This week's Official UK Singles Chart
Preamble:
Oh hell, this is late again this week. Sorry to keep you all waiting. Some strange action on the chart this week with 11 new entries, 6 new entries and 3 non-movers.
Analysis:
No. 39: NEW ENTRY. Q featuring Tracy Ackerman - Get Here
Very little is sacred these days, you should all know that by now. Latest to get the dance treatment is the Brenda Russell song, turned into a Gulf War weepie by Oleta Adams in February 1991 when she took it to No.4. Tracy Ackerman becomes the latest in a long line of anonymous sesion singers to take the limelight - however long it may last.
No. 33: NEW ENTRY. Alice In Chains - Angry Chain
Third hit in a row from the current album making a strong entry but unlikely to equal the No.20 peak of Would? which remains their biggest hit ever.
No. 30: NEW ENTRY. Barbra Streisand - With One Look
Broadway and the West End return to the charts with avengeance. With One Look is the first single from Andrew Lloyd-Webber's new musical 'Sunset Boulevard'. It's his first chart composition since Philip Schofield's version of Close Every Door from Joseph' charted at Christmas although his most recent Top 10 success came as executive producer of Dr Spin's Tetris back in October. As for Babs herself it's her first chart hit since the song from Goya, Til I Loved You charted at No.16 in November 1988. Coincidentally her last solo hit was also an Andrew-Lloyd Webber song - her version of Memory peaked at No.34 in March 1982.
No. 27: NEW ENTRY. Mica Paris - I Wanna Hold On To You
A rapid release for this second single from her latest album. Never Felt Like This was held by many to be a disappointment after her previous chart record and this fairly standard piece of Brit soul is unlikely to do any better.
No. 24: NEW ENTRY. Sade - No Ordinary Love
Technically this is a re-entry as it is an identical release with an identical track listing and catalogue number to the single which peaked at No.26 a few months ago. It's sudden reappearance is of course due to the inclusion of the song in the soundtrack of "Indecent Proposal" currently the top box office draw in the UK. Quite how this will progress is unclear, most Sade fans will already have the track on the Love Deluxe album so it will be relying on the film to sell it. The Indecent Proposal soundtrack has other hits though, even more popular than this one....
No. 22: NEW ENTRY. A-Ha - Dark Is The Night
Back in 1986 the Norwegian trio were the teen sensations of the year, notching up a string of Top 10 hits and with a No.1 in the shape of The Sun Always Shines On TV. Since then their fortunes have slipped but to their credit they have kept going, making still sophisticated pop records. It's their first Top 40 hit since Crying In The Rain in October 1990 after which the two followups became their first singles ever to miss the Top 30.
No. 19: CLIMBER. Stereo MCs - Creation
In there but only just. The 4th Top 20 in a row for the Stereo MCs, one of the few dance acts to break in America before crossing over here.
No. 18: NEW ENTRY. Haddaway - What Is Love
A high chart debut from a new soul star, caused in part by massive club support for what is undoubtedly one of the best soul releases of the year. Anyone who saw Thursday night's Top Of The Pops is bound to agree that this will shoot into the Top 10 next week.
No. 13: NEW ENTRY. Lisa Stansfield - In All The Right Places
If ever a record was born to be No.1 this has to be it. Lisa Stansfield is currently getting a reputation as queen of the soundtracks, her last hit being the No.10 Someday I'm Coming Back from the Bodyguard soundtrack. Whether or not you believe the stories about her just missing out to Demi Moore for the lead in Indecent Proposal it is undoubtedly this song that makes the film, easily Lisa's best single ever and if this fails to reach the top I am a pickled gherkin [fairly certain this one got paid off in subsequent weeks].
No. 12: NEW ENTRY. Jamiroquai - Blow Your Mind
He has a silly name an he looks silly as well [he speaks highly of me though I'm sure]. A strong debut for the second single [technically the third, second to be a hit though] from the rising soul star, to follow up the Top 10 Too Young To Die. In many ways this new single is not quite as good a song - this star still has a little way to rise.
No. 7: CLIMBER. Louchie Lou and Michie One - Shout
Still being plugged to death as 'a future No.1' by DJs across the land who would dearly love to take the credit for it. Faced with such strong competition at the moment though it would take a brave man to bet on it. Shout this week matches the 1964 peak of Lulu's original version. Lulu herself re-recorded the song in 1986 and took it to No.8, the first time an artist has had a Top 10 hit with two different versions of a song.
No. 5: NEW ENTRY. Green Jelly - Three Little Pigs
From straight out of nowhere to land in the Top 5 comes the surprise of the week. Who would have thought a tongue in cheek grunge rap retelling the old nursery tale would cross over so dramatically. Here it is though, and may well go Top 3 next week, aided in part by the clever plasticine animated video which accompanies the
track.
No. 4: CLIMBER. Spin Doctors - Two Princes
Leaping just as dramatically into the Top 10 come the Spin Doctors, almost 18 months after the track was first heard by the American public. It touches a chord with many as well. Marry him or marry me, I'm the one who loves you baby can't you see....
Top 3:
NON-MOVERS the lot of them this week. Inner Circle stay entrenched at No.3 whilst UB40 fail yet again to make the No.1 slot themselves. 'Sliver' has yet to open in the UK for another week and if it can hold up the sales may still be in with a chance, but Green Jelly, the Spin Doctors and Lisa Stansfield are coming up fast.
No. 1: THIRD WEEK. Ace Of Base - All That She Wants
The same is true here, Ace of Base holding up well, but next week may well be crucial. Incidentally, has anyone spotted Suede this week? No? Wonder why? [I forget what that was in reference to. So Young had crashed out the Top 40 after just one week, but I don't recall there being a specific reason for this. Perhaps I was just poking fun at the disproportionate level of adulation the band had at this point].
