Charting 1997: 3rd May

Say what you like about the chart, you can't accuse it of lacking action.

01.(NE) Michael Jackson - Blood On The Dancefloor
Title track from what was largely a remix album but threw in a couple of new tracks. His last UK Number One - I think we can safely say that now.
02. (1) R Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly
03.(NE) 911 - Bodyshakin'
911 in not-ballad shocker. No masterpiece but I actually quite like this as a throwaway pop track.
04.(NE) The Cardigans - Lovefool {1997 re-issue}
A Number 21 hit from the previous year, now revived thanks to its use in the Romeo & Juliet film. I've chosen to use the original video this week.
05. (4) DJ Quicksilver - Bellissima
06. (7) Shola Ama - You Might Need Somebody
07.(NE) Republica - Drop Dead Gorgeous
See the pun there? Surprisingly, this was their Top 10 hit, not the obvious one.
08. (2) Robbie Williams - Old Before I Die
09. (6) Blackstreet - Don't Leave Me
10.(NE) The Notorious BIG - Hypnotize
His first posthumous hit, indeed his first major hit at all in the UK. Samples Herb Alpert of all people, and was in turn sampled by Blue.
11.(NE) Brainbug - Nightmare
Another of 1997's spooky dance tracks, although this one was distinguished from most by the neo-classical elements. Actually not wholly unlike Plan B's new single.
12.(NE) James - Tomorrow
A re-recording of a track from their "experimental" album Wah Wah, now the opening track and second single from Whiplash. Though a hit at the time nobody ever seems to mention this one, though I think it's one of the best things they ever did.
13. (8) The Lightning Seeds - You Showed Me
14. (5) Daft Punk - Around The World
15. (9) The Course - Ready Or Not
16.(11) No Doubt - Don't Speak
17. (3) U2 - Staring At The Sun
18.(NE) Snoop Doggy Dogg - Vapors
A song which has aged better than the special effects in the video, at least. Snoop bemoans the old problem that various friends, relatives and ultimately Mr Dogg himself are treated better when famous and successful than when obscure.
19.(NE) D:Ream - Things Can Only Get Better {1997 re-issue}
I'm not generally paying much attention to outside events on here, but it'd be wrong not to mention that this single got its second re-release as a result of its use in Party Political Broadcasts for the Labour Party in the imminent General Election. As a result, no radio station could actually play it without breaching campaign rules. If only there was an election every week.
20.(15) Sash! - Encore Une Fois
21.(17) Texas - Halo
22.(12) Orbital - The Saint
23.(13) Blur - Song 2
24.(NE) DJ Supreme - Tha Wild Style {1997 remix}
Thought I remembered this one but then when I looked it up on YouTube it was nothing like the song I thought it was.
25.(19) Spice Girls - Mama/Who Do You Think You Are?
26.(10) Faithless - Reverence
27.(NE) Kenickie - Nightlife
 
OK, so you have to wait a couple of minutes in that embed before the actual video shows up, but it's odd enough to be worth waiting for, complete with Pete Gofton dressed as a chicken and a breakdancing Santa (even though this was released in April). It's a sad sign of the times that the uploader has referred to this as a "Lauren Laverne music video" even though this is of course the only Kenickie hit to feature Marie Du Santiago as lead singer. 
28.(14) Michelle Gayle - Sensational
29.(NE) Tricky - Makes Me Wanna Die 
I'm not sure exactly what's so ironic about smoking hydroponic, but I've always thought this one of his best songs.
30.(NE) Keith Sweat - Nobody ft Athena Cage
Apparently people like to have sex while they're listening to this. Well, I can see a distraction of some sort would be welcome.
31.(18) Smoke City - Underwater Love
32.(NE) Silver Sun - Golden Skin
Silver Sun - Golden Skin on MUZU.TV.
One of those bands who were supposed to be big and never quite were, but for a while in 1996-7 they were one of the most enjoyable bands around with their combination of crunching guitars and cheery melodies. Here they make their Top 40 debut with the aid of a memorable video. Anyone ever slowed it down enough to watch those credits?
33.(NE) Tony Toni Tone - Let's Get Down ft DJ Quik 
No, I didn't realise they were still around this last either.
34.(28) The Brand New Heavies - Sometimes
35.(16) 2Pac And Snoop Doggy Dogg - Wanted Dead or Alive
36.(27) Kavana - MFEO
37.(30) Bruce Springsteen - Secret Garden {1997}
38.(NE) Grace - Hand In Hand
Dominique Atkins, she of 'Not Over Yet' fame with one of the less-remembered follow-ups. Not a bad tune, though apparently it's a cover. 
39.(NE) Busta Rhymes - Do My Thing
I have no intention of going anywhere near your thing, Busta. One of the least sexy songs ever.
40.(NE) Pavement - Shady Lane
Another indie act making their first Top 40 appearance, and not undeservedly so with what I think is possibly their best song.  

