Charting 1997: 6th September 1997

Bit of a special this week - it's the chart that was never broadcast on Radio 1, due to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales the night before. It was finally announced when Music Week was published later that week and it's in all the books now so it's not exactly exclusive, but still a bit of a change from the norm. I've even made a Spotify playlist of the 35 available tracks in countdown order.

01. (2) Will Smith - Men In Black
02. (2) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
03.(NE) Mariah Carey - Honey
So, this was the biggest new hit of the week, another much hyped Mariah release with the hippest names of the day and a massively expensive video. 
04.(NE) All Saints - I Know Where It's At
The chart debut of the second biggest girl group of this era, who were taken irritatingly seriously at the time. Actually, with hindsight this isn't that bad, apart from the really clumsy rapping in the middle.
05.(NE) Ocean Colour Scene - Traveller's Tune
A re-recording of a B-side (from the second CD format of 'The Day We Caught The Train') became their fifth consecutive Top 10 hit and the second single from the Marchin Already album. Rarely mentioned nowadays but even my brother didn't mind it at the time, a punchy if not completely convincing Northern Soul pastiche.
06. (4) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
07.(NE) DJ Quicksilver - Free
Not the same song as Ultra Naté's hit holding on at 27, though I believe they were on the same label. It's more instrumental trance.
08.(NE) Radiohead - Karma Police

Second single from OK Computer of course. I don't think I've mentioned it on here before, but I actually heard the album being played over the speakers in Andy's Records a couple of weeks before it came out, which was really exciting back then. I remember noticing that there was a track that sounded a bit like 'Dark Night' by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, and here it is, although the resemblance isn't quite as clear when you can hear the production in full; I've always loved the way they got the acoustic guitars to sound on here.
It's accompanied by one of the great videos of the year too, although one that wasn't being shown much in early September for obvious reasons.
09. (5) Gala - Freed From Desire
10.(NE) Ginuwine - When Doves Cry
Around the turn of the century, Timbaland gained a reputation as one of the greatest producers in the world, but it sounds like he's learning his craft here, although it would have worked better with a more interesting singer than Ginuwine. The minimalism and tension of the original are totally lost. 
Oh, and you know how he says he's going to take you way back? The original of this song was in the Top 20 exactly 13 years earlier, so was newer then than this is now.
11. (7) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
12. (3) Shola Ama - You're The One I Love
13. (6) Dannii Minogue - All I Wanna Do
14. (8) Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
15. (9) The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems
16.(NE) No Mercy - Kiss You All Over
Frank's boys return with a cover of Exile's not very good 1970s hit. They don't make it a lot worse.
17.(NE) Bentley Rhythm Ace - Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out!
Jokers in the pack of big beat, the Brummie duo score their only major hit with this major-label reissue of their early "carbootechno" single. Unfortunately, they didn't follow it up for another three years, by which time interest had waned. 
18.(NE) Refugee Allstars/Lauryn Hill - The Sweetest Thing
Little did we know that the Fugees had already had their last hit, as they splintered into various projects. This was Hill's first success outside the group, and a song I found surprisingly pleasant in a laid-back way.
19.(11) Meredith Brooks - Bitch
20.(NE) En Vogue - Too Gone, Too Long
Unexciting Diane Warren ballad pretending to be RnB.
21.(12) Conner Reeves - My Father's Son
22.(13) Mary J Blige - Everything
23.(15) Coolio - C U When U Get There ft 40 Thevz
24.(17) Boyzone - Picture Of You
25.(NE) Gina G - Gimme Some Love
Still milking the one big hit.
26.(14) UB40 - Tell Me Is It True
27.(19) Ultra Nate - Free
28.(10) Jon Bon Jovi - Queen Of New Orleans
29.(21) OTT - All Out Of Love
30.(NE) Hurricane #1 - Chain Reaction
Third single and perhaps their most blatant Oasis pastiche yet. Maybe this was Andy Bell's way of auditioning? They proved not to be much more than a footnote, but even for them this is an overlooked hit.
31.(23) Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?
32.(20) Wet Wet Wet - Yesterday
33.(29) Livin' Joy - Deep In You
34.(16) Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
35.(NE) The Cardigans - Your New Cuckoo
The eventual follow-up to the 'Lovefool' re-issue, and the only hit they didn't include on their Best Of album. Apparently they don't like it very much and it doesn't look like many other people did either but I thought it was cute.
36.(26) Texas - Black Eyed Boy
37.(28) Sash! - Ecuador
38.(18) Foo Fighters - Everlong
39.(30) Peter Andre - All About Us
40.(27) N-Trance - The Mind Of The Machine


