Week commencing 9 November 1992

Before writing this post, I had only heard one of this week in 1992’s new entries peaking in the 101-150 region of the chart.  Perhaps they are new to you, too?  Let’s take a look.

The Cure could only ‘wish’ their latest single made the ARIA top 100 in 1992.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 120 “Always Tomorrow” by Gloria Estefan

Peak: number 107

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Chart run: 174-120-117-107-113-121-131-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 9 weeks

Gloria Estefan last graced our presence in 1991.

“Always Tomorrow” was issued as a new track to promote Gloria Estefan’s Greatest Hits (number 21, November 1992) compilation album, which also contained singles released as Miami Sound Machine or Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine.  The track is somewhat different from Gloria’s other singles that I am familiar with, in that it is acoustic guitar-based, and Gloria is shown playing the guitar (I was not aware that she played an instrument) in the music video.

Internationally, “Always Tomorrow” peaked at number 24 in the UK in October 1992, number 27 in Ireland in October 1992, number 15 in the Netherlands in November 1992, and number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in November 1992.  The song also reached number 5 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in November 1992.

Locally, “Always Tomorrow” was most popular in Victoria/Tasmania, where it reached number 90 on the state chart.

I remember seeing this single reviewed in Smash Hits magazine at the time, but did not hear it until writing this post.

We will next see Gloria in 1993.

Number 128 “A Letter to Elise” by The Cure

Peak: number 103

Peak date: 30 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks 

Known chart run: 161-128-138-105-103-112-117-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)

Weeks on chart: 11 weeks

English band The Cure formed in 1976.  Up until this point in 1992, they had placed 19 singles on the Australian top 100, including two different versions of "Boys Don't Cry" (number 26, August 1986).  Their highest-charting single in Australia was "High" (number 5, March 1992), although "The Lovecats" (number 6, March 1984) and "Close to Me" (number 7, February 1986) are probably better-known.  My favourite Cure singles are probably "Lovesong" (number 82, October 1989), "Just Like Heaven" (number 89, November 1987) and "Never Enough" (number 22, October 1990).

"A Letter to Elise" was issued as the third single from The Cure's ninth studio album Wish (number 1, May 1992), following the aforementioned "High" and "Friday I'm in Love" (number 39, June 1992), which surprisingly only scraped into the top 40 here.

Internationally, "A Letter to Elise" peaked at number 28 in the UK in October 1992, number 23 in Ireland in October 1992, number 39 in Sweden in October 1992, and number 13 in New Zealand in November 1992.  The song also registered on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, where it reached number 2 in August 1992.

Within Australia, "A Letter to Elise" performed strongest on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 76.  The single also peaked 36 places higher nationally on the Australian Music Report singles chart, where it reached number 67.

I don't think I heard this one until buying The Cure's Galore: The Singles 1987-1997 (number 45, November 1997) compilation album.  I don't mind it, but it's not one of their best.

We'll next see The Cure in 1996.

Number 134 “Shuffle It All” by Izzy Stradlin and The Ju Ju Hounds

Peak: number 117

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 5 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 134-123-117-139-141

 

Born Jeffrey Dean Isbell, Izzy Stradlin came to fame as Guns N' Roses' rhythm guitarist.  Izzy quit the group in November 1991 at the height of their fame, forming Izzy Stradlin and The Ju Ju Hounds.  Their debut single "Pressure Drop" (number 47, October 1992), crept into the lower region of the ARIA top 50.  I hadn't actually heard that song until writing this post - it did not air during the rage top 60 chart, as no music video was filmed for the track.

 

"Shuffle It All" was released as the second single from the Izzy Stradlin and The Ju Ju Hounds (number 42, November 1992) album.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 54 in Canada in December 1992, and at number 85 in the UK during the same month.

This would be the last Izzy Stradlin release to trouble the ARIA top 150.

Number 140 “She’ll Be Right, Mate” by Slim Dusty

Peak: number 129

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 140-142-129

Aussie country music legend Slim Dusty has previously paid us a visit in 1981.

"She'll Be Right Mate" was lifted from Slim's 83rd (!) album - according to a chronological list on Wikipedia - That's the Song We're Singing (number 123, November 1992).  No music video is available for this track on YouTube, but you can view a live performance of it here.

 

Slim will join us next in 1994.

Number 144 “Sliding” by Living Daylights

Peak: number 144

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 144

From what I can gather, Living Daylights were an Australian band, containing members Boyd Wilson and Denise Di Marchi,  They released an album Living Daylights  in Japan in 1994, but this does not appear to have been released in Australia.  I hadn’t heard, or even heard of, this one before.

 

We will see Living Daylights again in 1993.

Number 146 The Mark Curry EP by Mark Curry

Peak: number 146

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 2 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 146-(out for 1 week)-147

American singer-songwriter Mark Curry started out in the band Crystal Sphere before going solo in 1992.  "Sorry About the Weather", the lead track from The Mark Curry EP, reached number 20 on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart in October 1992.  I cannot find evidence of it charting elsewhere.

I had never heard of Mark Curry before writing this post.  "Sorry About the Weather" isn't bad, although I find it annoying that the music video (embedded below) plays in the background while a couple talk in front of the television.  You can hear the track more clearly here.

 

Mark's debut solo album It's Only Time was released in Australia in November 1992, but missed the top 150.  This EP would be Mark's only ARIA top 150 entry.

Number 150 “Whatcha’ Need” by Bootsauce

Peak: number 150

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 1 week

Top 150 chart run: 150

It seems quite a week for obscure artists I've never heard of before, and here's yet another.  Bootsauce were a Canadian band, formed in Montreal in 1989.  "Whatcha' Need" was lifted from their second album Bull, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.

Internationally, "Whatcha' Need" peaked at number 50 in Canada in July 1992.

I didn't mind this one.  Bootsauce split in 1996, and this would be their only Australian top 150 entry.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 189 “Lovin’ You” by Shanice

Peak: number 189

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks 

We last saw American songstress Shanice in July 1992.

"Lovin' You" was issued as the third single from Inner Child (number 111, May 1992) in Australia.  The song is a cover version of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" (number 5, May 1975).  We saw another cover version of this song bubble under in 1990. Shanice's version updates the song for the early 90s, with an R&B sound.

 

Internationally, Shanice's version of "Lovin' You" peaked at number 54 in the UK in November 1992.  The song also reached number 59 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

 

Domestically, "Lovin' You" was most popular in Queensland, where it reached number 164 on the state chart.

 

I hadn't heard Shanice's version of "Lovin' You" before, but liked it.  It translates into an early 90s R&B track better than I was expecting it to.

 

We shall next see Shanice in 1993.

Number 190 “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths

Peak: number 190

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

The Smiths last graced our presence in September 1992.

 

Continuing the re-release campaign to promote their Best ...1 (number 64, October 1992) compilation, "How Soon Is Now?" was originally released in Australia in March 1985, but failed to chart.  The 1985 release of the single peaked at number 24 in the UK in February 1985, number 5 in Ireland in February 1985, and number 39 in New Zealand in June 1985.  It also reached number 36 on the US Billboard Dance Singles Sales chart in March 1985.

The 1992 release of "How Soon Is Now?" peaked at number 16 in the UK in September 1992, and at number 16 in Ireland during the same month.  Domestically, the single performed strongest in Queensland, reaching number 174 on the state chart.

I first heard "How Soon Is Now?" when catching the music video on rage among the new releases airing before the top 60 chart began, in late 1992.  My first encounter with the song was via it being sampled prominently on Soho's "Hippychick" (number 21, January 1991).

 

I concur with the comments on YouTube, where people state that the "I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does" chorus lyrics on this song hit hard.  I also like to think I can do a quite reasonable impression of Morrissey's voice on the chorus of this track. 

It's a testament to "How Soon Is Now?"'s enduring popularity that the track reached number 4 on the US Billboard Alternative Digital Song Sales chart in November 2023.

We shall see The Smiths with another re-release in early 1993.

Number 206 “Soul Inspiration” by Simon Climie

Peak: number 206

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

Simon Climie came to fame as one half of English duo Climie Fisher, whom we last saw in February 1989; although they were essentially one-hit wonders in Australia, with "Love Changes (Everything)" (number 23, October 1988).  Before that, Simon had some success as a songwriter for other artists, co-writing Pat Benatar's "Invincible" (number 23, October 1985) and Aretha Franklin & George Michael's "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (number 1 for 4 weeks in March-April 1987).

"Soul Inspiration" was Simon's debut solo single, lifted from the Soul Inspiration album, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.  Internationally, the single peaked at number 60 in the UK in September 1992, number 44 in the Netherlands in November 1992, and number 60 in Germany in December 1992.  The track was later remixed by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow, formerly of PWL, and re-released as "Shine a Light (Soul Inspiration)", peaking at number 87 in the UK in July 1993.

 

Locally, "Soul Inspiration" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 188 on the state chart.

 

I wasn't familiar with this track until ripping the music video from a German VHS compilation about 15 year ago.  It could have become a hit with better promotion, I think.

 

This would be Simon's only solo charting release in Australia.

Number 207 “Only Love” by Maybe Dolls

Peak: number 207

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw Aussie band Maybe Dolls in May 1992.

"Only Love" was issued as the fourth and final single from the band's debut - and only - album Propaganda (number 25, March 1992).  The single was most popular in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 189 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before, but like it.  If a music video exists, it has not yet made its way onto YouTube.

This would be Maybe Dolls' final chart entry.  They released another single, "Goodbye", in August 1993, but it seems to have disappeared without a trace, and cannot be found anywhere to listen to online.

Number 210 “Strange Weather” by Glenn Frey

Peak: number 210

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw Glenn Frey in September 1992.

"Strange Weather" was issued as the fourth and final single in Australia from Glenn's fourth solo album Strange Weather (number 120. September 1992).  I cannot find evidence of the single charting elsewhere.  In Australia, "Strange Weather" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 179 on the state chart.

No music video appears for this track on YouTube, but you can view a live TV performance of the song here.

 

This would be Glenn's last charting single in Australia.  He had later low-charting albums with Live (number 224, August 1993), After Hours (number 180, October 2012), and Above the Clouds: The Very Best of (number 769, June 2018).

Next week (16 November): Six top 150 entries and three bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 2 November 1992                     Next week: 16 November 1992 >

Week commencing 2 November 1992

Three of this week in 1992's four new top 150 entries are cover versions, and one of the bubbling WAY down under debuts is an EP of four cover versions.  Before taking a look at them, I wish to alert you that I have added top 150 chart runs for all of my June 1992 chart recaps (a work in progress).

Alannah Myles scored a flop instead of a hit this week in 1992.

Top 150 debuts:

Number 131 “Highway to Hell (Ballad of Jed Clampett)” by The Fargone Beauties

Peak: number 106

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 131-119-112-106-125-133

 

We last saw Aussie band The Fargone Beauties in 1991.

 

"Highway to Hell (Ballad of Jed Clampett)" was issued as the lead single from the band's second album It's Hard When You're Ugly (number 147, November 1992).  As you might suspect from the title. it's a cover version of the AC/DC song "Highway to Hell" (number 24, October 1979)... re-worked in country style, complete with banjos.  Jed Clampett was the patriarch of the American TV sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies.  Funnily enough, I commented last time that The Fargone Beauties' music sounded to me like it could have featured in that series.

I recall catching the video for "Highway to Hell..." on rage as a new release, airing before the top 60 chart commenced.

We'll see The Fargone Beauties once more, in 1993.

Number 140 “Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)” by Manic Street Preachers

Peak: number 139

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 3 weeks 

Known chart run: 163-140-139-144

Weeks on chart: 8 weeks 

Welsh band Manic Street Preachers last paid us a visit in August 1992.

 

"Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)" was recorded for the NME's charity album Ruby Trax (The NME's Roaring Forty), which I discussed in an earlier post from September 1992.  Forty different artists recorded forty cover versions of UK number 1 singles for this album.  "Suicide Is Painless", the theme song from the TV series M*A*S*H*, was originally recorded in 1970 by The Mash, peaking at number 1 in the UK for three weeks in May-June 1980.  In Australia, the single peaked at number 52 in September 1980.

 

Internationally, Manic Street Preachers' version of "Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)" peaked at number 7 in the UK in September 1992, number 12 in Ireland, number 21 in Sweden in November 1992, and number 40 in New Zealand in February 1993.

Locally, "Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)" performed strongest in Western Australia, where it reached number 116 on the state chart.

 

The subtitle of the song is slightly ironic, given that the band's rhythm guitarist, Richey Edwards, went missing on 1 February 1995, and is presumed dead, possibly by suicide.  His car was abandoned at a service station near the Severn Bridge, which is a known suicide site.

