#1421: Yazz and the Plastic Population

80s Snapshot:

• Number of songs on Hot 100: 1
• Highest peak position: 96
• Cumulative weeks on the Hot 100: 4

Several times throughout this adventure, we will see remnants of what was popular in the United Kingdom during the 80s. In some instances, the trans-Atlantic appeal will be felt here in the States (as in the Second British Invasion that brought Duran Duran, Wham! and others to the top of the Hot 100). But there are just as many cases where things that were unavoidably huge in Britain but made little to no dent in America.

Solidly in the latter half of that dichotomy was the so-called “Second Summer Of Love” which swept the U.K. in 1988 and into 1989. Just as drug culture shaped the boom of psychedelic rock and folk 20 years prior in its namesake, the Second Summer Of Love’s dominant genre was acid house. A Hi-NRG offshoot with a signature honking synthesized bass sound, acid house’s dancefloor readiness took over the U.K. charts in that timeframe.

One of the big stars of this movement was Yazz (born Yasmin Evans), a Londoner who rose to prominence early in 1988 with “Doctorin’ The House”. Yazz co-wrote the sample-heavy acid house track and provided vocals for fellow British production duo Coldcut, who had top billing on the single release. Yazz was featured on the single as “Yazz And The Plastic Population”, a fictional add-on perhaps meant to distinguish here from fellow British act Yazoo (who saw their name shortened to Yaz here in America). “Doctorin’ The House” peaked at #6 on the U.K. singles chart and kickstarted a huge year for Yazz.

She dropped the relentlessly catchy “The Only Way Is Up” in July 1988 right as the Second Summer Of Love was heating up. A cover of a funky 1980 disco number by Otis Clay, it quickly shot up the U.K. charts to become a Number One hit. In addition to 5 weeks at the summit in Britain, it also reached Number One in Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Ireland, Belgium and The Netherlands, staking a strong claim to being the biggest global hit of the year.

Delayed by a few months, American clubs began spinning Yazz in the middle of her run atop the U.K. charts. “Doctorin’ The House” peaked at #3 on the Dance Club Play chart in August 1988 and #23 on the 12-Inch Single Sales chart. “The Only Way Is Up” did not make its debut on the American dance charts until October but fared even better, reaching #2 in Club Play and #11 in 12-Inch Single Sales.

The same week of its peak on the Club Play chart (11/26/1988), “The Only Way Is Up” debuted at #99 on the Hot 100. It reached a peak position of #96 the following week and spent two additional frames at #100 before departing the chart, a far cry from the success it enjoyed in just about every other corner of the globe.

The hits in the U.K. continued to flow for Yazz, with the follow-up “Stand Up For Your Love Rights” making #2 on the U.K. charts at the same time “The Only Way Is Up” was finding its footing in America. The U.S. club scene enjoyed that song as well in due time, with “Stand Up For Your Love Rights” hitting #5 on the Club Play chart and #20 on the 12-Inch Singles Sales chart in April of 1989. Another dance Top-10 hit would follow in 1990 with “Treat Me Good” (#7 Club Play, #34 12-Inch Singles Sales).

But that would be it in terms of American chart presence for Yazz. Her U.K. career remained strong for a number of years: in addition to the aforementioned hits, she also reached the U.K. Top 10 with the more downtempo reggae-influenced “Fine Time” in 1989. All told, she sent 13 songs into the U.K. Singles chart between 1988 and 1998, 7 of which cracked the Top 40. In more recent years, she moved to Spain and switched her musical trajectory to Christian music.

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