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Back in the day, you couldn't get me off the dance floor when this hit. Chills down the spine. I could break down what The Bank looked like second by second as this song filled out.
I really wasn't into Bruce by this point in my life, but "Human Touch"/"Better Days" still made my top 25. I don't think I've sat down and listened to any Springsteen album since The River, but reading your entries (including, obviously, Tunnel of Love) make me realize I've missed so much.
Top 5 Salt 'N Pepa songs: 1. Backyard 2. You Showed Me 3. Shake Your Thang 4. Push It 5. Let's Talk About Sex Top Tracie Spencer songs: 1. This Time Make it Funky 2. Symptoms of True Love 3. This House Top Joe Public songs 1. Live and Learn
It's crazy that I don't remember either of these songs, since I was big into the Minneapolis sound and Paula Abdul just 3 years earlier - then again, cable TV arrived in thegue's household in 1988. Three years later, I wasn't watching it all except for The Real World, which premiered in February of 1992. I was infatuated with the idea of living with strangers in a strange city, as well as being "discovered". I remained a fan of the show until I moved out of the country in 1995, then hopped back onto the show for the Boston entry. After, I was 30...and suddenly I was too old to be a cast member.
A few thoughts: 1. I'm surprised to see Lionel Richie on your charts, but then again, I can only imagine what AT40 radio sounded like in AZ. I was only vaguely aware of "Se La", so "Ballerina Girl" was the last Richie song I remembered. More importantly, I'm pretty sure Richie is the most successful artist in history for whom I NEVER bought a song: CD, album, 12", 45, the dreaded cassingle...nothing. 2. I wrote down (songs soon to hit), but it didn't happen - I left for Europe less than two weeks after later. When I got back, times they were a'changin', and I was changing with them. 3. In TNOCS we've discussed remakes, and what makes a great one. Generally, I think we agree that the one WE heard first is the most memorable, but we can appreciate an artist who makes it their own. My example is always "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", but "Always On My Mind" by both Willie and PSB join the chat room. Weezer's "Africa" is the antithesis of that, and for me, falls flat. In May of 1992, The Cure released their upbeat (a shock!) love song "Friday I'm in Love", which was a worldwide hit, and their second most successful US release (behind "Lovesong") and last #1 Modern Rock hit. I heard it when it was released, and radio played the hell out of it...but it isn't my favorite version. In fact, I don't think it's good. In 2015, Yo La Tengo released their version of "Friday I'm in Love", a song they had played live before, if I remember. It is...beautiful. Georgia Hubley's vocals are...haunting, and the guitar makes it more country than I'm normally comfortable with, but it might be my second favorite cover ever. 4. When Tom was covering the late 1970s, we had a deep discussion about disco artists remaking songs of yesteryear and "discofying" them. Some were great ("Knock on Wood"), others...not so much. In the early 90s, techno was rapidly doing the same. First they covered children's TV theme songs ("Sesame's Treet, "Speed (Hardcore)"), but leave to Euro house to attempt it with classical music. Belgium DJs Luc Rigaux and Patrick Samoy took a 13th century chant, sampled a 1936 Carl Orff cantata and ran with it. I mean, going back 500 years worked for Enigma, why not try it again? "O Fortuna" was great - better than Walter Murphy's attempt to discofy centuries-old music. Unfortunately, techno DJs didn't stop there, and yes...one of them put out a techno version of Beethoven as well. 5. Troy Dixon was mentioned in TNOCS when he, as a member of The Boyz (behind Heavy D) passed away after falling off a ledge of an exit ramp in Indianapolis. Two years later, Pete Rock & CL Smooth released their dedication single to him, a song I think is one of the top 5 rap singles I've ever heard. It samples the saxophone and bass line from Tom Scott's California Dreamers cover of Jefferson's Airplane's "Today", and captures life in the early 90s while paying homage to Troy. It reached #58 on the charts while hitting #1 rap. Over the 30 years since, it's received a lot of recognition in "Best of..." lists as well. https://youtu.be/KYKPc-DooNo https://youtu.be/k6mdRv0ZdR8 https://youtu.be/YLk8AMNCo24
I guess I'm fortunate enough to only post one of these per #1 hit, so there's that. Recreated List: June 13, 1992 1. Set Me Free: Clubland 2. O Fortuna: Apotheosis 3. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.): Pete Rock & CL Smooth 4. Jam: Michael Jackson 5. The Blade: Front Line Assembly 6. Divine Thing: Soup Dragons 7. Twilight Zone: 2 Unlimited 8. Tennessee: Arrested Development 9. Weirdo: Charlatans UK 10. Mrs Robinson: Lemonheads 11. Life is a Highway: Tom Cochrane 12. In Bloom: Nirvana 13. Take My Advice: Kym Sims 14. In the Closet: Michael Jackson 15. Chime: Orbital 16. Even Flow: Pearl Jam 17. Jump: Kris Kross 18. Suck My Kiss: RHCP 19. Keep on Walkin’: Cece Peniston 20. Come a Long Way: Michelle Shocked 21. Mindphaser: Front Line Assembly 22. Mig-29: Mig-29 23. People Everyday: Arrested Development 24. The Best Things in Life Are Free: Luther Vandross/Janet Jackson et al 25. Damn I Wish I was Your Lover: Sophie B Hawkins Songs soon to hit: Too Funky: George Michael Closer to Me: The Outfield Friday I’m in Love: The Cure They Want EFX: Das EFX
You covered this song in detail, back in the day. Seems appropriate: https://youtu.be/3aJvIFK9-xk
You're listening to the wrong stations!!!
I got to see them at the TLA on South Street about 10 years ago in front of about 400 people. Buddy of mine from the UK was ecstatic - last time he'd seen them was in Wales at the Millenium Stadium in front of 80k fans. "Weirdo" is a 9. "The Only One I Know" is an 8. "Teen Angst" is a 7. "Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" was SUCH a let-down after all the XTC I'd listened to in college. It's a 3.
C'mon MT, I want to hear that story!
Passionfruit is an amazing song. "God's Plan" is so easy to make fun of it's become catchy (to me). The rest? Ooof. Breihan is a big fan though...maybe we can ask him?
I'm 16 years older than my wife.
I love it when artists respect artists...and Hetfield's response is gold.
Mark, That's some great stuff! I probably like it better than the original VH (I'd also rate it the worst VH single off that album).
Probably depends on how much Soylent Green he's eaten over the next two years.
Coming in with a hot take... "Jam" is a 10. Don't @ me.
When I was hanging out at Who's on Third (and not DJ'ing), I had a special "Karate Kid" move orchestrated to that scream in "Jump Around". "Jump" and "Jump Around" are 10's. VH's "Jump" is a 6. "Jump (For Your Love)" is a 7.
We're in the middle of my cassingle-buying period. There are a lot of things people will collect (for instance, bottlecaps were a big thing in my household growing up), but cassingles isn't one of them. *Sometimes albums are collectibles - even though the eBay bid for Velvet Underground's "Velvet Underground & Nico" is a collectible due to its rarity (and Warhol art) *Sometimes coins and stamps are collectibles due to printing errors. I own "King of Pain" by The Police, but the song and its B-side are printed on the wrong side. It's worthless. I own "The Best Things in Life are Free" on cassingle, and it contains...no music at all. The magnetic tape is long enough to connect one reel to the other. It's worthless. This song, however, is not worthless. I'd give it a 7.
I'm sure I've shared this before, but Arrested Development is still putting out great music: https://youtu.be/ZqWd8gmS-h8 https://youtu.be/Hpagxp12rRA
I've heard somewhere that 10% of all teachers marry former students. **I'm married to a woman who graduated from the high school I taught at (but didn't know). I taught her younger sister, and my wife overheard her sister/friends talking about their teacher who had moved to Australia. She requested me on FB, and 3 years later we finally met.
I was teaching by this time, and I did NOT understand how high school kids would actually dress like this. Maybe Brigit can help me - it (sort of) reminds me of the fad when everyone (except Another Bad Creation) wore their sweatshirts inside out, to the point where companies began putting emblems on the fluffy "insides" of them. Was that in the 80s??
Dua Lipa earns a 10. The other 3 songs, combined, earned a 10. I'll let you decide how to divide up the points.
6-3-7-4 "Jungle Boogie" gets a bump because of its placement in Pulp Fiction. I don't like either version of "Rock On", though this one is better, but you know I dislike most?? James Taylor
In my recreated top 25 lists, you'll see a BUNCH of songs from this album. Mrs. Robinson was the weakest (IMO) of those.
Week 1: Kris Kross Week 2: LA Guns Week 3: Queen Week 4: En Vogue Week 5: Joe Public Week 6: Kym Sims Week 7: Clubland Week 8: ???
Kris Kross “Jump” top YouTube official music video comments: 1. I am 48 and played this for my 7 year old daughter tonight. Nice to have songs that she likes to dance with me. Pretty timeless song! 2. How is it possible that kids can rap better than adults 3. My parents, who don't speak a word of English, had this blasting on vinyl when I was a kid. 4. 1990: Kids rapping like Adults 2020: Adults rapping like Kids 5. Me in the 1990s: "Jump, jump" Me in 2021: "My back hurts" 6. Their appearance on the Arsenio Hall (jamming with Joe Public) remains one of my fave segments to view!! Dang, those lil' gents went hard with the game!! 7. Christopher Cross was one of my favorite rappers back in the day I'm almost 43 and I still listen to him 8. I remember one day back in 4-5th grade wearing my pants backwards to school 😂 ahh the good ol days 😁 9. i'm a 52 year old farmer bumping this in my tractor 10. Did anyone notice at 1:50 -1:51 the clothes tag from the Daddy Mack's (Chris Smith's) hoody can be seen?
I listened to "Hazard" a few posts back. Never was into Marx (Richard OR Karl), and I missed it the first time around...and don't see a reason to revisit. Same with Eddie Money's hit - I don't remember hearing this. The "Deeper Love" mix you shared is MUCH better, good spot. See my comment above about "Make it Mine" As for my charts, I forgot to number them (they are in order), so I'll just go ahead and edit...
