Rate-a-Waite, 80s solo

Thanks to Igniter David Ketels for compiling all of this information!
(David's personal comments are included here.)

We had 23 respondents and most of whom had undying love for Rover's.

1/ Sometimes - 221.5 points averages at 9.63 rating for this song. It had sixteen perfect 10's and a low of no less than an 8. (SammyLW and Maggs-you're the culprits!) Put simply, this is John Waite perfection for most Igniters' ears.

2/ Don't Lose Any Sleep - 212.5 points (and kinda pleased about this gem) which averages at a very healthy 9.24. (Wouter - how can you give this a 6??) Still 11 of 23 thought it absolute perfection. It deserves its place in the all time top ten - that's all I have to say.

3/ These Times Are Hard For Lovers - 206 points - Seven perfect 10's and a couple of 7.5's was the lowest - but at an average 8.95 it's done well.

4/ Woman's Touch - The only other song off Rover's to get to 200. And this one just got there with an average of 8.69. 8 perfect 10's and down to a 6.5 and a couple of 7's.

5/ She's The One - almost at 200 but stalled on 199 which gives it a rating of 8.65. Five 10's but a 6 and 7 kept it back.

6/ Act of Love - 197.5 - still good scoring, mind you, gives it an 8.58. Another with five perfect 10's and some low scoring down to a 6.

7/ Encircled scored 191.5 - A lot of people really love it --a lot of people don't--simple as that , with an amazing seven perfect scores. For a track that ranks 7 out of 9 it shows that Rover's is a much-loved release. A couple of 5's and loads of 7's saw Encircled reach an average of 8.32.

8/ Wild One - 185.5 with just two perfect 10's and a heap of 6's. But it does rank an average of 8.06 and that just isn't a bad score.

9/ Big Time For Love - You couldn't say that a tally of only 164.25 is terribly flattering amongst such star performers. 4's, 5's and 6's abounded - still Ron and Doug liked it to the max and gave it 10's. Average 7.14

Rover's total - (And it must be a lucky omen - pity the record buying public didn't have our gossip on this one) 1777.75 points for those who are guided by the lucky 7. This averages out at 77.29. Adjusted album ratings (considering it has only 9 tracks) is 85.88% approval rate.

We had a very mixed spread of reviews... from a 96% approval way down to a 58.3% approval.

1/ The Choice - So much has been said about this track - it features as a "wedding song" for John Waite fans, its inner meaning has been debated endlessly, but one thing is for sure...we love this one. Fifteen amazing perfect 10's and no lower than two 8's. 220 votes out of a possible high of 230 averages a stellar 9.56.

2/ Welcome To Paradise - This is another much-loved track. It is becoming very clear that the John Waite tracks which strike a chord with majority of fans are the ballads, and this one is up there with 12 perfect
scores, however a low of 5 was also recorded. On our all-time list, it is equal with "The Glittering Prize" from Temple Bar. 208.5 votes out of 230 averages at 9.06

3/ Every Step Of The Way - Usually the first single off any album ranks up there, but generally not at the top. This single was a solid performer but was held back by only three perfect 10's. A low of 6.5 and a score of 7, 8 or 9 was common. 189.5 votes out of 230 averages at 8.24.

4/ Just Like Lovers - I was not quite alone in my undying devotion to this song but disappointed that it only ranked this high. A strong showing with five perfect scores, but this means nothing against a 2. Yes, a 2! Shame on you Steve for castigating this gem. A 5 and a few 6's didn't help it either. 176.5 averages at 7.67.

5/ Laydown - A really mixed bag in this one. A low of 3, lots of 6's and 7's and two 10's. 174 out of 230 sees it ranked in the middle of these nine offerings at an average of 7.56.

6/ Lust For Life - Much the same in so far as a mixed bag. 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's, 8's, 9's and, yes, four perfect 10's really see a peculiar outcome. 169.5 out of 230 equals an average of 7.36.

