Charting 1997: 27th December

So here it is, the big Christmas chart that everybody had been waiting for. Thanks go to Gezza76 at the Buzzjack forum for supplying some sales information for this post. 

01.(NE) Spice Girls - Too Much
In a way we've come full circle, as the year started with the Spices' first Christmas Number One single and now we get their second, also featured in their film Spiceworld. Sold 252000 this week. It's kind of the end of their absolute peak: it was of course their sixth consecutive chart-topper, an unprecedented start to a career but a run broken by their next hit, 'Stop'. Even though four of them went on to enjoy a third consecutive Christmas Number One that year, a record matched only by the Beatles, they'd never be quite this big again. There are (now) six million-selling singles in this chart, but this isn't one of them. 
02. (1) Teletubbies - Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh!
Sold 203000, giving the Spice Girls more of a run for their money than they'd had in 1996 when they won by miles. 
03. (2) Various Artists - Perfect Day
Sold "only" 132000.
04. (4) All Saints - Never Ever
05. (6) Janet Jackson - Together Again
06. (3) Aqua - Barbie Girl
All the Top 6 sold into six figures this week.
07. (5) Robbie Williams - Angels
08. (8) Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
09. (7) Boyzone - Baby Can I Hold You/Shooting Star
10.(NE) Mase - Feel So Good
Here's the odd one out in the Top 10! The first solo single from the Puff Daddy protege (who had of course already guested on hits by Puffy). The chorus is based on 'Bad Boy' by Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine; Bad Boy was of course also the name of Puffy's record label on which this was released. Sales this week: 53000.
11.(10) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look/Candle In The Wind
12. (9) Steven Houghton - Wind Beneath My Wings
13.(13) Barbra Streisand And Celine Dion - Tell Him
14.(RE) Vanilla - No Way No Way
Just when you thought it was safe! They appeared on the first Top Of The Pops of 1998,(on their way down the chart, I guess they were short of acts just after Christmas) although they had to cut the spoken section because I suppose it was too hard to mime.
15.(NE) Chicken Shed - I Am In Love With The World
A hot tip that was getting odds as high as 4-1 from bookies at the start of the month, this came from the theatre company of which Diana had been a patron during her lifetime. It seems like a combination of John Lennon and St Winifred's in a Christmas chart battle, but for once people shopped with their ears instead of their hearts and a reported 250000 shipment only spawned about 34000 sales this week. The company continues to do good work but has thankfully steered clear of the singles chart since.
16.(11) Celine Dion - The Reason
17.(14) Lutricia McNeal - Ain't That Just The Way
18.(16) Reds United - Sing Up For The Champions!
19.(15) Five - Slam Dunk (Da Funk)
20.(20) Steps - 5, 6, 7, 8
21.(23) Louise - Let's Go Round Again
22.(22) Sheryl Crow - Tomorrow Never Dies
23.(25) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
24.(27) Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing {1997}
25.(NE) Paul McCartney - Beautiful Night
Twenty years earlier he'd had the Christmas chart-topper as a member of Wings and thirty years back he'd done so as one of the aforementioned Beatles ('Hello Goodbye' was their fourth and last, a still unbeaten tally by any act). He wasn't a major contender with this third single from Flaming Pie, though with hindsight it's a pretty decent song. Features Ringo Starr on drums. 
26.(28) The Seahorses - You Can Talk To Me
27.(29) The Verve - Lucky Man
28.(31) The PF Project - Choose Life ft Ewan McGregor
29.(18) Bryan Adams - Back To You
30.(19) Propellerheads And Shirley Bassey - History Repeating
31.(30) Gala - Let A Boy Cry
32.(NE) Rakim - Guess Who's Back
There's a bit of a clue in the question, isn't there? The vocal half of Eric B. & Rakim officially became a solo artist this year after a five-year hiatus, although this single was barely noticed in the Christmas rush. I don't know what he's up to now.
33.(12) U2 - If God Will Send His Angels
34.(17) Sting And The Police - Roxanne '97
35.(24) Levellers - Dogtrain
36.(NE) Fountains Of Wayne - I Want An Alien For Christmas
The only identifiable Christmas song in the chart, though a curiously forgotten song nowadays. I've got the CD single somewhere and this is probably the week to pull it out. Their second Top 40 hit of the year, but they didn't manage another until 2004 (and still haven't had a fourth).
37.(34) Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
38.(NE) Aerosmith - Pink
Another veteran act burying a new release in a busy week, although this one got a second lease of life after the success of 'I Don't Wann Miss A Thing'. You can safely miss this though, it's a poor song notorious for the lyric "Pink, it's like red but not quite". 
39.(36) Will Smith - Just Cruisin'
40.(33) Blackstreet - (Money Can't) Buy Me Love

57.(NE) Paid And Live featuring Lauryn Hill - All My Time
Well, there had to be a Fugee somewhere.
67.(NE) Gant - Sound Bwoy Burial/All Night Long


And here ends Charting 1997 (unless I ever get around to putting the album charts on, don't bank on it). If you have been, thanks for reading. 
A reminder that all the hits I could find on Spotify from this year can be heard here, from '2 Become 1' to 'All My Time'.

Charting 1997: 20th December

Here we are with what was by now the typical "blank" week, most big releases and novelty cash-ins being saved up for a shot at the Christmas chart-topper next week. So no new entries in the Top 10, and the only song joining the Top 10 is the returning Elton John, although Robbie Williams also sets a new peak.

01. (1) Teletubbies - Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh!
02. (2) Various Artists - Perfect Day
03. (3) Aqua - Barbie Girl
04. (5) All Saints - Never Ever
05. (7) Robbie Williams - Angels
06. (4) Janet Jackson - Together Again
07. (6) Boyzone - Baby Can I Hold You/Shooting Star
08. (9) Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
09. (8) Steven Houghton - Wind Beneath My Wings
10.(11) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look/Candle In The Wind
11.(NE) Celine Dion - The Reason
So this becomes the biggest new hit of the week. As you might imagine, it's a bit shouty. 
12.(NE) U2 - If God Will Send His Angels
Fifth single from their album within twelve months, and understandably not the most successful: it's one of only three hits for them in the entire decade not to make the Top 10 (four if you count the original version of 'Even Better Than The Real Thing'). It's not their finest work really, but the relatively underperforming album needed all the help it could get.
13.(13) Barbra Streisand And Celine Dion - Tell Him
14.(14) Lutricia McNeal - Ain't That Just The Way
15.(10) Five - Slam Dunk (Da Funk)
16.(16) Reds United - Sing Up For The Champions!
17.(NE) Sting And The Police - Roxanne '97
You can see the thought process, can't you? There was a Sting/Police best-of out, and Puff Daddy (as he then was) had of course that one of the biggest hits of the year with a sample of a Police song. There was a brief "Roxanne" craze in hip-hop in the early 80s so obviously it made sense to get Puffy to produce a rap version of the Police number... right? 
18.(NE) Bryan Adams - Back To You
First single from his Unplugged album. My brother said, "they should have unplugged the microphone."
19.(NE) Propellerheads And Shirley Bassey - History Repeating

