Charting 1997: 12th April

A very tight contest this week which leaves us with the increasing rarity of a climber to the top, and indeed the greater rarity of a climber that had fallen the week before.

01. (5) R Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly

Yeah, I got away with not embedding it when it was a new entry at 2 a couple of weeks ago, but I can't really leave it out this time. Enjoy yourselves, R. Kelly fans.
I can't actually remember why this changed direction and climbed to the top, I can only guess that the film was finally released (though the other soundtrack cuts don't seem to have gained much).
02.(NE) Supergrass - Richard III

Now this is a bit more like it, the lead single (at least as I've always understood the term) from their second album. Whilst I'm of the view that they spent too much of the ten years after 1995 trying to make records that didn't sound like 'Alright' that does seem better on balance than if they'd devoted themselves to trying to duplicate it. 'Richard III' sounds like a development of a lot of the rockier tracks from the first album and despite the throwaway lyrics and stupider title, is actually a highlight of their longer-than-you-might-recall career. And it only lost out by about 400 copies. 
03. (3) No Doubt - Don't Speak
04.(NE) Smoke City - Underwater Love
The sort of vaguely cross-cultural, slightly easy-listening music that seemed quite popular in this era, though possibly more with advertising creatives and TV channels than actual buyers. I think this one was used to sell jeans. I considered it yuppie nonsense of the highest order then although it doesn't sound as bad now. 
05.(NE) Depeche Mode - It's No Good
The second single from their imminent comeback album, a somewhat more radio-friendly version song which even I didn't mind, although there isn't really enough to it to sustain the six-minute running time - unfortunately the video edit wasn't commercially released.
06. (2) Spice Girls - Mama/Who Do You Think You Are?
07. (6) DJ Quicksilver - Bellissima
08. (1) The Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin' Beats
09. (9) Sash! - Encore Une Fois
10.(NE) Makaveli - To Live And Die In LA
Two things which Dave Gahan of the above Depeche Mode had indeed done. Tupac Shakur, who this is under a pseudonym, had of course also died (more permanently than Gahan) in 1996, albeit in Las Vegas. This was the first of his many posthumous Top 10 hits, though he'd only managed one in his lifetime. 
11.(NE) The Brand New Heavies - Sometimes
The first appearance of their new singer Seidah Garrett, ten years after her biggest hit (with Michael Jackson).  I have a limited appetite for laid-back jazz-funk but this is a pretty good chunk of it. 
12.(NE) The Future Sound Of London - We Have Explosive
Their highest-charting single, and indeed their last other than a remix of 'Papua New Guinea' in 2001. 
13. (8) B Real/Busta Rhymes - Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)
14. (4) The Charlatans - North Country Boy
15.(11) N-Trance - DISCO
16. (7) Cast - Free Me
17.(NE) Funky Green Dogs - Fired Up!
A dance record that I remember being a hit more than I remember the music itself. 
18.(NE) SWV - Can We
Whereas I do remember this, mainly because my brother pointed out the chorus melody where they sing "Can we get kinky tonight?" is similar to a line in Blur's recent album track 'Essex Dogs'. Probably not the effect they were going for. 
19.(12) Livin' Joy - Where Can I Find Love
20.(10) 3T - Gotta Be You ft Herbie
21.(17) Gina G - Fresh
22.(NE) Sara Parker - My Love Is Deep
OK if utterly forgotten RnB track.
23.(15) Boyzone - Isn't It A Wonder
24.(16) Backstreet Boys - Anywhere For You
25.(NE) Luscious Jackson - Naked Eye

