Top 200 Songs of the '90s

Thursday, April 17, 2008

1. Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know

Found On: Jagged Little Pill (1995)

Do I need to tell you about this song? The big hit on the big album of the decade, its rage was as unbridled as its success. Wherever the guy is who inspired such anger, he’s probably still smarting. - RN

2. Lisa Loeb – Stay (I Missed You)

Found On: Tails (1994)

You know, Stay doesn’t have a chorus to speak of, and yet nearly anyone aged 25 – 35 can sing large portions of it, if not the entire song. How does THAT happen?

3. They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse In Your Soul

Found On: Flood (1990)
Picked By: MT

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is TMBG’s best song, an ode to a nightlight that is full of non-sequiters and SAT vocabulary words, but still comes off as oddly touching .

4. Deee-Lite - Groove Is In the Heart

Found On: World Clique (1990)

Because groove IS in the heart. - EE

5. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Found On: Nevermind (1991)
Picked By: MT

The most influential song ever inspired by a deodorant.

6. Smashing Pumpkins - Mayonaise

Found On: Siamese Dream (1993)
Picked By: DH

Dave wanted to nominate the entire Siamese Dream album, and I wouldn’t let him. Still, it had more songs nominated from it than any other album. Mayonaise, unlike its differently-spelled namesake, is not heavy, but it does bring a different flavor to the album.

7. R.E.M. - Losing My Religion

Found On: Out Of Time (1991)

I was mildly scandalized by the song's title / chorus when I first heard it. I was a good church-goin' boy and it felt wrong to enjoy the song so much. Now that I've learned the song is actually about a huge hidden crush and not spirituality, I like it both less and more.

8. Radiohead – Creep

Found On: Pablo Honey (1993)

Did I beat Richard in suggesting this? – MT

Yes, you did.

9. Ice Cube – It Was A Good Day

Found On: The Predator (1993)
Picked By: MT

Ice Cube’s idea of a perfect day (a game of basketball followed by craps and dominoes, a Laker win, drunk driving, the Goodyear blimp displaying that you are, in fact, a pimp) may differ slightly from mine, but his enthusiasm is contagious.

10. Green Day – Basket Case

Found On: Dookie (1994)

In purer times I actually discovered new music via MTV. When I saw the video for Basket Case one night I knew that I had to get the album right away. Like the Sex Pistols and Ramones before them, Billie Joe and the boys expressed teenage alienation flawlessly.

11. Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Found On: I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (1990)

Can Prince write a song or can Prince write a song?! This tune was first performed by a group called The Family in ’85 and it wasn’t until Sinead’s impassioned performance that it became the classic it is now.

12. Weezer – Buddy Holly

Found On: Weezer (1994)

I’m going to admit this here: As a high schooler I had a big crush on Mary Tyler Moore. Not the single-gal-in-Minneapolis version, but the sassy-wife-of-Dick Van Dyke version. So this song always made perfect sense to me. And the video is my favorite ever.

13. Sting - Fields Of Gold

Found On: Ten Summoner's Tales (1993)

Reflective, gentle and vaguely sensual, this song knocks my socks off.

14. Counting Crows - Mr. Jones

Found On: August And Everything After (1993)

Adam Duritz name-checks Bob Dylan and Pablo Picasso while anticipating reality television: “When I look at the television, I want to see me staring right back at me!” The Crows would have many more hits, but none touched the sheer bliss of this. - RN

15. Freedy Johnston - Bad Reputation

Found On: This Perfect World (1994)

I’d be more convinced of Mr. Johnston’s alleged “bad reputation” if this song weren’t so pretty. A sweet musical yin to Joan Jett’s sassy yang.

16. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Walk On The Ocean

Found On: Fear (1991)
Picked By: MT

As far as I can tell this song is NOT about Jesus.

17. The Jayhawks - Blue

Found On: Tomorrow The Green Grass (1995)

My grandfather bought this CD for me at a Venture department store in Decatur, Illinois. How had I heard of it? That detail is lost to time. All I know is that as a college freshman who supposedly hated country, it sounded pretty sweet to my ear.

18. Fiona Apple - Criminal

Found On: Tidal (1996)

She may have been a bad, bad girl—the video for this song was downright naughty—but this is a remarkable song. “I’ve been careless with a delicate man?” Perhaps—but there isn’t a careless or misplaced note or word here. - RN

19. Beta Band - Dry The Rain

Found On: The 3 E.P.s (1998)

You might remember this song from the scene in High Fidelity where John Cusack’s character says “I will now sell 5 copies of The Three E.P.’s by The Beta Band.” Why were the patrons of Championship Vinyl compelled to buy a copy of this album? Because this song is fucking good, that’s why. - EE

20. Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way

Found On: Millennium (1999)

While the European version makes more sense, lyrically, than the slightly schizophrenic version that ruled American charts, there’s no question that this was one of the catchiest songs of this or any decade. - RN

21. Bel Biv Devoe – Poison

Found On: Poison (1990)
Picked By: CR

Three background guys from New Edition came together to form Bel Biv Devoe and immediately scored a hit about a girl who’s “just a big butt and a smile.” To put in perspective how unexpected that was, imagine Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone and Lance Bass forming a group and people actually giving a damn.

22. Bonnie Raitt – Something To Talk About

Found On: Luck Of The Draw (1991)

An acknowledgment of rumors, an admission of feelings and a come-on in one fell swoop. I bet Bonnie sang this to Danny Noonan and won him right over.

23. Oasis – Wonderwall

Found On: What’s The Story (Morning Glory)? (1995)

Ryan Hobart, who lived two dorm rooms down from me freshman year, played Wonderwall incessantly at ear-splitting volume for at least three weeks straight (before he moved on to Gangsta’s Paradise). I still love it.

24. Jimmy Eat World – Lucky Denver Mint

Found On: Clarity (1998)

Emo’s best band delivers an ode to wishful thinking and humility. Looking back, it’s not hard to see the commercial breakthrough that happened 3 years later.

25. Spin Doctors – Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong

Found On: Pocket Full Of Kryptonite (1991)
Picked By: MT

What a mean song. I love it.

26. Ben Folds Five - Brick

Found On: Whatever And Ever Amen (1996)

This was the one that shot the group, and eventually the man, into stardom. Who’d have guessed that a song about driving a girlfriend to have an abortion would touch such a nerve? - RN

27. Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song

Found On: Purple (1995)

You won't find a song with a more appropriate title. Everytime I hear this I think of a lone gas station by the side of the road in the southwest.

28. Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence

Found On: Violater (1990)

DM are one of the few bands associated with the ‘80s but who were actually BETTER in the ‘90s. They outdid themselves on Enjoy The Silence, an ironic title given the top quality of the song.

29. The Cranberries – Dreams

Found On: Everyone Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?
Picked By: ND

Like their countrymen U2, the ‘berries had an anthemic, ringing guitar-driven sound. Unlike U2, they had a singer who actually sounded Irish.

30. Deep Blue Something - Breakfast At Tiffany's

Found On: Home (1995)

The song that inspired a generation of guys to rent the old Audrey Hepburn movie, just in case they met a girl who liked it. And then those same guys fell in love with Holly Golightly

31. Hole - Boys On The Radio

Found On: Celebrity Skin (1998)

Wherein Courtney Love looks back on the revolution her husband started. Coming so soon after grunge’s commercial nadir, it reads as instant nostalgia, a eulogy for the music and the men who made it. Plus, the song itself sounds like a lost Christine McVie composition.

32. Haddaway - What Is Love

Found On: Haddaway (1993)
Picked By: EV

If you can listen to this song and NOT think of Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan in purple suits, you’re a better person than me.

33. Jann Arden - Insensitive

Found On: Living Under June (1997)
Picked By: SB

The mid-‘90s really were interesting musical times. Grunge was blowing up, but simultaneously the Lilith Fair revolution was making its own kind of sensitive noise. Jann Arden was one of many to cash in on this, taking a little Alanis and adding a good dose of Heart to create a rueful kiss-off.

34. Tori Amos - Silent All These Years

Found On: Little Earthquakes (1991)
Picked By: MT

What use does a mermaid have for jeans?

35. Shawn Colvin - Sunny Came Home

Found On: A Few Small Repairs (1996)

There’s something fascinating about this song, which cryptically carries the listener through the anguished mind of Sunny as she—what? Burns down her house? Is it a metaphor? Is she crazy? Listen again and again; I defy you to figure it out for certain. - RN

36. Beastie Boys - Intergalactic

Found On: Hello Nasty (1999)

It just goes to show that robot voices are always a good idea.

37. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg - Nuthin' But A "G" Thang

Found On: The Chronic (1992)

Back to the lecture at hand: This was a genuine cultural moment, responsible for 1) Introducing us to Snoop Dogg, 2) the continuing popularity of marijuana t-shirts and hats, and 3) Dolomite rentals tripling.

38. Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back

Found On: Mack Daddy (1992)

A song to help you kick them nasty thoughts. And by “kick” I mean “indulge”.

39. Smashing Pumpkins - I Am One

Found On: Gish (1991)

When Melissa Auf Der Maur left Hole to replace D'Arcy in Smashing Pumpkins, Courtney Love remarked: "If I had the chance to play I Am One every night, I'd leave too." The song is a straight-out rocker, but its best feature is the intro, where the instruments come in one at a time.

40. Pretenders - I'll Stand By You

Found On: Last Of The Independents (1994)
Picked By: SB

See Ben E. King, you didn’t have to worry after all

41. Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hell

Found On: Hot (1996)

The best thing to come out of the swing revival of the mid-'90s. Hell is simultaneously joyful and creepy, a fiery sermon worthy of Jonathan Edwards ("Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God") himself. And when they start spelling "damnation"? Forget it.

42. Christina Aguilera - Come On Over (All I Want Is You)

Found On: Christina Aguilera (1999)

Criminally overlooked in any list of Aguilera’s biggest hits is this infectious dance track. She’s performed prettier and more powerful songs since, but she’s never cooed for attention quite like this. - RN

43. Toad The Wet Sprocket - Something's Always Wrong

Found On: Dulcinea (1994)

Dulcinea spawned an alternative rock hit with Fall Down, but this track seems to keep on keepin’ on even a decade-plus after its release. “Another day of putting things aside as if we’ll come back to them sometime”—who hasn’t felt that? - RN

44. Sloan - Everything You've Done Wrong

Found On: One Chord To Another (1996)

Sweet poppy goodness, full of hope and encouragement. Who could ask for more? - EE

45. Jay-Z - Can't Knock The Hustle

Found On: Reasonable Doubt (1996)

Hova emerged with his skills fully intact: “I got extensive hos with expensive clothes and I sip fine wines and spit vintage flows.” Could Mary have guessed how right she was when she sang “one day you’re going to be a star” on the hook?

46. Guns N' Roses - November Rain

Found On: Use Your Illusion I (1991)

This is the first video - 11 minutes, by the way - that made me cry. - SB

47. Liz Phair - Divorce Song

Found On: Exile In Guyville (1993)

But I miss the days when she wrote songs like this. - EE

48. P.M. Dawn - Set Adrift On Memory Bliss

Found On: Of The Heart, Of The Soul And Of The Cross (1991)
Picked By: MT

The groove so nice it became a hit twice. The Cordes brothers took True by Spandau Ballet and made it into something completely their own, foreshadowing the development of their own considerable composing talents.

49. Duncan Sheik - Barely Breathing

Found On: Duncan Sheik (1996)

James Van Der Beek, I mean, Duncan Sheik has yet to live up to the full commercial potential of his debut single. Even so, it's not a bad legacy. I love the way the last line repeats the first, but with added wisdom, as though he worked it out just by singing the song.

50. Neutral Milk Hotel - Oh Comely

Found On: In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (1998)

This may forever be in my top 5 albums of all time. And this song is the best of the best. Frontman Jeff Magnum hasn’t made an album since. Who can blame him? After you’ve made perfection, what else are you supposed to do? - EE

51. 2Pac feat. Dr. Dre – California Love

Found On: All Eyez On Me (1996)

This state-pride anthem features a hot verse from a fresh-out-of-jail ‘Pac and a bomb beat from Dre.

52. Black Crowes – Hard To Handle

Found On: Shake Your Moneymaker (1991)

The Crowes kicked off their career with a blazing cover of an old blues tune. It’s one of my very favorite songs to sing-along with, though I must confess that for a long while I thought it was about an octopus: “Hey little thing let me light your tentacles.”

53. Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah

Found On: Grace (1994)

By stripping out the intrusive bass and backing vocals from this Leonard Cohen original and performing it with only his own guitar, Jeff has given it the heavenly quality that it deserves. - EE

54. Madonna – Vogue

Found On: I’m Breathless (1990)
Picked By: MT

Sure the song was a hit, but it seems to me that The Vogue never reached its full potential as a dance craze for uncoordinated people.

55. U2 - One

Found On: Achtung Baby (1991)

Somehow this delightful song became an anthem; people seem to focus on the end, when “we get to carry each other.” But it’s really a song filled with pain—“You act like you never had love and you want me to go without.” Whatever way you take it, though, this works—just try to avoid getting chills when Bono intones, “Love is a temple, love the higher law…” - RN

56. Pearl Jam - Black

Found On: Ten (1993)

Amid a series of arena rock anthems, this song stands out on Ten as the one with the most emotion poured into Eddie Vedder’s tortured vocal. When the song finally climbs to the final verse, it’s pure agony: “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, why can’t it be mine?” - RN

57. Nirvana - About A Girl (live)

Found On: Unplugged In New York (1994)

The band's unintentional swan song recast some of their early tunes and exposed the sturdy songwriting beneath. About A Girl was originally on their first record, has a indefatigable melody and an appropriately raw vocal (given the tortured sentiment of the lyrics).

58. Radiohead – Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Found On: The Bends (1995)

The Bends is where Radiohead started making their move towards being a great band. As the bookend for the album, this song shows that the band could do what they set out to do; convince the world that they could be so much better than a one-hit wonder with Creep. - EE

59. Beck - Loser

Found On: Mellow Gold (1994)

There are definitely better Beck songs, in terms of quality—Nobody’s Fault But My Own, from Mutations, comes to mind. But this is his anthem, his shot across the bow, his announcement to the world that he was a force to be reckoned with. A decade on, it still sounds startling. - RN

60. Billy Bragg & Wilco – California Stars

Found On: Mermaid Avenue (1998)

The lyrics on Mermaid Avenue were written by Woody Guthrie and set to music by Billy Bragg & Wilco. California Stars song kicks my ass every single time I hear it. If I had to pick a favorite song of the decade, this would be it. Hands down. - EE

61. Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy

Found On: Ready To Die (1994)

Big Poppa gets all nostalgic, and manages to avoid making any violent or misogynistic comments. Instead he focuses on self-mythologizing his own rags-to-riches story.

62. Semisonic - Closing Time

Found On: Feeling Strangely Fine (1998)

Who knew that the words “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here” could be sung to terrific effect? Semisonic’s solid career hit a commercial peak with this hit. - RN

63. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Mary Jane's Last Dance

Found On: Greatest Hits (1993)

If The Byrds had covered Tangled Up In Blue it might have sounded like this. Usually new songs on greatest hits collections fail to meet the qualities of the actual hits. This is a rare exception.

64. Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend

Found On: Girlfriend (1991)

It’s tough picking a “best” Matthew Sweet song; his ‘90s output was pretty consistent. But this will do! - RN

65. Teenage Fanclub - Sparky's Dream

Found On: Grand Prix (1995)

Spin famously picked Teenage Fanclub's Bandwagonesque as the best album of 1991, over Nirvana's Nevermind. But for my money, Grand Prix is a better all-around album. Sparky's Dream is as lyrically vague as ever, but who cares when the song sounds like The Byrds and Big Star jamming?

66. The Mavericks – What A Crying Shame

Found On: What A Crying Shame (1994)

I’ll admit that I was once one of those wretched music snobs who say they like “every kind of music but country” but The Mavericks helped change that. Their rockabilly sound (owing much to Roy Orbison) made for a smooth transition into more twangy fare.

67. Barenaked Ladies - One Week

Found On: Stunt (1998)

White rap from Canada! - AL

68. Bjork - Enjoy

Found On: Post (1995)

On her second post-Sugarcubes solo album, it’s obvious that Bjork had been spending some time with Tricky to hone her style. This song is full of grinding beats that make you want to be on a sweaty dance floor. - EE

69. Des'ree - You Gotta Be

Found On: I Ain't Movin' (1994)

David Brent's favorite singer serves up warm self-help in 4 short minutes.

70. Mariah Carey - Hero

Found On: Music Box (1993)
Picked By: SB

The lyrics are so sappy they ought to be bottled and served at the church's pancake breakfast, but Mariah actually turns in a restrained performance, and I love the fact that she doesn’t hide her lisp.

71. Del Amitri - Always The Last To Know

Found On: Change Everything (1992)

A harmony-laden tale of a regretful man. I don't really know what he's asking here though. He cheated on this girl, she left him, and now he wants her to communicate with him more? Despite the confusion, it's pop perfection, especially on the Beatle-worthy bridge.

72. Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces

Found On: Wide Open Spaces (1998)

Effortlessly captures that desire to strike out on your own and see what’s out there in the world for you. Pretty harmonies calm the nerves.

73. Foo Fighters - Everlong

Found On: The Colour And The Shape (1997)
Picked By: MT

Is this David Letterman’s favorite song because it’s so desperate and mysterious, or because, as Marilee puts it: "Dave Grohl is just that hot!"?

73. Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing

Found On: The Bodyguard (1992)
Picked By: BG

I feel pretty safe saying that if not for this show-stopper, American Idol as we know it would probably not exist.

75. Radiohead - No Surprises

Found On: OK Computer (1997)

This album was a great sign of what Radiohead was capable of, and laid a base to expand on with Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Thief. - EE

76. The Afghan Whigs - Creep

Found On: Honky's Ladder EP (1996)

The Afghan Whigs always had a certain flair for funky swank in their instrumentation, so it wasn’t that far off-base for them to do a cover of this TLC hit. Of course none of the members of The Afghans ever set fire to Andre Rison’s house, either. - EE

77. Extreme - More Than Words

Found On: Pornograffitti (1990)

Beautiful song musically; the harmonies and acoustic guitar recall Simon and Garfunkel or The Everly Brothers. I’ve heard theories that the lyrics are basically a plea for a woman to *ahem* show her love with actions instead of words.

78. Duran Duran - Ordinary World

Found On: Duran Duran (1993)

An unexpected comeback. Gone were the cocky poster boys and in their place were mannered thoughtful gents. When Simon LeBon puts his problems in perspective, singing “here beside the news of holy war and holy me / ours is just a little sorrow at all” it gets me every time.

79. XTC - Dear Madam Barnum

Found On: Nonsuch (1992)

Andy Partridge's mind works better than most people's. Here, instead of writing a typical you-did-me-wrong song, he creates an extended metaphor of a circus clown tired of playing the fool: "Children are laughing / As I fall to the floor / My heart's torn and broken / But they just scream for more."

80. Wilson Phillips - Hold On

Found On: Wilson Phillips (1990)
Picked By: BG

The daughters of a Beach Boy, a Mama and a Papa form a group and make catchy, harmony-laden, sun-kissed pop tunes. Who would have expected that?

81. Uncle Tupelo - I Wish My Baby Was Born

Found On: March 16-20, 1992 (1992)

By far the best song off of what is quite possibly one of my favorite albums of all time. The haunting simplicity of Jeff Tweedy’s guitar with Jay Farrar’s passionate mandolin make this about the finest 1:38 of music you could ask for. - EE

82. Son Volt - Route

Found On: Trace (1995)

Silly as it seems now, when Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy went their separate ways it was not at all clear who would have the better post-Uncle Tupelo career. Son Volt won the first battle, with Trace bettering Wilco’s A.M. on every count.

83. Wilco - Forget The Flowers

Found On: Being There (1996)

On the other hand... their second album, Being There, was full of great country-pop songs like this one. - EE

84. Fugees - Fu-Gee-La

Found On: The Score (1996)
Picked By: EE & KP

Does that album cover remind anyone else of the three Kryptonian villains from Superman II? Anyway, this was a good tune and album, but I think we can all agree that the solo careers of The Fugees have been much more interesting than anything they did together.

85. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter

Found On: Jeremy (single) (1992)

I’ll admit it, I have no fucking clue what Eddie Vedder is saying in this song. That's not going to stop me from loving it. What amazes me is that this was just a b-side; not even on one of their albums. - EE

86. Peter Murphy - Cuts You Up

Found On: Deep (1990)

You knew Bauhaus had a Bowie jones (they covered Ziggy Stardust), and lead singer Murphy confirmed it on his top-notch first solo hit. One of very few rock hits to feature a cello on the hook.

87. Jesus Jones - Right Here, Right Now

Found On: Doubt (1991)

For the longest time I attributed this song to U2. Others get it confused with the Van Halen song Right Now (#89) that came along a year later. Poor Jesus Jones, their one hit and they don’t even get the credit.

88. Fatboy Slim - Right Here Right Now

Found On: You've Come A Long Way, Baby (1998)

Overall, I’m not a big fan of Fatboy Slim, but I can’t help but love this song. A great combination of driving beat and dreamy background music. - EE

89. Van Halen - Right Now

Found On: For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991)

A Van Hagar gem built on a classic piano riff. The lyrics are typical of Sammy's generic philosophizing, but the video was a slight more clever, presenting a litany of things that are happening right now. Right now your mother misses you.

90. Sarah McLaughlan - Possession

Found On: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (1994)
Picked By: BG

Sarah based this disturbingly beautiful / beautifully disturbing song on letters from an obsessive fan. That begs the question: Did he get a writing credit? Royalties?

91. Ben Folds Five - The Last Polka

Found On: Ben Folds Five (1995)

Just a great song, start to finish. One of my favorites by Mr. Folds. I will never understand how someone can play any instrument while singing, especially on a song so complex. - EE

92. Shawn Colvin - Round of Blues

Found On: Fat City (1994)
Picked By: BG

MUCH better than her song Rectangular Puces. Best line: “Smoked a lot of hope.”

93. Blink 182 - Dammit

Found On: Dude Ranch (1997)

The song has the raw youthful ignorance / brilliance to treat post-break-up feelings like a revelation, as though the narrator is the experiencing them for the first time in human history. The listener feels the same way.

94. Cake - Never There

Found On: Prolonging The Magic (1998)
Picked By: KP

Cake have a predictable sound (funky riff, half-spoken delivery, that spoke noisemaker thing) but they certainly get a lot of mileage out of it. This may be the most joyful example, despite the desperate sentiment of the lyrics.

95. Daft Punk - Around The World

Found On: Homework (1996)

This song is all about the Michel Gondry video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMpsnDxNbqQ

- EE

96. Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It

Found On: This Is How We Do It (1995)

To my ear, this song is unique because it blurs the line between rap and R & B. The musical backing is pure rap; you could easily hear 2Pac or Naughty By Nature rapping along. But Montell sings over it instead, only throwing in a tiny bit of sing-song rap on the self-congratulatory bridge.

97. Aimee Mann - Save Me

Found On: Magnolia (1999)

From the Magnolia soundtrack, this Oscar-nominated song is everything good about Aimee Mann—dark, literate, and desperate. Phil Collins should be ashamed of himself [editor's note: Richard is referring to the fact that Collins' Tarzan song won the Oscar instead]. - RN

98. Royal Crown Revue - Hey Pachuco!

Found On: Mugzy's Move (1998)

At the dawn of the retro swing revolution, RCR's Mugzy blasted onto the scene with a track made famous in The Mask with Jim Carrey. How could you sit still during this assault? - AL

99. The Roots feat. Erykah Badu & Eve - You Got Me

Found On: Things Fall Apart (1999)

Sometimes relationships get ill, no doubt. Boy meets girl story, with a laid-back groove, an impeccable hook by Ms. Badu AND a happy ending.

100. Sonic Youth - 100%

Found On: Dirty (1992)

Oh, how I loved Sonic Youth. So noisy, so angst ridden. They were MY band in the early to mid-nineties and this was the song that did it all. There are better SY songs, but this was the very first song that I ever heard. - EE

101. Paul Westerberg - Dyslexic Heart

Found On: Singles (1992)

Paul Westerberg’s post-Replacements career may be somewhat inconsistent, but he kicked it off in style with this ode to romantic confusion: “Are you just playin’ makin’ passes? / Oh my heart could use some glasses!”

102. Madonna - This Used To Be My Playground

Found On: This Used To Be My Playground (single) (1992)
Picked By: BG

Time to play two truths and a lie: 1) This song was used in the film A League Of Their Own but was not on the CD soundtrack. 2) Tom Hanks and Rosie O’Donnell contributed back-up vocals. 3) It was co-written by a man named Shep.

103. Soul Asylum - Misery

Found On: Let Your Dim Light Shine (1995)

Dave Pirner proposes starting a company called Frustrated Incorporated, and grunge becomes self-aware. Humor and Soul Asylum rarely go hand-in-hand, but Misery is a pleasant exception.

