Post by Hervard on Mar 22, 2018 13:11:21 GMT -5
Over the past few months, I have been posting chart critiques for the Shadoe Stevens years, since we all know that we likely won't be hearing those on the radio. However, I feel that the Shadoe era contained many great hits that should not be ignored, so I decided to post a collective commentary of all of the songs that debuted, putting each year in a separate thread. Each song is listed in order of appearance on the chart. The number after each song represents its debut position on American Top 40. For songs that charted in 1991 but debuted in 1990, check out this topic. Also, since I used blue ink to write down the charts, I've decided to post my 1991 commentary in blue font (light blue that is, as the regular blue color of the ink pen I used would not show up as well against the black background.
JANUARY
AROUND THE WAY GIRL – LL COOL J (36) – This R&B rapper had several pop crossovers here and there throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. I wasn't a huge fan of him, but this song was actually pretty good.
ALL THE MAN THAT I NEED – WHITNEY HOUSTON (37) – She decided to go with a slow song as the second release from I'm Your Baby Tonight. Originally recorded by Linda Clifford back in the early 1980s, Whitney recruited producer Narada Michael Walden for this song and it became another number one song. I thought this was a great song; one of my favorites from Whitney.
DOES SHE LOVE THAT MAN – BREATHE f/DAVID GLASPER (38) – Yikes - a song about being jilted around the holidays. That, IMO, is the worst time for a break-up, as it's hard to be in the mood to celebrate when all you can think about is seeing your girlfriend happily walking hand in hand with another man! Despite that, the song is melodically really good and I felt that it was underrated.
WHERE DOES MY HEART BEAT NOW – CELINE DION (39) – Little did anyone know just how hot Celine Dion would be in the 1990s! This is the song that started it all off for her, and it did quite well, peaking at #4 in March. It was a great song and one of my favorite of Dion's many big hits.
I SAW RED – WARRANT (40) – Another song about catching your loved one cheating on you! In this song, the man walks into a room to find his lady in a liplock with another guy. When he confronts her about it, he tells her that it's over between them. This was one of Warrant's power ballads that seemed to perform best on the charts. This one got as high as #10 and, unfortunately, this was their final Top 40 hit.
LOVE MAKES THINGS HAPPEN – PEBBLES f/BABYFACE (40) – This was the first time since October, 1989 that there was a one-debut week on American Top 40, and only the seventh time it had happened so far during the AT40 era. Actually, this was a very slow week on AT40, even for a week during the holidays when many stations still reported frozen playlists. The biggest move was five spots, which was the Warrant song, and Whitney Houston moved up four. All the rest moved up three or less spots. Anyway, this was a tender love ballad between these two R&B stars and I thought it was a great song. When it moved up to #29 the following week and #21 the week after, it gave me false hope that the song was going to hit the Top Ten, maybe even go to #1. Unfortunately, the song peaked at #13 and fell like a rock afterward, which I thought was a shame.
THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT'S IN HIS KISS) – CHER (33) – From the film Mermaids came this cover of the Betty Everett classic. Despite it's respectable debut, the song actually began heading down the chart the following week, which I found odd, considering that Cher had been doing well on the chart over the past few years. Perhaps this song was only promoted at Top 40 radio for just a few weeks. It did, however, do well at AC radio, peaking at #7. I thought this was a great cover and I actually slightly preferred it over the original.
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY ELSE – BLACK BOX (35) – Here's another song that kind of came and went. It peaked at #23 two weeks later and two weeks after that, it was gone – from the Top 40, anyway. That was too bad because I actually liked the song – much better than their annoying last hit.
SOMEDAY – MARIAH CAREY (37) – With this song, she proved that she could do just as well with upbeat songs than with the ballads that she started out with. In this song, I think she set a record for singing the highest note on a number one song. This song was OK, but it was definitely not her best song. I generally preferred her slow songs.
WICKED GAME – CHRIS ISAAK (38) – The first and most successful song for this Stockton, California native. It was a pretty good song, IMO.
ONE MORE TRY – TIMMY T (39) – He had charted the year before with the one-week wonder “Time After Time” and returned this year with this song that went all the way to #1. Of his two Top 40 hits, this was my favorite.
HEAT OF THE MOMENT – AFTER 7 (28) – 1991 was the year in which the titles of Asia's three biggest hits charted – in order of appearance, to boot! This was the first, by an R&B act that had charted the year before with the Top Ten hits “Ready Or Not” and “Can't Stop”. This song wasn't bad, but I preferred said 1990 hits.
MONEYTALKS – AC/DC (29) – I was never a big fan of them – they wail way too much, sounding a lot like Gilbert Gottfried. I did like “You Shook Me All Night Long”, but other than that...
IF YOU NEEDED SOMEBODY – BAD COMPANY (33) – They had been absent from the Top 40 since the summer of 1979, when they peaked at #13 with “Rock And Roll Fantasy”. Their comeback song performed respectably, as well, getting as high as #16. I liked this song, but preferred their follow-up, “Walk Through Fire”, which charted that fall.
CANDY – IGGY POP f/KATE PIERSON (35) – The only Top 40 hit for this punk-rock pioneer, along with the lead singer of the B-52s. It was a great song that I felt should have done better on the charts.
SHELTER ME – CINDERELLA (38) – This heavy metal band from Philadelphia had charted several times during the late 1980s, and were back with another power ballad. Unfortunately, this song only got as high as #36 the following week and then were gone from the Top 40 forever (“Heartbreak Station” did hit the Hot 100 that spring, but just missed the Top 40). I rather liked this song, but it wasn't quite as good as “Coming Home”.
THIS HOUSE – TRACIE SPENCER (39) – She charted in late 1988 with a minor hit called “Symptoms Of True Love”, when she wasn't even a teenager yet. Now fourteen years of age, she hit the Top 40 with what would be her biggest hit ever, getting as high as #3. It was the first of four singles from her sophomore album Make The Difference, three of which made the Top 40 (the one that missed was the second release "This Time Make It Funky", which peaked at #54 on the Hot 100 in June. This is definitely a song that takes me back to my college days, since you don't hear it much anymore.
SHOW ME THE WAY – STYX (40) – This is another song whose airplay was boosted by Operation Desert Storm, which had started a little over a week prior. This was a time when I was worried about being drafted (which, fortunately, never happened). As for this song, it was a great one – one of my favorites by Styx.
FEBRUARY
ALL THIS TIME – STING (31) – He was back with the first single from his third solo album The Soul Cages. Actually, this was the only single from the album, which I think they wanted to concentrate on promoting rather than to worry about releasing singles. But this song did quite well – besides peaking at #5 on the Hot 100, the song hit #1 on both the Album Rock and Modern Rock charts. I thought it was a great song!
DEEPER SHADE OF SOUL – URBAN DANCE SQUAD (32) – The only hit for this interracial rap metal crew from Holland. Though I'm not generally a huge fan of this kind of music, I actually rather liked this song.
IESHA – ANOTHER BAD CREATION (34) – The first of two hits for this pre-teen R&B/rap quintet, telling a story about puppy love between two young kids. It was OK, but nothing I'd go out of my way to hear.
IT NEVER RAINS (IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA) – TONY! TONI! TONE! (37) – Although I listened to AT40 on a regular basis, I don't remember this song that well. Must not have been anything exceptional.
COMING OUT OF THE DARK – GLORIA ESTAFAN (38) – Her first solo hit since she was seriously injured in an accident involving her tour bus the year before, and this song was actually about that. It was a great song – the first of four singles from her Into The Light album, and the most successful, hitting #1 in early spring.
WAITING FOR LOVE – ALIAS (39) – The second and final Top 40 hit from this band consisting of members of Sheriff and Heart. Though it didn't quite measure up to the success of “More Than Words Can Say”, it did peak at #13. It was a great song, though I preferred their first hit.
GET HERE – OLETA ADAMS (32) – Yet another song whose chart performance was aided by Operation Desert Storm. I seem to recall that this song got a few LDD requests. The song wasn't bad, but there was something about her voice that I didn't like.
SIGNS – TESLA (35) – They didn't have that many Top 40 hits – just two, but both of them made the Top Ten. This song, recorded live at the Trocodero in Philadelphia in July of the previous year, was their song that peaked the highest. I thought it was a great song, but I slightly preferred “Love Song”.
ROUND AND ROUND – TEVIN CAMPBELL (38) – The first Top 40 hit for this Texas lad, who was twelve years old at the time and his youthful voice showed it. It wasn't a bad song, but I preferred several others from him.
HOLD YOU TIGHT – TARA KEMP (39) – I always associated this song and “This House” closely, since there were several similarities, like the melody of the songs, the fact that their first names started with the same letter, and the songs rode up the chart together, both peaking at #3. Although I prefer the Tracie Spencer song, this one is good as well.
WAITING FOR THAT DAY – GEORGE MICHAEL (40) – The third hit from Listen Without Prejudice. It was a great song, IMO. The flipside, “Mother's Pride”, also received airplay, due to the ongoing Gulf War, and got as high as #46 on the chart (though I'm kind of confused as to how that happened – since both songs were charting at the same time, how did they know which side was causing the sales?)
I'LL DO 4 U – FATHER MC (36) – This song sampled Cheryl Lynn's “Got To Be Real”. Since I did not know about that song at the time (I'd eventually hear it on retro disco shows a few years later), I always thought that this song was sampling the similar-sounding “Best Of My Love” by the Emotions. This song was OK, but nothing special IMO.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU – LONDONBEAT (38) – I'd been hearing drop pieces of this song a few months before on Joel Denver's Future Hits, in which, at one point in the show, he'd play drop pieces of the Top Five hits on the week's British charts, but this week, it debuted on the chart here in the States. It was a good song – one that still occasionally pops up on oldies stations that have added early 1990s shows to their mix.
SPEND MY LIFE – SLAUGHTER (39) – Since this was this song's only week on the chart, I forget how it went, but somehow, I remembered it was a pretty decent song
STATE OF THE WORLD – JANET JACKSON (airplay) – Janet had just broken several records with her recent #1 song “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” and it looked as if she might break another one, as this would have been an unheard of eighth release from a single album. However, her label executives opted not to issue a commercial single of this song, in effort to help album sales. Nevertheless, the song did break records on the airplay charts that were able to chart this song – such as Billboard's Airplay chart, on which the song peaked at #5, making it first and, as far as I know, the only time so far that a single album had produced eight Top Five hits! Though I wasn't a big fan of this song, I did like the novelty of the record I just mentioned that it broke.
YOU'RE IN LOVE – WILSON PHILLIPS (36) – They returned to their ballad mode for their fourth hit from their first album, and, like the other two, it went to #1. I liked this one, since it didn't sound as much like “Hold On”, though my favorite song from the album was “Impulsive”.
I'LL BE BY YOUR SIDE – STEVIE B (37) – For the third release from his Love And Emotion album, he went with another ballad. This song, though not quite as successful as his recent #1 “Because I Love You (The Postman Song)”, nevertheless performed respectably, peaking at #12 (and it did hit the Top Ten on the R&R chart, to my pleasant surprise). This was one of my favorite songs of 1991!
MARCH
RESCUE ME – MADONNA (15) – Definitely the highest debut on the Hot 100 in recent memory. Of course, this song had gotten a head start on radio airplay over a month before, and Madonna's label executives delayed the single release by about a month and a half, presumably for the same reason that Janet Jackson's “State Of The World” wasn't released at all. I was on concert choir tour during the first two weekends of March, so I missed this show. Fortunately, a scoped version of it is on YouTube, so I was able to hear what Shadoe said about it - it was the highest debut on the Hot 100 in almost exactly 21 years, and the highest Hot 100 debut by a woman in chart history. Not sure what the last song to debut so high on AT40 was - I'm thinking possibly "Upside Down" by Diana Ross, which came in all the way up at #10 in August, 1980.
RICO SUAVE – GERARDO (34) – A song sung (or rather, rapped) in “Spanglish”, telling about his luck with women. The song was OK, but I wasn't a big fan of it (since, as we all know, I'm not much for rap, which was becoming increasingly annoying at this point).
SADENESS (PART I) – ENIGMA (35) – A dance track that's mainly instrumental, with Gregorian chants heard throughout. I liked this song, since it was so different.
SOMETHING IN MY HEART – MICHEL'LE (38) – She had two hits the year before, both big dance hits. She slowed down the tempo for this song, which I thought was a good one. Too bad it ran out of steam at #31.
MERCY MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY)/I WANT YOU – ROBERT PALMER (39) – The second song from Don't Explain. “You're Amazing” wore out pretty quickly, but this one, which was ideal for Earth Day in April, stuck around for awhile. I was glad, because it was a great song!
MY SIDE OF THE BED – SUZANNNA HOFFS (40) – She was the lead singer of the Bangles during the 1980s, but they had since split up. This was Hoffs' only Top 40 hit, but a great song it was! She sounded just as good as she did with the Bangles in this song.
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER – WHITNEY HOUSTON (32) – Ah, our national anthem! Performed by Whitney to open Super Bowl XXV, the song became a charity single to raise funds for soldiers and families of those involved in the Persian Gulf War, which had actually ended the week before. This was a great rendition of the song, IMO.
BABY BABY – AMY GRANT (33) – A renowned Christian singer, this was when Grant began to experience Mainstream cross-over success. She'd had one mid-chart hit back in the summer of 1985, “Find A Way” but this song went all the way to the top in April. A great song, indeed!
CRY FOR HELP – RICK ASTLEY (36) – He was out with his third album, Free. It spawned only one successful single, but it did quite well, peaking at number seven. It was a great song, and I read somewhere (possibly Billboard's Chart Beat column) that it became the fourth #1 song on the AC chart in 1991 to feature a gospel choir on back-up, following songs by Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, and Elton John (whose song “You Gotta Love Someone” just barely missed the AT40 chart earlier in the year). This was a great song, IMO.
CHASIN' THE WIND – CHICAGO (39) – They were definitely on their last legs, Top 40-wise, as this was their final Top 40 single, and this was all the higher this song got. It was a pretty good song, but I preferred their next single from 21, “Explain It To My Heart”. Too bad that song totally bombed, even at AC.
JOYRIDE – ROXETTE (30) – They were back with their second album, to which this song was the title track. The song sounded quite a lot like their debut hit “The Look” and, like that song, this went to #1. Possibly my favorite Roxette song ever!
JUST THE WAY IT IS BABY – THE REMBRANDTS (34) – Of course, this duo is best known for the theme to one of the most popular sitcoms ever, Friends, but they did have a few hits before that, this being the most successful. When I first heard this song, I was like, wow! Of the handful of hits they've charted with, this one would likely be my favorite.
I LIKE THE WAY (THE KISSING GAME) – HI-FIVE (35) – This quintet from Waco enjoyed success on both the Pop and R&B charts. This was their first hit, from their eponymous debut album, and their most successful, making it to #1 in mid-May. I liked the song, but preferred their next hit, which hit AT40 that summer, so we'll be getting to that one a little later.
TOGETHER FOREVER – LISETTE MELENDEZ (37) – Another debut single here, this one being one of several low-charters on AT40 for this East Harlem native. It was your typical freestyle dance song and had sort of an odd run on AT40. It looked as if the song would peak here at #37, as it held that position next week, then dropped to #38. Then, it seemed to get a second wind, as it moved up to #35. However, that was very short-lived, as the song fell out of the top 40 the following week. I thought the song was pretty good.
HOW TO DANCE – THE BINGOBOYS f/PRINCESSA (38) – This song sampled a number of songs, the most notable being “Dance Dance Dance” by Chic. It also was the second Top 40 song to sample “Kiss” by the Art Of Noise (the other being “Two To Make It Right” by Seduction), and one of many songs to featured the famous James Brown “Yeah, woo”. The chorus reminded me a lot of “TSOP” by MFSB as well. The song wasn't bad, but nothing special either.
TOUCH ME (ALL NIGHT LONG) – CATHY DENNIS (34) – She had hit earlier in the year with the Top Ten song “Just Another Dream”, but this became her biggest hit ever, just missing the top spot (though she did sneak in a week on the R&R chart). I liked this song, but preferred her next hit “Too Many Walls”.
HERE WE GO (LET'S ROCK AND ROLL) – C&C MUSIC FACTORY f/FREEDOM WILLIAMS (36) – By now, I'd had enough of hearing Martha Wash screaming “EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!” on their first hit! This next song was actually a little better IMO, with Freedom Williams rapping on this song. This song, though it did not go to #1 like “Gonna Make You Sweat”, it did hit the Top Five.
RIDE THE WIND – POISON (38) – Though the first two singles from Flesh And Blood were two of their biggest hits, such was not the case with the next two releases. This song, in fact, was a one-week wonder on AT40. This, however, wasn't the only time I'd heard it, as it lasted longer on several other countdown shows I listened to back in the day. It was a great song and I felt it was underrated.
RHYTHM OF MY HEART – ROD STEWART (40) – The first of three Top 40 hits from Stewart's Vagabond Heart album, which would be released a few days later. The song, clearly the biggest from the album, peaking at #5, was somewhat of a nod to Stewart's own Scottish heritage, with an intro that sounds like a Scottish anthem (heard on the album version of the song), and bagpipes being played throughout the song. It was good song.
I TOUCH MYSELF – THE DIVINYLS (34) – This was the only Top 40 hit for this Australian rock band and, with a title like that, with many interpretations of self-pleasure, it's clear to see why. The song was pretty good, IMO, if only for the melody.
WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE – THE RUDE BOYS (39) – Another one-hit wonder, in this case, a R&B vocal group from Cleveland. This song went to #1 on the R&B chart, and made a respectable showing on the Hot 100, peaking at #16 and lasting twelve weeks in the Top 40. I liked it.
VOICES THAT CARE – VOICES THAT CARE (40) – This song was recorded to boost morale to U.S. Troops involved in Operation Desert Storm. Ironically, the world premiere of the song's video was on February 28, the day that the fighting ended. As a result of charting after the fact, the song did not do as well as it might have had the war gone on, peaking at #11, largely on sales, since the song's proceeds helped support the International Red Cross. I thought it was a great song. I remember watching the video on TV on choir tour. I was at the house of one of the families of the church where we performed (in Bronson, MI) and they had their TV tuned into the news, where the video of the song was being shown. I was like, wow, what a great song! It was one of my #1 songs of 1991 on my Personal Top 30 chart.
