23rd November 1991 for two weeks

This is the fourth time that we’ve met Michael Jackson on the blog. Firstly, there was One Day In Your Life in 1979, Billie Jean in 1983 and I Just Can’t Stop Loving You in 1987. I don’t remember any of the hype around these earlier songs. But I can vividly remember watching Top Of The Pops, waiting for the premier of the video of Black Or White.

The video began with Macauley Culkin and ended with The Simpsons. Inbetween, even then, I remember thinking it was overhyped. Now, I realise it was just self-indulgent. Michael Jackson was portraying himself as some sort of saviour – like he could fix racism. But I remember at the time thinking that he had either a skin condition that made the colour of his skin fade, or either he had deliberately taken treatment that made the colour fade. I didn’t really understand the message of the song.

The song was ok. It is far from his best, but it was probably his most hyped up! They literally released the song at the same time around the world like it was a global event.

I don’t feel like the song has stood the test of time. I never thought it was great, and I still don’t.

5/10

9th November 1991 for two weeks

Dizzy is a fantastic song. Especially after The Fly, Dizzy was like a breath of fresh air at Number 1.

I have no awareness of what prompted comedian Vic Reeces to record a pop song, but I am so glad he did. He linked up with the band The Wonder Stuff to produce a cover of Dizzy, a song by Tommy Roe which reached Number 1 in 1969 (although I didn’t know it was a cover).

The original is an ok song. The cover speeds it up and enhances all of the best parts of the song. The violins sound sublime. The backing vocals are awesome. The bit where he is ‘going round in circles all the tie-ee-ie-ee-ime is fabulous’. It is pop perfection.

Vic Reeves (and Bob Mortimer) recorded a brilliant cover of I’m a Believer in 1995. The Wonder Stuff’s finest hour was actually ‘Size of a Cow’, a brilliant song released earlier in 1991. Neither act ever troubled the Number 1 spot again.

10/10

2nd November 1991 for one week

After being unaware of Bryan Adams’ record breaking run at Number 1 for most of it, by the end I was much more interested in who was at the top of the charts, and would be forever from this point.

I have vivid memories of discovering that Everything I Do (I Do It For You) had been knocked off the top to be replaced by The Fly by U2.

I had heard of U2, but didn’t really know their music. So I was interested to find out what The Fly must sound like – it’s knocked a record breaker off the top of the charts – it must be good, right?

Wrong, I hated it. It was bloody awful. I’ve just listened to it again and it continues to be bloody awful. I appreciate that the public might have been sick of Bryan Adams and so perhaps sales dipped. But the song is truly dreadful and doesn’t compare to U2’s finest. It is dirge. I was angry that it reached the top, as a 12 year old. I’m still angry now as a 45 year old.

This is the second time that we’ve discussed U2, after 1988’s Desire, but we will meet them again in the future, with much better songs.

1/10

13th July 1991 for sixteen weeks

1991 included a moment of chart history. Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do (I Do It For You) became the song with the longest uninterrupted run at Number 1 ever. For sixteen weeks the song dominated the charts. Songs have come close, but nothing has ever been able to repeat the chart success of it even again.

Prior to EIDIDIFU Bryan Adams had only had minor chart success in the UK. Notably, Summer of 69 peaked at Number 42 in 1985 – which is astonishing considering the song’s everlasting popularity.

Over three weeks the song climbed from a Number 8 entry, to Number 2 and then remained at Number 1 for sixteen weeks.

The strange thing is, given the attention that I have paid to the charts ever since, I was largely unaware that the song was at the top for so long. During the summer, I knew I liked the song. Of course, I had never seen the movie. (When I did eventually see it, I thought it was good though.) Someone told me about the song being at the top for so long and I thought it was amazing to hear about this. So I can remember following the final few weeks of the song’s run at the top.

It is almost a shame that the song had so much success as people grew to tire of it and it became a bit cheesy. But, in fact, the song is fabulous. It is a pop classic. The song still sounds great, 33 years later.

Bryan Adams would go on to release some brilliant songs, but would only have one more Number 1, singing on a dance tune in 2000. So we will meet him again.

9/10

29th June 1991 for two weeks

Any Dream Will Do is a fantastic song from the musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. We had sang lots of the songs from the musical at church and so knew the songs well. So it was a surpise when suddenly Jason Donovan was popping up to play the lead in a new production of it.

It felt strange at the time – now I understand that it was a clear announcement that Donovan’s pop career was now over. There was no way he could be cool again after this.

The song reached the top, I think anyway, partly because there was still some fan girls out there, loving everyting that Jason Donovan ever released, and partly because all children knew the musical and Any Dream Will Do is the most well known song from it.

From this point on, the pop star Jason Donovan was no more. His career flopped and he was portrayed as such in the media who loved to make out that he was a loser. Over the years he managed to reinvent himself as a celebrity, performing musically, acting and appearing in reality TV shows.

People think of him affectionately as an Eighties and early Nineties star. Of course, he was as huge as his Neighbours’ co-star, Kylie Minogue, but her career eclipsed his for success and longevity by a mile. I am still a Jason Donovan fan. He’s a nice guy and I’m pleased that he overcame some ‘troubles’ in the Nineties and it was great to see him back in Neighbours for the 2022 ‘finale’.

Take a moment – after this, the Number 1 singles will feature the same song for a record-breaking sixteen weeks…

5/10

8th June 1991 for three weeks

I remember this song coming out because people at school kept on singing it. It had ‘sex’ in the title which meant it was naughty to sing it.

I can remember thinking that the song was ok and neither loved it nor hated it.

The song has not aged that well. It sounds pervy. It is very early Nineties in style. It is average at best.

These days, the fact that ‘color’ is spelled the American way and ‘badd’ is spelled incorrectly annoys me more than ever.

4/10

4th May 1991 for five weeks

I can clearly remember this song coming out. It wasn’t cool for a 12 year old boy to talk about kissing, so I can remember deliberately not liking this song.

The truth is that it’s a pleasant enough bubbly pop song and I should have liked it more then!

I remember that it was a song from a movie called Mermaids – another one that I have never seen. I can remember the video for the song had Winona Ryder and the girl from the Addams Family in it.

The song, if anything, for me, has improved with age. It is a great pop song!

I didn’t know that the song was a cover version – the original coming out in 1963. 

7/10

30th March 1991 for five weeks

I can remember this song coming clearly. The One And Only was everywhere – Chesney Hawkes did lots of promotion for the song. I am sure that he appeared on everything, including Blue Peter to sing it. It wasn’t surprising that it went to Number 1.

It was the song from a movie called Buddy’s Song – a movie that I wanted to watch but was never able to see, as we never ever went to the cinema when I was a child.

The One And Only is a fabulous song – whether at a wedding or played loudly in the car, you cannot help but sing along. It has stood the test of time well.

I honestly don’t know what happened to Chesney Hawkes afterwards. He never troubled the Number 1 spot ever again.

9/10

23rd March 1991 for one week

I have clear memories of this song coming out. I knew a little bit about Hale and Pace and thought the comedy duo were quite funny.

The song came out and I remember quite liking it. I can remember hearing it at the church youth club and thought it was good. 33 years later and it sounds ok. That’s it.

I had no idea that it was meant to be a double A-side. I don’t remember Victoria Wood’s song, The Smile Song at all, and it is not listed on the charts website. Strange. Having just watched the video online, it is dreadful. Victoria Wood was wonderful, but this was far from her finest hour. 

3/10

9th March 1991 for two weeks

The power of advertising! Levi commercials were huge in the Nineties!

Barely six months after The Joker reached Number One after being used in a Levi’s ad, another song reached the top – this time it was The Clash’s 1981 hit, Should I Stay Or Should I Go.

SISOSIG is a fantastic rock song. It doesn’t give a shit and it loves it. It is great to sing along to in the car and it knows it. Play it loud and play it proud – it is a rock anthem.

7/10