 

I first heard the Manics' version of this track when picking up the 3-CD Ruby Trax in the now-defunct Melbourne alternative music store Au Go Go Records, in their upstairs second-hand/collectables section in 1999.  It was one of the better cover versions on Ruby Trax, in my opinion, and I have enjoyed rocking out to this song on my car CD player (how quaint) when no-one is watching…

 

We shall next see Manic Street Preachers in 1993.

Number 142 “Dancing Queen” by Abbacadabra

Peak: number 104

Peak date: 9 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks 

Top 150 chart run: 142-104-121-109-109-134

 

Abbacadabra were, as you might suspect from the name, an ABBA covers act, formed in the UK in 1991, and known for their dance reworkings of ABBA songs.  The original ABBA version of "Dancing Queen" spent eight weeks at number 1 in Australia in September-October 1976, and the 1992 re-issue to promote the ABBA Gold compilation (number 1 for 4 weeks in December 1992) peaked at number 37 in November 1992.

The Abbacadabra version of "Dancing Queen" was mixed by Dave Ford and Pete Waterman (of Stock Aitken Waterman) for PWL.  Vocals were performed by Linda Taylor and Karen Boddington, who sang the female vocal part on the original Home and Away TV theme.

Overseas, Abbacadabra's version of "Dancing Queen" peaked at number 57 in the UK in August 1992, and at number 29 in Ireland in September 1992.

The track appears on Abbacadabra's debut album Abbasalute, which does not appear to have been released in Australia.

We will see another, home-grown ABBA-tribute act in December 1992, and another ABBA covers release further below this week!

Number 147 “Everybody” by Paul Begaud

Peak: number 130

Peak date: 23 November 1992

Weeks in top 150: 6 weeks

Top 150 chart run: 147-137-147-130-134-144

 

"Everybody" was Australian singer/songwriter/producer Paul Begaud's (pronounced 'buh-GO') only release.  The song was written by Andrew Klippel, from Euphoria, and Ean Sugarman, who was also involved with Euphoria.  Andrew Klippel performs backing vocals on the chorus.

A music video exists for this track - I remember seeing it on TV a couple of times, but has not yet made its way onto YouTube.  While "Everybody" was not a commercial success, Paul went on to become a successful songwriter/producer for other artists, including Human Nature, Leah Haywood, Selwyn, Tina Arena, and Honeyz.  He wrote "End of the Line" for Honeyz, which peaked at number 5 in the UK in December 1998, and number 24 in Australia in April 1999.

Bubbling WAY down under:

Number 152 “Song Instead of a Kiss” by Alannah Myles

Peak: number 152

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 6 weeks 

 

Canadian singer-songwriter Alannah Myles (real name Alannah Byles) burst onto the chart in Australia in early 1990 with "Black Velvet" (number 3, February 1990), though it made its understated debut at number 163 in October 1989.  Preceding "Black Velvet" was "Love Is", Alannah's debut single, which was released in Australia in June 1989 and crept into the top 150 in August of that year, initially climbing to number 128 in September 1989.  The success of "Black Velvet" renewed interest in "Love Is", and it eventually climbed to its peak of number 12 in April 1990, spending 48 weeks on the chart in total.  Both tracks appeared on her triple-platinum debut album Alannah Myles (number 2, May 1990), and were followed up with two minor hits, "Still Got This Thing" (number 64, May 1990) and "Lover of Mine" (number 47, October 1990), the latter of which was my favourite single from the album.  "Lover of Mine" was a much bigger hit on the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart than elsewhere, where it reached number 4. No-one seems to do rock ballads quite as well as the Canadians, it seems.

"Song Instead of a Kiss" was the lead single from Alannah's second album Rockinghorse (number 65, October 1992).  I was not aware that Alannah had new material out until Rockinghorse appeared as album of the week on the printed ARIA top 50 charts that were available for free in record stores at the time.  I didn't hear "Song Instead of a Kiss" until January 1993, catching the second half of the song while channel surfing on AM radio.  I had a cassette tape ready to record, and recorded it onto that.  The single no doubt suffered from a lack of promotion.  It's my favourite Alannah Myles song, and I think it deserved to do much better on the chart.  You can hear the full-length version of the track, with its extended luscious strings intro, here.

Fortunately for Alannah, "Song Instead of a Kiss" was a big hit in her homeland, spending four weeks at number 1 in Canada in Novermber-December 1992.  The song was not a huge success elsewhere, however, peaking at number 89 in the UK in November 1992, and at number 35 in the Netherlands in February 1993.

