And some other songs we miss…
The 90’s were nothing if not forgettable to some degree. Billy Clinton was getting his ham glazed. People were wearing flannel with toast as an accessory. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Sublime, Blink-182 were fresh and all over the radio…though they are still all over the radio. However, there are a lot of songs you have probably forgotten about. Maybe for good reason. Maybe you are just a busy bee. Myself, I have no girlfriend and a bunch of free time (just like in the 90’s), so I decided to dig through my music library to find 30 gems I think you should really reconsider putting back into your personal playlist.
30. The Bollock Brothers “Harley-David, Sonofabitch”
Sure it’s a novelty, but what isn’t these days? Nothing, aside from The Bloodhound Gang no one carries this torch today. Sure, there’s not really any notoriety or money or fame to be made from such music, but I feel the world was much happier when songs like this were more common.
29. MxPx “I’m Okay, You’re Okay”
Such squeaky-clean punk was coming out of Bremerton, Washington while in Seattle, well, things were a little more flannel. It is kind of odd because I have been to Bremerton and that place is pretty, meh. That being said, I will always have a special place in my heart for MxPx. They made catchy songs I could play loud when my parents were scrutinizing my music tastes. Really though, how many copies of Marilyn Manson’s “Smells Like Childen” did they confiscate? At least 3 by my count. They never laid a glove on my MxPx discs.
28. The Grid “Swamp Thing”
This was probably the first real electronic music I was introduced to and it features a banjo. Talk about genre bending before EDM was even a thing.
27. Type O Negative “My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend”
The was probably the first song about lesbians I ever heard, but what better way to be introduced into a band then a song about taboo sex (more or less back then). It’s so much more difficult to shock these days.
26. God Lives Underwater “From Your Mouth”
Just a cool song. It’s like wearing a leather jacket when you don’t actually ride a motorcycle.
25. Space “Neighbourhood”
Once again, the obvious choice would be “Female of the Species”, but that was in “Austin Powers” so everyone will remember that. This is one of the narrative songs and has a bit of a dark edge. Solid.
24. Len “Steal My Sunshine”
Once again, big boost for use in a film. “Go” if you don’t recall during that quick getaway scene in Las Vegas. I also recall be stragely attacted to the female lead here although my friends and I agreed she wasn’t really all that attractive. Shrug.
23. The Nixons “Sister”
I blame this band for Nickleback. Cool album cover, though.
22. Marcy Playground “St. Joe on the School Bus”
The most Nirvana-sounding, non-Nirvana song if there ever was one. It’s not really a bad thing in this case, though.
21. Sausage “Riddles are Abound Tonight”
The Primus union of the elder Primus. One album – in and out. I used to get requests for this quite often, actually.
20. Self “Kiddies”
A song we typically only haul out on Halloween – no doubt made popular by referencing Marilyn Manson.
19. Butt Trumpet/Betty Blowtorch “I’m Ugly and I Don’t Know Why”
The Butt Trumpet version is superior to this, though it’s pretty much the same band and song. The Blowtorch version lacks a bit of the schoolyard bite.
18. The Prodigy “Voodoo People”
Would this song have had any sort of life without “Hackers”? I am guessing YES! This song is amazing!
17. Catherine Wheel “Waydown”
Pre-Bush, Bush. They had some great songs, though. Hell, I forgot about this one completely until it popped up randomly as I was slappin’ this blog together.
16. Lucious Jackson “Naked Eye”
Their connection to the Beastie Boys and their “no boys allowed” 3-piece didn’t land them platinum-selling albums, but this song is pretty damn good. I used to own a remix EP that Ad-Rock actully did a mix of this song for and it was spectacular.
15. The Sunday’s “Here’s Where the Story Ends”
I barely remembered this song until someone put it on at a dinner party complaining they couldn’t find this album on vinyl. Ugh.
14. The Nails “88 Lines About 44 Women”
This song would never get airplay today. There are too many safe spaces, literal criticism and feelings. Sure, it’s pretty misogynistic, but it’s catchy and ya know, taboo makes things fun.
13. The Living End “Prisoner of Society”
Austrailian punk with some Rockabilly sensibility thrown in. Love this band and they actually put a new album out this year. A true fist-in-the-air anthem.
12. Stereo MC “Connected”
Another straight up cool track. A make-out party classic at this point with a disco twist.
11. Propellerheads feat. Shirley Bassey “History Repeating”
The 90’s were a time when sampling was coming into its own. Propellerheads really just did more a remix if we’re splitting hairs, but they did it so well. Why hasn’t this been used in a Stella Artois or Henniken commercial?
10. CIV “Can’t Wait One Minute More”
Total grease-punk track with a bit of melody, but you could still slam in the pit to it.
9. Letters to Cleo “Here and Now”
I would only listen to this song in bed while wearing clean white socks and writing in my “journal.” It was sweet in a way until an abundance of snowflakes and selfies would turn culture away from sweet innocence into all-encompassing narcissism.
8. Citizen King “Better Days (And the Bottom Drops Out)”
X96 played this song so much I am surprised it hadn’t been burned into my brain a la “A Clockwork Orange.” Alas, I had forgotten about it and glad I still had this album in my collection. Time made me finally appreciate this one.
7. 8Stops7 “Question Everything”
Another one that I would have needed to be put under thick hypnosis to recall on my own. This was back when Freewheeler Pizza would deliver me pepperoni and peanut pizza to me when I did overnights (midnight to 6am). Such innocent times, they were.
6. Primal Scream “Movin’ on Up”
Someone should revive this song in order to sell mass-produced pilsners. That’s a good thing.
5. Mono “Life in Mono”
This song is the audio equivalent of Sophia Coppola.
4. The Refreshments “Banditos”
This is from on of my all-time favorite album. Not a bit of fat on this album. The Refreshments would put out one more album, which wasn’t close to the genius on this LP. Most bands don’t even get that.
3. Marvelous 3 “Freak of the Week”
Before Butch Walker was producer extraordinaire he was so Marvelous he was 3. He was and has always been right.
2. MC 900 Ft. Jesus “If I Only Had a Brain”
This is the one that’s not the “light the fires” song. A bit dreamy and a bit dark. The Don Draper of 90’s bands.
1. Soul Coughing “Bus to Beelzebub”
Yes, another novelty song. Hearing this reminds me a time when the stick was only 1/2 the way up our collective asses. Soul Coughing has some great songs, so I was sad to hear M. Doughty talk about how unhappy he was during this time. It does go to show that great art can only thrive and bloom in misery.
Here’s the whole shebang:
Sure, there are many more I could have curated, but everything in moderation, right? If you listen to this entire playlist I can’t be held responsible for the hours you will spend searching for all the songs you’ll be reminded of. Fine days they were.
