The greatest game ever played July 16
It started simply enough. A casual email thread, making plans with friends. I used the word “hooch” in passing and immediately got this back:
Becca: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBp7lqoyrok
Jess: OMG that’s exactly what i was thinking! relatedly, somehow i heard this TWICE this weekend:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5MjVyqByzU. and one of the times was on someone’s ipod.
To which I replied: do not claim to have not sung along, at least for the chorus, for we know it to be impossible. this is a good game. what is next? I’ll offer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDAXltfj8-Y
Eleven dozen tracks/links later and I think I can safely say this is the most addicting game I’ve ever played. It’s not even really a game, I guess, but I called it one and I’m going to treat it like one here. I’m going to make this clear up front, though - I never explained any rules to any of the participants and so my scoring and judging here, in addition to being obviously subjective and silly, is also the scoring of a game in which the object was never even defined.
I’d like to point out, also, that though I scored my own submissions, I had no idea as I was going along doing so what was going to happen. Even as I’m writing this, I don’t. That said, I’m pretty obviously going to win this game.
This thread of links developed over the next day, and I realized that some other people would enjoy it, so I invited them in, seeking to grow it further and further. After like two and a half days of submissions, now, I think we have a pretty comprehensive list. My scoring is pretty subjective, like I said, but in general the way to score a five was to link me to a song I had not thought about in many years, but upon seeing the title or hearing the first few notes I immediately knew at least the chorus if not the entire song by heart. Also, they needed to be from the nineties and make me immediately think of my adolescence. Additionally, they would need to be the sort of songs that, if I was on a road trip by myself and my ipod had died and the song came on the radio, I would naturally turn it up and sing along. Those songs got fives. Everything else got fewer points than that. Briefly, though, before I give you the links and tell you who won, let’s introduce our competitors.
MBG:Me. You know me.
The Maestro:You should know him too. Former DC and Lawrence roommate, if you’re having trouble.
Becca: Who got it started.
Jess: whose internet identity will remain a mystery (since she updates about as often as I do).
Liz: roommate of Jess who has no internet presence anyway.
Jen1: Jens have tumblrs.
Jen2: see?
Sbug: who you may know from Tweaks’ blog.
Ian: whose internet output shames me greatly.
Sorry if I didn’t invite you to play or whatever, it just kind of happened.
The Categories!
Songs I scored a one because they don’t qualify for some reason.
Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins (Ian)
The Song That Doesn’t End by Lambchop (Liz)
Tempted by Squeeze (Liz)
No Myth by Michael Penn (Maestro)
There She Goes by The Las (MBG)
None of these songs are from the 90s. One of them is fucking Lambchop, Liz. The Phil Collins song would otherwise belong in another category I’ll explain below. I hated putting the Michael Penn song here, because it was definitely one that made me go “HOLY SHIT I REMEMBER THIS!”
Songs I gave a two because for whatever reason I just didn’t actually know them.
Car Song by Elastica (Ian)
Killing of a Flash Boy by Suede (Ian)
National Express by Divine Comedy (Ian)
Daydreamer by Menswear (Ian)
Fuck you by Ottorongo (Ian)
Take Control by Lords of Acid (Ian)
O Fortuna by Apotheosis (Ian)
Moaner by Underworld (Ian)
Satan by Orbital (Ian)
Bales of Cocaine by Reverend Horton Heat (Ian)
Rusty Cage by Soundgarden (Jen2)
Missing by Everything But the Girl (Maestro)
I Hate My Generation by Cracker (Maestro)
Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (Maestro)
Ladykillers by Lush (Maestro)
Prophecy by Remy Zero (Maestro)
A real mixed bag that one. Some pearls, to be sure. That Afghan Whigs song in particular. That said… no nostalgia produced. Probably for their submitters they’re 5s.
