This week's Official UK Singles Chart
[The proper start of the dotmusic era of the column marked a significant change in format, one which the column would retain for the next eight years. Previously I'd written it like a chart show, starting at the bottom and climaxing with the Number One. My new editors wanted it in a more journalistic manner, starting at the very top].
1 BOOM BOOM BOOM (The Outhere Brothers)
A third week on top for the Outhere Brothers, fighting off strong challenges from the three records immediately below it, all of whom receive bullets. It looks as if it could be a couple of weeks before they are knocked off for good as whilst Supergrass and Diana King are looking strong, on current chart form the odds are against them having the momentum to climb to the top after two weeks in the Top 3. To only potential challenge amongst this week's Top 10 comes from Seal as "Batman Forever" fever takes a grip.
4 A GIRL LIKE YOU (Edwyn Collins)
One of the more surprising moves of the week as Edwyn Collins makes the Top 5 after a run of 4 weeks spent at either No.10 or No.9. It is surprising, not so much due to the current popularity of the song, but for the fact that its parent album Gorgeous George was released last week and enters the album chart at No.8 - circumstances which would normally conspire to kill off a single.
6 HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME, KILL ME (U2)
On the yo-yo go U2, their downward momentum clearly reduced by the release in this country last Friday (14th) of "Batman Forever" from whose soundtrack the song is taken. They climb back to the No.6 position they reached a fortnight ago.
8 KISS FROM A ROSE/I'M ALIVE (Seal)
The joint biggest climber of the week goes to Seal's year-old single as the exposure given to it by its use on the "Batman Forever" soundtrack pushes it into the Top 10. Kiss From A Rose is only his third credited Top 10 hit, following Crazy in 1991 and his re-recording of Killer in 1992 although this is notwithstanding his vocal on Adamski's original No.1 version of the song for which he did not receive a chart credit. The new interest in the single has also sparked a new rush for his current album which this week leaps 97-49 on the album chart.
9 YOU DO SOMETHING TO ME (Paul Weller)
The highest of 13 new entries on the Top 40 this week goes to Paul Weller, fast becoming one of the most consistent artists of his era having now had Top 10 hits in three different guises. What makes this all the more impressive is that each of these have been in a totally different style, from the moddish New Wave sound of the Jam, through the sophisticated sound of the Style Council and now settling for the bluesy balladeering style of his solo work. Easily the most sophisticated record on the chart this week You Do Something To Me becomes Paul Weller's second Top 10 hit of the year following The Changingman which made No.7 back in May. In all his chart guises he has racked up an impressive 18 Top 10 hits during his career. This single charts on the back of his headlining performance at the Phoenix festival this weekend, but remember any records sold as a result of his performance will register on next week's chart.
10 3 IS FAMILY (Dana Dawson)
The other joint highest climb goes to Dana Dawson with her debut UK hit, giving her Top 10 first time out - and there is still life in the single yet.
12 LOVE ENUFF (Soul II Soul)
Back in 1989 it seemed as if the entire UK dance world revolved around Jazzie B and his Soul II Soul crew. Back To Life was a No.1, the album was selling in its thousands and the Soul II Soul shuffle rhythm was heard in most of the dance records made that summer. From those dizzy heights it is a long way to fall and the hitmaking powers of the band have waned considerably since. All that looks set to change now however, with the release of Love Enuff featuring former Snap screamer Penny Ford on vocals. By crashing straight into the Top 20 it gives Soul II Soul their biggest hit since Joy reached No.4 in April 1992 and their first chart hit of any kind since Wish reached No.24 in November 1993.
14 TRY ME OUT (Corona)
The third straight hit for Corona following on from Rhythm Of The Night and Baby Baby, the first of those bucking many current trends and becoming a smash hit in America too. Unlike most production-line Italian dance, Corona singles do tend to have some song substance to them which has no doubt helped their chart performance - the first two making No.2 and No.5 respectively. Top 10 could not be out of the question for this one either.
16 WHERE IS THE FEELING? (Kylie Minogue)
Everyone was expecting, waiting for her to fall yet somehow it didn't happen. Kylie Minogue's move away from the cosy surroundings of the PWL empire and into the fold of trendy DeConstruction records has if anything helped her credibility and done no harm at all to her hit-making power, not least because she is making some of the best records of her career. Following on from Confide In Me and Put Yourself In My Place comes another Top 20 hit and another surprisingly sophisticated dance record. It maintains the incredible consistency of chart hits the Australian star has achieved since her debut in 1988 with I Should Be So Lucky. Her hit tally includes no less than 4 No.1s, 16 Top 10 hits and now 22 Top 20 hits. Her opening string of 13 Top 10 hits was the best career start by any artist ever and the only other female singer with a continuous 100% strike rate of Top 20 hits over such a long period of time is Madonna.
17 HAPPY (MN8)
MN8 surprisingly take a tumble after just one week, but they have still eclipsed the No.56 peak of Surfaces' original version of the song in 1987.
18 OLYMPIAN (Gene)
Another new band apparently getting bigger with each successive release are Gene, who reached No.32 in March with Haunted By You and now crash straight into the Top 20 with their second chart hit. It's likely to get no further but what is the betting their next hit goes Top 10?
20 BIG YELLOW TAXI (Amy Grant)
Slowly but surely, Amy Grant's hit is becoming one of those records to buck all current chart trends and gradually edge its way up the charts. After four straight weeks spent between Nos 29 and 26 the single suddenly finds second wind, climbing into the Top 20 with a bullet to give Amy Grant her second UK Top 20 hit a full 4 years after Baby Baby became her first. With radio support for the song growing all the time it could still go even further.
26 PERFECT (Lightning Seeds)
The third Top 40 hit of the year for Ian Broudie et al, riding on the back of Change which became their biggest ever hit when it reached No.13 in January. The new single is one of those quietly understated ballads which fill many of their albums, sweet and summery but sadly not quite dynamic enough to be major hit.
28 STAY (TONIGHT) (Isha-D)
Following last week's stream of dance hits making the Top 40 the pace slackens off slightly this week with Isha-Ds hit the highest of the genuinely in-from-nowhere crowd which often prop up the bottom end of the Top 40.
29 C'MON BILLY (P J Harvey)
The second hit of the year for PJ Harvey, following Down By The Water which reached No.38 back in February. Her biggest ever chart hit remains her breakthrough Top 40 hit '50 ft Queenie' which reached No.27 in May 1993.
34 WISER TIME (Black Crowes)
Their true-to-their roots style of American rock has perhaps understandably never attracted as big an audience over here as compared to across the Atlantic but that has not stopped the Black Crowes notching up the odd small hit. Wiser Time is their second Top 40 hit of the year following on from High Head Blues which reached No.25 in February, one place below the No.24 peak of Remedy in May 1992 and which remains their biggest hit to date.
35 SEAL MY FATE (Belly)
Another act making their second chart appearance of the year are Belly, who were also last seen in the Top 40 in February with Now They'll Sleep. Seal My Fate is similarly fated to a quick in-and-out performance, charting as it does on the back of their current support slot with REM around Europe.
40 RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW (Disco Citizens)
Nothing to do with the Jesus Jones song of the same name, Disco Citizens prop up the bottom end of the chart with this summery piece of largely instrumental dance. It is interesting to note that there are, even in this day and age, busy chart weeks and quiet chart weeks. This week can be considered one of the quiet ones, not that there are less new entries than normal but simply that they all chart lower down. Of this week's 12 new hits, 1 is in the Top 10, 5 are in the Top 20 and a further 5 all between Nos 40 and 34.
