This week in 1988
1 The Only Way Is Up Yazz and The Plastic Population
2 The Loco-motion Kylie Minogue
3 I Need You B.V.S.M.P.
4 You Came Kim Wilde
5 The Evil That Men Do Iron Maiden
6 Hands To Heaven Breathe
7 Find My Love Fairground Attraction
8 The Harder I Try Brother Beyond
9 Superfly Guy S-Express
10 Martha’s Harbour All About Eve
Chicago soul singer Otis Clay, who died last year, released the original version of ‘The Only Way Is Up’ in 1980, but it did not chart. Eight years later it was rerecorded by London model-turned-singer Yazz (Yasmin Evans) as her debut s single on Big Life records - a label launched by her husband Jazz Summers. Just months earlier, Yazz had made her recording debut, supplying the vocals for Coldcut’s top ten hit ‘Doctorin’ The House’. Far and away Yazz’s biggest hit, ‘The Only Way Is Up’ was the second biggest selling UK single of 1988, and topped the charts in a number of countries, including Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK. It barely registered on the mainstream Billboard Hot 100 in the US, but did make number 2 in the US dance charts.