104. Built To Spill - Else

Found On: Keep It Like A Secret (1999)

This is one of the finest songs Built to Spill has ever recorded, and they’ve done their fair share. When the harmony comes in on the second verse after the first instrumental break? Kills. Me. Every. Time. - EE

105. A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebaum

Found On: People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (1990)

Gets the distinction of being the only song on this list to be paraphrased by another song on the list (see #48 Set Adrift On Memory Bliss). I wish I could bottle this song's laid back cool and put a little bit on every morning.

106. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony

Found On: Urban Hymns (1996)

The title of the song is especially apt. Though the lyrics and melody were completely original to the band, Bittersweet Symphony is credited to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards alone.

What gives? Well, the song uses a sample from a symphonic recording of the Rolling Stones' song The Last Time, which was authorized ahead of time. Once it became a huge hit, the Stones' manager saw dollar signs and successfully sued for full writing credit. Reason #659 why the Stones kind of suck.

107. Luna - California (All The Way)

Found On: Bewitched (1994)

This was on a Levi’s commercial and for months my roommates and I could not figure out who it was [editor's note: This was before the Interweb was widely available]. I was visiting my girlfriend who had just gotten a tape from a high school friend. When this song started playing on her tiny stereo I literally dropped what was in my hands and ran to read the hand-written tape-case. - EE

108. Weezer - The Good Life

Found On: Pinkerton (1995)

Great pop tune, perfect craftsmanship with just a tad of alternative nation to it. Everything off of Pinkerton was great; this is just the cut that I like to listen to more than the others. - AL

109. Skee-Lo - I Wish

Found On: I Wish (1995)

Poor Skee-Lo is last to be picked for the pick-up games, can’t get a date, and has an 8-track player in his hatchback. A refreshing alternative to the usual rap bravado.

110. Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number 2

Found On: The Boy With The Arab Strap (1998)
Picked By: EE

I'm gonna go out on a limb and call this the prettiest song ever to be written about nocturnal emissions.

111. Hammer - Too Legit To Quit

Found On: Too Legit To Quit (1991)
Picked By: CR

Was it just a dream I had, or did Hammer (no longer an M.C. apparently) perform this song on Saturday Night Life with Wednesday and Pugsly from The Addams Family movie? I wish I could remember the hand motions.

112. Cornershop - Brimful Of Asha

Found On: When I Was Born For The 7th Time (1997)

This British-Indian pop confection gave us a ass-shaking groove and the undeniable nugget of wisdom: "Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow."

113. Robbie Williams - Millennium

Found On: The Ego Has Landed (1999)

How did this song not make Robbie Williams an American superstar? Perfectly timed to coincide with the millennial obsession, backed with an infectious repeating loop, and lacking the British-isms that might detract from American enjoyment of his later work, this song was, and is, worthy of more acclaim than it won. - RN

114. Morphine - Cure For Pain

Found On: Cure For Pain (1993)
Picked By: MT

Never before have a song title and a band name gone so well together. But the teacher in me must point out that the song itself actually has an anti-drug message.

115. The Promise Ring - Why Did We Ever Meet

Found On: Nothing Feels Good (1996)

A bubblegum band in punk disguise. Is there a more emo sentiment than: “Why care about the weather? / It only ends, it ends in darkness”?

116. Metallica - Enter Sandman

Found On: Metallica (1991)
Picked By: MT

Everytime I look at the cover of Metallica’s self-titled album I think to myself: “How much more black could it be? None more black.” Leave it to Metallica to pull a Spinal Tap while simultaneously turning a bedtime prayer into some scary shit.

117. Eric B. & Rakim - Don't Sweat The Technique

Found On: Don't Sweat The Technique (1992)
Picked By: KP

Did they get US3 to do the music on this one? It doesn't matter; Rakim could flow over a ukelele and still sound tight.

118. Portishead - Over

Found On: Roseland NYC (Live) (1998)

This is one of those instances where a band takes a great song and makes it even better in a live recording.

The bass drives harder, the strings seem more sincere, and Beth Gibbons’ voice seems so much more fragile. - EE

119. The Smithereens – Too Much Passion

Found On: Blow Up (1992)

The self-proclaimed ugliest band in the business deserve a second look. If the British Invasion married Motown, their firstborn would probably sound just like this ballad.

120. Polaris - Hey Sandy

Found On: Music from the Adventures of Pete & Pete (1999)

This song is okay, but the show that it came from was freaking phenomenal. Iggy Pop as the father of the girl next door? C’mon! That’s just good television. - EE

121. R.E.M. - Find The River

Found On: Automatic For The People (1992)

I bet a lot of people think that Everybody Hurts is the saddest song on this record, but I have to disagree. I spent a lot of time driving around gravel country roads in highschool listening to this CD blasting in my Discman, and this is always the song that did it for me. Sigh. - EE

122. Roxette - It Must Have Been Love

Found On: Pretty Woman (1990)
Picked By: BG

Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett’s wedding song.

123. Crash Test Dummies - God Shuffled His Feet

Found On: God Shuffled His Feet (1993)

Being a good boy brought up in the church, this song captivated me. God participates in a Q & A session and when it becomes uncomfortable, He tells an elliptical story about self-doubt. And this was the album opener!

124. The Murmurs - You Suck

Found On: The Murmurs (1994)

The 90's were a great time for pissed-off chick rock and this track seemed to put it all in perspective. The girl, or should I say, grrl, has gotten so lost in this dead end relationship that she hasn't even picked up her guitar to write, let alone play. The sound of drumsticks dropped to the floor at the end, gets me every time. - AL

125. Isreal Kamakawinwo'ole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Found On: Facing Future (1993)

What’s not to love about this song? His voice is amazing, the single ukulele as supporting instrumentation is simple and perfect. Freaking unforgettable. - EE

126. Primitive Radio Gods - Standing Outside A Broken Telephone Booth With Money In My Hand

Found On: Rocket (1996)
Picked By: MT

One-hit wonders don't get much cooler than this: A long-ass title, a B.B. King sample, a hip hop beat, a classical piano solo and reflective lyrics about living life to its fullest.

127. Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should Have Come Over

Found On: Grace (1994)

Some singers die young and develop an outsized reputation as a result. Buckley, on the other hand, has exactly the reputation he deserves, as an insightful writer of beautiful songs. This gem proves it. - RN

128. Eels - P.S. You Rock My World

Found On: Electro-Shock Blues (1998)

Eels maestro E lost his mother to cancer and sister to suicide in the same year. Then he made an album about it. The closing song finds him in that startling moment of clarity after you’ve lost someone, the moment you realize you have the strength to move on: “Maybe it’s time to live,” he tells himself, and it sounds like he means it.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

129. Chris Isaak - Somebody's Crying

Found On: Forever Blue (1995)

Out of the context of the album Forever Blue, you could almost be forgiven for thinking this surf-infused tune sounds happy. But listen as Isaak disassociates himself from his own feelings: “I know somebody and they cry for you—they lie awake at night and dream of you.” And who would that be? - RN

130. Pulp - Disco 2000

Found On: Different Class (1996)

Jarvis Cocker channels David Bowie and Dave Gahan on this dancey tortured / funny / joyful ode to a rediscovered childhood friend. The opening line is the best: "Born within an hour of each other / My mother said we could be sister and brother / Your name is Deborah - Deborah / It never suited ya."

131. Queensryche - Silent Lucidity

Found On: Empire (1990)

One night in college, my buddy Tim and I called every radio station in town and requested this hard rock fantasy tune. Not one station would play it, though one DJ did call it "awesome" before apologizing for the limits of his format.

132. DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - Summertime

Found On: Homebase (1991)
Picked By: MT

Whatever happened to the Fresh Prince? He seemed like such a nice young man.

133. 10,000 Maniacs - These Are Days

Found On: Our Time In Eden (1992)
Picked By: ND

Hey Natalie Merchant, R.E.M. called. They want their mandolin back.

134. Blur - Song 2

Found On: Blur (1997)

I love Song 2 because it sheds light on the composing process. You can just imagine Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon writing together in a room; Coxon comes up with that guitar riff, Albarn is so excited he goes “woo-hoo!” and they have a song.

135. Britney Spears - Baby One More Time

Found On: ...Baby One More Time (1998)

It seems so weird now, but I remember - after hearing this song a couple of times on the radio - being completely surprised to find out that Britney wasn't black!

136. L.L. Cool J - Around The Way Girl

Found On: Mama Said Knock You Out (1992)
Picked By: MT

Minneapolis rapper Atmosphere said, “When I was younger I wanted to be L.L.Cool J / Then he started makin’ records for the girls and shit / So I tore up the Kangol and threw it away.” I assume he was talking about songs like this one. But ladies loved cool James and he obviously loved them back, so I don’t see the problem.

137. Jellyfish - Glutton Of Sympathy

Found On: Spilt Milk (1993)

The best forgotten ‘90s band there is. This piece of work offers little in terms of lyrical lucidity, but more than makes up for it with gorgeous harmony and melody.

138. Sebadoh - Think (Let Tomorrow Bee)

Found On: Bubble & Scrape (1993)
Picked By: KP

Minimalist navel-gazing from Lou Barlow turns into a modern love song: "I think I love you / But I don't know what that means." - PA

139. Bjork - Violently Happy

Found On: Debut (1993)

You could pick any song from Debut and include it on this list — Human Behaviour, for example, is a masterpiece. I chose this one because, with all the soul-searching Bjork songs, isn’t it fun to have just one that screams joy from the rooftops? - RN

140. Dido - Here With Me

Found On: No Angel (1999)

Thank You was the big hit—thanks to Eminem—but this was the true standout track from Dido’s 1999 debut. Also known as the theme song for Roswell, it fits Dido’s vocal talents perfectly, letting her pump drama into each phrase of the list of things she won’t do—go, sleep, breathe, leave, hide, be—until the song’s object is “here with me.” - RN

141. Pavement - Unfair

Found On: Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (1994)

This is the slow, sick, sucking part of me.

Enough said. - EE

142. Seal - Prayer For The Dying

Found On: Seal (1994)
Picked By: BG

Who says the '90s were full of depressing music?

143. The Pixies - Alec Eiffel

Found On: Trompe Le Monde (1991)
Picked By: KP

"Oh Alexander, I see you believe the archways of aerodynamics." Songs about architecture always kick ass. Like a lot of The Pixies' stuff, this tune is amazing for the loud/soft dynamics and punk/pop marriage.

144. Indigo Girls - Mystery

Found On: Swamp Ophelia (1994)

"You set up your place in my thoughts moved in and made my thinking crowded." My favorite lyric ever and so perfectly descriptive of what a crush, a new love and a broken heart can do to you. - SB

145. Sheryl Crow - If It Makes You Happy

Found On: Sheryl Crow (1996)

She was already the toast of the town when this song appeared to announce her second album, but for me, this is where Sheryl Crow really gets going. All I Wanna Do was fun; Strong Enough was pretty. This is powerful. - RN

146. The Flaming Lips - Race For The Prize

Found On: The Soft Bulletin (1999)

The Soft Bulletin is the album that really turned me on to The Flaming Lips. It turned out to be my favorite new album of the year, and that was because of great songs like this story of two scientists in competition. - EE

147. Jude Cole - Baby It's Tonight

Found On: A View From 3rd Street (1990)

Whatever happened to Jude Cole? I mean, what a rare case: Musician comes out of nowhere with a perfect pop rock song and is subsequently never heard from again! I wonder if there's a name for that?

148. Supergrass - Late In The Day

Found On: In It For The Money (1997)

Late In The Day is not Supergrass' best-known song, but it is one of their best. It also shows off their impressive versatility. Starting off as gentle folk-pop, it shifts into a lost McCartney tune on the chorus, throwing a '70s fuzz guitar solo in for good measure.

149. Semisonic - Singing In My Sleep

Found On: Feeling Strangely Fine (1998)

Back in the day there were these things called mixtapes. You took your favorite songs and put them in an order that pleased you. Then sometimes you gave the tape to someone you had a crush on. This is a song about getting one of those tapes, which was always better than giving one.