APRIL
MORE THAN EVER – NELSON (36) – Their third single, though not a Top Ten song like their first two, still made a respectable showing on the chart, peaking at #15. I liked this song, because of its catchy refrain.
STONE COLD GENTLEMAN – RALPH TRESVANT (38) – Former lead singer of New Edition was back with the second single from his self-titled album. Unfortunately, the song would not match up to the success of “Sensitivity”, as the song peaked at #34 the following week then began dropping. Too bad, as I thought it was a good song, slightly better than his first solo hit.
SAVE SOME LOVE – KEEDY (39) – The first and only Top 40 hit for this freestyle music singer born in Texas and raised in Wisconsin. I liked the song and am sort of surprised that this wasn't a Top Ten hit.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO HOME TONIGHT – THE TRIPLETS (40) – This pop rock trio, composed of actual Triplets, was a one-hit wonder on AT40, though their second hit, “Sunrise”, was an AC hit that summer. Not sure which of the two songs I prefer, as both are great songs.
SILENT LUCIDITY – QUEENSRYCHE (27) – A power ballad by this progressive metal band from Washington state that sounded a little similar to Alice Cooper's “Only Women”, especially the acoustic guitars. It was a great song, IMO.
I DON'T WANNA CRY – MARIAH CAREY (31) – This song continued Mariah's #1 streak, though it was beginning to look like it would not, as there was a week where this song was stuck at #8 in an extremely tight Top Ten. The song did make up for lost time, however, leaping to #1 the week after, becoming the biggest jump to #1 in nearly 14 years, equalling the 8-1 move of the last song to make such a jump, “Star Wars” by Meco. I liked this song at first, but it was quite overplayed, so I eventually grew tired of it.
MORE THAN WORDS – EXTREME (37) – Not to be confused with Alias' similarly-titled song “More Than Words Can Say” from the previous fall. This was the first of two singles for this band from Massachusetts (both of which showed tenacity on the charts, each spending seventeen weeks in the Top 40). The first one went all the way to the top in June and had at least three different versions – the original, the “remix” (which is actually the one that most of the countdown shows used to play) and the album version, which had a longer ending. I seem to recall that Rick Dees played this version on several different occasions.
TEMPLE OF LOVE – HARRIET (39) – This song always reminded a little of the Desert Land music from Super Mario 3, a game I rented from the local video store here and there throughout 1991 (until I got the game for Christmas that year). The only hit for this Sheffield, England native, I liked it – a pleasant combination of dance/jazz/pop.
IT'S A SHAME (MY SISTER) – MONIE LOVE (32) – A hip-hip/rap update of this song originally done by the Spinners. Though I'm not generally a huge fan of this type of music, I actually liked this song somewhat.
LOSING MY RELIGION – R.E.M. (34) – They had a pair of Top Ten hits (each from different albums) in the late 1980s, but their biggest success was definitely during the 1990s. This was their biggest of them all, peaking at #4. It was a great song, though I preferred their next single.
DON'T TREAT ME BAD – FIREHOUSE (35) – This glam metal band from Charlotte, NC had a handful of Top 40 hits during the first half of the 1990s, all of them power ballads. Their debut single was a mid-tempo one and, though not their biggest hit, it did peak at #19. It was a great song, but I preferred most of their others.
LOVE IS A WONDERFUL THING – MICHAEL BOLTON (36) – This was one of those AC #1's featuring a gospel choir singing back-up – the first of many big hits from Bolton's Time, Love And Tenderness album. This song did not do as well as I thought it would – based on its initial action on the R&R chart, it looked like this would have no problem hitting #1, but it just got caught in the chart traffic jam that resulted due to many popular songs released during the spring. The song did peak at #4 on the Hot 100, which wasn't bad either. It was a great song – with an appropriate springtime upbeat melody.
WHAT COMES NATURALLY – SHEENA EASTON (37) – She had been absent from the chart since her 1989 duet with Prince “The Arms Of Orion” and it looked like she was starting another wave of popularity with the title-track from her new album, but as it turned out, this was her final Top 40 hit. It wasn't bad, but blended in with much of the similar dance music of the early 1990s.
SHE TALKS TO ANGELS – THE BLACK CROWES (39) – The first of several Top 40 hits from this southern rock/blues band from Georgia. It was about a goth girl that the lead singer knew who was apparently a drug addict (which would account for her capability of talking to angels). Of their hits, this one would probably be my favorite.
I WANNA SEX YOU UP - COLOR ME BADD (31) - The first Top 40 hit for this R&B/new jack swing act from Oklahoma City. This song sampled several other songs. "To the tick tock ya don't stop" (which was also used in Candyman's Top Ten hit "Knockin' Boots" from the previous fall) comes from Doug E. Fresh's "La Di Da Di". Betty Wright's "Tonight Is The Night" is the song that contains the "I know you not gonna sing that song!" yells that are heard during the chorus, and the chorus melody is from "Strawberry Letter 23". As for my opinion of the song, well, I didn't like it that much at all - I found it rather annoying and am rather glad that it didn't quite make it to #1 (it sure tried though, being stuck in the runner-up spot for pretty much the entire month of June). A big thanks to dth1971 for pointing out that I had inadvertently omitted this song!
MIRACLE – WHITNEY HOUSTON (35) – Of the songs from Houston's I'm Your Baby Tonight album, this one was the deepest – about a woman feeling great remorse and regret for having an abortion, and urging ladies considering this choice not to do it. Despite the depressing lyrics, the song was melodically a great song.
MY HEART IS FAILING ME – RIFF (38) – The only hit for this R&B band from New Jersey. I thought it was a good song and quite underrated.
STRIKE IT UP – BLACK BOX (40) – The last of three Top 40 hit for this Italian dance trio (featuring an uncredited Martha Wash on all three of their hits). This song was pretty good, but, though a lot better than “Everbody Everybody”, I preferred the underrated “I Don't Know Anybody Else”.
MAY
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH – THE FIXX (39) – Their 1991 comeback certainly wasn't very well received, as their first Top 40 hit since “Secret Separation” five years before only got as high as #35 and didn't last long on the charts at all. I myself thought it was a good song and felt that it was underrated.
PEOPLE ARE STILL HAVING SEX – LATOUR (40) – One of those electronic dance songs about how teens have sex despite parents and counselors try to discourage it. The song takes an audio sample from the horror flick Evil Dead II (that would be the woman saying, “Hello, lover”). I was never a big fan of the song, though it does have a good message.
UNBELIEVABLE – EMF (32) – The debut single for this British band and their only #1 hit. It was a pretty good song, but I got a little tired of it due to overplay.
THE POWER OF LOVE/LOVE POWER – LUTHER VANDROSS (33) – Due to this song's strong start (more notable on R&R, where it debuted at #28), I predicted that this song would become one of his biggest hits. I was right – in fact, this song was THE biggest Top 40 hit in Vandross' career, peaking at #4. The song was actually a medley of two different songs – the last being a cover of a song by an R&B band known as the Sandpebbles. It was a great song, IMO!
COUPLE DAYS OFF – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (34) – After being absent from the charts for about two and a half years, he/they were back for a comeback. This was the first and biggest hit from the album, peaking at #11, making Hard At Play his first album to fail to generate at least one Top Ten hit, as well as his lowest peaking album yet, getting as high as #27. After this album, he was pretty much relegated to the AC chart, where he continued to do well for the next few years. As for this song, it wasn't bad, but definitely not one of my favorites from him/them.
RUSH RUSH – PAULA ABDUL (36) – Geez, Paula, you got any cheese and crackers to go with that whine? Naturally, this had to go and become the biggest hit of her career, spending five weeks at #1. Thank God it wasn't the biggest hit of 1991!
MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT – LL COOL J (39) – This song was mainly fueled by sales, as the song only got as high as #47 on the airplay chart (and did not make the R&R chart at all), yet it managed to peak at #17 on the Hot 100. I did not care for this song at all – was loud and obnoxious.
DO YOU WANT ME – SALT-N-PEPA (40) – Another rap song, only I do rather like this one – their third song to hit the Top 40 chart. I remember this being the song that kicked off AT40's Top 100 of 1991 countdown. Having peaked at #21, it was the lowest peaking song to make the year-ender since “Object Of My Desire” by Starpoint. With the new chart they'd be using as of later on in 1991, low peaking songs making the countdown would become more and more commonplace.
PLAYGROUND – ANOTHER BAD CREATION (38) – They replaced themselves on the chart this week, as “Iesha” dropped out as this song debuts. This song wasn't bad, but I slightly preferred “Iesha”, though I wasn't too crazy about either song.
HERE I AM (COME AND TAKE ME) – UB40 (39) – This song, a cover of this Al Green classic from 1973, took awhile to get off the ground, as I recall this being Dave Sholin's “Personal Pick” of the week (similar to Dees' Sure Shot) on his “Insider” show back in January. The song finally made the Top 40 this week and, despite its initial slow action, it became one of their four Top Ten hits. I thought it was a good song.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT – STYX (40) – They had a pretty decent comeback with “Show Me The Way”, which got as high as #3, and their third hit from Edge Of The Century (the first, “Love Is The Ritual” ran out of steam at #80 in late 1990) made a pretty decent showing as well, peaking at #25. Though I preferred “Show Me The Way”, I liked this one at well – one that I seem to recall became a somewhat popular wedding song.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW – JESUS JONES (37) – Some people felt that this British alternative rock band's name was blasphemy, but they chose the name as a humorous cultural clash. For more on this, click here. As for the song, it was their first of two chart hits, both of which hit the Top Five. This song looked like it would hit #1, but it was leapfrogged by what would become the biggest hit of the year.
WALKING IN MEMPHIS – MARC COHN (38) – This song, which contains several references to Elvis Presley, was this Cleveland native's only Top 40 hit, though he did have two more Hot 100 singles, “Silver Thunderbird”, which made the lower reaches of the Gavin Top 40 in September and “True Companion”, which was a decent-sized AC hit (and became a popular wedding song – in fact, my brother sang the song at the wedding of one of his closest friends). Of those songs, I definitely preferred this song.
WE WANT THE FUNK – GERARDO (39) – This was a semi-remake of Parliament's 1976 hit “Give Up The Funk”. It had a somewhat odd chart run. Remember the tight Top Ten I mentioned earlier? Many of the songs that caused that weakened at the same time and, in mid-June, there were seven songs that fell out of the Top 20, causing many songs to make large moves into the Top 20 via vacuum effect. This song was one of those, moving up ten to #16. However, the following week, the song dropped a spot to #17. Not sure I've ever seen a song start dropping the week after such a big move within the Top 40. As for the song, it wasn't anything I'd go out of my way to listen to by any means.
JUNE
HOW CAN I EASE THE PAIN – LISA FISCHER (34) – She was mainly an R&B singer, but she did have one Top 40 song. This song, which just missed the Top Ten, peaking at #11, was a good song, but my favorite song from her was “The Colors Of Love”, which I remember hearing on “Countdown America with Dick Clark” in the summer of 1993.
(IF THERE WAS) ANY OTHER WAY – CELINE DION (35) – It was beginning to look like Celine would be one of those artists good for only a single big hit, as this was all the higher that her second hit got (and it dropped out the following week – the highest peaking “one-week wonder” on AT40 since “Radio Romance” by Tiffany, which also peaked at #35). Moreover, her next release, “The Last To Know” didn't even hit the chart, and wasn't even that big of an AC hit, peaking at #22 there. But, of course, her chart career was far from over. As for this song, I liked it – I remember hearing it on WHFB (Benton Harbor, MI) during my last few weeks at college, as well as during the summer of 1991.
GYPSY WOMAN (SHE'S HOMELESS) – CRYSTAL WATERS (37) – Regarded as a “house music anthem”, this song, the first single from this New Jersey native, was her first of two Top 40 hits. It was a pretty good song, though nothing exceptional IMO.
I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO (ANGEL EYES) – STEELHEART (39) – The first and only Top 40 hit for hard rock band from Connecticut. The song reminded me a little of “More Than A Feeling” by Boston, since their wailing sounded the same as Brad Delp in that song. I thought this was a great song – too bad it only got as high as #23 on the charts.
NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN – SURFACE (40) – One great R&B ballad deserves another, as their first 1991 hit “The First Time” was one of my favorite songs of the entire year, and this was a great song as well – my second favorite of their Top 40 hits.
PLACE IN THIS WORLD – MICHAEL W. SMITH (33) – As Amy Grant was coming off her first #1 hit, fellow Christian singer Michael W. Smith decided to try his success at Mainstream Top 40 as well. Though not quite as successful, he did have several Top 40 hits. This one, from his Go West Young Man album, was a song that was pretty much my story of my life at that point in my life. Having recently failed out of college after one year, I was trying to find my place in this world, so it was fitting that this song came out around this time. This was Smith's most successful Top 40 hit, peaking at #6. It was a great song, but I preferred his next hit “For You”, which didn't see much success at pop, but was a decent-sized AC hit that fall.
A BETTER LOVE – LONDONBEAT (37) – They'd hit big earlier in the year with their #1 hit “I've Been Thinking About You” and came back with a second Top 40 hit. Though it came nowhere near equalling the success of their first hit, the song did make a decent showing, peaking at #18. The song wasn't bad, but I can kind of see why it wasn't any more successful than it was.
PIECE OF MY HEART – TARA KEMP (38) – Another follow-up to a successful first hit – only this one actually did make the Top Ten. I liked both this and “Hold You Tight” about the same.
LILY WAS HERE – DAVID A. STEWART introducing CANDY DULFER (40) – Annie Lennox's former partner in the Eurythmics had taken up guitar at this point and this song was sort of a conversation between an acoustic guitar and a saxophone, the latter of which was played by Dutch musician Candy Dulfer. It was a pleasant song. Too bad they didn't have anymore hits like this.
P.A.S.S.I.O.N. - RYTHM SYNDICATE (39) – The first of two Top 40 hits for this R&B act from Connecticut. It was a good song, but their best song IMO was the underrated “Blinded By Love”, which made the lower reaches of the R&R chart in early 1992.
THE DREAM IS STILL ALIVE – WILSON PHILLIPS (40) – The fifth and final release from their first album, which had been out for over a year now, so that might be why this song wasn't as successful as the first four, as it peaked at #12. It was one of those songs that I liked at first, but quickly got tired of.
TEMPTATION – CORINA (36) – I hated this song! Especially the beginning, spoken-word part, where she condescendingly tells her boyfriend that it's over. She proceeds to rub it in his face, saying snobbish crap like “he knows to treat me like a special lady” and “time you look away, he knows just how to hold me”. The second verse rubbed more salt into the wound, regaling her ex with more and more about her new flame. I mean, what, he hadn't pushed her out into traffic by that point? I hated this song even further when the girl I was dating about ten years ago found someone knew and threw me under the bus (fortunately, I found about this via hearsay and other means, rather than this Jerry Springer-esque situation). Sorry, but I'd literally rather listen to songs like “Y.M.C.A.”, “Too Shy” and other songs that I've made it clear in my critiques that I detest than hear this cruel song, which proves how strongly I dislike it.
IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER – LENNY KRAVITZ (37) – Ah, now that's better! This was Lenny's first big Pop hit, getting as high as #2 later that summer. It was a great song – reminds me a lot of Earth, Wind & Fire's 1975 hit “That's The Way Of The World”.
DOES ANYBODY REALLY FALL IN LOVE ANYMORE – KANE ROBERTS (38) – A song produced by songwriter Desmond Child, who himself would hit the Top 40 later that summer, and originally recorded by Cher on her Heart Of Stone album. It was a good song and somewhat underrated, IMO.
EVERY HEARTBEAT – AMY GRANT (39) – As her song “Baby Baby” spent a 16th and final week in the Top 40, her follow-up hit the Top 40. This song, which would peak at #2, was the second of five hits from Heart In Motion, which was by far her most successful crossover album. I liked this song, but preferred several others from her.
The next set of songs are the debuts on the June 30, 1991 chart – eight of them to be exact, which is the largest numbers of debuts on AT40 since almost exactly nine years before, when there were also eight debuts
SUMMERTIME – DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE (27) – This rappin' duo had two Top 20 hits in 1988 and, after a pair of Hot 100 mid-charters, they were back with their biggest hit ever. The song hit #4 and, even though they would only have two more Top 40 hits, Fresh Prince would be back more successful than ever in the late 1990s under his real name, Will Smith.
I'LL BE THERE – THE ESCAPE CLUB (31) – This song had been talked about in the Hot 100 Singles Spotlight, a weekly chart article, and was said to have an 80-something chance of hitting the Top Five and big chance of hitting #1 as well. Not sure how they figure that, as the song hadn't been making any huge chart moves and the song ended up defying both odds by peaking at #8. When I first heard this song, I thought someone had remade Belinda Carlisle's “I Get Weak”, as the beginning notes and chords are the same. As for the song, I thought it was a good one – my favorite of their charted hits, including their near-miss from earlier in the year “Call It Poison”.
FADING LIKE A FLOWER (EVERYTIME YOU LEAVE) – ROXETTE (34) – Their second hit from Joyride – the second of four. This song, which somehow reminded me a little of “Listen To Your Heart”, peaked at #2 in late August and, sadly, would be their last Top Ten hit. I thought the song was pretty good, but it didn't hold a candle to the title-track.
LIFE GOES ON – POISON (35) – Like their last hit, “Ride The Wind”, this song peaked where it debuted in the Top 40 – only this song held at that position for a second week instead of dropping. This song was a mid-tempo power ballad that was a pretty decent song, but I preferred "Something To Believe In".
WIND OF CHANGE – THE SCORPIONS (36) – They'd had a few minor hits in the 1980s and they were back with what would become their biggest hit ever, getting as high as #4. I liked the song and especially liked to taunt one of my co-workers who hated the song by doing the whistling part at the beginning.
YOU CAN'T PLAY WITH MY YO-YO – YO-YO f/ICE CUBE (37) – Well OK for you! I'm a little old to be playing with yo-yo's anyway – and really, so are you! As you may have guessed, I never cared for this song at all.
LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING – CHER (38) – One of her previous songs debuted on the chart the previous week by another artist and this week, Cher herself debuts with the lead-off single from her upcoming album Love Hurts. It was a good song, but I preferred the follow-up, “Save Up All Your Tears”, which would barely make the AT40 chart in early 1992.
SEE THE LIGHTS – SIMPLE MINDS (40) – This may not have been one of their biggest pop hits (as this was all the higher it got), but it was a #1 hit on Billboard's Modern Rock chart back in May. The song was pretty good.
JULY
(EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU – BRYAN ADAMS (31) – I knew right away this song, was going to be a huge hit! Earlier in the year, I was hoping that Mariah Carey's “Someday” would be the top song of 1991 (according to R&R), so she'd top the year-ender two years in a row, but then Amy Grant's recent chart topper beat it by one point, and then Paula Abdul beat those two songs by a point as well. When this song, which was both from Bryan Adams' upcoming album Waking Up The Neighbours and the soundtrack to the summer blockbuster movie Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, started racing up the chart, I hoped it would beat all four of those. That is exactly what happened – he put those three songs to shame with his long stay at #1, as well as in the Top Ten and Top 40. Here on AT40 the song spent seven weeks on top, the longest run since “Every Breath You Take” by the Police just eight years before, and it also became the Billboard's top song of 1991, and deservedly so, as it was a great song!
NIGHTS LIKE THIS – AFTER 7 (37) – From the 1991 musical drama The Five Heartbeats, this was After 7's fourth Top 40 hit. They were one of those acts whose success lasted only one album, as the three songs from their debut album made the Top 20, while successive singles from them did not do as well (Even though this song did peak at #24, it fell like a rock right afterward). This song was OK, but I preferred said Top 20 hits.
MOTOWNPHILLY – BOYZ II MEN (39) – Definitely one of the best new R&B acts of the 1990s, as this was the first of many hits they charted with throughout the decade, and its showing was definitely noteworthy, as the song peaked at #3 and spent eighteen weeks in the Top 40, good enough to place it at #15 on the year-ender. Despite the title of the song, this was not a throwback to the Philly disco sound of the mid- to late 1970s. It was still a pretty decent song, though I preferred many others from them.
I CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE – HI FIVE (33) – Their second Top 40 hit became their second Top Ten hit peaking at #8. This slow jam was possibly my favorite of their four Top 40 hits.
3 A.M. (Eternal) – The KLF (36) – This was the first of two Top 40 hits for this British acid house act, both of which were pretty successful on the charts, hitting the Top 20. This was the bigger of the two hits, peaking at #5. It was a pretty good song, but I preferred their next hit, which we'll be getting to in early 1992.
CRAZY – SEAL (38) – Another British singer here, with his very first Top 40 hit. Though upbeat, it has a nice, relaxing melody, and I sometimes hear the song on WMGN's Magic Sunday Morning show. It was a great song IMO.
KISSING YOU – KEITH WASHINGTON (40) – This was a one-week wonder on AT40, but it fared much better on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, where it spent a week at #1 back in May. It was a really nice slow jam that I felt should have done much better on the chart.
HARD TO HANDLE – THE BLACK CROWES (36) – The second song from this southern rock band was the song they seem to be most famous for, as it's just about the only song from them that gets any kind of recurrent airplay. The song was OK, but I preferred their first hit from earlier that year.
YOU COULD BE MINE – GUNS 'N ROSES (37) – They were gearing up for a double album release – that is two separate albums, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. This song was from the latter, as well as the theme to the recently released film Terminator II: Judgment Day. Due to it not being on the soundtrack and the album two months away from release, you can guess that this one was a hot seller, certified gold and peaking at #2 on the Sales chart, though I don't think it got very much in the way of airplay, based on its #29 peak on the Hot 100. I wasn't a huge fan of the song, or them in general at this point – they just didn't still have the same appeal that they did back in the late-80s.
NOW THAT WE FOUND LOVE – HEAVY D & THE BOYZ (38) – Originally recorded by the O'Jays and covered several times, it was this version of the song that was the most successful, peaking at #11 on the Hot 100. I thought it was a pretty good song, though nothing I'd go out and buy.
ELEVATE MY MIND – STEREO MC'S (39) – The biggest chart success for this British hip-hop/electronic dance group came two years later with the hits “Connected” and “Step It Up”, but they did have a minor hit in 1991 (it was a one-week wonder on AT40). I wasn't a huge fan of this song; I preferred said 1993 hits.
THE PROMISE OF A NEW DAY – PAULA ABDUL (40) – As her first hit from Spellbound was vacating the #1 position after five weeks up there, the second hit was jumping onto the entire Hot 100 up at #40, looking like another #1 hit. It was the song that finally had the power to dethrone the Bryan Adams song (after five other songs peaked at #2 behind it). I thought this was a good song – upbeat and positive. Possibly my favorite of her five Spellbound singles.
TOO MANY WALLS – CATHY DENNIS (31) – After two upbeat dance hits, she goes with a ballad as her third solo hit. As stated earlier, this was my favorite of her three 1991 hits – a great song indeed!
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM... - C&C MUSIC FACTORY (34) – Their three 1991 hits were more gimmicks than anything else IMO and this was the ultimate, as it was used in several commercials later in the decade. Possibly their most overrated hit, although “Gonna Make You Sweat” would be a close second.
THE MOTOWN SONG – ROD STEWART (36) – Putting on Motown records and blasting them out all over the neighborhood just so you can hear it on the roof? I'll bet there were a lot of complaints from the neighbors, possibly even a visit from the police for disturbing the peace! Needless to say, I wasn't a big fan of this song.
UNFORGETTABLE – NATALIE COLE w/NAT KING COLE (37) – In this song, she dubbed in the vocals from her late father's 1961 version of this classic that he originally recorded back in the early 1950s to make it sound like a real-time duet. She also did that with other songs from him, including “When I Fall In Love”, which was a minor AC hit in 1996. Though this song sounded out of place for 1991, it was a great song nonetheless.
TIME, LOVE, AND TENDERNESS – MICHAEL BOLTON (38) – The second hit from his album of the same name was the sixth and final #1 AC hit during 1991 to feature a gospel choir (that I know of, anyway). It fared quite well on the Hot 100 as well, peaking at #7 in mid-September. It was a good song, though I preferred most of the other singles on the Time, Love, And Tenderness album.
ONLY TIME WILL TELL – NELSON (40) – Their fourth and final hit from After The Rain, and my favorite of the bunch. I felt this song, their only power ballad should have been released earlier, as it would probably have peaked higher than #28. A great, underrated song indeed!
AUGUST
LOVE OF A LIFETIME – FIREHOUSE (36) – Now THIS was a true power ballad – and it became Firehouse's biggest hit ever, peaking at #5. It remained my favorite song from them until 1995, when “I Live My Life For You” was released.
LET THE BEAT HIT 'EM – LISA LISA & CULT JAM (37) – I forgot all about this song (which is understandable, as this was its only week on AT40). This was pretty much your typical freestyle dance hit of the early 1990s. I generally preferred them in the mid-late 1980s.
JUST LIKE YOU – ROBBIE NEVIL (38) – As I mentioned in my 1989 commentary, his first album was successful, with three Top 20 singles, but the next two albums – commercial disappointments (Heck, the album from which this song was released, Day 1, didn't even hit the Billboard 200). This song was not bad, but nothing exceptional either.
LEARNING TO FLY – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (40) – This may not have been his/their biggest hit at Top 40 radio, but the song was spending its sixth and final week atop the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, becoming their most successful hit at that format. I thought it was a cool song.
I ADORE MI AMOR – COLOR ME BADD (28) – Their first hit, “I Wanna Sex You Up”, which by now had been certified double platinum, was on its way down the chart, spending a sixteenth and last week in the Top 40, but their new song would become their very first #1 hit. I preferred this song – they had awesome harmonies on this great ballad.
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MARKY MARK & THE FUNKY BUNCH f/LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY (35) – Mark Wahlberg, brother of Donnie Wahlberg, who wrote this as well as all their charted hits, decided to try out the music business, and it paid off, as this song went all the way to #1. The song, which sampled “Love Sensation”, which topped the Dance Club Play chart in 1980, was a pretty good song IMO, though I preferred their next hit, “Wildside”, as well as their near-Top 40 hit “You Gotta Believe”, from late 1992.
MY NAME IS NOT SUSAN – WHITNEY HOUSTON (36) – Her recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner” broke her Top Ten streak (since that song was almost exclusively sales-fueled), but her fourth hit from I'm Your Baby Tonight would have broken the streak anyway (of songs that hit the Top 40, that is), as it peaked at #20. No matter; she would come back stronger than ever a little over a year later. This song, which is about her catching her man inadvertently calling her by his old love's name, was a good one, but I preferred her two ballads from I'm Your Baby Tonight.
SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE – R.E.M. (39) – Kate Pierson, of the B-52's was a featured singer on Iggy Pop's hit “Candy” earlier in the year and in this song, she was also featured, though uncredited. Her vocals were instrumental in this being my favorite of their two 1991 hits, as well as possibly my favorite R.E.M. song of all time!
POP GOES THE WEASEL – 3RD BASS (40) – This song, which sampled songs by Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, and the Who, charted mainly on sales. I myself wasn't a huge fan of the song, however.
IT HIT ME LIKE A HAMMER – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (35) – His prerequisite doo-wop type single was his second release from Hard At Play, and, though it came close, it just couldn't seem to break the Top 20. Though my favorite of his two 1991 hits, I still preferred many others from them.
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT – BONNIE RAITT (39) – Despite having been active for twenty years, this was surprisingly her first Top 40 hit. It did quite well, too, peaking at #5. It was a great song, but I preferred a few others from them, including many of her AC-only hits.
LOVE ON A ROOFTOP – DESMOND CHILD (40) – I mentioned this singer/songwriter earlier, and here he is with his sole Top 40 hit, which spent only a single week in the Top 40 here at the anchor position. It was a great song and a shame it didn't do any better than it did (at least it hit the Top 30 on the R&R chart).
EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL – AARON NEVILLE (35) – This song originally charted in 1972 by the Main Ingredient and Aaron Neville's cover removed him from one-hit wonder status as a solo artist. I liked the way that Neville replaced the spoken-word part at the beginning by singing those lines. It was a great song that did the original justice, IMO.
ROMANTIC – KARYN WHITE (36) – Her sophomore album gave Karyn her very first (and so far only) number one song. This one, however, doesn't get much in the way of recurrent airplay, and I still don't know how this wound up on AT40's Top 40 of the 1990s list. It wasn't a bad song, but it pretty much blends in with most dance music of the early 1990s.
HOLE-HEARTED – EXTREME (37) – Their second and final Top 40 hit, but like the first one, it enjoyed a good, long chart run (though its last few weeks were thanks to the chart switch). I especially liked the video for this song about them performing in the street and a bunch of random people came out to listen to them play. This was my favorite of their two chart hits – a great song, indeed!
DO ANYTHING – NATURAL SELECTION f/NIKI HARRIS (40) – This was the first Top of two Top 40 hits for this dance duo from Minnesota. The original 1990 version of the song featured Ingrid Chavez on the rap vocals, but, due to contractual technicalities, Niki Harris, who was best known for being one of Madonna's backing vocalists, was featured on the re-recorded version that became a hit. This song was pretty good, but I preferred their next hit.
EMOTIONS – MARIAH CAREY (35) – Earlier, I mentioned how I thought “I'll Do 4 U” was sampling the Emotions “Best Of My Love”. This song was definitely inspired by the song – though it did not sample the song, the bass line was almost identical (that's probably why it was so-titled). It was a great song and I knew that this would continue Mariah's #1 hit streak!
ENTER SANDMAN – METALLICA (38) – They'd been active since their formation in 1981, but didn't have their first Hot 100 hit until 1989, when they hit #35 with “One”. This song did significantly better, peaking at #16, largely on sales, as this song peaked at #3 on that chart. The song was OK, IMO, but I preferred their power ballads like “Nothing Else Matters” and “I Won't Be Home For Dinner”
THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE - .38 SPECIAL (39) – Max Carl was still the lead singer of the band, but they returned to their traditional rock style with this song, which, sadly, was their last Top 40 hit. I thought it was a great song – too bad it didn't get any higher than #33.
GOT A LOVE FOR YOU – JOMANDA (40) – I had been hearing this song on Z95 and B96 for the past month or so. Sort of a funny situation the first time I remember hearing it – since I was getting up at 6:00 on Sunday mornings to listen to Dave Sholin's Insider, many of those times after working until midnight on Saturdays at the pizza joint, I would often doze off after AT40 was over with and the radio sometimes produced weird dreams. When this song started, I had a dream I was watching the video to it and at the beginning, the piggy bank that I had made in 8th grade was on the table, dancing to the music (since the pigs legs were lopsided, it sort of looked like it was dancing, which my subconscious incorporated into this hilarious dream, from which I soon woke up laughing my head off). As for the song, I thought it was a good song, which might be partially because of the dream, but even without it, I'd probably like it as well.
WORD TO THE MUTHA! – BELL BIV DEVOE (Airplay) – This was the third and final album cut that made the Top 40 of the Airplay chart (which, of course, would be AT40's basis later in the year) during 1991, and the only one that was never featured on any Top 40 countdown (that I know of, anyway). I took a listen to this song, which featured guest vocals by New Edition, earlier this week and I actually thought it was a really good song – especially for Bell Biv Devoe, whom I was never a huge fan of. Possibly my favorite song from them, and one I vaguely remember hearing on B96 back in the day.
SEPTEMBER
LOVE...THY WILL BE DONE – MARTIKA (34) – The first hit from her sophomore album Martika's Kitchen was a Prince-produced song that was more of an adult contemporary sound than her other songs. I thought it was a good song, though for some reason, I preferred the title-track, which only charted in the lower reaches of the Hot 100.
THE TRUTH – TAMI SHOW (39) – The first and only Top 40 hit for this Chicago band named after a 1964 concert film. It wasn't bad, but I preferred their first Hot 100 hit, “She's Only 20”, which I remember hearing on Z95 back in the spring of 1988.
THE ONE AND ONLY – CHESNEY HAWKES (40) – This song was featured in two 1991 films – first, a British film known as Buddy's Song, and later, the Michael J. Fox film Doc Hollywood. The song was a good one – too bad they don't play it much anymore.
THE REAL LOVE – BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (38) – He was back with his band for his first Top 40 hit in four years and what became his final hit. The song also featured backing vocals from Patty Smyth and J.D. Souther. I thought this was a good song, though definitely not his best.
REAL, REAL, REAL – JESUS JONES (39) – The follow-up to their near #1 miss did almost as well, peaking at #4, but the weird thing was what happened in the two weeks after this song peaked. The song originally appeared to have peaked at #7, as it remained in that position for two weeks, losing its bullet in the second of those, then, due to many songs clearing out of the Top Five, it moved up to #4 via vacuum effect, then plunged to 23 and then 50. In 1982, this would have been somewhat normal, but was very unusual by 1991 standards. The week when it was at the halfway point of the Hot 100 was during the chart's last week before the BDS era began, so who knows how far it would have fallen had the chart continued to be figured out the old way. As for my opinion of the song, it was one of those songs that was kind of just there.
DON'T WANT TO BE A FOOL – LUTHER VANDROSS (40) – After the success of “The Power Of Love/Love Power”, Luther decided to release one of his slow jams that he was also famous for. The song peaked at #9, marking the first time he ever had two Top Tens from the same album. I loved this song and was glad that it was one of his bigger hits.
RUNNING BACK TO YOU – VANESSA WILLIAMS (38) – The Comfort Zone, which had been released a month before, proved to be Williams' best singles albums, spawning five singles, three of which made the Top 40. This was the first of them and it did moderately well, peaking at #18. She was one of those artist who seemed to fare best on the charts with ballads, which this song clearly was not.
KISS THEM FOR ME – SIOUXIE & THE BANSHEES (39) – This London-based band had their first and only Top 40 hit with this song, which got as high as #23, but it, along with their other Hot 100 hit from three years before, “Peek-A-Boo”, hit #1 on the Modern Rock chart. It was a decent song IMO.
CAN'T STOP THIS THING WE STARTED – BRYAN ADAMS (40) – His Waking Up The Neighbors album would be released several days later and, though this was the second single from it, it was the first song to originate from it (as the first song had first been included on the Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves soundtrack). It was a mid-tempo song that did well on the charts, peaking at #2 behind “Cream” by Prince. I thought it was a good song.
GETT OFF – PRINCE (31) – Speaking of Prince, here is his first hit from his album Diamonds And Pearls album. The song, which charted hugely on sales, wasn't bad, but it wasn't one of his better songs by any means, IMO.
O.P.P. - NAUGHTY BY NATURE (34) – Of course, O.P.P. stands for “other peoples privates”. This song, which sampled “ABC” by the Jackson 5, became a rap anthem and its chart success was largely based on its sales, which reached double-platinum status and put them at #1 on the sales chart. Though I wasn't a huge rap fan, this song was actually pretty good.
HEY DONNA – RYTHM SYNDICATE (35) – Their second Top 40 hit did not quite match up to the success of their first, but it did perform moderately on the chart, reaching #13. I liked this song a lot when it first came out, but for some reason, I quickly got tired of it.
WALK THROUGH FIRE – BAD COMPANY (36) – They returned to the chart after an absence of well over ten years earlier in 1991 and were now back with their second hit from Holy Water. I preferred this one over “If You Needed Somebody” by a fair margin. Too bad this song only got as high as #28.
WITH YOU – TONY TERRY (37) – This soul/new-jack singer from our nation's capital had a pair of #80 hits in 1988 and finally made the Top 40 three years later with a slow jam. I thought it was a really nice song.
OCTOBER
CREAM – PRINCE & THE NEW POWER GENERATION (32) – A week after the first single from Diamonds And Pearls hit the Top 40, the second single, which was apparently rush-released, debuts on the chart. This song was the one that got the airplay, as well as sales, and was a number one song. I liked it at first, but due to overplay, it wore out kinda fast.
DON'T CRY – GUNS N' ROSES (33) – Their second song from their twin Use Your Illusion albums came from the first one and was a power ballad. Though I preferred it over “You Could Be Mine”, it still wasn't as good as their stuff from the 80s. It was a somewhat relaxing song until Axl wails the last note endlessly.
SET THE NIGHT TO MUSIC – ROBERTA FLACK & MAXI PRIEST (39) – Originally a Top Ten AC hit for Starship in the spring of 1988, these two R&B greats do a great rendition of the song. Not sure which version I prefer, though.
