One thing all of this week in 1991's new entries outside the top 100 have in common is that I did not hear any of them at the time. Perhaps they are new for you, too? Let's take a look (or listen) together.
George Michael attracted few listeners without prejudice for this single in 1991.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 131 "Only Time Will Tell" by Nelson
Peak: number 124
Peak date: 14 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
We last saw the Nelson twins in August 1991. "Only Time Will Tell" was the fourth and final single lifted from the band's debut album After the Rain (number 100, October 1990).
Internationally, "Only Time Will Tell" peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1991. Wikipedia says it peaked at number 81 in Canada, but no supporting reference has been cited.
Locally, "Only Time Will Tell" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 99.
While I quite enjoyed Nelson's previous single, this one I find a bit lacking.
Nelson will join us for one last time in 1995.
Number 141 "D.C." by Died Pretty
Peak: number 124
Peak date: 21 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Weeks on chart: 10 weeks
Australian band Died Pretty last joined us in June 1991.
"D.C." was the second single lifted from the band's fourth studio album Doughboy Hollow (number 24, September 1991). On the state charts, the single was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 71.
You may be wondering - who or what is "D.C."? Died Pretty singer Ron Peno revealed to Triple J in 1996 that "the lyric is about the passing of someone, and coming to terms with it." It was written about a friend named David Cox, who died while the band were touring Europe.
"D.C." is a decent song, but not something I would actively seek out.
Number 142 "The Last to Know" by Céline Dion
Peak: number 134
Peak date: 14 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Weeks on chart: 8 weeksHailing from Quebec, Céline Dion commenced her recording career in 1981, at the age of just 13. During the 1980s, she released eight albums recorded in French.
Céline's English language debut came in 1990, with the release of the album Unison (number 117, April 1991). Céline's first Australian release was the lead single from it, "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" (number 62, April 1991).
"The Last to Know" was the third single lifted from Unison in Australia. It followed "(If There Was) Any Other Way", which was released locally in June 1991 but failed to chart. I hadn't heard or seen the music video for "(If There Was) Any Other Way" until now - it's a time capsule of early 90s bad fashion and hair-don'ts!
"The Last to Know" was originally recorded by Sheena Easton for her 1987 album No Sound but a Heart, which did not chart in Australia.
Internationally, "The Last to Know" peaked at number 16 in Canada in May 1991. The song also reached number 22 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in August 1991.
Within Australia, "The Last to Know" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 113.
I didn't hear this one at the time, but assume it might have been playlisted on Melbourne's TT FM (pronounced double-T FM), who loved this kind of current but something your mum would like more than 'the kids' music in the 90s.
Céline's commercial breakthrough in Australia came in 1992, with her Disney theme duet with Peabo Bryson, "Beauty and the Beast" (number 17, July 1992).
Céline will next join us in 1993.
Number 143 "The Sound of Your Voice" by 38 Special
Peak: number 133
Peak date: 21 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Weeks on chart: 8 weeks
Named after a revolver cartridge (thanks Wikipedia!), American band 38 Special formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1974. The band would have to wait 15 years to land their first - and really only - hit in Australia, with "Second Chance" (number 14, September 1989). I remember "Second Chance" receiving heavy airplay at the time, and while it's a song I like, it seems to be virtually forgotten in Australia now.
38 Special also placed one album on the Australian chart, with Rock & Roll Strategy (number 74, September 1989).
"The Sound of Your Voice" was the first, and only, single issued in Australia from 38 Special's ninth studio album Bone Against Steel (released in Australia in July 1991, did not chart).
"The Sound of Your Voice" peaked at number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in September 1991.
Domestically, "The Sound of Your Voice" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 109.
"The Sound of Your Voice" has a rousing chorus, but sounds more '80s' than '90s' musically. It was the band's final release to chart in Australia.
Number 149 "Ordinary Miracles" by Julie Anthony
Peak: number 141
Peak date: 14 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
Australian singer Julie Anthony is known for her theatre, cabaret and variety show performances, as well as for singing the national anthem at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney together with Human Nature. Well, I care so little about sport that I didn't know that last fact until researching this post.
On the Australian charts, Julie had placed two singles and five albums in the top 100 between 1978 and 1986. Her biggest single was "China Blue" (number 34, March 1982).
"Ordinary Miracles" was recorded for the soundtrack album for the 1991 Australian animated movie The Magic Riddle. The soundtrack missed the ARIA top 150.
I must thank a kind soul, Thibault, whom I messaged on discogs to obtain a rip of the audio for this track - without which, we would not be able to hear it.
Number 150 "House on Fire" by Club Hoy
Peak: number 134
Peak date: 28 October 1991
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Australian band Club Hoy formed in Sydney in 1989. During the band's tenure, they only released one album, Thursday's Fortune (number 96, March 1992).
"House on Fire" was Club Hoy's third single release, following "On and On" (February 1990) and "Da Da Da" (January 1991). It was the band's first release to crack the ARIA top 150.