150. *NSync - Tearin' Up My Heart

Found On: *NSync (1998)

At the time this sounded almost indistinguishable from songs by all the soundalike boy bands that swarmed the scene in the late ‘90s. But it stands up to scrutiny, and it’s noteworthy for launching Justin Timberlake into the stratosphere—and nearly getting Lance Bass there, too. - RN

151. The Wallflowers - 6th Avenue Heartache

Found On: Bringing Down The Horse (1996)

Maybe it’s just that 6th Avenue in my college town was the street with all the sloppy parties, but this song registered for me. And it put The Wallflowers on the map. One Headlight is more radio-friendly, but this is the song that brings the drama. - RN

152. The Presidents Of The United States Of America - Peaches

Found On: The Presidents Of The United States Of America (1995)

When I first heard this song, I remarked that pop music had reached it's natural end point. If all we had left to write about was "going to the country and eat[ing] a lot of peaches" then there really must be nothing left to say. I'm glad that curmudgeon of an 18-year-old was wrong, but I still see where he was coming from.

153. Tricky feat. PJ Harvey - Broken Home

Found On: Angels With Dirty Faces (1998)

Tricky is the king of making a song sound ominous and dark, and this one is definitely no different. The addition of PJ Harvey on vocals is just icing on the cake. - EE

154. Everclear - Father Of Mine

Found On: So Much For The Afterglow (1997)

Confessional self-importance speaks for an entire nation of fatherless children. A fucking indictment. - AL

155. Tears For Fears - Break It Down Again

Found On: Elemental (1993)

Notice that cover? Curt Smith left Tears For Fears in the early '90s and Roland Orzabal carried on. I don't blame you if you don't notice (or miss) Smith's absence on this memorable, propulsive hit. Also notable: The lyrics are not nearly as pretentious as everyone had come to expect ("Moses on a motorbike" anyone?).

156. Elliott Smith - Waltz #2 (XO)

Found On: XO (1998)
Picked By: KP

It's hard to escape the air of depression around Elliott Smith's music, either real or imagined. But this spirited Lennonesque love songs breaks the trend and IS actually a waltz, to boot!

157. Green Day - Longview

Found On: Dookie (1994)

“Sit around and watch the tube but nothing’s on.” Fortunately for the world, when masturbation lost its fun the band found a new direction for a new millennium. But while they and their listeners have done a lot of growing up, this song still thrills. - RN

158. Nas - Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)

Found On: Illmatic (1994)

People rarely mention it, but a rapper's appeal is often in tone more than anything. Nas has a great tone, suited perfectly to the mannered old-school sample. One might question a 20-year-old's capacity for nostalgia (I was plenty nostalgic at that age) but you can't deny his flow.

159. Lucas - Lucas With The Lid Off

Found On: Lucacentric (1994)

Remember when rap was experimental and broke new ground? And had great videos? And a sense of humor? Yeah, me neither, then I remembered this song. - AL

160. Madonna - Take A Bow

Found On: Bedtime Stories (1995)

The cinematic video for this song captivated me when it came out, weaving images of a bullfight with those of a painful love affair. Paired with sequel You’ll See, this was Madonna’s most dramatic moment of the decade. - RN

161. Ani DiFranco - Out Of Range

Found On: Out Of Range (1994)

"Just the thought of our bed, makes me crumble like the plaster where you punch the wall beside my head." Wow. And the sounding bell of indie rock was rung. DiFranco eschewed the record industry to become a hero. - AL

162. Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Found On: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

Oh, how we loved this song in high school. See, I went to Billy Corgan’s alma mater, and everyone there swore that the words “Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage” were directed at our then-windowless prison. Mellon Collie produced several hits and great album tracks, but this is the capper. - RN

163. No Doubt - Spiderwebs

Found On: Tragic Kingdom (1995)

“I’m sorry I’m not home right now, I’m walking into spiderwebs—leave a message and I’ll call you back.” Utter nonsense, really—but nonsense has rarely sounded this sweet. - RN

164. Adam Ant - Wonderful

Found On: Wonderful (1995)

People had a right to be surprised at Adam Ant's comeback, but not at the dreamy sound of the song itself. It was a logical continuation of his New Romantic sensibilities. I love the bridge, which hearkens back to the old new wave sound.

165. Dave Matthews Band - Seek Up (Live)

Found On: Live At Red Rocks 8.15.95 (1997)

I loved early DMB. I spent most of my freshman year of college in a buddy’s room listening to Under the Table and Dreaming.

Being a fan of live music, this album was just what I was looking for. This is the first track off of that album and exactly what I was searching for. The violin solo towards the end of the track still gives me chills. - EE

166. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Walls (Circus)

Found On: She's The One (1996)

The first line of this song comes into my mind more often than any other line from any other song: “Some days are diamonds / some days are rocks.” Simple, but the best observations usually are.

167. Melissa Etheridge - Come To My Window

Found On: Yes I Am (1993)

I remember hearing this song for the first time at age 14 and knowing, somehow, that it was somehow related to my life. Years later, I know I was hearing the feelings of someone in a similar situation to my own. But back then, I just appreciated the growly voice, the insistent chorus, and the hidden longings the song subtly conveys. - RN

168. Material Issue - Valerie Loves Me

Found On: International Pop Overthrow (1991)

Let's hope there'll always be a place in the world for well-made 3 minute pop songs. The lyrics are pretty strange, too. The narrator is wonderfully delusional, imagining that the title phrase is true when it clearly isn't. In the third verse, he looks forward to the day that his crush gets old and the roles are reversed (nevermind that he'll be old too).

169. En Vogue - My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)

Found On: Funky Divas (1992)
Picked By: BG

Never? Never ever?

170. Lemonheads - The Outdoor Type

Found On: Car Button Cloth (1996)

Wherein Evan comes clean to a girl about his supposed interest in outdoor activities. “I can’t go away with you on a rock-climbing weekend / What if something’s on TV and it’s never shown again?” As refreshing as indoor plumbing.

171. Luscious Jackson - Naked Eye

Found On: Fever In Fever Out (1996)
Picked By: KP

Who knew a naked eye could be so sexy?

172. John Mellencamp - Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)

Found On: Mr. Happy Go Lucky (1996)

Mainly I just feel bad that Cougar didn’t get anything on the ‘80s list, but this is an excellent lighthearted tune with Dylanish lyrical detail.

173. Air - Californie

Found On: Premiers Symptomes (1999)

Moon Safari is the '90s Air album to get, but this instrumental demonstrates the band's appeal, starting off as pulsating disco from Mars before downshifting into a staring-at-the-sea rumination.

