Song #90: "Hanginaround" by Counting Crows
The countdown of the Top 100 Songs of the 90s continues and this time it's "Hanginaround" by Counting Crows. "Hanginaround" is another song that just snuck into contention for the countdown. It was released in 1999 off of their third studio album, This Desert Life. This single, along with their already existing fan base, propelled the album to platinum status in early 2000. This is just one of many popular singles they have released over the years, but personally one of my favorites. The lyrics are so universal and almost everyone can relate to them at some point in their life.
This is the first time the Counting Crows have been featured on the countdown but I have a feeling that it won't be their last appearance. They had quite a run during the '90s which continued well into turn of the century. They have sold over 10 million albums and have charted 8 singles on the US Modern Rock Charts. They are currently touring in Australia after releasing their fifth studio album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, last year. While their sales numbers have declined over the years, they have such a strong fan base, I doubt they will hang it up anytime soon.
As for the music video, its not quite as good as the song. As with most music videos, it shows the band performing the hit single. Lead singer, Adam Duritz, is seen sitting on a bench at a bus stop where he sees some rather strange things. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Interested in other songs from the countdown? Check out the other Top Songs of the 1990s here.
"(Splash) Turn, Twist" by Jimmy Eat World - Song Of The Week
This week's song is one that I recently discovered. I have always been a fan of Jimmy Eat World but somehow I never came across this song until very recently. I was able to get a hold of Bleed American (Deluxe Edition) and I was instantly drawn to this song. The Deluxe Edition of Bleed America, which was released last year, has some rare versions of the original songs on Bleed America as well as a few previously unreleased tracks. This song embodies everything I love about Jimmy Eat World and has quickly become one of my favorites from the boys from Mesa, Arizona.
Apparently the song was included on the Wedding Crashers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack but I don't remember it being featured in the movie. Regardless, it was chosen for the soundtrack because its a good song, and probably should have been a single. You can be the judge of that though. You can listen to it below.
Jimmy Eat World is currently gearing up for a ten show tour, celebrating the 10th Anniversary of their second album, Clarity. They will playing the whole album in its entirety at each show. If there was one tour you wouldn't want to miss as a Jimmy Eat World fan, this would be it. Check out their new Clarity website for more details.
Well, that's it for this week. Check us out next Sunday for another Song of the Week.
Thanks for listening.
"Crazy Life" by Toad the Wet Sprocket - Song of the Week
Another week down, and it is time for another song of the week. This week is one of my favorites, "Crazy Life" by Toad the Wet Sprocket. This was their last single they released before the band disbanded in 1998. While Toad the Wet Sprocket is best known for their hit singles "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean", their library of songs is very impressive. Of their five studio albums, I am big fan of their last three, Dulcinea, Fear, and Coil.
"Crazy Life" was featured in the ever popular Empire Records Sountrack, which is filled with some great 90s music. While it may be "Come Down" that most people remember from Coil, I believe that "Crazy Life" is the stronger single.
This song hooks you from the very first guitar riff. It has such a good opening and from there it smooth sailing. Like a lot of the other Toad songs, you can just kick back and enjoy this one. The song's lyrics speak of the controversy surrounding Leonard Peltier, a Native American convicted of murdering two FBI agents in a shoot out at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
While the lyrics are kind of sad, I love the line:
"In the air I'm sensing a change in the weather,
In the end the path is clear."
Anyway, I thought I would bring up a song that you may not have heard before.
Love it, hate it? Let me know.
Here is a live performance of the song:
"Life Is A Highway" by Tom Cochrane - Song Of The Week
The song this week, "Life Is A Highway" by Tom Cochrane, is inspired by last week's episode of The Office, "Employee Transfer". It is predominately featured throughout the episode, to highlight the distance Michael, Holly, and Darrell have traveled. It is the prefect song placement as it is the kind of song that gets annoying really fast but it's nice to hear every once in a while.
