Weaver's Charts

August 1999

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: 25 bands, 8 lasses, and 7 blokes. There are 18 United Stations, 12 British acts, three Canadians, three Germans, two Irish, one Puerto Rican and one Dutch act in the 40.

This	Tot wks	TITLE album Act	Peak
Number One
1	5	One Week at #1 MAMBO NUMBER FIVE Lou Bega	1
It's not unusual for a record to crack this chart based on overseas success. It is absolutely remarkable for one to make #31 on the sales pile based on import copies alone. But that's what happened to this track; the UK release was brought forward a week to stem the import tide, one of the imports was so long it gave him the #1 budget album for a fortnight, and the song looks set to storm quickly up on release. Though why so many people should want the theme song for Channel Four's cricket coverage, when they've shown two losses in the worst season ever, is beyond me.
2	7	One Week at #1 BETTER OFF ALONE Alice DJ	1
A strange track, all thumping keyboard and quietly insistent vocal. Shouldn't work well, but it does, somehow. Had it not been for Lou's amazing popularity, this would have romped away with the monthly prize.
3	19	Four Weeks at #1 Very Long Runner LIVIN' LA VIDA LOCA Vuelve / Ricky Martin Ricky Martin	1
The loud, brash, brassy breakthrough single - and US Number One - from Ricky picks up huge amounts of pre-release airplay, and turns into his first significant hit in the UK. It reached a hugely successful position - two months on the listings, #12 by the week, #15 by the month, without being available in any store, and rocketed to the top of the monthly listings in its second week of release. Where it remained for a month, in spite of losing one of its CD formats owing to an error in the length of the disc. That slip also gave him the #1 budget album for a week.
4	6	One Week at #1 WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL Notting Hill OST / By Request Ronan Keating	1
The third single lifted from the British movie of the summer, following Another Level's "From the Heart" and Elvis Costello's cover "She". Boyzone are, in true Ross and Rachel style, 'on a break' at the moment, allowing lead singer Ronan's first solo effort to chart. It still appears on Boyzone's greatest hits album. There is a book being run on which of Boyzone, the Spice Girls or Elvis Presley will produce a brand new album first. The Spices are favourites. Like most of Boyzone's work, this is also a cover - Keith Whitley doing the original back in 1988. The 'zone have also recently covered tracks by John Michael Montgomery ("I Love The Way You Love Me") and Anne Murray ("You Needed Me"), making them the second biggest country act of the year, behind Shania.
5	14	BEAUTIFUL STRANGER Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Madonna	2
Confirming her status as the most successful act of the decade, Madonna continues in a similar vein to last year's "Ray of Light" album. It joins "Crazy For You", "Who's That Girl?" and "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" as her biggest hits from movies.
6	13	WILD WILD WEST Wild Wild West ost Will Smith	2
The most bland star in America plugs his movie over 120 times in four minutes. The tune part of the song's not bothered to show up. An American number one, but only while they waited for something better from the soundtrack to turn up.
Sureshot
7	4	Very Long Runner UNPRETTY Fanmail TLC	7
The second single off the girls' album may be the most commercial piece of New Jill Swing ever to feature a guitar solo. But then, with lyrics about how Society (read: men) expect womyn to look like models all the time, the track works on many levels. I'm waiting to see someone claim that TLC, not the Spices, invented Girl Power...
8	11	MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE My Love is Your Love Whitney Houston	3
Eyebrows all over Chart City were raised when Whitney's last single, "It's Not Right But It's OK", turned out to be the best thing she's released in over a decade. With this classy track, soft soul at its finest, Whitney finally stakes the claim to singing high ground that she vacated after the bombastic "One Moment in Time" in October 88. And we've missed her, as a counterweight to the over-wrought Mariah and the icy Celine. "Heartbreak Hotel" is set to cause major chaos in late September, throwing a major spanner into end-of-year calculations.
9	14	IF YOU HAD MY LOVE On The Six Jennifer Lopez	3
Latino dance seems to be the flavour of the summer, with Ricky Martin and Ms Lopez having sizy hits. This is slower, but in a similar vein. Another American chart topper, like Ricky.
10	4	IF I LET YOU GO Westlife	10
