Wednesday, December 13, 2006

UK Chart Analysis, 12/16/2006

1. Patience - Take That

Have a little patience, Take That remains on top of the UK singles chart for a third week. I think you won't have to wait long for a new #1 though, five of this week's debuts were on downloads only, so next week's chart should be really interesting. In their heyday, Take That had two singles that spent 3 weeks at the top--"Never Forget" and "How Deep Is Your Love"--bested only by the two singles that spent 4 weeks at the top, "Pray" and "Back for Good." They give up #1 on the airplay chart to Nelly Furtado, scoring her first airplay #1 of the year with "All Good Things (Come to an End)." This is her second airplay #1, after 2001's "Turn Off the Light."

2. Boogie 2 Nite - Booty Luv

Dance hit "Boogie 2 Nite" climbs a spot to #2 this week. That's pretty impressive to accomplish that during this most competitive time of year.

4. Bing Bang (Time to Dance) - Lazy Town

It's been awhile since I remember a children's show chart tie-in, but that's what we have at #4. Lazy Town is an unusual Iceland/US collaboration, airing on Nick Jr in the US and the BBC in the UK. Children's tie-ins have scored chart gold in the past--recent notables include #1 hits for The Teletubbies and Bob the Builder.

8. Wind It Up - Gwen Stefani

The highest of the five downloads-only debuts comes from Gwen Stefani. Her new album The Sweet Escape bows in on the albums chart at a disappointing #26, but the "Wind It Up" single has a surprisingly good showing on its first week downloads sales, indicating she's a strong contender for #1 next week. This is Gwen's fifth sixth appearance in the top 10 as a soloist. Her highest charting moment came just about a year ago at #3 as a guest on Pharrell's "Can I Have It Like That." Among her own hits, she's been to #4 twice, with "What U Waiting For" and "Rich Girl."

10. Beware of the Dog - Jamelia

Jamelia scores her second top 10 hit this year with the upbeat dance pop "Beware of the Dog." This is her 7th top 10 hit. The song includes liberal sampling of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus," a #13 hit in 1989.

12. You Know My Name - Chris Cornell

Another downloads-only debut makes a big splash at #12. Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name" is the theme to the 21st official James Bond film, Casino Royale. It's a great rock take on the Bond theme, fitting in perfectly with the film. If it goes top 5 next week, it will be among the highest-charting Bond themes. Here's the full Bond theme chart discography:

Die Another Day - Madonna, #3 (2002)
The World Is Not Enough - Garbage #11 (1999)
Tomorrow Never Dies - Sheryl Crow #12 (1997)
James Bond Theme (From "Tomorrow Never Dies") - Moby #8 (1997)
Goldeneye - Tina Turner #10 (1995)
License to Kill - Patti Labelle (not a chart hit, 1989)
The Living Daylights - A-ha #5 (1987)
A View to a Kill - Duran Duran #2 (1985)
All Time High (From "Octopussy") #75 (1983)
For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton #8 (1981)
Moonraker - Shirley Bassey (not a chart hit, 1979)
Nobody Does it Better - Carly Simon #7 (1977)
The Man with the Golden Gun - Lulu (not a chart hit, 1974)
Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney #9 (1973--remade by Guns N Roses in 1991, #5)
Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey #38 (1972)
We Have All the Time in the World (From "On Her Majesty's Secret Service") - Louis Armstrong #3 (1969)
You Only Live Twice - Nancy Armstrong #11 (1967)
Thunderball - Tom Jones #35 (1966)
Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey #21 (1964)
From Russia With Love (instrumental) - John Barry #39 (1963)
From Russia With Love - Matt Munro #20 (1963)
James Bond Theme - John Barry #13 (1962)

16. I Just Want to See the Boy Happy - Morrissey

Morrissey scores his fourth top 20 hit this year. Haven't heard it, and don't really care.

17. Truly Madly Deeply - Cascada

Sadly, a downloads debut at #17 for Cascada's clubby remake of Savage Garden's 1998 hit "Truly Madly Deeply" means it will probably be in the top 10 next week. Oh well, you can't win it all.

19. Land of a Thousand Words - Scissor Sisters

Ouch ouch ouch! After scoring a massive, massive hit with "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'," which spent 4 weeks at #1--the third longest run at the top this year--Scissor Sisters have the lowest-charting single of their career with "Land of a Thousand Words," the Ta-Dah ballad and that album's second single, limps in at #19. Their previous worst had been the #17 peak of their second single, "Take Your Mama."

20. Tell Me - P Diddy (featuirng Christina Aguilera)

Another downloads single that may go top 10 next week. Yawn.

22. Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade
23. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues

Two Christmas singles make their way into the top 40 this week, both of which are quite old. First up at #22 is Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody," which was Christmas #1 in 1973 and spent 5 weeks at the top of the chart. The song has been an enduring Christmas favorite, having been re-released in 1980 (#70), 1981 (#32), 1982 (#67), 1983 (#20), 1984 (#47), 1985 (#48), 1986 (#71), and a new version in 1998 (#30). I'm not familiar with the chart rules from the '80s, so I don't know if each year it charted was an official re-release, but this year, the original has indeed been re-released, giving it it's second-highest re-release position, and third overall considering its original place at #1.

At #23 is The Pogues with "Fairytale of New York." Originally released in 1987 where it hit #2, the track was re-released last year and hit #3. Due to current chart rules that allow singles to chart up to a year after their release, this track is appearing on the chart again due to download sales. Once it hits 52 weeks, just before Christmas, it will vanish from the chart. Expect it to keep rising until that time though.

27. Rewind - Paolo Nutini

Given it's strong airplay, I thought "Rewind" would be the song to return Paolo Nutini to the top 10, but instead give him his lowest-charting single yet at #27. Keep trying Paolo.

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