Monday, January 30, 1995

Simple Minds’ Good News from the Next World released

First posted 10/10/2020.

Good News from the Next World

Simple Minds


Released: January 30, 1995


Peak: 87 US, 2 UK, 37 CN, 20 AU


Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK, 0.68 world (includes US and UK)


Genre: alternative rock


Tracks:

Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts.

  1. She’s a River (1/21/95, 52 US, 6 AR, 10 MR, 9 UK, 3 CN, 29 AU)
  2. Night Music
  3. Hypnotised (4/8/95, 18 UK, 34 CN, 85 AU)
  4. Great Leap Forward
  5. 7 Deadly Sins
  6. And the Band Played On (5/27/95, 40 AR)
  7. My Life
  8. Criminal World
  9. This Time


Total Running Time: 48:20


The Players:

  • Jim Kerr (vocals)
  • Charlie Burchill (guitar, keyboards)

Rating:

3.164 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings)


Awards:

About the Album:

1991’s Real Life album saw Simple Minds whittle down to a trio after the departure of keyboardist and founding member Mick MacNeil. By the time this album rolled around, Mel Gaynor, who’d drummed with the band since 1982, had flown the coop as well, leaving the group officially as a duo rounded out by studio musicians.

Like Real Life and 1989’s Street Fighting Years, this album garnered little attention from U.S. audiences. “It’s well-produced and performed, yet Simple Minds’ songs just miss the mark.” AMG Melody Maker’s John Harris wasn’t even that kind. He said the album “approximates the noise that would be made if the enite contents of a music shop were strapped to an Empire transport ship from Star Wars” WK and said “for all its cod-Wanerian vastness, there are no tunes.” WK

She’s a River, inspired by the Herman Hesse novel Siddhartha, WK was a top-10 hit on album rock and modern rock stations, but nothing else made a dent in American radio. All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine declared that other than that song, “there is no strong single material” AMG to support the album.

“She’s a River” was also a top-10 hit in the UK and followed into the top-20 by Hypnotised. Like the Real Life album, Good News from the Next World also peaked at #2 in the UK.


Notes: The Japanese edition included “Celtic Strings” as a bonus track.

Resources and Related Links:

Saturday, January 28, 1995

Live “Lighting Crashes" charted

Lightning Crashes

Live

Writer(s): Live (see lyrics here)


Released: February 24, 1995


First Charted: January 28, 1995


Peak: 12a US, 7 RR, 110 AR, 19 MR, 33 UK, 3 CN, 13 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.)


Sales (in millions): --


Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 82.26 video, 151.55 streaming

Awards:

Click on award for more details.

About the Song:

The rock band Live formed in York, Pennyslvania in 1984. They didn’t release their first album, Mental Jewelry, in 1991. The album produced three singles; “Operation Spirit” was a top-10 hit on the modern rock charts. Still, the album stalled at #73. However, the follow-up, 1994’s Throwing Copper, proved a massive success selling 8 million copies and topping the Billboard album chart.

Four songs from the album reached the top 10 on the modern rock chart, including the #1 hits “Selling the Drama” and “Lightning Crashes.” New York magazine described the the latter song as “the story of a connection between an old lady dying and a new mother at the moment of giving birth.” WK

Lead singer Ed Kowalczyk said the video created some misinterpretations. He said, “I envisioned it taking place in a hospital, where all these simultaneous deaths and births are going on, one family mourning the loss of a woman while a screaming baby emerges from a young mother in another room. Nobody’s dying in the act of childbirth, as some viewers think. What you’re seeing is actually a happy ending based on a kind of transference of life.” WK

The song was dedicated to Barbara Lewis, a high school friend of the band’s who was killed by a drunk driver. Her brother-in-law Cory explained that “Ed is speaking to the circle of life, but specifically to how Barb’s life gave new life to many.” SF He cites how her heart is literally still beating because she was a donor. SF


Resources:


Related Links:


First posted 10/1/2022.

Friday, January 27, 1995

Buddy DeSylva: Top 25 Songs

First posted 12/8/2019.

Songwriter, film producer, and record executive born George Gard DeSylva 100 years ago today on 1/27/1895 in New York City, NY. Also known as B.G. DeSylva. Founded Capitol Records with Johnny Mercer. Died 7/11/1950. “April Showers” and “Sonny Boy” are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Pre-Rock Era, 1890-1953. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry.


Top 25 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists as well as chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Many of these songs have been recorded multiple times. Only the highest-ranked version in Dave’s Music Database is included in this list. The recording artist is noted in parentheses. Songs which hit #1 on on the Billboard pop chart are noted.

DMDB Top 1%:

1. April Showers (Al Jolson with Charles Prince’s Orchestra, 1922)
2. Sonny Boy (Al Jolson, 1928)
3. California, Here I Come (Al Jolson with Isham Jones’ Orchestra, 1924) #1
4. If You Knew Susie Like I Know Susie (Eddie Cantor, 1925) #1
5. Somebody Loves Me (Paul Whiteman, 1924) #1
6. The Birth of the Blues (Paul Whiteman with Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord, & Austin Young; 1926) #1
7. Look for the Silver Lining (Marion Harris, 1921) #1
8. Avalon (Al Jolson with Charles Prince’s Orchestra, 1920)
9. The Best Things in Life Are Free (George Olsen with Ray Bolger, 1927)

DMDB Top 5%:

10. Do It Again (Paul Whiteman, 1922) #1
11. I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise (Paul Whiteman, 1922) #1
12. Together (Paul Whiteman with Jack Fulton, 1928) #1
13. Alabamy Bound (Blossom Seeley, 1925)
14. Black Bottom (Johnny Hamp, 1926)
15. The Varsity Drag (George Olsen, 1927)
16. Button Up Your Overcoat (Helen Kane, 1929)
17. It All Depends on You (Paul Whiteman, 1927)
18. Rise ‘N Shine (Paul Whiteman with Ramona Davies, 1933)
19. A Kiss in the Dark (Amelita Galli-Curci, 1923)
20. Broken Hearted (Here Am I) (Paul Whiteman with Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylor, & Austin Young; 1927)
21. Yankee Doodle Blues (Billy Murray with Ed Smalle, 1922)

Beyond the DMDB Top 20%:

22. Black and Blue (Frankie Laine with Carl Fischer’s Swingtet, 1947)
23. Should I Be Sweet? (1932)
24. Ou Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet (1919)
25. Alexander’s Got a Jazz Band Now (1917)


Awards: