Featured song:
This is a series of articles looking at pop music from 1955 when in my opinion proper pop music began up to 1999 when they stopped making it. One article for each year.
I am only going to select one featured song for each article, which makes it hard. I am going to try and select a different artist for each year.
For many people, and I include myself, you tend to still like the tunes you heard during childhood, which your parents often played. So rather than just pick the top 10 hits of each year, I shall let you know what they were, but also the tunes of that year not necessarily in the top 10 or so, what were in my view classics. I also add a couple of events in history for that year, it helps bring back memories, and hopefully happy ones.
Not everyone will like my choices of course, and you may remember some from each particular year that you feel should have been included, so do please post a link to the song.
So, on we go with memories from 1993: (Thank you Wiki)
This year was about:
Same old stuff, IRA, bombings, unemployment. Pretty shite year really.
What was I doing: Nothing much, 4 kids by now, I was decently paid for a perm job, but SE Kent not a cheap place to live, but we were all happy. Then within 4 months, my favourite uncle died, then my gran, then my mum. However, these things will happen, it is a sad time, but you must get over it, and time really does heal. I no longer had a reason to go back to Ilkeston now, not been back since.
TV programmes included:
Debut of Breakfast with Frost, a Sunday morning current affairs programme on BBC1 presented by David Frost. Peter Dean makes his final appearance as EastEnders market trader Pete Beale. Stars in Their Eyes returns with a new presenter. Matthew Kelly takes on the role from Leslie Crowther, who is still recovering from head injuries received in a car crash the previous year. When Roy Hattersley fails to appear for that day’s edition of Have I Got News for You — the third time he has cancelled at the last minute — he is replaced with a tub of lard (credited as “The Rt. Hon. Tub of Lard MP”), as it is “imbued with much the same qualities and liable to give a similar performance”. Channel 4 airs the final three episodes of Cheers over three consecutive nights. BBC1 debuts Goodnight Sweetheart. Peter Sissons hosts his last edition of Question Time, having chaired the political debate programme since 1989. Episodes of Emmerdale featuring the controversial plane crash storyline.
Events:
Prime Minister – John Major (Conservative)
10 January – British newspapers carry reports that The Princess of Wales wants a divorce from The Prince of Wales, despite the announcement of their separation (issued the previous month) stating that there were no plans for a divorce.
26 January – The Bank of England lowers interest rates to 6% – the lowest since 1978.
12 February – Murder of James Bulger: a 2-year-old is murdered by two ten-year-old boys on Merseyside.
17 February – Shadow Chancellor Gordon Brown claims that a Labour government could reduce taxation – a dramatic turn for a party known for high taxation. Fancy that, a politician lying.
25–26 February – Warrington bomb attacks: Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bombs are planted and explode at gas holders in Warrington, Cheshire.
25 March – Ford Mondeo goes on sale.
3 April – A false start forces the Grand National to be cancelled.
22 April – Black London teenager Stephen Lawrence is stabbed to death at Eltham in south London while waiting for a bus.
24 April – Bishopsgate bombing. A massive IRA truck bomb explodes at Bishopsgate in the City of London. The blast destroys the medieval St Ethelburga’s church, and badly damages the NatWest Tower and Liverpool Street tube station. A newspaper photographer is killed.
20 June – A high speed train makes the first journey from France to England via the Channel Tunnel, which will open to the public next year.
Just for OT – 21 June – Andrew Wiles announces a proof to Fermat’s Last Theorem at the Isaac Newton Institute. The proof is slightly flawed, but Wiles announces a revised proof the following year.
3 September – The UK Independence Party, which supports breakaway from the European Union, is formed by members of the Anti-Federalist League, which itself was formed two years earlier by opponents of Britain’s involvement in the Maastricht Treaty.
7 November – The England national football team fails to qualify for the World Cup in America next summer, despite winning their final qualifying match 7–1 against San Marino. National manager Graham Taylor is expected to leave the job imminently. I remember the turnip head pics.
25 December – The Queen speaks of her hopes for peace in Northern Ireland in her Christmas Day speech.
29 December – The Provisional IRA vows to fight on against the British presence in Northern Ireland.
The Top 10 Singles with a You Tube hyperlink on the title:
Top Tip: Right-click and open in new tab
| Top Hits of 1993 | ||
| 1 | Meat Loaf | I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) |
| 2 | UB40 | (I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You |
| 3 | Ace of Base | All That She Wants |
| 4 | 2 Unlimited | No Limit |
| 5 | Gabrielle | Dreams |
| 6 | Mr Blobby | Mr Blobby |
| 7 | Shaggy | Oh Carolina |
| 8 | Haddaway | What Is Love |
| 9 | Whitney Houston | I Will Always Love You |
| 10 | Culture Beat | Mr Vain |
The featured song “Go West” – “Go West” is a song by the American disco group Village People. It was a hit in the disco scene during the late 1970s. The song found further success when it was covered in 1993 by British synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys. The song was written by Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and the group’s lead singer Victor Willis. The melody resembles that of the State Anthem of the Soviet Union. I liked the Village People version, but the Pet Shop Boys really take a great tune and make it better.
More writings on this song here: – Go West
In my view the best songs of the year, after the featured track are of course Meatloaf and Ace of Base, listed above. Whitney is a beautiful song but heard so much it drives you barmy.
I could have picked this one, 4 Non Blondes – What’s Up, sadly they did not do too much after this terrific tune.
Another contender was: Billy Joel – The River of Dreams
It really should have been this one though: R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts, but it is rather sad for a jolly ghey Friday. Awesome tune though.
Freddie Mercury – Living On My Own
The Doobie Brothers – Long Train Running
Charles & Eddie – Would I Lie To You? – I have to confess, I do like this.
Spin Doctors – Two Princes
Annie Lennox – Little Bird – Such a fine voice.
M People – One Night in Heaven
Eternal – Stay – pleasant little ditty.
Soul Asylum – Runaway Train – Great song.
Bon Jovi – In These Arms
Ugly Kid Joe – Cats In The Cradle
Chaka Demus & Pliers – Twist and Shout – I like any version of this song.
Just 14 songs for 1993 in my favourites list, another very shite year in general on the music scene, but better than 1992, Still found a couple of good ones.
Hat tips to:
http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/ these give the top 100 selling charts for each year
http://www.everyhit.com/chart1.html these give the top 10 songs for each year
https://www.youtube.com/ you know them.
Next Time 1994 – Very dire, bottom of the barrel stuff.
Featured image: Mrdisco, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
© Phil the ex test manager 2019 2026
