This week in 1992 has to be one of the most jam-packed weeks I have ever had to write about, with no fewer than fifteen new songs to write about/listen to! Shall we take a look?
Julian Lennon: getting a life didn't help him get a hit with this single in 1992.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 109 "The Full House Mega Mix" by Brahms 4 featuring The Music of John Farnham
Peak: number 109
Peak date: 6 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 109-121-130-138-141
When you think of dance music, Aussie singer John Farnham, whom we last saw in 1989, is not exactly an artist that springs to mind, although I do like the extended version of "Age of Reason" (number 1 for four weeks in July-August 1988). Someone, using the name Brahms 4, obviously thought it was a good idea to put together this megamix, using several John Farnham tracks, including "Age of Reason", "That's Freedom" (number 6, October 1990), and "Pressure Down" (number 4, February 1987). Looking at the videos I have embedded for those three tracks, the stupid record company have cropped the original 4:3 picture so that it appears widescreen, cutting off a good chunk of the image in the process. Ugh.
Listening to this track for the first time as I write this post, a great dance megamix it is not, using only three tracks (and one of those, the "Pressure Down" segment, is quite short) but lasting more than 7 minutes.
Looking at discogs.com, Brahms 4 released another John Farnham megamix in 1996, titled "Ten Year Anniversary Mega Mix". I had assumed the ten year anniversary meant that of John's Whispering Jack (number 1 for 25 weeks between November 1986 and June 1987) album, but it contains "That's Freedom" and "Chain Reaction" (number 6, August 1990), which were not on that album. The track appeared as a B-side on John's "A Simple Life" (number 29, June 1996) single.
We shall next see John in 1994.
Number 111 "Get a Life" by Julian Lennon
Peak: number 104
Peak date: 13 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Chart run: 111-104-116-121-129-139
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
Julian Lennon first appeared on the Australian charts with his debut single, "Too Late for Goodbyes" (number 13, December 1984), in November 1984. Between then and 1992, Julian notched up nine top 100 singles in Australia, with "Saltwater" being the biggest of those, spending four weeks at number 1 in March 1992, though taking 25 weeks to get there from its debut at number 145 in September 1991. My favourite Julian single is possibly the underrated "Say You're Wrong" (number 31, June 1985). Taking another swipe at clueless record labels, someone badly needs to replace these 240p videos on Julian's official YouTube channel. Ugh (again).
"Get a Life" was the third single released locally from Julian's fourth studio album Help Yourself (number 5, March 1992), following "Saltwater" and "Help Yourself" (number 30, April 1992).
Internationally, "Get a Life" peaked at number 56 in the UK in April 1992.
In Australia, "Get a Life" was most popular in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 91.
I hadn't heard this one before. I think it's OK, but not great, and not something I would seek out to listen to again, though I did like some of Julian's singles. If a music video was filmed for this track, it has not yet made its way onto YouTube. It is listed as an added track to the playlist on the Australian version of MTV (remember that?) in The ARIA Report; so I assume a video was made.
We'll next see Julian in 1999.
Number 115 "The World Is Stone" by Cyndi Lauper
Peak: number 106
Peak date: 27 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Chart run: 115-108-108-106-110-128-145
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
We last saw Cyndi Lauper in 1989.
"The World Is Stone" is a cover version of "Le Monde est Stone" by Fabien Thibeault, with lyrics re-written in English. The French version of the song was recorded for the 1978 Candian-French musical Starmania. Cyndi recorded her rendition for an English version of the show, Tycoon, with lyrics by Tim Rice.
Internationally, "The World Is Stone" peaked at number 15 in the UK in June 1992, number 16 in Ireland in June 1992, number 100 in Germany in July 1992, number 2 in France in September 1992, and number 41 in the Flanders region of Belgium in November 1992.
In Australia, "The World Is Stone" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 81. The single fared better nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 96.