"Life Is A Highway" was released in 1991, propelling Tom Cochrane's career into stardom. Unfortunately, this was his only single to break into Billboard's US Hot 100, topping out at #6. Although his popularity faded fast in the US, he did see success throughout the '90s in Canada: charting 13 other singles on Canada's RPM 100 chart.
The catchy tune was not surprisingly brought back to life in 2006, when the Rascal Flatts covered "Life Is A Highway" for Disney's animated movie, "Cars". This version also did well on the Hot 100: bolstered by digital music sales, it reached #10.
The music video is pretty classic early 90s: conjuring up images of scorpions, black leather boots, and tight jeans. It features a guy wearing a wife beater driving down, shockingly enough, a highway. The video doesn't have much substance but be sure to check out 2:37 into the video when the guy wipes out running in the mud.
Song #91: "Touch, Peel and Stand" by Days Of The New
It has been a while since we last left off with the countdown but today I have for you a great but perhaps forgotten rock song, "Touch, Peel and Stand" by Days Of The New. "Touch, Peel and Stand" is the band's biggest hit to date, reaching #6 on the Modern Rock Charts and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Charts for a stay of a remarkable 16 weeks. Only 5 other songs in the chart's history have managed to stay at #1 for a longer period of time. It was the first single released off of their first album which is self-titled. The album went on to go platinum with the help of "Shelf In The Room" and "The Down Town", both of which were almost as successful as "Touch, Peel and Stand".
Days Of The New were really quite a unique band for the time period. I have always felt like they came the closest at bringing a true "grunge" vibe to their songs in a time where most bands were forming the "post-grunge" genre. In my opinion, they have a sound that is a cross between Bush and Alice and Chains. They are known for a "acoustic rock" feel to their songs, and when combined with front man, "Travis Meeks", voice, you got a sound that no doubt reminded you of the great grunge music that came before them. They went on to release two more self-titled albums but were never able to retain the success of their first album.
This music video is a little intense to say the least. It features the band performing the song like so many other music videos and features a Days Of The New staple, a shirtless Travis Meeks. I've seen some of their other music videos and that seems to be a theme. Although there seems to by a storyline to the video, it doesn't have much substance. It's a little dark and a features a kid who trashes his apartment then cuts off his hair and shaves his head. While the video isn't much, the song is great. Check it out!
Interested in other songs from the countdown? Check out the other Top Songs of the 1990s here.
"Sleepwalker" by The Wallflowers - Song Of The Week
After a week off, Rizzo Music continues with the 2 week tradition of "Song Of The Week". This week we examine a classic, "Sleepwalker" by The Wallflowers. This gem is a single off of their third studio album, Breach. This was the last single from the Wallflowers to break into the top 40 on either the Mainstream or Modern Rock Chart.
I have always been a fan of this song but recently I came across a great acoustic version that I would like to share with you. It can be found on Imeem, or you can listen to it by clicking here. It is not often that I prefer a revision of an original song but this is one of them. While the original is still solid, Jakob Dylan brings the song to a different level in this version.
You get that live feel to the song without sacrificing the sound quality. You can sense that there is a lot of emotion in the lyrics that he sings: a sense that is lost in the single version. It loses the pop rock feel as well as the clapping, and what is left is a raw look at a great song.
I also included the original song and music video below just in case you do in fact prefer it.
In any case, it is one of my favorites from The Wallflowers, a band that I was lucky enough to see live about a year ago. They put on a great show.
Currently, they are not on tour while Jacob does his thing on his own. He is touring Europe right now, promoting his solo album.
That's it for this week. Be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed if you want to be updated when new articles are posted.
"Non Dairy Creamer" by Third Eye Blind - Song Of The Week
This is a brand new one from one of my favorite bands, Third Eye Blind. It is called, "Non Dairy Creamer" and it currently being used as part of a new contest for fans. Third Eye Blind is urging fans to log on to indabamusic.com and create a mix or remix of their new songs. Currently only "Non Dairy Creamer" is available, but other new songs are sure to follow. They are planning on picking the best mixes and creating a fan made album. I am going to try my best to create an entry in the weeks to come. If you end up submitting an entry, be sure to make a comment or email us at web at rizzomusic.com and I'll try my best to give it a listen. You can start mixing today just by creating an account at www.indabamusic.com and then by entering the contest here.
The song itself is very catchy and while it has some more politically charged lyrics than Third Eye Blind fans are used to, it is hard to not like this song. While I hope that this song is not the first single of "Ursa Major" due to its polarizing lyrics, it is a great musical arrangement. I would have personally preferred Mr. Jenkins to stay away from politics on this album, but can understand his need for his voice to be heard and he has earned the right to speak his mind on all subjects. I have always considered him to be a lyrical genius and I don't envision the new album changing my mind.
I will try to keep you updated on the contest and the new album as more details are revealed. You can listen to the studio version of the song on their Facebook page here and you can listen to all of the contest entries here.
That is all for this week's song.
For those interested in the lyrics,
here is how I heard them when listening to the song:
Lyrics
"They call it KFC,
Cause its not really chicken.
Hot Cheetos for breakfast,
Make a young student sickened.
Did you ever think someones tricking you?
And the guy in the pulpit,
Is a bigot and a liar,
Some kid walks into my school,
And opens fire.
Heard any good jokes lately?
Cause we sure do need them.
My punk band's called Operation Iraqi Freedom.
So whats it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?
A new love,
Is burning up in me,
Cause one in four American girls has an STD.
And you can buy yourself some implants,
But you can't buy soul threat level orange.
With your chest pumped out,
What are you so afraid about?
With your chest pumped out,
What are you so afraid about?
What are you so afraid of?
What are you so afraid of?
Whats it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?
And two gay guys got married,
Brought the family to its knees.
How did they blow us to smithereens?
Just a couple of queens.
How did they do it?
I'm telling you now,
Brought marriage to an end,
And I found myself some culprits,
It's two young gay republicans.
Young gay republicans.
Young gay republicans.
Young gay republicans.
So what's it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?
So what's it going to be?
Are you real to me?
Or are you nondairy creamer?
Mission Accomplished.
Mission Accomplished.
Mission Accomplished.
Some, someone we let murder,
Some, some we let go.
Some, someone we let murder,
Some, some we let go.
(not real sure on this stanza)
I sincerely want to thank you all for listening,
I thank you all."
Edit: Lyrics Updated November 21st.
If you have any changes to these lyrics, feel free to make a comment below.
Thanks for listening.
"Simple Song" by Better Than Ezra - Song Of The Week
Today, Rizzo Music introduces a new featured article, "Song Of The Week". Here we will showcase a song of exceptional quality and tell why it is deserving of such a phenomenal distinction. My plan is to write this type of article every Sunday so make sure to look back here often for your "Song Of The Week" fix.
Now for one of my new favorite songs, "Simple Song" by Better Than Ezra. This is unreleased song from the trio from New Orleans. Better Than Ezra is, of course, famous for their two hit singles, "Good" and "Desperately Wanting" but as I have learned in the last few years, their catalog of songs is outstanding and this song is no different.
Now that front man Kevin Griffin is trying out his solo career, he has revamped his myspace page and put up a few songs for your listening pleasure. One of them is "Simple Song", a song filled with some of the best lyrics I've heard in a while.
"Simple Song" itself is a simple song but it has some powerful lyrics. You can either go to his myspace page here, or watch the live version below.
Love or hate this week's song or have an idea for next week's "Song Of The Week", please feel free to make a comment below.
Best 90s TV Show Theme Song? - "Hey Sandy" by Polaris
It is not too often that a TV show picks such a sensational song as "Hey Sandy" by Polaris to be its theme song. The Adventures of Pete & Pete was one of the few shows where I was actually disappointed whenever I missed a chance at watching the opening credits to a TV show. Where some could argue that Fresh Prince of Bel Air and The Wonders Years had a similar effect to them, The Adventures of Pete & Pete's opening credits never failed to create an uncontrollable urge to get up and start dancing.