I WONDER WHY – CURTIS STIGERS (40) – A somewhat common saying, usually in the sarcastic sense and with the word “gee” preceding it. Based on the lyrics, it obviously wasn't used in such context, however. This was the first of three singles from his first album, which was eponymously titled, though it was the only one to make the Top 40. The next two singles, both released in 1992, did well at AC radio.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX – SALT-N-PEPA (35) – For the longest time, I thought that this song wasn't deferred to the 1992 year-end chart (which it probably would have made, based on its stats) was on a technicality, as it peaked at #13 on AT40 the week before the switch, but then, when I saw the Top 40 Radio Monitor charts, which I think were used as a basis all along, I saw that it had peaked at #17 (the same week, I believe), so it was rightfully used in 1991. I wonder how close it came to the Top 100 list?
POWER WINDOWS – BILLY FALCON (38) – This song reminded me a little of “Jack And Diane”. He sounds somewhat like Mellencamp, but his voice is more grating. I wasn't a fan of this one and don't mind that it only got as high as #35.
IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY – BOYZ II MEN (39) – If my memory serves me correctly, it had been a long time since a song sung entirely a capella hit the charts (waits for someone to tell me the last one charted a few weeks back...) But seriously, this was a great song – definitely one of my favorite songs from the Boyz. The song peaked at #4 on the AT40 chart, but managed to sneak in a week on top of the R&R chart, which pleasantly surprised me.
THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS FOR – AMY GRANT (40) – The third release from Heart In Motion definitely did not suffer Third Single Syndrome, as it peaked at #7. It was a good song, though I slightly preferred the first two singles from Heart In Motion.
WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN – MICHAEL BOLTON (32) – Another song that was not a victim of Third Single Syndrome, by any means. In fact, it was just the opposite, as this song went all the way to #1. Of course, this was a remake of the old Percy Sledge classic. That version sounds quite dated IMO, but this was a great cover – my favorite of the several versions of the song that I've heard.
JUST WANT TO HOLD YOU – JASMINE GUY (37) – She was known more for acting, first in the NBC Bill Cosby spinoff show “A Different World”, and in the film School Daze, as well as a few other movies, but she did manage to hit the Top 40 with this tender love ballad. It was a great song, IMO.
MY HEART BELONGS TO YOU – RUSS IRWIN (39) – Another romantic love song that would have been really great if he hadn't sung it falsetto. Reminded me a little of “So Bad” by Paul McCartney. It is a nice song nevertheless.
GET A LEG UP – JOHN MELLENCAMP (40) – This was his first hit under his given name without the Cougar surname that his manager had assigned him. The song was the first of two Top 40 hits from Mellencamp's Whenever We Wanted album. The song got as high as #14 before the week of the chart change, when it dropped off the survey and never came back, due to only peaking at #58 on the airplay chart. I thought it was a pretty good song, though not his best.
NOTE: The above show was the final one aired by Chicago's Z95. The following weekend, the station at the 94.7 frequency simulcasted with its AM sister station WLS AM 890, which had been a talk radio station since August, 1989. At this point, I was only able to obtain AT40 on U93. Previously, I had relied on Z95's broadcast of American Top 40 if I had missed something on the U93 broadcast, usually by falling asleep, since the show was on so early in the morning on U93. But sometimes, I was listening to two shows at once and wasn't paying full attention to AT40. But I digress. Now, on with the countdown...
BLOWING KISSES IN THE WIND – PAULA ABDUL (33) – Paula went with another slow song as her third release from Spellbound. It was just about as whiny as “Rush Rush” - only thing is, it had sort of an eerie melody to it, which was its saving grace. Still, I preferred her more upbeat Spellbound singles.
SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS – PM DAWN (34) – This song, of course, was built around samples of Spandau Ballet's 1983 hit “True”. The song was a landmark #1 hit, as it hit the top of the Hot 100 the very week that the Broadcast Data System era started. The song didn't quite make it to #1 on the AT40 chart – it was #3 on the last week of the old chart system, and the following week, it was #4 on the airplay chart, having peaked at #2 a few weeks before. It was a good song, though I remember getting a little tired of hearing it every time I turned on the radio.
STREET OF DREAMS – NIA PEEPLES (38) – Known mainly as a TV actor, she did have a few chart hits. She'd charted with a minor hit in 1988 called “Trouble” and this song did a little better, peaking at #12. I preferred this song by a fair margin, as well as her next two singles, which were low charters on the R&R chart in 1992.
LIES – EMF (39) – They were another act whose success lasted only one song, although this song did hit the Top 20, but after its chart run, it was pretty much left for dead. I thought it was pretty good, though nothing special.
NOVEMBER
RING MY BELL – DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE (33) – A rap remake of Anita Ward's #1 hit from the summer of 1979, though the song more or less samples that song with new lyrics written by the Fresh Prince. It wasn't bad, but I wasn't a huge fan of them as I had been in 1988. This was another song that had been riding high on the Top 40 only to drop out the week that AT40 switched to using the airplay chart. Due to the fact that it had never hit the Top 40 on the airplay chart, it did not return to the Top 40.
SOMETHING GOT ME STARTED – SIMPLY RED (35) – Here is another such song – it was #23 the week before the chart switch and after that, they were done at Top 40 radio (they did continue to do well at AC, with two more hits in 1992). This song was OK, but one of my least favorites of their hits.
MIND PLAYING TRICKS ON ME – THE GETO BOYS (38) – This song gave “It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me” a run for its money for the shortest running song on AT40 (excluding drop-pieces, of course). I believe that only the first verse was played before the song was faded out.
RUSH – BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE II (39) – The only Top 40 hit for this British act formed by Mick Jones, former guitarist and singer of the Clash. This catchy song sampled many different songs, one of them “Baby O'Riley”, an album cut by the Who that was a classic rock staple, but this song was the closest that it ever came to charting. As for the song, I really liked it – as I said, it was very catchy.
TOP OF THE WORLD – VAN HALEN (40) – The first single for their album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (which, until someone pointed it out a few years back, I never realized the first letters of the words in the title spelled out the F-bomb). Not sure whether I preferred this or the follow-up “Right Now”. Both songs were great IMO.
KEEP COMING BACK – RICHARD MARX (34) – For the lead-off single from his recently released Rush Street album, Richard went with his most R&B oriented hit yet. With Luther Vandross singing back-up vocals, the song did well on the chart, peaking at #10 and becoming one of his biggest AC hits ever, spending four weeks on top. I liked this song, though I preferred many others from him.
ALL 4 LOVE – COLOR ME BADD (37) – Their third hit became another #1 hit for them. On the Hot 100, it spent a single week on top, but it did better on the airplay chart, with four weeks at #1. It took me awhile to warm up to this song, since it sounded more like a kiddie song to me, but by the time it hit #1, I liked it.
FINALLY – CE CE PENNISTION (39) – I am well aware that I misspelled her last name incorrectly, but if I spelled it right, it would come out “thingyton”. As was the case with the Van Halen album title, I never noticed that the first five letters of her last name spelled out the male body part – I'd always spelled it with two n's and then when I saw it only had one n, I started writing her last name correctly, still not noticing, which was indeed weird, given the gutter-mind that I had back in the day. As for the song, I liked it, though it was the only song of hers that I did like – the others were somewhat annoying.
NO SON OF MINE – GENESIS (40) – They were back with their first new album in over five years, We Can't Dance and like their last album, Invisible Touch, it spawned five singles, though none of the songs made it to the Top Five. They did all make the Top 40, though, this one peaking at #10. The melody of the song was good, though I didn't really like the subject matter, as it was about a son who ran away from his abusive home and, when he returns, he finds out that his father has disowned him. At the time, the relationship between my father and I was rocky and I was thinking that we'd never reconcile (we did, however, and over the next year, began to rebuild our relationship). But I digress. Now, on with the countdown...
LIVE FOR LOVING YOU – GLORIA ESTEFAN (36) – Many people had wondered what had happened to her Into The Light album, as she seemed to disappear after the first single, the number one “Coming Out Of The Dark”. Well, the next two singles missed the Top 40 (though the third single, “Can't Forget You”, one of my favorite songs of 1991, did make the lower reaches of the R&R chart back in July (but did very well at AC, peaking at #2). This song had sort of had a salsa feel to it and I didn't really like it at first, but now, it is possibly my second favorite song from Into The Light, although said #1 song would be very close behind. It depends on my mood at the time.
FOREVER MY LADY – JODECI (37) – The first hit for this R&B quarted whose name is made of parts of their names (the “de” part comes from two members, one of whose first name starts with the two letters, the other, the first two letters of his last name). It was a nice song, though I preferred their last two hits, as well as songs by K-Ci & JoJo, who had a few hits in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
BROKEN ARROW – ROD STEWART (38) – The third hit from the Vagabond Heart album and the last to chart (album cuts such as “You Are Everything” and the studio version of “Have I Told You Lately” got sporadic airplay, but not enough to make much of a difference on the charts). This song was OK, but I didn't really like it very much during its chart run for some reason.
WILDSIDE – MARKY MARK & THE FUNKY BUNCH (26) – Their second Top 40 hit was somewhat penalized by the chart change, as the song hit #10 on the Hot 100, but it debut position was all the higher it got on AT40. The following week, it dropped to #35 and bobbled around outside the Top 30 for about a month before dropping off the chart. Sort of weird, as the song hit #7 on the R&R chart. I guess its monitored airplay told a different story. As we all know, this song heavily sampled Lou Reed's “Walk On The Wild Side”, using its bass and the portion near the end of the original, before the fade, as a refrain. I myself thought it was a good song.
CAN'T LET GO – MARIAH CAREY (30) – Radio stations had been playing this song as an album cut for about a month before it was released as a single, so I knew this song already when it hit the chart. The song reminded me a lot of Michel'le's minor hit from earlier in the year “Something In My Heart” (and the first five notes were a dead ringer for Taylor Dayne's number one hit from the year before, “Love Will Lead You Back”). The song was OK, but I preferred many other songs from her.
CHANGE – LISA STANSFIELD (32) – Another song that reminded me of an earlier hit that I can't quite put my finger on. There were also vague similarities between this and Ashford & Simpson's “Solid”, from early 1985. This song was another song that took me awhile to warm up to, like the Color Me Badd and Gloria Estefan songs mentioned earlier, but now, it is possibly my favorite Lisa Stansfield song of all time.
BLACK OR WHITE – MICHAEL JACKSON (35) – Now here is a song that I wonder what the chart run would have been had the figuring system not changed the following week. It did hit #1 on the R&R chart in its fifth week on, and I have a feeling it probably would have been about the same on the Hot 100, but, as it was debuting at #10 on the airplay chart this week, the song shot ahead to the runner-up position the following week, beating the record for the longest leap on AT40, previously held by “Le Freak” by Chic (although, due to the changes, that would be an invalid comparison, but technically, it does count). This was one of Michael's more rock-based songs, with Slash of Guns 'N Roses playing the guitar. The song was Jackson's first of seven singles from his Dangerous album, which would be released later in the week. I liked it, but it wasn't one of my favorite songs from him. I always thought it was quite overrated.
2 LEGIT 2 QUIT – HAMMER (36) – He had dropped the MC from his name, which might not have been the best move, as his career seemed to go south from there. This song, as well as the follow-up, “Addam's Groove”, did hit the Top Ten on the Hot 100, but he didn't see much of any chart action at all afterward. I wasn't a huge fan of this song at all – I thought it was loud and obnoxious, like most rap music had become by this point.
SPENDING MY TIME – ROXETTE (40) – Here's a song that definitely experienced Third Single Syndrome – even though the song reached #14 on the R&R chart, it didn't even touch the Top 30 on the AT40 chart, peaking at #32. As for the song itself, it was pretty good, somewhat reminiscent of “It Must Have Been Love”.
At this point, AT40 went in a whole new direction. As of the beginning of the 1992 survey period, the Hot 100 was changing over from its compilation method of station playlists and record sales reports to monitored airplay and actual sales detections, courtesy of Nielsen Broadcast Data System. At the same time, American Top 40 was in serious trouble, as its number of affiliates was dropping at an alarming rate. ABC Watermark felt that this was because of all the sales-fueled songs, some of those songs charting exclusively on record sales, on AT40, most of them rap or rap-based songs and, when a vote was conducted by ABC Watermark, with management and others with close ties to the show participating, the Hot 100 was unanimously voted out as the basis for AT40. They decided to instead, use the Top 40 Radio Monitor, Billboard's airplay chart that had debuted in the magazine a year before and eventually replaced the Hot 100's airplay subchart. The week of the switch, many songs that had already had a head start on the airplay chart took large jumps on the chart, other older songs suddenly reversed course, the most drastic being “Emotions” by Mariah Carey, which rebounded from 33 to 9. Seven songs re-entered the chart, the highest being “Love Of A Lifetime” by Firehouse, at #18. Add to that total five debuts and that meant twelve songs that were on the survey the week before falling out. Four of those songs were in the Top 20, the highest being “Don't Cry” by Guns 'N Roses. That song peaked at #56 on the Top 40 Radio Monitor, meaning that it did not return to the chart later on. In fact, only three of the songs that fell from the AT40 chart the week of the switch returned to the charts, which were the latest songs by Jodeci, Roxette and Hammer. Indeed, the chart switch was drastic and many chart freaks were very vocal about their displeasure of the Hot 100 no longer being used as a basis for the chart, via phone calls and letters to ABC Watermark. The reason I initially didn't like it was because I had no idea what chart they were using – it wasn't until late March when it occurred to me that they might be using one of their subcharts and, when I looked at the Top 40 Radio Monitor in a Billboard magazine I bought at a local newsstand and it matched the AT40 chart I'd heard several days before, I realized I was right. I came to like the change since it reflected what was being played on the radio. Some of the songs that charted higher on R&R were by established acts that radio stations decided to put high on their charts, even though they may not have really been playing them that much. Monitored airplay indeed told the true story of what was happening on the radio. Anyway, here we go with the last few charts of 1991.
TOO BLIND TO SEE IT – KYM SIMS (33) – One of those dance songs that didn't quite make the R&R chart, and pretty much had the T40RM to thank for any chart action, as the song only got as high as #38 on the Hot 100. On AT40, it spent sixteen weeks on the chart, peaking at #22. The song was mediocre at best, IMO.
LOVE ME ALL UP – STACY EARL (36) – Another such song, only this one did make the R&R chart, peaking at #12. It peaked at #18 on AT40 and, like the above song, made the lower reaches of the year-end chart.
I LOVE YOUR SMILE – SHANICE (38) – This was one of the biggest hits of 1992, topping the chart for five weeks. One of my co-workers at the pizza joint hated this song due to its overplay and one day, he was endlessly hassling me at work, and the next day, another co-worker and I got back at him – he would do the whistling part and I sang the do-do-do's. Drove the guy up the wall! Anyway, I myself was a little tired of the song, but now I like it – sounds a little like some of the upbeat music that Basia did around the same time.
A DAY IN MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU – LISETTE MELENDEZ (39) – This was a freestyle hit like her hit from earlier in the year “Together Forever”. This was its only week on AT40, as it had already peaked at #35 on the T40RM. That's too bad, because I rather liked this song.
HOUSECALL – SHABBA RANKS f/MAXI PRIEST (40) – Another one-week wonder on AT40, since it had been also been on the airplay chart before, though only the week before at #39. The song was OK, but nothing I'd go out and buy.
DECEMBER
MYSTERIOUS WAYS – U2 (38) – The second hit from their brand-new album Achtung Baby. The first single, “The Fly” was released two weeks before, but, although the song fared very well on the Album and Modern Rock charts, they decided to release this song to Pop radio, which proved to be a good move, as the song was a Top Ten hit on the Hot 100. The song came close to hitting the Top Ten on the AT40 chart, peaking at #11. It was a good song, IMO.
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO – TEVIN CAMPBELL (39) – His second Top 40 hit and it turned out to be one of his biggest, peaking at #6, both on the Hot 100 and the AT40 chart. This song was a ballad and, though it was melodically a great song, he seemed to whine it more than he did sing. He did much better on ballads a few years later, as soon as his voice had changed.
JUST A TOUCH OF LOVE – C&C MUSIC FACTORY (40) – Their most repetitive song ever. All I have to say is thank God this song was an AT40 one-hit wonder. I did not care for this song at all and it sort of put my slight contempt for a few of their other songs in perspective.
This next chart was incorrect, as last second changes by Billboard to the chart were not relayed to the AT40 chart. As a result, AT40 used the wrong chart, with only twelve songs in their rightful positions, mainly near the top of the chart.
THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT YOU – KARYN WHITE (26) – When I first heard this song, which came in at #24 on the correct chart, I thought it sounded very much like “Alright” by Janet Jackson. I'm kind of surprised that this song was not a Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis production, but rather, produced by another successful R&B songwriting team, L.A. Reid & Babyface. Though this wasn't one of my favorite songs, I did prefer it over said Janet Jackson song, as it didn't contain the annoying whoops.
DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME – GEORGE MICHAEL w/ELTON JOHN (27) – A spot higher on the correct chart, this song was a live remake of Elton's classic from 1974. At a George Michael concert, during which George performed this song, Elton made a surprising visit after the first chorus, to thunderous applause from the crowd. I actually liked this version better than the original, though I wish radio had played the full version (as the second verse, which was bumpered together with the first, was cut out on the version that I usually heard – must have been a demo version, as the single clocks in at 5:44.
KEEP IT COMIN' – KEITH SWEAT (36) – This song was also a spot higher on the official chart. He went back to his upbeat sound for this one. Despite the fact that I don't like dance music very much, there was something about his songs that I did like, though I don't know exactly what.
DIAMONDS AND PEARLS – PRINCE & THE NEW POWER GENERATION (37) – Now this was by far the furthest removed from its position on the correct chart, where it came in at number 30. It must have had lots of plays on the stations whose info was added with this last minute change. This was the title-track from his then-current album and almost made it to #1, but was held in the runner-up spot by “I Love Your Smile” by Shanice. I thought this was a good song – much better than the first two releases.
ANGEL BABY – ANGELICA (x) – This song was cheated out of its only week in the Top 40 of the airplay chart, since it was apparently on some of the stations involved in the under-the-wire changes. I wonder what number it would have been on the incorrect chart? We'll probably never know. Anyway, I wasn't cheated out of hearing the song, since it was in regular rotation on B96 and I heard it quite a lot. It was a good song – a typical R&B slow jam of its time.