Haven't done an embed for a while. This was a song that many of us, myself included, thought was likely to give them a second Top 10 hit, but it wasn't to be. Mind you, I didn't buy it myself in the end, though I did get their first (and as yet only) album. That was released in February 1998 by the way, so why it was necessary to drop the lead single into the pre-Christmas rush is unclear. Apart from the chart position, the only thing not glorious about this is the announcer in the video using the word "phenomena" as a singular. I'm sure the BBC wouldn't have allowed that in 1961 or so.
20.(17) Steps - 5, 6, 7, 8
21.(NE) Bjork - Bachelorette
Another impressive video, directed by Michel Gondry (in a similar style to his Neneh Cherry clip at the start of the year). It was the first hit single from her album Homogenic, though an earlier single 'Joga' had been released in a non-chart-eligible format. Once she'd started, singles appeared sporadically from this album until the summer of 1999.
22.(12) Sheryl Crow - Tomorrow Never Dies
23.(19) Louise - Let's Go Round Again
24.(NE) Levellers - Dogtrain
Another song that you could imagine being a big hit in January, a bouncy if ultimately irritating number. Possibly they were hoping to match 'Just The One', which had been one of their many Number 12 hits at Christmas 1995.
25.(25) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
26.(NE) Red 5 - Lift Me Up
The German producer's second hit of the year, not to be confused with identically-titled singles by Geri Halliwell and Moby.
27.(24) Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing {1997}
28.(15) The Seahorses - You Can Talk To Me
29.(21) The Verve - Lucky Man
30.(26) Gala - Let A Boy Cry
31.(28) The PF Project - Choose Life ft Ewan McGregor
32.(NE) Busta Rhymes - Dangerous
Not a song I'd heard before (except possibly once on this chart rundown 15 years ago) but I actually thought  it's one of his better efforts. All those expensive Hype Williams promo videos seem to blend into one after a while though don't they?
33.(18) Blackstreet - (Money Can't) Buy Me Love
34.(29) Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
35.(NE) Chicane - Lost You Somewhere
One of his purer trance tracks, more beloved of their fans than some of the more obviously commercial stuff he did later.
36.(23) Will Smith - Just Cruisin'
37.(22) Mariah Carey - Butterfly
38.(NE) Powerhouse - Rhythm Of The Night
This week's lazy dance cover version is of the DeBarge song (as opposed to the Corona one). This isn't the same Powerhouse who later had a hit with Duane Harden.
39.(20) Jamiroquai - High Times
40.(NE) Serious Danger - Deeper
Not the same song as the one by Delirious. Richard Phillips (for 'twas he) later released 'High Noon', which wasn't the same song as the one by DJ Shadow.

41.(NE) Vanessa-Mae - I Feel Love
43.(NE) The Corrs - I Never Loved You Anyway
If they'd put it out just a couple of weeks later, it could have been their first Top 40 single here. As it was they had to wait another six months.
50.(NE) No Doubt - Sunday Morning
The reflected glory of 'Don't Speak' finally runs out at this point, although of course they did come back. The video is notable partly for the rare appearance of the two brass players who are normally seen only on stage but more for the cameo by Terry Hall, returning the favour Gwen Stefani did in his video earlier in the year. Fortunately he doesn't attempt to re-enact the song's storyline. 
51.(NE) The Course - Best Love
52.(NE) Maureen Rees - Driving In My Car
Back in the early days of what was becoming known as the reality TV boom, although of course observational documentary was as old a form as portable cameras. I suppose the introduction of the genre as a form of light entertainment was the novelty. This was one of the first attempts to score a hit single from one of the stars of these shows, with serial test failure Rees covering the Madness hit. 
62.(NE) DJ Shadow - Camel Bobsled Race
The longest "single" to chart all year, this is a 24-minute continuous mix by DJ Q-Bert. It might have posed some problems for Mark Goodier had it made the Top 40. 
68.(NE) Counting Crows - A Long December {1997 re-release}
It had peaked at 62, 53 weeks earlier but I suppose there was a limited window of opportunity to put it out again. As the NME review said at the time, December is actually the same length every year. 

Charting 1997: 29th November

Warning: this week's chart contains material that some may find offensive.

