The email limit really does mess things up. If you missed Part 1, here it is.
Anyway, back to it.
25). "Connection" by Elastica (from Elastica, released March 1995) (peaked at #2 on 5/6/1995)
By legal understanding, please now enjoy “Three Girl Rhumba” by Wire.
24). "Plowed" by Sponge (from Rotting Pinata, released August 1994) (peaked at #5 on 4/1/1995)
I covered much of my local-based affection for Sponge in the previous outing, but it does not diminish the fact that this was loud and driving and highly enjoyable then and now.
23). "Ants Marching" by Dave Matthews Band (from Under the Table and Dreaming, released September 1994) (peaked at #18 on 8/12/1995)
What has become the DMB’s “anthem,” no pun intended, is just a modern (for 1995) version of “Synchronicity,” right?
22). "When I Come Around" by Green Day (from Dookie, released February 1994) (peaked at #1 on 1/7/1995)
The first fifteen seconds of “When I Come Around” are as good a rock intro that existed in the 90s. (Also, Billie Joe Armstrong is the inverse of Dolores O'Riordan when it comes to true accent coming through in singing.)
21). "Corduroy" by Pearl Jam (from Vitalogy, released November 1994) (peaked at #13 on 2/18/1995)
Did I have a friend in high school who got really mad at this song because he was convinced the lyrics were a rejection of Jesus and could not be convinced otherwise? Yes. (It’s just Eddie Vedder being upset about the perils of fame.)
20). "This Is a Call" by Foo Fighters (from Foo Fighters, released July 1995) (peaked at #2 on 8/5/1995)
Have I spent almost 25 years thinking that Dave was singing “Visodent,” which I was convinced was an old denture cleaning brand, only to find out he was actually singing about Minicyn, which was supposed to be “Minocin,” the acne medicine….moving on.
19). "Good" by Better Than Ezra (from Deluxe, released February 1995) (peaked at #1 on 4/29/1995)
This is actually the most straightforward breakup song I can think of from this era. I am sure I am missing one, but I like how decisions were made in this song.
18). "River of Deceit" by Mad Season (from Above, released March 1995) (peaked at #9 on 5/6/1995)
It’s a really great song. It’s an exceptional hard song, but that guitar line is remarkable. I was so excited when I pulled it without referencing the cheat sheet in the 1995 video.
17). "Starseed" by Our Lady Peace (from Naveed, released March 1995) (peaked at #10 on 4/29/1995)
A nod to listening to 89X with a great CanCon song (only “Clumsy” and “Somewhere Out There” would chart higher for the band in the U.S.)
16). "Misery" by Soul Asylum (from Let Your Dim Light Shine, released June 1995) (peaked at #1 on 6/3/1995)
When I actually looked at the list, I realized the strength of this year’s bench, in which “Misery,” which was a Modern Rock chart-topper, doesn’t even make the Top 15. I’m also sad that this one does not seem to be in regular rotation. But “Frustrated Incorporated” is a great rhyme that I have used more than once in my life.
15). "Hey Man Nice Shot" by Filter (from Short Bus, released May 1995) (peaked at #10 on 7/15/1995)
So Trent Reznor tells his touring guitarist Richard Patrick to start his own band, Patrick does, and he writes this song about R. Budd Dwyer, except, because of the timing of it, everyone thinks it’s about Kurt Cobain and Patrick’s being an ass about it, so he has to spend a ton of time correcting the record.
14). "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" by U2 (from Batman Forever soundtrack, released May 1995) peaked at #1 on 6/24/1995)
A Zooropa holdover, the glam level here is off the charts. Coupled with the meditations on fame vis-a-vis Jesus, especially “but they’ll want their money back if you’re alive at 33,” when Bono wrote this song as a 33-year-old is peak ZooTV-era U2 and should have been a warning to all of us about the coming excesses of PopMart.
13). "Only Wanna Be With You" by Hootie & the Blowfish (from Cracked Rear View, released July 1994) peaked at #22 on 8/12/1995)
Post Malone covered this song to honor the 25th anniversary of Pokemon is an actual true statement that I cannot believe I just typed. I presume Bob Dylan got some of those royalties as well.
12). "Here and Now" by Letters to Cleo (from Aurora Gory Alice, released December 1994) (peaked at #10 on 3/11/1995)
Yes, I have always liked songs with rapid-fire lyrics; I have no idea why I, a perpetual fast talker, might enjoy that.
11). "Strange Currencies" by R.E.M. (from Monster, released September 1994) (peaked at #14 on 6/3/1995)
Hmm, why did high school and college-age me adore a song about being convinced that you could win someone over with what you wrote for them…Moving on…
10). "Supersonic" by Oasis (from Definitely Maybe, released August 1994) (peaked at #11 on 12/10/1994)
If you ever want to see the dangers of writing one thing, only to have people reinterpret it another way, discover Noel Gallagher learning what some people thought “Supersonic” was all about.