While I liked most of Cyndi's singles released in the 80s, I didn't find anything she released in the 90s that I have heard particularly memorable. Granted, that was a cursory listen for the most part. While I have heard "The World Is Stone" before, I couldn't remember how the song went. Listening to it now, the song isn't bad, though it's hardly among her best.
Cyndi will join us next in 1993.
Number 117 "Sense" by The Lightning Seeds
Peak: number 107
Peak date: 20 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 117-109-107-114-113-125-120-(out for 2 weeks)-149
Weeks on chart: 11 weeks
We last saw English band The Lightning Seeds in 1991. Since then, they scored their second, and final, ARIA top 100 single in Australia, with "The Life of Riley" (number 98, May 1992).
"Sense" was the title track and second single issued from The Lightning Seeds' second studio album Sense (number 83, July 1992)
Internationally, "Sense" peaked at number 31 in the UK in June 1992, and number 39 in New Zealand in September 1992.
In Australia, "Sense" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 74.
I wasn't aware of this song, or The Lightning Seeds, at the time, but have seen the video for "Sense" a couple of times over the years. I like it.
The Lightning Seeds will join us next in 1995.
Number 123 "Everything Changes" by Kathy Troccoli
Peak: number 106
Peak date: 13 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 123-106-110-108-112-116-115-126
Kathy Troccoli, born Kathleen Colleen Troccoli, is an American Christian contemporary singer-songwriter. While I am an atheist, I can appreciate some 'Christian' pop music, as long as it's not preachy (or I pretend I am not a native English speaker). "Everything Changes" fortunately does not fall into the 'preachy' category, perhaps because it was written by beige songwriter extraordinaire Diane Warren.
I first became acquainted with this song, and Kathy, via the American Top 40 radio show. "Everything Changes" has that oh-so-American, polished/over-produced, middle of the road pop sound typical of the early 90s, but is quite enjoyable, nonetheless. The kind of thing they might have used when cutting to an ad break on The Ricki Lake Show or even The Oprah Winfrey Show. Something that could put you in a in a good mood on a cloudy, rainy day (though I actually love those!). I'm not going to lie - this is my favourite new entry this week, and I have listened to it about five times in a row while writing this post...
Vocally, Kathy reminds me a little of Taylor Dayne. While researching this post, I learnt that Kathy actually sang backing vocals on Taylor's "I'll Be Your Shelter" (number 4, November 1990), and that "Everything Changes" was produced by Ric Wake, who produced that Taylor track. According to Kathy, "Everything Changes" was first offered to Taylor Dayne - how stupid was she to turn this track down?! I had not seen the music video for "Everything Changes" until writing this post.
Despite being lifted from Kathy's fourth studio album Pure Attraction (released in Australia in April 1992, missed the top 150) - her first in five years, "Everything Changes" appears to be Kathy's first, and only, single released commercially in Australia; although at least two earlier albums were released here (but did nothing on the charts).
Internationally, "Everything Changes" peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1992.
In Australia, "Everything Changes" was much more popular in Victoria/Tasmania than anywhere else, reaching number 44 on the state chart. I recall seeing this one printed on the reverse of the ARIA chart in my state (Victoria), and assuming it probably just missed the top 60 on the national chart (which aired on rage). How wrong I was! "Everything Changes" also performed much better on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it peaked at number 47.
"Everything Changes" took its sweet time to creep into the ARIA top 150, having been released locally on 23 March 1992. This would be Kathy's only top 150 charting entry in Australia.
Number 129 "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" by Bruce Springsteen
Peak: number 107
Peak date: 17 August 1992
Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 129-127-125-127-120-114-107-115-128
Weeks on chart: 11 weeks
We last saw Bruce Springsteen as an uncredited featured artist in 1991.
