Missing You (EMI, 1991)

Review
One of the downsides to house shares is being exposed to other people’s music. In those freezing days of early 1991, the Big Romance was going down and I was hanging out a lot in my girlfriend’s pad. I distinctly remember Missing You – on cassette naturally – being blared out of the ghettoblaster located in the tiny kitchen. It was released on EMI and compiled by Norman Bates with cover design by QD. While all changed, changed utterly later on that year, the CD managed to find its way into my collection at a later stage, a reminder of those turbulent times. A bargain bin purchase; An album of love.

The track selection mixes recent chart hits with older numbers like Minnie Ripperton’s Loving You and Cliff Richard’s Miss You Nights, both of whom featured on the 1989 equivalent And All Because The Lady Loves. Roxette lead the way with It Must Have Been Love, a memory of sober slow sets from the summer of 1990. Earlier in the year, Mel & Kim’s partnership came to a sad end on 18 January when Mel succumbed to cancer. Kim released her first solo single nine months later – Don’t Worry – which is about her dealing with heartbreak. An inspiring debut. Next comes Richard Marx’s phenomenally successful dirge Right Here Waiting. I hated it in 1989; it scares me now. Meanwhile Wilson Phillips consisted of Carnie Wilson, Wendy Wilson and Chynna Phillips, the daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys and John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and Papas. Hold On is a pop gem, a glorious slice of honeyed girl power brimming with ’60s optimism.

The rebirth of Dusty climaxed on the 1990 LP Reputation, her finest hour. In Private is life-affirming, written by Tennant / Lowe and its 12″ mix – included on Now Dance 901 was remodeled by Shep Pettibone into a hedonistic trip. We get the more succinct regular version here, a single that bypassed all other contemporary UK compilations of the time. And now, time for autograph recollections as the posthumous Woman slides into view, “For the other half of the sky. . .” Released as a single on 16 January 1981:
“I met John Lennon by chance at the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg in 1979. I was only 16 at the time. He signed an autograph for me and his overwhelming presence still haunts me to this day.” (Leonardo Lupino)
“My mother worked in the Carlton hotel at that time. 1979. In an African curio sales shop, John was with Yoko. My mother asked for an autograph but John wanted time out. And was more interested in an elephant’s foot. My mother asked Yoko if this was John Lennon. Yoko nodded and my mother left them alone. Lucky Mum to meet them. John was so precious, we miss you John !!!” (Bill ABCDE)

In 1996, Crowded House’s Recurring Dream best of justified the reissue of Don’t Dream (It’s Over) which finally got the charts success that it was denied in 1987. It appears here, a cult favourite of the time. John Waite’s evergreen Missing You is followed by the sound of MC Hammer covering The Chi-Lites’ Have You Seen Her. Some say he murdered the song in cold blood; I like it and dig those Cosby Show references. Then there’s a rather jarring comedown with Tina Turner’s nervous tale I Don’t Wanna Lose You before Marillion’s ubiquitous Kayleigh, Vixen’s crucial Cryin’ and Diana Ross’ booming Chain Reaction. Saviour of the final dash are Climie Fisher and the uplifting Love Changes Everything. We sang it like we meant it. From the bottom of our hearts. Oh to be 16 again and to see John Furlong bursting into the gents toilets of the Crosbie Motor Hotel shouting “Love changes everything, Love makes the rules.” at the very top of his voice. Bye bye pride.

Postscript: Ashley Abram just alerted me on Twitter about the original version of this release. The more common version (reviewed above) contains just EMI artists. However, some months beforehand, a pressing with more wide-ranging tracklist made it out. I vaguely remember seeing it (God Only Knows is familiar) but had blocked it out:
01 Roxette – It Must Have Been Love
02 Lisa Stansfield – All Around The World
03 Natalie Cole – Miss You Like Crazy
04 Tina Turner – I Don’t Wanna Lose You
05 Diana Ross – I’m Still Waiting
06 Rose Royce – Wishing On A Star
07 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – The Tracks Of My Tears
08 Roy Orbison – Cryin’
09 Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting
10 Cliff Richard – Miss You Nights
11 Nilsson – Without You
12 John Waite – Missing You
13 Chris Rea – Fool (If You Think It’s Over)
14 Beach Boys – God Only Knows
15 Chicago – Hard To Say I’m Sorry
16 Chris De Burgh – Missing You

Favourite tracks
Wilson Phillips – Hold On

Climie Fisher – Love Changes Everything

Lest we forget
Kim Appleby – Don’t Worry