06 February 2020

Week commencing 6 February 1989

These days, it's not that unusual for album tracks to chart if they're from a new album released by a popular artist.  Back in late 80s, the charts were the exclusive domain of proper singles, with the occasional EP or double A-side.  Flop singles that weren't later re-released in the hope of becoming hits the second time around would sometimes get a second lease of life by being recycled as B-sides for later singles.  One such track debuts in the top 150 this week.

Sinéad O'Connor had to make do with modest chart peaks before conquering the world in 1990.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 115 "World to Me" by Huey Lewis & The News
Peak: number 113
Peak date: 13 February 1989
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Chart run: 115-113-116-134-127-134-127
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

The third consecutive single release by Huey Lewis & The News to contain the word "world" in its title, 'World to Me' followed the number 22-peaking "Perfect World", and "Small World", which failed to chart at all in Australia.  I suspect that the latter probably bubbled under, if the chart had gone further than number 100.  All three tracks are lifted from the group's fifth studio album Small World (number 21, October 1988).

Internationally, "World to Me" peaked at number 92 (number 84 on the compressed chart) in the UK in December 1988.

In Australia, "World to Me" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 70 on the state chart.

We will next see Huey Lewis & The News in 1991.


Number 131 "Quit This Joint" by Martin Kaye
Peak: number 131
Peak date: 6 February 1989
Weeks in top 150: 1 week 
Top 150 chart run: 131

When I wrote this post, the video embedded below (which isn't a music video or live performance) had received just 19 views on YouTube since its upload in September 2017.  From that, I can conclude that Martin was Australian, not widely known, and not remembered too well.  He doesn't even have a page on discogs.com.  Googling "martin kaye" "quit this joint" yields a grand total of three search results.  I assume that this post will become the fourth!


Number 139 "Want My Love" by Jabulani
Peak: number 104
Peak date: 20 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks 
Top 150 chart run: 139-145-120-130-128-116-104-109-114

Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about this one, as it's not on YouTube, and I can't find it anywhere to listen to online.  I can post the single sleeve, though, which I have done below.  They may be a South African group.


Number 142 "Talk to Your Daughter" by Robben Ford
Peak: number 108
Peak date: 27 February 1989
Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks 
Top 150 chart run: 142-135-(out for 1 week)-108-110-121-115-115-134-130

I was expecting this to be a female artist, going by the name.  The sleeve below and higher-register-for-a-man voice didn't make it clearer to me, but Wikipedia tells me that Robben is indeed a man.  It also tells me that he has collaborated with lots of big, important artists - everyone from George Harrison, to Joni Mitchell, and even Rick Springfield and Kiss!  This track is from Robben's Talk to Your Daughter (number 79, January 1989) album.



Number 145 "Walk on Water" by Eddie Money
Peak: number 126
Peak date: 20 February 1989
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Chart run: 154-145-144-126-127-137-131-136-129
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

The recently-departed Eddie Money didn't have a whole lot of chart success in Australia, with 1978's "Baby Hold On" (number 19, August 1978) being his only top 40 hit.  The closest he came again was in 1986 with "Take Me Home Tonight" (number 46, November 1986).

Internationally, "Walk on Water" peaked at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1988, number 10 in Canada, and number 157 (number 128 on the compressed chart) in the UK in January 1989.

Locally, "Walk on Water" was much more popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it peaked at number 32 on the state chart, than elsewhere.  The single peaked outside the top 100 on the other four state charts.

Eddie would be back with another top 150 'hit' next year.



Number 148 "Jump in the River" by Sinéad O'Connor
Peak: number 134
Peak date: 10 April 1989
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 148-(out for 6 weeks)-143-141-134-139-142-135
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

Sinéad had her first taste of Oz chart success in 1988 with "Mandinka", but follow-up single "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" failed to chart.  Released locally on 12 December 1988, 'Jump in the River' didn't appear on the first chart that extended beyond number 150, last week.  Sinéad was quite prolific with side-projects such as soundtracks and duets during this era, and this track was lifted from the Married to the Mob soundtrack - coincidentally, the same album from which the Debbie Harry track that debuted last week was taken.  "Jump in the River" was included on Sinéad's second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (number 1, March 1990), over a year later.  'Jump in the River' was also used as the B-side for her 1990 mega-hit, "Nothing Compares 2 U".

Internationally, "Jump in the River" peaked at number 29 in Ireland in October 1988, and number 86 (number 81 on the compressed chart) in the UK in October 1988.

Domestically, "Jump in the River" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 108 on the state chart.

Sinéad will join us next in 1990.


Number 149 "Twins" by Philip Bailey/Little Richard
Peak: number 116
Peak date: 6 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 
Top 150 chart run: 149-(out for 3 weeks)-116-133-133-127-128

From the soundtrack to the 1988 movie of the same name, Twins (number 115, March 1989), starring Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger, this track has that classic mid-late 80s 'soundtrack' sound to it.

Internationally, "Twins" peaked at number 95 (number 82 on the compressed chart) in the UK in March 1989, number 16 in the Netherlands in April 1989, and number 30 in the Flanders region of Belgium in May 1989.



Next week (13 February): there are unusually no new top 150 debuts for singles peaking within the 101-150 region of the chart!  There are, however, three bubbling WAY down under entries to write about.

Also: you can also follow my posts on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bubblingdownunder/

< Previous Post: 30 January 1989 - Part Two                           Next Post: 13 February 1989 >

12 comments:

  1. "Jump In The River" is a great song. I thought it did first appear on a film soundtrack, some movie to do with the 'mob' (hence the gunshot sound at the start?).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right, Pete. I clearly didn't search discogs.com too widely, as I see now it appeared on the 'Married to the Mob' soundtrack - coincidentally, the same album from which Debbie Harry's 'Liar, Liar' (a debut on 30 January 1989) is taken from. Oops. I shall update the post now.

      Delete
  2. Martin Kaye is definitely Australian, he is from the Central Coast in NSW. "Quit This Joint" is from the album "Take A Closer Look" (1989). Details can be found on his webpage: https://www.martinkaye.net/music

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jabulani were an Australian act, originally from South Africa. Moved to Australia in 1986, performing at clubs across Melbourne.

    https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1992/Billboard-1992-07-25.pdf page 18

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello,

    What was the Peak Date for these songs:

    "World to Me" by Huey Lewis & The News

    "Want My Love" by Jabulani

    "Talk to Your Daughter" by Robben Ford

    "Walk on Water" by Eddie Money

    "Jump in the River" by Sinéad O'Connor

    "Twins" by Philip Bailey/Little Richard

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I aim to go back and add the peak dates for my 1989 top 150 chart recap posts - when I get the inclination

      Delete
  5. Thanks mate. Looking forward when you get the chance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Updated now with peak dates. Will add them for the remaining February 1989-August 1989 posts soon.

      Delete
  6. As is often the case with my posts - both Talk To Your Daughter and Walk On Water's peaks would have something to do with both peaking in the lower ranges of the South Australia Top 40. Robben Ford, in particular, was heavily played on SA-FM (then the #1 station in Adelaide by a long way).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (Belated repky) You are indeed correct about the Eddie Murphy track - I have updated the post with the state chart info. I don’t have state chart info for Robben Ford.

      Delete

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