49.(NE) The Roots - What They Do
54.(NE) Bruce Dickinson - Accident Of Birth
57.(NE) Fatboy Slim - Going Out Of My Head
First chart appearance of Norman Cook in this particular guise. Pete Townshend gets the writing credit.
60.(NE) Jocasta - Change Me
65.(NE) The Candyskins - Hang Myself On You
69.(NE) Bennet - Someone Always Gets There First
Two nerdy indie bands following up their only Top 40 hits, both of which had in fact peaked at 34. The Candyskins do slightly better, possibly because their single was re-recorded from the album version. The fact that I own both these tracks on their respective albums makes me feel rather alone.

Charting 1997: 26th April

'I Believe I Can Fly' proves itself to be one of the jammiest Number Ones ever, topping the chart by a thin margin for the third week in a row.

01. (1) R Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly
02.(NE) Robbie Williams - Old Before I Die
Although he'd reached the same position eight months earlier with his version of 'Freedom' this seemed to the official start of his solo career, the first time he'd really indicated what his musical direction was going to be. Second-rate Oasis pastiches seemed to be it at this stage.
03.(NE) U2 - Staring At The Sun
One of several U2 singles of this era that were significant hits in their day but never seem to get mentioned now. Actually not a bad song, in a melodic sort of way, though Bono comes up with some odd metaphors and rhymes. 
04. (4) DJ Quicksilver - Bellissima
05.(NE) Daft Punk - Around The World

I had to embed the video because to be honest, the song's just annoying without it. 
06.(NE) Blackstreet - Don't Leave Me
I believe this was their biggest hit in America. But I've no idea why.
07. (7) Shola Ama - You Might Need Somebody
08.(NE) The Lightning Seeds - You Showed Me
Their only non-football-related Top 10 single came with this cover of the Turtles hit written by members of the Byrds. This version also seems to owe something to the Salt-N-Pepa version of the song. 
09. (5) The Course - Ready Or Not
10.(NE) Faithless - Reverence
Their third Top 10 hit on the trot, but probably not the one people remember. 
11. (6) No Doubt - Don't Speak
12. (3) Orbital - The Saint
13. (2) Blur - Song 2
14.(NE) Michelle Gayle - Sensational
Possibly not the most accurately-titled song is this chart, a perfectly decent track rather than an impressive one.
15.(14) Sash! - Encore Une Fois
16.(NE) 2Pac And Snoop Doggy Dogg - Wanted Dead or Alive
Will one of each do? 
17.(10) Texas - Halo
18.(13) Smoke City - Underwater Love
19.(15) Spice Girls - Mama/Who Do You Think You Are?
20.(NE) The Wannadies - Hit
Their other Top 20 single. If I remember correctly this was given a limited 7" release the year before when contractual problems precluded full promotion, but I didn't get one of those and had to wait for this CD version. I always liked the argument they seem to be having in the middle.
21.(NE) G.U.N. - Crazy You
Produced by one of INXS, this marked their short-lived transition from the metal band (best known for their cover of 'Word Up') to AOR plodders. It didn't really save their career.
22.(NE) Zhane - Request Line
Standard-issue RnB girl-group stuff. 
23.(NE) The Supernaturals - Smile
A reissue of their debut single which scored their highest-ever chart position. Loved it then, still quite like it now. 
24.(NE) KRS-One - Step Into A World (Rapture's Delight)
Not a song I remembered from the time, but one I was quite pleased to discover. Nice chunk of old-school rap with the chorus based on Blondie's hit. 
25.(NE) Robert Owens - I'll Be Your Friend {1997 remix}
A version of a house track that had topped the US dance chart five years earlier.
26.(11) Supergrass - Richard III
27. (8) Kavana - MFEO
28.(18) The Brand New Heavies - Sometimes
29.(12) Erykah Badu - On And On
30.(17) Bruce Springsteen - Secret Garden {1997 re-issue}
31.(16) Depeche Mode - It's No Good
32.(NE) David Bowie - Dead Man Walking
Still in the DnB groove. Not quite as good a song as 'Little Wonder' though, unfortunately.
33.(19) N-Trance - DISCO
34.(20) The Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin' Beats
35.(24) B Real/Busta Rhymes - Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)
36.(NE) Slacker - Scared
Apparently this samples Peter Gabriel, of all people. 
37. (9) Suede - Lazy
38.(31) SWV - Can We
39.(23) The Charlatans - North Country Boy
40.(28) Cast - Free Me


42.(NE) The Offspring - Gone Away
43.(NE) Pianoman - Party People (Live Your Life Be Free)
45.(NE) Lil' Kim - No Time ft Puff Daddy
50.(NE) Kim English - Supernatural
59.(RE) Blur - Beetlebum
61.(NE) Subcircus - You Love You