This week's Official UK Singles Chart
Preamble
Another moderate week for the chart this, a sense of anticipation overcoming it as the festive season creeps ever closer. That does not stop there being some interesting action though, 13 new entries, 6 climbers and 3 non-movers.
Analysis
No. 40: NEW ENTRY. Blast featuring VDC - Princes Of The Night
Straight into the action this week with the second dance hit of the year for Blast. Along with vocalist VDC they have already notched up one Top 30 hit in the shape of Crayzy Man which made No.22 back in June. The low entry of this one though means it is unlikely to equal that feat.
No. 37: NEW ENTRY. House Of Pain - It Ain't A Crime
They are about as Irish as I am Australian but that has not stopped House of Pain from notching up what is now an extremely creditable string of hits. This is their second hit of the year, following in the No.19 peak of On Point back in July. Aside from that this single has little else to comment about, save for the fact it is based around the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Under The Bridge which belatedly became a British hit earlier this year.
No. 35: NEW ENTRY. Moist - Push
Two entries in a row for a couple of rising bands, subject of recent coverage in the inky music press, which has finally come to fruition with thier first Top 40 hits.
No. 33: NEW ENTRY. Shed Seven - Ocean Pie
The third hit of the year for Shed Seven, yet to make a major chart impact. Their first two hits were Dolphin and Speakeasy which made No.28 and No.24 respectively.
No. 30: NEW ENTRY. Celine Dion - Think Twice
Despite a Top Ten smash with The Power Of Love earlier this year, Celine Dion still has had trouble gaining a foothold in this country. All her solo singles had flopped before her February cover of the Jennifer Rush classic. Her followup made an ignominious exit: Misled could only make No.40 in April and now it is the turn of this single, again with little really to make it stand out. No.30 could be as far as she gets with this one. [With a crushing blow of irony I here write off the chart chances of Celine Dion's second biggest hit ever, her first ever Number One single even if it would not be until mid-January 1995 that it finally climbed there].
No. 28: NEW ENTRY. Chris Rea - You Can Go Your Own Way
Riding high in the album charts at the moment with yet another collection of Greatest Hits, Chris Rea promotes that album with a single release. It's one of his more rockier hits, in far contrast to the pretty MOR ballads he began his career with back in 1978. In 16 years of hitmaking he has only ever had one Top 10 hit - The Road To Hell back in 1989. This is his first Top 40 hit since Julia made No.18 in October last year.
No. 24: NEW ENTRY. Saw Doctors - Small Bit Of Love
Ah, speaking of Irish, here is the real thing. Irish folk group The Saw Doctors have been around for years, plying their trade on the live circuit and releasing records to modest commercial success. Now they experience their first ever Top 40 hit single with a jaunty track, completely uncommercial but a breath of fresh air nonetheless. The band attempt to be as traditional as possible, living modest lives as modest people although this image took a slight knock last year when their keyboard player won a small fortune on the Irish national lottery.
No. 21: NEW ENTRY. Donna Summer - Melody Of Love (Wanna Be Loved)
Most of the top end of the album chart is swamped with Greatest Hits collections ready for Christmas and soon another will join them with the release of a new collection from the undisputed Queen of disco. To promote that collection she releases a new single and in the process scores her first chart hit for three years. Her commercial success has come in peaks and troughs over the years, her last big chart renaissance being in 1989 when a teaming up with Stock Aitken and Waterman brought her into the Top 10 for the eighth time in her career with This Time I Know Its For Real. This rather anodyne piece of disco is her first Top 40 hit since the singles from that album.
No. 19: NEW ENTRY. Salt N' Pepa - None Of Your Business
Another act who come in peaks and troughs are Salt N Pepa, currently enjoying a revival with their third Top 20 hit of the year, following in the footsteps of Shoop and Whatta Man.
No. 15: NEW ENTRY. REM - Bang and Blame
Hype hype and hype again was the tale earlier this Autumn with the release of the new REM album. Strangely enough both single and album followed the same chart path, a high entry before rocketing to the depths. Therefore we have a second single to tempt us into buying Monster. Bang And Blame is one of a couple of tracks from the new album which cause a few raised eyebrows owing to their distinct similarity to previous REM classics. Their fans would argue you can never have too much of a good thing but further progress for this hit is unlikely.
No. 14: NEW ENTRY. Beautiful South - One Last Love Song
This mob are set for a collection of Greatest Hits too, which gives one cause to look back and note that they have indeed over the past five years brought a seemingly effortless string of tracks into the charts. The offshoot from the Housemartins are probably best known for their 1990 No.1 hit 'A Little Time' but have also had several hits this year, Good As Gold and their cover in the summer of Nilsson's Everybody's Talking. Their new hit is one of those records which takes your breath away, a heartbreaking country-tinged ballad to rank alongside all their greatest hits. Whether this builds on this initial entry is open to question but if there was ever a record which should, nay deserved to be a smash, this is it.
No. 12: NEW ENTRY. Warren G - This DJ
Nate Dogg, it appears has slipped into the background for the moment so Warren G gets sole billing on this, the followup to Regulate which first peaked at No.8 in July but subsequently hung around the Top 10 for the rest of the summer which has earned it a place amongst the bestsellers of the year. The new hit is in reality nothing as original or catchy as that first hit and whilst it may build on this entry to scrape a Top 10 placing next week another massive sale is perhaps slightly out of the question.
No. 11: CLIMBER. Tom Jones - If I Only Knew
By far the most dazzling and inspired Tom Jones single in ages and it makes a strong climb to give the veteran (54 year old!) singer his biggest hit since his version of Prince's Kiss made No.5 in October 1988.
No. 7: CLIMBER. Real McCoy - Another Night
This piece of Euro dance has been a hit all over the continent and now becomes a Top 10 hit here. It stands out in many ways owing to the strange billing the act has. Rather than crediting the rapper with a 'featuring' tag, he actually takes precedence over the production team themselves, the record being listed as by '(MC Sar &) The Real McCoy'. One can only speculate as to what bizarre contractual arrangements brought that about... [Wikipedia now tells all].
No. 4: CLIMBER. Eternal - Oh Baby I
Eternal climb strongly and illustrate the point that it doesn't matter how many albums you have sold these days, a strong song will always shine through, especially if it appeals outside your usual audience. The fifth hit from the album and it has become one of their biggest ever, for the moment matching the peak of their debut Stay.
No. 1: THIRD WEEK. Pato Banton - Baby Come Back
Plenty of movement beneath him in the Top 10 but for the moment nothing challenges Pato Banton as he and Bon Jovi lock horns at the top end of the charts. His days at the top are clearly numbered but the book is wide open as to what will ultimately overtake him.