Major songs from major bands that I felt were just overall too big so I gave them a 3
Queer by Garbage (Ian)
Polyester Bride by Liz Phair (Ian)
One Headlight by The Wallflowers (Jen1)
Dreams by The Cranberries (Jen1)
Wonderwall by Oasis (Jen2)
Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls (Jen1)
Girl, You’ll be a woman soon by Urge Overkill (Maestro)
Glycerine by Bush (MBG)
Lightning Crashes by Live (MBG)
Rooster by Alice in Chains (Maestro)
Every Morning by Sugar Ray (Liz)
Lump by The Presidents of the USA (Liz)
If I Only had a Brain by MC 900 Ft Jesus (MBG)
Basically the same group but I gave it a four because I like it more
Born Slippy by Underworld (MBG)
Firestarter by Prodigy (Ian)
Low by Cracker (Jess)
Come to my Window by Melissa Etheridge (Liz)
Two Princes by Spin Doctors (Liz)
Stay by Lisa Loeb (MBG)
Bad Reputation by Freedy Johnston (MBG)
Songs by bands that are still kind of hip to like, so I gave it a 3
Kill Your Television by Ned’s Atomic Dustbin (Maestro)
Come to Daddy by Aphex Twin (Maestro)
Or in some cases a 4 (I just like them more)
Friends of P by The Rentals (Ian)
Push th’ Little Daisies by Ween (MBG)
Psychobilly Freakout by Reverend Horton Heat (Ian)
Novocaine for the Soul by Eels (Maestro)
Super Bonbon by Soul Coughing (Maestro)
Cannonball by The Breeders (MBG)
United States of Whatever by Liam Lynch (Jen2)
Common People by Pulp (Ian)
Pure Morning by Placebo (Ian)
Songs that fit the criteria but I would unequivocally turn them off if they came on, then and now (scored 3s)
I’m Afraid of Americans by David Bowie f/ NIN (Ian)
Groove is in the heart by Dee-lite (Ian)
Sweet Dreams are Made of This by Marilyn Manson (Ian)
On My Way by Rusted Root (Liz)
All Mixed Up by 311 (Liz)
Barbie Girl by Aqua (Jen2)
Three Little Pigs by Green Jelly (Maestro)
(Liz has a special talent for irritating songs)
Songs that are massive and not necessarily awful but are irritating enough to me that I would not sing along and would likely change it (fours)
Tubthumping by Chumbawamba (Maestro)
Bitch by Meredith Brooks (Maestro)
One of Us by Joan Osborne (Maestro)
Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger (MBG)
Tomorrow by Silverchair (MBG)
Hey Man Nice Shot by Filter (Maestro)
Little Black Backpack by Stroke 9 (Becca)
Clumsy by Our Lady Peace (Becca)
Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) by The Offspring (Sbug)
All-star by Smashmouth (Ian)
Near misses that I’m excluding capriciously
Wynonna’s Big Brown Beaver by Primus (Ian)
A Girl Like You by Edwin Collins (Maestro)
Special subcategory of music I remember but that makes me nostalgic for PRE-adolescence
Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane (Maestro)
That asshole linked that song and it got me thinking about this. I give that song a 4 for the near-miss. These two of mine I give threes for being so shitty (but fitting the category:)
Baby Baby by Amy Grant (MBG)
Love is a Wonderful Thing by Michael Bolton (MBG)
These I gave fours as well, also in the category of things that make me remember music on the radio pre-puberty
I Can’t Dance by Genesis (MBG)
I Would Do Anything for Love by Meatloaf (Ian)
River of Dreams by Billy Joel (Ian)
Hazard by Richard Marx (Ian)
Fields of Gold by Sting (Ian)
Wicked Game by Chris Isaak (Ian)
Everything I Do by Bryan Adams (Ian)
Don’t let the Sun Go Down on Me by George Michael & Elton John (Ian)
(Ian ruled that)
And without further ado, the 48 songs I say are solid gold 90s classics, impeach them at your peril, use at karaoke to the delight of all
Pepper by Butthole Surfers (Ian)
Bandito by The Refreshments (Ian)
Six Underground by Sneaker Pimps (Ian)
Ready to go by Republica (Ian)
Mmm mmm mmm mmm by Crash Test Dummies (Ian)
Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai (Ian)
Whoever You Are by Geggy Tah (MBG)
Desperately Wanting by Better Than Ezra (Becca)
Hey Jealousy by Gin Blossoms (Jen1)
You Get What You Give by The New Radicals (MBG)
Nearly Lost You by Screaming Trees (MBG)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Deep Blue Something (Jen1)
What’s Up? by 4 Non Blondes (Becca)
Connected by Stereo MCs (MBG)
Phonebooth by Primitive Radio Gods (MBG)
Far Behind by Candlebox (MBG)
Your Woman by White Town (Becca)
Steal My Sunshine by Len (MBG)
Semi Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind (MBG)
In the Meantime by Spacehog (MBG)
The Freshman by The Verve Pipe (Maestro)
I Wish by Skee-lo (Maestro)
Sister Havana by Urge Overkill (Maestro)
It’s a Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads (Maestro)
Mother Mother by Tracy Bonham (Maestro)
Dyslexic Heart by Paul Westerberg (Maestro)
Angry Johnny by Poe (Maestro)
Natural One by The Folk Implosion (Maestro)
Need You Around by Smoking Popes (Maestro)
Barely Breathing by Duncan Sheik (Becca)
Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet (Jess)
Sick of Myself by Matthew Sweet (Jess)
The Way by Fastball (Becca)
Are You Jimmy Ray? by Jimmy Ray (Becca)
Inside Out by Eve 6 (Sbug)
Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve (Ian)
Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve (Jen1)
California by Wax (MBG)
Popular by Nada Surf (MBG)
Backwater by Meat Puppets (MBG)
Seether by Veruca Salt (Jess)
Got You Where I Want You by The Flys (Becca)
Possum Kingdom by The Toadies (MBG)
New Age Girl by Deadeye Dick (Sbug)
Closing Time by Semisonic (Ian)
Hooch by Everything (Becca)
Counting Blue Cars by Dishwalla (Jess)
Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground (MBG)
So hey, who won?
