I can't identify a common theme linking this week in 1992's new entries peaking outside the top 100, other than all but one of them have male lead vocals. Let's take a look.
Right Said Fred were too sexy for the top 100 this week in 1992, and too stupid for the pandemic in the 2020s.
Top 150 debuts:
Number 112 "What God Wants, Part I" by Roger Waters
Peak: number 103
Peak dates: 21 September 1992 and 28 September 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 112-103-103-108-117-133
Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
English musician Roger Waters was a founding member of Pink Floyd, who formed in 1965, in which he played bass guitar. Roger left the group in 1985, although he had launched his solo career the year prior, with "5:01AM (The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking)" (number 74, August 1984), and the album The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking (number 30, July 1984).
I first became aware of Roger when his single "Radio Waves" (number 43, August 1987) appeared on the '87 Hots Up (number 8, October 1987) compilation, which was the first various artists compilation I purchased, aged 8. Roger landed another minor hit on the Australian singles chart the following year, with "The Tide Is Turning (After Live Aid)" (number 49, March 1988). Both tracks were lifted from Roger's second album Radio K.A.O.S. (number 33, September 1987).
"What God Wants, Part I" was the lead single from Roger's third solo studio album Amused to Death (number 14, September 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 35 in the UK in September 1992, number 9 in Norway, number 26 in New Zealand in October 1992, and number 49 in the Netherlands in October 1992. It also reached number 4 on the meaningless US Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in September 1992.
In Australia, "What God Wants, Part I" was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 84 on the state chart.
While this would be the only occasion we see Roger bubble under in Australia, he had a couple of later albums that missed the top 100, namely Flickering Flame: The Solo Years Volume I (number 139, April 2002), Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale (number 674, November 2018), and The Lockdown Sessions (number 220, June 2023).
Number 131 "Real Cool World" by David Bowie
Peak: number 131
Peak date: 14 September 1992
Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 131-139-146Weeks on chart: 6 weeks
We saw English singer-songwriter David Bowie as a featured artist in 1990, and fronting a band in 1991. Here he is finally on his own! Between 1972 and 1990, David placed 31 singles on the Australian top 100, with "Sorrow" (number 1 for 3 weeks in February-March 1974), "Ashes to Ashes" (number 3, October 1980) and "Let's Dance" (number 2, April 1983) being the biggest of those.
"Real Cool World" was recorded for the movie Cool World and appears on the Songs from the Cool World soundtrack album. It was David's first solo charting single in Australia since "Fame 90" (number 85, May 1990).
Internationally, "Real Cool World" peaked at number 53 in the UK in August 1992, number 26 in Sweden in September 1992, number 27 in the Netherlands in September 1992, number 30 in the Flanders region of Belgium in September 1992, and number 83 in Germany in September 1992. It also reached number 11 on the pointless US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in August 1992, and number 9 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in October 1992.
In Australia, "Real Cool World" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 112.
Of course, you'd have to be living under a rock (I sometimes do) to not be aware that we lost David Bowie in January 2016, from liver cancer, aged 69.
We shall next see David in 1995.
Number 134 "Machine Gun" by Warrant
Peak: number 124
Peak date: 5 October 1992
Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 134-131-129-124-135-138Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
We last saw American metal band Warrant in 1990. Since then, Warrant had their commercial breakthrough in Australia with the single "Cherry Pie" (number 6, January 1991) - which I'm thinking was probably the last top 10 glam metal hit in Australia, and the album Cherry Pie (number 13, January 1991). They also landed a second, minor top 40 hit in Australia with "I Saw Red" (number 36, February 1991), and another top 100 entry with "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (number 85, May 1991). Then alternative/grunge music took off in 1991 and rendered metal bands virtually obsolete. Nonetheless, Warrant managed to limp into the top 50 - just - with their cover of Queen's "We Will Rock You" (number 50, June 1992), which was recorded for the Gladiator soundtrack.
The success of "Cherry Pie" likely contributed to Warrant front man Jani Lane's demise. He expressed his regret over writing that song, being pressured by the record label to produce another hit, in this interview, eerily stating he could shoot himself in the head for writing that song. Jani was found dead in 2011 due to acute alcohol poisoning, aged 47.
"Machine Gun" was released as the lead single from Warrant's third studio album Dog Eat Dog (number 105, October 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 36 on the meaningless US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in September 1992.
Locally, "Machine Gun" performed strongest in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 105 on the state chart.
We'll see Warrant one more time, in December 1992.
Number 136 "Those Simple Things"/"(What a Day for a) Daydream" by Right Said Fred
Peak: number 121
Peak date: 28 September 1992
Weeks in top 150: 7 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 136-128-121-129-134-146-146Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
English pop group Right Said Fred were brothers Richard (the singing one who also plays bass) and Fred (the guitar-playing one) Fairbass, together with guitarist Rob Manzoli. The brothers are still together, while Rob quit the group in 1997. The trio came to prominence with their debut single "I'm Too Sexy" (number 1 for 3 weeks in November 1991), which was essentially a novelty hit. They avoided one-hit wonder status by following that up with the singles "Don't Talk Just Kiss" (number 18, March 1992) and "Deeply Dippy" (number 38, August 1992) - all three of these singles went top 3 in their native UK, with the latter finally giving them a number 1 there. The group's debut album Up (number 39, July 1992) also topped the UK albums chart.
"Those Simple Things" was issued as the fourth single from Up, and was paired with "(What a Day for a) Daydream", a new recording and cover version of a song originally released by The Lovin' Spoonful in 1966 as just "Daydream", as a double A-side release. Presumably, this was done to entice people to buy the single for the new track, given the album had already performed well in the UK.
The ploy did not exactly work. "Those Simple Things"/"(What a Day for a) Daydream" under-performed in the UK, peaking at number 29 there in July 1992. The single also peaked at number 21 in Ireland in July 1992, number 48 in Germany in September 1992, number 29 in Austria in September 1992, and number 18 in Switzerland in October 1992.
In Australia, "Those Simple Things"/"(What a Day for a) Daydream" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 95. The single fared better nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 91.
I recall hearing this single on the UK Chart Attack radio show in 1992, but could barely remember how it went. At this point, Right Said Fred's novelty appeal was wearing off. Nonetheless, they continued releasing material into the 2000s, and we shall see Right Said Fred bubble under (or WAY down under) on a couple of occasions over the years, with the next time we see them being in 1994.
While the Fairbrass brothers might have been been blessed with gym-fit bodies, they were clearly much further down the queue when brains were handed out. The pair became known for downplaying the seriousness of COVID-19 during the pandemic, and expressing skepticism over the vaccines. In 2022, the brothers were involved with distributing leaflets for anti-climate change UK activist group Not Our Future. What a charming pair.
Number 150 "Full Term Love" by Monie Love
Peak: number 150
Peak date: 14 September 1992
Weeks in top 150: 1 week
Top 150 chart run: 150Weeks on chart: 12 weeks
We last saw English rapper Monie Love in 1991.
"Full Term Love" was recorded for the Class Act soundtrack, and would go on to appear on Monie's second studio album In a Word Or 2 (number 147, May 1993). As seemed to be common in the early 90s with singles blending rap and dance, a different mix of this track was released in the US (which you can listen to here) to the single version in Europe and Australasia, which I have embedded below. The US version is much more R&B in style, while the one we got in Australia sounds similar in production to my ears to the European versions of Salt 'N' Pepa's early 1990s singles.
Internationally, "Full Term Love" peaked at number 34 in the UK in July 1992, number 96 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1992, and number 58 in the Netherlands in October 1992. It also peaked at number 43 on the meaningless US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in July 1992, number 47 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart in July 1992, number 26 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in August 1992, and number 7 on the US Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart in August 1992.
Locally, "Full Term Love" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 120 on the state chart.
I remember catching the video for "Full Term Love" on M.C. TeeVee on SBS on a Sunday afternoon at the time. I think it deserved to be a bigger hit than it was.
We shall next see Monie in 1993.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 155 "I Love You Goodbye" by Thomas Dolby
Peak: number 155
Peak date: 14 September 1992
Weeks on chart: 4 weeks
We last saw English singer-songwriter Thomas Dolby in June 1992.
"I Love You Goodbye" was issued as the second single from Thomas' fourth studio album Astronauts & Heretics (number 123, August 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 36 in the UK in July 1992.
In Australia, "I Love You Goodbye" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 146.
I hadn't heard this one before. I like it, but doesn't exactly scream 'hit'.
We'll see Thomas on one more occasion, in November 1992.
Number 182 "Going Home" by The Tyrrel Corporation
Peak: number 182
Peak date: 14 September 1992
Weeks on chart: 2 weeksEnglish duo The Tyrrel Corporation last graced our presence in May 1992.
"Going Home" was issued as the third, and in Australia, final, single from The Tyrrel Corporation's debut album North East of Eden (number 273, December 1992). The song tells the tale of the pair returning to their small seaside hometown (population 37,000 in 2021) Redcar, in North East England, after having been away for some time, and being shocked at how run-down and stagnant the place had become, during the Thatcher government years of neglect ("expect that everything has changed, strange to find things just the same").
"Going Home" peaked at number 58 in the UK in August 1992. Domestically, the single was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 169.
I didn't know this one at the time, but quite like it, particularly that bass line.
A fourth single from North East of Eden, the double A-side "Waking with a Stranger"/"One Day", was released in the UK at the end of September 1992, peaking at number 59 there the following month.
We will see The Tyrrel Corporation on one more occasion, in 1995.
Number 203 "Hangin' on a String" (Frankie Knuckles Remix) by Loose Ends
Peak: number 203
Peak date: 14 September 1992
Weeks on chart: 2 weeksBritish R&B band Loose Ends formed in London in the early 1980s. While they never landed a charting release in Australia - until now - they amassed six UK top 40 singles between 1985 and 1992. The original 1985 release of "Hangin' on a String (Contemplating)" was the equal-best charting of those, reaching number 13 in the UK in March 1985. The single also peaked at number 26 in Ireland in March 1985, number 33 in the Netherlands in April 1985, number 40 in the Flanders region of Belgium in June 1985, number 12 in New Zealand in June 1985, and number 43 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in August 1985.
This Frankie Knuckles remix of "Hangin' on a String", minus the subtitle, was released to promote Loose Ends' Tighten Up Vol. 1 compilation, which contained remixed versions of their hits. The 1992 remixed single peaked at number 25 in the UK in June 1992.
In Australia, the 1992 mix of "Hangin' on a String" performed strongest in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 153 on the state singles chart.
While we won't see Loose Ends again, we will see Frankie Knuckles in 1995.
Next week (21 September): Four top 150 entries and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.
< Previous week: 7 September 1992 Next week: 21 September 1992 >
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