ) HEARTBEAT Jimmy Somerville
57 ( 55 ) STARS China Black
58 ( RE ) ASK The Smiths
59 ( 38 ) GRAZING IN THE GRASS Paul Young
60 ( 60 ) WAKING UP Elastica

61 ( 58 ) I MIGHT BE CRYING Tanita Tikaram
62 ( 46 ) U BLOW MY MIND Blackstreet
63 ( 63 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
64 ( RE ) WHEN I KISS YOU (I HEAR CHARLIE PARKER PLAYING)/ THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US (BBC VERSION) Sparks
65 ( 65 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
66 ( 74 ) PERFECT DAY EMF
67 ( 67 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
68 ( 68 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
69 ( 49 ) DELICIOUS Shampoo
70 ( 70 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson

71 ( 71 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
72 ( 69 ) PROTECTION Massive Attack featuring Tracey Thorn
73 ( 73 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
74 ( 48 ) STRONG ENOUGH Sheryl Crow
75 ( 75 ) MURDER INCORPORATED Bruce Springsteen

12th March 1995

A sudden surprise number one from a track that had seemed to have peaked: She’s A River belatedly giving Simple Minds a chart-topper where earlier classics didn’t, notably Up On The Catwalk which came closest. There’s some fab guitar riffing, and it’s an under-rated track as poor ol Jim Kerr by this time was getting some serious stick from rock musos who had turned on him for not sounding like he did 10 or 15 years earlier, and being more U2-ish stadium-sounding. In the age of grunge that was an unforgivable sin. As I’ve never let being out of fashion musically affect my love for a great record, I continued to ignore trendy rock critics and the backlash.
Highest new entry at 8 is Turn On Tune In Cop Out, Freakpower returning to my charts with a track that was a minor UK hit in 1993, very annoyingly, as it’s got great funk-tastic laid-back groovy vibes, maaaan. It’s also Fatboy Slim Norman Cook’s best track to date pre-Fatboy. Sophie B. Hawkins gets her 3rd top 10 track, the lovely As I Lay Me Down hitting 9, and Paul Carrack, the late Paul Young and Mike Rutherford get a good top 20 climb as Mike And The Mechanics, giving 2 of them 21 years of that, and Paul Young 16 years since Sad Cafe debuted. Talking of 21 years of top 20 entries…Sparks leap to 20 with Charlie Parker (sort of) and a new BBC version of the song that launched them This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us.

In the week he was touring (see below) Prince does a medley of hits as promo single, and enters at 24, giving him 15 years worth of chart bothering. East 17, Rozalla, Elastica, Alex Party and Brand New Heavies all go top 40, while an oddity pops in at 33, the great fun Glam Metal Detectives, the theme to the Peter Richardson satire sketch show which was written by 10CC’s Lol Creme and Trevor Horn ex-Buggles and producer supremo. In at 36, progressive house duo Leftfield (featuring Toni Halliday) and Original, following up the John Lydon Open Up. At 44 Duran Duran cover classic Lou Reid a few years before the BBC make it a million seller for everyone except Duran Duran – there’s gratitude for you!

Which leaves Siouxsie and The Banshees returning 17 years in, with Stargazer, Terrorvision, some people say, Prince’s band New Power Generation, Faith No More and Wet Wet Wet, Julia says. I says they are all new entries.

1 ( 12 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
2 ( 2 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
3 ( 3 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
4 ( 1 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
5 ( 6 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
6 ( 4 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
7 ( 7 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
8 ( NEW ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
9 ( 15 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
10 ( 5 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox

11 ( 18 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
12 ( 9 ) BELIEVE Elton John
13 ( 16 ) I KNOW THE LORD The Tabernacle
14 ( 10 ) OUR RADIO ROCKS PJ & Duncan
15 ( 25 ) OVER MY SHOULDER Mike + The Mechanics
16 ( 13 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting featuring Pato Banton
17 ( 22 ) RUN AWAY MC Saar and The Real McCoy
18 ( 14 ) COWBOY DREAMS Jimmy Nail
19 ( 8 ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
20 ( 64 ) WHEN I KISS YOU (I HEAR CHARLIE PARKER PLAYING)/ THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US (BBC VERSION) Sparks

21 ( 11 ) THE ONLY ONE Gun
22 ( 30 ) YOU GOTTA BE Des’ree
23 ( 28 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
24 ( NEW ) PURPLE MEDLEY Prince
25 ( 20 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
26 ( 37 ) YE KE YE KE (REMIX) Mory Kante
27 ( 17 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
28 ( 19 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
29 ( 51 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
30 ( 46 ) CLOSE TO YOU Brand New Heavies

31 ( 24 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
32 ( 23 ) CRUSH WITH EYELINER REM
33 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY UP Glam Metal Detectives
34 ( 31 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
35 ( 49 ) (I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL YOU) BABY Rozalla
36 ( NEW ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
37 ( 29 ) OPEN YOUR HEART M People
38 ( 47 ) DON’T GIVE ME YOUR LIFE Alex Party
39 ( 60 ) WAKING UP Elastica
40 ( 53 ) SOMEDAY I’LL BE SATURDAY NIGHT Bon Jovi

41 ( 34 ) WHATEVER Oasis
42 ( 27 ) ALL I WANT Those 2 Girls
43 ( 26 ) CHILL OUT (THING’S GONNA CHANGE) John Lee Hooker
44 ( NEW ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
45 ( 21 ) BEDTIME STORY Madonna
46 ( 32 ) CALL IT LOVE Deuce
47 ( 35 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
48 ( 44 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
49 ( 45 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
50 ( 43 ) WONDERFUL Adam Ant

51 ( 48 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
52 ( 36 ) U WILL KNOW BMU featuring R Kelly, BoyzIImen
53 ( 40 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
54 ( 42 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
55 ( 39 ) EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK Jade
56 ( NEW ) STARGAZER Siouxsie And The Banshees
57 ( 38 ) CAROLINE Kirsty MacColl
58 ( NEW ) SOME PEOPLE SAY Terrorvision
59 ( 65 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
60 ( 57 ) STARS China Black

61 ( 33 ) UNITED WE STAND Reg Dwight aka Elton John
62 ( 52 ) FOR YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
63 ( 63 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
64 ( 68 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
65 ( 71 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
66 ( NEW ) WILD New Power Generation
67 ( 67 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
68 ( 56 ) HEARTBEAT Jimmy Somerville
69 ( RE ) I’M NOT IN LOVE (1995) 10CC
70 ( 70 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson

71 ( NEW ) PUSH THE FEELING ON The Nightcrawlers
72 ( 54 ) CREEP TLC
73 ( 73 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
74 ( NEW ) DIGGING THE GRAVE Faith No More
75 ( NEW ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet

This week I went to see Prince again at Wembley Arena. Prince has a reputation for being one of the great live acts. He is. I’d seen him before, so I also knew trying to smuggle a cassette recorder in to get my own crappy quality souvenir was counter-productive – the last time they searched everyone going in and took away any cameras, tapes etc and stored them in the coat-drop with a ticket to collect afterwards. As you can imagine, it took effing forever to get it back afterwards which meant a very late drive back to Dorset. Prince, of course, continues to do his best to avoid keeping a fanbase (rather effectively), acting somewhat like the gulls in Finding nemo: Mine! Mine! Hey, ho, he was great anyway though not as memorable as the Graffiti Bridge tour. Top tracks were 1. 7, 2. LETITGO and 3. LOVE THY WILL BE DONE (the Martika track he wrote for her)

19th March 1995

Human League get their 2nd number one of 1995, and their final (credited) to date with a total of 9, as One Man In My Heart slides sweetly on top. Freak Power Turn On Tune In Drop Out, I mean Cop Out at 2. Sorry that’s a Timothy O’Leary hippie habit. East 17 don’t need an umbrella, they rocket to 3 and are happy to Let It Rain. Take That get their 4th top 10 record as Back For Good continues a slow climb upwards. Duran Duran meanwhile shoot from 44 to 12 on what must have been a Perfect Day for a decent cover version, and the first one to chart – even Lou didn’t chart with it!

Leftfield hit the top 20 with a synthy shuffle, the duo’s Paul Daley now 3 places higher than former bandmates Brand New Heavies latest. Faves of mine 10CC’s new version of I’m Not In Love is back in the 20 for the first time in 20 (years). Also doing it: Des’ree, Cher & co, and Prince, who keeps ahead of his New Power Generation getting wild at 26, both getting a concert boost. Neither are on youtube, so Prince must be behind them. Hey ho. In at 39, the highest new entry is Crash Test Dummies doing quirky XTC cover: I never saw The Ballad OF Peter Pumpkinhead coming, but both versions should have been big. The video has Dumb and Dumber’s Jeff Daniels in it.

A flood of new entries lower down, Simple Minds follow up Hypnotised, a Radiohead classic is High and Dry, the late Aaliyah states Age Is Nothin’ But A Number, probably justifying getting married at 15 to R. Kelly. The courts hold a different view these days. Bomb The Bass and The Stone Roses are back, Clock cover Axel F to keep the 80’s vibe going, while Snap! and the Bucketheads enter with a couple of great dance tracks. Rankin’ Roger’s back with Pato Banton, giving him 16 years of chart entries since The Beat debuted, and 2 Unlimited and Rednex keep the European former UK chart-topper list topped up.

1 ( 2 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
2 ( 8 ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
3 ( 29 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
4 ( 1 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
5 ( 5 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
6 ( 7 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
7 ( 6 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
8 ( 4 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8
9 ( 11 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
10 ( 3 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys

11 ( 10 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
12 ( 44 ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
13 ( 9 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
14 ( 12 ) BELIEVE Elton John
15 ( 36 ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
16 ( 69 ) I’M NOT IN LOVE (1995) 10CC
17 ( 22 ) YOU GOTTA BE Des’ree
18 ( 30 ) CLOSE TO YOU Brand New Heavies
19 ( 23 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
20 ( 24 ) PURPLE MEDLEY Prince

21 ( 14 ) OUR RADIO ROCKS PJ & Duncan
22 ( 17 ) RUN AWAY MC Saar and The Real McCoy
23 ( 15 ) OVER MY SHOULDER Mike + The Mechanics
24 ( 16 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting featuring Pato Banton
25 ( 13 ) I KNOW THE LORD The Tabernacle
26 ( 66 ) GET WILD New Power Generation
27 ( 19 ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
28 ( 38 ) DON’T GIVE ME YOUR LIFE Alex Party
29 ( 18 ) COWBOY DREAMS Jimmy Nail
30 ( 20 ) WHEN I KISS YOU (I HEAR CHARLIE PARKER PLAYING)/ THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US (BBC VERSION) Sparks

31 ( 33 ) EVERYBODY UP Glam Metal Detectives
32 ( 25 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
33 ( 21 ) THE ONLY ONE Gun
34 ( 28 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
35 ( 26 ) YE KE YE KE (REMIX) Mory Kante
36 ( 31 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
37 ( 58 ) SOME PEOPLE SAY Terrorvision
38 ( 34 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
39 ( NEW ) THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD Crash Test Dummies
40 ( 32 ) CRUSH WITH EYELINER REM

41 ( NEW ) REAL LOVE Drizabone
42 ( 37 ) OPEN YOUR HEART M People
43 ( 53 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
44 ( 27 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
45 ( 41 ) WHATEVER Oasis
46 ( NEW ) HIGH AND DRY Radiohead
47 ( 35 ) (I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF I SHOULD CALL YOU) BABY Rozalla
48 ( NEW ) HYPNOTISED Simple Minds
49 ( 42 ) ALL I WANT Those 2 Girls
50 ( NEW ) AGE AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT A NUMBER Aaliyah

51 ( 48 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
52 ( 49 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
53 ( 51 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
54 ( NEW ) AXEL F Clock
55 ( NEW ) ONE TO ONE RELIGION Bomb The Bass
56 ( 43 ) CHILL OUT (THING’S GONNA CHANGE) John Lee Hooker
57 ( NEW ) THE FIRST THE LAST ETERNITY Snap! featuring Summer
58 ( NEW ) BUBBLIN’ HOT Pato Banton featuring Rankin’ Roger
59 ( 59 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
60 ( NEW ) TEN STOREY LOVE SONG The Stone Roses

61 ( 50 ) WONDERFUL Adam Ant
62 ( 60 ) STARS China Black
63 ( 63 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
64 ( NEW ) HERE I GO 2 Unlimited
65 ( 64 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
66 ( 65 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
67 ( 67 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
68 ( 47 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
69 ( NEW ) THE BOMB Bucketheads

70 ( 70 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
71 ( 71 ) PUSH THE FEELING ON The Nightcrawlers
72 ( 54 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
73 ( 75 ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet
74 ( 73 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
75 ( NEW ) OLD POP IN AN OAK Rednex

In my oldies playlisting I was obsessed with the brilliant original histrionically emotional one-take of Lorraine Ellison’s 60’s classic Stay With Me Baby. Criminally this record has never charted in mine, or the UK, though many more insipid versions have. Go figure…

Singapore1995

26th March 1995

It’s yet another new number one, this time East 17 get their sole topper after not quite managing to Stay Another Day, they decide to Let It Rain. Will the Number One revolving door stop any time soon? Well, it’s a good dancepop record but not a classic, so place your bets… while up to 3 threatening is Leftfield doing something Original, and Take That at 4 looking like they are Back For Good. Up 51 places to 6, Snap get their 3rd big dance single, following on from The Power and Rhythm Is A Dancer in 1990 and 1992. Up 41, Simple Minds get a quick 2nd Top 10 hit at 7, Hypnotised, an altogether more laid back vibe to She’s A River. Duran Duran meantime keep the top 10 span alive with Perfect Day at 8, 14 years since Planet Earth did it first. Finally, at 9, Crash Test Dummies get a third top 10 hit. Mmm mmm mmmm pumpkin. Phew, that’s a bit of a turnover!

Highest new entry is C.B Milton, It’s A Loving Thing at 17, but just behind it’s The Fab Four, a BBC live version of The Shirelles Baby It’s You (a Burt Bacharach toon). OK the sound quality is basic, but the joy of hearing John Lennon over-rides that, as at that time, it’s the first newly-available Beatles single (of unavailable tracks, give or take a Movie Medley) in 25 years. Granted a studio version was available back in 63, but The Beatles in the singles chart is where they still belong, as far as I’m concerned! Meanwhile, Tom Petty, part time Wilbury with The Fabs George Harrison, doesn’t know how it feels to be at 18 – cos he’s in at 26. The UK Eurovision entry goes 90’s in sound, rap Love City groovetastic, and bangs straight in at 27, the highest chart placing for a UK entry in a decade, with the best UK entry in over 20 years, if not ever!
2 Unlimited show they can still rocket up into the 40, and here I go, ahead of some hand holding from Hootie going back up, to 29. There’s a spot of wiggling with the Outhere Brothers new at 31, and some more Rednex pop in at 37, with some clocking at 40 to add a bit of cheese into a chart sandwich. At 45 Mica Paris does a soul cover of U2’s recent classic One, not the first time U2 songs have successfully transformed into soul records, cos soul (like U2) is about wearing your heart on your sleeve, with passion. Mica’s run of singles stretches back to 7 years or so. The Lightning Seeds are meanwhile Marvellous as always, and in at 58, and Boy George returns at 60, Funtime and 13 years of cultured hits. Barry White is also back 22 years on (again) with a song that isn’t an old Dusty Springfield classic – it’s just the title. Londonbeat are also back at 70, and Bryan Adams somewhat dirge-like woman at 74.

1 ( 3 ) LET IT RAIN East 17
2 ( 1 ) ONE MAN IN MY HEART Human League
3 ( 15 ) ORIGINAL Leftfield featuring Toni Halliday
4 ( 9 ) BACK FOR GOOD Take That
5 ( 2 ) TURN ON TUNE IN COP OUT Freak Power
6 ( 57 ) THE FIRST THE LAST ETERNITY Snap! featuring Summer
7 ( 48 ) HYPNOTISED Simple Minds
8 ( 12 ) PERFECT DAY Duran Duran
9 ( 39 ) THE BALLAD OF PETER PUMPKINHEAD Crash Test Dummies
10 ( 8 ) I’VE GOT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU MN8

11 ( 10 ) WAKE UP BOO The Boo Radleys
12 ( 6 ) I KNOW Dionne Farris
13 ( 4 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
14 ( 26 ) GET WILD New Power Generation
15 ( 5 ) WHOOPS NOW! Janet Jackson
16 ( 7 ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
17 ( NEW ) IT’S A LOVING THING C.B. Milton
18 ( NEW ) BABY IT’S YOU/ I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN The Beatles
19 ( 14 ) BELIEVE Elton John
20 ( 11 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox

21 ( 13 ) AS I LAY ME DOWN Sophie B. Hawkins
22 ( 18 ) CLOSE TO YOU Brand New Heavies
23 ( 19 ) LOVE CAN BUILD A BRIDGE Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton
24 ( 16 ) I’M NOT IN LOVE (1995) 10CC
25 ( 28 ) DON’T GIVE ME YOUR LIFE Alex Party
26 ( NEW ) YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IT FEELS Tom Petty
27 ( NEW ) LOVE CITY GROOVE Love City Groove
28 ( 64 ) HERE I GO 2 Unlimited
29 ( 43 ) HOLD MY HAND Hootie And The Blowfish
30 ( 17 ) YOU GOTTA BE Des’ree

31 ( NEW ) DON’T STOP (WIGGLE WIGGLE) The Outhere Brothers
32 ( 20 ) PURPLE MEDLEY Prince
33 ( 21 ) OUR RADIO ROCKS PJ & Duncan
34 ( 38 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
35 ( 37 ) SOME PEOPLE SAY Terrorvision
36 ( 27 ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
37 ( 75 ) OLD POP IN AN OAK Rednex
38 ( 34 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
39 ( 36 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
40 ( 54 ) AXEL F Clock

41 ( 32 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
42 ( 23 ) OVER MY SHOULDER Mike + The Mechanics
43 ( 24 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting featuring Pato Banton
44 ( 29 ) COWBOY DREAMS Jimmy Nail
45 ( NEW ) ONE Mica Paris
46 ( 25 ) I KNOW THE LORD The Tabernacle
47 ( 33 ) THE ONLY ONE Gun
48 ( 73 ) JULIA SAYS Wet Wet Wet
49 ( 58 ) BUBBLIN’ HOT Pato Banton featuring Rankin’ Roger
50 ( 45 ) WHATEVER Oasis

51 ( 30 ) WHEN I KISS YOU (I HEAR CHARLIE PARKER PLAYING)/ THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US (BBC VERSION) Sparks
52 ( 40 ) CRUSH WITH EYELINER REM
53 ( 52 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
54 ( 51 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
55 ( 53 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
56 ( 35 ) YE KE YE KE (REMIX) Mory Kante
57 ( 22 ) RUN AWAY MC Saar and The Real McCoy
58 ( NEW ) MARVELLOUS The Lightning Seeds
59 ( 31 ) EVERYBODY UP Glam Metal Detectives
60 ( NEW ) FUNTIME Boy George

61 ( 42 ) OPEN YOUR HEART M People
62 ( 44 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
63 ( NEW ) I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU Barry White
64 ( 63 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
65 ( 59 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
66 ( 69 ) THE BOMB Bucketheads
67 ( 66 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
68 ( 65 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
69 ( 67 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
70 ( NEW ) I’M JUST YOUR (PUPPET ON A STRING) Londonbeat

71 ( 70 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
72 ( 62 ) STARS China Black
73 ( RE ) MURDER INCORPORATED Bruce Springsteen
74 ( NEW ) HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOVED A WOMAN Bryan Adams
75 ( 74 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex

My 1995 Charts – January

Cairns, Australia 1995

video links as always click on this…

January 1st 1995

A new year a new number one for a new band – Oasis take Whatever to the top in all of it’s All You Need Is Love-ish strings-tastic fab-gear-ish-ness Britpop delight. It’s a great record and deserved to top the UK charts as well, though it did get near.
The Human League, meanwhile go top 5, Tell Me When? Now! The Lightning Seeds add Change to their list of top tenners, and Riverdance hits 8. I don’t remember it doing that well, but there ya are, stomp-a-clomp-a-stomp-a, it did.

Sting shoots his cowboy way into the 20 16 years after first doing it, Siouxsie ditto only 17 years on, while the highest new entry is 1963 in 1994 from a B side in 1987 remixed by Arthur Baker for New Order charting in 1995. Date-Confusion! Also a New Order track…

Some re-entries from Ace Of Base who enjoy Living In Danger at 29, Youssou N’Dour at 37, and again at 64 as chart-topper 7 Seconds comes back in (though not called a re-entry as it’s a new year and been out the chart a while), both helped by Neneh Cherry. At 35 it’s a record from the year I was born, back as a huge UK hit thanks to an advert on TV – Guaglione, Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and horn-hooked old big swing band fun. Both terrific and highly unexpected.

New UK girl duo Scarlet enter at 50, with an Independent Love Song, and it’s good, while Bristol’s Portishead enter at 69 with the fab Glory Box, an influential trip-hoppy track. Which leaves veteran Barry White back at 55 after a few years gap, helped by his Lisa Stansfield and Edie Brickell associations, giving him a span of 22 years of chart entries since I’m Gonna Love You A Little More Baby went top 5 in 1973. Oh, and Jimmy Somerville has 11 years of entries, with Bronski Beat and Communards, and solo hits.