I loved this song, and you're right: SoundScan might have done some things right, but this song should've been a #1 hit, and is rightfully included in any Top Pop 90s collection.
Shallow thegue certainly thought so, even though she was "discovered" under his father's bed.
48 states, 34 countries. ...and sadly, I felt more comfortable in the Middle East than I did SOUTH of the Mason-Dixon line.
It's as if "1990s style" became a music video.
The title is also a mouthful. I'll show myself out.
true story! Jenni has her work cut out for her, Amy is a BUZZSAW!
In the Morning After, I've been responding to Irishbear's charts with a reconstituted version of my Top 25. I didn't keep lists like he did (though I will share blog posts from around 2007 when they became popular), but I do still have the singles/12"/CDs that I bought from this time. I do it once per #1, so you won't see me post 20+ times under Boyz II Men about this topic. I'm only sharing this earlier today than I normally due because there's a story. There's always a story. Recreated List: April 18, 1992 Make it Mine: Shaman Moira Jane’s Cafe: Definition of Sound Jump: Kris Kross It’s Over Now: LA Guns Last Train to Trancentral: KLF Even Flow: Pearl Jam Weirdo: Charlatans UK You Think You Know Her: Cause & Effect Take My Advice: Kym Sims Teen Angst: Cracker In Bloom: Nirvana Live and Learn: Joe Public Tennessee: Arrested Development Pain on the Riverside: Live Killer: Seal I’ve Been Waiting: Matthew Sweet Life is a Highway: Tom Cochrane Injected with a Poison: Praga Khan Justified & Ancient: KLF Helluva: Brotherhood Creed Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover - Sophie B Hawkins (Can You) Feel the Passion: Blue Pearl Schizofrenia: Quadrophonia My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It): En Vogue Human Touch: Bruce Springsteen Songs soon to hit: Under the Bridge: RHCP Don’t Talk Just Kiss: Right Said Fred Vogue: KMFDM Love You All My Lifetime: Chaka Khan On January 2, 1992, I began my teaching career by taking over a history position in a local high school after the previous teacher retired. I was 23, and looked about 14. That first year, I was regularly asked for passes by teachers when I walked the halls. I didn’t need glasses, but I wore them regularly (along with a tweed sports coat) in order to look older. Instead, I just looked like a nerdy 14 year old. In March, I bought myself a plane ticket to Copenhagen, Denmark for $707, a EuroRail pass for the summer, and a PoleRail pass for $7. I was leaving for Europe 3 days after school ended, and I remained there for 45 days. I was traveling with a cousin I didn’t know very well, which would cause problems halfway through our journey, but for the moment we were pumped. We were attending a Y’s Men Youth Convocation in Oslo, Norway in early August; and would be visiting friends I’d made at the previous convocation held in Minneapolis two years earlier. I won’t share details of that summer (not the place for it), but I will share a story about “Tennessee”. I spent most of my time in Aarhus, a city in central Jutland (Denmark) with my friend Flemming. Almost every night we’d go hang out at Jacob’s Pub, which had an amazing beer garden, but around the block was Club Blitz. There was ALWAYS a line outside; but Flemming and my cousin weren’t into the club scene. Finally, on a Tuesday night, they wanted a quiet night. I asked Flemming to drop me off at Club Blitz around 9 pm. The place was only half-filled, but the line was building. On the main floor was a dimly lounge area with booths. I ordered a beer, then went upstairs. There, a rock band was playing onstage; a few people moshed directly in front of the stage. After their set, I returned to the main floor, then took the steps downstairs. Here was the club floor: dark, flashing black lights, and a DJ on a platform directly over the dance floor suspended by chains from the ceiling. I don’t know how he got up or down, but he was playing some damn good music. I got talking to a couple of German girls, and we went onto the dance floor, where I shouted at the DJ. Hey! Could you play “Tennessee”? He did. Since it was a Tuesday night, a lot of guests were leaving early, including the girls I’d met. At 11 pm, I explored the rest of the basement, and I was confused by a particular room in the back corner: the walls were splashed with fluorescent graffiti, but there was no furniture, decorations…nothing. An hour later, as I danced on the club floor, I looked over and saw streams of people entering that room. I followed. At midnight, the floor opened up - a staircase led into what resembled a grotto: cave walls adorned with burning torches; cages for scantily clad dancers…and rave music pounding away. It was amazing, and I lost myself in the music. At one point, I went up to the bar and asked for water. The female bartender took one look at me, took a water pitcher, and splashed me with it. Filled with exhaustion, I finally left the club and took a taxi back to Flemming’s house. It was 8 am, and I’d lost about five pounds. I don’t remember any other songs besides the one I’d requested of the DJ, and for me, “Tennessee” will always be associated with Club Blitz in Aarhus.
DJ, This is mix I went to regularly. Much better than the single/45 version. https://youtu.be/ur1tOHs_8yk
Week 1: KLF/Tammy Week 2: Seal Week 3: CeCe/Smithereens (they are so different, I can't really compare them, so it's a tie) Week 4: Bruce Week 5: Ozzy