Week commencing 12 June 1989

Last week, I mentioned that four of that week's six new entries were singles that did not chart in any other country, and this week, it is four of out eight!  Granted, two of those exclusive chart 'hits' are by Australian artists, this time.  It is always interesting, to me, to uncover a chart position for something that didn't chart anywhere else... even if that peak happens to be outside the top 100.

Living Colour: Mishap with hair clippers during lockdown? Just shave half of it off, like Corey Glover from Living Colour.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 125 "Birthday Suit" by Johnny Kemp

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 19 June 1989

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Johnny was a Bahamian-American singer; I say 'was', because he tragically died in a drowning accident in 2015, aged 55.  "Birthday Suit" reached number 36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1989, but failed to chart anywhere else, from what I can see.  Johnny scored a number 79 'hit' here in early October 1988 with "Just Got Paid", which was a number 10 hit for him in America.

 

 

Number 137 "Who's in the House" by The Beatmasters with Merlin

Peak: number 137

Peak date: 12 June 1989

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

The Beatmasters, who seemed to feature a different vocalist with every release, scored a number 37 hit in Australia with "Rok Da House" in May 1988, with Cookie Crew on vocals.  We also saw them bubble WAY down under, with P.P. Arnold, in February 1989.

 

Merlin, real name Justin Mark Boreland, was the nephew of UK reggae singer Smiley Culture.  "Who's In the House" peaked at number 8 in the UK in April 1989.

 

On the ARIA state charts, "Who's in the House" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 102.

 

The Beatmasters later went on to score a number 88 hit down under with Betty Boo, and will bubble down under again, with another featured artist, in 1990.

Number 144 "Sinful Me" by Sunnyboys

Peak: number 105

Peak date: 3 July 1989

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Australian group Sunnyboys scored five top 50 hits between 1981 and 1984, with "Happy Man" being the highest-peaking of those, reaching number 26 in 1981.  Earlier in 1989, the group had a number 87 'hit' with "Too Young to Despair".  Both tracks were lifted from their Wildcat album, which reached number 63 in August 1989.

Number 148 "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" by Living Colour

Peak: number 116

Peak date: 26 June 1989

Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks 

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

Living Colour had a slow start on the Australian charts, with "Cult of Personality" peaking at number 54 in April 1989.  Issued as the second single from their debut album Vivid (number 52, April 1989) in Australia, "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" stalled outside the top 100.  It wouldn't be until 1991 that the group would achieve their breakthrough hit down under.  Before that hit, Living Colour will bubble down under again in 1990.  "Open Letter (To a Landlord)" performed strongest on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, where it reached number 77.

Number 149 "Western World" by Scary Bill

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 10 July 1989

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks

Weeks on chart: 10 weeks

Australian band Scary Bill formed in St. Kilda in 1987, although half of the band's members were from Adelaide.  "Western World" was their only single to dent the ARIA top 150.  Their self-titled debut album, from which this track is taken, peaked at number 107 in August 1989.  This single performed much better on the Australian Music Report chart, where it peaked at number 74.  "Western World" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 40 on the ARIA state chart.

 

We will see Scary Bill again in October 1989.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 161 "Hold an Old Friend's Hand" by Tiffany

Peak: number 161

Peak date: 12 June 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Tiff's time as a chart star was pretty much over by this point.  The third single lifted from the album of the same name, "Hold an Old Friend's Hand" failed to chart anywhere else, other than on the US Adult Contemporary chart (which, as I've mentioned before, doesn't really count in my book).  Tiffany will join us again in 1990 and 1993!

 

Number 165 "Cry Little Sister" by Charlie Sexton

Peak: number 165

Peak date: 12 June 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

Charlie scored two top 40 hits in Australia in 1986, and a further two top 100 entries; the most-recent of which was "Don't Look Back", peaking at number 82 in February 1989.  Both "Don't Look Back" and "Cry Little Sister" were taken from Charlie's self-titled album, which peaked at number 84 in Australia in March 1989.  "Cry Little Sister" did not chart anywhere else.  Charlie will bubble down under again in 1990.

Number 167 "All the Myths on Sunday" by Diesel Park West

Peak: number 167

Peak date: 12 June 1989

Weeks on chart: 1 week

British band Diesel Park West formed in Leicester in 1980, although their first recorded work was not released until 1987.

Despite never landing a top 40 single in their home country, Diesel Park West landed seven top 75 singles in the UK between 1989 and 1992.  "All the Myths on Sunday" was the first of these, reaching number 66 in the UK in February 1989, the only other place it charted.

"All the Myths on Sunday" was the only Diesel Park West release to chart in Australia.  The single was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 125.

Next week (19 June): A mere three new top 150 debuts, including the original version of a song that would go on to top the ARIA singles chart in 2004.  Also, five more singles bubbling WAY down under debut.  Remember, you can follow my posts on facebook too.


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