Weaver's UK Music Charts

Weaver's Charts

January 2000

Heavy notice: These charts are not intended as any representation of sales or airplay data on any station. They are merely intended as a guide to the most successful records in the UK at the moment. Unauthorised reproduction in print, electronic, broadcast or other media is not permitted without the consent of the author.

On the survey this month: 21 bands, 10 blokes, 8 lasses, and one duet. There are 18 United Stations, 13 Brits, 2 Canadians, 2 Irish, and one each from Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and Puerto Rica in the 40.
Ps wk TITLE (album)
Act Peak Hon
1 2 BORN TO MAKE YOU HAPPY (...Baby One More Time)
Britney Spears 1x1 SS
Single four from the former Mouseketeer is another upbeat, poppy track, with slightly dodgy lyrics. Shifting 91,000 copies first week out was enough to give it the sales #1 that week, and climb from 53 to 5 on the monthly review. It hit the top one week later.
2 3 U KNOW WHAT'S UP
Donell Jones 2 Jan
This slow-burning track has one of those hooks that just lands in the ear and refuses to dislodge itself. The UK version features Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez from TLC, who contributes a rap that is absent from the US release.
3 11 (IF YOU) STEAL MY SUNSHINE (You Can't Stop The Bum Rush)
Len 3 Dec
This one seems to have been bubbling around since the year dot. It's actually been around as an import airplay track since August, finally getting a UK release at the end of November. Based on the hook from "More More More", a top 5 hit for the Andrea True Connection in 1977 - and Bananarama's farewell hit from 1993 - the Canadian five piece forms their own rap / singalong slab of genius.
4 9 REWIND
Artful Dodger 2
Two DJs in Southampton combined to make this insanely catchy track, which doesn't tread any new ground - Shanks and Bigfoot did something similar in the spring - but is almost irresistable. This shot from 36 to 9 here in its second week.
5 7 SEASONS IN THE SUN / I HAVE A DREAM (Westlife)
Westlife 1x3
Sickbags ahoy! After the obligatory Ballad As Third Single comes the Obligatory Christmas Cover. On one side, the ABBA song that provided them with a Christmas #2 in 1979 is recreated with the "assistance" of a children's choir. On the other, the band turn Jacques Brel's moving letter from a fallen soldier - taken to the top in 1976 by Terry Jacks - into an uplifting, rabble-rousing ditty. Has their manager, a Mr R. Keating of Dublin, no shame? It made the top spot over the Christmas period, as anticipated by all-comers, but could emulate Sir Cliff's fall from 1 to 46 in a month.
6 17 I TRY (On How Life Is)
Macy Gray 2 Oct
Where Lauryn Hill has picked up flak for being too rich to have been miseducated, Macy appears to be the real item. She sounds like R&B diva Hill after a few too many ciggies - though her voice is entirely natural - and has come out with an absolute belter of a track. If you've never heard it, do so at once; if you've turned it off halfway through because it's going nowhere, go back and listen to it in full. The song projects a big city, late at night, and received hyper-enthusiastic airplay on London's breakfast show. It also set eyebrows aflame on the UK sales chart, for daring to climb up the chart for seven consecutive weeks. Such is the abuse of the sales list by record companies that no record has managed this trick since Celine Dion in 1994-5.
7 9 THAT'S THE WAY IT IS (All The Way: A Decade Of Hits)
Celine Dion 7 SS
If we're to believe her, this will be the last release from la Dion for quite some time. For the first time since the re-release of "Misled" in 1995, Celine's charting with an upbeat, bouncy, groovy number.
8 9 BACK IN MY LIFE
Alice DJ 5
See their previous hit, "Better Off Alone" in the summer. This is a little less catchy, but might have a few more depths to it. If I could be bothered to explore them, that is.
9 7 TWO IN A MILLION (S Club)
S Club 7 4
It's the group's third single, so it must be a sappy ballad. A notional double A-side with "Say I'm The One".