I dunno, let’s count it up.
Award for most submissions: Ian, with forty freaking submissions! Wow! The Maestro and I each submitted 28.
Award for most 5s found: Obviously it is me with 14. The Maestro had 9, Ian and Becca each found 8.
I was going to discount all of my 5s to 4s for averaging purposes, because obviously if I could think it up it didn’t make me go “ohhhhh yeah!” - however, it seems that it’s really not necessary, because even giving me credit for my 5s….
Most 5s per submission: tie between Becca and Jess, at an incredible 4 perfect scores for every 5 songs submitted.
Final standings based on overall average:
1.Becca (4.8) (Awarded the win based on volume)
2.Jess (4.8)
3.Sbug (4.67)
4.MBG (4.21)
5.Jen1 (4)
6.Maestro (3.68)
7.Ian (3.43)
8.Jen2 (3)
9.Liz (2.75)
Disagreement? Did we overlook a thing? Just want to whine about my methodology? Comments are open. Please do discuss.
Becca Jul 16
HOLY SHIT OH MY GOD BANDITOS. everybody knowwwws that the wooorld is full of stooooopid people. what a gift.
giessel Jul 16
serious oversights in this post.
as a start: no wutang? no nas?
going on vacation back to MY ten-year reunion tomorrow and i’ll have time to compile a list. TRUST ME
a taste
nas is like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQHHdrzU4P0
protect ya neck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GDPZpRmTg0
juicy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsT8FaZnzdE
Ryan Jul 16
Spacehog is my favorite on here.
Brimful of Asha probably belongs on the list somewhere. God, that song disturbed me. Katie still has a Cornershop t-shirt!
Jason Preston Jul 16
Dudes. Five I couldn’t help but feel are missing–forgive my sloppiness if I just overlooked them:
1) Don Henley–just, anything he did in the nineties. He did do stuff in the 90s, right? Cuz I sure listened to him then.
2) Bryan Adams–the entire Waking Up the Neighbors album. It’s just one gigantic piece of evidence that it’s truly possible to sell your soul to Satan in exchange for vaguely malevolent but undeniably powerful musical inspiration.
3) Savage Garden. Ooh I want you I don’t know if I need you but ooh I’d die to find out. Fifteen years later, I’m pretty sure I still want you, but know I don’t need you, SG.
4) En Vogue–Free Your Mind. This song ROCKED. This song is greater proof than Tina Turner that black women can ROCK. If you disagree you have no soul.
5) Ace of Base–The Sign. Oh my sweet lord Jesus, tell me these heathens didn’t overlook THE SIGN you sent them. This song played on the bus driver’s only favorite radio station EVERY DAY, MORNING and AFTERNOON, for TWO YEARS. I have heard this song approximately 20x as much as I’ve read the bill of rights or heard the sermon on the mount. This song, if you ever liked it, is a giant millstone of guilt around your neck, FOREVER. And oh yes, the first time I heard it, I almost liked it. And there might just be a circle of hell reserved for exactly that offense.
Jason Preston Jul 16
Further proof that hip hop is sorely lacking from this list: Aaliyah–Back and Forth (courtesy my Emily)
Jason Preston Jul 16
OH WOW HERE’S HOW MUCH YOU ALL SUCK:
YOU ALL WORK IN D.C. YOU’RE MAKING A LIST OF GUILTY 90S PLEASURES. ROCK-CENTRIC. FEW-HIT-WONDERS-CENTRIC. TRAPPED-IN-THEIR-ERA CENTRIC. INDELIBLY CATCHY SONGS, YOU AIMED FOR. AND DESPITE ALL THESE FACTORS, YOU LEFT OUT THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA–PEACHES. YOU ALL SUCK PEACHES.