Bruce made his debut on the Australian singles chart in 1975 with "Born to Run" (number 38, December 1975). Between then and now, Bruce amassed 22 top 100 singles chart entries in Australia, with the biggest of those being "Dancing in the Dark" - which, despite 'only' peaking at number 5 in September 1984, ended up the number 1 single of 1984 in Australia (based on chart runs, as the Kent/Australian Music Report annual charts were), as it spent a mammoth 53 weeks in the top 50, and 64 weeks in the top 100. Bruce had higher-peaking singles here, however, with "Born in the U.S.A." (number 2, February 1985) and "Streets of Philadelphia" (number 4, April 1994).
My favourite Bruce songs are probably "Streets of Philadelphia", the middle-8 section (the "ain't no angel gonna greet me here" part) of which can give me chills, "Brilliant Disguise" (number 17, November 1987), and "I'm on Fire" (number 12, April 1985) - though I kind of like Tori Amos' live rendition of "I'm on Fire" even more.
Taking a leaf out of Guns N' Roses' book, Bruce released two new albums simultaneously in early 1992, Human Touch (number 3, April 1992) and Lucky Town (number 6, April 1992); his first new studio albums since Tunnel of Love (number 5, October 1987).
"57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" was released as the second single from Human Touch, although the third single from the two-album project overall. It followed "Human Touch" (number 17, March 1992) and "Better Days" (number 75, June 1992).
Internationally, "57 Channels..." peaked at number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1992, number 32 in the UK in July 1992, number 26 in Ireland in July 1992, number 32 in Sweden in August 1992, number 9 in Norway, and number 39 in the Netherlands in August 1992.
In Australia, "57 Channels..." performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 49. Its next-highest state chart peak was number 78 in Queensland.
I caught the video for "57 Channels..." as a new release on rage. If I remember correctly, it was the first video shown that night as part of the new releases section.
We will next see Bruce in November 1992.
Number 131 Third World Posse EP by Sepultura
Peak: number 116
Peak date: 27 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 9 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 131-148-(out)-116-124-134-129-134-144-129
Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, which is the Portuguese word for grave, formed in 1984. The Third World Posse EP, which appears to have only been released in Australia, contained five songs, lead by the track "Dead Embryonic Cells", which I have embedded below. This track originally appeared on their fourth studio album Arise, which was released in Australia in June 1992, but missed the top 150.
I cannot find evidence of "Dead Embryonic Cells" charting elsewhere. Despite generally not liking the heavier side of metal much at all, I didn't actually hate this one.
The Third World Posse EP performed stronger on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it just crept into the top 100, spending one week at number 99 in August 1992.
We shall next see Sepultura in 1994.
Number 142 "Weight of the World" by Ringo Starr
Peak: number 142
Peak date: 6 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Top 150 chart run: 142
As the drummer in The Beatles, Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey) needs no introduction. His solo work, however, isn't exactly known by the masses - at least not my age-group. Ringo notched up six Australian top 100 singles, however, between 1971 and 1976, with 1973's "Photograph" being the biggest of those, spending two weeks at number one in January-February 1974.
In more-recent times, Ringo made an appearance playing drums in the music video for Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" (number 16, July 1989), which does not currently appear to be available on YouTube (stupid record companies again...). For my generation (Xennial/MTV), Ringo is perhaps best known for narrating the TV series Thomas & Friends, based on Thomas the Tank Engine.
"Weight of the World" was issued as the lead single from Ringo's tenth solo studio album Time Takes Time, which was released in Australia in June 1992 but missed the top 150.
Internationally, "Weight of the World" peaked at number 74 in the UK in May 1992, number 37 in Sweden in May 1992, number 21 in Switzerland in June 1992, and number 51 in Germany in June 1992 - where it oddly spent five non-consecutive weeks at that position.
I don't recall hearing, or being aware of this one at the time.
Number 144 "I'm Cryin'" by Shanice
Peak: number 140
Peak date: 13 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks
Known chart run: 175-144-140-149-144
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
Shanice Wilson made her debut appearance on the Australian charts in August 1988, at the tender age of 15, with "I'll Bet She's Got a Boyfriend" (number 69, August 1988). She would return three years later, minus the surname, with "I Love Your Smile" (number 8, May 1992), which took almost six months after its debut at number 183 in November 1991 to reach its peak in Australia, initially stalling at number 135 in January 1992.
