Charting 1997: 29th March

Quite a cinematic week, with four new entries from films in the Top 20. 

01. (1) Spice Girls - Mama/Who Do You Think You Are?

Third week at the top and the third video for this release - the non-Comic Relief version of 'Who Do You Think You Are', as released outside the UK.
02.(NE) R Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly
First of many hits from the big basketball/hip-hop/cartoon film Space Jam.
03. (4) No Doubt - Don't Speak
04.(NE) Backstreet Boys - Anywhere For You
One of their seemingly dozens of interchangeable ballad hits. I'd totally forgotten it existed until I had to write the blog post about it last year, and then I forgot about it again until now.
05.(NE) BBE - Flash
From the days when instrumental dance tracks could still make the Top 5. Not bad.
06. (5) Sash! - Encore Une Fois
07.(NE) Madonna - Another Suitcase In Another Hall
Her third hit from the Evita soundtrack. Barbara Dickson's version was in the chart exactly 20 years earlier too. Interestingly enough, in the original version of the musical, the song isn't sung by Evita at all, but that was changed for the film, presumably with an eye to this potential hit. 
08. (2) Boyzone - Isn't It A Wonder
09.(NE) Pet Shop Boys - A Red Letter Day
A slightly ironic title, though not necessarily intentionally on this occasion. This is actually a decent enough song but doesn't really seem exciting enough for a single. 
10. (6) Gina G - Fresh
11. (3) Wet Wet Wet - If I Never See You Again
12.(NE) Tall Paul - Rock Da House
Paul Newman (not that one) makes his first chart appearance as producer, though he still seems a bigger deal as a DJ than music maker.
13.(NE) Seal - Fly Like An Eagle
Second of the hits from Space Jam, covering the Steve Miller Band song and making it even more boring. 
14. (8) Fugees - Rumble In The Jungle
15.(12) No Mercy - Where Do You Go
16.(NE) Whitney Houston - I Believe In You And Me
Cover of an unsuccessful Four Tops single, which I might remember if I'd seen the film it was in. 
17. (9) Lisa Stansfield - The Real Thing
18. (7) Damage - Love Guaranteed
19.(NE) Puff Daddy - Can't Nobody Hold Me Down ft Mase
Sean Combs makes his first chart appearance as a performer with a song that uses the beat from 'The Message', plus some awful rapping from him, some slightly less awful rapping from Ma$e, and bit's of 'Break My Stride' by Matthew Wilder.
20.(11) The Bee Gees - Alone
21.(13) Kula Shaker - Hush
22.(NE) Sheryl Crow - Hard To Make A Stand
I never really understood why this was a single. 
23.(NE) The Beautiful South - Blackbird On The Wire

Following two Top 10 hits, this was a bit of an underperformer but I've always had a big soft spot for this one: a more reflective and possibly more emotionally genuine Beautiful South song than some of Paul Heaton's  harsher misanthropic numbers. One of his best vocals too. 
24.(16) Blueboy - Remember Me
25.(15) Eternal - Don't You Love Me
26.(18) Monaco - What Do You Want From Me?
27.(NE) Sean Maguire - Today's The Day
The former Grange Hill actor had already released two albums to minor success before he tried to do Britpop. His TOTP appearance with this song is only for the brave.
28.(NE) Fun Lovin' Criminals - King Of New York
One of those fourth singles from an album that nobody really remembers. Although their biggest hits were still to come, the schtick was already wearing a bit thin. 
29.(10) Clock - It's Over
30.(NE) Lamb - Gorecki

Their only Top 40 single, and as it turned out the CD skipped on the chart rundown so it didn't get played in full. Pity, it's actually quite good. 
31.(NE) The Braxtons - The Boss
Toni's sisters cover the Diana Ross hit.
32.(24) Alisha's Attic - Indestructible
33.(21) En Vogue - Don't Let Go (Love)
34.(14) The Divine Comedy - Everybody Knows (Except You)
35.(23) The Source - You Got The Love {1997}
36.(26) Republica - Ready To Go {1997}
37.(19) Mark Morrison - Moan And Groan
38.(22) Cake - The Distance
39.(17) Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene 8
40.(27) Ant And Dec - Shout

42.(NE) Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Diamond Dew
A video I'd have been happy to embed here if I could find any more of it than half a minute on a Korean website. One thing I do like about this era is that outré acts like Gorky's could get signed to major labels and come close to the Top 40 (though never quite close enough, which is why they got dropped the following year). I must admit that my brother is right, they're not singing "and they play the sport of Dutchmen".
49.(NE) Kerbdog - Mexican Wave
51.(NE) Stereophonics - Local Boy In The Photograph
Their first chart hit, with a song that went on to become a much bigger hit the following year. In fact I think this is the 1998 version of the video but it'll do for now.
53.(NE) Apache Indian - Lovin' (Let Me Love You)
55.(NE) Smaller - Is ft Noel Gallagher
The band fronted by Noel Gallagher's drinking buddy Peter "Digsy" Deary, who of course has an Oasis songs named after him. Even with that endorsement and with Gallagher himself playing guitar on this track (though not in the video) the single couldn't make the Top 40, which seems to speak volumes.
58.(NE) Richie Rich And Esera Tuaolo - Stay With Me
59.(NE) Benz - If I Remember
64.(NE) Sweetback - You Will Rise
Sade minus Sade.
71.(NE) NRG - Never Lost His Hardcore
73.(NE) Dub War - Million Dollar Love