Club Hoy would eventually land a top 100 single with the Trumpets EP (number 88, November 1992), led by the track "The Other Side of You".
I didn't hear this one at the time. It sounds a bit like something you'd hear on Triple J Unearthed rather than a chart 'hit', to me.
We'll see Club Hoy again in 1992.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 171 "Cowboys and Angels" by George Michael
Peak: number 164
Peak date: 7 October 1991
Weeks on chart: 3 weeks
As the vocalist in Wham!, George Michael (born Georgious Kyriacos Panayiotou) together with Andrew Ridgeley amassed 11 top 100 singles on the Australian chart between 1983 and 1986, with all but two of those reaching the top 10. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" made it all the way to number 1 in Australia for seven non-consecutive weeks between July and September 1984.
At the height of Wham!'s fame, George launched his solo career with "Careless Whisper", which also went to number 1 in Australia for four weeks in September-October 1984.
Wham! split in 1986, and George released his debut solo album Faith (number 3, March 1988) the following year. I am surprised that the Faith album did not top the Australian albums chart, though it was eventually certified five times platinum in 2004.
George's second solo album Listen without Prejudice Vol. 1 (number 2, September 1990) came three years later. Unlike the singles from the Faith era, which were promoted heavily around George's image, George refused to appear in the music videos from Listen without Prejudice Vol. 1. Perhaps, as a result, the singles were not as successful, overall, as those from Faith.
"Cowboys and Angels", George's fourteenth solo single to register a position on the Australian chart, was the fifth and final single lifted from Listen without Prejudice Vol. 1. It followed "Praying for Time" (number 16, September 1990), "Freedom" (number 18, February 1991), "Waiting for That Day" (number 50, May 1991), and "Soul Free" (number 95, July 1991).
Internationally, "Cowboys and Angels" peaked at number 15 in Ireland in March 1991, number 45 in the UK in April 1991, number 20 in the Netherlands in May 1991, number 26 in the Flanders region of Belgium in May 1991, and number 36 in France in July 1991.
On the ARIA state charts, "Cowboys and Angels" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 143.
I've checked out "Cowboys and Angels" on YouTube before, out of curiosity. It's not terribly exciting, and not at all the kind of thing that would have appealed to George's once gaggle of screaming school girls fan-base. I guess he tried to deliberately alienate this demographic with the Listen without Prejudice Vol. 1 era. Fair enough, but, frankly, I find the song a bore. Mercifully, the single version, embedded below, has been edited down from the 7 minute plus album version.
Of course, we tragically lost George on Christmas day in 2016, from heart disease, aged 53.
Given my interest in charts and current music severely wanes by the early 2000s, I doubt I will be writing these chart recaps when it comes to 2009. But, in the unlikely event that I am, we'll next see George then!
Number 175 "I Feel" by The Cruel Sea
Peak: number 175
Peak date: 23 September 1991
Weeks on chart: 1 week
Aussie band The Cruel Sea formed in Sydney in late 1987. Their debut album Down Below (number 133, April 1991) was released in December 1990, but no singles were issued from it.
"I Feel", the lead single from the band's second album This Is Not the Way Home (number 62, October 1992), was The Cruel Sea's first single release. I didn't hear this one until music video TV program rage aired the video in 2015 as part of their tribute to James Cruickshank (born James Watson), the band's guitarist and keyboard player, who died from bowel cancer that year, aged 53.
I imagine that Triple J would have loved this track in 1991. I like the song. Lead singer Tex Perkins' (real name Gregory Perkins) vocals on it remind me a little bit of Crash Test Dummies singer Brad Roberts, with his deep voice.
I first became aware of The Cruel Sea via their first ARIA top 50 single, "Black Stick" (number 25, May 1993), which was lifted from their breakthrough album The Honeymoon Is Over (number 4, June 1993).
On the state charts, "I Feel" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 164.
We shall next see The Cruel Sea in August 1992, but, before then, we'll see Tex Perkins fronting Beasts of Bourbon in February 1992. Tex was a busy boy, fronting both bands as well as later having his own solo career.
Number 182 "Dreams to Remember" by Robert Palmer
Peak: number 182
Peak date: 23 September 1991
Weeks on chart: 1 week
Robert Palmer last graced our presence in February 1991.
"Dreams to Remember", a cover version of Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams to Remember" from 1968, was released as the fourth and final single in Australia from Robert's tenth studio album Don't Explain (number 29, January 1991).
"Dreams to Remember" peaked at number 68 in Robert's native UK in June 1991.
Domestically, "Dreams to Remember" was most successful in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 168.
I half-expected this song to be a cover version of the Milli Vanilli album track "Dreams to Remember". Unfortunately, the music video embedded below is low quality, and I do not currently have a better source for it. You can hear the audio more clearly on this official upload.
We will next see Robert in 1992.
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