Jason Preston Jul 16
Technotronic, and the Ditty by Paperboy.
Jason Preston Jul 16
Those last two, also My Emily’s.
Annie Jul 16
Oh, man. I’m away from email for four days and I miss out on this?! Un-fucking-believable. I listen to nothing but 90s radio for Christ’s sake!
But, I’m a hater, so:
Blur, Song 2
Eagle Eye Cherry, Save Tonight
Everlast, What it’s Like
Hole, Violet and Doll Parts
Folk Implosion, Natural One
Luscious Jackson, Naked Eye
LFO, Summer Girls
The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones, Knock on Wood
The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Jump Jive an’ Wail
Ben Folds Five, Brick
Nine Inch Nails, Closer
Tori Amos, Cornflake Girl
Edwin McCain, I’ll Be
Vitamin C, Smile
Everclear, I Will Buy you a New Life and Father of Mine
Lit, My Own Worst Enemy
Shawn Colvin, Sunny Came Home
Paula Cole, Where Have all the Cowboys Gone
The Fugees, Killing me Softly
Sixpence None the Richer, Kiss Me
Shawn Mullins, Lullaby
311, Down
Coolio, Dangerous Minds
This is a first pass, mind you, after all the easy pickings. I may come back for seconds.
Annie Jul 16
Oh, oh. And re: Preston’s comment on The Sign, I submit that you’ve also ignored perhaps the second greatest Swedish band of our generation: Roxette.
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 16
One thing to note is that I’ve gone through and added links to comments where applicable. Apologies if you feel I’ve chosen poorly.
Obviously there are a lot of hip-hop omissions. Honestly, though, Giessel, the songs you have there don’t remind me of junior high school, they remind me of college. If you want some junior high hip-hop from me, though…
Dr. Dre - Dre Day
Dr. Dre - Ain’t Nuthin’ But a G Thang
Snoop Dogg - Gin and Juice
Salt ‘n Pepa - Shoop
Naughty by Nature - OPP
and one pre-adolescent hip hop joint
Public Enemy - Can’t Truss It
Ryan - original or Fatboy Slim? For that matter, we overlooked
Fatboy Slim - Rockafeller Skank
and Fatboy Slim - Praise You
Jason - Don Henley doesn’t count, but I linked to Boys of Summer anyway because it rules. You’ve been beat to the scoop on Bryan Adams - Everything I Do was already taken. Good call on the rest though. Oh, except Technotronic - came out in 89. Made up for by ‘the Ditty’, though, which I’d totally forgotten. Somehow Savage Garden reminded me of…
Vertical Horizon - Everything You Want
(yeah I know it’s basically 2000 and doesn’t count)
Ryan Jul 17
I was thinking of the original, not Fatboy Slim. But it seems that only the remix is on Youtube.
I’ll go ahead and say it — Lump > Peaches.
Jess Jul 17
I love that I somehow managed to get second place when I only contributed like 4 times.
I AM THE GREATEST.
Ian Jul 17
I can’t stress enough how much I enjoyed playing this game. It was great, and I demand more like it!
I was a bit sad that you didn’t dig (nay, know!) my britpop / early 90s electronic / late 90s big electronic entries. I guess you would have preferred Orbital - Halcyon and On and On to Satan? What about maybe Chemical Brothers - Elektrobank? Maybe I can just submit the entirety of the Hackers and Trainspotting soundtracks?
I’m not complaining, but entropy seems to have shown itself. I submitted PJ Harvey - Down by the Water, but it’s not listed above.
Also, I can’t believe I forgot Belly - Feed the Tree. Crazy talk!
Jason Preston Jul 17
I second Halcyon and On and On, though I didn’t discover it until college. Oh, and Peaches? That was My Emily’s too.
SDM Jul 17
misery by soul asylum the one that goes “frustrated incorporated”
Chris Jul 17
Ian, you totally played this game like you were a teenager in a London suburb in 1995. I have your back, though!
I don’t know if I’ve just deleted chunks of my adolescents or if I was busy trying to be a teenager in a London suburb, but the I really don’t remember many of these songs, and really any contribution I would suggest would probably be disqualified for basically being the Trainspotting and Hackers soundtracks.
Chris Jul 17
“Adolescents” - jesus. In my defense, um… I listened to The Adolescents during my adolescence? I don’t know.
