Top 100 Songs of the 1990's: #60-41

Maybe one of these days I'll get the formatting right.

60. Radiohead – "Creep" (1993)
From Pablo Honey

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away Radiohead was once just another British alt-rock band. “Creep” was easily their biggest hit – from their debut album, no less! – and still more than likely their most well-known song. As far as singles go, yeah, “Creep” is probably their catchiest and most accessible song. Then Thom Yorke started writing about computers and alienation and God-knows-what else, thus becoming critically acclaimed and leaving 90’s pop nuggets (and things like “basic song structure” and “human emotions”) like “Creep” in the sands of time.

59. Stone Temple Pilots – "Vasoline" (1994)
From Purple

David Spade once said on Saturday Night Live that he liked Stone Temple Pilots better… when they were named Pearl Jam. I can see it somewhat; Scott Weiland and Eddie Vetter sound fairly similar, and they’re both grunge-y acts from the west coast. But Pearl Jam always seemed more based in classic rock while STP seemed to have more of a modern edge.

Enough with the history lesson, though. “Vasoline” gets credit for being the loudest and the heaviest of STP’s singles. Normally this isn’t a recipe for success, but let’s be honest here: Stone Temple Pilots’ songs sound mostly the same. It’s solid -- if unspectacular – music, no doubt. Perhaps it’s a sign that I overrated them at #59, but at the same time their averageness is their strength; they know what they’re good at and they don’t mess with a formula that’s not broken.

58. Weezer – "Buddy Holly" (1994)
From Weezer

One wonders how many people were converted to the Church of Weezer based on this video alone. If you don’t remember (and haven’t clicked play yet) this Spike Jonze directed clip features the boys in Weezer recast as Richie Cunningham and the gang from Happy Days. It seemed like it was ahead of its time, uh, at the time, but I’m not one for video technology so I don’t really know.

Anyway, “Buddy Holly” was just one of eight (I don’t much care for “No One Else” and “Holiday”) insta-classics on the “Blue” album. As its name suggests, “Buddy Holly” is kind of a throwback to pop music of old. It’s short and urgent and you could dance to it if that’s how you roll. The keyboard flourishes do give it a new-wave feel (even more apparent on the demo version), but it actually adds from the song instead of making it sound like 80’s garbage.

57. Harvey Danger – "Flagpole Sitta" (1998)
From Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?

“Flagpole Sitta” is my favorite one hit wonder of the 90’s, hands down. In fact, the song is so damn good that I have recently started actually listening to the rest of the album and found that it’s a pretty good record overall. The song has some great lines like “I’ve been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding / The cretins cloning and feeding” and “I wanna rage against machines / I wanna pierce my tongue, it doesn’t hurt it feels fine.” “Flagpole Sitta” really did capture the attitude of some people in the 90’s and did it in a witty way.

56. Local H – "Bound for the Floor" (1996)
From As Good as Dead

Local H is another criminally underrated band that started in the 90’s. The power duo – yes, there are only two of them – from Zion, IL were compared to Nirvana when they first came out, but I think of Local H as more of a hard rock band whereas Nirvana are more alternative.

“Bound for the Floor” was a breakout hit for the band, and I think the only one that got any radio or MTV play. Much like Our Lady Peace, this is a shame because they have so much more to offer and haven’t yet released a clunker of an album. Plus, they do a kick ass cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” What more do you want?

55. Stabbing Westward – "What Do I Have to Do?" (1996)
From Wither Blister Burn & Peel

Soon after Nine Inch Nails’ rise to stardom as one of the 90s’ biggest artists, there were imitators and challengers to the throne. (A liar’s chair, natch.) Along with Gravity Kills, Stabbing Westward was one of those bands. Though I can sort of see the similarities, Stabbing Westward struck me as more poppy – which is sort of absurd considering this is still hard rock we’re talking about – than NIN, and also where Trent Reznor’s lyrics dealt a lot with his inner pain, Christopher Hall’s, though also about personal pain, they also seemed to include other people.

Stabbing Westward was my second concert – I had seen half a Smashing Pumpkins show the year before – and it made perfect sense considering my state of mind at the time. “What Do I have to Do?” along with other songs were heavy yet accessible, and the lyrics spoke to me: “What do I have to do / To make you happy? / What do I have to do / To make you understand?” And then, of course, the rejection: “What do I have to do / to forget about you?”