 

In keeping with all four of Alannah's previous charting singles in Australia, "Song Instead of a Kiss" was most successful in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 121 on the state chart.  "Black Velvet" topped the South Australia/Northern Territory state chart, "Love Is" reached number 5 on it, and "Still Got This Thing" peaked at number 38 - all peaks being higher than any of the other state charts.

 

Like many recording artists, Alannah was unfortunately screwed over royally by her record company, Atlantic Records, making virtually no money from her recording career in the early 1990s.  She still owed the company millions of dollars earlier this century, and received her first royalty cheque, of a measly US$5000, in 2008.  It’s quite shocking that artists can be so exploited and left in debt despite having major international success.

The 'wrap' Alannah wears in the music video for "Song Instead of a Kiss" reminds me of fellow Canadian Shania Twain's leopard print outfit she wears in the "That Don't Impress Me Much" (number 2, March 1999) video.

 

We will not see Alannah again, although she released another single from Rockinghorse in Australia, "Living on a Memory", in July 1993, which failed to chart.

Number 196 “Instant Karma!” by John Lennon (1992 re-issue)

Peak: number 196

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 3 weeks 

 

Ex-Beatle John Lennon's "Instant Karma!" was originally released as a single in early 1970, credited to the Plastic Ono Band.  It peaked at number 5 in the UK in February 1970, number 3 in Ireland, number 7 in the Netherlands in March 1970, number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in March 1970, number 2 in Canada in March 1970, number 9 in Switzerland in April 1970, number 4 in Austria in April 1970, number 4 in the Flanders region of Belgium in April 1970, number 1 in the Wallonia region of Belgium in April 1970, number 5 in Australia on the Go Set charts in May 1970, and number 9 in Norway.   Somewhat fitting the song's title, "Instant Karma!" was written, recorded and released within a period of ten days, rendering it one of the fastest-released songs in pop history!  It was a non-album single.

"Instant Karma!" was re-released as a single in continental Europe (oddly not in the UK) in 1992, initially given away with early editions of The John Lennon Video Collection.  The 1992 release peaked at number 7 in Germany in August 1992, number 10 in the Netherlands in August 1992, number 31 in Switzerland in August 1992, and number 29 in the Flanders region of Belgium in August 1992.

 

Domestically, the 1992 release of "Instant Karma!" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 158 on the state chart.

 

John would bubble WAY down under again in 2018 with his 1971 track "Jealous Guy" (number 1477, October 2018), which, to my surprise, was not released as a single during his lifetime, but was listed as an AA-side on the 1988 re-issue of the "Imagine" (number 21, December 1988) single.

Number 208 “Silk Pyjamas” by Thomas Dolby

Peak: number 208

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

We last saw English singer-songwriter Thomas Dolby in September 1992.

 

"Silk Pyjamas" was released as the third single from Thomas' fourth studio album Astronauts & Heretics (number 123, August 1992).  Internationally, the single peaked at number 62 in the UK in September 1992.

Locally, "Silk Pyjamas" performed strongest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it peaked at number 189 on the state chart.

I hadn't heard this one before, but liked it.  This would be Thomas' last singles chart entry in Australia.  He had a later low-charting album, though, with Original Album Series (number 892, March 2017).

Number 218 “The Further in We Go” by Suzanne Rhatigan

Peak: number 218

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week 

I first became aware of Irish singer-songwriter Suzanne Rhatigan when seeing her name appear in the backing vocal credits in the liner notes on Sonia's Everybody Knows album.  Suzanne worked with several Stock Aitken Waterman-produced artists, although her vocal contributions were not limited to back-up.  As revealed in the Chart Beats podcast series on Stock Aitken Waterman-produced singles (check out episode 29), Suzanne's voice was "ghosted" on Mandy Smith's records.  This normally means that the voice is mixed together with the (supposed) singer's vocals, but in this instance, Suzanne basically was "the voice of Mandy Smith".  In case you are wondering who Mandy Smith is, she was Rolling Stones' bass guitarist Bill Wyman’s much younger girlfriend, and later wife.  Mandy was a mere 13 and Bill was in his late 40s when they began "dating" (ick); the pair married in 1989 when Mandy was 18.  Not surprisingly, the marriage ended in divorce a mere two years later.

