Three of the eight songs I write about from this week in 1991 had multiple releases in Australia, which is unusual. Shall we take a look?
Gloria Estefan: anything for a re-release.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 118 "Anything for You" by Gloria Estefan (1991 release)
Peak: number 118
Peak date: 16 September 1991
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
This single peaked at number 11 on 29 August 1988 when released a Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine single. Combining its 1988-89 and 1991 chart runs, "Anything for You" spent 32 weeks on the chart.
We last saw Gloria Estefan in May 1991.
I am not sure why "Anything for You" (number 11, August 1988), which was originally credited to Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine, was given a re-release in Australia in 1991 as a solo Gloria Estefan single. Does anyone reading this know why? The original release had been a decent-sized hit a mere three years prior, and Gloria had since released two new albums. Her then-current album, Into the Light (number 9, November 1991), charted reasonably well - although none of the singles from it peaked higher than number 56 locally. Hmm... maybe I just answered my own question about why "Anything for You" was re-released.
The 1991 Australian release of the "Anything for You" single contained two previous Gloria 'hits' as B-sides: "Get on Your Feet" (number 98, October 1990) and "Seal Our Fate" (number 112, May 1991).
"Anything for You" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in May 1988, number 10 in the UK in October 1988, number 2 in the Netherlands in March 1989, and number 5 in the Flanders region of Belgium in April 1989.
Within Australia, the "Anything for You" single was most-successful on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory and South Australia/Northern Territory state charts, where it reached number 6 during its original 1988-89 chart run.
Gloria will next join us in 1992.
Number 120 "Danger" by Candy Harlots (1991 EMI release)
Peak: number 107
Peak date: 21 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 12 weeks
Weeks on chart: 12 weeks
Glam metal/hard rock band Candy Harlots formed in Sydney in 1987. "Danger" was the band's debut single, released independently in April 1990. You can view the music video for the 1990 version here.
After signing to EMI, "Danger" was re-recorded, with beefier production, and issued as the band's first major label release. While the single peaked outside the ARIA top 100, it spent a respectable 12 weeks inside the top 150.
To complicate matters further, "Danger" appeared as a track - branded the 'El Dorado Version' - on the EP Foreplay, which became Candy Harlots' first release to break into the ARIA top 50, peaking at number 17 in February 1992.
"Danger" went on to appear on Candy Harlots' debut - and only - studio album Five Wicked Ways (number 31, May 1992).
We'll next see Candy Harlots in 1992.
Number 122 "Do What You Want" by 2 in a Room
Peak: number 120
Peak date: 23 September 1991
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Another single with a complicated release history (that seems to be the theme this week) is this one from American hip-hop, freestyle, and hip house duo 2 in a Room. The pair landed a major hit in Australia in early 1991 with "Wiggle It" (number 3, 1991).
"Do What You Want" was originally released in Australia, on 12" vinyl only, in April 1990. You can view the music video filmed for the original release of the single here. The first release of "Do What You Want" peaked at number 19 in the Netherlands in February 1990.
Following the release of "Wiggle It" and "She's Got Me Going Crazy" (number 72, April 1991), "Do What You Want" was remixed and re-issued. The new single version of "Do What You Want" was remixed by C & C Music Factory, and a video I made by just re-syncing the original video to this mix is embedded below. This release reached number 9 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in September 1991.
A version of "Do What You Want" appears on 2 in a Room's album Wiggle It (number 45, March 1991). It was the only track retained from their earlier The Album Vol. 1 release in the US and some parts of continental Europe in 1989-1990. However, a primitive instrumental version of "Wiggle It", titled "As It Grooves", also appeared on The Album Vol. 1.
Number 143 "It's a Shame" by S-Witch
Peak: number 105
Peak date: 14 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Australian group S-Witch were Alston Koch, whom we saw as Alston in November 1990, Michelle Farrugia, and Tambi Fernando. Their songs were written by Alston and Tambi, and produced by Tambi. I suspect that Michelle's role was largely to stand there and look pretty/make the visual aspect of the group more palatable, and she doesn't get many lines on the song (if that's even her singing, says cynical me...).