54. Presidents of the United States of America – "Peaches" (1996)
From The Presidents of the United States of America

While everybody else was being serious and depressing in Seattle, PUSA was rockin’ out and being goofy. In fact, an ex-girlfriend and I had determined that the Presidents were too goofy to be on drugs. That’s actually a strong statement to make considering The Beatles were so tripped out on acid that they wrote “Yellow Submarine” and let Ringo sing it.

The thing I’ve always wondered about “Peaches” – and the theory that they’re too goofy for drugs answers it – is that is the song actually about fruit or is it about certain parts of the female anatomy? I may never know, but one thing is for certain: I’m still kicking myself over not seeing them on their reunion tour in 2005.

53. Cake – "I Will Survive" (1996)
From Fashion Nugget

A deadpan remake of a disco hit is the last thing you’d expect to be a hit, but somehow, someway, Cake managed to do it. I’m not even sure how you’d describe Cake as far as genre goes; the vocals are monotonous and droning, there’s a horn player and the guitars are kind of retro sounding. Perhaps someone more musically inclined than I can identify the sound. “I Will Survive” isn’t Cake’s only awesome cover song; they also do killer versions of “Sad Songs and Waltzes” (by Willie Nelson) and “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” (by Kenny Rogers).

52. Korn – "Blind" (1994)
From Korn

“Blind” was the first track on Korn’s first album. When I first heard it, it hit me like a punch to the face. I was a Korn fan from then on, but unfortunately they got lamer and lamer until I didn’t care anymore. If Korn’s remembered for anything other than making a few good singles (“No Place to Hide,” “ADIDAS,” “Got the Life”) it’s for being partially responsible for the glut of shitty rap-metal acts in the late nineties, such as Limp Bizkit and Coal Chamber, and eventually nu-metal like Linkin Park and P.O.D. Thanks a lot, Korn!

51. The Bloodhound Gang – "Fire Water Burn" (1996)
From One Fierce Beer Coaster

“Fire Water Burn” wasn’t even the Bloodhound Gang’s biggest hit; that honor would go to “The Bad Touch.” Though both are clever, a big edge goes to “Fire Water Burn.” Where else are you going to hear a reference to a Pixies song, (“If man is five and the devil is six, then that must make me seven / This honkey’s gone to heaven.”), Webster, Han Solo, and Adolf Hitler? Only in a BHG song, that’s where.

50. Eels – "Novocaine for the Soul" (1996)
From Beautiful Freak

I once heard that the long pause near the beginning of the song wasn’t inserted for dramatic effect, but because Mark Oliver Everett, lead singer of Eels, didn’t like whatever music was in that space. I’m not sure I believe that entirely, but that silence as a hook is one of the quirks that makes listening to “Novocaine for the Soul,” and other Eels songs so enjoyable.

Everett has been called a poor man’s Beck, and though it’s not apparent in this song, it becomes more obvious as you listen to entire albums. He really has a knack for taking disparate genres and making good pop songs out of them, but if you want a more straightforward approach “Novocaine” is a good start.

49. Metallica – "Turn the Page" (1998)
From Garage Inc.

I tried to stay away from having too many cover songs on this list. There were plenty of them in the 90’s and there always will be, and a lot of those songs are damn fun to listen to. However – and you may disagree with me here – part of the reason those songs are so fun is because the original artists gave the covering band such good source material to work with.

Metallica were blessed with Bob Seger’s stellar song about being on the road. Though they certainly infused it with their own sound, they didn’t stray too far from the spirit of the original. If anything, they did bring to light a different aspect of being out on tour for so long: Seger’s version was more about being exausted; Metallica’s was more about the frustration of it all. Their both good songs in their own right, and “Turn the Page” was clearly one of the best cover songs of the 90’s. Video is probably NSFW.

48. White Zombie – "Thunderkiss ‘65" (1992)
From La Sexorcisto, Devil Music Vol. 1

Somewhere in the middle is a good place for White/Rob Zombie. White Zombie was certainly a force to be reckoned with in the 90’s with Rob’s special fusion of alt-metal and horror flicks. It’s really hard to pick just one single; they all deal with pretty much the same topic: horror movie kitsch. “Thunderkiss ‘65” happens to be about a car, much like solo hit “Dragula,” I guess. The other problem with picking a Zombie song is that none of the lyrics really say anything. They’re just sort of there to go along with the punishing music. It doesn’t matter though, as Zombie is good, harmless fun that you can mosh to.

