27 March 2020

Week commencing 27 March 1989

Half of this week's six debuts peaked exactly at the same position where they entered, so the only way is not always up!  I didn't know any of this week's new entries at the time, so let's see what I think of them now...

  Paul Rutherford: The way to 'get real' in the late 80s was apparently to frolic around in the desert.

Top 150 debuts:
 
Number 132 "Get Real" by Paul Rutherford
Peak: number 132
Peak date: 27 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 1 week 
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

Ex-Frankie Goes to Hollywood member Paul Rutherford launched his solo "career" with this track.  I say "career" in inverted commas as it didn't really take off.  This track peaked at number 47 in the UK back in October 1988, which is as good it got for solo Paul Rutherford on the chart.  I am rather partial to the even less-successful follow-up (as is often the case for me) - a cover version of Chic's "I Want Your Love", which was released locally in May 1989, but did not chart at all here, sadly.  Both tracks were produced by Mark White and Martin Fry, who were the sole remaining members of ABC by this point.  Paul's more vocally-gifted former band mate Holly Johnson, of course performed much better with his solo debut, although his solo career was also short-lived.  On the state charts, "Get Real" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 104.


Number 136 "Wholly Humble Heart" by Martin Stephenson & The Daintees
Peak: number 136
Peak date: 27 March 1989
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Like Paul Rutherford, this single flopped in the UK in 1988 - peaking at number 81 in August 1988.  Ah, the days when it took six months for something to finally get released in Australia... The album did better in the UK, though, peaking at number 39.  While not exactly immediate, this song has a rather pleasant vibe, I think.


Number 142 "Cryin'" by Vixen
Peak: number 111
Peak dates: 15 May 1989 and 22 May 1989
Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks
Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

Serving this week's most 80s hair-dos, Vixen's biggest hit (number 22) in their native America had to settle for a peak outside the top 100 in Australia; although it peaked at number 76 on the rival Australian Music Report chart (what's 45 positions' difference here or there, eh?).  Vixen will join us again in August.

 
Number 145 "Honey Be Good" by The Bible
Peak: number 144
Peak date: 8 May 1989
Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks

Another one that performed much better on the Australian Music Report singles chart is this one, which peaked at number 87 on it, while number 144 is all it could muster on the ARIA chart.  Despite that, it did spend four non-consecutive weeks hovering between numbers 144 and 147, with one week apiece spent at 144, 145, 146 and 147!  Oddly, this one did not enter the band's native UK chart until August 1989, where it peaked at number 54.  Quite a nice, if not spectacular, song.


Number 149 "Blueprint" by Rainbirds
Peak: number 149
Peak dates: 27 March 1989, 17 April 1989 and 1 May 1989
Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks 
Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

Now here's a spectacular song - or so I think.  I discovered this one last year, via a 'song contest' (where you submit a song that didn't chart so well, if at all, by an obscure-ish artist) on a pop forum.    Rainbirds are a German band, and this single peaked at number 7 in their homeland in February 1988.  It also performed much better on the Australian Music Report chart, where it peaked at number 96.  On the ARIA chart, the single interestingly spent three non-consecutive weeks at number 149!

On the ARIA state charts, "Blueprint" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 70. 

Although "Blueprint" would be Rainbirds' only single to chart in Australia, they had one (their only) charting album later in the year.  Their second album Call Me Easy Say I'm Strong Love Me My Way It Ain't Wrong (now that's a mouthful!) peaked at number 138 on the ARIA albums chart in October 1989, despite no singles from it charting in Australia.


Number 150 "The Big Picture" by The Pony
Peak: number 125
Peak date: 1 May 1989
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

The Pony were a short-lived Australian band, going by their brief bio on discogs.com.  This song is pleasant with a catchy chorus, though is not what I'd normally listen to.  It sounds like it might have done better if released in about 1993.



Next week (3 April): Seven new entries, including... some Christian metal and a duet with a (then) recently-deceased singer.  Don't forget, you can also follow my posts on facebook.

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2 comments:

  1. ...and all this week's low entries are completely obscure to me. The rainbird song is the only one of any merit to me. Top marks for bringing obscurities to our attention Nathan. Always love this blog

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! It's nice to know that someone out there appreciates this.

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