1. Michael Hutchence funeral

In the last chart of 1996, I posted my Top 50 singles of the year, picking out the Top 10 first. During 1997, I’ll be going through the list one by one. I’ve finished the Top 10, and have now moved onto the rest.

This week : 16 new entries, 1 climber, 1 non-mover & 22 downers

It’s goodbye to :

And hello to :

CHART TIME !

(* – my current favourites)
(!!! – Single Of The Week!!!)
(:O === the current all-time hate that makes even my smilie want to hurl!)
( (R) – Repeat., ie. a re-release)

A brief analysis on the current chart situation…

16 new entries this week, 1 climber (Elton John from 11 to 10, 1 non-mover forPerfect Day, and 22 going down.

Big fallers include Aaron Carter (9 to 19), Prodigy (8 to 20),Shola Ama (13 to 29) and Robert Miles (15 to 35).

POP NEWS

1. Michael Hutchence funeral

The funeral of INXS lead singer Michael Hutchene was held on Thursday27th November, and among the mouners were Tom Jones and Kylie Minogue.

One surprise at the funeral was a madman at the top of the church who put arope around his neck and was just about to jump, shouting “This is how he didit Paula, this is how Michael died”, but was pulled to safety first.

2. Gary Glitter 10-day Xmas tour

After last week’s allegations of being arrested over ownership of childpornography, a number of people have demanded a refund on their tickets forhis Xmas tour.

3. Spice Girls – again!

Saturday 29th November saw their dire “An Audience With…” TV show, andthe next day at the Smash Hits Poll Winners Party they won best group, butGeri (Ginger Spice) won worst-dressed person and least-fanciable female.

And today Mel C said she wasn’t bothered if their current album doesn’t sellas well because they liked it themselves anyway. Bad choice of words methinks.

Of this week’s highlights and lowlights…

39 Sleeper – Romeo Me *

Follow-up to last month’s “She’s a Good Girl” which made No.28 in the firstweek of October before dropping out.

This month the latest single does even worse, unfortunately, despite (orbecause of) guest guitarist talents from BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenterZoe Ball.

34 Boyz II Men – A Song For Mama

Boyz II Men surprisingly score the lowest hit of their career, following uptheir No.10 hit, “4 Seasons of Loneliness” in September.

33 M-People – Fantasy Island :O ===

And similarly, M-People score one of their lowest hits ever, following up theNo.8 position of “Just For You” from last month, with this record, but it’sjust as dire as all of them.

31 Huff & Herb – Feeling Good :O ===

Nina Simone‘s classic track, “Feeling Good”, was never a hit until 1994 whenit made No.40, but this version is dreadful. It’s been ruined by a dance beatwhich doesn’t go at all with the song!

28 Meredith Brooks – I Need :O ===

Dreadful follow-up to the dreadful debut “Bitch”. If she’s going to copyAlanis Morrissette, why doesn’t she just own up to it? She denied it wheninterviewed on the Big Breakfast last week, and came up with some bizarrespiritual crap in reply to certain questions. She’s not a well woman.

And why can she say “Bitch” on TV when the Prodigy can’t?

27 Super Furry Animals – Demons *

Another single, another hit for the Super Furry Animals. Fantastic.

20 (8) Prodigy – Smack My Bitch Up

Never ones to shy away from the family market, The Prodigy release theirfirst single from their July-released album, “The Fat of the Land”.

I’ve now heard it and it’s rather good, but I don’t see how it’s meant tobe an anti-violence track with an endless lyric like, “Change the picture,Smack my bitch up”, although the video (which I saw on Sky One’s Long Playnight-time video section) has an interesting twist at the end so perhaps thathas something to do with it, but most disenters won’t see past that as theywon’t give it that much time.

14 Kylie Minogue – Did It Again *

Follow-up to the No.22 position of the excellent “Some Kind of Bliss” twomonths ago, and has a bizarre video featuring four different brands of Kyliewhich she reckons she’s gone through over the last ten years since she startedmaking records, this latest effort being more rocky than usual.

Kylie was also one of the mourners at Michael Hutchence‘s funeral on Thursday.

11 Gala – Let A Boy Cry

Haven’t heard it yet, but I don’t really want to, and anyway, what was allthat “Freed from desire. Modern senses purified.” shit all about?

7 Verve – Lucky Man * !!!

Third single from the “Urban Hymns” album, and another classic tune, butthe video wasn’t shown on the Chart Show. Apparently, according to theprogramme, the band and their manager would only let them play it if theyredesigned the whole show around the band. I wonder if that’s true.

2 Boyzone – Baby Can I Hold You/Shooting Star

Another single, another smash hit for Boyzone, another cover version! Why?“Baby Can I Hold You” is a cover of the 1989 Tracy Chapman song taken fromher eponymous debut album.

1 Various – Perfect Day *2nd Week at No.1*

About 4 months ago a promotional video plugging the BBC began to appearregularly featuring many different artists singing Lou Reed‘s “Perfect Day”including David Bowie, Bono, Morcheeba, Gabrielle and Lou himself, in a bidto prove that the BBC covers every element of music in their broadcasting,although clearly heavy metal isn’t among them…

Closer to November we found that the track was to be used as this year’sChildren In Need single, and as such sold 200,000 copies in first week,kicking Aqua off the top slot, and damning all chance Natalie Imbruglia everhad of making No.1 with her first single.

New releases :

(* – my current favourites)

November 24th :

A BRAND NEW DAY…………………Adventures In Stereo (Creeping Bent) SOMETIME LATER…………………………………..Alpha (Melakolic) MY DESIRE [rm]…………………………………………Amira (VC) FUNK MUSIC…………………………………….Dave Angel (Island) CARRERA RAPIDA (THEME FROM RAPID RACER)…………………………… …………………………….Apollo Four Forty (Stealth Sonic/Epic) ATMOSFEAR VS. IDJUT BOYS EP: DEEP BASE 9………..Atmosfear (Disorient) IF EVERYONE I EVER LOVED LEFT ME…….The Bigger The God (Shifty Disco) BIZZI’S PARTY………………………Bizzi (Rhythm Series/Parlophone) THE JOHN PEEL SESSION EP [ri]: HANDYMAN / THE MAN WHO WAS TOO LOUD / THE JACQUES TATI / SISTER ISOBEL…………………………………….. ………………………Frank Black & Teenage Fanclub (Strange Fruit) A SONG FOR MAMA / CAN’T LET HER GO………………Boyz II Men (Motown) BABY CAN I HOLD YOU (TONIGHT) / SHOOTING STAR……….Boyzone (Polydor) JUST SHOW ME HOW TO LOVE YOU………………………Sarah Brightman & ……………The London Symphony Orchestra feat. Jose Cura (Coalition) I NEED (REMIX)……………………………Meredith Brooks (Capitol) THE DELICIOUS EP: DELICIOUS / FUTURE BOY / JUDY STARING AT THE SUN / HEAL……………………………….The Catherine Wheel (Chrysalis) SHOW ME HEAVEN [rm]……………………………..Chimera (Neoteric) ANTHEM FOR THE CHILDREN………………..Christrian & The Choir (Iona) VERSUS THE 90’S……………..Coco & The Bean (Mantra/Beggars Banquet) SOME OTHER SUCKER’S PARADE…………………………Del Amitri (A&M) THE BRIGHT LIGHT……………………………….Tanya Donelly (4AD) THE THEME……………………..Dreem Teem (4 Liberty/Deconstruction) FIVE STEPS / WHATEVER YOU NEED………….Dru Hill (Island Black Music) ONLY IF ………………………………………………Enya (WEA) FIELD OF DREAMS…………………………..Force & Styles (UK Dance) PACIFIC SUN………………………………Force & Styles (UK Dance) LET A BOY CRY……………………………………..Gala (Big Life) THE GROOVE……………….Global Communication & VCF Band (Dedicated) AFTERLIFE……………………………………Global Goon (Rephlex) THE NIGHT THE EARTH CRIED……………….The Gravediggaz (Gee Street) MONSTER CA$H…………………………..Eric ‘Monster’ Hall (Satril) FEELING GOOD………Huff & Herb feat. Nina Simone (Killer Bee/Planet 3) THE RETRURN OF THE SON OF THE LOST SLOPPY EP………………………. ………………………………Invisible Pair Of Hands (Cup Of Tea) HIGH TIMES……………………………………Jamiroquai (Sony S2) ANGELS & LOVERS………………………………..Howard Jones (Dtox) ANOTHER DAY……………………………Buckshot LeFonque (Columbia) LIFE’S SO SLOW…………………………………..Lower (Coalition) MY DESIRE…………………………………………..Moke (Dorado) EMBRYO………………………………..Moreau’s Island (Pet Sounds) SUNSHINE…………………………..Dr. Motte & Westbam (Low Spirit) FANTASY ISLAND……………………………..M People (M People/BMG) LET IT RAIN……………………………….Nana (Urban/ffrr-London) I DIE, YOU DIE / CARS…………….Gary Numan (Random/Beggars Banquet) THIS IS A REBEL SONG……………………..Sinead O’Connor (Columbia) KEEP YOUR LUV………………………….Partizan (Kartoonz/Multiply) HIGH EXPLOSIVE FLY……………………………….Petrol 3 (Copper) STUKA…………………………………….Primal Scream (Creation) NO-ONE BUT YOU (ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG)…………..Queen (Parlophone) KILLER……………………………………………..Rare (Arctic) SIMPLE THINGS……………………………The Saw Doctors (Shamtown) I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU…………………………..Sex-O-Sonique (ffrr) SOOTHE ME TO MY SOUL………………………….Vanessa Simon (Congo) ROMEO ME……………………………………Sleeper (Indolent/RCA) AGUAS DE MARCO (JOGA BOSSA)……………………….Smoke City (Jive) FORGIVEN (I FEEL YOUR LOVE)……………The Space Brothers (Manifesto) DON’T CRY FOR ME…………………..Lisa Stansfield (Big Life/Arista) ELEPHANT RIDE……………………State Of Bengal (One Little Indian) DEMONS………………………………Super Furry Animals (Creation) I WANT HER…………………………………..Keith Sweat (Elektra) DIANA, QUEEN OF HEARTS……………….Tayside Police (Tayside Police) GRADUATE…………………………………Third Eye Blind (Elektra) EYEWAY SOUTH [rm]…………………..Transglobal Underground (Nation) LUCKY MAN…………………………………………The Verve (Hut) MERMAIDS……………………………..Paul Weller (Go!Discs/Island) PRESENTS MORE SMASHING PARTY TUNES……………….Wubbel-U (Indolent) LITTLE HONDA…………………………………Yo La Tengo (Matador)

