40 50 TELL ME WHY –•– Expose – 3 (40)
Their third single off of "What You Don't Know" was an anti-gang violence message that sounded less like Miami freestyle and more like new jack swing. 7/10
39 47 WAS IT NOTHING AT ALL –•– Michael Damian – 9 (39)
Decent Latin-flavored pop ballad from Danny Romalotti-er, Michael Damian, who topped the chart the previous June with his cover of David Essex's "Rock On".
38 46 WHAT KIND OF MAN WOULD I BE? –•– Chicago – 4 (38)
This remix of an album track from "Chicago 19" was released as a single for the group's "1982-1989" greatest hits compilation and became their final top five hit. Great adult contempoary soft rock.
37 39 FOOL FOR YOUR LOVING –•– Whitesnake – 16 (37)
Vai's short-lived stint with the 'Snake didn't bring them nearly as much success as their '87 s/t album, but they did get a couple of top 40 entries, including their second attempt at re-recording an earlier 'Snake tune. I enjoy it!
36 18 LEAVE A LIGHT ON –•– Belinda Carlisle – 13 (11)
Her third solo album saw her final two top 40 singles, and here's the first of them, which is fairly solid.
35 29 DON’T MAKE ME OVER –•– Sybil – 14 (20)
New Jack Swing-era R&B singer whose lone top 40 hit came in the form of a Dionne Warwick cover. Not bad.
34 42 PEACE IN OUR TIME –•– Eddie Money – 4 (34)
Originally recorded by Jennifer Holliday for that Seoul Olympics compilation over a year prior, the Money Man records his own version for his "Sound of Money" greatest hits compilation, and does Holliday one better with some good soft rock on this one.
33 33 BUST A MOVE –•– Young M.C. – 22 (7)
Don't lie: you've probably busted a move to this hip-hop classic on more than one occasion!
32 41 TENDER LOVER –•– Babyface – 6 (32)
He may have been primarily known as a songwriter for others, but Kenneth Edmonds' own '89 solo debut was great new jack swing, and the title track is no exception (though I prefer the previous single, the awesome top 7-charting "It's No Crime"...)
31 22 THE LAST WORTHLESS EVENING –•– Don Henley – 12 (21)
Henley with some deep relationship advice on the second single off of his third (and biggest selling) solo album. It's okay, though not great.
30 37 I’LL BE GOOD TO YOU –•– Quincy Jones Featuring Ray Charles & Chaka Khan – 6 (30)
Let's all pay tribute to a musical legend with this groovin' Brothers Johnson cover off of Q's new jack swing-era late '89 album "Back on the Block"--with a pair of R&B legends in Ray Charles and Chaka Khan on it, no less! A 10/10 for sure!
29 40 JANIE’S GOT A GUN –•– Aerosmith – 5 (29)
'Smiff's classic ode to anti-pedophilia/child abuse in its second week in the top 40. Sobersmith at their absolute best.
28 14 ANGELIA –•– Richard Marx – 12 (4)
His third (and my personal favorite) single from "Repeat Offender", a song which he admitted was inspired by Def Leppard. Marx is an absolute adult contemporary soft rock god and shows you why here.
27 24 WHEN I SEE YOU SMILE –•– Bad English – 15 (1)
Every Sludger's favorite Waite/Schon supergroup project showing you why Diane Warren was the songwriting queen of chart-toppers with another killer ballad.
26 34 I REMEMBER YOU –•– Skid Row – 6 (26)
Speaking of ballads, here's two in a row with a Bach and Co. hair classic.
25 12 (IT’S JUST) THE WAY THAT YOU LOVE ME –•– Paula Abdul – 19 (3)
Paula Abdul with her fourth top five hit (three of which went all the way to #1). Good/Very good.
24 11 DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES –•– Kix – 16 (11)
Rock ballad #3 for the week in the form of Kix's lone top 40 hit and one of my top five hair ballads of all-time.
23 26 ROCK AND A HARD PLACE –•– Rolling Stones – 8 (23)
The Stones with their final (to date) top 40 hit, and it's a fairly good one.
22 17 LOVE SHACK –•– The B-52’s – 17 (3)
An instant sing-along classic (one that you should probably be singing in your head right now, in fact) from Athens, GA's other favorite music legends following a personal tragedy-induced mid-80's slump. Ricky Wilson would have been proud.