10 4 A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK
DJ Luck 10
It's the new Macy Gray - and we've not worn the old one out yet! Every year throws up one record like this; entering just before Christmas, it grows and grows over the festive period to become a serious smash early in the new year. Steps' debut "5-6-7-8" from 97-98 is the most famous example of this phenomenon, but DJ Luck is giving them a run for their money. It's a relatively forgettable piece of ragga, but the chart performance is something else. It went up the sales chart for three straight weeks from release, something not done since Donna Lewis managed it in 1996, before becoming the first record to climb into the top 10 since Aerosmith in 1998.
11 7 BARBER'S ADAGIO FOR STRINGS (Pieces In A Modern Style)
William Orbit 11
An instrumental that does exactly what it says on the tin: takes English composer Samuel Barber's most famous bit and turns it into a techno tune. He's done the same to other classical bits; before classical purists queue up to complain, two words: "Millennium" and "Prayer". The album is almost a straight re-issue of Orbit's 1995 album, released under a pseudonym before he became really famous.
12 2 THE MASSES AGAINST THE CLASSES
Manic Street Preachers 12
At their new year concert in Cardiff, the band unveiled a new track that sounded more like their early noisemeister work than the more subtle, modern sound. As a "gesture to their fans", the band allowed it to be released on a limited edition single, one that retailers could not re-order after the release date. As expected, the limited edition status gave it an instant sales #1.
13 15 IF I COULD TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME (R)
R Kelly 1
x1 SS
When the first single from this album was released, Liverpool and Newcastle were involved in European football, Geri was still a Spice, and John Major was prime minister. "I Believe I Can Fly" spent three weeks at the top in April 97, since when there have been five more singles off R's double album. This, though, is the biggest since, and is his greatest ballad with the possible exception of "...Fly". Import sales of this single helped it spend three weeks on the sales 75 before release, but the UK release only features a 4 minute radio edit, losing the 90 second introduction. It's showed strong sticking powers, sneaking a week at the top of the monthly pile.
14 4 WHAT A GIRL WANTS (Christina Aguilera)
Christina Aguilera 14
Single two is clearly a dance number, and shocked many people by hitting the US top spot for a fortnight.
15 15 WAITING FOR TONIGHT (On The 6)
Jennifer Lopez 4
The second single is an upbeat dancey number, though still one that tries to show her vocal talents. It helps to have some, though. Jennifer spent three weeks atop the Canadian countdown.
16 7 SAY YOU'LL BE MINE / BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW (Steptacular)
Steps 8
For the second year running, a double-sided single from the teen queens. On one side, an upbeat love song that wouldn't be entirely out of place on an early Wham! album. On the other, producers Stock and Aitken do a tribute to themselves with their own hit - originally written for Kylie Minogue in 1990. That was a step in a new direction for all parties, an injection of new ideas that Steps could really benefit from.
17 21 BLUE (Europop)
Eifell 65 1
x2
Another of the records that hit before release; in this case, a #39 single plus a #1 budget album. On release it topped the sales charts, and soared from 40 to 9 to 2 on this listing, missing the top by one week. The burnout has been slow, with a new lease of life coming from crossover success in North America.
18 13 KEEP ON MOVIN' (Invincible)
Five 6
This was the single that finally gave the fans still following the outmoded Units Shifted countdown reason to cheer, their first topper on that list after three years of trying. This is a slightly new direction, as the band pretend to be light-rockers, in a sort of Heart-wannabe phase. It won't last.
19 1 THE GREAT BEYOND (Man on the Moon OST)
REM 19 SS
One of the tracks on 1992's "Automatic for the People" was an affectionate tribute to US comedian Andrew Kauffmann. In true Hollywood style, there's now a movie of that man, taking its name after the song. REM have recorded the entire soundtrack to the film, including this lead single. It's become their biggest sales hit in a long time, and should surpass "Shiny Happy People" before February is out.
20 7 KISS (WHEN THE SUN DON'T SHINE) (The Party Album)
Vengaboys 11
It's the fifth time round for the Vengasong. Has the joke started to wear thin yet?
21 13 I KNEW I LOVED YOU (Affirmation)
Savage Garden 12
The second single from ver Garden's comeback album is another soft, slushy ballad. It's nowhere near as high quality as "Truly Madly Deeply", and won't be remembered three months from now, never mind the two years that TMD has spent on Billboard's AC chart. Sadly, the Great British Public seems to prefer this mush to truly great songs, such as "The Animal Song". The United Stations seem to agree, sending this to the top of the Billboard countdown for two weeks.