7/ No Brakes - Yet another mixed bag. You either love or hate this one. Three perfect 10's and lots of nines are counterbalanced with lots of 4's, 5's and 6's. Some Igniters love it and a lot thought it didn't deserve a place on the album that followed its namesake. 165.5 out of 230 at an average of 7.19.

8/ Ain't That Peculiar - Peculiarity indeed at being ranked 8th out of 9. And following the pattern of an amazing spread of numbers from 3.5, 4's, 5's, 6's, 7's, 8's, 9's and one perfect score of 10. 161.5 out of 230 at an average of 7.02.

9/ You're The One completes the album in last spot. Its redeeming feature is that at 6.69 average it cannot be classed as a stinker, but it does rank in the bottom group of the all-time rankings. This also runs the complete gamut of voting irregularities from a 4 through to a perfect 10. 154 out of a possible 230 at an average of 6.69.

So, to the album's ranking... A total aggregate of 1619 votes out of 2070 (adjusted by the fact that there are only 9 tracks on Mask Of Smiles) sees it score a 78.21% approval rate. It just got beaten by Bad English's self titled by 0.36%.

The album that garnered John his biggest individual success ever is well-liked by Igniters but is not one of our most favorites.

1/ Missing You - With the initial scores I thought that this may appear as the top JCW song ever. It didn't in the end with 6, 7's and 8's that dragged its score back. But, eleven out of twenty gave it a perfect 10. 185 out of a possible 200 sees it average at 9.25

2/ Euroshima - This song fared well with five perfect 10's and came close with three 9.5's. Its lowest was three 7's. Overall 177/200, average of 8.85

3/ Restless Heart - Six perfect 10's are testimony to this song's appeal. But the country-ish sound is not everybody's cup of tea. It ranked as low as a 6 and a 6.5. 173/200 Avg. 8.65

4/ Tears - Restless Heart's stablemate on the album came in next at just 2 overall points behind. Four perfect 10's way down to a four. 171/200 Avg. 8.55

5/ Dark Side Of The Sun - It got three perfect 10's, but lots of 7's and 8's. This song splits the pack at 5th favourite and just slips ahead of "Every Step Of The Way" from Mask of Smiles by a whisker in the all-time top ranking list. 165/200 Avg. 8.25

6/ For Your Love - This still managed to attract four perfect 10's, but a couple of 5's didn't help its cause. 157.5/200 Avg. 7.87

7/ Dreamtime/Shake It Up - It seems that a lot of mixed emotions about this song hindered its overall score. It is evident that a lot of the respondents liked the "Dreamtime" part but were a little ambivalent to the "Shake It Up" ending of this song. A late showing of two perfect 10's from Igniters Doreen and Huw avoided the embarrassment of no single perfects (which from the Igniters is a rare thing indeed). 157/200 Avg. 7.85

8/ Saturday Night - This started woefully, with two Igniters registering the first of the votes at 4.5 and 5. From there it was a little easier and the track pulled itself out of the mire with a couple of late 10's. It got the second lowest individual mark of just a 2 and this in part accounts for its low ranking. 152.5/200 Avg. 7.62

9/ Love Collision - It pains me to have to report that this track comes in last. Why...I don't know. A personal favourite--this even scored four perfect 10's, a 9.5 and a couple of 9's. Then why is it last? Well, the lowest individual mark from the list (thanks Margaret - not!) was firmly registered against this one - it was a 1! A 4 from Elizabeth and three 6's pulled it back as well. Sorry "Love Collision," 147.5/200 was all you could muster at an average of 7.37. It ranks alongside "Lust For Life" off Mask Of Smiles on the all-time list.

A total of 20 respondents ranked No Brakes at 1485.5 out of a possible 1800 points for an approval rating of 82.53%.