9). "In the Blood" by Better Than Ezra (from Deluxe, released February 1995) (peaked at #4 on 9/16/1995)
This is where I again rail about the stupidity of the Hot 100 requiring a physical single to be issued in order to be eligible for it. Thankfully, the Modern Rock Chart was/is an airplay chart, which catches the Zeitgeist in many ways much better than singles sales.
8). "Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley (from Grace, released August 1994) (peaked at #19 on 5/6/1995)
Because of the tragic nature of Jeff Buckley’s early demise, it is arguable that no song on this list has had a more positive critical reevaluation than “Last Goodbye.” Already haunting in nature, it is utterly gorgeous from start to finish.
7). "Stars" by Hum (from You'd Prefer An Astronaut, released April 1995) (peaked at #11 on 7/22/1995)
The quiet/loud dynamic in this song has always struck me as being remarkable. There is not a lot here in terms of lyrics, but I think the spareness works in speaking to the loneliness of the subject of the song. The heft of the bassline then redoubles that.
6). "Bad Reputation" by Freedy Johnston (from This Perfect World, released June 1994) (peaked at #28 on 11/12/1994)
One of the things that struck me while compiling the playlist is that there are just some of these I should let speak for themselves. This is a nearly perfect song and I really can’t add to it.
5). "Sick of Myself" by Matthew Sweet (from 100 % Fun, released March 1995) (peaked at #2 on 5/27/1995)
One of the cooler things about having vast access to digital archives of music, be it initially iTunes, then Pandora, now Spotify, is when you get something like “Sick of Myself” which is a hooky-as-hell power-pop song, you can go back and dig through the artist’s work and get “Girlfriend” or “Evangeline” or three remarkable albums of covers. If he just did “Sick of Myself”, it’s still a top 5 song. That I got more out of it later is even better.
4). "Allison Road" by Gin Blossoms (from New Miserable Experience, released August 1992) (peaked at #39 on 10/8/1994)
Yep, Gin Blossoms again. Yep, if I do sophomore year, they’re probably showing up again. This is a classic “real ones know” choice. “Hey Jealousy” and “Found Out About You” and “Until I Fall Away” are legitimately great alt-rock tracks, but “Allison Road” is the lynchpin of New Miserable Experience.
3). "Live Forever" by Oasis (from Definitely Maybe, released August 1994) (peaked at #2 on 2/25/1995)
I mean, this could have easily been #1. I am unashamed in my continued love of Oasis. So, instead, here’s a Tim Thompson Hockey Night in Canada video from the opening of the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals.
2). "What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?" by R.E.M. (from Monster, released September 1994) (peaked at #1 on 9/24/1994)
And now, a series of thoughts, recreated from that morning in early September 1994 when I first saw the video for “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?” the day before my junior year started.
1). Oooh, jangly, but aggressive. This is not like the last two albums.
2). Did…did Michael Stipe shave his head?
3). Why is Mike Mills dressed like a country star?
4). Michael seems to be not very into singing this.
5). Oh wait, we’re at the chorus, he’s very into it now.
6). Yes, he shaved his head.
7). “Who is Richard? Because ‘Withdrawl in disgust is not the same as apathy.’ is a great line!”
8). Wait, is Michael wearing a shirt of violent green?
9). Did Michael’s star switch from black to red in the second verse? Is he a Sneetch?
10). Wait, is the biggest band in America pretending to be playing in a suburban garage?
11). Wait, where’d Bill go?
That is a heck of a song. It became the first song to debut at #1 on the Modern Rock track and arguably represented R.E.M. at the zenith of its powers.
1). "Love Spreads" by The Stone Roses (from Second Coming, released December 1994) (peaked at #2 on 2/18/1995)
Again, this is where not knowing things until later is remarkable. There’s a reason this album was called Second Coming. It was the most eagerly anticipated album of the year, FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING. And this was the lead single, and it utterly and completely slaps, top to bottom. The chainsaw-like guitars, the bass line into the bridge, the leaning heavily into crucifixion metaphor, it’s all right there. To now know that this was the band that did “She Bangs the Drums”, and “Fool’s Gold”, and “I Wanna Be Adored”, and “Waterfall”, all of which still have nearly 2x-3x the Spotify plays of “Love Spreads”, it just adds to the mystique.
So there you have it, 70-1. Did I get it right? Did I miss something major? Let me know in the comments or on Facebook or Twitter.
Did you enjoy this post? Please share it!
And now, here’s the playlist: