Charting 1997: 11th January

A quick word on dates first: by tradition the official date attached to any chart in reference works is the Saturday after it was announced, so as far as 1997 is concerned that's six days difference. This is why I don't count the chart dated 4th Jan as a 1997 chart, because it belongs to 1996 really. It's not much of a loss, hardly anything happened.

Anyway, as it's the start of the year I'm giving you the full Top 75, you lucky lucky people. And right at the start of the year, you can see one of the biggest differences between 1997 and 2012: there are a whole batch of singles released on the 30th of December 1996 to capitalise on what was then reliably the lowest-selling week of the year.


01. (1) Spice Girls - 2 Become 1

Incumbent Christmas chart-topper, of course.
02.(NE) Tori Amos - Professional Widow (It's Got To Be Big)

I'm pretty sure this remix had been a B-side when the song was a minor hit the previous year, but soon picked up enough of a following to get a release in its own right and become her biggest hit, albeit an unrepresentative one. 
03.(NE) Orbital - Satan (Live)

As the NME advised at the time, if you bought all three CD formats you'd effectively get a live album for six quid. And the remixed studio version that got played on the chart rundown. 
04. (2) Toni Braxton - Un-Break My Heart
05.(NE) En Vogue - Don't Let Go (Love)

You'll know this one, it was in the Top 30 a couple of weeks ago. 
06. (4) Robert Miles - One And One ft Maria Nayler
07. (6) The Prodigy - Breathe
08.(NE) Kavana - I Can Make You Feel Good

Apparently song titles aren't covered by the Trades Descriptions Act.
09. (8) Mark Morrison - Horny
10. (5) Madonna - Don't Cry For Me Argentina
11. (7) Boyzone - A Different Beat
12.(NE) Terrorvision - Easy

Released as a double-grooved clear-vinyl 10" single. I can't believe I didn't buy it.
13.(15) Whitney Houston - Step By Step

Peaking (in chart position if not sales) this week. The song was originally the B-side of an Annie Lennox single I don't even remember the A-side of. 
14.(11) Damage - Forever
15. (3) Dunblane - Knockin' On Heaven's Door/Throw These Guns Away
16. (9) Celine Dion - All By Myself
17.(10) The Woolpackers - Hillbilly Rock Hillbilly Roll
18.(17) Jamiroquai - Cosmic Girl
19.(12) The Beautiful South - Don't Marry Her
20.(16) 3T - I Need You
21.(18) Warren G - What's Love Got To Do With It ft Adina Howard
22.(13) East 17 - If You Ever ft Gabrielle
23.(14) Spice Girls - Say You'll Be There
24.(NE) Kenickie - In Your Car

Sounds even better when they get the words right, doesn't it?
25.(20) Faithless - Salva Mea
26.(22) Fugees - No Woman No Cry
27.(21) Peter Andre - I Feel You
28.(NE) Tricky - Tricky Kid

As he was credited on some early Massive Attack tracks before he fell out with them. 
29.(24) Lighthouse Family - Loving Every Minute
30.(NE) Runrig - The Greatest Flame {1997 re-issue}

Or is it a 1996 re-issue?
31.(NE) The One - One More Chance
Again, song titles aren't always accurate since this was obviously their only single. Apparently they were some sort of boyband from GMTV.
32.(29) Spacehog - In The Meantime
33.(27) Chicane - Offshore
34.(26) Snoop Doggy Dogg - Snoop's Upside Ya Head ft Charlie Wilson
35.(23) Robson And Jerome - What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
36.(NE) Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy {1997 remix}

I can't really remember which mix it was. But have this one anyway as it's the last we heard of them. 
37.(30) 2Pac - I Ain't Mad At Cha
38.(33) Salt-N-Pepa - Champagne
39.(25) Babybird - You're Gorgeous
40.(19) The Smurfs - Your Christmas Wish
41.(34) Boyzone - Words
42.(39) Louise - One Kiss From Heaven
43.(NE) Nut - Scream
44.(42) Gina G - I Belong To You
45.(37) The Mike Flowers Pops - Don't Cry For Me Argentina
46.(NE) S-J - Fever
47.(28) Faithless - Insomnia {1996 mix}
48.(31) Mark Owen - Child
49.(40) Eternal - Secrets
50.(36) Manic Street Preachers - Australia
51.(NE) Global Communication - The Way/The Deep
52.(32) Prince And The New Power Generation - Betcha By Golly Wow!
53.(45) Oasis - Whatever
54.(35) No Way Sis - I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing
Yes, this happened. 
55.(46) Simply Red - Angel
56.(28) Elton John And Luciano Pavarotti - Live Like Horses
57.(41) Heller And Farley Project - Ultra Flava {1996 Re-release}
58.(64) Underworld - Born Slippy (NUXX)
59.(48) Michael Jackson - Stranger In Moscow
60.(47) SWV - It's All About U
61.(43) Ant And Dec - When I Fall In Love
62.(50) Oasis - Wonderwall
63.(73) 911 - Don't Make Me Wait
64.(RE) The Lightning Seeds - What If...
65.(53) Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger
66.(49) Kula Shaker - Govinda
67.(56) Oasis - Cigarettes And Alcohol
68.(58) Oasis - Some Might Say
69.(RE) PJ Proby And Marc Almond - Yesterday Has Gone
70.(57) Spice Girls - Wannabe
71.(RE) Dina Carroll - Only Human/Run To You
72.(59) Oasis - Live Forever
73.(62) Oasis - Roll With It
74.(61) Oasis - Shakermaker
75.(51) Diana Ross - In The Ones You Love