ARTIST: BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE II
ALBUM: THE GLOBE
SONG: RUSH
DATE: JUNE 1991
STATUS: ACQUIRED
I bet you forgot about the weird ass middle part. I know I did. It was cut out of most radio broadcasts of the song. Mick Jones gets his full "Who" thing on with a fare share of sampling, which was pretty unheard of at the time.
ARTIST: TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS
ALBUM: INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN
SONG: LEARNING TO FLY
DATE: APRIL 1991
STATUS: ACQUIRED
Tom Petty believes that if a song is hart to play, its not a good song. He'd probably say the same thing about lyrics. If you have to work hard to decipher them, then they probably aren't any good. That Petty magic shines through on "Learning to Fly". As a teenager it was good to hear someone talk right down to earth in a language I could understand and say, "look, life's a kick in the nuts, don't sweat it. Go out and find something, anything."
Also, I totally forgot about the topless body painted go-go dancer. How'd that play on TV in the early 90's. I mean in a couple shots you can clearly see nipple, and not Frank Cross three-quarter nipple. full on "it must be cold on the set" nipple. How did Tipper Gore let this happen?
ARTIST: MATTHEW SWEET
ALBUM: 100% FUN
SONG: SICK OF MYSELF
DATE: MARCH 14, 1995
Its hard to deny the power of a good power pop song, and a sad sack of a power pop song at that. Holly shit this song is downer. Don't think about it, its Friday, and the guitar hook is fun...jesus, I just want to finish the day, go home an drink the week away. I'd rather drive a cab...
ARTIST: GOOD LIVES UNDERWATER
ALBUM: LIFE IN THIS SO-CALLED SPACE AGE
SONG: FROM YOUR MOUTH
DATE: MAY 19, 1998
STATUUS: ACQUIRED
The songs cool. I like the song. Its a Johnny-Sad-Balls song, we've heard it a million times, but it's done well here. The thing that really stands out in my memory though is the video. Remember this is before Youtube started blasting unbelievable into our minds 24/7. It used to be you actually had to be some place to see something, or a professional would seek someone out and make a thing which would then be distributed through corporate controlled media. It was simpler time full of lost innocence.
Stankonia was one of the last albums I remember absolutely everyone of my generation owning. It was huge, It was everywhere, and when B.O.B. clicked over on the CD player windows would explode and panties would fall from the sky. Where ever you where, whatever you were doing, the party has just kicked the fuck off. Don't resist, you'll just hurt yourself, channel your inner leopard skin tights and ride the wave.
ARTIST: PEARL JAM
ALBUM: NO BOUNDARIES: A BENIFET FOR KOSOVAR REFUGEES
SONG: LAST KISS
DATE: JUNE 15, 1999
STATUS: ACQUIRED
It's not a Jan and Dean song, but it sounds like one. I totally forgot about the "No Boundaries" album. Probably just more proof that the 90's was a decade of young people looking for a cause. DARN YOU BILL CLINTON, YOUR STRONG ECONOMY AND YOUR REASONABLE LEFT OF CENTER POLICIES!
It took me a long time to come to grips with Pearl Jam. As great as they are, they aren't cool. You just can't care that much and be cool. Right about the time I was coming around this song hit the charts and it totally confused me. It didn't fit into anything else on the air in the late 90's, which was quickly being overrun by tween acts 'N SYNC and Brittney Spears*, and it didn't fit in with the rest of Pearl Jam's opus. Taken on its own though, its a really nice sweet song that does somehow fit with Pearl Jam's soul.
ARTIST: OASIS
ALBUM: (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY
SONG: DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER
DATE: FEBRUARY 2, 1996
STATUS: ACQUIRED
Don't Look back in anger is Oasis at their Beatliest. An impression driven home by a video rife with 60's British mod references. The entire mood of the song feels like what Noel Gallagher imagines' a John Lennon lament might be; an impression promoted by the band who claim that some of the lyrics come from an unreleased recording of Lennon's memoirs stolen from the Dakota Hotel. Mythology, true or not, is important.
The video is also a reminder of Liam Gallagher's petulance and Noels arrogance. Liam frequently refused to cooperated with big brother Noel's plans by refusing to perform at concerts or fully participate in video shoots. Noel's solution was simply to do Liam's part. Noel's voice is fine, but he doesn't have that front man charisma of his brother.