Although it was her biggest career hit, Shanice apparently was not happy about "I Love Your Smile" - another one I first became acquainted with via the American Top 40 radio show - being released as the lead single from her second studio album Inner Child (number 111, May 1992), and cried when she had been told this news. Shanice instead wanted to go in more of an r&b direction than the poppy sound of "I Love Your Smile".
"I'm Cryin'" was issued as the second single from Inner Child in Australia, stalling in the lower region of the top 150. It performed strongest on the Queensland state chart, where it reached number 122.
Internationally, "I'm Cryin'" peaked at number 69 in the Netherlands in April 1992, and number 47 in Germany in April 1992. The track also peaked at number 11 on the meaningless US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in May 1992.
I don't recall hearing this one before. It's much more subdued than Shanice's previous two charting singles in Australia. Not bad, but it doesn't quite grab me either. I liked "Silent Prayer", her duet with Johnny Gill, which reached number 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1992, much better - that's another one I became familiar with via American Top 40, but it was not issued as a single in Australia.
I recently watched a short biographical video on Shanice's career on YouTube, which suggests she fell on some rough times earlier this century, including a period of homelessness. Thankfully, Shanice has gotten her life back together since then.
Shanice will next join us in November 1992.
Number 145 "The Man with the Mastermixes" by Quadrophonia
Peak: number 145
Peak date: 6 July 1992
Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 145-149
Dutch/Belgian electronic group Quadrophonia formed in the late 1980s. They landed two Australian top 100 'hit' singles, with "Quadrophonia" (number 73, September 1991) and "The Wave of the Future" (number 83, September 1991). A third single, "Find the Time", was released in Australia in March 1992, but missed the top 150. An album, Cozmic Jam (number 93, October 1991) dented the top 100 locally.
"The Man with the Mastermixes" was issued as the band's fourth single in Australia, containing mixes of the track "The Man with the Master Plan" from the Cozmic Jam album. The Second Wave mix, embedded below, was the main single version. Interestingly, I cannot find evidence of this one charting anywhere else. It appears that Australia was very slowly catching on to the emerging clubbier, 'rave choon' tracks coming out of Europe, though few troubled the upper region of our charts in 1992.
Number 149 "Wrapped Around Her" by Joan Armatrading
Peak: number 148
Peak date: 3 August 1992
Weeks in top 150: 4 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 149-(out for 2 weeks)-149-148-150
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks
We last saw England-based singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading in 1990.
"Wrapped Around Her" was the first release from Joan's thirteenth studio album Square the Circle (number 106, August 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 56 in the UK in May 1992.
In Australia, "Wrapped Around Her" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 124 on the state chart.
To my surprise, the music video for "Wrapped Around Her" was not on YouTube until I uploaded the video embedded below from my collection for this post. I remember catching the video as a new release on rage.
A second, and final, single from Square the Circle, "True Love", was released in Australia in October 1992, but failed to chart.
We shall next see Joan in 1995.
Number 150 "Real Wild Life" by Ed Kuepper
Peak: number 132
Peak date: 24 August 1992
Weeks in top 150: 11 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 150-(out for 1 week)-147-147-137-147-150-132-(out for 5 weeks)-149-(out for 2 weeks)-150-144-142
We last saw Australian-based singer-songwriter Ed Kuepper a mere seven weeks ago.
"Real Wild Life" was issued as the lead single from Ed's sixth solo studio album Black Ticket Day (number 45, August 1992). The single had an interesting top 150 chart run, falling out out for a week after its first week in, then returning for six weeks, before falling out for five weeks, bouncing back for one week, dropping out again for two, before its final top 150 run of three weeks. The single was still in the top 150 as late as 9 November 1992, which is not bad for a release that climbed no higher than number 132.