As for the Rockist tendencies of the list — pretty much all of the hip hop suggestions people have tossed out thus far seem to be from respected artists who still have a significant following. I mean, besides Skee-Lo I guess. I think you’d have to dip into Freaknasty or Wrexx N Effect or Das EFX or Tag Team to get into the rap parallels to Marcy Playground or Urge Overkill.
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 17
Ok, updates.
Annie, hell of a list. Especially considering what’d already been taken, bravo. I’d give 5s for sure to Eagle Eye Cherry, Luscious Jackson, LFO, Lit and Sixpence. I also have a hard time denying you the Everclear songs. Ben Folds is kind of an exceptional case, to me - was he big? Was/is he respected? I just don’t know. Also, I’d just like to say that I still love Vitamin C. Not the song, just the woman.
Agree with Ryan re: PotUSA songs, though for the videos the reverse is true (not that that was a consideration here)
Ian - 5s for Halcyon, and for PJ, and for Belly! HOW DID WE OVERLOOK BELLY?
SDM - that is also a 5. Holy crap do I love that track.
Chris - you are right-on about the rap thing. Naughty by Nature also would qualify, though, I think. I should drop some Bone Thugz right about now though.
Also, semi-relatedly, have you all seen the new(ish) Dinosaur Jr video? Because it rules.
Ian Jul 17
I just realized my submission of The Cure - Friday I’m in Love is also missing above.
Ian Jul 17
Arg… as is Tom Petty - Mary Jane’s Last Dance.
Jessica Jul 17
Okay - there’s obviously far too much here to comment on, so I’ll only say this much:
Ian: THE CURE DOES NOT COUNT.
Chris: Your dick is, as always, huge. Wrexx N Effect? Wow.
SDM: As a person who will not, under any circumstances, admit that Soul Asylum is still one of her favorite bands, I have to say - Misery? Really? What happened to Runaway Train?
Jessica Jul 17
Also, I totally forgot, but this is VERY IMPORTANT: MGB - you would unequivocally turn off I’m Afraid of Americans??? WHO ARE YOU?? Answer: not a straight woman who wants nothing more than to run into still-long-haired-and-goth-Trent-Reznor chasing elder-statesman-but-still-pretty-gay-David-Bowie through the West Village.
And I disagree with you.
Also, as far as Offspring goes, Pretty Fly For a White Guy should be replaed with this, which somehow feels righter time-period-wise and is also a far, far better song in general.
Also, Fun Fakt: Smash was the last album I ever bought on tape. The soundtrack to Singles was the first I ever bought on CD. When I told Ian that, he looked at me like I was way behind the times. Maybe. I was poor.
Ian Jul 17
Jessica: DOES TOO.
MBG: ‘Butthole Surfers - Pepper’ is counted twice. Which is it?
Ian Jul 17
Okay, so I know no one cares at this point, but I was thinking about old electronic stuff, and I realized I’d missed perhaps the most air-punchingly-awesome song of all time. (It’s playing in the background at the moment and I can barely keep myself from picking up my keyboard and smashing it on/into all surrounding objects.
Fluke - Atom Bomb
This is not the actual video, but it’s the actual song. There was a video. It was pretty amazing, too, given the purple-haired-anime girl, but it was lacking the intensity and profanity of the real song.
P.S. I saw them do a live set once, and the purple-haired-anime-girl was real! I popped at least 10000 boners.
Ian Jul 17
I CAN’T STOP: Lionrock - Fire up the Shoesaw
Chris Jul 18
HEY SALLY, I HEAR THE 90S ARE MAKING A COMEBACK!
Good call on both of those, Ian.
Let’s add MTV’s Amp compilations to the Trainspotting and Hackers soundtracks to our alternate list
Isley Jul 18
Since I didn’t even hear Smells Like Teen Spirit for the first time until 1999, I don’t think there would be anything I could add to this list…
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 18
Yeah, the Cure definitely doesn’t count. I don’t care that that song was somehow actually released in 1992, it’s 80s. It’s the Cure. (It also is great, though, I’ll give you that.)
The Tom Petty I’m on the fence about. It is super super 90s and I wouldn’t have listened to the Tom Petty greatest hits album without it. That said, it’s Tom freaking Petty. I mean, I would’ve gotten around to him eventually, and like… he’s an icon.
Jessica - yep, sorry. My tastes run poppy, obviously. Now if you put on any of Pretty Hate Machine, I’m on board, but that album sounds like the 90s to me because I didn’t ‘discover’ it until Annie (above) made me listen to it in her car in 1997. You’re right, though, about the Offspring song. The Offspring were my first real concert. Incidentally, the first cd I purchased was Kris Kross’s seminal “Totally Krossed Out”.