Ignition...the name of our favorite listserve and the name of our all-time favourite John Waite album (out of those rated so far). We very nearly had a new all-time favourite single as well. If "Change" had polled one half a point more it would have topped the scale as the best song polled to date. (Sorry, Elizabeth. I know that "Change" is your all-time favorite so this one's gotta hurt!!) "Sometimes" from Rover's Return is still unchallenged.

1/ Change - As mentioned above, this one came so close to the all time favourite it isn't funny (especially for those devotees of the song). An amazing fourteen perfect 10's out of twenty respondents proves it is almost unanimously loved by this cross section of John's biggest fans spread around the globe. Seventy percent of the sample group considering it faultless. It now ranks as second favourite all-time track to date and looks unlikely that it will fall out of the Top Five making it a must for all compilation albums. The lowest it got was an 8 and several 8.5's. Not a nine was to be found and a couple couldn't find that extra .5 of a vote to give it a perfect score. 192.5/200 Avg. 9.62

2/ Going To The Top - I am pleased to report that this one got up to number 2. Significantly, it the only other track from the album to rank a 9+ vote. (There have only been 13 songs to date who have scored above a 9. This one ties with the much loved "Downtown" from When You Were Mine. This song had eight perfect 10's but a 7 and two 8's held it back. 184/200 Avg. 9.20

3/ Make It Happen - This lively tune was a very consistent poller with seven perfect 10's. It wasn't unanimously loved, though, it scored as low as a 6 and a 6.5. Still, a strong showing with plenty of 9.5's and 9's. 176/200 Avg. 8.80

4/ I'm Still In Love - This came so close to being on the winner's dais, missing out on the third spot by one solitary point. Perhaps it should have, considering it had more perfect scores than "Make it Happen" (8); but too many 7's (four in total) didn't help its case. 175/200 Avg. 8.75

5/ White Heat - Another strong showing from the opener which signaled the start of John's solo career (so you'd expect a solid track). This captured five perfect 10's. It did get a 7 though and a few 7.5's. 172.5/200 Avg. 8.62

6/ Temptation - A lot of 7's (three) and 7.5's (two) really didn't help this one. And frankly, if you'll pardon a smattering of self-indulgence, this song deserved more . On the brighter side, it did get four perfect scores, and respectable 8.52 overall. 170.5/200 Avg. 8.52

7/ Mr. Wonderful - A favourite by the man who sang it - he even desperately wanted it for the single. On these figures recorded by Igniters, it would have been a not too wise decision if it had. Only three loved it wholeheartedly, and again those 7's have a tendency to bring you down (there were 3). 168.5/200 Avg. 8.42

8/ Wild Life - A very mixed bag of numbers here. It still had 20% of the respondents give it a 10. A low score of 5 was awarded but the closing track can still hold its head high as any score in the 8's overall can't be too bad. 166.5/200 Avg. 8.32

9/ Be Make Baby Tonight - It still had 20% give it a 10. Oh,oh it got a 3 in there somewhere, lots of 6's and 7's too. 159.5/200 Avg. 7.97

10/ Desperate Love - Just a couple of overall points away, but none the less last placed in the Ignition stakes. Still, it did equal or better at least four tracks from No Brakes. All in all, "Desperate Love" was desperate for a lot of high scores which didn't come its way. It had only one 10 and low scores like a 4, a 6 and six 7's or 7.5's. 157.5/200 Avg. 7.87

Those of you who ranked it your favourite John Waite solo outing can be justifiably proud. It has just pipped Temple Bar to claim the most fancied album in the career of John Waite (this obviously excludes The Babys albums which are to be reviewed now to complete the ratings game). A total of 20 Igniters took part in this rating and gave it a total of 1722.5 point out of a possible 2000. This sees the album finish at 86.12% approval rating. Kudos to John, Neil Geraldo and the others that made Ignition such a memorable release.

The above was compiled by David Ketels.
David met John for the first time in January of 1998.
Follow this link to see the picture and read the story

Many thanks to Patrick (Pprwait@aol.com) for providing me with many of the CD cover scans that you see in Rate-A-Waite.

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