There probably was no greater debate on the minds of six to ten year-olds at recess in the mid 90s then trying to figure out the correct lyrics to this song. I even remember looking up the lyrics about five years ago and the contributor literally writing something to the effect of "[incomprehensible mumblings]" as one of the lines in the song. Not only did this create interest in the song and the show itself but also added to its legend.
Besides when my mom would tell me that we were having macaroni & cheese for dinner, I don't think there were many more things that got me more excited when I was a little kid then seeing that lawn mover roll across the screen. It all really boils down to the fact that no other show in the 90s had a theme song that fit so well with a random bike ghost-riding down a ramp then this one, and for that very fact, I present to you the best '90s TV show theme song, "Hey Sandy" by Polaris.
Popular Rock Music Of The 90s - The Songs That Defined A Decade
Rizzo Music is back with a new article from the "Popular Music of the 90s" series. Last week I made a list of some of the best pop music of the decade and today I am going to share with you my list for the most popular rock music of the 90s. Out of all the lists and playlists I have created in the past, this was by far the hardest to come up with. There are so many great artists and songs that originated in the 90s and deciding on just 5 songs for every year was tough. I tried to get representation out of all the key rock artists and hopefully I didn't forget anyone.
After much debate I was able to compile this list of 90s rock music. There are so many songs that I really enjoy that could not be included due restrictions on space but there are 50 great singles here for your enjoyment.
How it works:
For each genre of music I will rank the top 5 singles from each year in the 90s. I will provide a link for each song (either imeem or youtube, depending on availability) for your listening pleasure.
Disclaimer: These rankings are based on my personal preferences, not on actual popularity. I think of these lists as recommendations. Hopefully these songs will bring back some good memories, and if you have never heard them before, maybe create some new ones.
Interested in 90s Pop and Rap as well? Be sure to check out these lists as well.
90s Pop Music
90s Rock Music
Starting with the year 1999:
1. "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit
2. "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind
3. "Scar Tissue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. "The Chemicals Between Us" by Bush
5. "Heavy" by Collective Soul
1998:
1. "Inside Out" by Eve 6
2. "The Way" by Fastball
3. "Sex and Candy" by Marcy Playground
4. "Shimmer" by Fuel
5. "Closing Time" by Semisonic
1997:
1. "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve
2. "Push" by Matchbox Twenty
3. "Everlong" by Foo Fighters
4. "The Freshman" by The Verve Pipe
5. "Everything to Everyone" by Everclear
1996:
1. "1979" by Smashing Pumpkins
2. "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers
3. "Counting Blue Cars" by Dishwalla
4. "What I Got" by Sublime
5. "In the Meantime" by Spacehog
1995:
1. "Lightning Crashes" by Live
2. "Wonderwall" by Oasis
3. "Glycerine" by Bush
4. "Name" by Goo Goo Dolls
5. "Good" by Better Than Ezra
1994:
1. "When I Come Around" by Green Day
2. "Shine" by Collective Soul
3. "I Alone" by Live
4. "Self Esteem" by The Offspring
5. "About a Girl" by Nirvana
1993:
1. "Rooster" by Alice in Chains
2. "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows
3. "Hey Jealousy" by Gin Blossoms
4. "No Rain" by Blind Melon
5. "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine
1992:
1. "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam
2. "In Bloom" by Nirvana
3. "Drive" by R.E.M.
4. "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica
5. "Creep" by Radiohead
1991:
1. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
2. "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains
3. "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
4. "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.
5. "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones
1990:
1. "Hunger Strike" by Temple of the Dog
2. "Kool Thing" by Sonic Youth
3. "Head Like A Hole" by Nine Inch Nails
4. "Stop!" by Jane's Addicton
5. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
Well there you have it. The top 5 songs from each year of the 90s. Thanks for listening and enjoy.
Agree? Disagree? Feel free to share your opinion by making a comment below.