01.(NE) Various Artists - Perfect Day
So here's the track that was orginally commissioned as a promo for the licence fee, with a cast of star musicians performing Lou Reed's alleged drug anthem for "scale" fees. Due to apparent popular demand, it was finally released as 1997's official Children In Need single, the first release from this particular appeal to top the chart. It's also the only Number One single for Various Artists, who have tended to be more successful as an album act.
In fact, you may find it handy for pub quizzes to know that this is, to the best of my knowledge the only Number One single featuring the following performers: Skye Edwards [then a member of Morcheeba], Burning Spear, Thomas Allen, the Brodsky Quartet, Sheona White, Dr John, Robert Cray, Evan Dando, Emmylou Harris, Courtney Pine, Andrew Davis, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Heather Small [of M People], Visual Ministry Choir, Suzanne Vega, Lesley Garrett, Shane MacGowan, Huey Morgan [of Fun Lovin' Criminals], Brett Anderson [of Suede and later The Tears], Joan Armatrading and Laurie Anderson. It's also the only such success for Reed himself, who sings the last line: this means that three of the four UK Top 40 hits he had are connected to his album Transformer.
02. (1) Aqua - Barbie Girl
03.(NE) Steven Houghton - Wind Beneath My Wings
The second actor from London's Burning to score a chart hit, after John Alford's briefly successful career. Simon Cowell presumably saw him as the new Robson & Jerome, although he couldn't quite match the same heights of success: whilst this lost out on the top position behind two massive sellers, the follow-up (a cover of Lionel Richie's 'Truly' released in February 1998) missed the Top 20 and despite a gold-selling album that was it.
04. (2) Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
05. (3) All Saints - Never Ever
06.(NE) Lutricia McNeal - Ain't That Just The Way
Debut hit from the Swedish-based American singer who was, like Connor Reeves, signed to the Capital FM-sponsored Wildstar label. It's a cover of a song by American singer and former Playboy model Barbi Benton.
07. (4) Barbra Streisand And Celine Dion - Tell Him
08.(NE) The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
The highest new entry that was actually written in the 1990s, apart from the fact that the title lyric is sampled from a 1988 song by the Ultramagnetic MCs. It's fair to say that the title was more controversial than its source and indeed this track was not played nor even named on the Top 40 rundown that week - instead an instrumental B-side was announced as "from their new EP". The equally notorious promo video was seldom seen before midnight either, although the Prodge were big enough at this point to sell plenty of copies of this anyway. Apparently it even made Number One in Finland. 
09.(NE) Aaron Carter - Crush On You
So here's a record that's offensive in an entirely different way, in which the younger (9, at the time) brother of a Backstreet Boy caterwauls his way through a version of the Jets hit (also covered by Nero in 2011). Amazingly he managed as many as six hit singles over the next five years. 
10.(NE) Louise - Let's Go Round Again
Second single off the second album and she was already resorting to covers, in this case of the Average White Band's final hit. The first word of that group's name also describes this version. 
11. (7) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look Tonight/Candle In The Wind 97
12. (6) Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing {1997 re-issue}
13.(NE) Shola Ama - Who's Loving My Baby
So by my maths this is the highest wholly original new entry, albeit not the most thrillingly inventive song ever recorded. 
14. (5) Hanson - I Will Come To You
15.(NE) Robert Miles Featuring Kathy Sledge - Freedom
In the context of this chart, you'd half expect this to be a cover of the Wham! song. It's more of an attempt to repeat the big crossover success of his hit 'One And One' the previous year.
16.(12) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
17.(11) The PF Project Featuring Ewan McGregor - Choose Life
18.(NE) The Firm Featuring Dawn Robinson - Firm Biz
Sadly not the same people who did 'Arthur Daley (E's Alright)' and 'Star Trekkin', nor indeed the Led Zep spin-off group who charted an album in the 1980s. This was a gangsta rap supergroup including Nas and Foxy Brown, as well as En Vogue member Robinson.
19.(NE) Mary J Blige - Missing You
The ballady single releases really start to stack up in the Christmas shopping season. 
20.(10) Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
21.(15) Sash! Featuring La Trec - Stay
22.(18) Steps - 5, 6, 7, 8
23. (9) Ocean Colour Scene - Better Day
24.(NE) Salt-N-Pepa - R U Ready
Doesn't look people were, really.
25.(NE) The Woolpackers - Line Dance Party
In most people's lists of things the world needed in 1997, a second single by a country band of actors from Emmerdale would be a long way down. But with Steps proving the continued appeal of the line-dance craze, Simon Cowell must have thought otherwise. 
26.(16) Moby - James Bond Theme
27. (8) Pulp - Help The Aged
28.(17) N-Trance Featuring Rod Stewart - Do You Think I'm Sexy?
29.(NE) Finley Quaye - It's Great When We're Together
I must admit I've warmed to the guy over the years and this isn't a bad song, helped by the relaxed vibe which makes his voice less grating.
30.(19) Gary Barlow - Open Road
31.(20) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
32.(14) Conner Reeves - Earthbound
33.(NE) Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott Featuring Da Brat - SockIt2Me
They'd never have recouped that video had this not been a hit in America. Perhaps it would have done better a few years later when DVD singles were popular.
34.(21) Dario G - Sunchyme
35.(23) Eternal - Angel Of Mine
36.(NE) Way Out West - Ajare {remix}
This had been their debut single exactly three years earlier, only peaking at 52 on that occasion. 
37.(22) Clock - U Sexy Thing
38.(13) Metallica - The Memory Remains
39.(NE) Rosie Gaines - I Surrender
Not the Rainbow song.
40.(26) Texas - Put Your Arms Around Me


41.(NE) BT - Love, Peace And Grease

47.(NE) Erykah Badu - Apple Tree (To Be Free)

54.(NE) Teenage Fanclub - Start Again
I'm sure the official video for this track used to be on YouTube. I'm not bothered though because it wasn't that good anyway. Fair to say they're not a band who rely heavily on their visual appeal.
56.(NE) The Jungle Brothers - Jungle Brother
Supported by Drum & Bass remixes, as I believe they were signed to a UK-based label at the time. This would also explain why they're riding a London bus in the video. A repromotion took this to the Top 20 in 1998.
62.(NE) The Cure - Wrong Number
Which was doubtless what Robert Smith thought when he saw the chart position. The obligatory new track on their second volume of singles compilation.
66.(NE) 98 Degrees - Invisible Man
71.(NE) Truce - Nothin' But A Party
73.(NE) Capricorn - 20Hz (New Frequencies)

