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Tuesday 31 August 2010

Top 200 Songs of the 1990s, #10 - 1




The big day has finally arrived. 20 posts, 200 songs... our road to the #1 song of the 1990s ends today. I could waste your time with some witty intro, but really, we're all here for the music so, for the final time, let's get to it because it's Top 10 time kids!



#10 - Ray of Light (1998)
by Madonna



All hail the Queen of Pop! No other Madonna reinvention has ever been cooler than Ray of Light Madonna, circa 1998. She embraced alternative dance genres with songs like 'Frozen' (trip-hop) and 'The Power of Good-Bye' (electronica), but she's never been better than on the house-inspired club sensation that was 'Ray of Light.'



#9 - Under the Bridge (1992)
by Red Hot Chili Peppers



How does Kiedis get hair that long so shiny and smooth? Ok, not relevant. Sorry. 'Under the Bridge,' the Red Hot Chili Peppers' signature track and one of the best rock songs you'll ever hear. The video's pretty trippy too and if you watch it... the first thing you'll want to know is how the hell does Kiedis get hair that long so shiny and smooth?! Seriously.



#8 - November Rain (1992)
by Guns N' Roses



Do I need to explain? Do I REALLY need to explain? Repeat after me: Slash... guitar solo...outside...chapel. Slash... guitar solo... on... piano. Got it? Good. It seems hard for a 3 minute song to maintain the public's interest in 2010, but 'November Rain' managed to make it to #3 in the US and it goes for nearly 9 minutes! The mini-movie that accompanies the song is pretty much amazing; incredibly cool with some humorous elements mixed in for good measure. Slash smoking in the church during a wedding. Everyone freaking out at the sudden rain, hiding under tables and then there's the one douche who decides jumping into the wedding cake will protect him from the rain. And then there's the question of how Axl Rose's wife died...



#7 - Don't Speak (1996)
by No Doubt



Please don't tell Madonna that Gwen Stefani beat her on the countdown. She'd probably personally make a visit to kick me in the face (she does a lot of yoga, she could kick me in the face). Moving on... 'Don't Speak.' No Doubt's biggest hit single that made them into superstars following the success of 'Just A Girl.' Stefani would become one of the most successful female lead singers, allowing her to launch her superpop career in the 2000s, which has made her a direct competitor with... Madonna. Are you getting it? Madonna can never know that Gwen beat her.



#6 - Black (1991)
by Pearl Jam



No stupid jokes for this one. In fact, I'll just let the song speak for itself. "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a sun, in somebody else's sky, but why... why... why, can't it be, can't it be mine?" That's good songwriting there. Well played Vedder.



#5 - Paranoid Android (1997)
by Radiohead



I feel pretty confident in saying that Radiohead will never be able to match this song. Not that there's anything wrong with that. If you release something that's half as good as your masterpiece then it's still going to be some outstanding music. 'Paranoid Android' is another song to chart that you can tell has been heavily influenced by 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' You feel like you're getting three or four songs for the price of one, each one better than the last! Great animated music video too.



#4 - Teardrop (1998)
by Massive Attack



A lot of people seem to dislike this song because they feel creeped out by a developing baby in the womb singing the song. Their loss. 'Teardrop' is the single greatest chill-out song of all-time. "You're stumbling a little," is one of my favourite closing lines to a song, singer/songwriter Elizabeth Fraser knocks it out of the park. Fraser wrote 'Teardrop' about Jeff Buckley after his death in '97.



#3 - Everlong (1997)
by Foo Fighters



Dave Grohl is a legend. 'Everlong' proved that the Foo Fighters weren't going to be held back by Grohl's association with Nirvana and that they could be a formidable force in their own right. One of the best rock songs I've ever heard, 'Everlong' managed to come in at #9 on JJJ's Hottest 100 of All-Time last year. There is nothing you can fault here, it's the perfect rock song. The video is probably not what you'd really expect, but it shows the Foo Fighters more fun nature, the light to Nirvana's dark.



#2 - Wonderwall (1995)
by Oasis



Congratulations to our runners-up, Oasis. The vast majority of people under 50 would know every word to 'Wonderwall.' Everyone knows the chorus. It's the perfect pop song, arguably the greatest British single to ever be released... just don't tell anyone from Oasis that. Their egos are big enough.



#1 - Coco Jamboo (1996)
by Mr. President



PSYCH!




#1 - Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991)
by Nirvana



Predictable? You betcha! But there's a reason why 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' always tops these kind of countdowns. It is THE song of the 90s. The rise of grunge as the dominant genre of the early 90s wouldn't have been possible without Nirvana's success with 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.' I could write more, but there's not much point. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is what it is and that's the #1 song of the 1990s. P.S. go Dave Grohl - #1 and #3! Man of the 90s right there.



Well that's it boys and girls. Hope you've enjoyed the ride. Thanks for indulging me in my little trip down memory lane. Looks like we'll be back to business as usual here at It's My Kind of Scene until I can come up with something new. Until next time...

3 comments:

  1. Ohhhh, so THAT'S what song that is (#1). For me, it's just one of those songs I've heard a hundred times and never gotten around to putting a name to it.

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  2. Epic Matt! Very impressed with your Top 10!!! Now can we get the YouTube mega playlist, mp3 download pack, and all of this in one mega post sans videos! What's next for you...Top 200 of the Noughties?

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  3. Well, I'd love to do a download pack but you might just have to iTunes it (or look elsewhere but I can't support that in writing). As for youTube, effort and time, but if you're lucky I'll look into it. Might have to wait just a bit longer for the Top 200 of the Noughties so I don't just favour songs from last year too heavily! Thanks for your continued support of this little blog James!

    And Dan, I hope you're talking about the fake #1... you must know Smells Like Teen Spirit, yeah?

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