48.(NE) Nu-Birth - Anytime

50.(NE) Future Breeze - Why Don't You Dance With Me
51.(NE) Fuzz Townshend - Hello Darlin'
The live drummer for Bentley Rhythm Ace (he'd been in Pop Will Eat Itself with BRA man Richard March) recording solo in a similar style.
53.(NE) Cappella - Be My Baby/Turn It Up And Down
55.(NE) Sunscreem - Catch Me (I'm Falling)
66.(NE) Qwilo And Felix Da Housecat - Dirty Motha'
68.(RE) U2 - Last Night On Earth

Charting 1997: 30th August

01. (1) Will Smith - Men In Black
02. (2) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
03.(NE) Shola Ama - You're The One I Love
Her version of 'You Might Need Somebody' had never advanced beyond 4 in its lengthy chart run, but the follow-up was able to outpeak it instantly and become the biggest new hit of the week, though I don't think it came close to challenging the sales of the Top 2. 
04. (3) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
05. (5) Gala - Freed From Desire
06. (4) Dannii Minogue - All I Wanna Do
07.(NE) Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
This had only been a minor hit on the US R&B chart, but thanks to its being sampled on Double 99's breakthrough speed garage hit 'RIP Groove' and a package of UK remixes in the same style, it became a bone-fide success over here. Not one I've heard recently though. 
08. (6) Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
09. (7) The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems
10.(NE) Jon Bon Jovi - Queen Of New Orleans
A more surprising example of an American act doing better than in their homeland - although this single was not granted a commercial release in the US and thus wouldn't have charted anyway, the album was a relative flop there. And this Dave Stewart co-penned number didn't seem to do it a lot of favours. 
11. (8) Meredith Brooks - Bitch
12.(NE) Conner Reeves - My Father's Son
Not to be confused with 'Son Of My Father' by Chicory Tip, or any other memorable record. This was the first hit for the flat-capped singer-songwriter signed to the Capital FM-backed Wildstar label. I guess that makes him a bit like the Wanted, but even more boring. 
13.(12) Mary J Blige - Everything
14.(NE) UB40 - Tell Me Is It True
Yes, it is true, UB40 were still able to have hits with very dull songs way into the 1990s. I'd always thought this was a cover version, but apparently not. Unlike Keanu Reeves, this appears in Speed 2.
15.(10) Coolio - C U When U Get There ft 40 Thevz
16.(NE) Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
Her first chart appearance, perhaps as memorable for the video as the song itself. I suppose it was nice to see some personality creeping into hip-hop.
17.(14) Boyzone - Picture Of You
18.(NE) Foo Fighters - Everlong