Charting 1997: 22nd November

01. (1) Aqua - Barbie Girl
02. (2) Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
03.(NE) All Saints - Never Ever
The biggest new hit of the week, hidden behind the two immovable objects at the top of the chart. It was still a big seller at the time and in the long run a consistent one too. 
04. (3) Barbra Streisand And Celine Dion - Tell Him
05.(NE) Hanson - I Will Come To You
Their third hit and it's November so of course it's a power ballad, and of course it isn't any good. I don't suppose they realise that video looks like a Ready Brek advert.
06.(NE) Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing {1997 reissue}
Reaching the Top 10 for the third decade in a row (it didn't repeat this success in the 2000s, but there's still plenty of this decade to go) thanks to its extensive use in the film The Full Monty. This was the original version rather than the remix that had been a hit in 1987, but this was never one of my favourites of theirs.
07. (5) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look/Candle In The Wind
08.(NE) Pulp - Help The Aged
Their first new single since 'Something Changed' in early 1996; and of course even that was from a 1995 album so this was effectively their first new material in two years. It finds Jarvis Cocker in something of a bleak mood, albeit that he disguises this cri de coeur with typical humour. For his trouble he was threatened with legal action from the charity of the same name, although this was settled for a donation and some publicity on the sleeve. The premise for the video was originally to be "Stairlift to Heaven" but the manufacturer unsurprisingly didn't like their product being associated with death so he goes to outer space instead. It also features an early appearance by Kelly Brook.
I bought the 7" of this which has three tracks (good value) but plays at a different speed on each side (irritating). One of those B-sides is their rejected submission for the James Bond theme, 'Tomorrow Never Lies' - I'd always assumed they changed the title for contractual reasons a la R.E.M.'s 'Winged Mammal Theme' but apparently that was the original title of the film. 
Their last Top 10 single.
09.(NE) Ocean Colour Scene - Better Day
Also their last Top 10 and their least deserved, an autobiographical but ultimately uninteresting song with a rubbish video. Annoyingly, the chorus repeatedly uses the phrase "get blown away", which is the title of a far better track from the album that they should have released as the single instead. 
10. (4) Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
11. (6) The PF Project - Choose Life ft Ewan McGregor
12.(11) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
13.(NE) Metallica - The Memory Remains
A fairly typical Metallica single of the era, big and crunchy but still with a recognisable chorus, It does have the addition of Marianne Faithfull, for whom this was the first Top 20 success since 1965. 
14.(NE) Conner Reeves - Earthbound
Second single from the bland but well-connected singer. 
15. (9) Sash! - Stay ft La Trec
16. (8) Moby - James Bond Theme
17.(12) N-Trance - Do You Think I'm Sexy? ft Rod Stewart
18.(NE) Steps - 5, 6, 7, 8
Yes, it all starts here with a cash-in record from the brief linedancing craze of the late 1990s. A very odd single, and an even more rubbish one, but it was one of the biggest sellers of all time not to make the Top 10.  There are Steps records I don't mind but this is not among them. 
19. (7) Gary Barlow - Open Road
20.(17) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
21.(15) Dario G - Sunchyme
22.(19) Clock - U Sexy Thing
23.(18) Eternal - Angel Of Mine
24.(NE) Brainbug - Benedictus/Nightmare
The AA side is making its second chart appearance in six months as a supporting feature to the not dissimilar new track.
25.(NE) Portishead - Over
Second single from the untitled album, a song that's more haunting than catchy and possibly not an obvious hit. I remember hearing it used as backing music in a documentary about something really serious. 
26.(10) Texas - Put Your Arms Around Me
27.(16) 187 Lockdown - Gunman
28.(NE) Happy Clappers - I Believe 97
Third chart run for this one. That's just greedy
29.(13) Jon Bon Jovi - Janie, Don't Take Your Love To Town
30.(NE) Aaliyah - The One I Gave My Heart To/Hot Like Fire
Not yet a star here on the same scale as she was in the US, although I do remember the second track from the time. It was later covered by the XX. Parts of its video are slightly unfortunate now.
31.(14) Cast - I'm So Lonely
32.(RE) Jewel - You Were Meant For Me
One of the big breakthrough stars of 1996-7, the serious Alaskan singer-songwriter always found it harder to convince a British audience, but was a natural occupant of the Number 52 chart position. Indeed this had  peaked at 53 only a couple of months earlier but was redistributed after a bit of extra promotion to be become the first and the larger of her two Top 40 hits.
33.(25) The Brand New Heavies - You've Got A Friend
34.(22) Peter Andre - Lonely
35.(28) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
36.(23) Double 99 - RIP Groove {1997 Re-Release}
37.(31) Toni Braxton With Kenny G - How Could An Angel Break My Heart
38.(27) 911 - Party People... Friday Night
39.(NE) David McAlmont And David Arnold - Diamonds Are Forever
Another Bond moment, although a bit of an underperformer as the follow-up to Arnold's Top 10 collaboration with Propellerheads. I suppose it looks better if you see it as the follow-up to McAlmont's Number 40 instead. I was among the few who did buy it.
40.(NE) Bobby Brown - Feelin' Inside
And coincidentally, this video also opens with a bit of a Bond theme, though that's not part of the record itself. It ends with a "surprise" celebrity cameo. In between there's a song I've already forgotten.

43.(NE) The Sundays - Cry

Their last single. Not their finiest work but it might still have been nice to hear more from them.
45.(NE) Kamasutra - Happiness ft Jocelyn Brown
55.(NE) DSK - What Would We Do? 
Dance track which was re-issued and remixed several times over the years although it only became a major hit when sampled on Wiley's 'Wearing My Rolex'.
56.(NE) Full Intention - America (I Love America) {1997}
60.(NE) God's Property - Stomp
62.(NE) 'N Sync - I Want You Back
We'd hear from this again when it went Top 10 in 1999. 
70.(NE) Mike Oldfield - Woman Of Ireland
72.(NE) Alabama 3 - The Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness
74.(NE) Myron - We Can Get Down
75.(NE) Vanilla - No Way No Way
And this was to reappear even sooner.

Charting 1997: 15th November

01. (1) Aqua - Barbie Girl
02. (2) Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
03.(NE) Barbra Streisand And Celine Dion - Tell Him
Below the unchanged Top 2, this is the highest new entry, a song every bit as subtle and understated as you'd expect. Apparently from a film called The Mirror Has Two Faces.
04. (3) Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
05. (4) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look/Candle In The Wind
06.(NE) The PF Project - Choose Life ft Ewan McGregor
Another film tie-in, sampling McGregor's opening monologue from Trainspotting. The track itself is obviously not in the film but appears on the second volume of the soundtrack album.
07.(NE) Gary Barlow - Open Road
Title track from his solo album becomes the fourth single from it. Actually not bad as solo Barlow goes, but for a song about leaving greyness behind it's a little, er, grey.
08.(NE) Moby - James Bond Theme
Back to the movies with our second Bond-theme hit of the year, but the first official one. This was connected to the soundtrack of that year's Bond picture Tomorrow Never Dies, though it's just a cover of the familiar Monty Norman theme.
09. (5) Sash! - Stay ft La Trec
10.(NE) Texas - Put Your Arms Around Me
Another fourth single to remind people the album was out in time for Christmas shopping. I remember Sharleen Spiteri bringing a ghetto-blaster on stage to provide the (muted) beats for this song (shades of Stop Making Sense perhaps?), although the single mix is a bit more conventional. I see from the YouTube upload that this on the soundtrack to something called Ever After.
11. (7) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
12. (9) N-Trance - Do You Think I'm Sexy? ft Rod Stewart
13.(NE) Jon Bon Jovi - Janie, Don't Take Your Love To Town
Technically, this is from a film too, but Jon Bon Jovi made a film of his own album so that doesn't quite count.
14.(NE) Cast - I'm So Lonely
A song that was never in a film at all, apparently! Another fourth single, and the track that ended their run of Top 10 hits (they did manage one more in 1999). It's not a bad track, if not earth-shattering. I'm tempted to say Jake Bugg was listening, but he'd only have been a toddler at this point. 
15.(10) Dario G - Sunchyme
16.(NE) 187 Lockdown - Gunman
Well, the video is a movie parody, so it fits the theme. It might actually date from the 1998 re-release of the track, but it's good enough anyway. 
17.(12) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
18.(11) Eternal - Angel Of Mine
19.(16) Clock - U Sexy Thing
20.(NE) Roni Size/Reprazent - Brown Paper Bag
Rare Top 20 appearance for the Mercury winners. One of their most commercially appealing singles, a great jazzy rap track, although I couldn't be bothered with the nine-minute album version.
21.(NE) Faithless - Don't Leave {1997 remix}
Third hit associated with A Life Less Ordinary, albeit a remix of a song that had already been a hit for them. A bit of a different sound from their most famous tracks.
22. (6) Peter Andre - Lonely
23.(19) Double 99 - RIP Groove {1997 Re-Release}
24.(NE) Peter Cox - If You Walk Away
Sounds like Westlife with a more soulful singer. 
25.(17) The Brand New Heavies - You've Got A Friend
26. (8) Embrace - All You Good Good People EP
27.(13) 911 - Party People... Friday Night
28.(21) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
29.(15) LL Cool J - Phenomenon
30.(14) Michael Bolton - The Best Of Love/Go The Distance
31.(22) Toni Braxton With Kenny G - How Could An Angel Break My Heart
32.(25) Dannii Minogue - Everything I Wanted
33.(NE) Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Inkanyezi Nezazi (The Star And The Wiseman)
As featured in an advert for baked beans in case you were wondering.
34.(NE) Fabulous Baker Boys - Oh Boy
If house tracks with chipmunk vocals are your thing, enjoy this. Just don't expect to see Michelle Pfeiffer.
35.(30) The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
36.(NE) Delirious? - DeEPer {1997 Re-release}
[Deeper; Summer Of Love; Touch; Sanctify]
Second appearance this year for the lead track, though the other three were new to the chart. Not sure what the point of this re-release was, it didn't seem to get any more airplay than first time around and charted lower.
37.(29) Janet Jackson - Got 'Til It's Gone ft Q-Tip And Joni Mitchell
38.(18) The Bee Gees - Still Waters (Run Deep)
39.(40) Oasis - Stand By Me
40.(31) Diana King - I Say A Little Prayer