To my surprise, I have actually heard this one before, and like it... and after listening to it to write this post, "Real Wild Life" is now stuck in my head. Its flute (?) riff during the intro sounds like it has been used in a TV advertisement, though I can't place my finger on it.
This would be Ed's final top 150 single.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 175 "Feed My Frankenstein" by Alice Cooper
Peak: number 169
Peak date: 13 July 1992
Weeks on chart: 3 weeks
We last saw Alice Cooper in 1991. "Feed My Frankenstein", a cover of a track originally performed by Zodiac Mindwarp and The Love Reaction, was released as the belated third and final single from Alice's twelfth studio album Hey Stoopid (number 15, July 1991), after being featured in the 1992 film Wayne's World, the soundtrack of which peaked at number 15 in August 1992.
Internationally, "Feed My Frankenstein" peaked at number 27 in the UK in May 1992.
In Australia, "Feed My Frankenstein" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 149.
While Alice would go on to have further top 100 'hit' singles in Australia with "Lost in America" (number 65, July 1994) and "It's Me" (number 77, August 1994), "Feed My Frankenstein" would be his last to peak within the number 101-200 region of the chart.
Alice would have one later low-charting single, with his number 83 single from 1972, "Elected" (number 1346, July 2016) re-charting in 2016.
Alice had further low-charting albums in Australia, including Welcome to My Nightmare (number 217, June 1993), Alice Cooper Classicks (number 133, September 1995), Brutal Planet (number 213, April 2001), Dragontown (number 182, November 2001), Killer (number 450, January 2002), The Life and Crimes of.... (number 424, February 2002), The Best of Alice Cooper (number 332, July 2007), Lace and Whiskey (number 464, May 2008), Along Came a Spider (number 147, August 2008), Spark in the Dark: The Best of Alice Cooper (number 397, August 2009), Theatre of Death Life at Hammersmith 2009 (number 507, October 2010), and more I can't be bothered typing out.
Number 191 "Please Don't Go" by Boyz II Men
Peak: number 191
Peak date: 6 July 1992
Weeks on chart: 3 weeks
We last saw American vocal quartet Boyz II Men in May 1992.
"Please Don't Go" was released as the third single in Australia from the group's debut album Cooleyhighharmony (number 4, January 1993). I hadn't heard this one before, and although I am not generally a huge Boyz II Men fan, this one wasn't too bad - probably because it's missing some of the vocal histrionics that would typify their later, bigger, sappier hits.
Internationally, "Please Don't Go" peaked at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in May 1992, and number 3 in New Zealand - where they seemed to lap up early 90s r&b - in February 1993. The single also peaked at number 10 on the meaningless US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in April 1992, number 38 on the Radio Songs chart in May 1992, and number 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in May 1992.
Domestically, "Please Don't Go" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 157 on the state chart.
If a music video was filmed for "Please Don't Go", it has not yet made its way onto YouTube.
Boyz II Men will join us next in 1998.
Number 198 "Androgynous" by Crash Test Dummies
Peak: number 198
Peak date: 6 July 1992
Weeks on chart: 2 weeks
We last met Canadian band Crash Test Dummies in 1991.
"Androgynous" was the band's second single released down under, lifted from their debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me (number 110, April 1992). The single was released in mid-April 1992 locally, but took almost three months to scrape into the ARIA top 200. "Androgynous" is a cover version of a song originally performed by The Replacements, on their 1984 album Let It Be, telling the tale of a gender non-conforming couple. Listening to both versions as I wrote this post, I prefer the original, which I quite like.
Internationally, "Androgynous" peaked at number 73 in Canada.
In Australia, "Androgynous" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 171.
Crash Test Dummies will join us next in 1995.
Next week (13 July): Four top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.
I love Everything Changes too! I wonder if Kathy tried commerical pop after seeing the success of Amy Grant with the Heart in Motion album.
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