Yet another slow song with a Boyzone connection; this band remain co-managed by Ronan Keating. It's a slow ballad that does nothing to advance the cause of music, and is almost the same - if a little less inspired - than their breakthrough three months ago. Out of this is not built a long career.
11	3	MI CHICO LATINO Schizophrenic Geri Haliwell	11
After her solo album fell quickly away from a peak at 4, the critical jury was quick to declare Ginger's solo career a flop. But the success of this single - top of the pile for a week on sales - and the resurgance it's given to that album - may yet give them cause to ask for cream to pour on their words. It's worth remembering that Robbie Williams didn't have a sniff of the top spot for five months after the release of his solo album. At #11, Geri becomes the top British act in a month dominated by Germans.
Single Of The Month
12	4	DRINKING IN LA Bran Van 3000 Bran Van 3000	12
While solo Canadian acts have had great success in recent years - witness the domination of Shania Twain this year, Celine Dion in the mid 90s, and Bryan Adams for most of 1991 - groups from the North Country have had a far more difficult task. This year, though, there's been breakthroughs for the Moffatts, the Barenaked Ladies, and now this eight-piece act from Vancouver and Victoria. "Drinkin" first came out to great critical acclaim in May 98, but could only make #82 that month, and #532 for the year. Since then, it's found use in a commercial for beer, and has come back to deserved success.
13	13	SOMETIMES ...baby one more time Britany Spears	4
The second hit single, a slower, wistful, more melodic ballad. Spears is still more hype than substance, but there are showings of a decent talent there.
14	18	Four Weeks at #1 THAT DON'T IMPRESS ME MUCH Come On Over Shania Twain	1
The top non-US act this month is Canada's biggest star of the moment. It's the most twangy dance track around since Steps' debut. Or, looking another way, the most dancey country entry since the Wurzels (or something.) Whichever, Shania is appealing to both country and dance audiences, and the large crossover-AOR segment between. The album hit a new peak at #2 on the success of this track. Shania returned to the top of the monthly chart at the beginning of July, the first track to do so since the original "Three Lions" downed the Fugees in 1996.
July's Single Of The Month
15	8	BILLS BILLS BILLS The Writing's On The Wall Destiny's Child	11
In the same vein as Whitney and Lauryn, the Girl Power from the R&B camp is a sight to behold. Their run as America's biggest was curtailed by Will Smith.
16	7	IF YOU'RE GETTING DOWN Five	8
Another tedious, similar, single from the UK's biggest domestic boy band.
17	5	WHY DOES IT ALWAYS RAIN ON ME? The Man Who Travis	17
The third release from this album becomes their biggest hit, being a classic soft rock number.
18	5	FEELGOOD Fats & Small	18
"Does it feel good to you?" ask the lyrics to this tune, exactly the same as their last one. "No" is the answer.
19	6	BALIAMOS Wild Wild West OST Enrique Inglesias	19
Son-of-Julio has a bigger hit on his hands with this track. It's got a clear Latin touch, which seems to be flavour of this summer. It shows his voice to be a strong implement, far stronger than other contributors to this movie; like another contributor, he's spent a week at the top in the States. Unlike the notional star, he stayed for a second.
20	11	9PM (TIL I COME) ATB	2
This year's Ibiza hit, a reworking of one of last year's, managed to secure points on two import versions before its UK release, peaking at #48 on sales. The track itself is much nothingness, though an identifiable and slightly addictive nothing.
21	5	RENDEZVOUS Remedy Basement Jaxx	20
The same as their last track, only even more boring. Somehow.
22	3	SUMMER SON The Hush Texas	22
Another slice of tedium from the band that used to be interesting.
23	5	GUILTY CONSCIENCE The Slim Shady Album Eminem	21
This is the reason why we can't stand Mathers. Dr Dre tries to talk sense into the WOS, but to no effect. Here's a reprise of a link to something far more wholesome: Respond is a work by Boston area singer-songwriters who want to put a stop to anti-women violence. $15.98.
May's Single Of The Month
24	22	Very Long Runner KISS ME Sixpence None The Richer Sixpence None The Richer	1
Now this is a good one. Jangly pop, with sultry, swooping, female vocals. And with great tunes. The album is also wonderful. Single of the year; or a contender for that. This tune made #13 on the weeklies before release, breaking the previous best of #15 set by Robbie's "Millennium" last September, a record subsequently broken by Ricky Martin at #12.
Sureshot
25	5	LET FOREVER BE Surrender Chemical Brothers	23