22 1 RISE (Rise)
Gabrielle 22 SS
The second single lifted from Gaby's third album becomes her second track to top the weekly sales lists. Like her breakout hit, 1993's "Dreams", this is a soft soul track, based on a classic sample. Then, it was Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car"; now, it's Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". This is the first time that the patron saint of folk rockers has allowed his work to be sampled, and marks the third time in the last decade that a variant of the tune has ridden high in the UK. Back in 1992, Guns & Roses took their metal cover to #2. A variant of the song with changed lyrics hit the top in 1996, and is generally regarded as the most crass chart-topper of the decade.
23 12 SHE'S THE ONE / IT'S ONLY US (I've Been Expecting You / The Ego Has Landed)
Robbie Williams 1
x1 SS
A curious double A-sided single for Williams. On one side, a sweet little ballad that radio is leaping over itself to play; on the other, an upbeat, powerful number that declines to take itself too seriously. "She's The One" attracted most airplay initially, in spite of being available for over a year on his album, while "It's Only Us", the first new Robbie in a long time, fell somewhat shorter. That side gets the Sureshot.
24 12 WILL2K (Willennium)
Will Smith 7
The most sanitised man in rap takes one of the worst Clash tracks, "Rock the Casbah", strings his own brand of kindergarten rap round it, and makes some oh-so-funny puns that must have been written by Richard Whitely.
25 3 RHYTHM DIVINE (Enrique)
Enrique Iglesias 25 NB
The second release from Iggles Minor was a very minor hit in the UK, bombing at #56 sales. It's a far larger hit elsewhere in the world, prompting thoughts of a re-release in a few months.
26 8 RADIO (MTV Unplugged)
Corrs 26
While we await the third proper album from Britain's biggest band of 1998, there's this novelty to be getting along with. MTV Unplugged sessions were almost obligatory for acts around 1993, with Nirvana, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart and k d lang amongst the most fondly remembered. The tracks here are very little different from the studio albums, though radically different from the lightly-dancified singles last year. "Radio" has not received such treatment, and is sold on its own merits.
27 21 SMOOTH (Supernatural)
Santana feat Rob Thomas 13 NB
Rob is the vocalist from Matchbox 20, joining the rest of Carlos' group on a laid-back but still charged hit. America knows this is great; it's spent a record-cracking twelve (12) weeks on top of the Billboard survey, the longest run since Brandy and Monica in the summer of 98, and just three weeks adrift of Mariah's all-time record. Just for good measure, "Smooth" has spent four weeks at the top in Canada, and led Santana to ten Grammy nominations, including Record and Song of the Year for this track. In the UK, self-proclaimed home of great music, it made #75 on this sales chart. Britain gets a second bite of the cherry in April.
28 7 EVERYBODY
Progress 23 SS
Way back in the beginning of time (1986), Madonna had a #1 hit with "Papa Don't Preach". The song starts with a violin motif that repeats late in each chorus. The motif has been bought by a well-known car company at the back end of their television commercials, and it's that sting that forms the basis of this track. There's some frantic drumming and a bloke chanting "Everybody" on a record that is a lot more than the sum of its parts.
29 1 BECAUSE OF YOU
Scanty Sandwich 29
Faceless dance act. Next!
30 9 SHAKE YOUR BONBON (Ricky Martin)
Ricky Martin 26
Blee! Groo! Blah! Ricky loses the goodwill his last two singles have created with this anodyne slab of twaddle. If an unknown had released it, the track would be dead in the water. It's an especially bad move in the UK, where this is the immediate follow-up to "Livin La Vida Loca"; the bad second track may cost Martin heavily. Somehow, this spent two weeks at the top of the Canadian listings.
31 2 YOU ONLY TELL ME YOU LOVE ME WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK (Nightlife)
Pet Shop Boys 31 SS
The third single from this album is a soft, almost balladic, number, describing a relationship that only functions well when one party is blotto. The gentlemen of pop deserve a sizy hit once in a while, but this underperformed somewhat.
32 1 HOT BOYZ
Missy Elliott 32 SS
Missy's first major hit since "I Want you Back", a duet with Mel B (as was), is a hip-hop track with clear soul overtones. It's jaunty and rather good.
33 11 KING OF MY CASTLE
Wamdue Project 2
Originally released by terminally cool label Creation's dance offshoot in summer 98, this stiffed. But it's been all round Europe on a promo tour of trendy clubs and becomes a hit over here. It's limp, wet noodlings over a tedious backing track.
34 1 DESERT ROSE (Brand New Day)
Sting 31
Just for a change, Sting does African music, with help from a genuine Moroccan star. Shame the result is almost unlistenable.
35 15 I NEED TO KNOW (Marc Anthony)
Marc Anthony 21
The latest US dance sensation is a young bloke with a decent single. You don't need to know any more. You do? OK. Marc is a top-selling salsa act in the USA, but has never taken off in the UK at all. This has really turned heads in the US, but stiffed on sales here. Such is the woeful nature of the market that its poor first week showing condemned it to an early grave. Ripe for a re-issue in May, I suspect.
36 28 GENIE IN A BOTTLE (Christina Aguilera)
Christina Aguilera 1
x4
Another American teen sensation, spending five weeks atop the chart over there. She wasn't released onto an unsuspecting UK market until the beginning of October, but managed to enter the sales 75 a full month before her scheduled release. When she did come out, it was straight to the top, and she's hung around well since.
37 1 LEARN TO FLY (There Is Nothing Left to Lose)
Foo Fighters 37 SS
Originally released here last October, the Foos lead track - a jaunty number that rocks brilliantly - has become a hit at last.
38 1 HANGINAROUND (This Desert Life)
Counting Crows 38 NB
First single from the third CCrows album is a reasonable rocky number, though not one that has imprinted itself firmly on my mind.
39 10 BACK AT ONE (Back At One)
Brian McKnight 28 SS NB
Brian's a great soul singer, popular in the States, but with no profile over here. This record, charting on import success only, might just be the soul groove that launches his career. It's a romantic number, charting a way to woo a lady. UK release is due in mid-February.
40 1 SHOW ME THE MEANING OF BEING LONELY (Millennium)
Backstreet Boys 40 NB
This one's a soft ballad, but with the usual power pop punch we've come to associate with the band.
SureShots on yellow, Singles of the Month on red, records Not British hits on green.

Ps	wk	TITLE (album) Act	Peak	Hon
1	2	BORN TO MAKE YOU HAPPY (...Baby One More Time) Britney Spears	1x1	SS
Single four from the former Mouseketeer is another upbeat, poppy track, with slightly dodgy lyrics. Shifting 91,000 copies first week out was enough to give it the sales #1 that week, and climb from 53 to 5 on the monthly review. It hit the top one week later.
2	3	U KNOW WHAT'S UP Donell Jones	2	Jan
This slow-burning track has one of those hooks that just lands in the ear and refuses to dislodge itself. The UK version features Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez from TLC, who contributes a rap that is absent from the US release.
3	11	(IF YOU) STEAL MY SUNSHINE (You Can't Stop The Bum Rush) Len	3	Dec
This one seems to have been bubbling around since the year dot. It's actually been around as an import airplay track since August, finally getting a UK release at the end of November. Based on the hook from "More More More", a top 5 hit for the Andrea True Connection in 1977 - and Bananarama's farewell hit from 1993 - the Canadian five piece forms their own rap / singalong slab of genius.
4	9	REWIND Artful Dodger	2
Two DJs in Southampton combined to make this insanely catchy track, which doesn't tread any new ground - Shanks and Bigfoot did something similar in the spring - but is almost irresistable. This shot from 36 to 9 here in its second week.
5	7	SEASONS IN THE SUN / I HAVE A DREAM (Westlife) Westlife	1x3
Sickbags ahoy! After the obligatory Ballad As Third Single comes the Obligatory Christmas Cover. On one side, the ABBA song that provided them with a Christmas #2 in 1979 is recreated with the "assistance" of a children's choir. On the other, the band turn Jacques Brel's moving letter from a fallen soldier - taken to the top in 1976 by Terry Jacks - into an uplifting, rabble-rousing ditty. Has their manager, a Mr R. Keating of Dublin, no shame? It made the top spot over the Christmas period, as anticipated by all-comers, but could emulate Sir Cliff's fall from 1 to 46 in a month.
