Welcome to the final chart survey of 1992. Fittingly, there's a Christmas song among the list of new entries below. In other news, I have added top 150 chart runs for my posts covering February 1990 to September 1990 inclusive.
Bjӧrn Again: Santa Claus was coming to town, but not the top 100.
Top 150 dubuts:
Number 106 “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Bjӧrn Again
Peak: number 106 (1992-3 chart run); number 105 (1994-5 chart run)
Peak dates: 14 December 1992 (1992-3 chart run); 19 December 1994 (1994-5 chart run)
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks (4 weeks in 1992-3; 4 weeks in 1994-5)
Top 150 chart run: 106-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-109
Re-entered 12 December 1994: 130-105-(chart repeated for 1 week Xmas break)-141
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks
The ABBA revival was well and truly underway by the end of 1992, with the ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits compilation atop the ARIA albums chart for Christmas 1992. It all kicked off with Erasure's Abba-esque EP (number 13, August 1992) topping the UK singles chart in June 1992. As a response to that, Australian ABBA tribute band Bjӧrn Again, cleverly named after ABBA founding member Bjӧrn Ulvaeus, covered two Erasure singles, "A Little Respect" and "Stop!", in ABBA style, released as the Erasure-ish EP in the UK, where it reached number 25 in October 1992. Oddly, the single was not released in Australia - perhaps because the Erasure originals of those songs were not hits locally.
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" did receive a local release, however, just in time for Christmas. Unlike most tribute acts, Bjӧrn Again did not merely perform ABBA covers, but rather, often re-interpreted others' songs in ABBA style, which was part of their novelty appeal. Their version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" begins with a "Waterloo" (number 4, August 1974) mash-up, and contains their attempt at a Swedish accent, particularly noticeable on the word "Claus". A version of "Little Drummer Boy" appeared as the single's B-side.
Internationally, "Santa Claus..." peaked at number 55 in the UK in December 1992.
Locally, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" was most popular in South Australia/Northern Territory, where it reached number 66 on the state chart in December 1994. The single was re-released for Christmas 1994 after the success of their "Flashdance... What a Feeling" (number 27, August 1994) single and Flashback! (number 40, August 1994) album. It stalled just outside the top 100 on both occasions, however, with the 1994 release bettering its original chart peak by only one place.
Bjӧrn Again had various line-ups over the years, but the original line-up was by far the best, and most commercially-successful.
We shall see Bjӧrn Again next in 1994.
Number 132 “A Good Idea” by Sugar
Peak: number 108
Peak date: 18 January 1993
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 132-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-119-112-108-122-114
We last saw American band Sugar in October 1992.
"A Good Idea" was the second single lifted from their debut album Copper Blue (number 92, October 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 62 in the UK in October 1992.
I hadn't heard this one before. While it's not something I would seek out, it wasn't bad.
This was Sugar's last top 150 single in Australia.
Number 146 “The New Time Warp” by The New Rocky Horror Show (Australian Cast)
Peak: number 106
Peak date: 18 January 1993
Weeks in top 150: 10 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 146-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-118-109-106-135-127-135-142
OK, you know from the song title and artist credit above that this is going to be a (probably bad) version of the famous Rocky Horror Show song, "The Time Warp", from 1973, which originally peaked at number 3 in Australia for 5 non-consecutive weeks in December 1980 and January 1981. Before that, an Australian cast recording of the same song peaked at number 85 in November 1977. We also saw Damian's version of the song bubble under in 1989.
The New Rocky Horror Show Australian cast was made up of Ally Fowler (of Chantoozies), Alyssa Jane Cook, Craig McLachlan, Frankie J Holden, Gina Riley (the comedienne), Glenn Butcher, Linda Nagle, Peter Rosethorn, Red Symons, Steve Kearney and Wilbur Wilde. There was an accompanying album, The New Rocky Horror Show (Australian Cast Recording) (number 124, January 1993).
I hadn't heard this one before. It's interesting to see Gina Riley (Kim from Kath & Kim) on the charts.
Number 149 “Love Changes Everything” by Peter Cousens
Peak: number 136
Peak date: 11 January 1993
Weeks in top 150: 8 weeks
Top 150 chart run: 149-(chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)-137-136-140-150-141
Australian singer and actor Peter Cousens guest-starred in a number of TV soap operas, including Sons and Daughters, which I was too young to have watched the first time around, but viewed the repeats on 7Two starting in 2009. I had to google who he played, as I couldn't place it, but he portrayed Luke Carlyle, who had a brief stint on the show in 1984.
Peter also landed the role of The Phantom for the Australian leg of the musical theatre production The Phantom of the Opera. "Love Changes Everything" was recorded for another Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Aspects of Love, in which Peter performed in for its Australian shows. The original London Cast recording of Aspects of Love peaked at number 86 on the ARIA albums chart in November 1989. We saw Michael Ball's recording of “Love Changes Everything” bubble under in 1989.
Bubbling WAY down under:
Number 180 “Love, Oh Love” by Lionel Richie
Peak: number 165
Peak date: 11 January 1993
Weeks on chart: 9 weeks
We last saw Lionel Richie in October 1992.
"Love, Oh Love" was the third new recording released as a single from Lionel's greatest hits album Back to Front (number 1, June 1992). Internationally, the single peaked at number 52 in the UK in November 1992, number 25 in Ireland in November 1992, number 15 in the Netherlands in December 1992, number 13 in the Flanders region of Belgium in January 1993, and number 71 in Germany in February 1993. "Love, Oh Love" does not appear to have been released as a single in North America.
Locally, "Love, Oh Love" performed strongest in Western Australia, reaching number 157 on the state chart.
We shall next see Lionel in 2000 (if I am writing recaps for that year). Before then, he had an album peak outside the top 100 in Australia with Time (number 174, June 1998).
Number 181 “Slow and Sexy” by Shabba Ranks featuring Johnny Gill
Peak: number 181
Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
We last saw Shabba Ranks in June 1992, and Johnny Gill in 1991. The unlikely pair (given Shabba's stance on homosexuality at the time and Johnny's rumoured sexual orientation) teamed up for this track, lifted from Shabba's X-tra Naked (number 188, February 1993) album.
Overseas, "Slow and Sexy" peaked at number 17 in the UK in November 1992, and at number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in January 1993.
"Slow and Sexy" also registered on a bunch of genre-specific Billboard charts in the US, reaching number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in November 1992, number 36 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in November 1992, number 63 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992, number 4 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in December 1992, number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in December 1992, and number 7 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in December 1992.
Domestically, "Slow and Sexy" was most popular in Western Australia, where it reached number 125 on the state chart.
I don't recall hearing this one before, though probably caught it on the American Top 40 radio show at the time. Shabba's vocals are a bit too abrasive for my liking on this track.
Johnny would go on to finally land a major hit, his only real one, in Australia with "The Floor" (number 6, October 1993) the next year.
We will see Shabba next in 1994, and Johnny in 1996.
Number 186 “Who Pays the Piper” by Gary Clail On-U Sound System
Peak: number 177
Peak date: 18 January 1993
Weeks on chart: 7 weeks
English artist (I'm reluctant to call him a singer) Gary Clail last graced our presence in 1991.
"Who Pays the Piper" was the lead single from Gary Clail On-U Sound's third album Dreamstealers (number 180, August 1993). As with his hit "Human Nature" (number 38, August 1991), "Who Pays the Piper" deals with social issues... this time illicit drug use.
Internationally, "Who Pays the Piper" peaked at number 31 in the UK in November 1992. In Australia, "Who Pays the Piper" was most successful in Western Australia, where it reached number 156 on the state chart.
I first heard this one on the UK Chart Attack radio show, and caught the video as a new release on rage at the time.
