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In the last chart of 1998, I posted my Top 50 singles of the year, pickingout the Top 10 first. During 1999, I’ll be going through the list one by onestarting with the Top 10 in alphabetical order.
This week : 13 new entries, 1 climbers, 1 non-movers & 25 downers.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…
13 new entries:
Finally the single-buying public of the UK have seen sense and decidedagainst purchasing this derivative junk in bulk.
46 Scritti Politti – Tinseltown To The Boogiedown *A very good song this, and one for the dance-music-brigade. I thought it wouldhave gone in the Top 10, but I’m very surprised to see that Green Garside’scomeback track has flopped.
22 James – I Know What I’m Here For *A different departure for James too, as they verge on dance-music territory,with a song that also sounds like something from the early 80’s given theway the vocals are used. A great promo video too so, again, I’m surprised thisone hasn’t done so well.
19 Elvis Costello – She *The newspapers were touting this as Elvis’ first ever No.1, but despite itbeing very good, I couldn’t quite see the teeny-boppers buying it in bulk.
This cover of the Charles Aznavour classic is taken from Hugh Grant’s bigblockbuster, Notting Hill, in which he falls in love with big-mouthed,hairy-armpitted Julia Roberts. For what it’s worth, a special edition DVD isplanned for November in this country.
15 Pet Shop Boys – I Don’t Know What You Want But I Can’t Give It Any More * !!!No.’s 4, 19 and 22 were all possible contenders for single-of-the-week thisweek, but it wasn’t to be as the Pet Shop Boys should always win that accolade.
With one of the longest song titles ever written, this is another classic sliceof PSB which will be loved by all their fans, including me, but largelyignored by everyone else.
10 Madness – LovestruckThe first track from Madness in an age probably comes because the solo careersof all the band have come to little or nothing, with only Suggs making anappearance a few years ago in the singles chart and as regular presenter onChannel 5’s cheesy karaoke show.
It was in the early 80’s when they made regular appearances in the Top 10,but then disbanded and some of them became The Madness later on with the flop,”I Pronounce You”.
Quite why “Lovestruck” should sell so well is a mystery because it’s ratherdull and just about the weakest thing that the ‘Nutty’ boys have ever made.Still, let’s see what they come up with next to pay the bills.
4 DJ Jurgen presents Alice Deejay – Better off Alone *This is one of those dance tunes, like ATB’s “9pm (Till I Come)”, which focusesmore on the tune than the lyrics and also a tune that I’ve heard many-a-timewithout knowing who it was, but then telling me wouldn’t have made much impactanyway.
A combination of a dance beat, minimal lyrics and a tune that sounds like acar alarm on the fritz and you’re all set for a Top 5 hit.
1 Ricky Martin – Livin’ La Vida Loca *3rd Week at No.1*Energetic Latino music and the sort of thing that sells a lot of records insummer, and in the past week it’s really grown on me. The reason? It soundsexactly like the sort of thing Wax were doing around 12 years ago with their”American English” album. Anyone not familiar with Wax should note that they,Andrew Gold and Graham Gouldman, made up half of 10CC.
He’s being sold over here as the next Big Thing to hit the UK, but if that’s thecase then why did he disappear off the face of the planet after his previous(and before this single, only) single, “Un, Dos, Tres, Maria” made No.6 inSeptember 97. Why couldn’t his record company have spared us the pain?
This is the 20th single to go straight in at No.1.
If anyone knows of a good site for new release info, please let me know
July 19th :Basement Jaxx Rendez-VuBrown, Jennifer AliveClock Sunshine DayEminem Guilty ConscienceGrooves, Scott/Parliament Mothership ReconnectionJames TBCKeating, Ronan When You Say Nothing At AllMartin, Billy Ray HoneyMasters At Work & India To Be In LoveMorisson, Mark My Best FriendPet Shop Boys I Don’t Know What You WantPlanet Perfecto Feat Not Over Yet ’99Richard, Cliff The MiracleSmash Mouth All StarTyrese Nobody Else July 26th :Animal House Animal House EPCostello, Elvis SheDe-Ryus Grass Aint GreenerDope Smugglaz Double Double DutchSpace Raiders (I Need The) Disko Doktor 2nd August :All Seeing I 1st Man In SpaceBlackstreet Think About YouBrand New Heavies Saturday NightMonica Angel Of MineWestlife If I Let You Go 9th August :Salt N Pepa Gitty Up 16th August :La’s, The There She GoesThis week there are new entries for
If anyone knows of a good site for new release info, please let me know
Other forthcoming releases JULY :- [tba] – Aqua (Universal)
[tba] – No Doubt (Interscope)
- [tba] – Johnson Brothers (WEA)
[tba] – Tom Jones (Gut)
- [tba] – Mary Jane Lamond (Wicklow/BMG Classics)
[tba] – Bill Laswell (Wicklow/BMG Classics)
[tba] – Laurel MacDonald (Wicklow/BMG Classics)
[tba] – Varttina (Wicklow/BMG Classics)
- [tba] – Metallica w/San Francisco Symphony Orch. (Vertigo/Mercury)
[tba] – Oasis (Creation)
[tba] – Radiohead (Parlophone)
[tba] – U2 (Island)
Dominator’s Top 50 of 1998
31. Kenickie: Stay In The SunTaken from their last album before splitting up, Get In (No.32, Sept 98),this single missed the charts making No.43 in August last year, but it’san energetic track which summed up the summer perfectly. Just a shame thatthe single-buying public didn’t take it in.
Also charting last year was “I Would Fix You” which made No.36 in June.
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
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.