6	17	I TRY (On How Life Is) Macy Gray	2	Oct
Where Lauryn Hill has picked up flak for being too rich to have been miseducated, Macy appears to be the real item. She sounds like R&B diva Hill after a few too many ciggies - though her voice is entirely natural - and has come out with an absolute belter of a track. If you've never heard it, do so at once; if you've turned it off halfway through because it's going nowhere, go back and listen to it in full. The song projects a big city, late at night, and received hyper-enthusiastic airplay on London's breakfast show. It also set eyebrows aflame on the UK sales chart, for daring to climb up the chart for seven consecutive weeks. Such is the abuse of the sales list by record companies that no record has managed this trick since Celine Dion in 1994-5.
7	9	THAT'S THE WAY IT IS (All The Way: A Decade Of Hits) Celine Dion	7	SS
If we're to believe her, this will be the last release from la Dion for quite some time. For the first time since the re-release of "Misled" in 1995, Celine's charting with an upbeat, bouncy, groovy number.
8	9	BACK IN MY LIFE Alice DJ	5
See their previous hit, "Better Off Alone" in the summer. This is a little less catchy, but might have a few more depths to it. If I could be bothered to explore them, that is.
9	7	TWO IN A MILLION (S Club) S Club 7	4
It's the group's third single, so it must be a sappy ballad. A notional double A-side with "Say I'm The One".
10	4	A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK DJ Luck	10
It's the new Macy Gray - and we've not worn the old one out yet! Every year throws up one record like this; entering just before Christmas, it grows and grows over the festive period to become a serious smash early in the new year. Steps' debut "5-6-7-8" from 97-98 is the most famous example of this phenomenon, but DJ Luck is giving them a run for their money. It's a relatively forgettable piece of ragga, but the chart performance is something else. It went up the sales chart for three straight weeks from release, something not done since Donna Lewis managed it in 1996, before becoming the first record to climb into the top 10 since Aerosmith in 1998.
11	7	BARBER'S ADAGIO FOR STRINGS (Pieces In A Modern Style) William Orbit	11
An instrumental that does exactly what it says on the tin: takes English composer Samuel Barber's most famous bit and turns it into a techno tune. He's done the same to other classical bits; before classical purists queue up to complain, two words: "Millennium" and "Prayer". The album is almost a straight re-issue of Orbit's 1995 album, released under a pseudonym before he became really famous.
12	2	THE MASSES AGAINST THE CLASSES Manic Street Preachers	12
At their new year concert in Cardiff, the band unveiled a new track that sounded more like their early noisemeister work than the more subtle, modern sound. As a "gesture to their fans", the band allowed it to be released on a limited edition single, one that retailers could not re-order after the release date. As expected, the limited edition status gave it an instant sales #1.
13	15	IF I COULD TURN BACK THE HANDS OF TIME (R) R Kelly	1 x1	SS
When the first single from this album was released, Liverpool and Newcastle were involved in European football, Geri was still a Spice, and John Major was prime minister. "I Believe I Can Fly" spent three weeks at the top in April 97, since when there have been five more singles off R's double album. This, though, is the biggest since, and is his greatest ballad with the possible exception of "...Fly". Import sales of this single helped it spend three weeks on the sales 75 before release, but the UK release only features a 4 minute radio edit, losing the 90 second introduction. It's showed strong sticking powers, sneaking a week at the top of the monthly pile.
14	4	WHAT A GIRL WANTS (Christina Aguilera) Christina Aguilera	14
Single two is clearly a dance number, and shocked many people by hitting the US top spot for a fortnight.
15	15	WAITING FOR TONIGHT (On The 6) Jennifer Lopez	4
The second single is an upbeat dancey number, though still one that tries to show her vocal talents. It helps to have some, though. Jennifer spent three weeks atop the Canadian countdown.
