Week commencing 3 August 1992

I had a request from a reader to include chart runs, so I have added them for this week for the top 150 entries, and will continue to do so.  However, given how time consuming it would be, I may not get around to the daunting task of adding them to each of my previous posts.  Anyway, here are this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the ARIA top 100...

 

Massive Attack weren't exactly "massive" on the Australian charts in 1992.

 

Top 150 debuts:

 

Number 115 "I Wanna Sing" by Sabrina Johnston

Peak: number 115

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Chart run: 210-115-136-130-133-146-142

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

American singer Sabrina Johnston scored her first, and biggest, Australian hit with her debut single "Peace" (number 24, March 1992). She followed it up with the equally-good but not as successful "Friendship" (number 64, April 1992).  "I Wanna Sing" was released as the third single from her debut album Peace (number 143, September 1992).

 

Internationally, "I Wanna Sing" peaked at number 46 in the UK in July 1992.

 

In Australia, "I Wanna Sing" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 98 on the state chart.  The single crept into the lower region of the Australian Music Report top 100, where it peaked at number 93.

I first heard this one on the UK Chart Attack radio show.  I remember catching the video on SBS's MC Tee Vee, which was a great source at the time for dance-orientated music videos, with its clifftop scenes.  The chorus backing vocals on "let me sing someone" sounds a little bit like Annie Lennox to my ears, though I know it couldn't be her.

We will see Sabrina again in November 1992, where she shares a single with another artist.

 

 

Number 139 "What Are We Fightin' For" by Candy Harlots

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 10 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Chart run: 139-132-137-145-147

Weeks on chart: 5 weeks

 

We last saw Sydney band Candy Harlots in 1991.  Since then, they landed two top 40 hits, with the Foreplay EP (number 17, February 1992) and "Sister's Crazy" (number 37, May 1992).  "What Are We Fightin' For" was issued as the third and final single from the band's only studio album Five Wicked Ways (number 31, May 1992).

 

On the state charts, "What Are We Fightin' For" performed equally-strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory and Queensland, where it reached number 117.

 

I don't recall hearing this one before.  This would be Candy Harlots' last release.  Their lineup changed and they re-named the band Helter Skelter in 1993, and then The Harlots the following year, before disbanding in 1995.

 

 

Number 143 "Walk On" by Sunscreem

Peak: number 143

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 143-149

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

We last saw English band Sunscreem in April 1992.

 

While "Walk On" was Sunscreem's debut release in their homeland, it was issued as their second single in Australia, from their debut album O₃ (number 73, March 1993).

 

Internationally, "Walk On" peaked at number 94 (number 86 on the compressed chart) in the UK in November 1991.

 

Domestically, "Walk On" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 126.

 

I wasn't aware of this one at the time, though I wasn't familiar with Sunscreem until their next single, "Love U More" (number 30, March 1993), which initially debuted at number 166 on 14 September 1992 and crept into the top 150 for one week at number 141 the following week, before dropping out and re-entering at number 144 on the last chart of 1992, eventually making its way up to number 30 three months later.

We shall next see Sunscreem in January 1993.

 

 

Number 144 "Safe from Harm" by Massive Attack

Peak: number 132

Peak date: 17 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 144-140-132-148-141

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

English band Massive Attack formed in Bristol in 1988.  While they would not chart until March 1991 in Australia, with the single "Unfinished Sympathy" (number 95, June 1991), on which the band's name was temporarily changed to just Massive due to the Gulf War conflict, their signature sound of dissonant chords can be heard on Neneh Cherry's "Manchild" (number 58, July 1989), which was co-written by Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja, better known as 3D.

"Safe from Harm" was originally released in Australia in July 1991, as the second single from Massive Attack's debut album Blue Lines (number 69, July 1991).  It entered the chart at number 166 on 26 August 1991, but did not climb into the top 150 until its re-release locally in late July 1992.  In the interim, Massive Attack (just) placed a single within the ARIA top 50, with "Be Thankful for What You Got" (number 49, June 1992), accompanied by a rather risqué music video.

 

As with "Unfinished Sympathy", which is arguably one of the best records of all time, "Safe from Harm" (just as good, in my opinion) features the vocal talents of Shara Nelson, whose voice is not dissimilar from Aretha Franklin's.  The music video portrays Shara climbing a staircase in a tall apartment block at night, encountering several dodgy characters... with one eerily waiting outside her apartment at the end.

 

Internationally, "Safe from Harm" peaked at number 25 in the UK in June 1991, number 33 in Germany in July 1991, number 18 in the Netherlands in July 1991, number 23 in Austria in July 1991, and number 15 in Switzerland in August 1991.  It also registered on several meaningless US Billboard charts, reaching number 28 on the Alternative Airplay chart in September 1991, number 35 on the Dance Club Songs chart in September 1991, and number 32 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in October 1991.

 

In Australia, "Safe from Harm" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 109.

 

We will next see Massive Attack in 1995, but, before then, Shara Nelson will appear on her own several times, starting in 1993.

 

 

Number 145 "Sensual Motion" by S-Witch

Peak: number 135

Peak date: 31 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 145-143-142-139-135-139-149

We last saw Australian act S-Witch in 1991.

 

As I write this post, I am waiting on someone to (hopefully) send me an audio rip of this track.  I have not as yet heard the song, so cannot say much about it.  I will hopefully be able to update this post with the audio soon...  This would be S-Witch's final top 150 chart entry.

 

 

 

Number 149 "Spanish Horses" by Aztec Camera

Peak: number 143

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks

Known chart run: 173-149-148-(out)-143

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

We last saw Scottish band Aztec Camera in 1990.