Pepper’s a five. Post = corrected.
Ian, I would love to share your 90s raver nostalgia, I really would, but it would be inauthentic. But I definitely did know and like the Hackers and Trainspotting soundtracks, at least.
Sorry for alienating you, Chris & Isley.
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 18
Now, let’s talk what we’ve missed. A few pure 5s that we forgot:
Hum - Stars
Letters to Cleo - Here and Now
(No I don’t care that LtC had a number of other big songs and an important role in the classic 10 things I hate about you. This is the song.)
The Murmurs - You Suck
Local H - Bound for the Floor (that song is actually so good)
Some other things that are noteworthy but probably not 5s for whatever reason.
Blind Melon - No Rain (I mean, it’s their only song and it’s obviously great but I feel like it’s too big or something? Or that people just remember this one.)
Superdrag - Sucked Out (maybe I just don’t love the track quite enough? otherwise, qualifies)
Collective Soul - Shine
Collective Soul - December
(maybe the band is too big? too many songs?)
Seven Mary Three - Cumbersome
Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike
(Supergroup!)
Cowboy Mouth - Jenny Says
(I actually don’t like that song but it does make me nostalgic)
Artificial Joy Club - Sick and Beautiful
Fountains of Wayne - Sink to the Bottom
(they had so many other songs, sure.)
Jim Carroll - People Who Died
Toad the Wet Sprocket - All I want
(pre-adolescent)
and Annie, the real second-best Swedish band of the 90s:
Whale - Hobo-humpin’ Slobo Babe
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 18
Additionally, I have to ask, why isn’t there a youtube channel where you can just watch the music video portions of Beavis and Butthead?
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 18
Also, Annie, I was obviously joking. Roxette, holy shit. Roxette. Karaoke GOLD.
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 18
Oh also, we heard “Bad Reputation” at dinner last night. Just saying.
Ian Jul 18
People Who Died came out in 1980. Jenny Says is a great catch, though!
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 19
*AHEM*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Bin
Bobby McObvious Jul 19
I know I’m late to the game but I’ve got a few adds. Also, who’s building the official YouTube playlist?
Santa Monica is the better choice for Everclear. Or really anything off of Sparkle & Fade.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW6E_TNgCsY
Eddie Vedder or High-Fivin’ Motherfucker is also an option for Local H.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOmRhOKhkOI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCHNL3-FZOA
Natalie Imbruglia, Torn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTod6ecTzUg
Days of the New, Touch Peel and Stand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY57T9kbLBo
Stabbing Westward, What Do I Have to Do?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajVLfxD58Is
Salt N Pepa ft. En Vogue, Whatta Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-WFNbMohTQ
Boyz II Men, End of the Road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZcG0NBMcDA
Squirrel Nut Zippers, Hell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4eMrqYvSYA
Arrested Development, Tennessee or Mr. Wendel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g40c6iAEHpc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyDjRd0Tjss
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Zoot Suit Riot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IqH3uliwJY
Jars of Clay, Flood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grJR-7FkoWc
Tool, Learn to Swim or Sober
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7ErpFBO7RI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hglVqACd1C8
Bad Religion, 21st Century Digital Boy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aauw4E6YUU
Counting Crows, Mr. Jones or Long December
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHMTolJWKBs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNF1a-ZG1uc
Rage Against the Machine, Bulls on Parade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-58-36lSqG4
Dandy Warhols, Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mgjZK46_uw
A Tribe Called Quest, What’s the Scenario?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFZLq6R-ZtM
Busta Rhymes, Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw2HUWltI3o
Pras ft. Mya and Old Dirty Bastard, Ghetto Superstar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtIGCGu9L90
702, Where My Girls At?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCRrbh7if-0
All Saints, Never Ever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW_79Mlrga4
Athenaeum, What I Didn’t Know
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiPn0cVcT5c
Ash, Girl From Mars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhHm371pTpw
Violent Femmes, Blister in the Sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aljlKYesT4
Vermonstrous Jul 20
Wow. Just… wow. MBG told me to read this. Told me multiple times, and I’m only just now getting here. Would that I were earlier. This is my youth. In music. It is awful, and it is amazing. Casual perusal gives me only one addition: Cowboy Mouth. “How do you tell someone.” Yes. This game rocks.
Vermonstrous Jul 20
Better late than never?