No debuts to report during the last two weeks of December – the December 21 chart had only the re-entry of “Forever My Lady” by Jodeci. “Something To Talk About” by Bonnie Raitt was the song responsible for edging out “Angel Baby” - on the correct chart, it was just outside the Top 40 and re-entered on December 21. The week of December 28, AT40 counted down the Top 100 of 1991, so there were obviously no new entries that week either.
JANUARY
AROUND THE WAY GIRL – LL COOL J (36) – This R&B rapper had several pop crossovers here and there throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. I wasn't a huge fan of him, but this song was actually pretty good.
ALL THE MAN THAT I NEED – WHITNEY HOUSTON (37) – She decided to go with a slow song as the second release from I'm Your Baby Tonight. Originally recorded by Linda Clifford back in the early 1980s, Whitney recruited producer Narada Michael Walden for this song and it became another number one song. I thought this was a great song; one of my favorites from Whitney.
DOES SHE LOVE THAT MAN – BREATHE f/DAVID GLASPER (38) – Yikes - a song about being jilted around the holidays. That, IMO, is the worst time for a break-up, as it's hard to be in the mood to celebrate when all you can think about is seeing your girlfriend happily walking hand in hand with another man! Despite that, the song is melodically really good and I felt that it was underrated.
WHERE DOES MY HEART BEAT NOW – CELINE DION (39) – Little did anyone know just how hot Celine Dion would be in the 1990s! This is the song that started it all off for her, and it did quite well, peaking at #4 in March. It was a great song and one of my favorite of Dion's many big hits.
I SAW RED – WARRANT (40) – Another song about catching your loved one cheating on you! In this song, the man walks into a room to find his lady in a liplock with another guy. When he confronts her about it, he tells her that it's over between them. This was one of Warrant's power ballads that seemed to perform best on the charts. This one got as high as #10 and, unfortunately, this was their final Top 40 hit.
LOVE MAKES THINGS HAPPEN – PEBBLES f/BABYFACE (40) – This was the first time since October, 1989 that there was a one-debut week on American Top 40, and only the seventh time it had happened so far during the AT40 era. Actually, this was a very slow week on AT40, even for a week during the holidays when many stations still reported frozen playlists. The biggest move was five spots, which was the Warrant song, and Whitney Houston moved up four. All the rest moved up three or less spots. Anyway, this was a tender love ballad between these two R&B stars and I thought it was a great song. When it moved up to #29 the following week and #21 the week after, it gave me false hope that the song was going to hit the Top Ten, maybe even go to #1. Unfortunately, the song peaked at #13 and fell like a rock afterward, which I thought was a shame.
THE SHOOP SHOOP SONG (IT'S IN HIS KISS) – CHER (33) – From the film Mermaids came this cover of the Betty Everett classic. Despite it's respectable debut, the song actually began heading down the chart the following week, which I found odd, considering that Cher had been doing well on the chart over the past few years. Perhaps this song was only promoted at Top 40 radio for just a few weeks. It did, however, do well at AC radio, peaking at #7. I thought this was a great cover and I actually slightly preferred it over the original.
I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY ELSE – BLACK BOX (35) – Here's another song that kind of came and went. It peaked at #23 two weeks later and two weeks after that, it was gone – from the Top 40, anyway. That was too bad because I actually liked the song – much better than their annoying last hit.
SOMEDAY – MARIAH CAREY (37) – With this song, she proved that she could do just as well with upbeat songs than with the ballads that she started out with. In this song, I think she set a record for singing the highest note on a number one song. This song was OK, but it was definitely not her best song. I generally preferred her slow songs.
WICKED GAME – CHRIS ISAAK (38) – The first and most successful song for this Stockton, California native. It was a pretty good song, IMO.
ONE MORE TRY – TIMMY T (39) – He had charted the year before with the one-week wonder “Time After Time” and returned this year with this song that went all the way to #1. Of his two Top 40 hits, this was my favorite.
HEAT OF THE MOMENT – AFTER 7 (28) – 1991 was the year in which the titles of Asia's three biggest hits charted – in order of appearance, to boot! This was the first, by an R&B act that had charted the year before with the Top Ten hits “Ready Or Not” and “Can't Stop”. This song wasn't bad, but I preferred said 1990 hits.
MONEYTALKS – AC/DC (29) – I was never a big fan of them – they wail way too much, sounding a lot like Gilbert Gottfried. I did like “You Shook Me All Night Long”, but other than that...
IF YOU NEEDED SOMEBODY – BAD COMPANY (33) – They had been absent from the Top 40 since the summer of 1979, when they peaked at #13 with “Rock And Roll Fantasy”. Their comeback song performed respectably, as well, getting as high as #16. I liked this song, but preferred their follow-up, “Walk Through Fire”, which charted that fall.
CANDY – IGGY POP f/KATE PIERSON (35) – The only Top 40 hit for this punk-rock pioneer, along with the lead singer of the B-52s. It was a great song that I felt should have done better on the charts.
SHELTER ME – CINDERELLA (38) – This heavy metal band from Philadelphia had charted several times during the late 1980s, and were back with another power ballad. Unfortunately, this song only got as high as #36 the following week and then were gone from the Top 40 forever (“Heartbreak Station” did hit the Hot 100 that spring, but just missed the Top 40). I rather liked this song, but it wasn't quite as good as “Coming Home”.
THIS HOUSE – TRACIE SPENCER (39) – She charted in late 1988 with a minor hit called “Symptoms Of True Love”, when she wasn't even a teenager yet. Now fourteen years of age, she hit the Top 40 with what would be her biggest hit ever, getting as high as #3. It was the first of four singles from her sophomore album Make The Difference, three of which made the Top 40 (the one that missed was the second release "This Time Make It Funky", which peaked at #54 on the Hot 100 in June. This is definitely a song that takes me back to my college days, since you don't hear it much anymore.
SHOW ME THE WAY – STYX (40) – This is another song whose airplay was boosted by Operation Desert Storm, which had started a little over a week prior. This was a time when I was worried about being drafted (which, fortunately, never happened). As for this song, it was a great one – one of my favorites by Styx.
FEBRUARY
ALL THIS TIME – STING (31) – He was back with the first single from his third solo album The Soul Cages. Actually, this was the only single from the album, which I think they wanted to concentrate on promoting rather than to worry about releasing singles. But this song did quite well – besides peaking at #5 on the Hot 100, the song hit #1 on both the Album Rock and Modern Rock charts. I thought it was a great song!
DEEPER SHADE OF SOUL – URBAN DANCE SQUAD (32) – The only hit for this interracial rap metal crew from Holland. Though I'm not generally a huge fan of this kind of music, I actually rather liked this song.
IESHA – ANOTHER BAD CREATION (34) – The first of two hits for this pre-teen R&B/rap quintet, telling a story about puppy love between two young kids. It was OK, but nothing I'd go out of my way to hear.
IT NEVER RAINS (IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA) – TONY! TONI! TONE! (37) – Although I listened to AT40 on a regular basis, I don't remember this song that well. Must not have been anything exceptional.
COMING OUT OF THE DARK – GLORIA ESTAFAN (38) – Her first solo hit since she was seriously injured in an accident involving her tour bus the year before, and this song was actually about that. It was a great song – the first of four singles from her Into The Light album, and the most successful, hitting #1 in early spring.
WAITING FOR LOVE – ALIAS (39) – The second and final Top 40 hit from this band consisting of members of Sheriff and Heart. Though it didn't quite measure up to the success of “More Than Words Can Say”, it did peak at #13. It was a great song, though I preferred their first hit.
GET HERE – OLETA ADAMS (32) – Yet another song whose chart performance was aided by Operation Desert Storm. I seem to recall that this song got a few LDD requests. The song wasn't bad, but there was something about her voice that I didn't like.
SIGNS – TESLA (35) – They didn't have that many Top 40 hits – just two, but both of them made the Top Ten. This song, recorded live at the Trocodero in Philadelphia in July of the previous year, was their song that peaked the highest. I thought it was a great song, but I slightly preferred “Love Song”.
ROUND AND ROUND – TEVIN CAMPBELL (38) – The first Top 40 hit for this Texas lad, who was twelve years old at the time and his youthful voice showed it. It wasn't a bad song, but I preferred several others from him.
HOLD YOU TIGHT – TARA KEMP (39) – I always associated this song and “This House” closely, since there were several similarities, like the melody of the songs, the fact that their first names started with the same letter, and the songs rode up the chart together, both peaking at #3. Although I prefer the Tracie Spencer song, this one is good as well.
WAITING FOR THAT DAY – GEORGE MICHAEL (40) – The third hit from Listen Without Prejudice. It was a great song, IMO. The flipside, “Mother's Pride”, also received airplay, due to the ongoing Gulf War, and got as high as #46 on the chart (though I'm kind of confused as to how that happened – since both songs were charting at the same time, how did they know which side was causing the sales?)
I'LL DO 4 U – FATHER MC (36) – This song sampled Cheryl Lynn's “Got To Be Real”. Since I did not know about that song at the time (I'd eventually hear it on retro disco shows a few years later), I always thought that this song was sampling the similar-sounding “Best Of My Love” by the Emotions. This song was OK, but nothing special IMO.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU – LONDONBEAT (38) – I'd been hearing drop pieces of this song a few months before on Joel Denver's Future Hits, in which, at one point in the show, he'd play drop pieces of the Top Five hits on the week's British charts, but this week, it debuted on the chart here in the States. It was a good song – one that still occasionally pops up on oldies stations that have added early 1990s shows to their mix.
SPEND MY LIFE – SLAUGHTER (39) – Since this was this song's only week on the chart, I forget how it went, but somehow, I remembered it was a pretty decent song
STATE OF THE WORLD – JANET JACKSON (airplay) – Janet had just broken several records with her recent #1 song “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” and it looked as if she might break another one, as this would have been an unheard of eighth release from a single album. However, her label executives opted not to issue a commercial single of this song, in effort to help album sales. Nevertheless, the song did break records on the airplay charts that were able to chart this song – such as Billboard's Airplay chart, on which the song peaked at #5, making it first and, as far as I know, the only time so far that a single album had produced eight Top Five hits! Though I wasn't a big fan of this song, I did like the novelty of the record I just mentioned that it broke.
YOU'RE IN LOVE – WILSON PHILLIPS (36) – They returned to their ballad mode for their fourth hit from their first album, and, like the other two, it went to #1. I liked this one, since it didn't sound as much like “Hold On”, though my favorite song from the album was “Impulsive”.
I'LL BE BY YOUR SIDE – STEVIE B (37) – For the third release from his Love And Emotion album, he went with another ballad. This song, though not quite as successful as his recent #1 “Because I Love You (The Postman Song)”, nevertheless performed respectably, peaking at #12 (and it did hit the Top Ten on the R&R chart, to my pleasant surprise). This was one of my favorite songs of 1991!
MARCH
RESCUE ME – MADONNA (15) – Definitely the highest debut on the Hot 100 in recent memory. Of course, this song had gotten a head start on radio airplay over a month before, and Madonna's label executives delayed the single release by about a month and a half, presumably for the same reason that Janet Jackson's “State Of The World” wasn't released at all. I was on concert choir tour during the first two weekends of March, so I missed this show. Fortunately, a scoped version of it is on YouTube, so I was able to hear what Shadoe said about it - it was the highest debut on the Hot 100 in almost exactly 21 years, and the highest Hot 100 debut by a woman in chart history. Not sure what the last song to debut so high on AT40 was - I'm thinking possibly "Upside Down" by Diana Ross, which came in all the way up at #10 in August, 1980.
RICO SUAVE – GERARDO (34) – A song sung (or rather, rapped) in “Spanglish”, telling about his luck with women. The song was OK, but I wasn't a big fan of it (since, as we all know, I'm not much for rap, which was becoming increasingly annoying at this point).
SADENESS (PART I) – ENIGMA (35) – A dance track that's mainly instrumental, with Gregorian chants heard throughout. I liked this song, since it was so different.
SOMETHING IN MY HEART – MICHEL'LE (38) – She had two hits the year before, both big dance hits. She slowed down the tempo for this song, which I thought was a good one. Too bad it ran out of steam at #31.
MERCY MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY)/I WANT YOU – ROBERT PALMER (39) – The second song from Don't Explain. “You're Amazing” wore out pretty quickly, but this one, which was ideal for Earth Day in April, stuck around for awhile. I was glad, because it was a great song!
MY SIDE OF THE BED – SUZANNNA HOFFS (40) – She was the lead singer of the Bangles during the 1980s, but they had since split up. This was Hoffs' only Top 40 hit, but a great song it was! She sounded just as good as she did with the Bangles in this song.
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER – WHITNEY HOUSTON (32) – Ah, our national anthem! Performed by Whitney to open Super Bowl XXV, the song became a charity single to raise funds for soldiers and families of those involved in the Persian Gulf War, which had actually ended the week before. This was a great rendition of the song, IMO.
BABY BABY – AMY GRANT (33) – A renowned Christian singer, this was when Grant began to experience Mainstream cross-over success. She'd had one mid-chart hit back in the summer of 1985, “Find A Way” but this song went all the way to the top in April. A great song, indeed!
CRY FOR HELP – RICK ASTLEY (36) – He was out with his third album, Free. It spawned only one successful single, but it did quite well, peaking at number seven. It was a great song, and I read somewhere (possibly Billboard's Chart Beat column) that it became the fourth #1 song on the AC chart in 1991 to feature a gospel choir on back-up, following songs by Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, and Elton John (whose song “You Gotta Love Someone” just barely missed the AT40 chart earlier in the year). This was a great song, IMO.
CHASIN' THE WIND – CHICAGO (39) – They were definitely on their last legs, Top 40-wise, as this was their final Top 40 single, and this was all the higher this song got. It was a pretty good song, but I preferred their next single from 21, “Explain It To My Heart”. Too bad that song totally bombed, even at AC.
JOYRIDE – ROXETTE (30) – They were back with their second album, to which this song was the title track. The song sounded quite a lot like their debut hit “The Look” and, like that song, this went to #1. Possibly my favorite Roxette song ever!
JUST THE WAY IT IS BABY – THE REMBRANDTS (34) – Of course, this duo is best known for the theme to one of the most popular sitcoms ever, Friends, but they did have a few hits before that, this being the most successful. When I first heard this song, I was like, wow! Of the handful of hits they've charted with, this one would likely be my favorite.
I LIKE THE WAY (THE KISSING GAME) – HI-FIVE (35) – This quintet from Waco enjoyed success on both the Pop and R&B charts. This was their first hit, from their eponymous debut album, and their most successful, making it to #1 in mid-May. I liked the song, but preferred their next hit, which hit AT40 that summer, so we'll be getting to that one a little later.
TOGETHER FOREVER – LISETTE MELENDEZ (37) – Another debut single here, this one being one of several low-charters on AT40 for this East Harlem native. It was your typical freestyle dance song and had sort of an odd run on AT40. It looked as if the song would peak here at #37, as it held that position next week, then dropped to #38. Then, it seemed to get a second wind, as it moved up to #35. However, that was very short-lived, as the song fell out of the top 40 the following week. I thought the song was pretty good.
HOW TO DANCE – THE BINGOBOYS f/PRINCESSA (38) – This song sampled a number of songs, the most notable being “Dance Dance Dance” by Chic. It also was the second Top 40 song to sample “Kiss” by the Art Of Noise (the other being “Two To Make It Right” by Seduction), and one of many songs to featured the famous James Brown “Yeah, woo”. The chorus reminded me a lot of “TSOP” by MFSB as well. The song wasn't bad, but nothing special either.
TOUCH ME (ALL NIGHT LONG) – CATHY DENNIS (34) – She had hit earlier in the year with the Top Ten song “Just Another Dream”, but this became her biggest hit ever, just missing the top spot (though she did sneak in a week on the R&R chart). I liked this song, but preferred her next hit “Too Many Walls”.
HERE WE GO (LET'S ROCK AND ROLL) – C&C MUSIC FACTORY f/FREEDOM WILLIAMS (36) – By now, I'd had enough of hearing Martha Wash screaming “EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!” on their first hit! This next song was actually a little better IMO, with Freedom Williams rapping on this song. This song, though it did not go to #1 like “Gonna Make You Sweat”, it did hit the Top Five.
RIDE THE WIND – POISON (38) – Though the first two singles from Flesh And Blood were two of their biggest hits, such was not the case with the next two releases. This song, in fact, was a one-week wonder on AT40. This, however, wasn't the only time I'd heard it, as it lasted longer on several other countdown shows I listened to back in the day. It was a great song and I felt it was underrated.
RHYTHM OF MY HEART – ROD STEWART (40) – The first of three Top 40 hits from Stewart's Vagabond Heart album, which would be released a few days later. The song, clearly the biggest from the album, peaking at #5, was somewhat of a nod to Stewart's own Scottish heritage, with an intro that sounds like a Scottish anthem (heard on the album version of the song), and bagpipes being played throughout the song. It was good song.
I TOUCH MYSELF – THE DIVINYLS (34) – This was the only Top 40 hit for this Australian rock band and, with a title like that, with many interpretations of self-pleasure, it's clear to see why. The song was pretty good, IMO, if only for the melody.
WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE – THE RUDE BOYS (39) – Another one-hit wonder, in this case, a R&B vocal group from Cleveland. This song went to #1 on the R&B chart, and made a respectable showing on the Hot 100, peaking at #16 and lasting twelve weeks in the Top 40. I liked it.
VOICES THAT CARE – VOICES THAT CARE (40) – This song was recorded to boost morale to U.S. Troops involved in Operation Desert Storm. Ironically, the world premiere of the song's video was on February 28, the day that the fighting ended. As a result of charting after the fact, the song did not do as well as it might have had the war gone on, peaking at #11, largely on sales, since the song's proceeds helped support the International Red Cross. I thought it was a great song. I remember watching the video on TV on choir tour. I was at the house of one of the families of the church where we performed (in Bronson, MI) and they had their TV tuned into the news, where the video of the song was being shown. I was like, wow, what a great song! It was one of my #1 songs of 1991 on my Personal Top 30 chart.
APRIL
MORE THAN EVER – NELSON (36) – Their third single, though not a Top Ten song like their first two, still made a respectable showing on the chart, peaking at #15. I liked this song, because of its catchy refrain.
STONE COLD GENTLEMAN – RALPH TRESVANT (38) – Former lead singer of New Edition was back with the second single from his self-titled album. Unfortunately, the song would not match up to the success of “Sensitivity”, as the song peaked at #34 the following week then began dropping. Too bad, as I thought it was a good song, slightly better than his first solo hit.
SAVE SOME LOVE – KEEDY (39) – The first and only Top 40 hit for this freestyle music singer born in Texas and raised in Wisconsin. I liked the song and am sort of surprised that this wasn't a Top Ten hit.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO HOME TONIGHT – THE TRIPLETS (40) – This pop rock trio, composed of actual Triplets, was a one-hit wonder on AT40, though their second hit, “Sunrise”, was an AC hit that summer. Not sure which of the two songs I prefer, as both are great songs.
SILENT LUCIDITY – QUEENSRYCHE (27) – A power ballad by this progressive metal band from Washington state that sounded a little similar to Alice Cooper's “Only Women”, especially the acoustic guitars. It was a great song, IMO.
I DON'T WANNA CRY – MARIAH CAREY (31) – This song continued Mariah's #1 streak, though it was beginning to look like it would not, as there was a week where this song was stuck at #8 in an extremely tight Top Ten. The song did make up for lost time, however, leaping to #1 the week after, becoming the biggest jump to #1 in nearly 14 years, equalling the 8-1 move of the last song to make such a jump, “Star Wars” by Meco. I liked this song at first, but it was quite overplayed, so I eventually grew tired of it.
MORE THAN WORDS – EXTREME (37) – Not to be confused with Alias' similarly-titled song “More Than Words Can Say” from the previous fall. This was the first of two singles for this band from Massachusetts (both of which showed tenacity on the charts, each spending seventeen weeks in the Top 40). The first one went all the way to the top in June and had at least three different versions – the original, the “remix” (which is actually the one that most of the countdown shows used to play) and the album version, which had a longer ending. I seem to recall that Rick Dees played this version on several different occasions.
TEMPLE OF LOVE – HARRIET (39) – This song always reminded a little of the Desert Land music from Super Mario 3, a game I rented from the local video store here and there throughout 1991 (until I got the game for Christmas that year). The only hit for this Sheffield, England native, I liked it – a pleasant combination of dance/jazz/pop.
IT'S A SHAME (MY SISTER) – MONIE LOVE (32) – A hip-hip/rap update of this song originally done by the Spinners. Though I'm not generally a huge fan of this type of music, I actually liked this song somewhat.
LOSING MY RELIGION – R.E.M. (34) – They had a pair of Top Ten hits (each from different albums) in the late 1980s, but their biggest success was definitely during the 1990s. This was their biggest of them all, peaking at #4. It was a great song, though I preferred their next single.
DON'T TREAT ME BAD – FIREHOUSE (35) – This glam metal band from Charlotte, NC had a handful of Top 40 hits during the first half of the 1990s, all of them power ballads. Their debut single was a mid-tempo one and, though not their biggest hit, it did peak at #19. It was a great song, but I preferred most of their others.
LOVE IS A WONDERFUL THING – MICHAEL BOLTON (36) – This was one of those AC #1's featuring a gospel choir singing back-up – the first of many big hits from Bolton's Time, Love And Tenderness album. This song did not do as well as I thought it would – based on its initial action on the R&R chart, it looked like this would have no problem hitting #1, but it just got caught in the chart traffic jam that resulted due to many popular songs released during the spring. The song did peak at #4 on the Hot 100, which wasn't bad either. It was a great song – with an appropriate springtime upbeat melody.
WHAT COMES NATURALLY – SHEENA EASTON (37) – She had been absent from the chart since her 1989 duet with Prince “The Arms Of Orion” and it looked like she was starting another wave of popularity with the title-track from her new album, but as it turned out, this was her final Top 40 hit. It wasn't bad, but blended in with much of the similar dance music of the early 1990s.
SHE TALKS TO ANGELS – THE BLACK CROWES (39) – The first of several Top 40 hits from this southern rock/blues band from Georgia. It was about a goth girl that the lead singer knew who was apparently a drug addict (which would account for her capability of talking to angels). Of their hits, this one would probably be my favorite.
I WANNA SEX YOU UP - COLOR ME BADD (31) - The first Top 40 hit for this R&B/new jack swing act from Oklahoma City. This song sampled several other songs. "To the tick tock ya don't stop" (which was also used in Candyman's Top Ten hit "Knockin' Boots" from the previous fall) comes from Doug E. Fresh's "La Di Da Di". Betty Wright's "Tonight Is The Night" is the song that contains the "I know you not gonna sing that song!" yells that are heard during the chorus, and the chorus melody is from "Strawberry Letter 23". As for my opinion of the song, well, I didn't like it that much at all - I found it rather annoying and am rather glad that it didn't quite make it to #1 (it sure tried though, being stuck in the runner-up spot for pretty much the entire month of June). A big thanks to dth1971 for pointing out that I had inadvertently omitted this song!
MIRACLE – WHITNEY HOUSTON (35) – Of the songs from Houston's I'm Your Baby Tonight album, this one was the deepest – about a woman feeling great remorse and regret for having an abortion, and urging ladies considering this choice not to do it. Despite the depressing lyrics, the song was melodically a great song.
MY HEART IS FAILING ME – RIFF (38) – The only hit for this R&B band from New Jersey. I thought it was a good song and quite underrated.
STRIKE IT UP – BLACK BOX (40) – The last of three Top 40 hit for this Italian dance trio (featuring an uncredited Martha Wash on all three of their hits). This song was pretty good, but, though a lot better than “Everbody Everybody”, I preferred the underrated “I Don't Know Anybody Else”.
MAY
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH – THE FIXX (39) – Their 1991 comeback certainly wasn't very well received, as their first Top 40 hit since “Secret Separation” five years before only got as high as #35 and didn't last long on the charts at all. I myself thought it was a good song and felt that it was underrated.
PEOPLE ARE STILL HAVING SEX – LATOUR (40) – One of those electronic dance songs about how teens have sex despite parents and counselors try to discourage it. The song takes an audio sample from the horror flick Evil Dead II (that would be the woman saying, “Hello, lover”). I was never a big fan of the song, though it does have a good message.
UNBELIEVABLE – EMF (32) – The debut single for this British band and their only #1 hit. It was a pretty good song, but I got a little tired of it due to overplay.
THE POWER OF LOVE/LOVE POWER – LUTHER VANDROSS (33) – Due to this song's strong start (more notable on R&R, where it debuted at #28), I predicted that this song would become one of his biggest hits. I was right – in fact, this song was THE biggest Top 40 hit in Vandross' career, peaking at #4. The song was actually a medley of two different songs – the last being a cover of a song by an R&B band known as the Sandpebbles. It was a great song, IMO!
COUPLE DAYS OFF – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (34) – After being absent from the charts for about two and a half years, he/they were back for a comeback. This was the first and biggest hit from the album, peaking at #11, making Hard At Play his first album to fail to generate at least one Top Ten hit, as well as his lowest peaking album yet, getting as high as #27. After this album, he was pretty much relegated to the AC chart, where he continued to do well for the next few years. As for this song, it wasn't bad, but definitely not one of my favorites from him/them.
RUSH RUSH – PAULA ABDUL (36) – Geez, Paula, you got any cheese and crackers to go with that whine? Naturally, this had to go and become the biggest hit of her career, spending five weeks at #1. Thank God it wasn't the biggest hit of 1991!
MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT – LL COOL J (39) – This song was mainly fueled by sales, as the song only got as high as #47 on the airplay chart (and did not make the R&R chart at all), yet it managed to peak at #17 on the Hot 100. I did not care for this song at all – was loud and obnoxious.
DO YOU WANT ME – SALT-N-PEPA (40) – Another rap song, only I do rather like this one – their third song to hit the Top 40 chart. I remember this being the song that kicked off AT40's Top 100 of 1991 countdown. Having peaked at #21, it was the lowest peaking song to make the year-ender since “Object Of My Desire” by Starpoint. With the new chart they'd be using as of later on in 1991, low peaking songs making the countdown would become more and more commonplace.
PLAYGROUND – ANOTHER BAD CREATION (38) – They replaced themselves on the chart this week, as “Iesha” dropped out as this song debuts. This song wasn't bad, but I slightly preferred “Iesha”, though I wasn't too crazy about either song.
HERE I AM (COME AND TAKE ME) – UB40 (39) – This song, a cover of this Al Green classic from 1973, took awhile to get off the ground, as I recall this being Dave Sholin's “Personal Pick” of the week (similar to Dees' Sure Shot) on his “Insider” show back in January. The song finally made the Top 40 this week and, despite its initial slow action, it became one of their four Top Ten hits. I thought it was a good song.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT – STYX (40) – They had a pretty decent comeback with “Show Me The Way”, which got as high as #3, and their third hit from Edge Of The Century (the first, “Love Is The Ritual” ran out of steam at #80 in late 1990) made a pretty decent showing as well, peaking at #25. Though I preferred “Show Me The Way”, I liked this one at well – one that I seem to recall became a somewhat popular wedding song.
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW – JESUS JONES (37) – Some people felt that this British alternative rock band's name was blasphemy, but they chose the name as a humorous cultural clash. For more on this, click here. As for the song, it was their first of two chart hits, both of which hit the Top Five. This song looked like it would hit #1, but it was leapfrogged by what would become the biggest hit of the year.
WALKING IN MEMPHIS – MARC COHN (38) – This song, which contains several references to Elvis Presley, was this Cleveland native's only Top 40 hit, though he did have two more Hot 100 singles, “Silver Thunderbird”, which made the lower reaches of the Gavin Top 40 in September and “True Companion”, which was a decent-sized AC hit (and became a popular wedding song – in fact, my brother sang the song at the wedding of one of his closest friends). Of those songs, I definitely preferred this song.
WE WANT THE FUNK – GERARDO (39) – This was a semi-remake of Parliament's 1976 hit “Give Up The Funk”. It had a somewhat odd chart run. Remember the tight Top Ten I mentioned earlier? Many of the songs that caused that weakened at the same time and, in mid-June, there were seven songs that fell out of the Top 20, causing many songs to make large moves into the Top 20 via vacuum effect. This song was one of those, moving up ten to #16. However, the following week, the song dropped a spot to #17. Not sure I've ever seen a song start dropping the week after such a big move within the Top 40. As for the song, it wasn't anything I'd go out of my way to listen to by any means.
JUNE
HOW CAN I EASE THE PAIN – LISA FISCHER (34) – She was mainly an R&B singer, but she did have one Top 40 song. This song, which just missed the Top Ten, peaking at #11, was a good song, but my favorite song from her was “The Colors Of Love”, which I remember hearing on “Countdown America with Dick Clark” in the summer of 1993.
(IF THERE WAS) ANY OTHER WAY – CELINE DION (35) – It was beginning to look like Celine would be one of those artists good for only a single big hit, as this was all the higher that her second hit got (and it dropped out the following week – the highest peaking “one-week wonder” on AT40 since “Radio Romance” by Tiffany, which also peaked at #35). Moreover, her next release, “The Last To Know” didn't even hit the chart, and wasn't even that big of an AC hit, peaking at #22 there. But, of course, her chart career was far from over. As for this song, I liked it – I remember hearing it on WHFB (Benton Harbor, MI) during my last few weeks at college, as well as during the summer of 1991.
GYPSY WOMAN (SHE'S HOMELESS) – CRYSTAL WATERS (37) – Regarded as a “house music anthem”, this song, the first single from this New Jersey native, was her first of two Top 40 hits. It was a pretty good song, though nothing exceptional IMO.
I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO (ANGEL EYES) – STEELHEART (39) – The first and only Top 40 hit for hard rock band from Connecticut. The song reminded me a little of “More Than A Feeling” by Boston, since their wailing sounded the same as Brad Delp in that song. I thought this was a great song – too bad it only got as high as #23 on the charts.
NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN – SURFACE (40) – One great R&B ballad deserves another, as their first 1991 hit “The First Time” was one of my favorite songs of the entire year, and this was a great song as well – my second favorite of their Top 40 hits.
PLACE IN THIS WORLD – MICHAEL W. SMITH (33) – As Amy Grant was coming off her first #1 hit, fellow Christian singer Michael W. Smith decided to try his success at Mainstream Top 40 as well. Though not quite as successful, he did have several Top 40 hits. This one, from his Go West Young Man album, was a song that was pretty much my story of my life at that point in my life. Having recently failed out of college after one year, I was trying to find my place in this world, so it was fitting that this song came out around this time. This was Smith's most successful Top 40 hit, peaking at #6. It was a great song, but I preferred his next hit “For You”, which didn't see much success at pop, but was a decent-sized AC hit that fall.
A BETTER LOVE – LONDONBEAT (37) – They'd hit big earlier in the year with their #1 hit “I've Been Thinking About You” and came back with a second Top 40 hit. Though it came nowhere near equalling the success of their first hit, the song did make a decent showing, peaking at #18. The song wasn't bad, but I can kind of see why it wasn't any more successful than it was.
PIECE OF MY HEART – TARA KEMP (38) – Another follow-up to a successful first hit – only this one actually did make the Top Ten. I liked both this and “Hold You Tight” about the same.
LILY WAS HERE – DAVID A. STEWART introducing CANDY DULFER (40) – Annie Lennox's former partner in the Eurythmics had taken up guitar at this point and this song was sort of a conversation between an acoustic guitar and a saxophone, the latter of which was played by Dutch musician Candy Dulfer. It was a pleasant song. Too bad they didn't have anymore hits like this.
P.A.S.S.I.O.N. - RYTHM SYNDICATE (39) – The first of two Top 40 hits for this R&B act from Connecticut. It was a good song, but their best song IMO was the underrated “Blinded By Love”, which made the lower reaches of the R&R chart in early 1992.
THE DREAM IS STILL ALIVE – WILSON PHILLIPS (40) – The fifth and final release from their first album, which had been out for over a year now, so that might be why this song wasn't as successful as the first four, as it peaked at #12. It was one of those songs that I liked at first, but quickly got tired of.
TEMPTATION – CORINA (36) – I hated this song! Especially the beginning, spoken-word part, where she condescendingly tells her boyfriend that it's over. She proceeds to rub it in his face, saying snobbish crap like “he knows to treat me like a special lady” and “time you look away, he knows just how to hold me”. The second verse rubbed more salt into the wound, regaling her ex with more and more about her new flame. I mean, what, he hadn't pushed her out into traffic by that point? I hated this song even further when the girl I was dating about ten years ago found someone knew and threw me under the bus (fortunately, I found about this via hearsay and other means, rather than this Jerry Springer-esque situation). Sorry, but I'd literally rather listen to songs like “Y.M.C.A.”, “Too Shy” and other songs that I've made it clear in my critiques that I detest than hear this cruel song, which proves how strongly I dislike it.
IT AIN'T OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER – LENNY KRAVITZ (37) – Ah, now that's better! This was Lenny's first big Pop hit, getting as high as #2 later that summer. It was a great song – reminds me a lot of Earth, Wind & Fire's 1975 hit “That's The Way Of The World”.
DOES ANYBODY REALLY FALL IN LOVE ANYMORE – KANE ROBERTS (38) – A song produced by songwriter Desmond Child, who himself would hit the Top 40 later that summer, and originally recorded by Cher on her Heart Of Stone album. It was a good song and somewhat underrated, IMO.
EVERY HEARTBEAT – AMY GRANT (39) – As her song “Baby Baby” spent a 16th and final week in the Top 40, her follow-up hit the Top 40. This song, which would peak at #2, was the second of five hits from Heart In Motion, which was by far her most successful crossover album. I liked this song, but preferred several others from her.
The next set of songs are the debuts on the June 30, 1991 chart – eight of them to be exact, which is the largest numbers of debuts on AT40 since almost exactly nine years before, when there were also eight debuts
SUMMERTIME – DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE (27) – This rappin' duo had two Top 20 hits in 1988 and, after a pair of Hot 100 mid-charters, they were back with their biggest hit ever. The song hit #4 and, even though they would only have two more Top 40 hits, Fresh Prince would be back more successful than ever in the late 1990s under his real name, Will Smith.
I'LL BE THERE – THE ESCAPE CLUB (31) – This song had been talked about in the Hot 100 Singles Spotlight, a weekly chart article, and was said to have an 80-something chance of hitting the Top Five and big chance of hitting #1 as well. Not sure how they figure that, as the song hadn't been making any huge chart moves and the song ended up defying both odds by peaking at #8. When I first heard this song, I thought someone had remade Belinda Carlisle's “I Get Weak”, as the beginning notes and chords are the same. As for the song, I thought it was a good one – my favorite of their charted hits, including their near-miss from earlier in the year “Call It Poison”.
FADING LIKE A FLOWER (EVERYTIME YOU LEAVE) – ROXETTE (34) – Their second hit from Joyride – the second of four. This song, which somehow reminded me a little of “Listen To Your Heart”, peaked at #2 in late August and, sadly, would be their last Top Ten hit. I thought the song was pretty good, but it didn't hold a candle to the title-track.
LIFE GOES ON – POISON (35) – Like their last hit, “Ride The Wind”, this song peaked where it debuted in the Top 40 – only this song held at that position for a second week instead of dropping. This song was a mid-tempo power ballad that was a pretty decent song, but I preferred "Something To Believe In".
WIND OF CHANGE – THE SCORPIONS (36) – They'd had a few minor hits in the 1980s and they were back with what would become their biggest hit ever, getting as high as #4. I liked the song and especially liked to taunt one of my co-workers who hated the song by doing the whistling part at the beginning.
YOU CAN'T PLAY WITH MY YO-YO – YO-YO f/ICE CUBE (37) – Well OK for you! I'm a little old to be playing with yo-yo's anyway – and really, so are you! As you may have guessed, I never cared for this song at all.
LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING – CHER (38) – One of her previous songs debuted on the chart the previous week by another artist and this week, Cher herself debuts with the lead-off single from her upcoming album Love Hurts. It was a good song, but I preferred the follow-up, “Save Up All Your Tears”, which would barely make the AT40 chart in early 1992.
SEE THE LIGHTS – SIMPLE MINDS (40) – This may not have been one of their biggest pop hits (as this was all the higher it got), but it was a #1 hit on Billboard's Modern Rock chart back in May. The song was pretty good.