16	7	SAY YOU'LL BE MINE / BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW (Steptacular) Steps	8
For the second year running, a double-sided single from the teen queens. On one side, an upbeat love song that wouldn't be entirely out of place on an early Wham! album. On the other, producers Stock and Aitken do a tribute to themselves with their own hit - originally written for Kylie Minogue in 1990. That was a step in a new direction for all parties, an injection of new ideas that Steps could really benefit from.
17	21	BLUE (Europop) Eifell 65	1 x2
Another of the records that hit before release; in this case, a #39 single plus a #1 budget album. On release it topped the sales charts, and soared from 40 to 9 to 2 on this listing, missing the top by one week. The burnout has been slow, with a new lease of life coming from crossover success in North America.
18	13	KEEP ON MOVIN' (Invincible) Five	6
This was the single that finally gave the fans still following the outmoded Units Shifted countdown reason to cheer, their first topper on that list after three years of trying. This is a slightly new direction, as the band pretend to be light-rockers, in a sort of Heart-wannabe phase. It won't last.
19	1	THE GREAT BEYOND (Man on the Moon OST) REM	19	SS
One of the tracks on 1992's "Automatic for the People" was an affectionate tribute to US comedian Andrew Kauffmann. In true Hollywood style, there's now a movie of that man, taking its name after the song. REM have recorded the entire soundtrack to the film, including this lead single. It's become their biggest sales hit in a long time, and should surpass "Shiny Happy People" before February is out.
20	7	KISS (WHEN THE SUN DON'T SHINE) (The Party Album) Vengaboys	11
It's the fifth time round for the Vengasong. Has the joke started to wear thin yet?
21	13	I KNEW I LOVED YOU (Affirmation) Savage Garden	12
The second single from ver Garden's comeback album is another soft, slushy ballad. It's nowhere near as high quality as "Truly Madly Deeply", and won't be remembered three months from now, never mind the two years that TMD has spent on Billboard's AC chart. Sadly, the Great British Public seems to prefer this mush to truly great songs, such as "The Animal Song". The United Stations seem to agree, sending this to the top of the Billboard countdown for two weeks.
22	1	RISE (Rise) Gabrielle	22	SS
The second single lifted from Gaby's third album becomes her second track to top the weekly sales lists. Like her breakout hit, 1993's "Dreams", this is a soft soul track, based on a classic sample. Then, it was Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car"; now, it's Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". This is the first time that the patron saint of folk rockers has allowed his work to be sampled, and marks the third time in the last decade that a variant of the tune has ridden high in the UK. Back in 1992, Guns & Roses took their metal cover to #2. A variant of the song with changed lyrics hit the top in 1996, and is generally regarded as the most crass chart-topper of the decade.
23	12	SHE'S THE ONE / IT'S ONLY US (I've Been Expecting You / The Ego Has Landed) Robbie Williams	1 x1	SS
A curious double A-sided single for Williams. On one side, a sweet little ballad that radio is leaping over itself to play; on the other, an upbeat, powerful number that declines to take itself too seriously. "She's The One" attracted most airplay initially, in spite of being available for over a year on his album, while "It's Only Us", the first new Robbie in a long time, fell somewhat shorter. That side gets the Sureshot.
24	12	WILL2K (Willennium) Will Smith	7
The most sanitised man in rap takes one of the worst Clash tracks, "Rock the Casbah", strings his own brand of kindergarten rap round it, and makes some oh-so-funny puns that must have been written by Richard Whitely.
25	3	RHYTHM DIVINE (Enrique) Enrique Iglesias	25	NB
The second release from Iggles Minor was a very minor hit in the UK, bombing at #56 sales. It's a far larger hit elsewhere in the world, prompting thoughts of a re-release in a few months.
26	8	RADIO (MTV Unplugged) Corrs	26
While we await the third proper album from Britain's biggest band of 1998, there's this novelty to be getting along with. MTV Unplugged sessions were almost obligatory for acts around 1993, with Nirvana, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart and k d lang amongst the most fondly remembered. The tracks here are very little different from the studio albums, though radically different from the lightly-dancified singles last year. "Radio" has not received such treatment, and is sold on its own merits.