The only actual UK hit for the US indie/hip-hop group who I was suspicious about because of their association with the Beastie Boys, but I ended up liking this one a lot. Pity there was no follow-up single from the album to capitalise. Three of the original members have recently reunited.
26.(NE) Hondy - Hondy (No Access)
One of those dance tracks that was clearly expected to be a much bigger hit than it was, judging by the stacks of unsold copies that seemed to be hanging around shops for the next two years. I don't think I ever heard it until I looked up the YouTube link for this post.
27.(31) Spice Girls - 2 Become 1
Second climb in a row.
28.(14) Wet Wet Wet - If I Never See You Again
29.(NE) Puff Johnson - Forever More
Her second hit of the year. Doesn't seem to be in a film.
30.(19) Fugees - Rumble In The Jungle
31.(NE) Queen Latifah, Shades And Free - Mr Big Stuff
Rap version of the much sampled soul classic there. No, it's not the same Free who did 'All Right Now'.
32.(20) No Mercy - Where Do You Go?
33.(18) BBE - Flash
34.(NE) Disco Citizens - Footprint
An alias of Nick Bracegirdle, better known as Chicane. Apparently he used this name for less commercial work.
35.(22) Damage - Love Guaranteed
36.(13) Reef - Consideration
37.(23) Kula Shaker - Hush
38.(27) Blueboy - Remember Me
39.(21) The Bee Gees - Alone
40.(NE) Travis - U16 Girls
Their first hit, more of a glam-rock stomper than the AOR that made their fortunes. Would they have got away with those lyrics even a few years later?
60.(NE) Hyper Go-Go - Do Watcha Do ft Adeva {1997 remix}
They had a fair few chart entries for a 1990s dance act, but only one week in the Top 30.
66.(NE) Ruth - I Don't Know
The group led by Matt Hales, who eventually had advert-led success as Aqualung.
70.(RE) George Michael - Older/I Can't Make You Love Me
72.(NE) These Animal Men - Light Emitting Electrical Wave

Charting 1997: Album chart 12th April

Not the most dramatic week in album chart history. Only two new entries in the entire Top 40, and not the most exciting ones either.

01. (1) Spice Girls - Spice
02.(NE) Wet Wet Wet - 10
We didn't know it then, but this was to be the last album of their original career.
03. (4) No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom
04. (2) Lisa Stansfield - Lisa Stansfield
05.(10) The Beautiful South - Blue is the Colour
06. (5) Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go
07.(11) Reef - Glow
08. (3) The Bee Gees - Still Waters
09.(22) Texas - White On Blonde
10.(NE) Erasure - Cowboy
Still getting those decent chart entries but I don't think there was a lot of excitement beyond the fans at this stage. Was that fair? Possibly not.
11. (7) Lighthouse Family - Ocean Drive
12. (9) The Bee Gees - The Very Best Of
13. (6) U2 - Pop
14.(35) Fun Lovin' Criminals - Come Find Yourself
15.(13) Kula Shaker - K
16. (8) Eternal - Before The Rain
17.(19) Jamiroquai - Travelling Without Moving
18.(29) Blur - Blur
19.(15) Alisha's Attic - Alisha Rules The World
20.(20) Sheryl Crow - Sheryl Crow
21.(18) George Michael - Older
22.(17) Original Soundtrack - Evita
23.(14) The Smurfs - The Smurfs Hits 97 Vol 1
24.(26) Beck - Odelay
25.(21) Ocean Colour Scene - B sides seasides and freerides
26.(40) Erykah Badu - Baduizm
27.(25) Robert Miles - Dreamland
28.(12) Gina G - Fresh
29.(30) Fugees - The Score
30.(31) Celine Dion - Falling into you
31.(36) Mansun - Attack of the Grey Lantern
32.(27) The Monkees - The Greatest hits
33.(32) Toni Braxton - Secrets
34.(39) Skunk Anansie - Stoosh
35.(23) The Notorious BIG - Life After Death
36.(24) Aerosmith - Nine Lives
37.(34) Crowded House - Recurring Dream - The Very Best of
38.(38) Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
39.(28) John Denver - The Rocky mountain collection
40.(37) 10cc - The Very Best Of

42.(NE) The Kinks - The Very Best Of
Thirty years after they'd last charted a studio album, but this was just the latest in a long line of compilations, presumably intended to attract people who'd discovered the band through Britpop.
47.(RE) Wet Wet Wet - Popped In Souled Out
Their 1987 debut album. I presume there was some sort of tie-in deal if you bought this alongside the new one.
59.(RE) Bryan Adams - So far so good
60.(RE) Garbage - Garbage
63.(RE) Eagles - The Very best of
64.(NE) Kerbdog - On The Turn
70.(NE) Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust?
73.(RE) Daft Punk - Homework
74.(RE) Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club