Hidden Gems Of The 90s Survivor [R1 : 1995]

[SholasBoy]

RESULTS
21 CRUCIFIED
25 MOTOWNPHILLY
25 SOMEDAY
35 AM I THE SAME GIRL?
36 LOVE IS STRANGE
41 I'M DOING FINE NOW
42 OPP
44 IF WE HOLD ON TOGETHER
54 SHAME, SHAME, SHAME
61 COCA COLA SHAPE

The bottom 3 will go through to a sudden death round

[SholasBoy]

1993
1993.jpg
In 1993 beanie babies first hit the shops, Slovakia became independent from Czechia, Mrs Doubtfire hit the big screen and The X Files was the big new TV hit of the year.

The top 3 hits in the UK were:
Meatloaf - I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
UB40 - I Can't Help Falling In Love With You
Ace Of Base - All That She Wants

Meanwhile, all this was released too......

U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind (no.7)
Italian dance act, U.S.U.R.A. had a hit on their hands in 93 with this other worldly hypnotic techno track. While dance music got bigger and bigger throughout the decade, this one got left behind and is rarely mentioned since.

Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love (no.14)
Using that RuPaul series 1 vaseline filter, power vocalist, Taylor Dayne had an unlikely hit with a cover of this song by the walrus, Barry White. It would be her last top 20 hit in both the UK and US.

Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven (no.5)
In the 90s if you had a hit with a dance track, the thing to do was slightly tweak it and release it again as a new single, that's what happened here when UCC followed their massive hit "The Key/The Secret". But no matter how successful any follow ups were, it's always the original that people will go back to.

Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love (no.12)
Who knew that Jamaican Brit, Pauline Henry had eight top 75 hits in the 90s? The biggest, and best of them was "Feel Like Makin Love' which was the nearest she came to having a top 10 hit. On TOTP she was definitely feeling herself and so were we!

Gloworm - I Lift My Cup (no.20)
The first hit for Gloworm was a surprising number, "I Lift My Cup (To The Spirit Divine)" which had a very tribal sound and a listen to it would almost surely put a voodoo curse on the listener. When the follow up, "Carry Me Home" was a top 10 smash, this song was re-released again in hopes to make it a bigger hit, but it only made no.46 second time round and were never seen again.

Stereo MC's - Ground Level (no.19)
It sounded like Stereo MC's came straight out of the Madchester scene with lead singer, Rob Birch having all the swagger of the Gallaghers or Shaun Ryder, but in fact, they came from Nottingham. They had four consecutive top 20 hits from their "Connected" album, but while the title track and "Step It Up" are fondly remembered, the other 2 have been left behind. This blends the britpop sound of the time with hip hop, soul and electronica.

Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air (no.24)
For every Take That in 1993, there were half a dozen Bad Boys Inc, as every record label fought to have their own best selling boy band. Bad Boys Inc released 6 singles from their debut album and despite one of them going top 10. Most of their singles were standard boy band fodder from the time, but they showed some vocal promise with this tribute to the 1970s vocal groups that came before them.

Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead (no.12)
Honestly, I only came across this song recently, so it was hidden from even me, though it was actually one of Bjorks more successful hits. It sounds like the Bond Theme that never was, and following it, David Arnold would go on to actually score 5 Bond films.

Evolution - Everybody Dance (no.19)
Producers, Evolution had a string of singles in the 90s and 00s, their most successful being a cover of Chic's "Everybody Dance", which was a fine example of the gospel/soul house sound of the time.

Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine (no.17)
London electronic group, Oui 3 mixed together the sounds of trip hop, house and hip hop and had some short lived success in the UK charts. "Break From The Old Routine" hung around the charts for a few weeks, but still could get no further than no.17 on the charts.
------

U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind
Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love
Gloworm - I Lift My Cup
Stereo MC's - Ground Level
Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air
Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead
Evolution - Everybody Dance
Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine

Rank 1 (fave) - 10 (least fave)

[SholasBoy]

Benny
basticasas
navi
Plym
cheapthrills
Erotica
Spartan
Metalweb
Thriller
JSparksFan
heppolo
Chantal
Leo
artur
CrazyCrazy
matthew_dixon
hun
steophonic


I've tagged those that played FAST FORWARD survivor plus a few others, if you want to be added or taken off let me know

[hun]

I love Play Dead but I’d never think of it as hidden.

where is ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’?

[SholasBoy]

where is ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’?

Been in every Survivor since UK MIx opened.

[Thriller]

Been in every Survivor since UK MIx opened.

About as hidden as Janet’s tit at Super Bowl!

[Benny]

1 Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven (fave)
2 U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind
3 Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
4 Evolution - Everybody Dance
5 Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love
6 Gloworm - I Lift My Cup
7 Stereo MC's - Ground Level
9 Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air
8 Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine
10 Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead

I love Urban Cookie Collective's 4 top 40 hits. Sadly, singer Diane Charlemagne passed away of cancer in 2015, aged 51.

'Open Your Mind' is a great Eurodance classic. Never been a big fan of Taylor Dayne but she did a good job with that Barry White remake.