1 ( 17 ) WHATEVER Oasis
2 ( 1 ) ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey
3 ( 2 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
4 ( 7 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
5 ( 6 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
6 ( 3 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
7 ( 14 ) CHANGE The Lightning Seeds
8 ( 11 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
9 ( 8 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
10 ( 10 ) LOVE ME FOR A REASON Boyzone

11 ( 5 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
12 ( 4 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS/ TELL ME THERE’S A HEAVEN Chris Rea
13 ( 9 ) I WANT TO BE ALONE 2wo Third3
14 ( 13 ) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Louis Armstrong
15 ( 29 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting
16 ( 12 ) PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Bon Jovi
17 ( 45 ) OH BABY Siouxsie And The Banshees
18 ( 15 ) TRYIN’ TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN The Carpenters
19 ( 16 ) HOLD ME THRILL ME KISS ME Gloria Estefan
20 ( NEW ) 1963 ’94 New Order

21 ( 24 ) CROCODILE SHOES Jimmy Nail
22 ( 19 ) YOU BLOW ME AWAY Robert Palmer
23 ( 21 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
24 ( 23 ) LET ME BE YOUR FANTASY Baby D
25 ( 22 ) SHE’S GOT THAT VIBE R. Kelly
26 ( 25 ) I LOVE SATURDAY Erasure
27 ( 27 ) HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER Ini Kamoze
28 ( 18 ) STAY ANOTHER DAY East 17
29 ( RE ) LIVING IN DANGER Ace Of Base
30 ( 20 ) GO GO POWER RANGERS Power Rangers

31 ( 33 ) LET THE HEALING BEGIN Joe Cocker
32 ( 32 ) GALLOWS POLE Jimmy Page and Robert Plant
33 ( 26 ) STARS China Black
34 ( 31 ) JUST LIKE THAT Abba
35 ( NEW ) GUAGLIONE Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and His Orchestra
36 ( 28 ) LOVE SPREADS The Stone Roses
37 ( RE ) UNDECIDED Youssou N’Dour featuring Neneh Cherry and Deep Forest
38 ( 38 ) DO YOU LOVE ME Duke Baysee
39 ( 42 ) CRAZY Eternal
40 ( 30 ) CHRISTMAS WRAPPING Peaches

41 ( 37 ) WHEN I’M CLEANING WINDOWS 2 In A Tent featuring George Formby
42 ( 34 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
43 ( 35 ) IF I ONLY KNEW Tom Jones
44 ( 36 ) ANOTHER NIGHT MC Saar and The Real McCoy
45 ( 48 ) SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL Guns ‘N’ Roses
46 ( 39 ) ONE MORE CHANCE EYC
47 ( 40 ) DON’T DON’T TELL ME NO Sophie B. Hawkins
48 ( 43 ) ALL I WANNA DO Sheryl Crow
49 ( 41 ) DOLLARS C.J. Lewis
50 ( NEW ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet

51 ( 51 ) WHAT’S GOING ON Music Relief 94
52 ( 46 ) END OF A CENTURY Blur
53 ( 53 ) RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Corona
54 ( 47 ) THE STRANGEST PARTY INXS
55 ( NEW ) PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Barry White
56 ( 56 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
57 ( 50 ) ETERNAL LOVE PJ and Duncan
58 ( 54 ) SENSE Terry Hall
59 ( 59 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba
60 ( 61 ) I’LL FIND YOU Michelle Gayle

61 ( 58 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS MAD Pet Shop Boys
62 ( 65 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
63 ( 63 ) SIGHT FOR SORE EYES M People
64 ( NEW ) 7 SECONDS Youssou N’Dour featuring Neneh Cherry
65 ( 74 ) SEARCHING China Black
66 ( 69 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
67 ( 67 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
68 ( 68 ) AGE OF LONELINESS Enigma
69 ( NEW ) GLORY BOX Portishead
70 ( 73 ) KISS FROM A ROSE Seal

71 ( 71 ) LIBERATION Pet Shop Boys
72 ( 72 ) GOOD TIMES Edie Brickell
73 ( 52 ) HOW DO YOU STOP Joni Mitchell and Seal
74 ( 60 ) ONE LAST LOVE SONG The Beautiful South
75 ( NEW ) HEARTBEAT Jimmy Somerville

8th January 1995

Oasis make it 2 weeks on top for my 37th birthday, hey whatever. Riverdance inexplicably goes top 5. Whatever. Glory Box is a glorious 61 place leap to 8 though, hooray for quality! However the highest new entry at 10 is really dodgy. No, honest, So Let Me Go Far and one I’ve utterly forgotten, but it’s Dodgy and that’s good enough for me if it’s good enough for you. Must have loved it though. Youtube awaits!

At 31, new for Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter, One Cool Remove from being country and folk, but nice anyway. Runrig are in at 30, with This Time Of Year, Scarlet go top 20, and in at 33 it’s the great pop dance delight of Strike…U Sure Do! Jimmy Somerville has a Heartbeat at 39 from 75, The Sounds Of Blackness return with a new track, declaring I’m Going All The Way from 49. Best of all Simple Minds at 55 return with the terrific She’s A River for a cool 14 years of chart entries. This was the tour I finally got to see them in concert, so yay for me! Finally Let Loose are back, twice, once with Seventeen reissued, at 75, and also with the better One Night Stand a bit higher at 65.

1 ( 1 ) WHATEVER Oasis
2 ( 4 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
3 ( 3 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
4 ( 2 ) ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey
5 ( 8 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
6 ( 5 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
7 ( 7 ) CHANGE The Lightning Seeds
8 ( 69 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
9 ( 9 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
10 ( NEW ) SO LET ME GO FAR Dodgy

11 ( 6 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
12 ( 18 ) TRYIN’ TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN The Carpenters
13 ( 10 ) LOVE ME FOR A REASON Boyzone
14 ( 20 ) 1963 ’94 New Order
15 ( 15 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting
16 ( 11 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
17 ( 17 ) O BABY Siouxsie And The Banshees
18 ( 50 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
19 ( 14 ) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Louis Armstrong
20 ( 13 ) I WANT TO BE ALONE 2wo Third3

21 ( 19 ) HOLD ME THRILL ME KISS ME Gloria Estefan
22 ( 12 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS/ TELL ME THERE’S A HEAVEN Chris Rea
23 ( 27 ) HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER Ini Kamoze
24 ( 42 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
25 ( 21 ) CROCODILE SHOES Jimmy Nail
26 ( 29 ) LIVING IN DANGER Ace Of Base
27 ( 23 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
28 ( 31 ) LET THE HEALING BEGIN Joe Cocker
29 ( 38 ) DO YOU LOVE ME Duke Baysee
30 ( NEW ) THIS TIME OF YEAR Runrig

31 ( NEW ) ONE COOL REMOVE Shawn Colvin featuring Mary Chapin Carpenter
32 ( 16 ) PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Bon Jovi
33 ( NEW ) U SURE DO Strike
34 ( 39 ) CRAZY Eternal
35 ( 37 ) UNDECIDED Youssou N’Dour featuring Neneh Cherry and Deep Forest
36 ( 34 ) JUST LIKE THAT Abba
37 ( 33 ) STARS China Black
38 ( 24 ) LET ME BE YOUR FANTASY Baby D
39 ( 75 ) HEARTBEAT Jimmy Somerville
40 ( 45 ) SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL Guns ‘N’ Roses

41 ( 22 ) YOU BLOW ME AWAY Robert Palmer
42 ( 46 ) ONE MORE CHANCE EYC
43 ( 25 ) SHE’S GOT THAT VIBE R. Kelly
44 ( 35 ) GUAGLIONE Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and His Orchestra
45 ( 26 ) I LOVE SATURDAY Erasure
46 ( 55 ) PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Barry White
47 ( 28 ) STAY ANOTHER DAY East 17
48 ( 30 ) GO GO POWER RANGERS Might Morph’n Power Rangers
49 ( NEW ) I’M GOING ALL THE WAY The Sounds Of Blackness
50 ( 32 ) GALLOWS POLE Jimmy Page and Robert Plant

51 ( 40 ) CHRISTMAS WRAPPING Peaches
52 ( 36 ) LOVE SPREADS The Stone Roses
53 ( 60 ) I’LL FIND YOU Michelle Gayle
54 ( 43 ) IF I ONLY KNEW Tom Jones
55 ( NEW ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
56 ( 53 ) RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Corona
57 ( 56 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
58 ( 41 ) WHEN I’M CLEANING WINDOWS 2 In A Tent featuring George Formby
59 ( 48 ) ALL I WANNA DO Sheryl Crow
60 ( 59 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba

61 ( 44 ) ANOTHER NIGHT MC Saar and The Real McCoy
62 ( 51 ) WHAT’S GOING ON Music Relief 94
63 ( 62 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
64 ( 61 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS MAD Pet Shop Boys
65 ( NEW ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
66 ( 66 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
67 ( 67 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
68 ( 68 ) AGE OF LONELINESS Enigma
69 ( 64 ) 7 SECONDS Youssou N’Dour featuring Neneh Cherry
70 ( 70 ) KISS FROM A ROSE Seal

71 ( 71 ) LIBERATION Pet Shop Boys
72 ( 54 ) THE STRANGEST PARTY INXS
73 ( 52 ) END OF A CENTURY Blur
74 ( 72 ) GOOD TIMES Edie Brickell
75 ( NEW ) SEVENTEEN Let Loose

15th January 1995

3 weeks at 1 for Oasis, as Riverdance hits 3. I’m shocked! Actual chart peak 3. I mean it’s nice, but let’s be honest, it’s the dancing – watch the video! The Lightning Seeds get a 3rd Top 5 hit, with Change at 4, while an Independent Scarlet hit 8. New Order add to their growing tally of Top 10’s with a track that never should have just been a B Side, 1963.

Highest new entry at 15 is Annie Lennox, now onto a covers album and she covers old friends A Lover Speaks 1986 minor UK hit (and big hit in my charts) No More I Love You’s, improves on it, and hopefully the royalties have helped them out ever since cos it’s fab. An unusual melody, but gorgeous, and it forever now reminds of later in 1995 when I was in an Orange Juice bar on Orchard Road in Singapore gasping for a drink in the heat and humidity, and this came out of the speakers. Pretty sure no-one else has those associations with the song!

In at 19, Massive Attack are back with a bang, with help from Tracey Thorn of Everything But The Girl, over a decade into her run of big hits in my charts, and what a mellow lovely atmospheric track it is too. Jimmy Somerville goes top 20, Simple Minds 30, Barry White 40, and in at 32 it’s Crush – With Eyeliner: aka REM’s glamrock Velvet Underground-ish rifftastic move away from the mainstream appeal of their more recent stuff, and it’s great.

We’ve also got the original version of the hideous 2014 dance remix of R. Kelly’s Bump ‘n’ Grind at 43 which wasn’t that bad before I went off him a bit. Tanita Tikaram’s back, I Might Be Crying but it’s been 7 years since she arrived with a bang, and then quickly faded out without ever deserving that. At 50, what the Deuce!? Call It Love, or call it pop. M People want to Open Your Heart at 53, but I’m opening my heart to the disco classic from 1977 that the Communards more or less were inspired by, and it’s back at 65 18 years on – Thelma Houston’s version of Don’t Leave Me This Way. The song was originally lined up to be Diana Ross’ follow-up to the still-epic Love Hangover in 1976, but Thelma got the big disco smash out of it instead. Best of all, the original 1975 Philly version of the Gamble & Huff song became a bigger hit in the UK for Harold Melvin And The Bluenotes, still my fave version.

1 ( 1 ) WHATEVER Oasis
2 ( 2 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
3 ( 5 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
4 ( 7 ) CHANGE The Lightning Seeds
5 ( 3 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
6 ( 8 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
7 ( 18 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
8 ( 6 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
9 ( 9 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
10 ( 14 ) 1963 ’94 New Order

11 ( 4 ) ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey
12 ( 17 ) O BABY Siouxsie And The Banshees
13 ( 11 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
14 ( 10 ) SO LET ME GO FAR Dodgy
15 ( NEW ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
16 ( 13 ) LOVE ME FOR A REASON Boyzone
17 ( 12 ) TRYIN’ TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN The Carpenters
18 ( 23 ) HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER Ini Kamoze
19 ( NEW ) PROTECTION Massive Attack featuring Tracey Thorn
20 ( 39 ) HEARTBEAT Jimmy Somerville

21 ( 16 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
22 ( 19 ) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Louis Armstrong
23 ( 26 ) LIVING IN DANGER Ace Of Base
24 ( 15 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting
25 ( 29 ) DO YOU LOVE ME Duke Baysee
26 ( 21 ) HOLD ME THRILL ME KISS ME Gloria Estefan
27 ( 55 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
28 ( 34 ) CRAZY Eternal
29 ( 35 ) UNDECIDED Youssou N’Dour featuring Neneh Cherry and Deep Forest
30 ( 31 ) ONE COOL REMOVE Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter

31 ( 20 ) I WANT TO BE ALONE 2wo Third3
32 ( NEW ) CRUSH WITH EYELINER REM
33 ( 22 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS/ TELL ME THERE’S A HEAVEN Chris Rea
34 ( 46 ) PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Barry White
35 ( 24 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
36 ( 27 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
37 ( 40 ) SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL Guns ‘N’ Roses
38 ( 25 ) CROCODILE SHOES Jimmy Nail
39 ( NEW ) WHERE’S YOUR LOVE BEEN Heliocentric World
40 ( 49 ) I’M GOING ALL THE WAY The Sounds Of Blackness

41 ( 37 ) STARS China Black
42 ( 36 ) JUST LIKE THAT Abba
43 ( NEW ) BUMP ‘N’ GRIND R. Kelly
44 ( 38 ) LET ME BE YOUR FANTASY Baby D
45 ( 65 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
46 ( 30 ) THIS TIME OF YEAR Runrig
47 ( NEW ) I MIGHT BE CRYING Tanita Tikaram
48 ( 28 ) LET THE HEALING BEGIN Joe Cocker
49 ( 32 ) PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Bon Jovi
50 ( NEW ) CALL IT LOVE Deuce

51 ( 33 ) U SURE DO Strike
52 ( 43 ) SHE’S GOT THAT VIBE R. Kelly
53 ( NEW ) OPEN YOUR HEART M People
54 ( 44 ) GUAGLIONE Perez ‘Prez’ Prado and His Orchestra
55 ( 45 ) I LOVE SATURDAY Erasure
56 ( 41 ) YOU BLOW ME AWAY Robert Palmer
57 ( 57 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
58 ( 56 ) RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Corona
59 ( 47 ) STAY ANOTHER DAY East 17
60 ( 60 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba

61 ( 51 ) CHRISTMAS WRAPPING Peaches
62 ( 54 ) IF I ONLY KNEW Tom Jones
63 ( 48 ) GO GO POWER RANGERS Might Morph’n Power Rangers
64 ( 63 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
65 ( NEW ) DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY Thelma Houston
66 ( 59 ) ALL I WANNA DO Sheryl Crow
67 ( 66 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
68 ( 67 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
69 ( 50 ) GALLOWS POLE Jimmy Page and Robert Plant
70 ( 68 ) AGE OF LONELINESS Enigma

71 ( 70 ) KISS FROM A ROSE Seal
72 ( 64 ) YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS MAD Pet Shop Boys
73 ( 71 ) LIBERATION Pet Shop Boys
74 ( 74 ) GOOD TIMES Edie Brickell
75 ( 62 ) WHAT’S GOING ON Music Relief 94

22nd January 1995

It’s the Human League at 1, at last, some 7 years since the last one, and their 9th in total in 15 years of chart entries. Hoorah, I still love them! Meanwhile my top 10 gets some street cred as Portishead hit 3 and New Order 6, not to mention Massive Attack at 9, their 3rd top 10. Meanwhile Deuce rocket up to 17 with another one of those tracks I haven’t heard in 20 years and have forgotten, and forgotten I liked! Dear oh dear!

Let Loose go top 40 with One Night Stand, I suppose we’ve all done that at one time or another. Let Loose, I mean. One Night Stand maybe, maybe not. Highest new entry is the great soul girl band TLC, jazzy, snazzy, sultry, it’s Creep at 28, a record that still sounds fresh and fabulous. Morrissey is in at 31 with Boxers. I have my tickets for next month for Mozza, hopefully he will be tip top. Donna Allen has another chart entry some years on from her first, this time it’s Real at 33, while in at 38, it’s Sleeper with Inbetweener.

R Kelly and The Sounds Of Blackness join in the 40 action, as does Thelma Houston doing it second time around 18 years on. Cyndi Lauper is back at 53, tackling a classic – I’m Gonna Be Strong is Gene Pitney’s torch song, his finest moment, and a dramatic anthem with a vocal performance that no-one could possibly top, but that doesn’t stop ol Cyn giving it a good go. Another cover brings Aswad back, and a good reggae version of the 1963 Betty Everett song You’re No Good, better known in the UK as a big hit for The Swinging Blue Jeans in 1964 (they were big enough for me to know them as a poptastic fave group age 6) before Linda Ronstadt covered it in 1975 and had a big US hit. I’d stick with the original soulful version though, with Aswad as the second-best choice.

Stevie Wonder’s back again, some 26 years on from For Once In My Life, at 58 it’s For Your Love. At 62, it’s another cover, of instrumental Soul Limbo, a 1969 instrumental hit for Booker T & The MG’s, better known as a TV cricket theme tune. It’s not as good, even with lyrics. Yet another cover version at 65 (of Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye’s hit cover of the Pearls minor hit version of the US 1972 original version from The Stylistics. This time it’s Melanie Williams and Joe Roberts, but I think there’s still room for a definitive version of the great song. At 66 it’s Nicki French and her version of Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 chart-topper, Total Eclipse Of The Heart. It’s not as good. That concludes the covers, leaving only Jim Carrey and Cuban Pete at 71 for one week only. He did The Truman Show, though, so I forgive him.

1 ( 2 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
2 ( 1 ) WHATEVER Oasis
3 ( 6 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
4 ( 7 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
5 ( 3 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
6 ( 10 ) 1963 ’94 New Order
7 ( 4 ) CHANGE The Lightning Seeds
8 ( 5 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
9 ( 19 ) PROTECTION Massive Attack featuring Tracey Thorn
10 ( 8 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex

11 ( 12 ) O BABY Siouxsie And The Banshees
12 ( 20 ) HEARTBEAT Jimmy Somerville
13 ( 15 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
14 ( 13 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
15 ( 9 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
16 ( 27 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
17 ( 50 ) CALL IT LOVE Deuce
18 ( 18 ) HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER Ini Kamoze
19 ( 23 ) LIVING IN DANGER Ace Of Base
20 ( 11 ) ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey

21 ( 25 ) DO YOU LOVE ME Duke Baysee
22 ( 45 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose
23 ( 21 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
24 ( 24 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting
25 ( 37 ) SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL Guns ‘N’ Roses
26 ( 17 ) TRYIN’ TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN The Carpenters
27 ( 14 ) SO LET ME GO FAR Dodgy
28 ( NEW ) CREEP TLC
29 ( 34 ) PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Barry White
30 ( 16 ) LOVE ME FOR A REASON Boyzone

31 ( NEW ) BOXERS Morrissey
32 ( 32 ) CRUSH WITH EYELINER REM
33 ( NEW ) REAL Donna Allen
34 ( 22 ) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Louis Armstrong
35 ( 35 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
36 ( 40 ) I’M GOING ALL THE WAY The Sounds Of Blackness
37 ( 43 ) BUMP ‘N’ GRIND R. Kelly
38 ( NEW ) INBETWEENER Sleeper
39 ( 65 ) DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY Thelma Houston
40 ( 26 ) HOLD ME THRILL ME KISS ME Gloria Estefan

41 ( 41 ) STARS China Black
42 ( 36 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
43 ( 53 ) OPEN YOUR HEART M People
44 ( 44 ) LET ME BE YOUR FANTASY Baby D
45 ( 42 ) JUST LIKE THAT Abba
46 ( 38 ) CROCODILE SHOES Jimmy Nail
47 ( 47 ) I MIGHT BE CRYING Tanita Tikaram
48 ( 33 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS/ TELL ME THERE’S A HEAVEN Chris Rea
49 ( 31 ) I WANT TO BE ALONE 2wo Third3
50 ( 30 ) ONE COOL REMOVE Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter

51 ( 28 ) CRAZY Eternal
52 ( 29 ) UNDECIDED Youssou N’Dour featuring Neneh Cherry and Deep Forest
53 ( NEW ) I’M GONNA BE STRONG Cyndi Lauper
54 ( NEW ) LET IT LAST Carleen Anderson
55 ( 52 ) SHE’S GOT THAT VIBE R. Kelly
56 ( 39 ) WHERE’S YOUR LOVE BEEN Heliocentric World
57 ( 57 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
58 ( NEW ) FOR YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
59 ( NEW ) YOU’RE NO GOOD Aswad
60 ( 60 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba

61 ( 58 ) RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Corona
62 ( NEW ) SAVED Mr. Roy
63 ( 64 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
64 ( 55 ) I LOVE SATURDAY Erasure
65 ( NEW ) YOU ARE EVERYTHING Melanie Williams and Joe Roberts
66 ( NEW ) TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART Nicki French
67 ( 67 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
68 ( 68 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
69 ( 70 ) AGE OF LONELINESS Enigma
70 ( 66 ) ALL I WANNA DO Sheryl Crow

71 ( NEW ) CUBAN PETE Jim Carrey
72 ( 71 ) KISS FROM A ROSE Seal
73 ( 73 ) LIBERATION Pet Shop Boys
74 ( 59 ) STAY ANOTHER DAY East 17
75 ( 49 ) PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Bon Jovi

29th January 1995

Another new number one, and it’s Portishead and the fab Glory Box. No video as I’ve already featured it in previous weeks, just to not make it obvious what’s always going to top my chart by praising a record and then not featuring the youtube link! Hah! Scarlet meanwhile get the runners-up spot, as Bob Seger returns to my chart 17 years later, and way out-does the first-time-round as it bangs in at 6, rather surprisingly, as I wasn’t too fussed about it in 1978, and these days, but for a time I really did like it – apparently!

Annie Lennox gets another solo top 10, as Let Loose get a second or third (I forget), and Sting goes to a new peak with his Cowboy Song as Pato Banton turns up and lends some reggae vibes. REM crush some eyeliner at 20, and quite right too. M People go top 40 as Open Your Heart hits 23, and Tanita Tikaram 24, while The Wildhearts return with two delightfully-titled songs: If Life Is Like A Love Bank I Want An Overdraft and B side Georgie In Wonderland as played on Top Of The Pops. Just behind is another cowboy song, Cowboy Dreams, Jimmy Nail’s great version of Paddy McAloon’s donated song, before he released an even better version himself as Prefab Sprout in 2001. 10 years on in 1995, the Sprouts seemed to have been spat out by the music industry quite unfairly.

In at 33 it’s a Perfecto remix and redesign of Pigbag’s 1982 instrumental hit Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag, retitled Reach Up with added vocals and dance, and rather good it is too. I was rather surprised to hear this one in a superstore on Orchard Road in Singapore later in the year, I didn’t think Singapore was that into dance music! Talking of dance N Trance join that annoying obsession with the capital N (Entrance having druggy refs but avoiding everyone calling them an entrance). Oh did I used to laugh at everyone applying this principle in the UK to ‘NSync, radio, TV, DJ’s, everyone got it wrong. En-sink made no sense at all, In synch did. Hey ho. Set You Free was one of those pop dance hits that just kept on coming back when once was more than adequate for a decent dance track.

Madonna has a bedtime story at 57 – how sweet, Dear Jessie kiddie-candy I’m sure. Oh hang on, didn’t she do some big photo books at that time, with a naughty album, ah of course, grown-up bedtime stories. Dear Jessie was much better. Another under-rated 80’s fave returns at 61, The The having seen the 1948 Hank Williams country light and turned it into a rocking light! Hooray! Also back, Del Amitri, Here And Now, and with a few years wait for an actual number one chart-topper in my charts.

Gloria Estefan covers another classic at 66, disco-style, a song that once upon a time was in the charts every few years with yet another cover – Everlasting Love, starting with the original US hit version from Robert Knight, followed by the UK number one hit version by The Love Affair, both of them immaculate. Since then: 1969, 1974, 1981, 1988, 1993, 1995, with 1998 and 2004 still to come, so if anyone wants a chart hit it’s been overdue for about 4 years! Lastly, China Black are back to try for that hat-trick of number ones, I can almost see them (Somewhere) at 71, boy band Ultimate Kaos are at 73, not one of Simon Cowell’s biggest acts that one, and Singapore’s classical Vanessa Mae brings Toccata and Fugue class into the charts. I liked her.

1 ( 3 ) GLORY BOX Portishead
2 ( 4 ) INDEPENDENT LOVE SONG Scarlet
3 ( 1 ) TELL ME WHEN Human League
4 ( 2 ) WHATEVER Oasis
5 ( 5 ) RIVERDANCE Bill Whelan
6 ( NEW ) WE’VE GOT TONIGHT Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
7 ( 13 ) NO MORE ‘I LOVE YOU’S Annie Lennox
8 ( 6 ) 1963 ’94 New Order
9 ( 9 ) PROTECTION Massive Attack featuring Tracey Thorn
10 ( 22 ) ONE NIGHT STAND Let Loose

11 ( 7 ) CHANGE The Lightning Seeds
12 ( 12 ) HEARTBEAT Jimmy Somerville
13 ( 10 ) COTTON EYE JOE Rednex
14 ( 24 ) THIS COWBOY SONG Sting featuring Pato Banton
15 ( 16 ) SHE’S A RIVER Simple Minds
16 ( 8 ) TAKE A BOW Madonna
17 ( 17 ) CALL IT LOVE Deuce
18 ( 14 ) PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE Kylie Minogue
19 ( 28 ) CREEP TLC
20 ( 32 ) CRUSH WITH EYELINER REM

21 ( 15 ) THINK TWICE Celine Dion
22 ( 18 ) HERE COMES THE HOTSTEPPER Ini Kamoze
23 ( 43 ) OPEN YOUR HEART M People
24 ( 47 ) I MIGHT BE CRYING Tanita Tikaram
25 ( NEW ) IF LIFE IS LIKE A LOVE BANK I WANT AN OVERDRAFT/ GEORDIE IN WONDERLAND The Wildhearts
26 ( NEW ) COWBOY DREAMS Jimmy Nail
27 ( 11 ) O BABY Siouxsie And The Banshees
28 ( 29 ) PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH Barry White
29 ( 23 ) MISS YOU NIGHTS/ ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Cliff Richard and Phil Everley
30 ( 38 ) INBETWEENER Sleeper

31 ( 20 ) ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey
32 ( 19 ) LIVING IN DANGER Ace Of Base
33 ( NEW ) REACH UP (PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW PIGBAG) Perfecto Allstarz
34 ( 27 ) SO LET ME GO FAR Dodgy
35 ( 37 ) BUMP ‘N’ GRIND R. Kelly
36 ( 31 ) BOXERS Morrissey
37 ( 35 ) A GIRL LIKE YOU Edwyn Collins
38 ( 21 ) DO YOU LOVE ME Duke Baysee
39 ( 26 ) TRYIN’ TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN The Carpenters
40 ( 65 ) YOU ARE EVERYTHING Melanie Williams and Joe Roberts

41 ( 41 ) STARS China Black
42 ( 25 ) SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL Guns ‘N’ Roses
43 ( 34 ) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Louis Armstrong
44 ( 30 ) LOVE ME FOR A REASON Boyzone
45 ( 39 ) DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY Thelma Houston
46 ( 42 ) TRUE FAITH 94 New Order
47 ( 58 ) FOR YOUR LOVE Stevie Wonder
48 ( 45 ) JUST LIKE THAT Abba
49 ( NEW ) SET YOU FREE N Trance
50 ( 59 ) YOU’RE NO GOOD Aswad

51 ( 33 ) REAL Donna Allen
52 ( 40 ) HOLD ME THRILL ME KISS ME Gloria Estefan
53 ( 53 ) I’M GONNA BE STRONG Cyndi Lauper
54 ( 44 ) LET ME BE YOUR FANTASY Baby D
55 ( 48 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS/ TELL ME THERE’S A HEAVEN Chris Rea
56 ( 49 ) I WANT TO BE ALONE 2wo Third3
57 ( NEW ) BEDTIME STORIES Madonna
58 ( 57 ) RIGHT BESIDE YOU Sophie B. Hawkins
59 ( 36 ) I’M GOING ALL THE WAY The Sounds Of Blackness
60 ( 60 ) DANCING QUEEN/EAGLE Abba

61 ( NEW ) I SAW THE LIGHT The The
62 ( 46 ) CROCODILE SHOES Jimmy Nail
63 ( NEW ) HERE AND NOW Del Amitri
64 ( 63 ) YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING The Righteous Brothers
65 ( 55 ) SHE’S GOT THAT VIBE R. Kelly
66 ( NEW ) EVERLASTING LOVE Gloria Estefan
67 ( 67 ) 20TH CENTURY BOY T.Rex
68 ( 68 ) WITHOUT YOU Nilsson
69 ( 69 ) AGE OF LONELINESS Enigma
70 ( 61 ) RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Corona

71 ( NEW ) ALMOST SEE YOU (SOMEWHERE) China Black
72 ( 72 ) KISS FROM A ROSE Seal
73 ( NEW ) HOOCHIE BOOTY Ultimate Kaos
74 ( 73 ) LIBERATION Pet Shop Boys
75 ( NEW ) TOCCATA AND FUGUE Vanessa Mae

My 2015 Charts – January to April

GC

26th April 2015

It’s Jimmy Somerville edging out Will Young, and it’s a first chart-topper for Jimmy including all of his previous incarnations, so he’s only had to wait patiently for, ooh, nigh on 31 years to get there with his lovely 70’s Philly-sounding soul retro pop track. Some wonder! Will has had one previous chart-topper (Friday’s Child in 2004) so Love Revolution is his 2nd biggest in 13 years or so. Brandon Flowers has also had one previous solo number one (a huge 7-weeker) Crossfire in 2010, and Somebody Told Me with The Killers in 2004, so up at 5 Can’t Deny My Love is his biggest track in 5 years.

Eurovision already has 2 tracks in my charts now, Denmark joining the UK as an early favourite at 47. I’ve flicked through the album on itunes giving each track a few seconds and they seem to fall into the “let’s copy Conchita Wurst” category or the “let’s do pop dance” category, so I’d guess that any track that doesn’t sound like all the others will do better than expected. Hello Electro Velvet! Some previous recent number one acts also return, Miami Horror featuring Cleopold, and Of Monsters And Men, and some older number one acts – Texas and Simply Red. Texas had loads in the 90’s and early 2000’s, Simply Red had two: Fairground in 1995 and Sunrise in 2003.

1 4 1 3 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 290000
2 5 2 3 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 217000
3 1 1 4 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 443750
4 8 4 6 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 251300
5 30 5 3 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 95200
6 2 2 3 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 255000
7 3 1 7 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 760000
8 9 8 3 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 116000
9 20 9 7 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 144200
10 17 10 4 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 95250

11 6 1 9 KING Years And Years 601000
12 7 4 6 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 295000
13 15 13 3 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 78500
14 14 14 6 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 145400
15 10 4 7 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 305250
16 16 16 3 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 69250
17 19 17 12 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 221500
18 11 7 7 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 230400
19 25 19 5 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 88950
20 27 20 8 SUGAR DADDY Spada 130400

21 18 18 4 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 77250
22 12 12 6 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 169500
23 13 1 10 LOST STARS Adam Levine 632250
24 31 1 19 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 923400
25 29 25 3 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 54750
26 34 26 2 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 36100
27 32 27 8 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 113950
28 23 1 14 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 857550
29 22 15 7 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 136000
30 62 30 3 EGO Tove Styrke 32000

31 24 1 12 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 632500
32 35 32 2 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 35300
33 33 27 6 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 97500
34 36 34 2 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 35000
35 RE 35 5 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 74600
36 26 9 8 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 189900
37 39 37 3 CURTAINS Last Lynx 44600
38 44 38 3 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 43700
39 59 39 2 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 27200
40 43 40 2 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 30500

41 27 2 13 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 659400
42 45 42 17 ALFIE Cilla Black 151450
43 21 12 6 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 124850
44 46 44 2 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 26000
45 RE 45 5 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 48400
46 41 4 9 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 250250
47 NEW 47 1 THE WAY YOU ARE (DENMARK) Anti Social Media 12500
48 37 6 15 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 412100
49 38 7 12 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 336400
50 54 50 2 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 23000

51 51 51 5 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 53800
52 52 52 4 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 39400
53 48 1 12 SPEED KILLS 10CC 603700
54 NEW 54 1 ROADS Lawson 11000
55 58 55 2 WHEN I FOUND YOU Franceso Yates 21000
56 56 56 3 THIEF The Beach 28300
57 57 57 5 LONESOME STREET Blur 46800
58 NEW 58 1 LOVE LIKE MINE Miami Horror featuring Cleopold 10200
59 NEW 59 1 CRYSTALS Of Monsters And Men 10100
60 60 60 2 HOME Max Jury 20000

61 NEW 61 1 GERONIMO Sheppard 7500
62 64 62 3 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 20500
63 71 63 2 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 13000
64 69 64 4 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 23900
65 65 65 3 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 19400
66 75 66 2 SHY Stacey Solomon 11800
67 67 67 3 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 18400
68 72 68 2 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 12000
69 NEW 69 1 LEAN ON Major Lazer featuring MO and DJ Snake 6200
70 70 70 2 RUN COIN 12000

71 NEW 71 1 STOLE THE SHOW Kygo featuring Parson James 5800
72 74 72 2 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 10800
73 NEW 73 1 ARE YOU READY Texas 5400
74 NEW 74 1 SHINE ON Simply Red 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HALLELUJAH Panic! At The Disco 5000

DROP OUTS
40 40 2 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 34000
42 5 27 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 616100
47 47 2 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 23500
49 6 8 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 223050
50 50 1 AMERICAN PIE Don McLean 12000
53 12 9 STYLE Taylor Swift 162000
55 2 13 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 443200
61 20 9 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 109800
63 11 11 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 250050
66 9 12 SUGAR Maroon 5 233750
68 68 2 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 11400

19th April 2015

2 weeks on top for a Bollywood Hit Hit, I’m still playing it a lot, it’s a creation of Bollywood musical maestro Pritam, regular award winner dating from 2009, and it’s so chocka hooks! Mumford & Sons bounce back at 20, you better Believe it, and Spada are cool enough to get a second top 40 entry (with Elen Levon) at 34 as Sugar Daddy goes up to 27. At 36, The Zombies 60’s classic She’s Not There is in thanks to Record Store Day and an advert – it’s been a hit many times before starting with the Santana 1977 hit cover, but the original remains the best.

At 50, news of the lyric sale of American Pie pushed sales of the classic 1972 top 10 hit enough to qualify for my charts, a belated number one for me in the 90’s on one of it’s regular chart re-appearances for Don McLean, while Ali Campbell gets a solo hit again, extending his run to 22 years, or 35 years as the voice of UB40, this time with a reggae version of Diana Ross’ 1985 US hit (and top 10 charter for me) Missing You. Written by Lionel Richie, the video was originally Diana’s tribute to the late Marvin Gaye, Florence Ballard of The Supremes and Paul Williams of The Temptations, all Motown friends at one time. Giorgio Moroder is back with a second chart entry (with SIA), Deja VU, the senior act of the chart getting good diva support from Kylie still, higher up. At 74 the Freemasons, former number one act are back after a fair break with True Love Survivor.

1 1 1 3 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 358750
2 3 2 2 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 200000
3 2 1 6 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 710000
4 6 4 2 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 120000
5 10 5 2 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 102000
6 4 1 8 KING Years And Years 564000
7 9 4 5 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 260000
8 5 5 5 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 186300
9 17 9 2 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 68000
10 7 4 6 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 278250

11 11 7 6 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 208400
12 20 12 5 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 150000
13 8 1 9 LOST STARS Adam Levine 613000
14 16 14 5 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 116400
15 22 15 2 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 46500
16 23 16 2 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 44250
17 25 17 3 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 53250
18 29 18 3 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 57500
19 19 19 11 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 198500
20 41 20 6 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 99200

21 12 12 5 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 111350
22 15 15 6 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 117800
23 13 1 13 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 839250
24 14 1 11 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 614600
25 30 25 4 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 67950
26 24 9 7 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 172500
27 18 2 12 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 645400
27 28 27 7 SUGAR DADDY Spada 110400
29 32 29 2 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 36000
30 38 30 2 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 35200

31 35 1 18 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 904400
32 42 32 7 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 95550
33 27 27 5 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 79800
34 NEW 34 1 COOL ENOUGH Spada and Elen Levon 17600
35 NEW 35 1 KINGS & QUEENS Brooke Fraser 17500
36 NEW 36 1 SHE’S NOT THERE The Zombies 17400
37 37 6 14 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 399800
38 36 7 11 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 324300
39 58 39 2 CURTAINS Last Lynx 27300
40 40 40 2 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 34000

41 26 4 8 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 237500
42 31 5 27 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 616100
43 NEW 43 1 DYNAMITE Asta featuring Allday 13500
44 44 44 2 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 26500
45 49 45 16 ALFIE Cilla Black 137700
46 NEW 46 1 INSOMNIA Audien featuring Parson James 12750
47 54 47 2 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 23500
48 45 1 11 SPEED KILLS 10CC 592450
49 21 6 8 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 223050
50 NEW 50 1 AMERICAN PIE Don McLean 12000

51 59 51 4 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 42050
52 60 52 3 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 27900
53 43 12 9 STYLE Taylor Swift 162000
54 NEW 54 1 I’M MISSING YOU Ali Campbell 11000
55 48 2 13 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 443200
56 64 56 2 THIEF The Beach 17700
57 57 57 4 LONESOME STREET Blur 36400
58 NEW 58 1 WHEN I FOUND YOU Franceso Yates 10200
59 NEW 59 1 CAN’T STOP PLAYING (MAKES ME HIGH) Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salton featuring Ane Brun 10100
60 NEW 60 1 HOME Max Jury 10000

61 63 20 9 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 109800
62 67 62 2 EGO Tove Styrke 14000
63 50 11 11 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 250050
64 70 64 2 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 13100
65 73 65 2 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 12400
66 65 9 12 SUGAR Maroon 5 233750
67 74 67 2 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 11800
68 75 68 2 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 11400
69 72 69 3 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 16800
70 NEW 70 1 RUN COIN 6000

71 NEW 71 1 DEJA VU Giorgio Moroder featuring SIA 5800
72 NEW 72 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs Chvrches 5600
73 NEW 73 1 COOL Alesso featuring Roy English 5400
74 NEW 74 1 TRUE LOVE SURVIVOR Freemasons featuring Solah 5200
75 NEW 75 1 SHY Stacey Solomon 5000

DROP OUTS
33 14 5 GOLD Andreya Triana 110800
34 18 5 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 77050
39 39 4 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 57100
46 22 3 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 51750
47 31 5 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 61350
51 17 6 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 119250
52 38 2 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 28700
53 1 8 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 316650
55 20 7 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 105550
56 56 4 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 35400
61 40 6 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 74850
62 4 13 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 327700
66 42 4 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 43900
68 68 1 HABIB GALBI A-WA 6400
69 8 9 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 215100
71 48 4 SEASONS Olly Murs 40400

12th April 2015

It’s a Bollywood dance anthem on top, I’m just loving the rhythms, the tune, the production, the structure of the track, not to mention the cool singing and that fab cheesy dance movie video. This is bad news for highest new entry from London band Life Of Dillon, whose terrific Overloaded might well have topped the chart, bringing steel drums back into the current europop sound, and the singer sounding more like Sam Smith ought to sound – that’ll be La La La Sam Smith as opposed to Snore Me Down Sam Smith. In at 6, it’s Jimmy Somerville with a retro-tribute soul track, a bit of Love Unlimited Orchestra here, a touch of The Stylistics there, and it’s been an aeon since he was in the Top 10: I hadn’t realised just how much I’d missed Jimmy Somerville till I heard this one, welcome back Jimmy, 31 years of top 10 hits!

It’s also welcome back to Will Young with a cracking re-versioning of the fab 2003 chart-topper Loneliness (Tomcraft) – one of Will’s biggest hits in my chart, already. It’s a chart invasion of new names, and one re-imagining of Prince’s actual first hit from 1980, I Wanna Be Your Lover, and it’s pretty fine at 32. Brandon Flowers is back on the solo hit scene, presumably on a Killers break, and he’s been doing well in my charts for over a decade now. That leaves new hits for recent regulars like The Ting Tings, SIA, and Loreen. Phew!

1 25 1 2 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 188750
2 2 1 5 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 625000
3 NEW 3 1 OVERLOADED Life Of Dillon 85000
4 1 1 7 KING Years And Years 509000
5 10 5 4 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 138300
6 NEW 6 1 SOME WONDER Jimmy Somerville 55000
7 5 4 5 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 236250
8 3 1 8 LOST STARS Adam Levine 581000
9 4 4 4 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 210000
10 NEW 10 1 LOVE REVOLUTION Will Young 42000

11 7 7 5 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 171400
12 15 12 4 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 91600
13 8 1 12 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 820000
14 11 1 10 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 595600
15 20 15 5 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 98300
16 17 16 4 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 87400
17 NEW 17 1 FIRESTONE Kygo featuring Conrad Sewell 23000
18 14 2 11 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 627000
19 19 19 10 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 177500
20 12 12 4 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 115000

21 6 6 7 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 210950
22 NEW 22 1 UNDAUNTED Wibi Soerjadi 19500
23 NEW 23 1 WE HAVE TO TALK About The Girl 19250
24 9 9 6 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 154000
25 52 25 2 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 30250
26 21 4 7 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 223500
27 27 27 4 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 62100
28 30 28 6 SUGAR DADDY Spada 92000
29 37 29 2 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 35500
30 33 30 3 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 49200

31 13 5 26 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 602350
32 NEW 32 1 I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER Elicit featuring Prince 17800
33 16 14 5 GOLD Andreya Triana 110800
34 18 18 5 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 77050
35 35 1 17 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 886500
36 24 7 10 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 307100
37 29 6 13 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 382500
38 NEW 38 1 CAN’T DENY MY LOVE Brandon Flowers 17200
39 41 39 4 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 57100
40 NEW 40 1 I’M IN LOVE Zhala 17000

41 28 28 5 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 79200
42 45 42 6 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 77750
43 23 12 8 STYLE Taylor Swift 150750
44 NEW 44 1 ELECTRIC BONES Findlay 13250
45 43 1 10 SPEED KILLS 10CC 580150
46 22 22 3 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 51750
47 31 31 5 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 61350
48 34 2 12 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 432400
49 51 49 15 ALFIE Cilla Black 124700
50 32 11 10 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 242850

51 26 17 6 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 119250
52 38 38 2 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 28700
53 44 1 8 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 316650
54 NEW 54 1 NAN GANG Ulrik Munther 11000
55 39 20 7 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 105550
56 56 56 4 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 35400
57 57 57 3 LONESOME STREET Blur 26000
58 NEW 58 1 CURTAINS Last Lynx 10200
59 59 59 3 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 30300
60 68 60 2 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 16400

61 40 40 6 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 74850
62 36 4 13 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 327700
63 63 20 8 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 102300
64 NEW 64 1 THIEF The Beach 7100
65 50 9 11 SUGAR Maroon 5 226950
66 46 42 4 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 43900
67 NEW 67 1 EGO Tove Styrke 6600
68 NEW 68 1 HABIB GALBI A-WA 6400
69 61 8 9 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 215100
70 NEW 70 1 WABI SABI The Ting Tings 6000

71 48 48 4 SEASONS Olly Murs 40400
72 75 72 2 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 10600
73 NEW 73 1 DEAR FUTURE HUSBAND Megan Trainor 5400
74 NEW 74 1 BIG GIRLS CRY SIA 5200
75 NEW 75 1 PAPER LIGHT (HIGHER) Loreen 5000

DROP OUTS
42 29 3 WIN Deacon Blue 39350
47 5 6 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 201550
49 33 6 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 77000
53 35 5 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 80850
54 54 5 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 42200
55 30 6 SACRED Erasure 93200
58 19 5 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 73900
60 60 4 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 33400
62 50 4 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 38000
64 64 4 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 23900
65 19 7 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 100200
66 66 4 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 22600
67 55 4 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 34300
69 10 10 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 200600
70 70 3 BERYL Mark Knopfler 17200
71 6 10 THE NIGHTS Avicii 288300
72 1 14 INSIDE OUT Spoon 433550
73 73 1 INVISIONS Luca C & Brigante featuring Roisin Murphy 5400
74 74 1 IRRESISTIBLE Fall Out Boy 5200

4th April 2015

King finally climbs to the top, edging The Ronettes off after 2 weeks, but it took Years And Years! Great record. Meanwhile, following a boost on The Voice, Lost Stars returns to the top 3 for Adam Levine, former number one, as a cover version for The Voice winner Stevie enters at 52. Ahhh, he’s a fireman you know! I’m happy cos the song deserves to top the UK chart, I know a great tune when I hear one and it’s a great tune, trust me.