Speaking of memorable videos, the second single from The Colour And The Shape was already their fifth Top 20 single but it seemed to mark the point where they really crossed over as a mainstream act, no longer having to rely on the reputation of Dave Grohl's previous band. It's also notable for the acting debut of drummer Taylor Hawkins, who of course doesn't even play on the track.
19.(16) Ultra Nate - Free
20.(13) Wet Wet Wet - Yesterday
21.(11) OTT - All Out Of Love
22.(NE) The Sneaker Pimps - Post Modern Sleaze
That's a very 1997 title from a very 1997 chart act.
23.(18) Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?
24.(NE) Aaliyah - 4 Page Letter
Another appearance of Missy Elliott, who co-wrote this with Timbaland. Not one of her biggest hits anywhere.
25.(NE) Symposium - Fairweather Friend
Going a bit ska-punk, which was probably not the right direction for them. 
26.(19) Texas - Black Eyed Boy
27.(15) N-Trance - The Mind Of The Machine
28.(23) Sash! - Ecuador
29.(17) Livin' Joy - Deep In You
30.(20) Peter Andre - All About Us
31.(NE) The Beloved - The Sun Rising {1997 remix}
Remember when they were sort of cool, before they started doing naff songs like 'Hello' and that one where they were naked in the video? This was presumably supposed to remind you of it. 
32.(NE) Radish - Little Pink Stars
It doesn't matter how many people try to tell you everyone lost interest in grunge when Kurt Cobain died, the hits kept on coming. This very young act tasted only brief success, though lead singer Ben Kweller went on to enjoy a critically acclaimed solo career.
33.(NE) Slacker - Your Face
With a name like that they should have been a grunge band too, but this is actually more dance.
34.(26) The Mamas And The Papas - California Dreamin' {1997}
35. (9) Suede - Film Star
36.(27) Lil' Kim - Not Tonight
37.(24) Levellers - What A Beautiful Day
38.(NE) Le Click - Call Me
Frank Farian's answer to Clock or 2 Unlimited. This proved to be their only Top 40 success in the UK, though it was one of three tracks to make the US dance chart.
39.(NE) Soul II Soul - Represent
Their first single for Island, and probably not the kind of success either party was hoping for. At least it charted, though, which is more than could be said for the album.
40.(28) Olive - Outlaw

41.(NE) Way Out West - Blue
43.(NE) Teenage Fanclub - I Don't Want Control Of You
The slightly unexpected Top 20 breakthrough of their previous single doesn't seem to have had a massive impact on the rest of their career. But even my brother liked this song.
44.(NE) Zhane - Crush

53.(NE) Human Nature - Whisper Your Name
54.(NE) Gisele Jackson - Love Commandments
55.(NE) Tanya Donelly - Pretty Deep
56.(NE) Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses
A single that was clearly tipped for massive success, judging by the number of unsold copies hanging around shops for the rest of the century.
60.(NE) Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha
Their first Top 75 hit, thanks to a moderate amount of airplay and some very positive reviews. But Norman Cook didn't think there was enough bass on it, and the rest is history.
61.(NE) David Bowie - Seven Years In Tibet
Third single from Earthling and not a major hit, although he was keen enough to get the message across that he recorded a version in Mandarin.

65.(NE) Transa - Prophase
66.(NE) H2O - Satisfied (Take Me Higher) ft Billie
Not the same H20 who had a hit in the 1980s. And not the same Billie who had hits in 1998-2000.
75.(NE) Veruca Salt - Benjamin

Charting 1997: 23rd August

01. (1) Will Smith - Men In Black
02.(NE) Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
One of the surprise hits in a year with many of them, this followed the veteran anarchists' signing to a major label in Germany. They came up with this not-obviously-political drinking song and suddenly scaled the British charts - then even more surprisingly hit big in the US. I never thought I'd see people sing the phrase "Pissing the night away" on MTV promos. 
03. (2) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
04.(NE) Dannii Minogue - All I Wanna Do
The second enhanced CD single to chart, which seems to fit in with the nature of the video. Another of several comebacks for Minogue Minor, which usually involved a couple of big hits followed by an album that lost a fortune and the record company pulling the plug. 
05. (3) Gala - Freed From Desire
06. (5) Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
07. (7) The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems
08. (8) Meredith Brooks - Bitch
09.(NE) Suede - Film Star
The fifth consecutive Top 10 hit from the album Coming Up. That was a particularly impressive achievement considering the line-up changes they'd been involved in, and the fact that this song is really no good at all.
10. (9) Coolio - C U When U Get There ft 40 Thevz
11.(NE) OTT - All Out Of Love
All out of ideas too, resorting to the usual ballad covers boybands fall into if the career hasn't taken off. In the harsh atmosphere of 1997, even getting to 11 wasn't really good enough. 
12. (6) Mary J Blige - Everything
13. (4) Wet Wet Wet - Yesterday
14.(10) Boyzone - Picture Of You
15.(NE) N-Trance - The Mind Of The Machine
There aren't any obviously film-based new entries this week, but N-Trance do the next best thing by hiring no less than Steven Berkoff as lead vocalist on a track that couldn't be much less like the cover of 'DISCO' it followed up.
16.(13) Ultra Nate - Free
17.(NE) Livin' Joy - Deep In You
In contrast, Livin Joy were a more conventionally formulaic dance act, essentially revisiting their biggest hit 'Dreamer' as much as possible. This was the last time they got away with it.  
18.(16) Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?
19.(15) Texas - Black Eyed Boy
20.(12) Peter Andre - All About Us
21.(NE) K-Ci And JoJo - You Bring Me Up
An unusually upbeat track from the ex-Jodeci duo better known for ballads.
22.(NE) Stereophonics - A Thousand Trees
It's not always a fashionable thing to admit, but this is a genuinely good piece of songwriting and probably the song they should be remembered for, rather than 'Have A Nice Day' or the awful covers.
23.(18) Sash! - Ecuador
24.(19) Levellers - What A Beautiful Day
25.(NE) Blueboy - Sandman
Follow-up to the massive 'Remember Me', a more melodic track  based on an Undisputed Truth sample. Last time I checked this was on Spotify and the big hit wasn't.
26.(17) The Mamas And The Papas - California Dreamin' {1997}
27.(11) Lil' Kim - Not Tonight
28.(14) Olive - Outlaw
29.(NE) Mark Owen - I Am What I Am
After two Top 5 hits, he must have been expecting this to go a bit further. Not a bad track, although the album version isn't as good.
30.(NE) Travis - Tied To The 90's
Not the Number 38 hit you might have been expecting. And if you were expecting a decent song, you're wrong again. What were people thinking?
31.(NE) Echobelly - The World Is Flat
Another underperforming comeback, this was their final Top 40 appearance. Hasn't aged that well, although the video does it no favours. 
32.(24) North And South - Tarantino's New Star
33.(22) Stretch 'N' Vern Presents 'Maddog' - Get Up! Go Insane!
34.(NE) Kadoc - Rock The Bells
Another dance follow-up, though not an especially memorable one. 
35.(20) Kym Mazelle - Young Hearts Run Free
36.(23) The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
37.(25) Todd Terry - Something Goin' On
38.(NE) The Source - Clouds
Yes, it's The Source doing a song that isn't 'You've Got The Love'. Odd.
39.(NE) My Life Story - Duchess
Not very good cover of a not very good Stranglers song, recorded as part of EMI's centenary celebrations. That wasn't enough to stop them getting dropped a few weeks later.
40.(27) R Kelly - Gotham City

42.(NE) Alison Limerick - Put Your Faith In Me
45.(NE) Sarah Brightman - Who Wants To Live Forever
46.(NE) Chakra - Home
48.(NE) Feeder - Crash
53.(NE) David Holmes - Gritty Shaker
You do know this track, even if you think you don't. He's recycled it in several of his soundtracks as well. And in true 90s dance style, Holmes makes a cameo appearance in the video.
56.(NE) Bloodhound Gang - Why's Everybody Always Pickin' On Me?
My brother bought this. Blame him!
60.(NE) Gifted - Do I?
61.(NE) A Tribe Called Quest - The Jam EP
[Jam; Get A Hold; Mardi Gras At Midnight; Same Ol' Thing]
63.(NE) Northern Uproar - A Girl I Once Knew
65.(NE) Jay-Z - Who You Wit?
72.(RE) The Smashing Pumpkins - The End Is The Beginning Of The End
75.(NE) Grass-Show - Out Of The Void

Charting 1997: 16th August

01.(NE) Will Smith - Men In Black
A new Number One at last! And the second consecutive rap song at the top, which was a notable event back then. It's also the second chart-topper within 18 months based on the bassline from 'Forget-Me-Nots'. And of course it's from a film, too, like a lot of this chart.

