July 1988 -- Running out of gas...and really old revivals

Pretty boring songs, but an interesting top 40 this week.  The music suffered for lack of Madonna, MJ, and Janet, with late-album hits by lots of others -- Miami Sound Machine, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Richard Marx, Debbie Gibson.  A batch of new hits was just getting started -- the first hit by Guns n' Roses, a lead-cut by Robert Palmer.  And a LOT of slow songs (check out the musical whiplash from #4 to #3!)

Two hits were by people who in 1988 were assumed to be rising stars -- Tracy Chapman and Terence Trent D'Arby.  They were both having their last big hits.  It was also the last top week in the top 40 ever for the Jets, who had 6 top 40's, 5 of which went top 10.  REO Speedwagon finally ran out of gas -- this was their last top 40 hit ever.  Ditto for 20-year chart veterans The Moody Blues and 8-year veteran Pat Benatar.

Speaking of veterans, it was a good week for them -- Steve Winwood, Eric Carmen, and Elton John were in the top 10, but in the next 10 were two REAL veterans -- the Contours riding the Dirty Dancing revival of their first and only top 40 hit from 1962.  And Chubby Checker was back for the first time since 1965, remaking the biggest hit of the Rock Era (by some measures), which hit #1 in 1960, fell off the chart, and went back to #1 in 1962.

Late album #1's was a theme -- Marx fell from #1 with his 4th release from his album, the previous 3 missing #1.  That had never happened before 1988, when he, Debbie Gibson, Expose, and Miami Sound Machine all did!  Meanwhile, MJ, Whitney, and soon George Michael each had had 4 #1's from their respective albums, again, unprecedented before 1988.  MJ pulled off 5!

Favorites:  Sweet Child of Mine, Simply Irresistible, Monkey, I Know You're out there somewhere, Rush Hour (all 4-stars), and "I Don't Wanna Go On WIth You Like That" -- the one 5-star this week.

1 4 ROLL WITH IT –•– Steve Winwood – 8 (1)
2 1 HOLD ON TO THE NIGHTS –•– Richard Marx – 11 (1)
3 6 HANDS TO HEAVEN –•– Breathe – 16 (3)
4 2 POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME –•– Def Leppard – 15 (2)
5 7 MAKE ME LOSE CONTROL –•– Eric Carmen – 11 (5)
6 9 SIGN YOUR NAME –•– Terence Trent D’Arby – 10 (6)
7 3 NEW SENSATION –•– INXS – 12 (3)
8 11 1-2-3 –•– Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine – 9 (8)
9 10 RUSH HOUR –•– Jane Wiedlin – 13 (9)
10 14 I DON’T WANNA GO ON WITH YOU LIKE THAT –•– Elton John – 7 (10)

11 5 THE FLAME –•– Cheap Trick – 17 (1)
12 12 PARENTS JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND –•– D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – 11 (12)
13 18 I DON’T WANNA LIVE WITHOUT YOUR LOVE –•– Chicago – 9 (13)
14 17 DO YOU LOVE ME –•– The Contours – 9 (14)
15 15 JUST GOT PAID –•– Johnny Kemp – 12 (15)
16 21 MONKEY –•– George Michael – 4 (16)
17 20 THE COLOUR OF LOVE –•– Billy Ocean – 10 (17)
18 22 THE TWIST –•– The Fat Boys & Chubby Checker – 7 (18)
19 8 MERCEDES BOY –•– Pebbles – 13 (2)
20 27 FAST CAR –•– Tracy Chapman – 9 (20)

21 26 LOVE WILL SAVE THE DAY –•– Whitney Houston – 5 (21)
22 28 RAG DOLL –•– Aerosmith – 9 (22)
23 24 LOVE CHANGES (EVERYTHING) –•– Climie Fisher – 12 (23)
24 16 PARADISE –•– Sade – 12 (16)
25 34 SWEET CHILD O’ MINE –•– Guns N’ Roses – 6 (25)
26 32 SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE –•– Robert Palmer – 5 (26)
27 13 NITE AND DAY –•– Al B. Sure! – 17 (7)
28 36 PERFECT WORLD –•– Huey Lewis & The News – 3 (28)
29 35 WHEN IT’S LOVE –•– Van Halen – 5 (29)
30 19 LOST IN YOU –•– Rod Stewart – 13 (12)

31 23 FOOLISH BEAT –•– Debbie Gibson – 15 (1)
32 39 I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU –•– Taylor Dayne – 8 (32)
33 38 I KNOW YOU’RE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE –•– Moody Blues – 9 (33)
34 45 IF IT ISN’T LOVE –•– New Edition – 5 (34)
35 42 ALL FIRED UP –•– Pat Benatar – 5 (35)
36 25 NOTHIN’ BUT A GOOD TIME –•– Poison – 15 (6)
37 43 NOBODY’S FOOL –•– Kenny Loggins – 4 (37)
38 40 IN YOUR SOUL –•– Corey Hart – 8 (38)
39 44 HERE WITH ME –•– REO Speedwagon – 6 (39)
40 29 MAKE IT REAL –•– The Jets – 16 (4)