Chic get their first top 5 hit since I Want Your Love in 1979, when I was a student at uni. I love Nile Rodgers, and not just cos those were the days! Safri Duo get a second hit, and Kato a first, as they go top 10 with a great dance track, though I do wonder where the both The Green Hornet and Inspector Clouseau are. Lulu hits 15 with a bullet, her biggest self-written song, and it gives her top 20 hits in the 60’s, the 70’s, the 80’s, the 90’s, the 00’s and the 10’s – I make that 6 consecutive decades, and still looking good and sounding good, and now writing songs good. Lulu is a musical chameleon, and an under-rated national treasure. I have Faith In You, Lulu!

The UK Eurovision entry hits 20, and peaks higher (so far) than the vast majority of UK entries since 1977, though it has some way to go to beat last year’s chart-topper. At 25, it’s a fab Indian dance track from a fillum, with another one at 68 – Billum Barber and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel respectively. Love Mera Hit Hit is Bollywood playback singer-songwriter Neeraj Shridhar plus feamle vocalist Tulsi Kumar (and ditto playback singer, that’s singers who actors/dancers mime to in Bollywood musicals). Just to keep it current, Shreya Ghoshal is also a playback singer, though the track in the Hotel movie is on radio, and Shreya is a star in her own right in India. Another Eastern star enters at 38, courtesy of an H&M ad – it’s Yuna, from Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) but now getting quite the Norah Jones buzz round LA – she’s covered the fantastic Brothers Johnson 1970‘s dance track Strawberry Letter 23 (they had the hit version with that gorgeous instrumental hook and sophisticated melody).

Others: ABC are back with a 2001 track I somehow missed at the time, Marc Almond returns for a melodrama-filled 34 years of hits, and Roisin Murphy guests, and keeps the Moloko 90’s sounds a-going strong.

1 2 1 6 KING Years And Years 444000
2 1 1 4 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 510000
3 12 1 7 LOST STARS Adam Levine 533000
4 6 4 3 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 165000
5 4 4 4 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 186250
6 7 6 6 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 191200
7 9 7 4 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 134400
8 3 1 11 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 788000
9 10 9 5 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 135000
10 26 10 3 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 78300

11 5 1 9 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 566600
12 13 12 3 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 95000
13 11 5 25 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 584450
14 8 2 10 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 605000
15 39 15 3 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 56600
16 14 14 4 GOLD Andreya Triana 93100
17 19 17 3 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 62400
18 27 18 4 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 59450
19 24 19 9 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 156500
20 38 20 4 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 71300

21 18 4 6 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 205000
22 22 22 2 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 39000
23 23 12 7 STYLE Taylor Swift 137250
24 21 7 9 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 289750
25 NEW 25 1 LOVE MERA HIT HIT (BILLU BARBER ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK) Neeraj Shridhar and Tulsi Kumar 18750
26 17 17 5 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 107500
27 28 27 3 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 43700
28 37 28 4 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 65200
29 16 6 12 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 365200
30 49 30 5 SUGAR DADDY Spada 73700

31 44 31 4 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 48850
32 15 11 9 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 230850
33 43 33 2 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 31200
34 31 2 11 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 420100
35 54 1 16 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 869000
36 25 4 12 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 320300
37 NEW 37 1 PEACE AND TRANQUILITY ABC 17300
38 NEW 38 1 STRAWBERRY LETTER 23 Yuna 17200
39 20 20 6 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 94750
40 40 40 5 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 67350

41 45 41 3 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 40000
42 29 29 3 WIN Deacon Blue 39350
43 41 1 9 SPEED KILLS 10CC 567150
44 36 1 7 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 305400
45 46 45 5 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 64000
46 42 42 3 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 37100
47 32 5 6 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 201550
48 48 48 3 SEASONS Olly Murs 34600
49 33 33 6 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 77000
50 34 9 10 SUGAR Maroon 5 219950

51 53 51 14 ALFIE Cilla Black 112600
52 NEW 52 1 LOST STARS Stevie McCrorie 11500
53 35 53 5 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 80850
54 57 54 5 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 42200
55 30 30 6 SACRED Erasure 93200
56 64 56 3 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 24800
57 74 57 2 LONESOME STREET Blur 15600
58 58 19 5 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 73900
59 59 59 2 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 20200
60 60 60 4 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 33400

61 47 8 8 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 208900
62 50 50 4 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 38000
63 65 20 7 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 95100
64 70 64 4 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 23900
65 52 19 7 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 100200
66 72 66 4 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 22600
67 55 55 4 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 34300
68 NEW 68 1 YE ISHQ HAI Shreya Ghoshal 6400
69 66 10 10 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 200600
70 71 70 3 BERYL Mark Knopfler 17200

71 56 6 10 THE NIGHTS Avicii 288300
72 67 1 14 INSIDE OUT Spoon 433550
73 NEW 73 1 INVISIONS Luca C & Brigante featuring Roisin Murphy 5400
74 NEW 74 1 IRRESISTIBLE Fall Out Boy 5200
75 NEW 75 1 BAD TO ME Marc Almond 5000

DROP OUTS
51 40 6 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 74750
61 32 4 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 60300
62 62 2 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 13400
63 63 4 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 28800
68 2 10 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 420600
69 3 14 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 589050
73 73 1 FROZEN SILENCE Fahrenhaidt 5400
75 8 15 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 252400

29th February 2015

It’s 2 weeks for The Ronettes on top – well it’s still a classic! Holding off Years And Years, not quite King of the castle, and Train with yet another top 5. Sigma and Labrinth both return to the top 10, but together this time, as Noel Gallagher gets 2 in row top 20 and Ace Of Base their first since the 90’s. Billy Idol’s top 10 from last year returns at 22, and Charles Aznavour gets his first ever top 30 entry 41 years since She.

It’s a Eurovisoion trio at 38, 39, 40, almost as if it was planned, as Electro Velvet re-enter one place ahead of Lulu and 2 ahead of Blue. Lulu’s Eurovision peaked at 2 and Blue’s top 10, still time for Still In Love With You though! Blur are back, too, for a neat 25 years or so of chart entries.

1 1 1 3 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 395000
2 3 2 5 KING Years And Years 274000
3 2 1 10 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 740000
4 10 4 3 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 126250
5 4 1 8 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 529600
6 9 6 2 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 100000
7 7 7 5 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 136200
8 8 2 9 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 576000
9 19 9 3 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 84400
10 17 10 4 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 90000

11 5 5 24 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 552450
12 6 1 6 LOST STARS Adam Levine 448000
13 16 13 2 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 57000
14 14 14 3 GOLD Andreya Triana 68100
15 11 11 8 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 213050
16 13 6 11 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 347000
17 18 17 4 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 89000
18 12 4 5 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 185250
19 27 19 2 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 39400
20 25 20 5 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 77650

21 15 7 8 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 270750
22 NEW 22 1 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 19500
23 21 12 6 STYLE Taylor Swift 118000
24 24 24 8 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 135500
25 22 4 11 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 302900
26 32 26 2 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 36300
27 44 27 3 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 37450
28 65 28 2 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 25300
29 62 29 2 WIN Deacon Blue 25600
30 30 30 5 SACRED Erasure 82400

31 26 2 10 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 402500
32 23 5 5 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 189050
33 33 33 5 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 64900
34 29 9 9 SUGAR Maroon 5 207950
35 35 35 4 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 69600
36 34 1 6 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 292150
37 37 37 3 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 46900
38 RE 38 3 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 51300
39 47 39 2 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 29600
40 43 40 4 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 50350

41 31 1 8 SPEED KILLS 10CC 553650
42 56 42 2 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 24350
43 NEW 43 1 THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVE Jack Savoretti 13500
44 52 44 3 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 30950
45 45 45 2 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 26000
46 46 46 4 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 51000
47 20 8 7 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 201400
48 60 48 2 SEASONS Olly Murs 22300
49 39 39 4 SUGAR DADDY Spada 55700
50 50 50 3 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 30600

51 40 40 6 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 74750
52 28 19 6 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 93200
53 55 53 13 ALFIE Cilla Black 100850
54 48 1 15 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 851500
55 59 55 3 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 27700
56 36 6 9 THE NIGHTS Avicii 282500
57 58 57 4 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 31200
58 42 19 4 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 63700
59 NEW 59 1 BILLS Lunchmoney Lewis 10100
60 68 60 3 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 23400

61 38 32 4 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 60300
62 70 62 2 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 13400
63 63 63 4 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 28800
64 64 64 2 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 14200
65 41 20 6 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 87900
66 49 10 9 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 194400
67 54 1 13 INSIDE OUT Spoon 427950
68 53 2 10 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 420600
69 51 3 14 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 589050
70 73 70 3 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran and Rudimental 16800

71 72 71 2 BERYL Mark Knopfler 11200
72 74 72 3 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 15800
73 NEW 73 1 FROZEN SILENCE Fahrenhaidt 5400
74 NEW 74 1 LONESOME STREET Blur 5200
75 75 8 15 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 252400

DROP OUTS
57 50 4 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 39600
61 33 5 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 62100
66 7 14 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 291450
67 1 18 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 724200
69 17 9 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 119450
71 1 14 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 662000

22nd March 2015

It’s The Ronettes 1963 classic Be My Baby at 1, currently amusing some meerkats on TV adverts in the UK. The Phil Spector classic has a gap of over 40 years since it last topped my chart, in 1974 (in an oldies-only chart), or else it’s taken 49 years from the time I went mad on it, when my dad bought the single in 1966, to get to be a proper chart topper. At 52 years old it’s also one of the oldest records to top my chart. That’s bad news for Outlines which stays at 2, and Years And Years who go up to 3. Paloma Faith and Train get yet another top 10 each, in long lists of top tenners, while the highest new entry is Chic (aka Nile Rodgers and friends) and the unearthed lost disco Chic track I’ll Be There, now rejigged and more contemporary-sounding. They were so prolific in the late 70’s they gave half their stuff away, and actually forgot about this track entirely, so they never got back to it until the old record company dug it out recently and sent it to Niles. Hooray! That gives Chic a span of 37 years of top 10 hits.

Noel Gallagher replaces himself in the chart with a very Wonderwall-ish ambitious Riverman, at 27 and fab, Lulu returns with a self-written track at 47, Faith In You carrying on where Tina Turner’s cover of her song I Don’t Wanna Fight left off, in giving Lu songwriting credits after a lifetime of singing other people’s songs, such as David Bowie, nestled just above her at 46, who spearheaded one of her many many comeback reinventions in 1974. Lulu charted with I’m A Tiger at 2, in my chart in 1968 – which gives her a run of a whopping 47 years of new chart entries, pretty much throughout the 47 years too. Only Paul McCartney can beat that (with The Beatles, and by a few weeks only). Other oldies with comebacks: Mark Knofler doing a Sultans Of Swing-ish track, Beryl, for 36 years, and Deacon Blue, getting on for 30 years, with Seasick Steve being one of the oldest “new” (ish) acts to chart. Fifty Shades Of Grey in my chart, at least!

1 6 1 2 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 225000
2 2 1 9 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 655000
3 7 3 4 KING Years And Years 159000
4 1 1 7 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 469600
5 5 5 23 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 515450
6 3 1 5 LOST STARS Adam Levine 413000
7 16 7 4 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 86200
8 9 2 8 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 528000
9 NEW 9 1 I’LL BE THERE Chic featuring Nile Rodgers 45000
10 23 10 2 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 61250

11 11 11 7 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 186050
12 4 4 4 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 163250
13 14 6 10 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 322000
14 59 14 2 GOLD Andreya Triana 39100
15 15 7 7 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 251000
16 NEW 16 1 ELECTRIC LOVE Burns 25000
17 30 17 3 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 48000
18 18 18 3 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 66000
19 27 19 2 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 39400
20 8 8 6 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 188900

21 12 12 5 STYLE Taylor Swift 98750
22 10 4 10 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 284150
23 13 5 4 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 171250
24 24 24 7 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 116500
25 28 25 4 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 57650
26 17 2 9 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 384600
27 NEW 27 1 RIVERMAN Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 18400
28 19 19 5 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 81700
29 29 9 8 SUGAR Maroon 5 190350
30 37 30 4 SACRED Erasure 64400

31 21 1 7 SPEED KILLS 10CC 539650
32 NEW 32 1 DIMITTO (LET GO) Kato and Safri Duo featuring Bjornskof 17800
33 53 33 4 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 47200
34 31 1 5 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 274750
35 35 35 3 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 52100
36 26 6 8 THE NIGHTS Avicii 271900
37 48 37 2 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 29600
38 32 32 3 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 52800
39 43 39 3 SUGAR DADDY Spada 43600
40 47 40 5 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 63000

41 20 20 5 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 80900
42 25 19 3 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 53500
43 44 43 3 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 33350
44 71 44 2 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 19050
45 NEW 45 1 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE The Summer Set 13000
46 46 46 3 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 38250
47 NEW 47 1 FAITH IN YOU Lulu 12500
48 38 1 14 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 840500
49 22 10 8 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 187600
50 67 50 2 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 18600

51 34 3 13 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 582850
52 69 52 2 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 17700
53 42 2 9 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 414200
54 41 1 12 INSIDE OUT Spoon 421350
55 58 55 12 ALFIE Cilla Black 89600
56 NEW 56 1 HOW WILL I KNOW Jermain Jackman 10600
57 50 50 4 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 39600
58 72 58 3 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 20800
59 66 59 2 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 16900
60 NEW 60 1 SEASONS Olly Murs 10000

61 33 33 5 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 62100
62 NEW 62 1 WIN Deacon Blue 7400
63 63 63 3 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 21600
64 NEW 64 1 COLD WAR Niykee Heaton 7100
65 NEW 65 1 SUMMERTIME BOY Seasick Steve 7000
66 52 7 14 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 291450
67 49 1 18 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 724200
68 65 65 2 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 13400
69 61 17 9 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 119450
70 NEW 70 1 BLACK ROSES Claire Bowen 6000

71 60 1 14 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 662000
72 NEW 72 1 BERYL Mark Knopfler 5400
73 73 73 2 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran 10800
74 75 74 2 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 10200
75 70 8 14 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 247400

15th February 2015

It’s Calvin Harris getting his second number one, but this time it’s not Hurts, it’s another “H”, Haim. The pattern is clear! It’s a terrific record and has finally made the UK Top 40, after being in the sales Top 40 charts a few weeks. Stevie Nicks has that rhythm, and she finally gets into the top 5, 34 years on, with Edge Of Seventeen. Marlon Roudette hasn’t had to wait quite so long, but it’s still taken 22 weeks to peak at 5, I’ve never gotten bored with it any stage. Highest new entry? Phil Spector’s classic, Dirty Dancing-used, TV advert pushed, Brian Wilson all-time fave (yes him at 18), Be My Baby by The Ronettes. The record would have been number one in my charts for weeks and weeks in 1966 (had I been doing charts) as dad bought the record when we lived in Liverpool and got our first record player, and I was a bit mad on it. It finally topped my chart as an oldie in 1974, so that’s a 41-year gap for a 52-year-old girl-group classic.

Paloma is singing in Bournemouth tonight, and shoots up to 16 even though I couldn’t get tickets to watch Beauty Remains done live. Last night, though, I did get to see actual legend Morrissey in concert, as irascible, witty and political as always. He has an enormous catalogue of classic hits, sadly he chose not to do any faves of mine, bar one, in favour of his new album. On the plus side, his pre-show videos had a handful of fab oldies for me to search out and download – the man has taste when he’s passionate about music. Which explains Charles Aznavour and Tim Buckley, father of Jeff (both of them dying young) as new entries. There would have been another had I been able to find out who the punk-bhangra singer was!

Train are back, the long run of chart entries gets longer, with Bulletproof Picasso at 23, and Sigma and Labrinth both add to theirs, together Higher at 27. Ace Of Base go top 40 for the first time since the 90’s, Jess Glynne wants to Hold My hand at 30, and Mumford And Sons have a welcome return, Believe it! Shayne Ward has unlikely return of the week, and Bryan Ferry extends his run of chart entries to oooh, a mere 43 years. Gosh! He’s Driving Me Wild, in a very low-key way. Marvin Gaye gave it up a long time ago, but his family crossed some blurred lines recently, which boosted sales of the 1977 soul disco classic enough to hit the sales charts lower down, and re-enter mine 38 years on.

1 2 1 6 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 404600
2 1 1 8 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 540000
3 3 1 4 LOST STARS Adam Levine 358000
4 7 4 3 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 128250
5 17 5 22 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 455450
6 NEW 6 1 BE MY BABY The Ronettes 55000
7 24 7 3 KING Years And Years 74000
8 8 8 5 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 168900
9 4 2 7 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 480000
10 6 4 9 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 264650

11 13 11 6 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 149050
12 20 12 4 STYLE Taylor Swift 79000
13 5 5 3 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 152000
14 10 6 9 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 290000
15 11 7 6 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 224000
16 72 16 3 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 36200
17 9 2 8 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 366100
18 18 18 2 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 44000
19 26 19 4 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 63400
20 27 20 4 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 66900

21 14 1 6 SPEED KILLS 10CC 521750
22 15 10 7 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 175500
23 NEW 23 1 BULLETPROOF PICASSO Train 19250
24 25 24 6 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 97500
25 19 19 2 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 39750
26 16 6 7 THE NIGHTS Avicii 254500
27 NEW 27 1 HIGHER Sigma featuring Labrinth 18400
28 56 28 3 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 38900
29 21 9 7 SUGAR Maroon 5 172150
30 65 30 2 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 25000

31 23 1 4 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 257150
32 32 32 2 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 35600
33 48 33 4 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 54600
34 22 3 12 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 571100
35 39 35 2 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 34600
36 30 20 5 TEACH ME Bakermat 80600
37 49 37 3 SACRED Erasure 46400
38 41 1 13 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 828200
39 40 39 2 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 34100
40 12 8 10 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 351000

41 31 1 11 INSIDE OUT Spoon 410350
42 33 2 8 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 402950
43 45 43 2 SUGAR DADDY Spada 26500
44 67 44 2 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 19850
45 29 26 4 WINDFALL TheFatRat 66800
46 46 46 2 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 25500
47 50 47 4 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 46000
48 NEW 48 1 BELIEVE Mumford And Sons 12300
49 36 1 17 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 717600
50 54 50 3 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 29200

51 34 34 5 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 71750
52 52 7 13 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 284650
53 53 53 3 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 29500
54 37 12 7 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 149850
55 28 15 9 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 143500
56 35 35 5 MINE Phoebe Ryan 68700
57 38 1 21 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 893050
58 60 58 11 ALFIE Cilla Black 78800
59 NEW 59 1 GOLD Andreya Triana 10100
60 59 1 13 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 656200

61 42 17 8 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 113250
62 43 4 15 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 511050
63 63 63 2 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 14400
64 44 18 9 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 111600
65 NEW 65 1 MY HEART WOULD TAKE YOU BACK Shayne Ward 7000
66 NEW 66 1 DRIVING ME WILD Bryan Ferry 6800
67 NEW 67 1 DANCING IN THE CORNER Monarchy 6600
68 RE 68 2 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith featuring John Legend 11800
69 NEW 69 1 IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME Tim Buckley 6200
70 57 8 13 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 242400

71 NEW 71 1 EMMENEZ MOI Charles Aznavour 5800
72 75 72 2 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 10600
73 NEW 73 1 BLOODSTREAM Ed Sheeran 5400
74 NEW 74 1 GOT TO GIVE IT UP Marvin Gaye 5200
75 NEW 75 1 NAIL ON THE HEAD Duke Special 5000

Me with Iron Man the other week

8th March 2015

It’s Mike Mago and Dragonette, that melody just never lets up and I never tire of it, such a pretty, touching dancepop song. In an age when dreary repeat album plays keep tedious tracks in the singles charts for month after terminal month, I’m a bit miffed that this little gem exited so quickly. It’s possibly because it’s on Ministry Of Sound and the streaming sites don’t like MoS I suspect….

Calvin Harris goes up to 2, 1 place short of equalling Under Control. Stevie Nicks classic Edge Of Seventeen finally makes my top 10 34 years late, Stevie’s 2nd of 2015, showing she can rock out as well as she can tender ballad, and the riff features at 2 as well, having previously been sampled heavily by Destiny’s Child. Stevie says she borrowed the inspiration for it from The Police. Hooray!

Highest new entry is from The Beach Boys. Actually, it’s just 3 of the original Beach Boys line-up, Brian Wilson (sometimes Beach Boys genius) plus Al Jardine (who’s been a Beach Boy throughout pretty much) and David Marks (boyhood neighbour of the Wilson brothers, and 60‘s occasional Beach Boy) but minus Mike Love (cousins Brian and Mike have been falling out for 50 years at least). Carl and Dennis Wilson of course, sadly no longer with us. It’s the single to Brian’s new album, and sounds like a decent latter-day Beach Boys record thanks to the harmonies. Just behind at 19, it’s an ex-member of Westlife, and I really need exclamation marks for the arrival of Markus Feehily who I couldn’t even have named before this great new track that is way better than any of his former band’s hits.

Back in the top 20, 20 weeks on, and finally a UK hit, it’s Marlon Roudette’s great single. He’s on Syco, but I forgive him as much as I forgive Labrinth. A big climb for Years And Years, getting their second top 40 entry with King, while at 39 Lady Antebellum prove they aren’t just about ballads, as they get a bit rocky, just ahead of the UK’s fun, catchy, jazzy Eurovision entry – seems to be splitting opinion right down the middle, possibly due to the modern singles chart scene having had the “fun” element of pop surgically removed, give or take the odd Taylor Swift or Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars hit. We are, of course, only allowed to be depressed or to dance in the charts since the Tories legislated for it. Well, I blame them anyway, for keeping everyone miserable. Talking of Eurovision, Blue are back as well, hey I still like them, and unlike Westlife, I can actually name them all.

1 2 1 7 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 425000
2 3 2 5 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 234600
3 1 1 3 LOST STARS Adam Levine 273000
4 9 2 6 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 435000
5 5 5 2 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 120000
6 4 4 8 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 222650
7 44 7 2 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 63250
8 10 8 4 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 120900
9 6 2 7 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 343100
10 13 6 8 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 261000

11 11 7 5 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 197000
12 12 8 9 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 334000
13 16 13 5 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 112050
14 8 1 5 SPEED KILLS 10CC 502000
15 14 10 6 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 156000
16 15 6 6 THE NIGHTS Avicii 236000
17 36 12 21 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 395450
18 NEW 18 1 THE RIGHT TIME Brian Wilson featuring Al Jardine and David Marks 22000
19 NEW 19 1 LOVE IS A DRUG Markus Feehily 21000
20 30 20 3 STYLE Taylor Swift 44000

21 19 9 6 SUGAR Maroon 5 153950
22 18 3 11 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 553500
23 7 1 3 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 239250
24 75 24 2 KING Years And Years 24000
25 25 25 5 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 78500
26 28 26 3 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 42400
27 33 27 3 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 46900
28 17 15 8 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 132700
29 26 26 3 WINDFALL TheFatRat 53800
30 20 20 4 TEACH ME Bakermat 63200

31 23 1 10 INSIDE OUT Spoon 396350
32 NEW 32 1 THEY DON’T KNOW The Disciples 17800
33 22 2 7 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 389200
34 35 34 4 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 60000
35 37 35 4 MINE Phoebe Ryan 58100
36 29 1 16 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 705500
37 32 12 6 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 138850
38 21 1 20 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 882650
39 NEW 39 1 LONG STRETCH OF LOVE Lady Antebellum 17100
40 NEW 40 1 STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU Electro Velvet 17000

41 34 1 12 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 811000
42 24 17 7 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 105750
43 31 4 14 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 503650
44 27 18 8 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 104500
45 NEW 45 1 SUGAR DADDY Spada 13000
46 NEW 46 1 YOUNG AMERICANS David Bowie 12750
47 59 47 3 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 28400
48 48 48 3 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 36900
49 40 40 2 SACRED Erasure 29100
50 52 50 3 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 33500

51 55 51 3 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 27750
52 43 7 12 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 273150
53 65 53 2 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 18250
54 69 54 2 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 17200
55 39 39 5 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 47700
56 60 56 2 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 20600
57 57 8 12 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 236400
58 56 9 11 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 218900
59 49 1 12 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 646200
60 63 60 10 ALFIE Cilla Black 68600

61 38 30 6 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 89900
62 47 47 3 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 31900
63 NEW 63 1 CONGREGATION Foo Fighters 7200
64 42 8 10 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 232000
65 NEW 65 1 HOLD MY HAND Jess Glynne 7000
66 64 1 30 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1049300
67 NEW 67 1 KING OF THE WORLD Blue 6600
68 66 1 27 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 681750
69 45 28 6 LET IN THE SUN Take That 89500
70 70 1 52 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 895650

71 62 1 20 THESE DAYS Take That 911800
72 72 72 2 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 11200
73 NEW 73 1 SOMETHING NEW Axford & Ingrosso 5400
74 74 74 2 JULIA Jungle 10400
75 NEW 75 1 FADE OUT LINES The Avener and Phoebe Killdeer 5000

DROP OUTS
41 41 2 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 28000
46 46 3 TV Eves The Behaviour 35900
50 50 2 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 22200
51 16 6 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 112450
53 20 6 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 103450
54 26 6 LOVE KILLS Queen 87100
58 58 2 AVENIR Louane 15600
61 25 5 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 81100
67 67 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs CHVRCHES 6600
68 54 6 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 54200
71 71 2 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 10800
73 73 1 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith 5400

1st March 2015

Adam Levine pips by a hair’s-breadth, as any of the top 5 should have been on top this week, the charts are electric for me at the moment, records falling that should be climbing, and a queue forming outside the top 75 there’s just no room! Adam Levine’s Lost Stars should have won this week’s Oscar, and I’m miffed it didn’t as he gives a brilliant vocal performance and it’s a fantastic song, typically-structured to build climactically and melodically like the best Gregg Alexander songs always do – it’s Adam’s 2nd chart-topper (after Maroon 5’s Moves Like Jagger) and Gregg’s 4th as songwriter (New Radicals’ You Get What You Give, Texas’ Inner Smile, and Ronan Keating’s Life Is A Rollercoaster).

Beaten by a whisker, the fantastic Outlines is up to 2, I love the lyrics and tune, and that only just keeps off Calvin Harris and HAIM, who rocket into the top 40 at 3 with Pray To God, HAIM’s biggest hit by far, though Calvin has a topper with Hurts. That riff sounds very familiar (Oh yes, there it is at 44 as Stevie Nicks Edge Of Seventeen and it’s John Lennon-murder-inspired lyrics and bootylicious riffs returns after under-achieving first time round in 1981, thanks to The Voice this week). Allt his love keeps Madonna’s BRIT’s gravity-bound performance out of the top 3, as Living For Love shoots up to 4, but as consolation she also has album track Hold Tight at 10, giving her 4 top 10’s so far in 2015. That really is pretty good, even for Madonna!

Just as Adam Levine replaces himself in the top 10 (as Maroon 5 drop), so too Rihanna’s new soundtrack film track Towards The Sun from film Home is straight in at 5, overshadowing her superstar collaboration big hit as far as I’m concerned – I love the marching mood and melody. Like Adam Levine, she also gives a great vocal performance. Elsewhere: Kaiser Chiefs big jump to 28, Taylor Swift to 30, and Erasure in at 40 with yet another new track, Sacred, and more consistent than they have been for years in my charts. Ace Of Base are back! It’s been a decade or more, so it’s good to see a sweet new pop toon from them at 60 – Would You Believe they still look great too, 22 years on from All That She Wants? They do!

1 30 1 2 LOST STARS Adam Levine 188000
2 4 2 6 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 255000
3 49 3 4 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 119600
4 42 4 7 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 167650
5 NEW 5 1 TOWARDS THE SUN Rihanna 60000
6 2 2 6 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 298100
7 1 1 2 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 220000
8 3 1 4 SPEED KILLS 10CC 473000
9 5 2 5 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 370000
10 27 10 3 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 72900

11 7 7 4 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 160000
12 12 8 8 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 299000
13 6 6 7 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 219000
14 10 10 5 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 129000
15 11 6 5 THE NIGHTS Avicii 211000
16 23 16 4 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 80050
17 15 15 7 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 114400
18 16 3 10 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 534000
19 9 9 5 SUGAR Maroon 5 134200
20 20 20 3 TEACH ME Bakermat 45200

21 8 1 19 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 865450
22 13 2 6 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 371500
23 14 1 9 INSIDE OUT Spoon 378450
24 17 17 6 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 92000
25 34 25 4 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 59750
26 39 26 2 WINDFALL TheFatRat 35600
27 18 18 7 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 91250
28 72 28 2 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 23900
29 25 1 15 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 688100
30 70 30 2 STYLE Taylor Swift 24000

31 22 4 13 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 490150
32 21 12 5 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 121550
33 55 33 2 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 28500
34 29 1 11 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 797000
35 35 35 3 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 42400
36 45 12 20 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 372450
37 37 37 3 MINE Phoebe Ryan 40600
38 36 30 5 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 82400
39 64 39 4 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 36900
40 NEW 40 1 SACRED Erasure 17000

41 41 41 2 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 28000
42 19 8 9 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 225900
43 31 7 11 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 261650
44 NEW 44 1 EDGE OF SEVENTEEN Stevie Nicks 13250
45 28 28 5 LET IN THE SUN Take That 83300
46 46 46 3 TV Eves The Behaviour 35900
47 50 47 2 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 24500
48 48 48 2 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 24600
49 40 1 11 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 636100
50 58 50 2 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 22200

51 24 16 6 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 112450
52 60 52 2 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 21500
53 32 20 6 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 103450
54 26 26 6 LOVE KILLS Queen 87100
55 74 55 2 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 16000
56 53 9 10 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 208700
57 51 8 11 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 226000
58 73 58 2 AVENIR Louane 15600
59 71 59 2 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 15900
60 NEW 60 1 WOULD YOU BELIEVE Ace Of Base 10000

61 33 25 5 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 81100
62 56 1 19 THESE DAYS Take That 906000
63 63 63 9 ALFIE Cilla Black 58600
64 57 1 29 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1042500
65 NEW 65 1 MASTER PRETENDER First Aid Kit 7000
66 62 1 26 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 675350
67 NEW 67 1 TETHER Eric Prydz vs CHVRCHES 6600
68 54 54 6 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 54200
69 NEW 69 1 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Foo Fighters 6200
70 69 1 51 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 889650

71 75 71 2 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 10800
72 NEW 72 1 BEAUTY REMAINS Paloma Faith 5600
73 NEW 73 1 LAY ME DOWN Sam Smith 5400
74 NEW 74 1 JULIA Jungle 5200

DROP OUTS:
38 10 7 LADY Stevie Nicks 145050
43 2 9 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 532950
44 14 6 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 110650
47 10 7 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 157200
52 28 6 START A FAMILY Texas 84700
59 59 2 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 20200
61 61 2 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 14300
65 65 2 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 13600
66 40 3 CASSY O’ George Ezra 35800
67 39 5 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 65050
68 68 3 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 17000
75 NEW 75 1 KING Years And Years 5000

22nd February 2015

It’s the late Lesley Gore in at 1 with her classic girl-power anthem ballad, one of the early pop songs for females (and she was 17-years-old) to make a stand for girls, an American chart-topper but a UK flop, criminally lost amongst Beatlemania. Lesley later came out as gay, one of the very few girls around in the 60’s music scene. It’s also her first popchartfreak entry, although 2 of her 60‘s hits were covered, Maybe I Know hit for The Seashells in 1972 and It’s My Party Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin in 1981 took it to number 2.

Bad news for Ellie Goulding, then, up to 2 with her great UK chart-topper, with Mister Magoo at 4, with it’s terrific melody and a great new twist on describing attraction in lyrics. Just when you think it’s all been said…! David Guetta adds another top 10 to his quite long list now, with Emeli Sande grabbing a few herself so far. Ne-yo jumps into the 20, but not as rapidly as Bakermat, who can Teach Me a few things with some fab gospel hooks. At 30 Adam Levine gets his 2nd top 30 hit in the same chart, Maroon 5 holding at 9, and his movie theme up for an Oscar at 30, Lost Stars is essentially a Gregg Alexander song from his soundtrack to the movie, a man who’s written a few chart-toppers in my chart, starting with his band New Radicals in 1997 and the brilliant You Get What You Give.

Florence and The Machine are back at 50, after a bit of a gap, though nowhere as big a gap as Annie Lennox has managed from time to time, as she brings about the 5th or 6th track from 50 Shades Of Grey into my chart, I Put A Spell On You being a 1956 Jay Hawkins classic covered by Nina Simone and Alan Price in the 60’s UK charts, while more recently Sonique had a big hit with it in 2000-ish. Annie now has solo chart entries dating back 27 years, and as singer dating back to the Tourists 36 years ago. Not bad! The Weeknd copies Madonna and grabs a 4th current chart track, how greedy are they!

1 NEW 1 1 YOU DON’T OWN ME Lesley Gore 170000
2 3 2 5 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 238100
3 1 1 3 SPEED KILLS 10CC 425000
4 10 4 5 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 140000
5 4 2 4 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 325000
6 6 6 6 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 187000
7 7 7 3 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 123000
8 2 1 18 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 845700
9 9 9 4 SUGAR Maroon 5 113200
10 18 10 4 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 100000

11 11 6 4 THE NIGHTS Avicii 184000
12 12 8 7 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 264000
13 5 2 5 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 352000
14 8 1 8 INSIDE OUT Spoon 359200
15 37 15 6 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 91400
16 13 3 9 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 512000
17 22 17 5 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 73000
18 27 18 6 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 72850
19 15 8 8 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 212150
20 74 20 2 TEACH ME Bakermat 25200

21 14 12 4 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 103750
22 17 4 12 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 472250
23 28 23 3 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 55050
24 16 16 5 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 100700
25 23 1 14 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 669900
26 32 26 5 LOVE KILLS Queen 76100
27 47 27 2 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 30900
28 36 28 4 LET IN THE SUN Take That 70300
29 19 1 10 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 779400
30 NEW 30 1 LOST STARS Adam Levine 18000

31 31 7 10 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 248150
32 20 20 5 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 92200
33 25 25 4 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 73600
34 38 34 3 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 41000
35 62 35 2 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 24900
36 30 30 4 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 65200
37 70 37 2 MINE Phoebe Ryan 23300
38 21 10 7 LADY Stevie Nicks 145050
39 NEW 39 1 WINDFALL TheFatRat 17100
40 34 1 10 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 624000

41 NEW 41 1 FIRST AND LAST (GLASTROPHOBIA REMIX) Gemology 14000
42 26 22 6 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 102650
43 33 2 9 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 532950
44 24 14 6 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 110650
45 45 12 19 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 355050
46 57 46 2 TV Eves The Behaviour 23150
47 29 10 7 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 157200
48 NEW 48 1 WHAT KIND OF MAN Florence And The Machine 12300
49 49 49 3 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 34600
50 NEW 50 1 WON’T BACK DOWN (BOEHM REMIX) Benjamin Francis Leftwich 12000

51 43 8 10 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 215600
52 52 28 6 START A FAMILY Texas 84700
53 44 9 9 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 198100
54 55 54 5 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 47800
55 NEW 55 1 BABY LOVE Petite Meller 10800
56 50 1 18 THESE DAYS Take That 898600
57 56 1 28 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1035400
58 NEW 58 1 SWAY (THE CHAINSMOKERS REMIX) Anna Of The North 10200
59 59 59 2 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 20200
60 NEW 60 1 MIRROR MAN Ella Henderson 10000

61 66 61 2 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 14300
62 60 1 25 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 668550
63 63 63 8 ALFIE Cilla Black 51400
64 64 64 3 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 19800
65 67 65 2 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 13600
66 40 40 3 CASSY O’ George Ezra 35800
67 39 39 5 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 65050
68 73 68 3 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 17000
69 65 1 50 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 883650
70 NEW 70 1 STYLE Taylor Swift 6000

71 NEW 71 1 I PUT A SPELL ON YOU Annie Lennox 5800
72 NEW 72 1 FALLING AWAKE The Kaiser Chiefs 5600
73 NEW 73 1 AVENIR Louane 5400
74 NEW 74 1 WHERE YOU BELONG The Weeknd 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HEELS OFF Sandra Lyng 5000

DROP OUTS
35 19 10 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 134900
41 13 6 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 123000
42 26 6 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 89100
46 39 4 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 55400
48 48 3 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 32300
51 40 6 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 58750
53 15 10 COOL KIDS Echosmith 177250
54 10 11 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 265100
58 7 12 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 291500
61 11 11 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 191650
68 1 17 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 598900
69 5 8 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 204050
71 9 17 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 322550
72 72 1 LIGHTS Kartell 5600
75 75 1 HOLD BACK THE RIVER James Bay 5000

15th February 2015

1 1 1 2 SPEED KILLS 10CC 340000
2 2 1 17 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 797700
3 43 3 4 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 123100
4 3 2 3 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 265000
5 5 2 4 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 320000
6 15 6 5 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 132000
7 17 7 2 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 73000
8 4 1 7 INSIDE OUT Spoon 330200
9 29 9 3 SUGAR Maroon 5 68200
10 20 10 4 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 75000

11 6 6 3 THE NIGHTS Avicii 147000
12 8 8 6 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 229000
13 7 3 8 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 487000
14 12 12 3 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 84000
15 11 8 7 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 191150
16 23 16 4 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 81700
17 9 4 11 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 452750
18 24 18 3 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 58000
19 13 1 9 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 761200
20 28 20 4 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 74400

21 10 10 6 LADY Stevie Nicks 127850
22 37 22 4 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 50000
23 18 1 13 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 651150
24 14 14 5 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 97400
25 25 25 3 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 55900
26 RE 22 5 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 88900
27 44 27 5 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 50850
28 35 28 2 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 35800
29 16 10 6 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 144700
30 32 30 3 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 47800

31 49 7 9 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 230250
32 34 32 4 LOVE KILLS Queen 57600
33 21 2 8 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 519450
34 27 1 9 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 607000
35 19 19 10 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 134900
36 36 36 3 LET IN THE SUN Take That 52000
37 38 37 5 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 64400
38 69 38 2 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 23400
39 39 39 4 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 58450
40 50 40 2 CASSY O’ George Ezra 29000

41 22 13 6 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 123000
42 26 26 6 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 89100
43 33 8 9 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 203850
44 31 9 8 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 186850
45 53 12 18 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT Marlon Roudette 342050
46 48 39 4 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 55400
47 NEW 47 1 HOLD TIGHT Madonna 12500
48 60 48 3 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 32300
49 57 49 2 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 22500
50 45 1 17 THESE DAYS Take That 888000

51 40 40 6 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 58750
52 41 28 5 START A FAMILY Texas 73200
53 30 15 10 COOL KIDS Echosmith 177250
54 51 10 11 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 265100
55 56 55 4 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 36800
56 54 1 27 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1025000
57 NEW 57 1 TV Eves The Behaviour 10400
58 47 7 12 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 291500
59 NEW 59 1 ALL FOR THE TAKING Meanwhile 10100
60 59 1 24 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 661150

61 55 11 11 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 191650
62 NEW 62 1 LANA DEL DRE Tep No 7400
63 65 63 7 ALFIE Cilla Black 44200
64 72 64 2 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora 12700
65 64 1 49 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 877450
66 NEW 66 1 RUNNING IN CIRCLES POP ETC 6800
67 NEW 67 1 JOHNNY BLOSSOM Ride Into The Sun 6600
68 62 1 17 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 598900
69 58 5 8 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 204050
70 NEW 70 1 MINE Phoebe Ryan 6000

71 68 9 17 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 322550
72 NEW 72 1 LIGHTS Kartell 5600
73 74 73 2 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 10600
74 NEW 74 1 TEACH ME Bakermat 5200
75 NEW 75 1 HOLD BACK THE RIVER James Bay 5000

DROP OUTS
42 24 6 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 101350
46 4 11 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 345650
52 27 6 REACH OUT Rumer 73400
61 9 12 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 263900
63 33 3 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 42200
66 23 9 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 102750
67 35 3 GHOST Megan Vice 41600
70 1 16 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 686050
71 71 3 BREATHE Glude 16600
73 12 17 SOS Indila 273800
75 75 2 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 10000

8th February 2015

It’s a record I’ve worshipped since I first heard it in 1976 when Pete Lambert in the 6th form loaned me his 10CC album, Speed Kills, but which wasn’t eligible for my charts as it was an old album track. I’ve been waiting for an excuse to chart it ever since, and Buzz Jack Song Contest is good enough for me as an excuse. Those driving guitars, those harmonies, the exciting pulsating rhythms, the lyrics which are sort of anti-drug while the record has it’s own musical rush. Should have been a single. So, 42 years late, it joins T.Rex (also from that period) in my top 10, and gives 10CC 2 chart-toppers in 2 years, a span of 43 years of number ones, and the 6th under the 10CC name – though one of those is just Graham Gouldman (who wrote Bus Stop, as reworked melody-wise by Noel Gallagher at 12) and Eric Stewart, but the missing Lol Creme and Kevin Godley had another 2 as a duo in the 80’s as Godley & Creme, so they are actually on 7 each.

