Charting 1997: 9th August

It's the battle of the deceased rappers this week.

01. (1) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
02. (4) Gala - Freed From Desire
Almost another climber to the top of the chart, something we didn't often see in 1997. Presumably a bit embarrassing for...
03.(NE) Peter Andre - All About Us
...The first single from the new album by the big teenybop star of the time; he'd had two chart-toppers from the previous album.
04. (3) Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
05.(NE) Texas - Black Eyed Boy
This by contrast is already the third single from the hugely successful White On Blonde set, though it's a slightly remixed version. At the time, I didn't like the fact that this mix adds a synth over the bass solo, but it has grown on me since. I'm not sure why but I've always loved the way Sharleen Spiteri sings the word "deceit" on this track.
06.(NE) The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems
His second posthumous hit shares the Top 10 with a tribute to him. Although even if you skip Puff Daddy's hammy acted sequences in the video, it's remarkable how far into the song you get before BIG himself actually shows up. At least the music itself is pretty solid, a chunkier version of the sample from Diana Ross's gay anthem 'I'm Coming Out'.
07. (2) Boyzone - Picture Of You
08. (6) Meredith Brooks - Bitch
09. (7) Coolio - C U When U Get There ft 40 Thevz
10. (5) Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?
11. (8) Ultra Nate - Free
12. (9) The Mamas And The Papas - California Dreamin' {1997}
13.(NE) Levellers - What A Beautiful Day
Unusually, a Levellers single not peaking at 12! Towards the end of their commercial peak here, and they were commercially-minded enough to release this one on multiple CD formats as well. I presume it was just the increase in sales overall that stopped this becoming their biggest hit. 
14.(NE) Paul Weller - Brushed
His first single under an unusual deal whereby his releases were jointly marketed by Island (which had acquired the catalogue of Go! Discs, the label he'd originally recorded it for) and Independiente (a new label set up by Go!s founder). Over time he was supposed to transfer gradually to Independiente. 
This is one of his less-remembered big hits, not necessarily the best song he ever wrote but boosted by the unusually experimental production. I bought the four-track cassette EP of this.
15.(NE) Makaveli - Toss It Up
The late 2Pac, of course, a man not familiar with British slang terms. The video was apparently the last he ever filmed, though it seems to have been finished after his death - or at the very least edited after it, going by the many creepy slow-motion shots of him cut in seemingly at random.
16.(11) Sash! - Ecuador
17.(NE) Stretch 'N' Vern Presents 'Maddog' - Get Up! Go Insane!
A not wholly successful attempt to replicate the success of 'I'm Alive'.
18.(NE) North And South - Tarantino's New Star
I remember my brother convinced the kid next door that Tarantino was the name of their manager.
19.(12) The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
20.(15) Todd Terry - Something Goin' On
21.(14) R Kelly - Gotham City
22.(17) Eternal - I Wanna Be The Only One ft BeBe Winans
23.(13) Shaggy - Piece Of My Heart ft Marsha
24.(20) The Seahorses - Blinded By The Sun
25.(NE) Snakebite - The Bit Goes On
As you might have guessed, a dance cover of the Sonny & Cher hit.
26.(25) Changing Faces - G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T.
27.(NE) Airscape - Pacific Melody
Yeah, you probably guessed where this was going too didn't you? More vocals than I'd expected but otherwise typical. 
28.(18) Michael Jackson - History/Ghosts
29.(10) U2 - Last Night On Earth
30.(NE) Gene - Speak To Me Someone
Another single I bought this week, a big ballad that they played live around the time of their first album but ended up releasing as the fourth single from their second. Apparently it was intentionally held back for greater impact, although it didn't quite turn out as hoped. In one promotional appearance, Martin Rossiter was asked "Your new song sounds really sad. Is it meant to be like that?"
31.(22) Hanson - Mmm Bop
32.(NE) Spiritualized - Electricity
First single from one of the most critically-acclaimed albums of the year, Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. Not necessarily typical of the album as a whole, which tends more to the ethereal than this sort of scuzzy blues-rock.
33.(NE) Damage - Love Lady
34.(NE) Code Red - Is There Someone Out There?
Two boy bands being outsold by Spiritualized. Back to the drawing board for both, although Damage managed to make a comeback in the early years of the new century. 
35.(26) Mr President - Coco Jamboo
36.(24) Da Mighty Dub Katz - Magic Carpet Ride
37.(19) Universal - Rock Me Good
38.(27) Robbie Williams - Lazy Days
39.(33) The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You {1997}
40.(NE) David McAlmont - Look At Yourself
And yet another single I bought that week, which is probably why I economised by getting the Paul Weller one on cassette. His first solo single after splitting from Bernard Butler, and his only ever solo hit. I later acquired the second CD format which includes an album version, but in the end this song never made it to an album. Seems I may actually have been the only person who liked it. 


41.(NE) Belle And Sebastian - Lazy Line Painter Jane
Yet another single I bought, in the big Virgin Megastore in London. Can't remember whether it was this exact week though, but I remember that at this point I'd only heard of them and hadn't heard the song, so I again went for the cheap option of the 7" single rather than the full EP (I bought that a few years later though). When the band were nominated for a Brit Award in 1999, this was the track that was played in Radio 1's trails, although they actually used a line sung by guest vocalist Monica Queen. It was funny enough hearing Dave Pearce say "Belle And Sebastian", never mind that they won. 
42.(NE) The Heartists - Belo Horizonti
53.(NE) Jewel - You Were Meant For Me
58.(NE) G Nation - Feel The Need ft Rosie
60.(NE) Moonman - Don't Be Afraid
61.(NE) Richie Stephens - Come Give Me Your Love/Girls Galore ft General Degree
62.(NE) Jimi Polo - Express Yourself {1997 re-issue}
65.(NE) China Drum - Fiction Of Life
66.(NE) Trisha Yearwood - How Do I Live
Yes, this is the very same song that Leann Rimes spent most of 1998 in the chart with. I guess people weren't as interested in hearing an adult sing it. 
67.(RE) Gary Barlow - Love Won't Wait
70.(RE) Kula Shaker - Hush
72.(NE) Victoria Wilson James - Reach 4 The Melody
73.(NE) Benz - On A Sun-Day