Stone Temple Pilots, Plush
Stone Temple Pilots, Interstate Love Song
Jane’s Addiction, Been Caught Stealing
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 20
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG
GUYS GUYS GUYS GUYS
GUYS!
I CAN’T BELIEVE WE FORGOT THIS!
Seriously, this one, this is such a pure 5 it’s ridiculous, it’s one of the best ones and it took us like FORTY comments for me to remember it. HOLY SHIT DOES IT RULE.
ENJOY IT!
Sponge - Plowed.
I WIN!
Ryan Jul 20
Oh yeah, Sponge. Also Wax Ecstatic. I would try to link it but there’s no preview button on here to prevent effups.
[edit: I got your back, homey. -MBG]
Annie Jul 20
Late entries accumulated over the weekend:
Wilson Phillips, Hold On
En Vogue, My Lovin’ (Never Gonna Get It)
Donna Lewis, I Love You Always Forever
Baz Luhrmann, Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
Two offerings from my friend Chris:
Cypress Hill, Insane in the Brain
Gerardo, Rico Suave
And congratulations to Jon for finally recalling Sponge. That song’s been rolling around in my subconscious for nearly a week. I could remember the video perfectly, the song, not so much.
One more note: I realize they’ve probably had too many hits to count for much, but where the fuck is Matchbox 20? Because happiness is the mat that sits on my doorway.
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 20
Hold On is really clearly pre-adolescent - I figured it was 89, but it’s 90, you’re ok.
En Vogue was so good. I’d kinda forgotten.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard this Donna Lewis Song.
The Baz Luhrmann though, classic. It’s even addressed to us, the class of 99! Amazing!
Weird which songs have official videos on youtube and which don’t. Cypress Hill: yes. Gerardo: no.
Yeah, at this point leaving out Matchbox 20 is unconscionable, though I think we all just took them as being too big or too annoying or both.
Annie Jul 20
It’s tricky: we’ve all dutifully steered clear of some of the most obvious choices, but I’d argue that if the Goo Goo Dolls make the cut, Matchbox 20 have to as well. And once we go down that road, where next? Alanis? Barenaked Ladies? DMB? STP finally made the list after many, many comments.
But, while I’m at it:
Monica and Brandy, The Boy is Mine
Bobby McObvious Jul 20
You know, I considered Alanis, but figured she was too big. DMB is way too ubiquitous, and they’re still active and popular, which I feel should count against them.
Barenaked Ladies works, though, particularly if it’s If I Had a Million Dollars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQwIgmDRqI
Although I didn’t realize that was from so far back in the ’90s. So maybe One Week
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPo9ISQpzvM
OMC, How Bizarre, which I hate with seething passion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfJe8hQ8ha0
And in a similar vein, Creed, My Own Prison
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YoUuwDZuW0
Better: Adam Sandler, Chanukah Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrd9p47MPHg
And oh fuck, I know he’s huge and still fantastic, but in the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey, butane on the brain and the mouth that cut the junkie with the … etc.
First song I ever karaoked, I think.
Beck, Loser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJN3PGqDRNg
DRIVE-BY BODY PIERCE.
Lou Bega, Mambo No. 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tz2V3CIYA0
Bjork, It’s Oh So Quiet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1A_uSEjTIQ
Massive Attack, Teardrop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7K72X4eo_s
Bloodhound Gang, Fire Water Burn — I mean, obviously
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGvd-C7bw8g
Blues Traveler, Run Around
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pCDs_0zbNo
Bran Van 3000, Drinking in L.A.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ9KfKx8PmM
Self, Cannon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IN5If_Ll-E
Alabama 3, Woke Up This Morning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y4u52__vUY
Spiritualized, Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOL1291ryKM
Cake, The Distance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__PU5CVSegg
Okay, enough for now…
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 20
Chris, you are to be commended for all this hard work. A lot of this stuff is unlistenable even by my lax standards, though. Yeesh. Lou Bega. You are an expert chronicler of all the most regrettable 90s. THAT SAID…
Your Self post reminds me of how much I love Self!
Briefly, my favorite Self song:
Microchip Girl (NOTE: I had to make a mix. There are other songs but they are some of my favorite songs, so you can enjoy those if you’re into good songs.)
(here is a video for it but it kind of sucks so I uploaded the track myself because it could not be found elsewhere on the internet AT ALL - it’s a Mostly Semantics EXCLUSIVE!)
and another Self treat:
What a Fool Believes
Matthew Barney Gumble Jul 20
Oh also, credit to the Maestro for introducing me to Self my freshman year of college. KUDOS TO YOU SIR!
Also, credit to Bill Self for the 2008 college basketball championship.