Another veteran Stevie Nicks adds to her 39-year haul, I’ve lost count if I include Fleetwood Mac, quite a Lady! Imagine Dragons are back in the top 40 again at 16 as the hits roll on – you bet your life! Fall Out Boy are also back with the highest new proper record, a tribute to Uma Thurman. I say new – actually about one-third of it a lengthy sample of the brilliant theme tune from the lovable 60’s fantasy sit-com, The Munsters, and a brilliant theme tune it is too, all surfer-instrumental-rock Halloween flavoured. The record blends it perfectly in.

Mr Magoo is at 20 (one for the older folk there), though he’s lost his other O, clumsy, but a great record. In fact the charts are pretty volatile with new stuff battling it out, records that should be going up are static or dropping a little. Boo! Maroon 5 are sweet as Sugar and rocketing up to 29, Queen get 41 years of top 40 hits with a 31-year-old song, actually it’s better than Freddie’s dance version, I think, which scraped into my 20 in 1984. Synth Indie act Above And Beyond also enter at 38, after I heard it on Paul Gambaccini’s USA chart run-down driving back from London yesterday – Paul is still giving me great musical tips after well over 40 years, thanks Paul!

Also back: Cobra Starship get another top 40 hit, ditto Rae Morris and Ne-Yo. George Ezra gets a 3rd entry with Cassy O’. I assume that’s the missing O from Mike Mago, who pronounces it Magoo. Calvin Harris and HAIM are busy praying to God, they might want to have a word with Hozier though, as he’s at 2, a bit higher than 57. Another 1973 song enters at 74 (joining Linda Lewis in being an alternative version of a 1973 chart hit), Paper Plane from Status Quo, while a 1972 number one in my chart, the brilliant 1968 US northern soul hit from Archie Bell And The Drells, Here I Go Again, is back again thanks to a current advert on TV.

1 NEW 1 1 SPEED KILLS 10CC 170000
2 1 1 16 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 682700
3 2 2 2 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 200000
4 4 1 6 INSIDE OUT Spoon 382200
5 3 2 3 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 260000
6 6 6 2 THE NIGHTS Avicii 110000
7 5 3 7 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 455000
8 9 8 5 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 194000
9 12 4 10 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 429750
10 16 10 5 LADY Stevie Nicks 108100

11 8 8 6 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 164150
12 20 12 2 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 55000
13 7 1 8 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 740200
14 18 14 4 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 78400
16 10 10 5 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 126500
16 41 16 4 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 75000
17 NEW 17 1 UMA THURMAN Fall Out Boy 23000
18 17 1 12 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 631900
19 19 19 9 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 117400
20 63 20 3 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 33000

21 11 2 7 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 501750
22 13 13 5 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 109000
23 23 23 3 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 56700
24 40 24 2 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 36000
25 30 25 2 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 36750
26 26 26 5 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 75350
27 14 1 8 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 589400
28 28 28 3 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 54400
29 75 29 2 SUGAR Maroon 5 23200
30 15 15 9 COOL KIDS Echosmith 166000

31 22 9 7 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 173600
32 50 32 2 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 29800
33 29 8 8 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 190350
34 49 34 3 LOVE KILLS Queen 39800
35 NEW 35 1 WE’RE ALL WE NEED Above & Beyond featuring Zoe Johnston 17500
36 38 36 2 LET IN THE SUN Take That 34600
37 67 37 3 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 30500
38 48 38 4 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 47100
39 44 39 3 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 41350
40 56 40 5 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 47000

41 36 28 4 START A FAMILY Texas 61700
42 24 24 6 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 101350
43 47 43 3 LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO Ellie Goulding 38100
44 66 44 4 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 32450
45 37 1 16 THESE DAYS Take That 876000
46 21 4 11 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 345650
47 32 7 11 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 281300
48 39 39 3 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 42650
49 25 7 8 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 212350
50 NEW 50 1 CASSY O’ George Ezra 12000

51 34 10 10 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 256100
52 27 27 6 REACH OUT Rumer 73400
53 53 12 17 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 329050
54 52 1 26 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10CC 1014400
55 31 11 10 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 184150
56 58 56 3 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 26000
57 NEW 57 1 PRAY TO GOD Calvin Harris featuring HAIM 10400
58 45 5 7 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 197850
59 57 1 23 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 651150
60 60 60 2 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 20000

61 46 9 12 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 263900
62 51 1 16 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 592500
63 33 33 3 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 42200
64 62 1 48 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 870450
65 65 65 6 ALFIE Cilla Black 37000
66 43 23 9 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 102750
67 35 35 3 GHOST Megan Vice 41600
68 54 9 16 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 316750
69 NEW 69 1 HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 6200
70 61 1 16 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 686050

71 73 71 3 BREATHE Glude 16600
72 NEW 72 1 DOING IT Charli XCX featuring Rita Ora
73 59 12 17 SOS Indila 273800
74 NEW 74 1 PAPER PLANE (ACOUSTIC) Status Quo 5200
75 RE 75 2 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 10000

DROP OUTS
42 25 3 SOLO DANCING Indiana 51000
55 55 2 SAVE ME Listenbee 21600
64 1 15 DUST HALOS 650500
68 68 2 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 12800
69 1 26 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1189950
70 58 2 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 16200
71 1 14 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 636550
72 1 14 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 670300
74 1 25 CALL Francesco Yates 744200

1st February 2015

It’s Hozier, finally getting on top after two previous chart runs in previous years, and his fantastic passionate anti-hymn, Take Me To Church a well-deserved world-wide hit. Of course, here on Buzz Jack, it becomes yet another example of a classic record well-under-appreciated by voters – sorry boys and girls, but as long as we voters keep not voting for brilliant records I’m going to keep on mentioning it! It knocks off another (non-hit) example, Spoon, and keeps off a MYNGA, as well, all fab.

Highest new entry is from 74-year-old Giorgio Moroder and much much younger Kylie Minogue, and the terrific Right Here Right Now, the hook is just fabulous. Giorgio first came close to topping my charts in 1972 as writer-producer of one of the first ever synthpop song chart-toppers, Son Of My Father, before topping in 1977 with the instant classic, force of nature that is Donna Summer’s I Feel Love, pretty much all modern dance music can be traced back to that one. He had his first solo top 10 hit later that year (From Here To Eternity), then appeared again with Phil Oakey in 1984 on the classic Together In Electric Dreams, and it’s only taken him 31 years to get his 3rd, entering straight in at 2! Kylie, of course, has a zillion top 10 hits, and I think has yet not to chart with anything she’s released. So I like her!

Avicii is back with another big new entry and top 10 hit, with The Nights, at 6, while Sarah Cracknell adds to her list of top 10 entries. Paloma Faith adds to her top 20 list, and Noel Gallagher extends his run (including with Oasis) to 21 years with The Ballad Of The Mighty I, and it’s little hint of The Hollies Bus Stop. At 30 it’s a superstar bunch, as Rihanna takes lead vocals, Kanye West adds a bit, and Paul McCartney tinkles on some instruments. That’s a decade each for the first two of chart entries, and combined they still don’t have half the span of chart entries of Macca, my first ever chart number one with The Beatles Hey Jude in 1968. Legend!

Others returning: Take That, David Guetta, Emeli Sande, The Prodigy, and Maroon 5. With the new stupid dull streaming charts keeping genuine Top 40 sales hits out of the UK charts, only Maroon 5 breaks in to the UK charts, though at least The Weeknd finally gets in a few weeks late, resting still at 5 in my charts. Hey ho!

1 6 1 15 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 567700
2 NEW 2 1 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW Giorgio Moroder featuring Kylie Minogue 115000
3 2 2 2 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 200000
4 1 1 5 INSIDE OUT Spoon 317200
5 5 3 6 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 405000
6 NEW 6 1 THE NIGHTS Avicii 55000
7 4 1 7 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 708200
8 8 8 5 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 127150
9 11 9 4 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 146000
10 14 10 4 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 101500

11 3 2 6 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 482000
12 12 4 9 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 384750
13 17 13 4 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 89500
14 10 1 7 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 571000
15 15 15 8 COOL KIDS Echosmith 148000
16 19 16 4 LADY Stevie Nicks 66100
17 18 1 11 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 609900
18 36 18 3 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 49400
19 39 19 8 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 96400
20 NEW 20 1 THE BALLAD OF THE MIGHTY I Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds 20000

21 7 4 10 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 332900
22 9 9 6 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 155700
23 29 23 2 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 37450
24 24 24 5 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 87600
25 13 7 7 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 200250
26 26 26 4 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 56850
27 27 27 5 REACH OUT Rumer 61900
28 32 28 2 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 36100
29 22 8 7 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 172650
30 NEW 30 1 FOURFIVESECONDS Rihanna and Kanye West and Paul McCartney 18000

31 16 11 9 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 173350
32 20 7 10 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 268800
33 37 33 2 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 35000
34 21 10 9 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 244350
35 35 35 2 GHOST Megan Vice 35000
36 28 28 3 START A FAMILY Texas 47700
37 31 1 15 THESE DAYS Take That 863000
38 NEW 38 1 LET IN THE SUN Take That 17200
39 44 39 2 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 30350
40 NEW 40 1 WHAT I DID FOR LOVE David Guetta featuring Emeli Sande 17000

41 30 30 3 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 50000
42 25 25 3 SOLO DANCING Indiana 51000
43 23 23 8 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 95950
44 54 44 2 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 24250
45 40 5 6 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 187650
46 33 9 11 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 256400
47 49 47 2 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Ellie Goulding 24600
48 50 48 3 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 29900
49 59 49 2 LOVE KILLS Queen 22200
50 NEW 50 1 THE DAY IS MY ENEMY The Prodigy 12000

51 45 1 15 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 585100
52 51 1 25 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 1003400
53 47 12 16 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 317800
54 38 9 15 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 310350
55 55 55 2 SAVE ME Listenbee 21600
56 63 56 4 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 30000
57 56 1 22 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 641050
58 74 58 2 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 15400
59 48 12 16 SOS Indila 268400
60 NEW 60 1 MAKE ME SMILE (COME UP AND SEE ME) Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel 10000

61 52 1 15 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 680050
62 62 1 47 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 863350
63 71 63 2 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 13000
64 57 1 15 DUST HALOS 650500
65 70 65 5 ALFIE Cilla Black 30000
66 69 66 3 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 19200
67 67 67 2 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 13200
68 68 68 2 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 12800
69 66 1 26 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1189950
70 58 58 2 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 16200

71 61 1 14 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 636550
72 65 1 14 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 670300
73 73 73 2 BREATHE Glude 10800
74 72 1 25 CALL Francesco Yates 744200
75 NEW 75 1 SUGAR Maroon 5 5000

DROP OUTS
34 19 9 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 160500
41 14 10 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 178550
42 22 4 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 70400
43 5 12 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 350000
46 5 11 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 322700
53 10 9 DESIRE Years And Years 203650
60 3 9 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 316800
64 64 1 PRETTY GREEN Spinee 7100
75 75 1 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 5000

25th January 2015

It’s a big clearout of oldies this week, as an invasion of buzz jack contest entries forces them out earlier than I’d have liked – but it was them or current stuff I still love, and the oldies lost! So that means it’s a Buzz Jack 1 and 2 as semi-finalist’s Spoon climb on to the top with the fab Inside Out, and a great John Lennon-styled vocal performance. Just behind, and new in at 2, it’s the equally good MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein, and the falsetto soul dance fabulousness of Back Home. Support MYNGA’s!

Up to 8, Simple Minds best record in 20 years, the not-very-rocky Let The Day Begin, it’s more synth-period Simple Minds with that throbbing beat they turned to in 1983, and it’s very good. Linda Lewis gets Rock A Doodle Do, an archive live BBC version that’s virtually as good as the original, into the top 10 42 years on. I love her voice, her range is amazing, it’s like 3 singers in one, and look forward to her new material. Sarah Cracknell extends her top 20 hits run (with Saint Etienne) to 22 years, and the sweet Ready Or Not, while The Charlatans do the same, only 26 years. That’s nothing, though, the classy Stevie Nicks goes top 20 with a bound, the Lady has 38 years of hit-songs (with Mac of course, and solo, and with ex-Lindsay Buckingham).

Paul McCartney, Texas, and Paloma Faith all go top 40, while Queen’s version of the 1984 Freddie Mercury dance top 20 hit Love Kills, pops in as Somebody To Love is pushed out. The Weeknd makes it 3 in the chart, finally, as his featuring with SIA enters, as SIA and The Weeknd’s Top 10 tracks drop a bit, leaving his other featuring, former number one with Ariana Grande, a bit lower down. Not bad, and about time he had a solo hit.

1 9 1 4 INSIDE OUT Spoon 252200
2 NEW 2 1 BACK HOME (MATOMA REMIX) MYNGA featuring Cosmo Klein 115000
3 2 2 5 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 445000
4 1 1 6 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 658200
5 3 3 5 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 345000
6 5 5 14 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 397700
7 4 4 9 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 313150
8 25 8 4 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 79150
9 16 9 5 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 136200
10 6 1 6 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 542000

11 13 11 3 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 101000
12 8 4 8 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 349750
13 7 7 6 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 181500
14 23 14 3 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 59500
15 15 15 7 COOL KIDS Echosmith 121000
16 11 11 8 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 155450
17 35 17 3 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 57500
18 12 1 10 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 586900
19 59 19 3 LADY Stevie Nicks 41100
20 14 7 9 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 251000

21 17 10 8 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 226750
22 38 8 6 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 154450
23 71 23 7 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 82450
24 24 24 4 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 68600
25 26 25 2 SOLO DANCING Indiana 37250
26 44 26 3 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 38350
27 49 27 4 REACH OUT Rumer 43500
28 50 28 2 START A FAMILY Texas 30300
29 NEW 29 1 LITTLE BY LITTLE (LULLEAUX AND GEORGE WHYMAN REMIX) Ulf Nilsson 18200
30 30 30 2 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 36000

31 18 1 14 THESE DAYS Take That 845700
32 NEW 32 1 PORCELAIN Rachel Taylor 17800
33 21 9 10 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 243650
34 19 19 9 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 160500
35 NEW 35 1 GHOST Megan Vice 17500
36 60 36 2 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 27400
37 NEW 37 1 BANG! Sandy River featuring April 17300
38 28 9 14 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 299350
39 73 39 7 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 75400
40 31 5 5 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 174650

41 27 14 10 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 178550
42 22 22 4 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 70400
43 29 5 12 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 350000
44 NEW 44 1 PEOPLE IIIII (featuring Adele Kosman) 13250
45 40 1 14 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 573350
46 36 5 11 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 322700
47 33 12 15 WHEN THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 306550
48 34 12 15 SOS Indila 258300
49 NEW 49 1 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Ellie Goulding 12100
50 72 50 2 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 17600

51 48 1 24 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 991900
52 41 1 14 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 672550
53 32 10 9 DESIRE Years And Years 203650
54 NEW 54 1 SOMETHING IN THE WATER Carrie Underwood 11000
55 NEW 55 1 SAVE ME Listenbee 10800
56 55 1 21 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 630650
57 47 1 14 DUST HALOS 643400
58 NEW 58 1 HIYHIY Lostboycrow 10200
59 NEW 59 1 LOVE KILLS Queen 10100
60 39 3 9 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 316800

61 52 1 13 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 630750
62 62 1 46 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 855950
63 67 63 3 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 19400
64 NEW 64 1 PRETTY GREEN Spinee 7100
65 54 1 13 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 664700
66 63 1 25 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1183750
67 NEW 67 1 NEVER BEEN IN LOVE Cobra Starship featuring Icona Pop 6600
68 NEW 68 1 TILL IT HURTS Yellow Claw featuring Ayden 6400
69 69 69 2 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 12400
70 70 70 4 ALFIE Cilla Black 23000

71 NEW 71 1 OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 5800
72 68 1 24 CALL Francesco Yates 739000
73 NEW 73 1 BREATHE Glude 5400
74 NEW 74 1 ELASTIC HEART SIA featuring The Weeknd and Diplo 5200
75 NEW 75 1 GRAVITY DJ Fresh featuring Ella Eyre 5000

DROP OUTS

10 10 30 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 448750
20 20 16 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 212750
37 37 4 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 50100
42 2 10 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 359250
43 43 12 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 112000
45 36 5 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 59950
46 46 9 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 84150
51 13 11 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 205150
53 15 10 27 CLUB Chloe Black 176250
56 5 20 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 528550
57 57 10 MY GENERATION The Who 77400
58 47 5 I’M AN ALBATRAOZ AronChupa 48600
61 25 5 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 76600
64 37 5 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 71600
65 33 6 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 65700
66 1 16 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 696950
74 74 1 TONGUE TIED Alvin Stardust 5200
75 75 2 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 10000

18th January 2015

3 weeks for Madonna on top, getting close to catching up her long runners at number one (I think 4 weeks is the longest, or do I mean Four Minutes). Still at 2 too! Not much change at the top at all in fact, though Spoon go top 10, and SIA gets her 4th Top 5. Sarah Cracknell gets a solo top 40 entry (yay!), and Indiana is back with Solo Dancing after doing well with it last year. The Radio One playlist is starting to look like an old Buzzjack song contest listing. Just saying….

Imagine Dragons are back with a new track, hooray! In at 30, I Bet My Life, giving them, ooo it must be 6 or so top 40 hits and a number one with Radioactive about a year before Radio one picked up on it. Just saying…

Texas are back, also hooray, looking to start a family at 50, while Gavin DeGraw pops in on fire at 60, sounding suspiciously like Maroon 5, but he’s been around long enough to have a Greatest Hits coming out. True fact! Ne-Yo is also back, extending his long run of chart action, just ahead of the late Alvin Stardust and his new track, very retro-sounding in a Johnny Cash sort of fashion, quite probably his first chart hit in 25 years, and extends his run wayyyy back to 1973, when I became mad on My Coo Ca Choo and sent it all the way to number one.

1 1 1 5 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 593200
2 2 2 4 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 360000
3 3 3 4 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 285000
4 6 4 8 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 263150
5 7 5 13 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 342700
6 5 1 5 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 500000
7 8 7 5 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 149500
8 4 4 7 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 314750
9 24 9 3 INSIDE OUT Spoon 82200
10 10 10 30 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 448750

11 19 11 7 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 130450
12 9 1 9 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 564900
13 13 13 2 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 64000
14 11 7 8 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 231000
15 20 15 6 COOL KIDS Echosmith 94000
16 16 16 4 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 91200
17 12 10 7 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 207000
18 15 1 13 THESE DAYS Take That 828000
19 22 19 8 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 142900
20 23 20 16 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 212750

21 17 9 9 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 225950
22 25 22 3 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna featuring Alicia Keys 56650
23 53 23 2 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 30500
24 34 24 3 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 49600
25 38 25 3 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 31150
26 NEW 26 1 SOLO DANCING Indiana 18500
27 14 14 9 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 164550
28 28 9 13 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 282150
29 18 5 11 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 336500
30 NEW 30 1 I BET MY LIFE Imagine Dragons 18000

31 21 5 4 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 157650
32 26 10 8 DESIRE Years And Years 192400
33 27 12 14 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 294050
34 50 12 14 SOS Indila 246000
35 40 35 2 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 34500
36 31 5 10 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 309950
37 39 37 4 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 50100
38 30 8 5 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 134950
39 29 3 8 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 306800
40 37 1 13 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 560350

41 33 1 13 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 661050
42 35 2 10 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 359250
43 46 43 12 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 112000
44 67 44 2 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 19850
45 36 36 5 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 59950
46 49 46 9 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 84150
47 42 1 13 DUST HALOS 633000
48 48 1 23 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 980150
49 62 49 3 REACH OUT Rumer 25100
50 NEW 50 1 START A FAMILY Texas 12000

51 32 13 11 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 205150
52 44 1 12 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 623250
53 59 15 10 27 CLUB Chloe Black 176250
54 43 1 12 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 657700
55 55 1 20 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 620050
56 56 5 20 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 528550
57 57 57 10 MY GENERATION The Who 77400
58 47 47 5 I’M AN ALBATRAOZ AronChupa 48600
59 60 59 2 LADY Stevie Nicks 20100
60 NEW 60 1 FIRE Gavin DeGraw 10000

61 41 25 5 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 76600
62 61 1 45 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 848550
63 63 1 24 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1176550
64 45 37 5 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 71600
65 52 33 6 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 65700
66 64 1 16 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 696950
67 72 67 2 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 12200
68 68 1 23 CALL Francesco Yates 733400
69 NEW 69 1 HEROES (WE COULD BE) Alesso featuring Tove Lo 6200
70 70 70 3 ALFIE Cilla Black 17000

71 58 40 6 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 63200
72 NEW 72 1 COMING WITH YOU Ne-Yo 5600
73 69 49 6 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 58300
74 NEW 74 1 TONGUE TIED Alvin Stardust 5200
75 75 75 2 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 10000

DROP OUTS
51 4 9 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 260350
54 19 11 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 157900
65 20 6 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 73700
66 4 12 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 313200
71 71 3 JEALOUS Labrinth 16600
73 1 28 BECOME Midge Ure 988400
74 74 1 EVERY BREAKING WAVE U2 5200

11th January 2015

It’s bad news for Madonna, Devil Pray is held off the top spot by Madonna, and a second good news week for Ghosttown. That’s frustrating as Devil Pray would have been her 21st number one! I think it’s probably fair to say Madonna is back on peak form at the age of 56, even if the rest of the album is merely OK (I like all the tracks I’ve heard so far). The Weeknd meanwhile gets his 3rd Top 3 hit, Olly and Demi go back up to 4, SIA goes up to 6 and Hozier is a re-entry at 7, though it’s really his 3rd run in 3 different years in my chart, 2013 he went top 20, 2014 hit 9, and thanks to a Graham Norton performance and BBC radio at loooooong last properly picking up on it it’s back at a new peak of 7. Hozier is completely absent from the top 50 radio chart, despite being 3 on streaming and consistently selling downloads over a long period. I think that says a lot about current British radio programming and “target audiences” instead of just going for quality new music.

