Music to My Years: 1993

The music in this year is very reflective of my circumstances. My marriage had already started to go wrong. I had a number of admirers (I hope that doesn’t sound big-headed!) and I suddenly realised that the world was my oyster. I was still so young with so much of my life before me. By the end of the year I had moved back to my mums (my parents having split up earlier in the year) and I was single again. One of the people chasing me would send me flowers regularly but would always sign off with a question mark. Still no clue!

The music, for me in this year was either about finding love, saying goodbye to someone who didn’t treat me right or big dance tunes which I would love to get up – and get down to – when I went clubbing with my workmates.

As I am now a radio presenter on Radio Ninesprings, and I will be sharing my Top 10 all week and sharing 1 track from the list each day, Monday to Friday, on my show from 3pm. Plus, there is now a compilation show on Sunday’s at 6pm.

So, from the year I was born taking me right up to 2021, I am going to be sharing my top 10 chart songs from the year in question.

10. Mmm Mmm Mmm by The Crash Test Dummies

This is something really different for me. I have to admit that when I first heard this song I just wasn’t sure. Was it a bit rubbish? Or was it really good. Anyway, time is a good thing and I started to enjoy it and then, a couple of years later, I listened to their album – and thought it was brilliant. I was definitely in disagreement with the critics – who panned it – but it did take me a while.

Unlike their native Canada where it reached number 14, it got to number 2 here in the UK.

9. Lovesong for a Vampire by Annie Lennox

Haunting yet romantic, this song is just beautiful by Annie. It was written for Frances Ford Coppola’s version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula which I went to see at the cinema and, whilst I wasn’t overly sold on the film, I definitely was with this fantastic song.

It was a double A-side (I bet you don’t know what those are anymore kids!) it reached number 3 in the UK and is still as fantastic now as it was then.

8. Relight My Fire by Take That with Lulu

Funnily enough, Take That were at number 8 for my chart for 1992 and here they are again! As I have said before, I have no doubt that they will be higher in my chart at some point – but not just yet.

This is a fantastic tune and the instalment of Lulu is genius as she takes the tune to a whole new level. Take That were really starting to take hold. It was a song originally written by Dan Hartman (Also see ‘I Can Dream About You’ and ‘Instant Replay’) and Take That released this 5 months before Hartman died. It reached number one on the UK charts.

7. Moving On Up by M People

The words to this song became my anthem in 1993 as soon as I realised that my marriage was basically over. It was a powerful song and seemed to be playing everywhere which helped solidify my decision as it felt like it was meant to be. Sometimes songs really do come along for a reason!

I have interviewed Heather Small at Rewind and to this day I think her voice is amazing. She sounds nothing like it when she talks though! It reached number one on the UK chart.

6. Ain’t No Love Ain’t No Use by Sub Sub

This song was a great dance tune and, much like the M People track, the words were there to help me through the difficult times, justifying my break up and helping me see that there was more out there to life!

Melanie Williams was brought in by the band to sing on the track but, despite a number of releases afterwards, she sadly didn’t make it as a singer. I think she has a great voice though. The song reached number 3 in the UK.

5. That’s What I Think by Cyndi Lauper

I’ve already said in this year that songs come along for a reason – and this was another one. You know how sometimes you just love a song for no real apparent reason and you just can’t explain why. Well, this Cyndi Lauper song was just that! I cannot explain to you why I love it, I just do. It is a fun, feelgood song. I can remember once someone telling me that it sounded like the Magic Roundabout – but I still can’t hear it!

It only reached number 31 here in the UK.

4. Beautiful Girl by INXS

INXS were still here and still putting out some great music. This was a release from their 1992 album and was written by Andrew Farriss, the bands keyboardist and one of 3 brothers in the group. He was inspired to write it after the birth of his daughter along with Baby Don’t Cry and wanted to express that it was really wonderful to have someone else to worry about in your life aside from yourself.

It only reached number 23 here in the UK.

3. Tracks of My Tears by Go West

Whilst I am fully aware that this is an old Smokey Robinson tune, I just love the Go West take on it. Peter Cox really does do it justice with his voice. Sadly, I could start to see the cracks in the Go West machine between Peter and Richard and, after this, it would be a while before they would release another song….they will be back in the 2000’s! Meantime, this song reached number 16.

2. Boom Shake the Room by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

What an absolute banger of a song. I think this has to be one of the best of all time and I still get up everytime I hear it. One of those songs you have to get on to the dancefloor to. Will Smith – still The Fresh Prince at this point – was really starting to come into his own as a popstar and wasn’t far off from making it in the movies either but, this song!

Not surprising that this one topped the chart here in the UK.

1. Fields of Gold by Sting

This song meant an awful lot to me when it was released – and still does. It was how I foresaw my life being lived by falling in love with someone and going to a special location and then, as the years passed and we started to form a family, we would continue to go back to that special place. From what I understand, Sting had something similar in mind when he wrote it. He bought a house near a barley field and this song materialised as the sunsets and the colours of the field were an inspiration. Sting says that this is one of his wife’s favourites.

It is about a man who has broken promises before, but is determined make this relationship last. Commitment. Such a beautiful tune which surprisingly only reached number 16. It is a simple but effective song which has no overdubs or any messing on it, it was just recorded live in the studio.