[matthew_dixon]

1 Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine
2 Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
3 Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead
4 Stereo MC's - Ground Level
5 Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
6 U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind
7 Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love
8 Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air
9 Gloworm - I Lift My Cup
10 Evolution - Everybody Dance

Pretty dire list this time around. My personal favourite hidden gem from 1993 is Michael Jackson's "Gone Too Soon". He's not exactly an unknown act, but however much it's a personal favourite of mine, no soul really remembers it.

[basticasas]

1 Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine
2 Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
3 Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead
4 Stereo MC's - Ground Level
5 Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
6 U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind
7 Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love
8 Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air
9 Gloworm - I Lift My Cup
10 Evolution - Everybody Dance

[heppolo]

1 Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead
2 Stereo MC's - Ground Level
3 U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind
4 Gloworm - I Lift My Cup
5 Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
6 Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
7 Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine
8 Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love
9 Evolution - Everybody Dance
10 Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air

[SholasBoy]

The problem here is I like them all

1 urban cookie collective
2 evolution
3 Taylor dayne
4 usura
5 bjork
6 gloworm
7 bad boys inc
8 Pauline henry
9 stereo mcs
10 oui 3

[Plym]

1 Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead
2 Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
3 U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind
4 Gloworm - I Lift My Cup
5 Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine
6 Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love
7 Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
8 Evolution - Everybody Dance
9 Stereo MC's - Ground Level
10 Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air

[Leo]

1 (fav) Bjork & David Arnold - Play Dead
2 Taylor Dayne - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
3 Stereo MC's - Ground Level
4 Pauline Henry - Feel Like Makin' Love
5 Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
6 U.S.U.R.A. - Open Your Mind
7 Oui 3 - Break From The Old Routine
8 Gloworm - I Lift My Cup
9 Evolution - Everybody Dance
10 Bad Boys Inc - Walking On Air

[Thriller]

1. Urban Cookie Collective
2. Bjork
3. Taylor Dayne
4. USURA
5. Glo Worm
6. Oui 3
7. Pauline Henry
8. Evolution
9. Stereo MC’s
10. Bad Boys Inc

[SholasBoy]

RESULTS
26 FEELS LIKE HEAVEN
26 PLAY DEAD
27 CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE
34 OPEN YOUR MIND
46 BREAK FROM THE OLD ROUTINE
47 GROUND LEVEL
51 I LIFT MY CUP
52 FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE
60 EVERYBODY DANCE
72 WALKING ON AIR

The bottom 3 will go through to a sudden death round

[SholasBoy]

1994
1994.jpg
In 1994 the national lottery was launched, Forrest Gump was the big movie of the year, Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie-Presley and TV show Friends made its debut.

The top 3 hits in the UK were:
Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around
Whigfield - Saturday Night
East 17 - Stay Another Day

Meanwhile, all this was released too......

C&C Music Factory - Do You Wanna Get Funky? (no.27)
Following their monster hits with Freedom Williams, "Sweat" and "Things That Make You...", Clivilles & Cole returned this time with Martha Wash, Zelma Davis and Trilogy for a more new jack swing sound with their second album.

Ultimate Kaos - Some Girls (no.9)
After the success of US bands New Edition and Hi-Five, Simon Cowell decided the UK needed their own version and why bother auditioning for a band, when you could just use Sinitta's backing dancers? And so Ultimate Kaos were formed. They had 6 top 40 hits (two of those being "Cassanova"), while "Some Girls" gave them their only top 10.

Jamiroquai - Half The Man (no.15)
Jamiroquai went from strength to strength in the 90s and picked up a fourth top 20 hit with a much more mellow sounding "Half The Man", the second much ignored hit from their "Return of the Space Cowboy" album.

O.T. Quartet ft.Colette - Hold That Sucker Down (no.24)
Before Faithless became one of the most critically acclaimed dance acts of all time, founding member, Rollo had a club hit with "Hold That Sucker Down", the track is so enjoyed that it has been remixed and re-released about 1000 times.

2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Contorl Your Body (no.6)
While "No Limits" was one of the 90s biggest hits and tracks like "Twilight Zone" and "Get Ready For This" were also huge. The final single from their second album, "Let The Beat Control Your Body" scored them a 7th top 10 hit, but doesn't get the same recognition.

Sister Bliss ft.Colette - Cant Get A Man, Can't Get A Job (Life's A Bitch) (no.31)
While Rollo was having a hit with O.T. Quartet, another future member of Faithless, Sister Bliss was having quite a different hit of her own with Colette on "Can't Get A Man....". Colette's fridge is empty and she can't be arsed to walk her dog. Let me tell you something, Life's a BETCHHH.

Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels (no.33)
Singer with Fairground Attraction, Eddi Reader, who had a hit in the 80s with "Perfect" went it alone in the 90s, the Scottish singer had her first top 40 hit in 1994 with "Patience Of Angels" which she performed on Saturday morning TV show, Live & Kicking.