December 1st :

BACHELORETTE……………………………..Bjork (One Little Indian) MONEY CAN’T BUY ME LOVE……………Blackstreet (Interscope/Universal) BUTTERFLY / FLY AWAY / THE ROOF………………Mariah Carey (Columbia) THE PRIVATE PSYCHEDELIC REEL…………………………………….. ………………………The Chemical Brothers (Freestyle Dust/Virgin) I NEVER LOVED YOU ANYWAY……………….The Corrs (143/Lava/Atlantic) TOMORROW NEVER DIES (UNTIL THAT DAY)……………….Sheryl Crow (A&M) CHINESE BURN…………………………………….Curve (Universal) [tba]………………………………………Eternal (1st Ave./EMI) SLAM DUNK (DA FUNK)…………………………………….Five (RCA) MAHOGANY ROOTS [rm]………………………………Hardfloor (Eye-Q) I WANNA BE YOUR LADY / MY EYES………………….Hinda Hicks (Island) TOGETHER AGAIN………………………………Janet Jackson (Virgin) WHAT YOU SAY………………………………..Lightning Seeds (Epic) PERSONAL TOUCH………………………………………..Naomi (Gut) BEST BIT…………………………………….Beth Orton (Heavenly) ON MY OWN [ri]……………………………………….Peach (Mute) MATHAR………………………………..The Dave Pike Set (Outcaste) HISTORY REPEATING….Propellerheads feat. Shirley Bassey (Wall Of Sound) DANGEROUS…………………………..Busta Rhymes (Violator/Elektra) YOU CAN TALK TO ME…………………………..The Seahorses (Geffen) THIS TOWN AIN’T BIG ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US…………………………. ……………………………..Sparks vs. Faith No More (Roadrunner) DEMONOID…………………………….Techno Animal (City Slang/EfA) TELETUBBIES SAY EH-OH……………………Teletubbies (BBC Worldwide) IF GOD WILL SEND HIS ANGELS / MOFO [rm]………………….U2 (Island) ANGLES…………………………………Robbie Williams (Chrysalis)

December 8th :

BACK TO YOU……………………………………..Bryan Adams (A&M) SHELTER……………………………….The Brand New Heavies (ffrr) DOCTRAIN…………………………………….The Levellers (China) BEAUTIFUL NIGHT…………………………Paul McCartney (Parlophone) WALKING ON THE MOON [rm] / ROXANNE ’97……….The Police & Sting (A&M) ODE TO TODAY…………………………………………..Snug (WEA) TOO MUCH……………………………………..Spice Girls (Virgin)

December 29th :

AMNESIA…………………………………………Chumbawamba (EMI) DON’T DIE JUST YET [rm]………………………David Holmes (Go.Beat) FEEL SO GOOD………………………………………..Mase (Arista)