As the voice of Mandy Smith, Suzanne scored three top 100 singles in Australia, with "I Just Can't Wait" (number 91, May 1987), "Victim of Pleasure" (number 78, December 1988), and "Don't You Want Me Baby" (number 90, July 1989).  "Mandy" also had two singles that narrowly missed the top 100: "Positive Reaction" (number 7 on the Australian Music Report 'significant sales reports beyond the top 100' list in March 1988), and "Boys and Girls" registered on two ARIA state charts (number 81 in Victoria/Tasmania, and number 73 in Western Australia - both in July 1988) but not the national chart.  The Mandy album (number 144, December 1988) also registered on the ARIA albums chart.

Suzanne told her mother that her voice was used on Mandy's "I Just Can't Wait" single, and her mother revealed this information to the Irish press, which understandably severed her relationship with Stock Aitken Waterman, and she was effectively fired... temporarily.  The trio invited her back, however, to record a follow-up after "I Just Can't Wait" became a hit across continental Europe.  Despite not being given credit for Mandy's vocals, Suzanne does not seem bitter about the experience in her interview for the Chart Beats podcast.

Now onto Suzanne's recording career under her own name... "The Further in We Go" was issued as the lead single from Suzanne's debut, and only, album To Hell with Love, which was released in Australia in February 1993 but failed to chart.  "The Further in We Go" missed the UK top 200 singles chart, and I cannot find evidence of it charting elsewhere.  The single was released in Australia at the end of September 1992, but took just over a month to chart.

Locally, "The Further in We Go" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 161.

I hadn't heard this track before, but did hear the follow-up, which we will see next month.  I remember reading an interview with Suzanne in the free Brashs in-store magazine, where she spoke about being "a bitch".

If playing the video embedded below to hear the song, note that it's the whole album - skip to 10:14 minutes in to hear "The Further in We Go".

Number 224 Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP by Erasure

Peak: number 224

Peak date: 2 November 1992

Weeks on chart: 1 week

We last saw English synth-pop duo Erasure in March 1992.

 

Erasure scored their second, of only two, Australian top 40 hits - both peaking at number 13, with the Abba-esque EP (number 13, August 1992), containing covers of 4 songs originally recorded by Swedish supergroup ABBA.  "Take a Chance on Me" (the ABBA version peaked at number 12 in March 1978) was promoted as the lead track on the EP, but my favourite song from the EP is "Lay All Your Love on Me" (ABBA's original does not appear to have been released as a single in Australia).  The EP also contained covers of "S.O.S." (ABBA's version peaked at number 1 for one week in January 1976) and "Voulez Vous" (ABBA's version peaked at number 79 in September 1979).  Only "Take a Chance on Me" would appear on the Erasure compilation album Pop! The First 20 Hits (number 122, November 1992).

As I have mentioned previously, ARIA did not appear to know what to do with multi-part CD singles in 1992, with several remix singles charting in their own right as a separate release, rather than their sales being combined with the original/main release.  Here is another example, where the remixes version of Abba-esque charting separately.  This remix EP was released locally on the last Monday of September 1992, more than three months after the release of the original version.

The Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP did not chart separately elsewhere.  The Abba-esque EP peaked at number 1 in the UK for 5 weeks in June-July 1992, number 1 in Ireland, number 1 in Sweden in June 1992, number 3 in Switzerland in July 1992, number 85 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1992, number 52 in Canada in July 1992, number 1 in Austria for 8 non-consecutive weeks between July and September 1992, number 4 in the Netherlands in August 1992, number 4 in the Flanders region of Belgium in August 1992, number 2 in Germany in August 1992, and number 42 in New Zealand in August 1992.

 

Locally, the Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP peaked highest in Western Australia, where it reached number 188 on the state chart. 

At the time of writing, number 224 is the lowest peak I have for the singles chart in 1992.

The four tracks on the Abba-esque (The Remixes) EP, all of which I have embedded below, are: "Voulez Vous" (Brain Stem Death Test Mix), "Lay All Your Love On Me" (No Panties Mix), "Take a Chance on Me" (Take a Trance On Me Mix), and "S.O.S." (Perimeter Mix).  Listening to each of these for the first time as I write this post, I can say that I didn't really like any of the mixes.  I am generally not a huge remix fan, except for extended versions of the original track.

 

We shall see Erasure again before the month is out! 

Next week (9 November): Seven top 150 entries and five bubbling WAY down under debuts.

< Previous week: 26 October 1992                    Next week: 9 November 1992 >