 

"Spanish Horses" was the lead single from the band's fifth studio album Dreamland (number 146, June 1993).  Internationally, "Spanish Horses" peaked at number 52 in the UK in July 1992.

Within Australia, "Spanish Horses" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 107.

 

I hadn't heard this one before.  This would be the final Aztec Camera single to chart in Australia, although they had later charting albums with Frestonia (number 187, April 1996) and Original Album Series (number 956, September 2011).

 

 

 

Bubbling WAY down under:

 

Number 154 "Motorcycle Emptiness" by Manic Street Preachers

Peak: number 151

Peak date: 24 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 4 weeks

 

Welsh band Manic Street Preachers last joined us in June 1992.

 

"Motorcycle Emptiness" was issued as the final single from the band's debut album Generation Terrorists (number 182, April 1992).  Overseas, the single peaked at number 17 in the UK in June 1992, number 21 in the Netherlands in September 1992, number 35 in the Flanders region of Belgium in September 1992, and number 35 in New Zealand in October 1992.

Domestically, "Motorcycle Emptiness" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 127.

While I think I have heard/seen the music video for this one before, I couldn't recall how the song went, but enjoyed it.  It has that signature 'Manics' sound I am familiar with.

The Manics will next join us in November 1992.

 

Number 159 "Get Together" by Beatfish

Peak: number 159

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

Australian duo Beatfish last graced our presence in March 1992.

 

"Get Together", issued as the band's fourth single, was not lifted from their debut, and only, album Beatfish (number 79, November 1991); but, rather, was a new track - presumably recorded for a second album that never eventuated.

This time, vocal duties were handled by Mentals As Anything member Martin Plaza.

Listening to this track as I write this post, musically it sounds not dissimilar to The Style Council, to my ears.  It's much more laid back than Beatfish's earlier singles.  It's not bad, but doesn't exactly scream commercial success in 1992... hence the number 159 peak.

On the state charts, "Get Together" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 129.

Presumably, James and Martin disbanded Beatfish soon after this release, as it would be their last one together.  We shall see Martin Plaza solo in 1994, and with Mental As Anything in 1995.

 

 

Number 171 "Take Me" (The Prodigy Mix) by Dream Frequency featuring Debbie Sharp

Peak: number 162

Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated 21 December 1992 and 28 December 1992)

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks

 

English-American duo Dream Frequency/Debbie Sharp last joined us in June 1992.

 

I have a feeling that ARIA didn't yet quite know what to do with multi-part releases on the chart, as e.g. we had separate listings for a certain artist I don’t wish to promote on this blog with a single that topped the chart in late 1991, and the Clivillés & Cole Remixes single of the same track charted separately a few months later. This time, we have The Prodigy Mix of Dream Frequency's "Take Me" charting separately from the regular release of "Take Me" (number 62, September 1992), which debuted at number 165 the following week, on 10 August 1992.  To confuse matters, the Prodigy Mix of "Take Me" appears as track 2 on both the CD and cassette single formats.  Presumably, this release is the 12" vinyl single, on which this mix is the lead track.  We last saw The Prodigy in June 1992.

 

"Take Me" was the second single released from Dream Frequency's debut album One Nation (number 160, January 1993).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 39 in the UK in April 1992, and at number 22 in Ireland during the same month.

In Australia, "Take Me" (The Prodigy Mix) performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 118.  The regular version of the single was much more popular in South Australia/Northern Territory than elsewhere, reaching number 13 on the state chart.  Its next-highest state chart peak was number 37 in Western Australia.

We shall see Dream Frequency on one more occasion, in 1994.

 

 

Number 194 "Straight Talk" by Dolly Parton

Peak: number 194

Peak date: 3 August 1992

Weeks on chart: 2 weeks

 

Country legend Dolly Parton last joined us as part of a duet in 1990.  Dolly's biggest chart hit in Australia was her duet with Kenny Rogers, "Islands in the Stream" (number 1 for one week in December 1983).  Surprisingly, one of Dolly's best-known songs, "Jolene", stalled at number 99 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart in July 1974.

 

"Straight Talk" was lifted from the soundtrack album to the movie of the same name, in which Dolly starred.  She also wrote and performed all of the tracks on the album.

 

Internationally, "Straight Talk" peaked at number 81 in the Netherlands in August 1992.  It also peaked at number 64 on the meaningless US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in April 1992.

 

In Australia, "Straight Talk" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 158.

 

We shall next see Dolly in 1994.

 

 

Number 206 "Wishing on a Star" by The Cover Girls

Peak: number 181

Peak date: 14 September 1992

Weeks on chart: 7 weeks

 

We last saw The Cover Girls in 1991.

"Wishing on a Star" is a cover version of a Rose Royce single from 1977, which surprisingly does not appear to have been released in Australia, but was in New Zealand.  In more-recent years, part of the song's chorus was interpolated in Soul II Soul's "A Dreams a Dream" (number 27, June 1990).

The Cover Girls released their version of "Wishing on a Star" as the second single from their third studio album Here It Is (number 236, September 1992), more than a year after the first single from the album, "Funk Boutique".  Internationally, the single peaked at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992, number 38 in the UK in July 1992, number 6 in the Netherlands in September 1992, number 76 in Germany in September 1992, and number 26 in the Flanders region of Belgium in October 1992.

Locally, "Wishing on a Star" performed strongest in Queensland, where it reached number 156 on the state chart.

 

Embedded below is the video for the single version of "Wishing on a Star".  You can view the video for the extended version here.

This would be The Cover Girls' final single to chart in Australia.

 

 

Next week (10 August): Two top 150 entries and seven bubbling WAY down under debuts.

 

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