With a little help from Noel Gallagher, formerly of Oasis, the Brothers formerly known as Dust have another major hit. This time, it's even appealing to this commentator, which is something that's never happened before.
26	8	LOVE'S GOT A HOLD ON MY HEART Steps	2
The formula is beginning to wear a little thin. Steps became the only British act in July's top 10.
27	2	MUCHO MAMBO Shaft	27
An updated version of Rosemary Clooney's song "Sway" - a hit for Dean Martin in '54 - was set for release in the spring until Clooney's estate denied permission to use her vocals. Claire Vaughan is the new vocalist, re-working a track by the artist who had the first mambo chart-topper back in 55.
28	12	BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM The Party Album Vengaboys	9
Their song is back, and this time it's called...
29	10	SECRET SMILE Feeling Strangely Fine Semisonic	13
The soft, melting strings, with a rasping voice combine for one of the greatest tunes of this year. As they did on "Closing Time", one of the greatest slipped discs of last year, and set for a re-release in early autumn.
30	7	ALL STAR Astro Lounge Smash Mouth	16
Following up 1997's "Walking On the Sun", Smash Mouth finally have a second UK hit. A little slower, a little less strange than their original, but still a quality breath of fresh air.
31	7	GENIE IN A BOTTLE Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera	29
Another American teen sensation, spending five weeks atop the chart over there. She's not set to be sprung on an unsuspecting UK market until the end of October, but managed to enter the sales 75 a full month before her scheduled release.
Sureshot
32	6	WHERE MY GIRL'S AT 702	23
It seems that female R&B groups are the in thing at the moment. 702 are protogees of Missy Elliott, but aren't quite up to scratch yet. They're the first new act from the Motown label since Boys II Men broke in 1992.
33	18	Very Long Runner I WANT IT THAT WAY Millennium Backstreet Boys	3
A year after their last single, and three years after their first Top 3 hit, the Backstreet five are still just inches away from their first UK number one. With Boyzone and Geri Spice releasing new material, the topper had to wait. But this was the first track with enough soul to cross over into the mainstream market.
34	6	STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART Doolally	33
Shanks and Bigfoot under another pseudonym, with a re-issued track that fell short in November last year.
35	8	SYNTH AND STRINGS Yomanda	19
One of the more (er) instantly forgettable tracks of the summer.
36	12	BRING IT ALL BACK S Club 7 S Club 7	4
A seven-strong group are featured in a Monkees-style show about their life and "entertaining" antics. This is the first release, and becomes an immense hit. The last shot at marketing a group in this way was 97's North and South, who were poor on the telly but great on record. The track is one of those earwigs; no matter how much you want to keep it out, it gets in and stays in.
Sureshot
37	5	LAST KISS No Boundaries Pearl Jam	32
Lifted from the Kosovan refugee fundraiser album, Pearl Jam suddenly found themselves with a #2 hit on their hands in the US in late June, after radio took to this tune like a duck to water. Sadly, their British counterparts have continued to bury their head in the sand, and one of the year's classic singles looks set to sink without trace.
Sureshot
38	11	I WILL REMEMBER YOU Mirrorball Sarah MacLachlan	25
Following the massive success of "Adia" last autumn, Sarah's new live album is promoted by this live track. There's no word of a single to buy, but this is a corking track.
39	7	SCAR TISSUE Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers	25
The lead single from their first album in four years shows a return to the soft funk of the "Blood Sugar Sex Majic" era. The singing is as incomprehensible as ever, but this is a decent enough track. It's spent eleven weeks atop America's Modern Rock charts (the one formerly known as Alternative), eight weeks as the US' most played track, and hit the top in Canada. It remains popular over here, more so than their follow-up.
Sureshot
40	3	SUMMER GIRLS LFO LFO	40
The Lyte Funky Ones are no relation to the LFO who hit the top 20 here in summer 1990 with a music-with-bleeps track imaginatively entitled "LFO". This is a reggae-tinged rap track, based around the bass hook from Extreme's 1991 hit "More Than Words". It aims to encourage a 1990-ish vibe, namechecking Macaulay Culkin's role in "Home Alone", MJ Fox in "Back To The Future Ill", and the New Kids On The Block (who are, according to bad reception, a bunch of tits.) Released here next month and set to be massive.

UK acts in blue;Canadian acts in red;Irish acts in green.

breakers...

sep 7 99