47. Pantera – "Walk" (1992)
From Vulgar Display of Power

I’m sure there are people out there who think Pantera were more metal than Metallica, and maybe by certain definitions they are. Who cares? They managed to write a few good songs over the course of their career, even though just about every one had that same annoying, screechy guitar solo from Dimebag Darrell. Whatever, here’s a conversation between Beavis and Butt-head that sums up Pantera’s music. (I'll put it here later....)

46. “Weird Al” Yankovic – "Smells Like Nirvana" (1992)
From Off the Deep End

“Smells Like Nirvana” marked the beginning of the notion that a band had “made it” once you were parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic. The song is notable because it parodies the artist that is being parodied, such as the incomprehensibility of Nirvana’s lyrics. My favorite part is one that I think should be incorporated into live shows, which is, of course, the kazoo solo. Seriously, they should handout kazoos before every show and I bet you most of the crowd would stand and blow on their kazoos when that part of the song came up.

As for the video, it was one of many that parodied the actual video, even going so far as to use the same janitor that was used in the original. For those that have seen him live, you’ll note that Yankovic cuts his wig on stage just like he does in the video. Such perfectionism for a parody of an artist that was notoriously sloppy.

45. Godsmack – "Whatever" (1998)
From Godsmack

This song is so high on this list because I loved the hell out of it when it came out. The guitars growled, the bass rumbled, Sully Erna (what an unfortunate name for a rock star, no?) spat “You better fucking go away!” over and over and it was my anthem for a while. Hell, it still might be because I just don’t like people.

But all good things must come to an end. The debut album had some other good tunes on it, but soon after Godsmack regressed into being one of the more boring hard rock bands of this decade. Oh well.

44. Smash Mouth – "Walking on the Sun" (1997)
From Fush Yu Mang

“Walking on the Sun” was the epitome of a crossover hit. It started in earnest on alt-rock radio, but then quickly made it to Top 40 stations and eventually to stations targeted at middle age women. Then they’re singles got lamer and lamer until eventually it’s tame enough to be featured in a Disney movie.

All of that notwithstanding, the fuzzy guitars and surf-rock overtones of “Walking on the Sun” were undeniably catchy. Smash Mouth truly were a party band, and I hope that any self-respecting DJ (who will be playing rock music) would have this song on his or her playlist.

43. Pearl Jam – "Corduroy" (1994)
From Vitalogy

Pearl Jam had a shit-ton of hits in the 90’s, but I think “Corduroy” flew under most peoples’ radars. I think the song is about not wanting to change, but more importantly not letting other people change you. It may be kind of subtle with a line like “You can buy, but can’t put on my clothes,” but I think the implication is there. Great guitar lines, good song. That’s all.

42. Tool – "Sober" (1993)
From Undertow

One might find it blasphemous that Tool, one of the greatest bands of the 90’s, has a song that didn’t even crack the top 40. Well, here’s the thing: Tool wasn’t always so awesome. They didn’t suck either, this is true, but it took them a while to rise to the upper echelon of rock music.

Undertow, the album “Sober” is from, sounds like it was produced in a sewer. This might be on purpose, I don’t know. I’ll never forget seeing Tool live for the first time at the U.S. Cellular Arena, the band kicking into “Sober,” and a bunch of shirtless meatheads rushing to the front of the stage and starting a mosh pit. “Why can’t we not be sober?” indeed.

41. Marilyn Manson – "The Beautiful People" (1996)
From Antichrist Superstar

Okay, show of hands: Who listened to Marilyn Manson not just because you liked the music somewhat, but because it probably scared the shit out of your parents? Anyone? I did. It makes me a poser, I’m sure, but I don’t care. I did like the music, however, and at that point in time I thought Mr. Manson was deep and intellectual as well. He may still be now, at least when he’s talking as a human being and not as his stage persona.

“The Beautiful People” was the lead single from Manson’s breakout album Antichrist Superstar. The guitar riff is insanely catchy and the lyrics are predictably dark. It’s basically “Goth Rock Songs” 101, but it is of no matter. “The Beautiful People” was the first in a string of good singles from the band, unfortunately over time the shock value has gone away and all that’s left is the music, which has kind of turned into a joke.

More than 2,500 words this time, and more were spent talking about histories of the bands instead of the songs themselves. Think that’s a good idea? #40-21 should be up either Saturday or Monday, but not on Sunday because I will be watching the Packers tear apart the Giants in the NFC championship game.

Just checked the formatting. Nope. Blogger can suck it once more.