JULY
(EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU – BRYAN ADAMS (31) – I knew right away this song, was going to be a huge hit! Earlier in the year, I was hoping that Mariah Carey's “Someday” would be the top song of 1991 (according to R&R), so she'd top the year-ender two years in a row, but then Amy Grant's recent chart topper beat it by one point, and then Paula Abdul beat those two songs by a point as well. When this song, which was both from Bryan Adams' upcoming album Waking Up The Neighbours and the soundtrack to the summer blockbuster movie Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, started racing up the chart, I hoped it would beat all four of those. That is exactly what happened – he put those three songs to shame with his long stay at #1, as well as in the Top Ten and Top 40. Here on AT40 the song spent seven weeks on top, the longest run since “Every Breath You Take” by the Police just eight years before, and it also became the Billboard's top song of 1991, and deservedly so, as it was a great song!
NIGHTS LIKE THIS – AFTER 7 (37) – From the 1991 musical drama The Five Heartbeats, this was After 7's fourth Top 40 hit. They were one of those acts whose success lasted only one album, as the three songs from their debut album made the Top 20, while successive singles from them did not do as well (Even though this song did peak at #24, it fell like a rock right afterward). This song was OK, but I preferred said Top 20 hits.
MOTOWNPHILLY – BOYZ II MEN (39) – Definitely one of the best new R&B acts of the 1990s, as this was the first of many hits they charted with throughout the decade, and its showing was definitely noteworthy, as the song peaked at #3 and spent eighteen weeks in the Top 40, good enough to place it at #15 on the year-ender. Despite the title of the song, this was not a throwback to the Philly disco sound of the mid- to late 1970s. It was still a pretty decent song, though I preferred many others from them.
I CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE – HI FIVE (33) – Their second Top 40 hit became their second Top Ten hit peaking at #8. This slow jam was possibly my favorite of their four Top 40 hits.
3 A.M. (Eternal) – The KLF (36) – This was the first of two Top 40 hits for this British acid house act, both of which were pretty successful on the charts, hitting the Top 20. This was the bigger of the two hits, peaking at #5. It was a pretty good song, but I preferred their next hit, which we'll be getting to in early 1992.
CRAZY – SEAL (38) – Another British singer here, with his very first Top 40 hit. Though upbeat, it has a nice, relaxing melody, and I sometimes hear the song on WMGN's Magic Sunday Morning show. It was a great song IMO.
KISSING YOU – KEITH WASHINGTON (40) – This was a one-week wonder on AT40, but it fared much better on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, where it spent a week at #1 back in May. It was a really nice slow jam that I felt should have done much better on the chart.
HARD TO HANDLE – THE BLACK CROWES (36) – The second song from this southern rock band was the song they seem to be most famous for, as it's just about the only song from them that gets any kind of recurrent airplay. The song was OK, but I preferred their first hit from earlier that year.
YOU COULD BE MINE – GUNS 'N ROSES (37) – They were gearing up for a double album release – that is two separate albums, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II. This song was from the latter, as well as the theme to the recently released film Terminator II: Judgment Day. Due to it not being on the soundtrack and the album two months away from release, you can guess that this one was a hot seller, certified gold and peaking at #2 on the Sales chart, though I don't think it got very much in the way of airplay, based on its #29 peak on the Hot 100. I wasn't a huge fan of the song, or them in general at this point – they just didn't still have the same appeal that they did back in the late-80s.
NOW THAT WE FOUND LOVE – HEAVY D & THE BOYZ (38) – Originally recorded by the O'Jays and covered several times, it was this version of the song that was the most successful, peaking at #11 on the Hot 100. I thought it was a pretty good song, though nothing I'd go out and buy.
ELEVATE MY MIND – STEREO MC'S (39) – The biggest chart success for this British hip-hop/electronic dance group came two years later with the hits “Connected” and “Step It Up”, but they did have a minor hit in 1991 (it was a one-week wonder on AT40). I wasn't a huge fan of this song; I preferred said 1993 hits.
THE PROMISE OF A NEW DAY – PAULA ABDUL (40) – As her first hit from Spellbound was vacating the #1 position after five weeks up there, the second hit was jumping onto the entire Hot 100 up at #40, looking like another #1 hit. It was the song that finally had the power to dethrone the Bryan Adams song (after five other songs peaked at #2 behind it). I thought this was a good song – upbeat and positive. Possibly my favorite of her five Spellbound singles.
TOO MANY WALLS – CATHY DENNIS (31) – After two upbeat dance hits, she goes with a ballad as her third solo hit. As stated earlier, this was my favorite of her three 1991 hits – a great song indeed!
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM... - C&C MUSIC FACTORY (34) – Their three 1991 hits were more gimmicks than anything else IMO and this was the ultimate, as it was used in several commercials later in the decade. Possibly their most overrated hit, although “Gonna Make You Sweat” would be a close second.
THE MOTOWN SONG – ROD STEWART (36) – Putting on Motown records and blasting them out all over the neighborhood just so you can hear it on the roof? I'll bet there were a lot of complaints from the neighbors, possibly even a visit from the police for disturbing the peace! Needless to say, I wasn't a big fan of this song.
UNFORGETTABLE – NATALIE COLE w/NAT KING COLE (37) – In this song, she dubbed in the vocals from her late father's 1961 version of this classic that he originally recorded back in the early 1950s to make it sound like a real-time duet. She also did that with other songs from him, including “When I Fall In Love”, which was a minor AC hit in 1996. Though this song sounded out of place for 1991, it was a great song nonetheless.
TIME, LOVE, AND TENDERNESS – MICHAEL BOLTON (38) – The second hit from his album of the same name was the sixth and final #1 AC hit during 1991 to feature a gospel choir (that I know of, anyway). It fared quite well on the Hot 100 as well, peaking at #7 in mid-September. It was a good song, though I preferred most of the other singles on the Time, Love, And Tenderness album.
ONLY TIME WILL TELL – NELSON (40) – Their fourth and final hit from After The Rain, and my favorite of the bunch. I felt this song, their only power ballad should have been released earlier, as it would probably have peaked higher than #28. A great, underrated song indeed!
AUGUST
LOVE OF A LIFETIME – FIREHOUSE (36) – Now THIS was a true power ballad – and it became Firehouse's biggest hit ever, peaking at #5. It remained my favorite song from them until 1995, when “I Live My Life For You” was released.
LET THE BEAT HIT 'EM – LISA LISA & CULT JAM (37) – I forgot all about this song (which is understandable, as this was its only week on AT40). This was pretty much your typical freestyle dance hit of the early 1990s. I generally preferred them in the mid-late 1980s.
JUST LIKE YOU – ROBBIE NEVIL (38) – As I mentioned in my 1989 commentary, his first album was successful, with three Top 20 singles, but the next two albums – commercial disappointments (Heck, the album from which this song was released, Day 1, didn't even hit the Billboard 200). This song was not bad, but nothing exceptional either.
LEARNING TO FLY – TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS (40) – This may not have been his/their biggest hit at Top 40 radio, but the song was spending its sixth and final week atop the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, becoming their most successful hit at that format. I thought it was a cool song.
I ADORE MI AMOR – COLOR ME BADD (28) – Their first hit, “I Wanna Sex You Up”, which by now had been certified double platinum, was on its way down the chart, spending a sixteenth and last week in the Top 40, but their new song would become their very first #1 hit. I preferred this song – they had awesome harmonies on this great ballad.
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MARKY MARK & THE FUNKY BUNCH f/LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY (35) – Mark Wahlberg, brother of Donnie Wahlberg, who wrote this as well as all their charted hits, decided to try out the music business, and it paid off, as this song went all the way to #1. The song, which sampled “Love Sensation”, which topped the Dance Club Play chart in 1980, was a pretty good song IMO, though I preferred their next hit, “Wildside”, as well as their near-Top 40 hit “You Gotta Believe”, from late 1992.
MY NAME IS NOT SUSAN – WHITNEY HOUSTON (36) – Her recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner” broke her Top Ten streak (since that song was almost exclusively sales-fueled), but her fourth hit from I'm Your Baby Tonight would have broken the streak anyway (of songs that hit the Top 40, that is), as it peaked at #20. No matter; she would come back stronger than ever a little over a year later. This song, which is about her catching her man inadvertently calling her by his old love's name, was a good one, but I preferred her two ballads from I'm Your Baby Tonight.
SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE – R.E.M. (39) – Kate Pierson, of the B-52's was a featured singer on Iggy Pop's hit “Candy” earlier in the year and in this song, she was also featured, though uncredited. Her vocals were instrumental in this being my favorite of their two 1991 hits, as well as possibly my favorite R.E.M. song of all time!
POP GOES THE WEASEL – 3RD BASS (40) – This song, which sampled songs by Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, and the Who, charted mainly on sales. I myself wasn't a huge fan of the song, however.
IT HIT ME LIKE A HAMMER – HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (35) – His prerequisite doo-wop type single was his second release from Hard At Play, and, though it came close, it just couldn't seem to break the Top 20. Though my favorite of his two 1991 hits, I still preferred many others from them.
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT – BONNIE RAITT (39) – Despite having been active for twenty years, this was surprisingly her first Top 40 hit. It did quite well, too, peaking at #5. It was a great song, but I preferred a few others from them, including many of her AC-only hits.
LOVE ON A ROOFTOP – DESMOND CHILD (40) – I mentioned this singer/songwriter earlier, and here he is with his sole Top 40 hit, which spent only a single week in the Top 40 here at the anchor position. It was a great song and a shame it didn't do any better than it did (at least it hit the Top 30 on the R&R chart).
EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL – AARON NEVILLE (35) – This song originally charted in 1972 by the Main Ingredient and Aaron Neville's cover removed him from one-hit wonder status as a solo artist. I liked the way that Neville replaced the spoken-word part at the beginning by singing those lines. It was a great song that did the original justice, IMO.
ROMANTIC – KARYN WHITE (36) – Her sophomore album gave Karyn her very first (and so far only) number one song. This one, however, doesn't get much in the way of recurrent airplay, and I still don't know how this wound up on AT40's Top 40 of the 1990s list. It wasn't a bad song, but it pretty much blends in with most dance music of the early 1990s.
HOLE-HEARTED – EXTREME (37) – Their second and final Top 40 hit, but like the first one, it enjoyed a good, long chart run (though its last few weeks were thanks to the chart switch). I especially liked the video for this song about them performing in the street and a bunch of random people came out to listen to them play. This was my favorite of their two chart hits – a great song, indeed!
DO ANYTHING – NATURAL SELECTION f/NIKI HARRIS (40) – This was the first Top of two Top 40 hits for this dance duo from Minnesota. The original 1990 version of the song featured Ingrid Chavez on the rap vocals, but, due to contractual technicalities, Niki Harris, who was best known for being one of Madonna's backing vocalists, was featured on the re-recorded version that became a hit. This song was pretty good, but I preferred their next hit.
EMOTIONS – MARIAH CAREY (35) – Earlier, I mentioned how I thought “I'll Do 4 U” was sampling the Emotions “Best Of My Love”. This song was definitely inspired by the song – though it did not sample the song, the bass line was almost identical (that's probably why it was so-titled). It was a great song and I knew that this would continue Mariah's #1 hit streak!
ENTER SANDMAN – METALLICA (38) – They'd been active since their formation in 1981, but didn't have their first Hot 100 hit until 1989, when they hit #35 with “One”. This song did significantly better, peaking at #16, largely on sales, as this song peaked at #3 on that chart. The song was OK, IMO, but I preferred their power ballads like “Nothing Else Matters” and “I Won't Be Home For Dinner”
THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE - .38 SPECIAL (39) – Max Carl was still the lead singer of the band, but they returned to their traditional rock style with this song, which, sadly, was their last Top 40 hit. I thought it was a great song – too bad it didn't get any higher than #33.
GOT A LOVE FOR YOU – JOMANDA (40) – I had been hearing this song on Z95 and B96 for the past month or so. Sort of a funny situation the first time I remember hearing it – since I was getting up at 6:00 on Sunday mornings to listen to Dave Sholin's Insider, many of those times after working until midnight on Saturdays at the pizza joint, I would often doze off after AT40 was over with and the radio sometimes produced weird dreams. When this song started, I had a dream I was watching the video to it and at the beginning, the piggy bank that I had made in 8th grade was on the table, dancing to the music (since the pigs legs were lopsided, it sort of looked like it was dancing, which my subconscious incorporated into this hilarious dream, from which I soon woke up laughing my head off). As for the song, I thought it was a good song, which might be partially because of the dream, but even without it, I'd probably like it as well.
WORD TO THE MUTHA! – BELL BIV DEVOE (Airplay) – This was the third and final album cut that made the Top 40 of the Airplay chart (which, of course, would be AT40's basis later in the year) during 1991, and the only one that was never featured on any Top 40 countdown (that I know of, anyway). I took a listen to this song, which featured guest vocals by New Edition, earlier this week and I actually thought it was a really good song – especially for Bell Biv Devoe, whom I was never a huge fan of. Possibly my favorite song from them, and one I vaguely remember hearing on B96 back in the day.
SEPTEMBER
LOVE...THY WILL BE DONE – MARTIKA (34) – The first hit from her sophomore album Martika's Kitchen was a Prince-produced song that was more of an adult contemporary sound than her other songs. I thought it was a good song, though for some reason, I preferred the title-track, which only charted in the lower reaches of the Hot 100.
THE TRUTH – TAMI SHOW (39) – The first and only Top 40 hit for this Chicago band named after a 1964 concert film. It wasn't bad, but I preferred their first Hot 100 hit, “She's Only 20”, which I remember hearing on Z95 back in the spring of 1988.
THE ONE AND ONLY – CHESNEY HAWKES (40) – This song was featured in two 1991 films – first, a British film known as Buddy's Song, and later, the Michael J. Fox film Doc Hollywood. The song was a good one – too bad they don't play it much anymore.
THE REAL LOVE – BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND (38) – He was back with his band for his first Top 40 hit in four years and what became his final hit. The song also featured backing vocals from Patty Smyth and J.D. Souther. I thought this was a good song, though definitely not his best.
REAL, REAL, REAL – JESUS JONES (39) – The follow-up to their near #1 miss did almost as well, peaking at #4, but the weird thing was what happened in the two weeks after this song peaked. The song originally appeared to have peaked at #7, as it remained in that position for two weeks, losing its bullet in the second of those, then, due to many songs clearing out of the Top Five, it moved up to #4 via vacuum effect, then plunged to 23 and then 50. In 1982, this would have been somewhat normal, but was very unusual by 1991 standards. The week when it was at the halfway point of the Hot 100 was during the chart's last week before the BDS era began, so who knows how far it would have fallen had the chart continued to be figured out the old way. As for my opinion of the song, it was one of those songs that was kind of just there.
DON'T WANT TO BE A FOOL – LUTHER VANDROSS (40) – After the success of “The Power Of Love/Love Power”, Luther decided to release one of his slow jams that he was also famous for. The song peaked at #9, marking the first time he ever had two Top Tens from the same album. I loved this song and was glad that it was one of his bigger hits.
RUNNING BACK TO YOU – VANESSA WILLIAMS (38) – The Comfort Zone, which had been released a month before, proved to be Williams' best singles albums, spawning five singles, three of which made the Top 40. This was the first of them and it did moderately well, peaking at #18. She was one of those artist who seemed to fare best on the charts with ballads, which this song clearly was not.
KISS THEM FOR ME – SIOUXIE & THE BANSHEES (39) – This London-based band had their first and only Top 40 hit with this song, which got as high as #23, but it, along with their other Hot 100 hit from three years before, “Peek-A-Boo”, hit #1 on the Modern Rock chart. It was a decent song IMO.
CAN'T STOP THIS THING WE STARTED – BRYAN ADAMS (40) – His Waking Up The Neighbors album would be released several days later and, though this was the second single from it, it was the first song to originate from it (as the first song had first been included on the Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves soundtrack). It was a mid-tempo song that did well on the charts, peaking at #2 behind “Cream” by Prince. I thought it was a good song.
GETT OFF – PRINCE (31) – Speaking of Prince, here is his first hit from his album Diamonds And Pearls album. The song, which charted hugely on sales, wasn't bad, but it wasn't one of his better songs by any means, IMO.
O.P.P. - NAUGHTY BY NATURE (34) – Of course, O.P.P. stands for “other peoples privates”. This song, which sampled “ABC” by the Jackson 5, became a rap anthem and its chart success was largely based on its sales, which reached double-platinum status and put them at #1 on the sales chart. Though I wasn't a huge rap fan, this song was actually pretty good.
HEY DONNA – RYTHM SYNDICATE (35) – Their second Top 40 hit did not quite match up to the success of their first, but it did perform moderately on the chart, reaching #13. I liked this song a lot when it first came out, but for some reason, I quickly got tired of it.
WALK THROUGH FIRE – BAD COMPANY (36) – They returned to the chart after an absence of well over ten years earlier in 1991 and were now back with their second hit from Holy Water. I preferred this one over “If You Needed Somebody” by a fair margin. Too bad this song only got as high as #28.
WITH YOU – TONY TERRY (37) – This soul/new-jack singer from our nation's capital had a pair of #80 hits in 1988 and finally made the Top 40 three years later with a slow jam. I thought it was a really nice song.
OCTOBER
CREAM – PRINCE & THE NEW POWER GENERATION (32) – A week after the first single from Diamonds And Pearls hit the Top 40, the second single, which was apparently rush-released, debuts on the chart. This song was the one that got the airplay, as well as sales, and was a number one song. I liked it at first, but due to overplay, it wore out kinda fast.
DON'T CRY – GUNS N' ROSES (33) – Their second song from their twin Use Your Illusion albums came from the first one and was a power ballad. Though I preferred it over “You Could Be Mine”, it still wasn't as good as their stuff from the 80s. It was a somewhat relaxing song until Axl wails the last note endlessly.
SET THE NIGHT TO MUSIC – ROBERTA FLACK & MAXI PRIEST (39) – Originally a Top Ten AC hit for Starship in the spring of 1988, these two R&B greats do a great rendition of the song. Not sure which version I prefer, though.
I WONDER WHY – CURTIS STIGERS (40) – A somewhat common saying, usually in the sarcastic sense and with the word “gee” preceding it. Based on the lyrics, it obviously wasn't used in such context, however. This was the first of three singles from his first album, which was eponymously titled, though it was the only one to make the Top 40. The next two singles, both released in 1992, did well at AC radio.
LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX – SALT-N-PEPA (35) – For the longest time, I thought that this song wasn't deferred to the 1992 year-end chart (which it probably would have made, based on its stats) was on a technicality, as it peaked at #13 on AT40 the week before the switch, but then, when I saw the Top 40 Radio Monitor charts, which I think were used as a basis all along, I saw that it had peaked at #17 (the same week, I believe), so it was rightfully used in 1991. I wonder how close it came to the Top 100 list?
POWER WINDOWS – BILLY FALCON (38) – This song reminded me a little of “Jack And Diane”. He sounds somewhat like Mellencamp, but his voice is more grating. I wasn't a fan of this one and don't mind that it only got as high as #35.
IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY – BOYZ II MEN (39) – If my memory serves me correctly, it had been a long time since a song sung entirely a capella hit the charts (waits for someone to tell me the last one charted a few weeks back...) But seriously, this was a great song – definitely one of my favorite songs from the Boyz. The song peaked at #4 on the AT40 chart, but managed to sneak in a week on top of the R&R chart, which pleasantly surprised me.
THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS FOR – AMY GRANT (40) – The third release from Heart In Motion definitely did not suffer Third Single Syndrome, as it peaked at #7. It was a good song, though I slightly preferred the first two singles from Heart In Motion.
WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN – MICHAEL BOLTON (32) – Another song that was not a victim of Third Single Syndrome, by any means. In fact, it was just the opposite, as this song went all the way to #1. Of course, this was a remake of the old Percy Sledge classic. That version sounds quite dated IMO, but this was a great cover – my favorite of the several versions of the song that I've heard.
JUST WANT TO HOLD YOU – JASMINE GUY (37) – She was known more for acting, first in the NBC Bill Cosby spinoff show “A Different World”, and in the film School Daze, as well as a few other movies, but she did manage to hit the Top 40 with this tender love ballad. It was a great song, IMO.
MY HEART BELONGS TO YOU – RUSS IRWIN (39) – Another romantic love song that would have been really great if he hadn't sung it falsetto. Reminded me a little of “So Bad” by Paul McCartney. It is a nice song nevertheless.
GET A LEG UP – JOHN MELLENCAMP (40) – This was his first hit under his given name without the Cougar surname that his manager had assigned him. The song was the first of two Top 40 hits from Mellencamp's Whenever We Wanted album. The song got as high as #14 before the week of the chart change, when it dropped off the survey and never came back, due to only peaking at #58 on the airplay chart. I thought it was a pretty good song, though not his best.
NOTE: The above show was the final one aired by Chicago's Z95. The following weekend, the station at the 94.7 frequency simulcasted with its AM sister station WLS AM 890, which had been a talk radio station since August, 1989. At this point, I was only able to obtain AT40 on U93. Previously, I had relied on Z95's broadcast of American Top 40 if I had missed something on the U93 broadcast, usually by falling asleep, since the show was on so early in the morning on U93. But sometimes, I was listening to two shows at once and wasn't paying full attention to AT40. But I digress. Now, on with the countdown...
BLOWING KISSES IN THE WIND – PAULA ABDUL (33) – Paula went with another slow song as her third release from Spellbound. It was just about as whiny as “Rush Rush” - only thing is, it had sort of an eerie melody to it, which was its saving grace. Still, I preferred her more upbeat Spellbound singles.
SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS – PM DAWN (34) – This song, of course, was built around samples of Spandau Ballet's 1983 hit “True”. The song was a landmark #1 hit, as it hit the top of the Hot 100 the very week that the Broadcast Data System era started. The song didn't quite make it to #1 on the AT40 chart – it was #3 on the last week of the old chart system, and the following week, it was #4 on the airplay chart, having peaked at #2 a few weeks before. It was a good song, though I remember getting a little tired of hearing it every time I turned on the radio.
STREET OF DREAMS – NIA PEEPLES (38) – Known mainly as a TV actor, she did have a few chart hits. She'd charted with a minor hit in 1988 called “Trouble” and this song did a little better, peaking at #12. I preferred this song by a fair margin, as well as her next two singles, which were low charters on the R&R chart in 1992.
LIES – EMF (39) – They were another act whose success lasted only one song, although this song did hit the Top 20, but after its chart run, it was pretty much left for dead. I thought it was pretty good, though nothing special.
NOVEMBER
RING MY BELL – DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE (33) – A rap remake of Anita Ward's #1 hit from the summer of 1979, though the song more or less samples that song with new lyrics written by the Fresh Prince. It wasn't bad, but I wasn't a huge fan of them as I had been in 1988. This was another song that had been riding high on the Top 40 only to drop out the week that AT40 switched to using the airplay chart. Due to the fact that it had never hit the Top 40 on the airplay chart, it did not return to the Top 40.
SOMETHING GOT ME STARTED – SIMPLY RED (35) – Here is another such song – it was #23 the week before the chart switch and after that, they were done at Top 40 radio (they did continue to do well at AC, with two more hits in 1992). This song was OK, but one of my least favorites of their hits.
MIND PLAYING TRICKS ON ME – THE GETO BOYS (38) – This song gave “It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me” a run for its money for the shortest running song on AT40 (excluding drop-pieces, of course). I believe that only the first verse was played before the song was faded out.
RUSH – BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE II (39) – The only Top 40 hit for this British act formed by Mick Jones, former guitarist and singer of the Clash. This catchy song sampled many different songs, one of them “Baby O'Riley”, an album cut by the Who that was a classic rock staple, but this song was the closest that it ever came to charting. As for the song, I really liked it – as I said, it was very catchy.
TOP OF THE WORLD – VAN HALEN (40) – The first single for their album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (which, until someone pointed it out a few years back, I never realized the first letters of the words in the title spelled out the F-bomb). Not sure whether I preferred this or the follow-up “Right Now”. Both songs were great IMO.
KEEP COMING BACK – RICHARD MARX (34) – For the lead-off single from his recently released Rush Street album, Richard went with his most R&B oriented hit yet. With Luther Vandross singing back-up vocals, the song did well on the chart, peaking at #10 and becoming one of his biggest AC hits ever, spending four weeks on top. I liked this song, though I preferred many others from him.
ALL 4 LOVE – COLOR ME BADD (37) – Their third hit became another #1 hit for them. On the Hot 100, it spent a single week on top, but it did better on the airplay chart, with four weeks at #1. It took me awhile to warm up to this song, since it sounded more like a kiddie song to me, but by the time it hit #1, I liked it.
FINALLY – CE CE PENNISTION (39) – I am well aware that I misspelled her last name incorrectly, but if I spelled it right, it would come out “thingyton”. As was the case with the Van Halen album title, I never noticed that the first five letters of her last name spelled out the male body part – I'd always spelled it with two n's and then when I saw it only had one n, I started writing her last name correctly, still not noticing, which was indeed weird, given the gutter-mind that I had back in the day. As for the song, I liked it, though it was the only song of hers that I did like – the others were somewhat annoying.
NO SON OF MINE – GENESIS (40) – They were back with their first new album in over five years, We Can't Dance and like their last album, Invisible Touch, it spawned five singles, though none of the songs made it to the Top Five. They did all make the Top 40, though, this one peaking at #10. The melody of the song was good, though I didn't really like the subject matter, as it was about a son who ran away from his abusive home and, when he returns, he finds out that his father has disowned him. At the time, the relationship between my father and I was rocky and I was thinking that we'd never reconcile (we did, however, and over the next year, began to rebuild our relationship). But I digress. Now, on with the countdown...
LIVE FOR LOVING YOU – GLORIA ESTEFAN (36) – Many people had wondered what had happened to her Into The Light album, as she seemed to disappear after the first single, the number one “Coming Out Of The Dark”. Well, the next two singles missed the Top 40 (though the third single, “Can't Forget You”, one of my favorite songs of 1991, did make the lower reaches of the R&R chart back in July (but did very well at AC, peaking at #2). This song had sort of had a salsa feel to it and I didn't really like it at first, but now, it is possibly my second favorite song from Into The Light, although said #1 song would be very close behind. It depends on my mood at the time.
FOREVER MY LADY – JODECI (37) – The first hit for this R&B quarted whose name is made of parts of their names (the “de” part comes from two members, one of whose first name starts with the two letters, the other, the first two letters of his last name). It was a nice song, though I preferred their last two hits, as well as songs by K-Ci & JoJo, who had a few hits in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
BROKEN ARROW – ROD STEWART (38) – The third hit from the Vagabond Heart album and the last to chart (album cuts such as “You Are Everything” and the studio version of “Have I Told You Lately” got sporadic airplay, but not enough to make much of a difference on the charts). This song was OK, but I didn't really like it very much during its chart run for some reason.
WILDSIDE – MARKY MARK & THE FUNKY BUNCH (26) – Their second Top 40 hit was somewhat penalized by the chart change, as the song hit #10 on the Hot 100, but it debut position was all the higher it got on AT40. The following week, it dropped to #35 and bobbled around outside the Top 30 for about a month before dropping off the chart. Sort of weird, as the song hit #7 on the R&R chart. I guess its monitored airplay told a different story. As we all know, this song heavily sampled Lou Reed's “Walk On The Wild Side”, using its bass and the portion near the end of the original, before the fade, as a refrain. I myself thought it was a good song.
CAN'T LET GO – MARIAH CAREY (30) – Radio stations had been playing this song as an album cut for about a month before it was released as a single, so I knew this song already when it hit the chart. The song reminded me a lot of Michel'le's minor hit from earlier in the year “Something In My Heart” (and the first five notes were a dead ringer for Taylor Dayne's number one hit from the year before, “Love Will Lead You Back”). The song was OK, but I preferred many other songs from her.
CHANGE – LISA STANSFIELD (32) – Another song that reminded me of an earlier hit that I can't quite put my finger on. There were also vague similarities between this and Ashford & Simpson's “Solid”, from early 1985. This song was another song that took me awhile to warm up to, like the Color Me Badd and Gloria Estefan songs mentioned earlier, but now, it is possibly my favorite Lisa Stansfield song of all time.
BLACK OR WHITE – MICHAEL JACKSON (35) – Now here is a song that I wonder what the chart run would have been had the figuring system not changed the following week. It did hit #1 on the R&R chart in its fifth week on, and I have a feeling it probably would have been about the same on the Hot 100, but, as it was debuting at #10 on the airplay chart this week, the song shot ahead to the runner-up position the following week, beating the record for the longest leap on AT40, previously held by “Le Freak” by Chic (although, due to the changes, that would be an invalid comparison, but technically, it does count). This was one of Michael's more rock-based songs, with Slash of Guns 'N Roses playing the guitar. The song was Jackson's first of seven singles from his Dangerous album, which would be released later in the week. I liked it, but it wasn't one of my favorite songs from him. I always thought it was quite overrated.
2 LEGIT 2 QUIT – HAMMER (36) – He had dropped the MC from his name, which might not have been the best move, as his career seemed to go south from there. This song, as well as the follow-up, “Addam's Groove”, did hit the Top Ten on the Hot 100, but he didn't see much of any chart action at all afterward. I wasn't a huge fan of this song at all – I thought it was loud and obnoxious, like most rap music had become by this point.
SPENDING MY TIME – ROXETTE (40) – Here's a song that definitely experienced Third Single Syndrome – even though the song reached #14 on the R&R chart, it didn't even touch the Top 30 on the AT40 chart, peaking at #32. As for the song itself, it was pretty good, somewhat reminiscent of “It Must Have Been Love”.
At this point, AT40 went in a whole new direction. As of the beginning of the 1992 survey period, the Hot 100 was changing over from its compilation method of station playlists and record sales reports to monitored airplay and actual sales detections, courtesy of Nielsen Broadcast Data System. At the same time, American Top 40 was in serious trouble, as its number of affiliates was dropping at an alarming rate. ABC Watermark felt that this was because of all the sales-fueled songs, some of those songs charting exclusively on record sales, on AT40, most of them rap or rap-based songs and, when a vote was conducted by ABC Watermark, with management and others with close ties to the show participating, the Hot 100 was unanimously voted out as the basis for AT40. They decided to instead, use the Top 40 Radio Monitor, Billboard's airplay chart that had debuted in the magazine a year before and eventually replaced the Hot 100's airplay subchart. The week of the switch, many songs that had already had a head start on the airplay chart took large jumps on the chart, other older songs suddenly reversed course, the most drastic being “Emotions” by Mariah Carey, which rebounded from 33 to 9. Seven songs re-entered the chart, the highest being “Love Of A Lifetime” by Firehouse, at #18. Add to that total five debuts and that meant twelve songs that were on the survey the week before falling out. Four of those songs were in the Top 20, the highest being “Don't Cry” by Guns 'N Roses. That song peaked at #56 on the Top 40 Radio Monitor, meaning that it did not return to the chart later on. In fact, only three of the songs that fell from the AT40 chart the week of the switch returned to the charts, which were the latest songs by Jodeci, Roxette and Hammer. Indeed, the chart switch was drastic and many chart freaks were very vocal about their displeasure of the Hot 100 no longer being used as a basis for the chart, via phone calls and letters to ABC Watermark. The reason I initially didn't like it was because I had no idea what chart they were using – it wasn't until late March when it occurred to me that they might be using one of their subcharts and, when I looked at the Top 40 Radio Monitor in a Billboard magazine I bought at a local newsstand and it matched the AT40 chart I'd heard several days before, I realized I was right. I came to like the change since it reflected what was being played on the radio. Some of the songs that charted higher on R&R were by established acts that radio stations decided to put high on their charts, even though they may not have really been playing them that much. Monitored airplay indeed told the true story of what was happening on the radio. Anyway, here we go with the last few charts of 1991.
TOO BLIND TO SEE IT – KYM SIMS (33) – One of those dance songs that didn't quite make the R&R chart, and pretty much had the T40RM to thank for any chart action, as the song only got as high as #38 on the Hot 100. On AT40, it spent sixteen weeks on the chart, peaking at #22. The song was mediocre at best, IMO.
LOVE ME ALL UP – STACY EARL (36) – Another such song, only this one did make the R&R chart, peaking at #12. It peaked at #18 on AT40 and, like the above song, made the lower reaches of the year-end chart.
I LOVE YOUR SMILE – SHANICE (38) – This was one of the biggest hits of 1992, topping the chart for five weeks. One of my co-workers at the pizza joint hated this song due to its overplay and one day, he was endlessly hassling me at work, and the next day, another co-worker and I got back at him – he would do the whistling part and I sang the do-do-do's. Drove the guy up the wall! Anyway, I myself was a little tired of the song, but now I like it – sounds a little like some of the upbeat music that Basia did around the same time.
A DAY IN MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU – LISETTE MELENDEZ (39) – This was a freestyle hit like her hit from earlier in the year “Together Forever”. This was its only week on AT40, as it had already peaked at #35 on the T40RM. That's too bad, because I rather liked this song.
HOUSECALL – SHABBA RANKS f/MAXI PRIEST (40) – Another one-week wonder on AT40, since it had been also been on the airplay chart before, though only the week before at #39. The song was OK, but nothing I'd go out and buy.
DECEMBER
MYSTERIOUS WAYS – U2 (38) – The second hit from their brand-new album Achtung Baby. The first single, “The Fly” was released two weeks before, but, although the song fared very well on the Album and Modern Rock charts, they decided to release this song to Pop radio, which proved to be a good move, as the song was a Top Ten hit on the Hot 100. The song came close to hitting the Top Ten on the AT40 chart, peaking at #11. It was a good song, IMO.
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO – TEVIN CAMPBELL (39) – His second Top 40 hit and it turned out to be one of his biggest, peaking at #6, both on the Hot 100 and the AT40 chart. This song was a ballad and, though it was melodically a great song, he seemed to whine it more than he did sing. He did much better on ballads a few years later, as soon as his voice had changed.
JUST A TOUCH OF LOVE – C&C MUSIC FACTORY (40) – Their most repetitive song ever. All I have to say is thank God this song was an AT40 one-hit wonder. I did not care for this song at all and it sort of put my slight contempt for a few of their other songs in perspective.
This next chart was incorrect, as last second changes by Billboard to the chart were not relayed to the AT40 chart. As a result, AT40 used the wrong chart, with only twelve songs in their rightful positions, mainly near the top of the chart.
THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT YOU – KARYN WHITE (26) – When I first heard this song, which came in at #24 on the correct chart, I thought it sounded very much like “Alright” by Janet Jackson. I'm kind of surprised that this song was not a Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis production, but rather, produced by another successful R&B songwriting team, L.A. Reid & Babyface. Though this wasn't one of my favorite songs, I did prefer it over said Janet Jackson song, as it didn't contain the annoying whoops.
DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME – GEORGE MICHAEL w/ELTON JOHN (27) – A spot higher on the correct chart, this song was a live remake of Elton's classic from 1974. At a George Michael concert, during which George performed this song, Elton made a surprising visit after the first chorus, to thunderous applause from the crowd. I actually liked this version better than the original, though I wish radio had played the full version (as the second verse, which was bumpered together with the first, was cut out on the version that I usually heard – must have been a demo version, as the single clocks in at 5:44.
KEEP IT COMIN' – KEITH SWEAT (36) – This song was also a spot higher on the official chart. He went back to his upbeat sound for this one. Despite the fact that I don't like dance music very much, there was something about his songs that I did like, though I don't know exactly what.
DIAMONDS AND PEARLS – PRINCE & THE NEW POWER GENERATION (37) – Now this was by far the furthest removed from its position on the correct chart, where it came in at number 30. It must have had lots of plays on the stations whose info was added with this last minute change. This was the title-track from his then-current album and almost made it to #1, but was held in the runner-up spot by “I Love Your Smile” by Shanice. I thought this was a good song – much better than the first two releases.
ANGEL BABY – ANGELICA (x) – This song was cheated out of its only week in the Top 40 of the airplay chart, since it was apparently on some of the stations involved in the under-the-wire changes. I wonder what number it would have been on the incorrect chart? We'll probably never know. Anyway, I wasn't cheated out of hearing the song, since it was in regular rotation on B96 and I heard it quite a lot. It was a good song – a typical R&B slow jam of its time.
No debuts to report during the last two weeks of December – the December 21 chart had only the re-entry of “Forever My Lady” by Jodeci. “Something To Talk About” by Bonnie Raitt was the song responsible for edging out “Angel Baby” - on the correct chart, it was just outside the Top 40 and re-entered on December 21. The week of December 28, AT40 counted down the Top 100 of 1991, so there were obviously no new entries that week either.