21 27 OH FATHER –•– Madonna – 7 (21)
Madge tackles her unresolved family issues (in this case her resentment of her father's remarrying of the family housekeeper following her mother's early death) on a lyrically deep pop ballad. 8/10
20 28 TWO TO MAKE IT RIGHT –•– Seduction – 7 (20)
MTV VJ Idalis with her girl group's biggest hit, and a solid danceable number it is.
19 30 DOWNTOWN TRAIN –•– Rod Stewart – 5 (19)
Sir Rod does a damn good job covering Tom Waits for what would be the third occurance of a greatest hits compilation being released with a new promotional single.
18 25 WHEN THE NIGHT COMES –•– Joe Cocker – 9 (18)
Joe Cocker's final top 40 single and his first since that Jennifer Warnes duet for the "An Officer and a Gentleman" soundtrack. A nice mix of classic rock and soul, typical of Cocker's repertoire.
17 23 FREE FALLIN’ –•– Tom Petty – 8 (17)
"She's a good girl, loves her mama...". A damn Petty classic.
16 20 LOVE SONG –•– Tesla – 13 (16)
More hair ballad Sludge for ya with a Tesla classic!
15 21 JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME –•– Lou Gramm – 9 (15)
First single from Lou's second solo album and my favorite of his non-Foreigner solo hits.
14 19 SWING THE MOOD –•– Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers – 9 (14)
Bizarre British novelty tune in which some British DJ's mash up samples of big band/swing, rockabilly, and Elvis under the guise of a cartoon rabbit mascot. I honestly don't know how this became a top 40 hit, but it did, and it's amusing enough to listen to.
13 6 BLAME IT ON THE RAIN –•– Milli Vanilli – 12 (1)
Everyone's favorite lip-synching phonies Rob and Fab with their third chart-topper, then one more top four single before the charade ended. Very good/Excellent.
12 15 EVERYTHING –•– Jody Watley – 11 (12)
Her third single from her sophomore release "Larger Than Life" is an excellent breakup-themed R&B slow jam and on its way up to a peak of #4 this week.
11 16 HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU –•– Michael Bolton – 9 (11)
Bolton's transition from session songwriter/occasional top 40 visitor to his brief run as crooning adult contemporary megastar begins here several years after Laura Branigan first made it a minor hit. Cornball and dated, but fuck you, I love it!
10 9 LIVING IN SIN –•– Bon Jovi – 12 (9)
Final top 40 entry from "New Jersey", which was still tearing up the charts over a year after its release. The Jove at his heartthrob best.
9 13 THIS ONE’S FOR THE CHILDREN –•– New Kids On The Block – 7 (9)
Sap-tastic and cheeseball PSA from the New Kids' '89 novelty X-mas album that probably had their young female fanbase at the time swooning and the rest of us all pissing our pants with laughter.
8 10 JUST LIKE JESSE JAMES –•– Cher – 10 (8)
Second top ten hit from Cher's "Heart of Stone" album is standard pop rock ballad fare, but she does it so well.
7 7 PUMP UP THE JAM –•– Technotronic Featuring Felly – 11 (7)
A monster dancefloor classic. Get your booty on the floor tonight and crank this one!
6 4 BACK TO LIFE –•– Soul II Soul Featuring Caron Wheeler – 14 (4)
Their biggest hit is pure new jack swing bliss, though a bit on the jazzier and more soulful side than your usual new jack swing fare.
5 5 WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART –•– Taylor Dayne – 10 (5)
Pop music's other Taylor with a fine top five hit for her lead single from "Can't Fight Fate".
4 8 RHYTHM NATION –•– Janet Jackson – 7 (4)
Awesome title track from her chart-topping '89 album. That whole album is one of the Jackson family's finest moments, in fact.
3 1 WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE –•– Billy Joel – 11 (1)
This one gets about as much critic hate as "We Built This City" these days because of its ubiquitously cheesy lyrics, but who cares? It's a friggin' Billy Joel classic!
2 3 DON’T KNOW MUCH –•– Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville – 13 (2)
An okay pop ballad duet, but not much else.
1 2 ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE –•– Phil Collins – 8 (1)
Phil Collins taking on homelessness and scoring his final #1 in grand fashion. Doesn't get much better than this as far as Phil Collins hits go. 10/10