"It's a Shame" was the first of three S-Witch singles released, one per year, between 1991 and 1993. The single narrowly missed the ARIA top 100, but peaked at number 99 on the Australian Music Report singles chart. S-Witch did not release an album.
I would not have been aware of S-Witch at the time had it not been for this song's inclusion on the Hitz 4 U '92 compilation album, released in late 1991. That became the sixth CD I ever purchased, after getting my first CD player for my birthday in November 1991. Things were getting desperate when these various artists 'hits' compilation albums had to include songs that missed the top 100.
We will next hear from S-Witch in 1992.
Number 147 "The Dalai Lama" by Damien Lovelock
Peak: number 115
Peak date: 18 November 1991
Weeks in top 150: 12 weeks
Damien Lovelock sang lead vocals in Australian band The Celibate Rifles, whom we have seen bubble under on three occasions so far, with the most-recent of those being in May 1990.
"The Dalai Lama" was Damien's first solo single... released under his full name! He had previously released a version of "Disco Inferno" in April 1990, under the name of just Lovelock - it missed the top 150.
"The Dalai Lama" was was the first - and only - single from Damien's second, and last, solo studio album Fishgrass (number 147, December 1991). I hadn't heard this one before; I don't particularly like it.
Damien went on to become a sports journalist and a yoga teacher. He died from cancer in August 2019, aged 65.
Number 150 "Twist and Shout" by Deacon Blue
Peak: number 130
Peak date: 23 September 1991
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
We last saw Scottish band Deacon Blue in June 1991.
"Twist and Shout" was the second single lifted from the band's third studio album Fellow Hoodlums (number 148, August 1991). Internationally, the single peaked at number 10 in the UK in August 1991, and at number 13 in Ireland.
Deacon Blue's next single "Closing Time" was issued locally in November 1991, but did not chart in Australia. Following this, their previous charting 'hit', "Your Swaying Arms", was re-issued in February 1992.
We will next see Deacon Blue in 1993.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 163 "This Time Make It Funky" by Tracie Spencer
Peak: number 163
Peak date: 16 September 1991
Weeks on chart: 1 week
American singer Tracie Spencer was a mere 14 years old when she landed her biggest hit, and only single to dent the ARIA top 100, "This House" (number 87, June 1991). But Tracie actually released her first album in 1988, aged just 11. I became familiar with "This House" through listening to the American Top 40 radio show - it's one of my favourite early 90s r&b/new jack swing tracks. "This House" reached number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1991.
"This Time Make It Funky" was the second single released in Australia from Tracie's second studio album Make the Difference (number 151, August 1991). The single peaked at number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1991, and at number 48 in New Zealand in August 1991.
On the ARIA state charts, "This Time Make It Funky" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 155.
I think I heard this one at the time, possibly catching the video on Coca-Cola Power Cuts, but it was a bit different to how I remembered it.
Tracie will join us one more time, but not until 1999.
Number 185 "Step to Me (Do Me)" by Mantronix
Peak: number 185
Peak date: 16 September 1991
Weeks on chart: 1 week
Mantronix last graced our presence in February 1990. Since then, they released two singles in Australia that did not chart: "Take Your Time" (released in July 1990) and "Don't Go Messin' with My Heart" (May 1991).
"Step to Me (Do Me)", with Angie Stone on vocals, was the second single lifted from the group's fifth and final studio album The Incredible Sound Machine (released in Australia in July 1991, did not chart). Internationally, the single peaked at number 59 in the UK in June 1991.
Domestically, "Step to Me..." peaked highest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 165.
I hadn't heard this one before. It's not bad.
Next week (23 September): Another six top 150 debuts, and three bubbling WAY down under entries.
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