Abba finally creep into the top 10 with Mamma Mia song, and Super Trouper album track, Our Last Summer from 1980. It’s only taken 34 years to get there (cos I didn’t allow album tracks during Abba’s years or else they would have taken over the whole chart). Also back, 42 years on, it’s T.Rex and Solid Gold Easy Action, thanks to an advert., at 13. I was mad on this one when I was 14, and bought it the same week I bought John & Yoko’s Happy Xmas, Lennon & Bolan being heroes of mine. Tragically, within 8 years they had both died violently.

Highest proper new track is from The Charlatans, great to have them back with a good single at 40, and a chart run of around 25 years now… while also back, it’s Sarah Cracknell (thanks AH) and a sweet ballad, Saint Etienne dating back regularly in my charts since the early 90’s. Under-rated throughout. At 60, it’s Stevie Nicks, who’s been having solo hits since the 70’s, and with Fleetwood Mac since 1976, and like Sarah Cracknell a long-time fave female vocalist. I have my tickets for the long-awaited classic Rumours line-up in the summer, having seen them all previously in various line-ups of Fleetwood Mac, but never together on one stage. Always brilliant.

1 1 1 4 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 423200
2 3 2 3 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 245000
3 4 3 3 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 200000
4 7 4 6 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 266750
5 2 1 4 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 445000
6 9 6 7 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 198150
7 RE 7 12 TAKE ME TO CHURCH Hozier 282700
8 12 8 4 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 99500
9 6 1 8 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 529900
10 19 10 29 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 406750

11 11 7 7 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 202000
12 10 10 6 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 184000
13 NEW 13 1 SOLID GOLD EASY ACTION T.Rex 32000
14 14 14 8 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 146150
15 8 1 12 THESE DAYS Take That 806000
16 16 16 3 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 68200
17 15 9 8 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 206200
18 13 5 10 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 318300
19 42 19 6 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 93450
20 24 20 5 COOL KIDS Echosmith 67000

21 5 5 3 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 139750
22 RE 22 7 SADNESS DISEASE Urban Cone 121900
23 26 23 15 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 192750
24 29 24 2 INSIDE OUT Spoon 37200
25 27 25 2 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna featuring Alicia Keys 37150
26 20 10 7 DESIRE Years And Years 174600
27 17 12 13 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 276350
28 28 9 12 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 263850
29 22 3 7 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 289700
30 21 8 4 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 117750

31 31 5 9 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 292550
32 18 13 10 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 193400
33 23 1 12 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 647050
34 45 34 2 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 30600
35 30 2 9 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 345500
36 46 36 4 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 46950
37 35 1 12 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 543350
38 74 38 2 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 22400
39 59 39 3 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 32800
40 NEW 40 1 COME HOME BABY The Charlatans 17000

41 25 25 4 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 69100
42 34 1 12 DUST HALOS 620500
43 38 1 11 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 646700
44 36 1 11 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 611750
45 37 37 4 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 64500
46 49 46 11 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 98750
47 48 47 4 I’M AN ALBATROAZ AronChupa 38400
48 47 1 22 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 967850
49 54 49 8 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 71400
50 50 12 13 SOS Indila 228400

51 41 4 9 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 260350
52 33 33 5 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 58700
53 NEW 53 1 READY OR NOT Sarah Cracknell 11250
54 39 19 11 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 157900
55 55 1 19 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 609250
56 43 5 19 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 517950
57 60 57 9 MY GENERATION The Who 67000
58 40 40 5 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 57400
59 RE 15 9 27 CLUB Chloe Black 165000
60 NEW 60 1 LADY Stevie Nicks 10000

61 61 1 44 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 841150
62 72 62 2 REACH OUT Rumer 13000
63 63 1 23 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1169350
64 62 1 15 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 690150
65 65 20 6 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 73700
66 53 4 12 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 313200
67 NEW 67 1 LIPS ARE MOVIN’ Meghan Trainor 6600
68 68 1 22 CALL Francesco Yates 727000
69 58 49 5 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 52900
70 75 70 2 ALFIE Cilla Black 11000

71 71 71 3 JEALOUS Labrinth 16600
72 NEW 72 1 UNDER THE SHADOWS Rae Morris 5600
73 73 1 28 BECOME Midge Ure 988400
74 NEW 74 1 EVERY BREAKING WAVE U2 5200
75 NEW 75 1 BLACK BETTY Ram Jam 5000

4th January 2015

It’s Madonna – but which one? Not the highest new entry, at 27, that’s new single Living For Love. Not Devil Prey which climbs to 3 to give Madonna 2 consecutive top 3’s for the first time in yonks and yonks, if yonks means 1985, I think. No, the one on top is the fab Ghosttown, and it’s not even a single, with most of the album yet to be revealed. So how many chart-toppers does that make for Her Madgeness? The 1st was Papa Don’t Preach in 1986, the oldest Holiday from 1984, and the most recent 4 Minutes in 2008, so it’s been a long gap of almost 7 years, but gives a grand total of 20, I reckon. 29 years of chart-toppers, not bad!

The Weeknd meanwhile replaces himself in the top 5 as it starts to chart in the USA, and SIA gets a 2nd solo top 10 of the year, and Sam Smith gets his first, shockingly given he had the top record of 2014 (La La La), but then Like I Do isn’t as whingey as the previous album singles. Visage take Fade To Grey back into the top 20 34 years on from topping my chart, Linda Lewis top 20 doodle do-ing 42 years on from first time round, and some reactivated dance tracks shoot up and back from Andy C and Fiora, Marlon Roudette, a new mystery song (all to be revealed in a week or two), and Alle Farben moves a bit closer to the 40 2nd time around around after hitting 49 last september – Radio 2 is playing it now, so it may even chart, shock! As may the Albatross song. Not Fleetwood Mac, it’s the sweary AronChupa track. I like it despite the the potty-mouth lyrics, which I’m getting fed up with in pop music, it’s become such a contrived cliche. I mean I can swear like a trooper but even so….

For my birthday, born the same year as Madonna, I went ice skating with the young niece and nephew, trying not to fall over and look even more ridiculous as kiddies zipped in and about and danced on ice. I was comfortably the oldest skating, singing along to the music: Iiiiiim gonna swing (wobble) from the chande (slide) lieeeeerrrrrrr (wibble) froooom (bump) the chandeleee (wobble) eeeeeerrrrrrrrr (glide). I got series 7 Doctor Who, too, so yay!

1 4 1 3 GHOSTTOWN Madonna 253200
2 1 1 3 UPTOWN FUNK! Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 385000
3 9 3 2 DEVIL PRAY Madonna 130000
4 7 4 2 EARNED IT (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) The Weeknd 115000
5 5 5 2 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS Joe Cocker 120000
6 2 1 7 LOVE ME HARDER Ariana Grande featuring The Weeknd 484900
7 6 4 5 UP Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 201750
8 3 1 11 THESE DAYS Take That 779000
9 12 9 6 YOU’RE NEVER FULLY DRESSED WITHOUT A SMILE SIA 143150
10 14 10 5 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith 149000

11 11 7 6 OUTSIDE Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Golding 165000
12 59 12 3 FADE TO GREY (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Visage 51500
13 8 5 9 THE DEVIL IS A LONELY NIGHT The Pierces 296300
14 RE 14 7 HEARTBEAT LOUD Andy C featuring Fiora 117150
15 18 9 7 BLANK SPACE Taylor Swift 183200
16 29 16 2 ROCK A DOODLE DOO (RADIO STUDIO SESSION) Linda Lewis 43200
17 51 12 12 THE BEAT DROPS OUT (BLONDEE & HAGEN RADIO EDIT) Marlon Roudette 257950
18 15 13 9 WELCOME TO NEW YORK Taylor Swift 175600
19 23 19 28 OUR LAST SUMMER Abba 364750
20 20 10 6 DESIRE Years And Years 156100

21 13 8 3 I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED YOU HOME Agnetha Faltskog and Gary Barlow 99750
22 10 3 6 THE HANGING TREE James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence 271500
23 17 1 11 YOU RUIN ME The Veronicas 629350
24 34 24 4 COOL KIDS Echosmith 47000
25 25 25 3 SOMETHING I NEED Ben Haenow 55100
26 27 26 14 STORM IN A TEACUP Lynsey De Paul 173500
27 NEW 27 1 LIVING FOR LOVE Madonna 18400
28 16 9 11 I LOVED YOU Blonde featuring Melissa Steele 245550
29 NEW 29 1 INSIDE OUT SPOON 18200
30 22 2 8 REAL LOVE Tom Odell 328000

31 21 5 8 GENTLE ON MY MIND The Band Perry 274650
32 32 32 5 REAL LOVE Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne 63300
33 37 33 4 BAILANDO Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona 47200
34 31 1 11 DUST HALOS 606750
35 28 1 11 I’M NOT GONNA MISS YOU Glen Campbell 526050
36 26 1 10 ANYTIME Cosmonaut Grenchko 598500
37 38 37 3 SHAKE THAT Danssun and Marlon Hofstadt 51500
38 30 1 10 WHO’S GONNA STAND UP? (ORCHESTRAL VERSION) Neil Young 633200
39 36 19 10 ADRENALINA Wisin featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin 146900
40 40 40 4 HOPE FOR THE FUTURE Paul McCartney 47200

41 19 4 8 SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd 248600
42 24 24 5 DANGEROUS David Guetta featuring Sam Martin 72450
43 41 5 18 SHAKE IT OFF Taylor Swift 507350
44 67 44 2 THINKING ABOUT IT Just Kiddin 19850
45 NEW 45 1 SHE MOVES (FAR AWAY) Alle Farben featuring Graham Candy 13000
46 56 46 3 HOME AGAIN Ashley Campbell 29550
47 47 1 21 I’M NOT IN LOVE 10C.C. 955550
48 66 48 3 I’M AN ALBATROAZ AronChupa 25900
49 54 49 10 SONG FOR THE ASKING Simon And Garfunkel 86000
50 44 12 12 SOS Indila 216400

51 43 19 4 I BELIEVE IN FATHER CHRISTMAS Greg Lake 65500
52 39 39 2 HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) John & Yoko and The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir 28600
53 48 4 11 BUSY EARNIN’ Jungle 306400
54 58 54 7 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Queen 59300
55 55 1 18 HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush 598450
56 53 6 10 SAVE ME NOW Billy Idol 240550
57 45 26 7 WAIT ON ME Rixton 84500
58 49 49 4 LEAVE WHILE I’M NOT LOOKING Paloma Faith 46700
59 RE 59 2 TOCA TOCA Fly Project 15700
60 63 60 8 MY GENERATION The Who 56600

61 61 1 43 STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU Stealers Wheel 833650
62 62 1 14 SHE’S NOT YOU Jenny Lewis 683050
63 60 1 22 CHANGING Sigma featuring Paloma Faith 1162150
64 64 64 2 7/11 Beyonce 14200
65 33 20 5 THANK GOD IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS Sparks 66700
66 35 18 3 CHRISTMAS WRAPPING The Waitresses 46300
67 42 42 2 ONE MORE SLEEP Leona Lewis 20350
68 68 1 21 CALL Francesco Yates 720600
69 50 50 3 DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea 29000
70 70 70 2 DIAMONDS Josef Salvat 12000

71 75 71 2 JEALOUS Labrinth 10800
72 NEW 72 1 REACH OUT Rumer 5600
73 73 1 27 BECOME Midge Ure 983000
74 NEW 74 1 LET THE DAY BEGIN Simple Minds 5200
75 NEW 75 1 ALFIE Cilla Black 5000

DROP OUTS
46 32 5 TELL ‘EM I’M GONE Cat Stevens 73250
52 5 12 WHEN I FIND LOVE AGAIN James Blunt 276600
57 29 4 YOU GIVE ME LOVE Idris Elba featuring Maverick Sabre 54000
65 15 8 27 CLUB Chloe Black 154900
69 52 2 STEP INTO CHRISTMAS Elton John 17700
71 71 2 REBEL HEART Madonna 11600
72 72 1 IT DON’T MEAN A THING Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga 5600
74 8 13 HELLO GOODNIGHT Mamas Gun 251950

My 1989 Charts – November

Dorset…

click here for youtube links to videos

5th November 1989

Living In A Box get their second and final number one 2 years after the very different eponymous topper. Room In Your Heart is a slushy romantic big ballad, great melody. Keeping off Lisa Stansfield hitting a new peak of 2, for the moment. Liza Minelli gets a Pet Shop Boys top tenner, swapping losing her mind for bomb dropping, while both Chris Rea’s classic Road To hell and Eurythmics fab Don’t Ask Me Why follow her into the 10 too.

Buzzcocks return 11 years on at 13, in the shadow of the Fine Young cannibals cover, with an EP of their best singles, but notably Ever Fallen Love With Someone for the sales and Everybody’s Happy Nowadays for me. After faffing about a bit, Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation leaps into the 20, as those percussion beats just sound better on repeat, and Martika also gets Carole King’s earth-moving song digging upwards.

Highest proper new song is Forever Blue, at 27, and Swing Out Sister getting more 60’s and lush with each single release. And gorgeous! Homely Girl is back, this time for UB40 at 35 pleasant but matching the original much-better Chi-Lites version from 1974. Tears For Fears do a soul ballad duet with Oleta Adams at 39. Actually that makes it sound sweet, it’s more bluesy than soul-ey, but Woman In Chains is great either way.

Malcolm McLaren waltzes his way back into my charts, this time with a bit of Strauss assistance. He certainly did like to mine the classical formats along with the punk dance and rap formats, thank goodness say I. Variety is the spice of life and House Of The Blue Danube is fun. Barry Blue returns with his 1973 number 2, dancing on a 1989 saturday night this time, while beating his 1979 peak of 75, Robert Palmer’s Doctor Doctor give me the news, I got a bad case of loving you does a bit better remixed along with a dose of 1979 USA holiday nostalgia, at 57. Barry Blue debuted in 1973 along with Barry White. It’s only right Mr White joins him this time too, at 60, while another gangleader from 1973 was Mr Gadd, back at 65 with a Gene Vincent cover, live version cos Gary Glitter was a huge live draw each christmas at the time.

1 ( 3 ) ROOM IN YOUR HEART Living In A Box
2 ( 7 ) ALL AROUND THE WORLD Lisa Stansfield
3 ( 1 ) SACRIFICE Elton John
4 ( 2 ) SOWING THE SEEDS OF LOVE Tears For Fears
5 ( 6 ) OH WELL Oh Well
6 ( 10 ) THE WAY TO YOUR HEART Soul Sister
7 ( 4 ) TALK IT OVER Grayson Hugh
8 ( 15 ) DON’T DROP BOMBS Liza Minelli
9 ( 11 ) DON’T ASK ME WHY Eurythmics
10 ( 12 ) THE ROAD TO HELL (PART 2) Chris Rea

11 ( 5 ) PUMP UP THE JAM Technotronic featuring Felly (Ya Kid K)
12 ( 14 ) THE MESSAGE IS LOVE Arthur Baker and The Backstreet Disciples featuring Al Green
13 ( NEW ) THE FAB FOUR EP (EVERYBODY’S HAPPY NOWADAYS) Buzzcocks
14 ( 8 ) IF ONLY I COULD Sydney Youngblood
15 ( 9 ) LEAVE A LIGHT ON Belinda Carlisle
16 ( 41 ) RHYTHM NATION Janet Jackson
17 ( 20 ) STREET TUFF Double Trouble featuring the Rebel MC
18 ( 13 ) LEAN ON YOU Cliff Richard
19 ( 22 ) EYE KNOW De La Soul
20 ( 37 ) I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE Martika

21 ( 16 ) IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME Cher
22 ( 17 ) CHERISH Madonna
23 ( 34 ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers
24 ( 26 ) JUST AN ILLUSION ’89 Imagination
25 ( 30 ) C’MON AND GET MY LOVE D Mob featuring Cathy Dennis
26 ( 38 ) THE SUN RISING The Beloved
27 ( NEW ) FOREVER BLUE Swing Out Sister
28 ( 19 ) I WANT THAT MAN Deborah Harry
29 ( 18 ) GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU Milli Vanilli
30 ( 21 ) WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE Billy Joel

31 ( RE ) DIDN’T I BLOW YOUR MIND (THIS TIME) New Kids On The Block
32 ( 24 ) SCANDAL Queen
33 ( 72 ) NEVER TOO MUCH ’89 Luther Vandross
34 ( 39 ) THAT’S WHAT I LIKE Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers
35 ( NEW ) HOMELY GIRL UB40
36 ( 49 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE Rod Stewart featuring Ronald Isley
37 ( 45 ) WALKING ON THIN ICE Fuzzbox
38 ( 27 ) THE SENSUAL WORLD Kate Bush
39 ( NEW ) WOMAN IN CHAINS Tears For Fears featuring Oleta Adams
40 ( 57 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Tina Turner

41 ( 31 ) RIDE ON TIME Black Box
42 ( 23 ) LET THE DAY BEGIN The Call
43 ( 36 ) HEALING HANDS Elton John
44 ( 32 ) PERSONAL JESUS Depeche Mode
45 ( 42 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Gloria Estefan
46 ( 33 ) RIGHT HERE WAITING Richard Marx
47 ( 65 ) DRIVE ON Brother Beyond
48 ( 28 ) DON’T MAKE ME OVER Sybil
49 ( 69 ) NEW YORK MINUTE Don Henley
50 ( 25 ) WHEN I LOOKED AT HIM Expose

51 ( 40 ) ONE The Bee Gees
52 ( NEW ) HOUSE OF THE BLUE DANUBE Malcolm McLaren
53 ( 44 ) BREAK 4 LOVE Raze
54 ( 71 ) THE RIGHT STUFF (YOU GOT IT) New Kids On The Block
55 ( NEW ) DANCING ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ’89 Barry Blue
56 ( 50 ) SUNSHINE SUPERMAN Donovan
57 ( NEW ) BAD CASE OF LOVING YOU ’89 Robert Palmer
58 ( 29 ) FOR SPACIOUS LIES Norman Cook featuring Lester
59 ( NEW ) GET ON YOUR FEET Gloria Estefan
60 ( NEW ) FOLLOW THAT AND SEE Barry White

61 ( 58 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
62 ( 59 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
63 ( 63 ) YOU’VE GOT IT Simply Red
64 ( 53 ) AFTER THE LOVE Jesus Loves You
65 ( NEW ) BE BOP A LULA (LIVE) Gary Glitter
66 ( 35 ) REAL WILD HOUSE Raul Orellano
67 ( NEW ) PIANO GROOVE Grand Piano
68 ( 67 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys featuring Dusty Springfield
69 ( NEW ) JOY The Lightning Seeds
70 ( 56 ) I THANK YOU Adeva

71 ( 70 ) THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO The Beatles
72 ( 73 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
73 ( NEW ) WATERFALL ’89 Wendy And Lisa
74 ( NEW ) KEEP THE FIRE BURNING Michael Rose (of Black Uhuru)
75 ( NEW ) ON THE GREENER SIDE Michelle Shocked

In Bournemouth Parks, boss Kevin left us, and big boss Sue told me and Andy that full-time jobs for both of us looked likely for 1990, committee-approval-assuming, which was good news. Horticultural Technicians. How grand! Poor old Cathy got less certainty about her future, and felt a bit left out, and in the absence of Kevin I was put in charge of the team, of sorts.

At home, I wrote my first fandom article for my first fanzine in our first ever issue of Apa247, Legion Of Super-Heroes UK-based fanzine. We just had our 150th mailing get-together (2014) all 25 years older, from youth to middle-age in one fell-swoop. Still great fun though. Aunty Eileen was off to hospital so tried to cheer her up on the phone, my brother had ended up living from a car homeless while Sue and the kids lived with me, and family rifts had developed over nothing much, people take the hump so easily. So I resolved to go back to Mansfield before xmas to try and smooth things over. Fireworks night was a damp squib though Sue’s mum and friend were down visiting

12th November 1989

Lisa Stansfield goes all the way around the world, cos she can’t find her baby. Look harder dear! Great soul record, smooth and wonderful and Lisa had her own niche for quite some years after this big hit. Janet Jackson gets another Top 3 hit after the relative flop of Miss You Much, keeping up the 3-year run of great singles, while Tears For Fears take their woman in chains into the top 5, for their 7th visit. Highest new entry at 8 is the fab Electribe 101 dance track, a newer modern sound for the forthcoming decade, Tell Me When The Fever Ended. Billie Ray Martin was the German (female) vocalist, having popped up already on S ‘Express’ Hey Music Lover.