We'll next see Gary in 1993.
Number 205 “Real Love” by Mary J. Blige
Peak: number 205
Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)
Weeks on chart: 4 weeks
Hailing from New York, "Real Love" was Mary J. Blige's (the J stands for Jane) second single, and first Australian release, from her debut album What's the 411?, which oddly does not appear to have been released in Australia. It followed "You Remind Me".
Elsewhere, "Real Love" peaked at number 68 in the UK in November 1992, number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1992, and number 34 in Canada in December 1992.
The song also registered on a bunch of US Billboard's subsidiary charts, reaching number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart in September 1992, number 2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart in October 1992, number 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in October 1992, number 36 on the Dance Club Songs chart in October 1992, number 5 on the Dance Singles Sales chart in October 1992, number 4 on the Radio Songs chart in November 1992, number 1 on the Rhythmic Airplay chart in November 1992, and number 8 on the Pop Airplay chart in November 1992.
Locally, "Real Love" performed strongest on the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory state chart, where it reached number 185.
I heard this one several times on the American Top 40 radio show, and knew it quite well. Although R&B was generally making only small inroads on the Australian chart in 1992, its presence would increase in 1993. I am surprised this was not a bigger hit, though I don't recall the song receiving any air or video play here at the time.
Mary would have to wait until 2001 to land a breakthrough hit on the Australian chart, with "Family Affair" (number 8, January 2002); a song which I could probably be caught doing some dad dancing to if I was on my own and did such things...
We'll next see Mary in 1993.
Number 217 “To Hell with Love” by Suzanne Rhatigan
Peak: number 195
Peak date: 11 January 1993
Weeks on chart: 5 weeks
Irish songstress Suzanne Rhatigan last paid us a visit in November 1992.
This song was the title track from her debut and only album To Hell with Love, which was released locally in February 1993 but did not chart.
"To Hell with Love" did not chart anywhere else. It performed strongest on the Western Australia state chart, where it reached number 159.
I think I did hear this one at the time, probably as a new release video on rage.
We shall see Suzanne once more in 1993.
Number 220 “The Bitter Pill” by Warrant
Peak: number 220
Peak date: 14 December 1992 (chart repeated for 2 week Xmas break)
Weeks on chart: 3 weeks
We last saw American glam metal/rock band Warrant in September 1992.
"The Bitter Pill" was the second single lifted from the band's third studio album Dog Eat Dog (number 105, October 1992). I cannot find evidence of this track charting elsewhere.
On the state charts, "The Bitter Pill" peaked highest in New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory, where it reached number 192.
I hadn't heard this one before. It's not the sort of thing I would seek out, but I didn't mind it.
This would be Warrant's final chart entry in Australia.
Number 221 “Siva”/“Window Paine” by The Smashing Pumpkins
Peak: number 216
Peak date: 1 March 1993
Weeks on chart: 4 weeks
American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins formed in Chicago in 1988. Their first Australian singles chart entry was the Lull EP (number 74, August 1992), led by the track "Rhinoceros". Both "Siva" and "Window Paine" were lifted from the band's debut album Gish (number 51, March 1996), which initially peaked at number 98 in July 1992. Like most Australians, I first became aware of The Smashing Pumpkins when their single "Disarm" (number 16, August 1994) became a chart hit.
Internationally, "Siva"/"Window Paine" peaked at number 45 in New Zealand in February 1993.
Domestically, the single performed strongest on the Western Australian state chart, where it reached number 166.
A random memory I have involving The Smashing Pumpkins is my incredibly uncool audiology lecturer at uni put a question on the exam in 1998 regarding the loudness of the music at a “Roaring Pumpkins” concert. I don’t know if he was that clueless he didn’t know the correct name of the band, or if he just got it wrong.
We'll next see The Smashing Pumpkins in 1995.
Next chart (4 January 1993): The new year kicks off with four new top 150 entries, and two bubbling WAY down under debuts.
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