27	21	SMOOTH (Supernatural) Santana feat Rob Thomas	13	NB
Rob is the vocalist from Matchbox 20, joining the rest of Carlos' group on a laid-back but still charged hit. America knows this is great; it's spent a record-cracking twelve (12) weeks on top of the Billboard survey, the longest run since Brandy and Monica in the summer of 98, and just three weeks adrift of Mariah's all-time record. Just for good measure, "Smooth" has spent four weeks at the top in Canada, and led Santana to ten Grammy nominations, including Record and Song of the Year for this track. In the UK, self-proclaimed home of great music, it made #75 on this sales chart. Britain gets a second bite of the cherry in April.
28	7	EVERYBODY Progress	23	SS
Way back in the beginning of time (1986), Madonna had a #1 hit with "Papa Don't Preach". The song starts with a violin motif that repeats late in each chorus. The motif has been bought by a well-known car company at the back end of their television commercials, and it's that sting that forms the basis of this track. There's some frantic drumming and a bloke chanting "Everybody" on a record that is a lot more than the sum of its parts.
29	1	BECAUSE OF YOU Scanty Sandwich	29
Faceless dance act. Next!
30	9	SHAKE YOUR BONBON (Ricky Martin) Ricky Martin	26
Blee! Groo! Blah! Ricky loses the goodwill his last two singles have created with this anodyne slab of twaddle. If an unknown had released it, the track would be dead in the water. It's an especially bad move in the UK, where this is the immediate follow-up to "Livin La Vida Loca"; the bad second track may cost Martin heavily. Somehow, this spent two weeks at the top of the Canadian listings.
31	2	YOU ONLY TELL ME YOU LOVE ME WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK (Nightlife) Pet Shop Boys	31	SS
The third single from this album is a soft, almost balladic, number, describing a relationship that only functions well when one party is blotto. The gentlemen of pop deserve a sizy hit once in a while, but this underperformed somewhat.
32	1	HOT BOYZ Missy Elliott	32	SS
Missy's first major hit since "I Want you Back", a duet with Mel B (as was), is a hip-hop track with clear soul overtones. It's jaunty and rather good.
33	11	KING OF MY CASTLE Wamdue Project	2
Originally released by terminally cool label Creation's dance offshoot in summer 98, this stiffed. But it's been all round Europe on a promo tour of trendy clubs and becomes a hit over here. It's limp, wet noodlings over a tedious backing track.
34	1	DESERT ROSE (Brand New Day) Sting	31
Just for a change, Sting does African music, with help from a genuine Moroccan star. Shame the result is almost unlistenable.
35	15	I NEED TO KNOW (Marc Anthony) Marc Anthony	21
The latest US dance sensation is a young bloke with a decent single. You don't need to know any more. You do? OK. Marc is a top-selling salsa act in the USA, but has never taken off in the UK at all. This has really turned heads in the US, but stiffed on sales here. Such is the woeful nature of the market that its poor first week showing condemned it to an early grave. Ripe for a re-issue in May, I suspect.
36	28	GENIE IN A BOTTLE (Christina Aguilera) Christina Aguilera	1 x4
Another American teen sensation, spending five weeks atop the chart over there. She wasn't released onto an unsuspecting UK market until the beginning of October, but managed to enter the sales 75 a full month before her scheduled release. When she did come out, it was straight to the top, and she's hung around well since.
37	1	LEARN TO FLY (There Is Nothing Left to Lose) Foo Fighters	37	SS
Originally released here last October, the Foos lead track - a jaunty number that rocks brilliantly - has become a hit at last.
38	1	HANGINAROUND (This Desert Life) Counting Crows	38	NB
First single from the third CCrows album is a reasonable rocky number, though not one that has imprinted itself firmly on my mind.
39	10	BACK AT ONE (Back At One) Brian McKnight	28	SS	NB
Brian's a great soul singer, popular in the States, but with no profile over here. This record, charting on import success only, might just be the soul groove that launches his career. It's a romantic number, charting a way to woo a lady. UK release is due in mid-February.
40	1	SHOW ME THE MEANING OF BEING LONELY (Millennium) Backstreet Boys	40	NB
This one's a soft ballad, but with the usual power pop punch we've come to associate with the band.

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jan 19 00

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