174. Bob Dylan - Not Dark Yet

Found On: Time Out Of Mind (1997)

A dark song that sums up the ethos of Dylan’s 1997 Grammy winner, Time Out of Mind, this song ruefully laments the coming darkness that was so apparent to Dylan in the wake of a health scare. It’s also a perfect rejoinder to those who suggested that his career was done by the time this record came out; ten years later he’s still proving doubters wrong. - RN

175. L7 - Pretend We're Dead

Found On: Bricks Are Heavy (1992)

Girls can rock too, and you can have a lot of fun pretending to be Fred Scheinder (of the B-52's). Just shout "pretend we're dead!" after the girls sing it in the chorus.

176. Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains

Found On: Garbage (1995)

Not their biggest hit, but this is the song on their debut album that defines the Garbage worldview, self-aware and very bitter. “My only comfort is the night gone black”? Sheesh, Shirley. - RN

177. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Impression That I Get

Found On: Let's Face It (1997)
Picked By: MT

My buddy and college roommate Nick had a friend, Aaron, who used to call and pretend to be Dicky Barrett with his low, gruff voice. It was pretty convincing. Oh, and there’s a persistent rumor that this song is about AIDS. Discuss.

178. Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like A Woman!

Found On: Come On Over (1996)

In college I was taken to task for singing along with this song on the radio by the male passengers in my car. Imagine that! And yet my enthusiasm for one of Twain’s catchiest hits is undiminished. - RN

179. Smashing Pumpkins - 1979

Found On: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)
Picked By: MT

We didn’t know it at the time, but this restrained, nostalgic hit from the 2nd disc of the sprawling Mellon Collie was a big clue as to how their next album, the underrated Adore, would sound.

180. Jeremy Jordan - The Right Kind Of Love

Found On: Try My Love (1993)

This had an honorary spot at the end of 90210 for a straight season. Donna would stand by the jukebox at The Peach Pit and say "Jeremy Jordan, alright,” press a button and the video would play during the credits. He was so cute in his zip-up sweatshirt without a shirt underneath. - SB

181. Big Pun feat. Joe - Still Not A Player

Found On: Captial Punishment (1998)

The big question surrounding this song: Was Big Pun being funny when he said "I'm not a player, I just crush a lot"? I guess it doesn't matter, because I think it's hilarious either way. A hot bouncy piano hook compliments Pun's deft (if crass) way with words.

182. Public Enemy - By The Time I Get To Arizona

Found On: Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strike Back (1991)

I was addicted to Public Enemy when I was in my junior and senior years of high school, and this was one of my favorites. - EE

The song takes issue with Arizona's reluctance to acknowledge Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a holiday.

183. James - Laid

Found On: Laid (1993)

"This bed is on fire with passionate love / The neighbors complain about the noise from above / But she only comes when she's on top" Yowza! That's how you write a dirty song without using any blue language. I suppose he rousing folk-pop backing helps to distract the casual listener...

184. BR5-49 - Little Ramona (Gone Hillbilly Nuts)

Found On: BR5-49 (1996)

So some rockabilly boys came along and wrote a sequel to The Ramones' Ramona, wherein the title character has abandoned punk for country ("she done traded in her Docs for kicker boots" etc). If all country songs were as fun as this one, you could see how that might happen.

185. David Bowie - Dead Man Walking (live)

Found On: Live From 6A (1997)

Nothing to do with the Sean Penn movie, this song first appeared in busy electronica form on Bowie’s 1996 album Earthling. The live version from Late Night With Conan O’Brien features only guitar and voice, bringing out the emotional brilliance of the songwriting.

186. Phish - Silent In The Morning

Found On: Rift (1993)

Phish were often victims of their own excess, but every so often they could create a lucid pop tune like this one. It's kind of like James Taylor writing a song with Pink Floyd.

187. Yo La Tengo & Daniel Johnston - Speeding Motorcycle

Found On: Genius + Love = Yo La Tengo (1996)

First of all, Yo La Tengo is one of the greatest bands around.

Second of all, Yo La Tengo is one of the greatest cover bands around, with an immense knowledge of tons of songs.

Third of all, how cool would it be to have someone call in and ask you to cover one of their own songs so that they could sing it along with you? - EE

188. The Cardigans - Lovefool

Found On: Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Picked By: BG

Never a good sign when the chorus of your song is used on The Office as a torture device, but this Swedish import definitely represents a cultural moment.

189. C + C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)

Found On: Gonna Make You Sweat (1990)
Picked By: EV

Eliza's mom famously misinterpreted the lyrics to this song as "everybody pants down!" Nuff said.

190. Live - I Alone

Found On: Throwing Copper (1994)
Picked By: MT

Around the time of this album, Live played a show in my hometown and it was a huge deal, because popular bands NEVER played there. The next day at school approximately one out of every three people was wearing a Live t-shirt.

Monday, April 14, 2008

191. Gin Blossoms - 'Til I Hear It From You

Found On: Empire Records (1995)

The Blossoms took their Byrds fixation to the next level with this pretty piece of self-delusion/self-confidence, co-written with Marshall Crenshaw.

Bonus fact: Gin blossoms are blood vessels on the nose due to excessive alcohol consumption.

192. The Breeders - Cannonball

Found On: Last Splash (1993)

Kim Deal took the Pixies quiet/loud dynamic to a more commercial place, and used the Wicked Witch of the West's castle guards as back-up singers.

193. Gillette - Mr. Personality

Found On: On The Attack (1995)

From the decade of man-bashing songs comes the ultimate man-bashing song. – SB

194. Big Audio Dynamite - The Globe

Found On: The Globe (1991)

Rush was a bigger hit, but The Globe sticks in my craw. What's interesting to me is the way Mick Jones uses his Clash sensibilities within a hip-hop structure (is that a Lionel Richie sample I hear on the bridge?). Very forward-thinking.

195. Positive K - I Got A Man

Found On: The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills (1991)

I have lots of questions about this song. Why does the album title start with “the” but then substitute “da” four words later? What does the line “I ain’t a duck so don’t play me like a clown” mean? And is that REALLY a girl singing the response bits? I’m dubious.

196. Paula Abdul - Rush, Rush

Found On: Spellbound (1991)

Whoa! Keanu Reeves is in the video! I love him; I know I shouldn't, I just can't help it! - SB

197. DJ Shadow - Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt

Found On: Entroducing... (1996)

My roommate and I had a radio show at the campus station all through college. Sophomore year we were on right before the resident turntable wizard, DJ Marathon.

He came in one night with his crates of vinyl and said “you guys have to listen to this.” I remember hearing this song in that DJ booth for the first time and looking at each other knowing that this was one of the most incredible things we had ever heard. - EE