Malcolm McLaren shoots up the Danube to 10, his oohhh must be 5th or 6th top 10, while The Beatles are back with Something 20 years on from it’s first run, and 13 years since it’s last one. Come Together, though, is the part of the double A side that charts for the first time, in at 17. Another oldie, remixed, at 19, as Jeff Wayne’s War Of The World signature tune is in at 19 11 years on and still sounding great. Liza Minelli has another new track, So Sorry I Said, it’s about as different from Don’t Drop Bombs as you can get, a low-key subtle, minimalist ballad, and in at 36. Other ballads: veterans Phil Collins, Linda & Aaron. Other even more veteran new entries from Paul McCartney being outdone by his own oldies, and more surprisngly The Supremes back at 70. I say The Supremes – actually former members of the Supremes but none of the original three, a bit like The Sugababes of recent times. It did at least have Jean Terrell in the line-up though, who featured in many a classic Supremes record from the mid-60’s to mid-70’s.

1 ( 2 ) ALL AROUND THE WORLD Lisa Stansfield
2 ( 1 ) ROOM IN YOUR HEART Living In A Box
3 ( 16 ) RHYTHM NATION Janet Jackson
4 ( 3 ) SACRIFICE Elton John
5 ( 39 ) WOMAN IN CHAINS Tears For Fears featuring Oleta Adams
6 ( 8 ) DON’T DROP BOMBS Liza Minelli
7 ( 27 ) FOREVER BLUE Swing Out Sister
8 ( NEW ) TELL ME WHEN THE FEVER ENDED Electribe 101
9 ( 9 ) DON’T ASK ME WHY Eurythmics
10 ( 52 ) HOUSE OF THE BLUE DANUBE Malcolm McLaren

11 ( 4 ) SOWING THE SEEDS OF LOVE Tears For Fears
12 ( 6 ) THE WAY TO YOUR HEART Soul Sister
13 ( 5 ) OH WELL Oh Well
14 ( 7 ) TALK IT OVER Grayson Hugh
15 ( 10 ) THE ROAD TO HELL (PART 2) Chris Rea
16 ( 15 ) LEAVE A LIGHT ON Belinda Carlisle
17 ( NEW ) SOMETHING/ COME TOGETHER The Beatles
18 ( 20 ) I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE Martika
19 ( NEW ) EVE OF THE WAR (DEEPSPACE MIX) Jeff Wayne featuring Justin Heyward
20 ( 11 ) PUMP UP THE JAM Technotronic featuring Felly (Ya Kid K)

21 ( 26 ) THE SUN RISING The Beloved
22 ( 12 ) THE MESSAGE IS LOVE Arthur Baker and The Backstreet Disciples featuring Al Green
23 ( 17 ) STREET TUFF Double Trouble featuring the Rebel MC
24 ( 25 ) C’MON AND GET MY LOVE D Mob featuring Cathy Dennis
25 ( 14 ) IF ONLY I COULD Sydney Youngblood
26 ( 54 ) THE RIGHT STUFF (YOU GOT IT) New Kids On The Block
27 ( 33 ) NEVER TOO MUCH ’89 Luther Vandross
28 ( 18 ) LEAN ON YOU Cliff Richard
29 ( 35 ) HOMELY GIRL UB40
30 ( 36 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE Rod Stewart featuring Ronald Isley

31 ( 22 ) CHERISH Madonna
32 ( 47 ) DRIVE ON Brother Beyond
33 ( 40 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Tina Turner
34 ( 21 ) IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME Cher
35 ( 49 ) NEW YORK MINUTE Don Henley
36 ( NEW ) SO SORRY I SAID Liza Minelli
37 ( 41 ) RIDE ON TIME Black Box
38 ( 13 ) THE FAB FOUR EP (EVERYBODY’S HAPPY NOWADAYS) Buzzcocks
39 ( NEW ) GOLDEN GREEN The Wonder Stuff
40 ( 55 ) DANCING ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ’89 Barry Blue

41 ( 34 ) THAT’S WHAT I LIKE Jive Bunny And The Mastermixers
42 ( 30 ) WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE Billy Joel
43 ( NEW ) ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE Phil Collins
44 ( 23 ) WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers
45 ( 38 ) THE SENSUAL WORLD Kate Bush
46 ( 28 ) I WANT THAT MAN Deborah Harry
47 ( 29 ) GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU Milli Vanilli
48 ( 43 ) HEALING HANDS Elton John
49 ( NEW ) DON’T KNOW MUCH Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt
50 ( 45 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Gloria Estefan

51 ( 59 ) GET ON YOUR FEET Gloria Estefan
52 ( 57 ) BAD CASE OF LOVING YOU ’89 Robert Palmer
53 ( 53 ) BREAK 4 LOVE Raze
54 ( 19 ) EYE KNOW De La Soul
55 ( 67 ) GRAND PIANO Mixmaster
56 ( 31 ) DIDN’T I BLOW YOUR MIND (THIS TIME) New Kids On The Block
57 ( 44 ) PERSONAL JESUS Depeche Mode
58 ( 46 ) RIGHT HERE WAITING Richard Marx
59 ( 56 ) SUNSHINE SUPERMAN Donovan
60 ( NEW ) COMMENT TE DIRE ADIEU Jimmy Somerville

61 ( 61 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
62 ( 62 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
63 ( NEW ) NEVER TOO LATE Kylie Minogue
64 ( 51 ) ONE The Bee Gees
65 ( 32 ) SCANDAL Queen
66 ( NEW ) LOVE TAKES OVER YOU Donna Summer
67 ( NEW ) I DON’T KNOW WHY I LOVE YOU The House Of Love
68 ( 68 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys featuring Dusty Springfield
69 ( NEW ) BORN TO BE SOLD Transvision Vamp
70 ( NEW ) CRAZY BOUT THE GUY The Supremes

71 ( 72 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
72 ( 71 ) THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO The Beatles
73 ( NEW ) 7 O’CLOCK The Quireboys
74 ( NEW ) RESTLESS DAYS And Why Not
75 ( NEW ) FIGURE OF EIGHT Paul McCartney

On TV: Golden Girls, 60’s nostalgia with Land Of The Giants, sci fi fun and great cool fashions, the last ever Blackadder (very sad end), Sticky Moments with Julian Clary, Dr Who. At home, feeling unusually tired, lots of fag (cigarette) smoke from guests and family to suffer, had a works outing of ten-pin bowling which was good fun, and I won one game of 3. I was pissed off with one unhelpful member of staff in Highways, who controlled data until the day he left a few years ago – by which time I was picking faults galore in the data, not out of spite, out of frustration at the inaccuracies I kept finding.

At the cinema, The Abyss, a good sci-fi adventure yarn with already dated “cold war” attitudes given the Berlin Wall collapsed this week – my comment: “probably the most significant development of the last 20 years, other than Apollo 11… a chance for some real optimism, I hope”. Well, sort of, but also sort of not, as it happened. The movie though, had convinced me by the end, the fast pace, cliff-hanging plots, good cast and a surprisingly good film.

19th November 1989

2 weeks for Lisa on top, in a static top 10 excepting Jeff Wayne going top 10 for the second time with the Ben Liebrand remix which, shall we say, does not improve on the original in any way whatsoever and sounds more dated. Highest new entry is mellow rave instrumental Pacific 707, very nice too at 15 for 808 State, while 2nd highest is the Brazilian-flavoured (vocalist) worldwide monster Lambada, complete with dance craze. In at 27 for French group Kaoma. Huge jump for the Communards to 18, err I mean Jimmy Somerville and June Miles-Kingston doing some French-language dance pop decent cover of Francoise Hardy’s classy 1968 track Comment Te Dire Adieu?, while Indie band House Of Love follow up Shine On with a leap to 26 with I Don’t Know Why I Love You.

2 huge classics as far as I’m concerned at 29 and 38 for Dusty Springfield (courtesy of Pet Shop Boys again, song and production, and deliciously 60’s tinted 80’s dance) and Kate Bush (her beautifully touching and aching gentle-ballad This Woman’s Work). Prince duets with Sheena again at 40, with the Batman movie duet Arms Of Orion, while Simple MInds cover his 1987 classic Sign O’ The Times pretty well as part of an EP at 60. Erasure and Tom Petty drop by with You Surround Me and Free Fallin’ respectively, both good singles, while Roger Christian has a solo entry at 75 (ex-Christians).

1 ( 1 ) ALL AROUND THE WORLD Lisa Stansfield
2 ( 2 ) ROOM IN YOUR HEART Living In A Box
3 ( 3 ) RHYTHM NATION Janet Jackson
4 ( 9 ) DON’T ASK ME WHY Eurythmics
5 ( 5 ) WOMAN IN CHAINS Tears For Fears featuring Oleta Adams
6 ( 7 ) FOREVER BLUE Swing Out Sister
7 ( 10 ) HOUSE OF THE BLUE DANUBE Malcolm McLaren
8 ( 8 ) TELL ME WHEN THE FEVER ENDED Electribe 101
9 ( 4 ) SACRIFICE Elton John
10 ( 19 ) EVE OF THE WAR (DEEPSPACE MIX) Jeff Wayne featuring Justin Heyward

11 ( 18 ) I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE Martika
12 ( 17 ) SOMETHING/ COME TOGETHER The Beatles
13 ( 12 ) THE WAY TO YOUR HEART Soul Sister
14 ( 6 ) DON’T DROP BOMBS Liza Minelli
15 ( NEW ) PACIFIC 707 808 State
16 ( 11 ) SOWING THE SEEDS OF LOVE Tears For Fears
17 ( 14 ) TALK IT OVER Grayson Hugh
18 ( 60 ) COMMENT TE DIRE ADIEU Jimmy Somerville and June Miles-Kingston
19 ( 16 ) LEAVE A LIGHT ON Belinda Carlisle
20 ( 30 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE Rod Stewart featuring Ronald Isley

21 ( 33 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Tina Turner
22 ( 29 ) HOMELY GIRL UB40
23 ( 13 ) OH WELL Oh Well
24 ( 15 ) THE ROAD TO HELL (PART 2) Chris Rea
25 ( 26 ) THE RIGHT STUFF (YOU GOT IT) New Kids On The Block
26 ( 67 ) I DON’T KNOW WHY I LOVE YOU The House Of Love
27 ( NEW ) LAMBADA Kaoma
28 ( 20 ) PUMP UP THE JAM Technotronic featuring Felly (Ya Kid K)
29 ( NEW ) IN PRIVATE Dusty Springfield
30 ( 36 ) SO SORRY I SAID Liza Minelli

31 ( 39 ) GOLDEN GREEN The Wonder Stuff
32 ( 24 ) C’MON AND GET MY LOVE D Mob featuring Cathy Dennis
33 ( 43 ) ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE Phil Collins
34 ( 40 ) DANCING ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ’89 Barry Blue
35 ( 22 ) THE MESSAGE IS LOVE Arthur Baker and The Backstreet Disciples featuring Al Green
36 ( 23 ) STREET TUFF Double Trouble featuring the Rebel MC
37 ( 21 ) THE SUN RISING The Beloved
38 ( NEW ) THIS WOMAN’S WORK Kate Bush
39 ( 25 ) IF ONLY I COULD Sydney Youngblood
40 ( NEW ) ARMS OF ORION Prince and Sheena Easton

41 ( 28 ) LEAN ON YOU Cliff Richard
42 ( 31 ) CHERISH Madonna
43 ( 49 ) DON’T KNOW MUCH Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt
44 ( 34 ) IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME Cher
45 ( 37 ) RIDE ON TIME Black Box
46 ( 51 ) GET ON YOUR FEET Gloria Estefan
47 ( 55 ) GRAND PIANO Mixmaster
48 ( 27 ) NEVER TOO MUCH ’89 Luther Vandross
49 ( 35 ) NEW YORK MINUTE Don Henley
50 ( 38 ) THE FAB FOUR EP (EVERYBODY’S HAPPY NOWADAYS) Buzzcocks

51 ( 50 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Gloria Estefan
52 ( 45 ) THE SENSUAL WORLD Kate Bush
53 ( 48 ) HEALING HANDS Elton John
54 ( 47 ) GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU Milli Vanilli
55 ( 42 ) WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE Billy Joel
56 ( 63 ) NEVER TOO LATE Kylie Minogue
57 ( RE ) BE BOP A LULA (LIVE) Gary Glitter
58 ( 73 ) 7 O’CLOCK The Quireboys
59 ( 46 ) I WANT THAT MAN Deborah Harry
60 ( NEW ) SIGN O’ THE TIMES Simple Minds

61 ( 61 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
62 ( 62 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
63 ( 59 ) SUNSHINE SUPERMAN Donovan
64 ( 53 ) BREAK 4 LOVE Raze
65 ( 74 ) RESTLESS DAYS And Why Not
66 ( 52 ) BAD CASE OF LOVING YOU ’89 Robert Palmer
67 ( NEW ) YOU SURROUND ME Erasure
68 ( NEW ) FREE FALLIN’ Tom Petty
69 ( 68 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys featuring Dusty Springfield
70 ( NEW ) EMPTY SPACES Spandau Ballet

71 ( 71 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
72 ( 72 ) THE BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO The Beatles
73 ( 32 ) DRIVE ON Brother Beyond
74 ( NEW ) I’M NOT THE MAN I USED TO BE Fine Young Cannibals
75 ( NEW ) WORLD’S APART Roger Christian

At work, Lucy (who I gave lifts in to) got a job at Christchurch Council and was leaving, very much order of the day with local government changes on the way, while my brother wasn’t in a happy place, largely homeless still and in a relationship that was going nowhere. I told him to come down to Poole along with the rest of us as Mansfield has no prospects for the future. He did eventually – 9 years later.

I packed in the evening garden design course, nothing special, preferring instead to take up squash at the local leisure centre. On TV Dame Edna met Dusty, Monty Python had a 20-year anniversary, future fave Whose Line Is It Anyway was good. My niece had me up till 1am and up again at 6am, which did nothing for my mood on saturday, compounded with mum & dad having an argument while out, so I picked mum up in Poole after shopping in Southampton. Got back to find my nephew had damaged my pond, so sent him to bed (what a meany I was!) and took mum and niece out to the local shop. Sunday popped to mate Bob’s for a break from family problems.

26th November 1989

3 weeks for All Around The World at 1, but look at Madonna in at 2 with the endearingly melodic, largely strings-driven children’s song, Dear Jessie. One of her best singles, and ignored as a single in the USA bizarrely, where it remained as one of the highlights on her best 80‘s album Like A Prayer. The video is also sweet. The Beatles go top 10 with Something (for the 3rd time), and the Lambada toon hits 11. Shall I mention Boney M’s comeback 13 years on from debuting at a paltry 69? Josephine Baker, not Ma Baker this time, and not a hit…

Dusty gets a second solo top 20 entry in 1989, 21 years after sitting nicely in my first ever chart with the epic I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten. When I say “epic” I say it without a hint of hyperbole or modern over-use: I mean EPIC in the orchestral and vocal dramatic sense. Cathy Dennis and New Kids get their first top 20 entries, not for the last time. For Cathy that is. Down the bottom end, a minor Madchester act called The Stone Roses slip in with a bit of shining Fool’s Gold, far and away their best record in a career that leaves me largely bemused. I get that they were influential in mixing dance and indie rhythms in a laid-back aceeeeed way, but the songs tended to wash over me like a gentle waterfall, leaving a pleasant if forgettable feeling afterwards. Must be a generation thing…

1 ( 1 ) ALL AROUND THE WORLD Lisa Stansfield
2 ( NEW ) DEAR JESSIE Madonna
3 ( 3 ) RHYTHM NATION Janet Jackson
4 ( 8 ) TELL ME WHEN THE FEVER ENDED Electribe 101
5 ( 6 ) FOREVER BLUE Swing Out Sister
6 ( 2 ) ROOM IN YOUR HEART Living In A Box
7 ( 12 ) SOMETHING/ COME TOGETHER The Beatles
8 ( 7 ) HOUSE OF THE BLUE DANUBE Malcolm McLaren
9 ( 4 ) DON’T ASK ME WHY Eurythmics
10 ( 15 ) PACIFIC STATE State 808

11 ( 27 ) LAMBADA Kaoma
12 ( 5 ) WOMAN IN CHAINS Tears For Fears featuring Oleta Adams
13 ( 10 ) EVE OF THE WAR (DEEPSPACE MIX) Jeff Wayne featuring Justin Heyward
14 ( 29 ) IN PRIVATE Dusty Springfield
15 ( 9 ) SACRIFICE Elton John
16 ( 26 ) I DON’T KNOW WHY I LOVE YOU The House Of Love
17 ( 18 ) COMMENT TE DIRE ADIEU? Jimmy Somerville and June Miles-Kingston
18 ( 22 ) HOMELY GIRL UB40
19 ( 32 ) C’MON AND GET MY LOVE D Mob featuring Cathy Dennis
20 ( 25 ) THE RIGHT STUFF (YOU GOT IT) New Kids On The Block

21 ( 30 ) SO SORRY I SAID Liza Minelli
22 ( 16 ) SOWING THE SEEDS OF LOVE Tears For Fears
23 ( 14 ) DON’T DROP BOMBS Liza Minelli
24 ( 11 ) I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE Martika
25 ( 13 ) THE WAY TO YOUR HEART Soul Sister
26 ( 23 ) OH WELL Oh Well
27 ( 19 ) LEAVE A LIGHT ON Belinda Carlisle
28 ( 33 ) ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE Phil Collins
29 ( 20 ) THIS OLD HEART OF MINE Rod Stewart featuring Ronald Isley
30 ( 17 ) TALK IT OVER Grayson Hugh

31 ( 31 ) GOLDEN GREEN The Wonder Stuff
32 ( 34 ) DANCING ON A SATURDAY NIGHT ’89 Barry Blue
33 ( 38 ) THIS WOMAN’S WORK Kate Bush
34 ( 28 ) PUMP UP THE JAM Technotronic featuring Felly (Ya Kid K)
35 ( 40 ) ARMS OF ORION Prince and Sheena Easton
36 ( 21 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Tina Turner
37 ( 24 ) THE ROAD TO HELL (PART 2) Chris Rea
38 ( NEW ) WHATCHA GONNA DO WITH MY LOVIN’ Inner City
39 ( NEW ) RONI Bobby Brown
40 ( 46 ) GET ON YOUR FEET Gloria Estefan

41 ( 36 ) STREET TUFF Double Trouble featuring the Rebel MC
42 ( 60 ) SIGN O’ THE TIMES Simple Minds
43 ( 67 ) YOU SURROUND ME Erasure
44 ( 52 ) THE SENSUAL WORLD Kate Bush
45 ( 47 ) GRAND PIANO Mixmaster
46 ( 39 ) IF ONLY I COULD Sydney Youngblood
47 ( 74 ) I’M NOT THE MAN I USED TO BE Fine Young Cannibals
48 ( RE ) FOLLOW THAT AND SEE Barry White
49 ( 42 ) CHERISH Madonna
50 ( NEW ) CAN’T SHAKE THE FEELING Big Fun

51 ( NEW ) SIT AND WAIT Sydney Youngblood
52 ( 43 ) DON’T KNOW MUCH Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt
53 ( 35 ) THE MESSAGE IS LOVE Arthur Baker and The Backstreet Disciples featuring Al Green
54 ( 51 ) I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU Gloria Estefan
55 ( 37 ) THE SUN RISING The Beloved
56 ( 41 ) LEAN ON YOU Cliff Richard
57 ( 53 ) HEALING HANDS Elton John
58 ( 70 ) EMPTY SPACES Spandau Ballet
59 ( 45 ) RIDE ON TIME Black Box
60 ( RE ) WATERFALL ’89 Wendy And Lisa

61 ( 61 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
62 ( 62 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
63 ( 50 ) THE FAB FOUR EP (EVERYBODY’S HAPPY NOWADAYS) Buzzcocks
64 ( 63 ) SUNSHINE SUPERMAN Donovan
65 ( 44 ) IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME Cher
66 ( 59 ) I WANT THAT MAN Deborah Harry
67 ( 54 ) GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU Milli Vanilli
68 ( NEW ) FOOL’S GOLD/ WHAT THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR The Stone Roses
69 ( NEW ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO DANCE LIKE JOSEPHINE BAKER Boney M
70 ( 69 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys featuring Dusty Springfield

71 ( NEW ) BLAME IT ON THE RAIN (US REMIX) Milli Vanilli
72 ( RE ) FIGURE OF EIGHT Paul McCartney
73 ( 71 ) SUGAR SUGAR The Archies
74 ( NEW ) OUIJA BOARD OUIJA BOARD Morrissey
75 ( 55 ) WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE Billy Joel

At work, windy cold site visits to sports sites and measurements checking, had a cold, and bought my first Now Album CD (16) which was a double for £17. Mega-expensive relative to the cost of living today (and still £4 more than 2014 Now albums)!! My ponds frozen over, and my niece was misbehaving so much I put her outside for 3 seconds and shut the door after threatening for an hour to do it in a marathon battles of wills at 9.45 pm. She was asleep by 10 and has no traumatic memory of it at all these days, so I guess it was all’s well etc..!

Went to see Back To The Future II: critics say it was hard to follow the plot, but I had no problem, loved the darkness in contrast the light-heartedness of the original, and enjoyed picking holes in the time-lines plotting (old biff changes the future and then returns to a future that shouldn’t exist, nor he, as he a multi-millionaire-megalomaniac by then) so each of the alternate realities must all exist simultaneously. Which should be bad news for Jennifer stranded in the wrong future…! Loved the film anyway (especially Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd), but, and I quote: “I REFUSE to believe that inventions such as Hover-boards, airtraffic cars, unlimited ‘safe’ instant fuel etc could be invented over the next 25 years. More like 125, I’d say.” Well, so far, so right.