02. (1) Puff Daddy And Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
03. (2) Gala - Freed From Desire
04.(NE) Wet Wet Wet - Yesterday
Including this, I believe. Their last release of the 20th century before a split over royalties, and their second dip into the Lennon/McCartney songbook. 
05. (4) Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)
06.(NE) Mary J Blige - Everything
And another cover version, her first UK Top 10 hit.
07. (6) The Notorious BIG - Mo Money Mo Problems
08. (8) Meredith Brooks - Bitch
09. (9) Coolio - C U When U Get There ft 40 Thevz
10. (7) Boyzone - Picture Of You
11.(NE) Lil' Kim - Not Tonight
Also featuring several other female rappers and a sample from 'Ladies Night' by Kool & The Gang. Inevitably, it was from a film. 
12. (3) Peter Andre - All About Us
13.(11) Ultra Nate - Free
14.(NE) Olive - Outlaw
The utterly forgotten, but actually quite decent, follow-up to their chart-topper.
15. (5) Texas - Black Eyed Boy
16.(10) Oasis - D'You Know What I Mean?
17.(12) The Mamas And The Papas - California Dreamin' {1997 re-issue}
18.(16) Sash! - Ecuador
19.(13) Levellers - What A Beautiful Day
20.(NE) Kym Mazelle - Young Hearts Run Free
From the Baz Luhrman film of Romeo and Juliet. I'm not sure whether they couldn't afford the Candi Staton version, or whether somebody actually thought this suited the movie better.
21.(NE) The Wildhearts - Anthem
They'd already split and reformed at least once by this point, so this was a significant comeback hit for them. And a testament to their famously loyal fans that they could make such a big impact with this less than obviously commercial song. I don't often mention Top of the Pops performances here - I mostly leave that to On This Top Of The Pops Day - but this one does have rather a cult following. 
22.(17) Stretch 'N' Vern Presents 'Maddog' - Get Up! Go Insane!
23.(19) The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
24.(18) North And South - Tarantino's New Star
25.(20) Todd Terry - Something Goin' On
26.(NE) Robyn - Do You Know (What It Takes)
Not to be confused with Robin S., from whom we heard a month ago. But this is the same Robyn who topped the chart a decade later. She's not brilliantly served by this second-division Max Martin song, but it's not terrible.
27.(21) R Kelly - Gotham City
28.(22) Eternal - I Wanna Be The Only One ft BeBe Winans
29.(37) Universal - Rock Me Good
30.(14) Paul Weller - Brushed
31.(23) Shaggy - Piece Of My Heart ft Marsha
32.(15) Makaveli - Toss It Up
33.(NE) D-Influence - Hypnotize
One of the many British soul groups of this era who seemed on the verge of a major breakthrough but never quite made it. 
34.(24) The Seahorses - Blinded By The Sun
35.(NE) The Klubbheads - Discohopping
The follow-up to Klubbhopping of course. Happy hardcore but not that good. 
36.(39) The Rembrandts - I'll Be There For You {1997 re-issue}
37.(NE) Coldcut - More Beats And Pieces
A sequel to their 1987 debut single and their first Top 40 hit since 1989 (aside from their contribution to the 'People Hold On' remixes in January). Also, in keeping with their multimedia interests at the time, the first hit single ever to be released as an enhanced CD. It seemed like the future then, but feels like the distant past now. 

38.(NE) Geneva - Best Regrets
Their fourth hit. The momentum seemed to have waned by now.
39.(28) Michael Jackson - History/Ghosts
40.(31) Hanson - Mmm Bop


49.(NE) Rhythm Masters - Come On Y'All/Let Me Tell You Something
50.(NE) Mad Moses - Panther Party
51.(NE) Faith No More - Last Cup Of Sorrow
54.(NE) Vincent De Moor - Flowtation
56.(NE) California Sunshine - Summer '89
61.(NE) Newton - Don't Worry
71.(NE) Jesus Jones - Chemical #1
74.(NE) Camp Lo - Luchini! AKA (This Is It)

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