Juliet Roberts - Caught In The Middle (no.14)
Dance diva, Juliet Roberts had her biggest hit in 1993 when "Caught in the Middle" made no.24, it was remixed and re-released in 1994 and gave her a first of 3 top 20 solo hits.

East 17 - Steam (no.7)
East 17 were on a bit of a roll when they had a top 10 hit in 1994 with "Steam", but as it was quickly followed up just a couple of months later by "Stay Another Day" which would go on to be the biggest hit of their career, this one was quickly swept under the carpet.

Snap! - Welcome To Tomorrow (no.6)
After the huge no.1s with "The Power" and "Rhythm Is A Dancer", Snap! took a bit more of a cheesy pop direction with their 1994 comeback single, "Welcome To Tomorrow" which would become their final UK top 10 hit.
------

C&C Music Factory - Do You Wanna Get Funky?
Ultimate Kaos - Some Girls
Jamiroquai - Half The Man
O.T. Quartet ft.Colette - Hold That Sucker Down
2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Contorl Your Body
Sister Bliss ft.Colette - Cant Get A Man, Can't Get A Job (Life's A Bitch)
Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels
Juliet Roberts - Caught In The Middle
East 17 - Steam
Snap! - Welcome To Tomorrow


Rank 1 (fave) - 10 (least fave)

[SholasBoy]

Benny
basticasas
navi
Plym
cheapthrills
Erotica
Spartan
Metalweb
Thriller
JSparksFan
heppolo
Chantal
Leo
artur
CrazyCrazy
matthew_dixon
hun
steophonic


I've tagged those that played FAST FORWARD survivor plus a few others, if you want to be added or taken off let me know

[Plym]

where was bad boys inc total ?

[SholasBoy]

where was bad boys inc total ?

Oops not sure what happened there, I’ll update in morning when I’m back on my laptop, but I know BBI was last which means Gloworm is safe.

edit sorted

[Leo]

1 (fav) Jamiroquai - Half The Man
2 Juliet Roberts - Caught In The Middle
3 Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels
4 C&C Music Factory - Do You Wanna Get Funky?
5 2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Contorl Your Body
6 Ultimate Kaos - Some Girls
7 O.T. Quartet ft.Colette - Hold That Sucker Down
8 Snap! - Welcome To Tomorrow
9 East 17 - Steam
10 Sister Bliss ft.Colette - Cant Get A Man, Can't Get A Job (Life's A Bitch)

[matthew_dixon]

1 2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Control Your Body
2 Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels
3 Snap! - Welcome To Tomorrow
4 Jamiroquai - Half The Man
5 Ultimate Kaos - Some Girls
6 Juliet Roberts - Caught In The Middle
7 C&C Music Factory - Do You Wanna Get Funky?
8 O.T. Quartet ft.Colette - Hold That Sucker Down
9 East 17 - Steam
10 Sister Bliss ft.Colette - Cant Get A Man, Can't Get A Job (Life's A Bitch)

[Benny]

1 2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Control Your Body
2 Snap! - Welcome To Tomorrow
3 East 17 - Steam
4 Ultimate Kaos - Some Girls
5 O.T. Quartet ft.Colette - Hold That Sucker Down
6 C&C Music Factory - Do You Wanna Get Funky?
7 Juliet Roberts - Caught In The Middle
8 Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels
9 Sister Bliss ft.Colette - Cant Get A Man, Can't Get A Job (Life's A Bitch)
10 Jamiroquai - Half The Man

1994 was the last year in which 2 Unlimited scored big hits. In the second half of the 90s, the classical Eurodance formula (female singer + rapper) didn't work anymore for the masses.

[cheapthrills]

How are you people not appreciating the brilliance that is Life's a Bitch? It's LIGHT YEARS ahead of everything on the list!

Can't get a man!

Can't get a job!

1 Sister Bliss ft.Colette - Cant Get A Man, Can't Get A Job (Life's A Bitch)
2 2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Contorl Your Body
3 Jamiroquai - Half The Man
4 Snap! - Welcome To Tomorrow
5 Juliet Roberts - Caught In The Middle
6 Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels
7 Ultimate Kaos - Some Girls
8 East 17 - Steam
9 O.T. Quartet ft.Colette - Hold That Sucker Down
10 C&C Music Factory - Do You Wanna Get Funky?

[Plym]

1 Juliet Roberts - Caught In The Middle
2 O.T. Quartet ft.Colette - Hold That Sucker Down
3 2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Contorl Your Body
4 Snap! - Welcome To Tomorrow
5 Sister Bliss ft.Colette - Cant Get A Man, Can't Get A Job (Life's A Bitch)
6 East 17 - Steam
7 Jamiroquai - Half The Man
8 C&C Music Factory - Do You Wanna Get Funky?
9 Eddi Reader - Patience Of Angels
10 Ultimate Kaos - Some Girls

How are you people not appreciating the brilliance that is Life's a Bitch? It's LIGHT YEARS ahead of everything on the list!

maybe they just don't see the fuss in it

[Thriller]

Need to listen to a few of these tomorrow. Colette will be #1 though no doubt!

(She has a job now, I found her on LinkedIn).