47.(NE) Dust Junkys - (Nonstoperation)
One of those many British acts combining hip-hop, dance and rock who were tipped for big things at the end of Britpop but never quite made it, led by sometime 808 State rapper MC Tunes. Maybe if they'd been able to spell the word "junkies" it might have helped.
50.(NE) Radish - Simple Sincerity

52.(NE) Gina G - Every Time I Fall
Six singles was at least one too many.
53.(NE) UB40 - Always There
54.(NE) Paul Van Dyk - Words/Moonlighting ft Toni Halliday
57.(NE) Quad City DJ's - Space Jam

59.(NE) D*Note - Lost And Found
60.(NE) Randy Crawford - Give Me The Night '97
68.(NE) Karen Young - Hot Shot '97

Charting 1997: 1st November

01. (2) Aqua - Barbie Girl
Of course, the Spice Girls began their chart career with a new entry at 2 behind a more established act, which climbed to the top the following week. So it's only fitting that they became victims of the same process just over a year later.

02. (1) Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
03. (3) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look/Candle In The Wind
04. (4) Sash! - Stay ft La Trec
05.(NE) 911 - Party People... Friday Night
So this is the highest new entry, and they were already onto the first single from their second album. This is one of their better efforts, wisely sticking to the disco-influenced style rather than doing another sloppy ballad. 
06. (5) Dario G - Sunchyme
07.(NE) N-Trance - Do You Think I'm Sexy? ft Rod Stewart
And speaking of disco... Another attempt to exploit the formula of their previous hit versions of 'Stayin Alive' and 'DISCO', though this ups the ante somewhat by sampling the original, hence Rod Stewarts co-credit.
08. (6) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
09.(NE) LL Cool J - Phenomenon
Not his biggest UK hit ever, or even this year, but it seems like one of the songs he's most associated with nowadays. It's a catchy track, although mainly because it uses (with permission) the bassline from 'Who Is He What Is He To You' by Bill Withers (actually sampled from a cover version). LL's whispered boasting sounds to me like his mum's in the next room and he doesn't want her to overhear. 
10. (8) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
11. (7) Eternal - Angel Of Mine
12. (9) The Brand New Heavies - You've Got A Friend
13.(NE) Goldie - Digital ft KRS One
His first album had made him a very high-profile person without any major hit singles, so he had to wait until this single from the second one to make the Top 20. KRS One's lyric makes this, I believe, the first hit single to mention the Internet. 
14.(NE) Double 99 - RIP Groove {remixes}
One of the big speed garage hits of the year returns. I'm slightly surprised this wasn't an even bigger hit, it seemed massive at the time.
15.(NE) Dannii Minogue - Everything I Wanted
Heavily used in trails for ITV at the time, if I remember correctly.
16.(NE) The Charlatans - Tellin' Stories
An unprecedented fourth hit single from a Charlatans album. No wonder they were too tired to make a proper video. I do love this track though. Incidentally, the B-sides of this single are their first songs with writing credits to new keyboard player Tony Rogers.
17.(NE) Diana King - I Say A Little Prayer
A rather belated follow-up to her 2005 hit 'Shy Guy', though I presume she'd released other singles elsewhere in the world in the meantime. I'm not sure why she bothered to cover this. 
18.(11) Clock - U Sexy Thing
19.(NE) Hurricane #1 - Step Into My World {Perfecto remix}
Six months after it had been their first single, this remixed verion became their first Top 20 hit. Though a fairly straight trad-rock band most of the time, Hurricane #1 did encourage remixes of their work - or more to the point, made more of a feature of it than most rock groups who just used the mixes to pad out B-sides.
I bought this single on 7" and got a receipt that said "HURRICA STEPISS".
20.(NE) Puff Daddy And The Family - Been Around The World
Puffy's fondness for unlikely samples continues with the beat from Bowie's 'Let's Dance' and a chorus derived from Lisa Stansfield's 'All Around The World'. If only the original parts of this were as memorable.
21.(12) Janet Jackson - Got 'Til It's Gone ft Q-Tip And Joni Mitchell
22.(NE) Roy Davis Jr - Gabriel ft Peven Everett
Rather decent soulful house track, as it turns out.
23.(15) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
24.(NE) Black Grape - Get Higher
Yet another first single from a much-awaited second album. Well, I say that but compared to the Top 10 success of the singles from their first album, this didn't make much impact and the album itself was something of a flop. That can be the trouble with following a suprise hit sometimes. I suppose the creatively-edited Ronald Reagan samples are the main point of interest. 
25.(16) Will Smith - Men In Black
26.(13) Jimmy Ray - Are You Jimmy Ray?
27.(20) The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
28.(NE) Depeche Mode - Useless
Yes, they really did have a song called 'Useless' on the same album as one called 'It's No Good'. They weren't really helping themselves there. 
29.(NE) Scott Garcia - A London Thing ft MC Styles
Another of the big garage tracks of the era. The title gives a hint as to why it wasn't in the Top 20 though.
30.(NE) Natural Born Chillers - Rock The Funky Beat
More conventional dance here. I didn't mind this one. 
31.(19) Smash Mouth - Walkin' On The Sun
32.(10) Ash - A Life Less Ordinary
33.(14) Propellerheads With David Arnold - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
34.(NE) Fatboy Slim - Everybody Needs A 303
Norman Cook's first Top 40 hit under what was probably his best-known alias, and certainly his longest-lasting. This was a remix package of track that had been released the previous year without charting. A 303, for those not in the know, was a type of drum machine.
35.(18) Lighthouse Family - Raincloud
36.(21) Louise - Arms Around The World
37.(22) Oasis - Stand By Me
38.(NE) Byron Stingily - Sing A Song
Apparently he's a teacher now.
39.(24) M People - Just For You
40.(NE) Laguna - Spiller From Rio (Do It Easy)
No connection to the dance act Spiller, as far as I know.

42.(NE) Changing Faces - I Got Somebody Else
47.(NE) Revival 3000 - The Mighty High
48.(NE) Nalin And Kane - Beachball
49.(NE) Bush - Bone Driven
51.(NE) Death In Vegas - Rocco
56.(NE) Tindersticks - Rented Rooms
The video is for the swing version on the second CD format. Maybe I should have bought this one.
60.(NE) Deep Dish - Stranded
72.(NE) Pizzicato Five - Mon Amour Tokyo
75.(RE) Peter Andre - All About Us

Charting 1997: 25th October

Well, Elton had to be deposed eventually. This of course shows one reason why compiling lists of the "Top Singles Ever" on chart performance is flawed: 'Candle In The Wind '97' was already the biggest-selling single ever but its very fast sales meant a relatively short run. 

01.(NE) Spice Girls - Spice Up Your Life
So, here we go then, a sea change from the serious hand-wringing of the Elton track, a song that's self-referential and silly even by Spice standards, and is one of their least-remembered chart-toppers. Despite (or because of?) this, I rather liked it. It does sound a tiny bit like they're shouting "wanker!" in the middle eight, or so I convinced myself at the time.
02.(NE) Aqua - Barbie Girl
And speaking of frivolity... I'm struggling to remember now whether I actually like this record or merely enjoy how much it annoys some people. Either way I win.
03. (1) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look/Candle In The Wind
04. (2) Sash! - Stay ft La Trec
05. (3) Dario G - Sunchyme
06. (4) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
07. (5) Eternal - Angel Of Mine
08. (6) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
09.(11) The Brand New Heavies - You've Got A Friend
Their first - and as yet only - Top 10 appearance.
10.(NE) Ash - A Life Less Ordinary
Their only hit this year, and their first with second guitarist Charlotte Hatherley, was the title song of the film that was marketed as a follow-up to Trainspotting: it's not a sequel but it has the same director and some of the same actors. Having got the commission, Tim Wheeler wisely avoided trying to actually sing the song title, but it sounds even more like he's saying "wankers" - apparently the real lyric is "put on your dress, white goddess". 
Drummer Rick McMurray was taken ill during the filming of the video, which is why you see so little of him in close-up. Luckily he had a stunt-double anyway.
11.(12) Clock - U Sexy Thing
Another small climber. Maybe Spice Girls fans really liked 70s cover versions?
12. (8) Janet Jackson - Got 'Til It's Gone ft Q-Tip And Joni Mitchell
13.(NE) Jimmy Ray - Are You Jimmy Ray?
I think he was supposed to be a sort of 90s version of Shakin' Stevens or something, although it's debatable whether the target audience would have known who Fay Wray and Link Wray were. Oddly this song had some success in America.
14. (7) Propellerheads With David Arnold - On Her Majesty's Secret Service
15.(17) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
16.(14) Will Smith - Men In Black
17.(NE) Primal Scream - Burning Wheel
The opening track from the classic Vanishing Point album, which wins the prize for most abrupt 7" edit of the year - it just seems to start in the middle of a note. Buyers were compensated by the brilliantly funky instrumental 'Hammond Connection', possibly my favourite ever Primal Scream track.
18. (9) Lighthouse Family - Raincloud
19.(NE) Smash Mouth - Walkin' On The Sun
First hit for the US rock act who presumably were riding on the success of No Doubt (though they weren't really as ska-based). I can't remember whether the lyric "I want to buy the world a toke" was left in the UK radio edit. Either way this is a lot better than their bigger US hit 'All Star'.
20.(20) The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
21.(15) Louise - Arms Around The World
22.(13) Oasis - Stand By Me
23.(NE) Lil' Kim - Crush On You {1997 Re-release}
Also features Lil' Cease and - for contrast - Notorious BIG. I presume this swift re-release was marketed as a tribute, though it did improve on the original peak.
24.(19) M People - Just For You
25.(NE) Jay-Z - Sunshine ft Babyface And Foxy Brown
One of his more obviously commercial tracks. Not very good, to be honest. 
26.(NE) Rolf Harris - Sun Arise {1997 re-recording}
Yes, it's a new version of the song that brought the (faked) sound of the didgeridoo to Britain in the 1960s. Believe it or not, 808 State were involved, and supplied remixes.
27.(22) 2 Eivissa - Oh La La La
28.(NE) 2K - Fuck The Millennium
The KLF at their most pointless and tiresome. Scooter's song of the same title is better. 
29.(21) Coolio - Ooh La La
30.(18) Supergrass - Late In The Day
31.(NE) Nuyorican Soul - I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun ft Jocelyn Brown
Pretty if not especially catchy track. I think they were only supposed to be a one-off project.
32.(NE) Belle And Sebastian - 3... 6... 9... Seconds Of Light
[A Century Of Fakers; Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie; Beautiful; Put The Book Back on The Shelf]
Finally they make the Top 40! And with an EP that has no title track, as well. The lead track features the same backing track as 'A Century Of Elvis' from the previous one, but with a sung vocal instead of the spoken word. The second track is based on some graffiti that Alex Kapranos (later of Franz Ferdinand) saw written on a local branch of Greggs.
The other two songs are exclusive to the CD and 12" formats, as is the hidden bonus track 'Songs For Children'. Not bad for £1:99.
33.(23) Bellini - Samba De Janeiro
34.(16) Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
35.(27) Roachford - The Way I Feel
36.(NE) Lalo Schifrin - Bullitt
Yes, the music from the film, reissued thanks to this advert - cutting edge if controversial at the time. 
37.(10) Mansun - Seven (EP) - Closed For Business
38.(NE) Travis - Happy
The only one of their first 11 charting singles not to outpeak the one before it, fact fans.
39.(31) Sly And Robbie - Night Nurse ft Simply Red
40.(34) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You