January 5th :

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT……………..Peter Andre feat. Coolio (Mushroom) ADVENTURES IN FREESTYLE (REVENGE OF THE B-BOY) EP: B-BOY STANCE / FEEL DA PANIC / BREAKER BEATS……………………Freestylers (Freskanova)

January 12th :

MY STAR…………………………………………….Ian Brown (-) LOSING MY HEROES……………………..Foo Fighters (Roswell/Capitol)

January 26th :

ROCK…………………………………………..Utah Saints (Echo)

February 2nd :

KEEP THAT DREAM………………………………………..Akin (WEA)

February 23rd :

BIG MISTAKE………………………………..Natalie Imbruglia (RCA)

Other forthcoming releases

DECEMBER :

SPACE MARCH / JAMES BOND THEME…………………………David Arnold …………………………………Leftfield / LTJ Bukem (East West) BAMBOOGIE…………………………………………….Bamboo (VC) BASS ODDITY……………………………………….Bass Oddity (-) [tba]……………………………..The Beta Band (Regal/Parlophone) DANCE………………………………..Black Magic (Strictly Rhythm) CALL ME……………………..Blackstreet feat. Jay-Z (LaFace/Arista) DEATH OF A PARTY…………………………….Blur (Food/Parlophone) LET ME SHOW YOU……………………………………….Camisra (-) CASTRO EP……………………………………….Castro (Handmade) I AM IN LOVE WITH THE WORLD………..Chicken Shed Theatre Company (RCA) EVERYBODY…………………………..Continental Trash (Continental) BEST LOVE……………………………….The Course (Brothers Org.) RAIDERS…………………………………..Lara Croft (Dance Naked) WOMAN IN LOVE FUNNY GIRL / RIGHT BESIDE YOU…….Suzanne Dee (Energise) COSMIC FUNK………………………………….Joey Ducane (Montana) DAMN I WANNA BE YOUR LOVER……………………..En Vogue (East West) NO RESOLVE…………………………………………..Fade (Limbo) SMOKIN’ ME OUT……………………………Warren G (DefJam/Mercury) BE STRONG [rm]………………………………Rosie Gaines (Pop Top) ALL NIGHT LONG…………………………………….Gant (Positiva) HELL’S PARTY………………………………………Glam (Babushka) [tba]…………………………………….Goldie (Metalheadz/ffrr) BELO HORIZONTI [rm]……………………………..The Heartists (VC) DOWN THE RIVER………………………………Hong Kong Trash (Glow) [tba]……………………………………..James (Fontana/Mercury) GET UP / WARNING…………………………………J.J. (Stoney Boy) I’M A DISCO DANCER……………………..Christopher Just (Slut Trax) EVERYTHING CHANGES………………………………..Kapta (Freeflow) EXPAND THE ROOM……………………………………The Light (AAA) HIGH………………………….Lighthouse Family (Wild Card/Polydor) VERTIGO…………………………………………….Loki (Loaded) STAND UP [rm]…………………………………..Love Tribe (AM:PM) JUS MEE & U……………………………….Luniz (Noo Trybe/Virgin) DRUGLORD SUPERSTAR……………………..MC Lyte (East West/Atlantic) ALANE…………………………………………..Was Madiko (Epic) IS IT REAL?……………………………………Marsha (Diesel/WEA) REACH FOR MY HEART………………………..Massif (Koch Dance Force) DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER……………….Miss B feat. Maxine Berry (Klone) HORNY / BAD BOY…………………………..Mousse T (Peppermint Jam) MUSICA………………………………………Mu-Tron (Global Beat) WHEN I DIE / MEGAMIX MEDLEY……………………….No Mercy (Arista) ALL ROUND THE WORLD……………………………….Oasis (Creation) BEING WITH YOU………………………………..Obsession (Almighty) ALL MY TIME.Paid & Live feat. Lauryn Hill & Robert Kool Bell (One World) BOILER……………………………………………..Pob (Seismic) WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD…..Iggy Pop (Wall Of Sound/East West) THIS IS MY LIFE……………………….Queen Nadine (Academy Street) [tba]…………………………………………Jimmy Ray (Sony S2) LIFT ME UP……………………………Red 5 (House Nation/Multiply) SO GOOD……………………………..Juliet Roberts (Delirious/RCA) THE ART WORKS EP: LIFESIGNS / PROTOTYPE / CONTROLLING………………. …………………………………………Rodd-Y-Ler (Blue Banana) LOVE, LOVE, LOVE [rm]…………………..Rollo Goes Mystic (Champion) JUST CRUISIN’………………………………..Will Smith (Columbia) DREAMS…………………………Smokin’ Beats feat. Lyn Eden (AM:PM) I REFUSE (WHAT YOU WANT)…………………………Somore (Locked On) STIK TO YOU……………………..Stik Head & The Stikems (Magnetise) COVER ME………………………………………Sunscreem (Pulse-8) UPSIDE DOWN…………………………………..Annette Taylor (ZYX) NEVER GIVE UP…………………………………………….TBA (-) HERE I COME…………………………………….Thriller U (Adept) 14 HOURS TO SAVE THE EARTH…………Tomski (Firefly/Extravaganza/Edel) I FEEL LOVE……………………………………..Vanessa-Mae (EMI) DO WHAT YOU LIKE / OVERDOSE…………………….Pete Wardman (Shift) EVERYTHING SHE WANTS ’97………………………………Wham! (Epic)

JANUARY :

UNDER THE BRIDGE……………………………….All Saints (London) A PESSIMIST IS NEVER DISAPPOINTED………The Audience (eLLeFFe/Mercury) MARBLES………………………………….Black Grape (Radioactive) THAT’S THE WAY I LIKE IT………..Clock (Power Station/Media/Universal) HIDEAWAY [rm]………………….De’Lacy (Slip’n’Slide/Deconstruction) [tba]………………………………Faith Evans (Puff Daddy/Arista) MASQUERADE…………………………………………The Fall (Jet) [tba]……………………………………..Photek (Science/Virgin) SOME DAY……………………………………..Roachford (Columbia) [tba]……………………………………………The Smiles (A&M) FREE [rm]……………………………..Ultra Nate (Strictly Rhythm) WOMBLING SONG……………………………………..The Wombles (-)

FEBRUARY :

[tba]………………………….The Bluetones (Superior Quality/A&M) [tba]…………………………………………Mansun (Parlophone) BE MY LOVER…………………………………………..Naomi (Gut) SAY WHAT YOU WANT [rr]……………………………..Texas (Mercury)

MARCH :

NAKED WITHOUT YOU……………………………..Roachford (Columbia)

Top 40 ALBUM chart analysis :

This week’s there’s new entries in the Top 10 for Wham (If You Were There: TheBest Of, 4) and Natalie Imbruglia (Left Of The Middle, 5), while the Top3 albums stay the same (Celine Dion at 1, followed by Spice Girls and Verve).Meanwhile Hot Chocolate climb back into the Top 10 (Greatest Hits, from 19 to10).

Elsewhere there are new entries for All Saints (All Saints, 12), andConner Reeves (Earthbound, 25).

Dominator’s Top 50 of 1997

49. Underworld – Born Slippy

In July last year this classic dance tune made No.2, and was used as theend theme to the hit film, Trainspotting, starring Ewan McGregor. I didn’tlike it at all at first, but it grew on me sometime this year and given thechance I’d make it one of my Top 10 songs of the year.

There’s a review of Trainspotting – The Green Edition on video onthe Video Reviews page.

and this set of lyrics was taken from :http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~tremblay/uw.html

drive boy dog boy dirty numb angel boy in the doorway boy she was alipstick boy she was a beautiful boy and tears boy and all in yourinnerspace boy you had hands girl boy and steel boy you had chemicals boyive grown so close to you boy and you just groan boy shesaid comeover comeover she smiled at you boy. let your feelings slip boybut never your mask boy random blonde bio high densityrhythm blonde boy blonde country blonde high density you are my drug boyyoure real boy speak to me and boy dog dirty numbcracking boy you get wet boy big big time boy acid bear boy babes andbabes and babes and babes and babes and rememberingnothing boy. you like my tin horn boy and get wet like an angel. derail.you got a velvet mouth youre so succulent and beautifulshimmering and dirty wonderful and hot times on your telephone line andgod and everything on your telephone and in walk an angel. andlook at me your mom squatting pissed in a tube hole at tottenham courtroad i just come out of the ship talking to the most blonde i evermet. shouting lager lager lager lager shouting lager lager lager lagershouting lager lager lager shouting mega mega white thing megamega white thing mega mega white thing mega mega shouting lager lagerlager lager mega mega white thing mega mega white thing somany things to see and do in the tube hole true blonde going back toromford mega mega mega going back to romford hi mom are youhaving fun and now are you on your way to a new tension headache.

The end bit :

Well, that’s it for now. If you want to be added to the WidescreenVideo and Laserdisc lists, just mail me atCharts Request to tell me.

Bye for now,

Dominator