Bobby McObvious Jul 21
Hey, some people have nostalgia for Lou Bega, others for New Radicals. I’m not really in either camp, just throwing out memorable songs, such as Citizen King’s Better Days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMQDCMqlkuI
Bananaflux Jul 21
Your ranking and collective suggestion methodology is flawed. I shall only be convinced of genuine nostalgia if you tie specific memories to each song you claim holds some great meaning in your masturbation-addled adolescent mind(’)s(’). For me, many of the aforementioned songs conjure such memories, but here are some not previously listed, with memories. I demand the entirety of this post, comments inclusive, should be recast in a style similar to that which follows.
First slow dance with a girl (L. Archer):
UB40 - Can’t Help Falling in Love with You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MxmthbKZYU
I associate this song with going to spend time with my father (specifically, turning off Evans Road and onto Thetford):
Flaming Lips - She Don’t Use Jelly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQUcnvvPz8A
1995 First Baptist ski trip. I had a crush on a super cute girl with an upper lip scar caused by falling through a glass patio table when she was a child. Secular music was not allowed on the trip but her older (and hilarious) brother brought this U2 album to which I listened…fucking heretic…also, I hate Bono:
U2 - Mysterious Ways
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZLjE_wuRE0
Exiting movie theaters, wikipedia tells me I was exiting “The Wedding Singer”, also don’t know if covers are cool in this “game” (if they are, I would also list Goldfinger’s 99 Red Balloons and say it reminds me of Phil):
Presidents of the United States of America - Video Killed the Radio Star
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwqwRhzhdC0
Every High School Dance:
Proclaimers - I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM0sTNtWDiI
Not from the ’90s (’71, actually), but certainly the song I most strongly associate with HS Dances and a DJ badgering Allison:
Don McLean - American Pie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAsV5-Hv-7U
The pool (I spent a LOT of time at the pool and a shit ton of the songs already mentioned remind me of Southern Hills “Country Club” and tonguing the beautifully breasted Jill):
The Verve Pipe - Photograph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_PQj6EDWhA
The pool (embarassing):
Des’ree - You Gotta Be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r32vw4260G4
Outside Cheddar’s with Paige and Co. (all I remember is Paige, given my infatuation, though Quebbs, Shane, and Linda were probably there too) trying to figure out what to do next:
Marcy Playground - Sex And Candy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDAXltfj8-Y
On the aughts’ precipice, but for whatever reason this reminds me of John Q:
Geto Boys - Damn it feels good to be a gangster
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL9ihXiFAko
The entire Latall family (except their sweet ol’ mother), of course!:
Rammstein - Du Hast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doTBT46wMvA
At first I thought I recalled hearing this at a wedding, but I probably just saw the video:
Duran Duran - Ordinary World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI6HKffqh2Y
And finally, and one MBG is sure to appreciate, a singer/songwriter/self-promoting impresario I most strongly associate with Micah Gutweiler:
Wesley Willis - Suck a Cheetah’s Dick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnCk0uGwFZI
Can anyone remember that public music television station in Springfield (I think it was channel 8?) that you could call in and request music videos? Was it just called “The Channel” god, who remembers that shit?! I want to know!
Bananaflux Jul 21
Oh yeah, Imo’s pizza? or maybe just pizza in general?
Bananaflux Jul 21
Kanakuk:
C&C Music Factory - Everybody Dance Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b714Wi4CDsQ
’90s compilation cd infommercials:
EMF - Unbelievable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waacof2saZw
HS Dances:
Snap! - Rhythm is a Dancer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMPM1q_Uyxc
Rednex - Cotton Eyed Joe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDdlHmzIdn8
C. Austin (I’m not supposed to use full names, apparently):
Right Said Fred - I’m Too Sexy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRIF5JqVSeQ&feature=related
C. Austin, F. Bueller and twix commercials (also not technically ’90s):
From Yello’s Stella - Oh Yeah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q7FFjUpVLg
Elaun:
Guns & Roses - November Rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwu7ixmQk0c
AND HOW IN THE FUCKING WORLD WAS THIS MISSED?!?!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog8ou-ZepE
Annie Jul 22
This is an inspired twist, but I’d argue it’s not a game at all since it can’t really be scored. Unless we want to declare MBG ultimate arbiter of our memories. On the other hand, given his demonstrated copy editing prowess and the ever-deteriorating status of my pre-college memories, I’d probably be willing to sign off. (Maybe, like a money-manager, he’d grow my meagre reserves.) In any case: new thread! New thread!