44.(NE) Poppers Presents Aura - Every Little Time
45.(NE) Lynden David Hall - Sexy Cinderella
48.(NE) The Supernaturals - Prepare To Land
Remixed slightly from the album version. Seemingly one single too far though.
49.(NE) Martha Wash - Carry On '97
51.(NE) De Bos - On The Run
54.(NE) Vanessa-Mae - Storm
58.(NE) The Corrs - Only When I Sleep
First single from the Talk On Corners album, which was to be one of the biggest of 1998.
60.(NE) Hardfloor - Acperience
68.(NE) Cecil - Hostage In A Frock
70.(NE) Sparks - Number One Song In Heaven {1997}
In what seems coincidentally in tune with the trends of late 2012, they did an album re-recording a load of their old songs in modernised versions. I believe Jimmy Somerville contributed to this track. 

Charting 1997: 11th October

01. (1) Elton John - Something About The Way You Look/Candle In The Wind
Still not budging.
02. (3) Dario G - Sunchyme
03.(NE) Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
So this is the highest new entry of the week. One of their most popular songs although I never liked it. And "people say... I am blind, risking it all in a glance" doesn't quite work as a metaphor.
04.(NE) Eternal - Angel Of Mine
Possibly their sappiest song, which if anything I hated even more than the Backstreet Boys. Their last single  as a trio and their last to make the Top 10, it was later a US chart-topper for Monica, though her version flopped here. 
05. (2) Oasis - Stand By Me
06.(NE) Lighthouse Family - Raincloud
Lead single from their second album and the point where their ubiquity started to grate. Also, it's a watered-down version of 'Another Star' by Stevie Wonder isn't it?
07. (5) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
08. (9) Will Smith - Men In Black
09. (6) Janet Jackson - Got 'Til It's Gone ft Q-Tip And Joni Mitchell
10. (4) Louise - Arms Around The World
11.(11) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
12.(NE) Foxy Brown - Big Bad Mamma ft Dru Hill
So called because it samples the old funk hit 'She's A Bad Mama Jama', this was from the soundtrack to the film How To Be A Player. No, neither had I.
13. (8) M People - Just For You
14.(NE) Coolio - Ooh La La
I have a vague idea this might have been in a film too, but it was also the second single from his album, and his last major UK hit. It samples 'Pull Up To The Bumper'. 
15.(10) The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
16.(NE) The Seahorses - Love Me And Leave Me
The chart debut of Liam Gallagher as a songwriter (he co-wrote it with John Squire). Fittingly, the first line of the song is copied from a John Lennon number. 
17.(12) Bellini - Samba De Janeiro
18.(13) 2 Eivissa - Oh La La La
19.(NE) DJ Flavours - Your Caress (All I Need)
The model in the video was Emma Morton-Smith, who had a Top 5 hit of her own in early 1999 with a cover of 'More Than This' by Roxy Music.
20.(NE) Roachford - The Way I Feel
Another comeback single from a soul act. Not his best work, but not as boring as the Lighthouse Family.
21.(NE) Paul Weller - Friday Street
One of his best singles of this era, not least because it's so concise. As you can see from the making-of footage on YouTube, the video was shot in the street where he used to live, which seems to suit the vibe well enough even if you can't tell when it's supposed to be set. 

22.(NE) DJ Shadow - High Noon
His highest UK chart position (as a solo artist) came with this track, a non-album single until he released a best-of last week. No really, he did, it just went completely unnoticed. Anyway, though I don't remember this at all from the time I bought it on 12" subsequently and think it's rather good. Creepy video though.
23.(NE) Catch - Bingo
Another creepy video, though in a slightly different way. At least it's the uncensored version. A short-lived act somewhere on the border between Britpop and boyband, they were evidently much fancied within the industry, but this proved to be their only Top 40 hit and their album was only released in Indonesia.
That video already had an unfortunate place in history: it was showing on the late-night repeat of the ITV Chart Show when it was faded out for the announcement of Princess Diana's car accident.
24.(14) Sly And Robbie - Night Nurse ft Simply Red
25.(NE) Green Day - Hitchin' A Ride
The first single from their "experimental" fifth album which is slightly more interesting than the one-dimensional punk-pop they'd made their millions from. 15 years on, Billie Joe Armstrong has recently checked into rehab, which lends a certain irony to the lyric "I'm off the wagon and hitching a ride".
26. (7) U2 - Please
27.(18) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
28.(15) Blackstreet - Fix
29.(NE) East 57th Street - Saturday ft Donna Allen
Later sampled as a theme tune for Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
30.(NE) The Jam - The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow) {1997 re-issue}
Double dose of Weller this week, a single re-issued as part of the group's 20th anniversary celebrations and to promote a single-disc best of: all four tracks on the CD single had already appeared on the boxed set earlier that year so I didn't bother buying this. 
31.(20) Hanson - Where's The Love
32.(17) Ricky Martin - (Un, Dos, Tres) Maria
33.(16) No Doubt - Spiderwebs
34.(19) George Michael - You Have Been Loved
35.(21) Boyz II Men - 4 Seasons Of Loneliness
36.(26) All Saints - I Know Where It's At
37.(25) Mariah Carey - Honey
38.(33) Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life
39.(NE) Filter And The Crystal Method - (Can't You) Trip Like I Do
Another song from a film, combining the "talents" of second-rate grunge band and second-rate electronica act whose name nobody here understood at the time.
40.(24) House Traffic - Every Day Of My Life

43.(NE) Strangelove - Freak
45.(NE) D-Influence - Magic
50.(NE) Lo-Fidelity Allstars - Disco Machine Gun
Big favourites at the NME and late-night Radio 1, who seemed about to have their first Top 40 hit... until the single was withdrawn after two days due to an uncleared sample of 'Cannonball' by the Breeders. That's already been excised from the promo video but you can hear it just before the vocal comes in here. As part of the settlement, not only did the sample have to be removed but even the song title was ruled to be too similar, so the track eventually appeared on album as 'Blisters On My Brain'.
53.(NE) Morcheeba - Shoulder Holster
58.(NE) Kaleef - I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)
73.(NE) Progress Funk - Around My Brain

Charting 1997: 13th September

Interesting times for the chart this week, as the sales period officially began on Sunday the 31st of December, the day when Britain woke up to the news that Diana  Princess of Wales had died. Whatever you felt about that at the time, it had a massive impact on what songs got played on the radio this week, and the knock-on effects are visible here. 

01.(NE) The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
Of course, this one was already hotly-tipped for the top anyway, but the sombre mood abroad this week probably gave it a hand too. I loved them at the time although I never got round to buying this single.
02. (1) Will Smith - Men In Black
03. (2) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
Only falling one place on the sales chart, but more like 40 places on the airplay one (it did recover later)
04.(NE) Hanson - Where's The Love
Their second British hit, complete with a video shot here in London the day after 'Mmmbop' entered at 1. Topically, also the first record Chris Moyles played at Radio 1.
05. (6) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
There was some speculation that this might actually return to the top again. It never happened, possibly because the Verve sopped up some of that market.
06. (4) All Saints - I Know Where It's At
07.(NE) Cast - Live The Dream
Their sixth consecutive Top 10 single, with a title that became a catchphrase for Steve Lamacq, coincidentally or otherwise. One of their prettier songs but a bit inconsequential. 
08. (3) Mariah Carey - Honey
09.(11) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
10.(NE) Finley Quaye - Even After All
A rather more likeable track than his first single, at least in retrospect.
11. (7) DJ Quicksilver - Free
12.(NE) N-Tyce - We Come To Party
Oddly-spelt girl-group klaxon!
13. (9) Gala - Freed From Desire
14.(NE) Staxx - Joy {1997 remix}
A dance track that was a Top 30 hit in 1993, now reworked to give them their only Top 20 appearance.
15.(12) Shola Ama - You're The One I Love
16.(NE) Kavana - Crazy Chance '97
And speaking of remixes... Hard not to suspect that the point of the new version was mainly to sell this to his fans again. 
17.(NE) Chicane With Power Circle - Offshore '97
A few years before mash-up hits became ubiquitous, this was a legit version of a bootleg combining Chicane's 1996 hit 'Offshore' with a vocal from Power Circle's 'A Little Love A Little Life', hence the credit. Presumably Power Circle's management couldn't persuade the label to represent their song title as well.
18.(14) Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
19.(13) Dannii Minogue - All I Wanna Do
20. (5) Ocean Colour Scene - Traveller's Tune
21.(NE) Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
You know how everybody goes on about Led Zep not releasing singles? They tend to forget about this slightly pointless (and as it turned out, not ideally-timed) release. Presumably this was intended to promote the upcoming BBC sessions album, although this is the studio version. Either way it was probably intended to make a bigger impact after all those years.
22.(15) The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems
23.(NE) Boris Dlugosch Presents Boom! - Hold Your Head Up High
The German producer later famous for remixing Moloko's 'Sing It Back', and apparently Mousse T was also involved. 
24.(10) Ginuwine - When Doves Cry
25.(21) Conner Reeves - My Father's Son
26.(NE) Ce Ce Peniston - Finally {1997 remix}
Apparently the 1st of September was National Release A Remix Day. Not sure this song needed it really.
27.(22) Mary J Blige - Everything
28.(19) Meredith Brooks - Bitch
29. (8) Radiohead - Karma Police
30.(NE) Echo & The Bunnymen - I Want To Be There When You Come
Underwhelming performance for the follow-up to a Top 10 comeback, but then it's not really much of a song. 
31.(NE) Roni Size/Reprazent - Heroes
Sorry the video cuts off a bit early there. First mainstream hit for the Bristol DnB producer and his band. Good soul track really, seems a bit forgotten now.
32.(23) Coolio - C U When U Get There ft 40 Thevz
33.(18) Refugee Allstars/Lauryn Hill - The Sweetest Thing
34.(NE) SWV - Someone ft Puff Daddy
Despite man of the moment Sean Combs appearing, a single that underperformed in both the UK and the US. 
35.(NE) Eels - Your Lucky Day In Hell
This probably wasn't going to follow their previous two singles into the Top 10 anyway, but it's an obvious victim of its release date. A very good song though, one of the first I ever heard by them. 
36.(16) No Mercy - Kiss You All Over
37.(27) Ultra Nate - Free
38.(17) Bentley Rhythm Ace - Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out!
39.(24) Boyzone - Picture Of You
40.(NE) 'N Sync - Tearin' Up My Heart
First sighting of Justin Timberlake in the UK chart, although 'N Sync always seemed to suffer in European markets from the fact that Backstreet Boys got here first. This did go on to become a Top 10 hit in 1999, though.

41.(NE) Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness {1997 re-issue}
Their biggest pre-1996 song (in sales and familiarity, if not chart position) leads the pack of a set of re-releases of all six singles from their debut album. It's a safe bet that this would have gone T40 a week earlier.
43.(NE) Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
49.(NE) Manic Street Preachers - You Love Us {1997 re-issue}
This is of course a re-release of the 1992 re-recording, which had gone Top 20, rather than the original version from the previous year.
50.(NE) Manic Street Preachers - Little Baby Nothing {1997 re-issue}
Later quoted in a Steps press release, apparently. Notable for the appearance in the video of Shampoo, whose entire chart career took place between the original release and this re-issue.
52.(NE) Manic Street Preachers - Stay Beautiful {1997 re-issue}
Had been their very first Top 40 hit in the summer of 1991. 
54.(NE) Manic Street Preachers - Slash 'N' Burn {1997 re-issue}
The only one of these releases to differ in content from the original - in 1992 this included the rare early single 'Motown Junk', which was probably a major contributor to its Top 20 placing, but that was dropped on this occasion. 
55.(NE) Manic Street Preachers - Love's Sweet Exile/Repeat {1997 re-issue}
Presumably selling worst of the six because there was only one track not already available on the album. And little casual trade for these songs, I'd imagine. 

60.(NE) Stereolab - Miss Modular
63.(NE) T-Shirt - You Sexy Thing
A big hit in Australia, apparently. One of the members was Miranda Cooper, later famous as part of the Xenomania songwriting/production collective.
64.(NE) Tilt - Places
66.(NE) Jimmy Somerville - Dark Sky
74.(NE) Arab Strap - The Girls Of Summer (EP)
[Hey! Fever; Girls Of Summer; The Beautiful Barmaids Of Dundee; One Day, After School]

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