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101 Best Songs of 1994 - #1 - Notorious BIG - Juicy (6 Viewers)

Ramsay Hunt Experience said:
I agree with pretty much everything you said (I'm Team Oasis, but I love this song), but I'm not sure Girls and Boys is really "artsy."  I just consider it a great dance song.  
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I can see why it can be considered artsy, but its mainstream britpop. Blur had come from 2 artsy albums prior (Leisure and Modern Life is Rubbish) . Albarn himself is obviously educated middle class artist student material. Rest of the band as well. Albarn and art have walked hand in hand. Banksy even did sleeve designs for them early in his artistic endeavours and late in Blurs run. 

 
#48 - Live - Lightning Crashes

Ed Kowalczyk seems perplexed that so many people think Lightning Crashes is about a woman dying during childbirth.  It’s the whole circle of life thing - in one room of a hospital, an old woman passes away while in another room a younger woman delivers a baby.  Simple.  I find it way more perplexing that radio stations in Florida (and elsewhere?) edited out the entire first verse so that the word “placenta” wasn’t heard on the radio.

Lightning Crashes

 
scorchy said:
#48 - Live - Lightning Crashes

Ed Kowalczyk seems perplexed that so many people think Lightning Crashes is about a woman dying during childbirth.  It’s the whole circle of life thing - in one room of a hospital, an old woman passes away while in another room a younger woman delivers a baby.  Simple.  I find it way more perplexing that radio stations in Florida (and elsewhere?) edited out the entire first verse so that the word “placenta” wasn’t heard on the radio.

Lightning Crashes
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summer ‘94 was my junior year in college

(aside - circuitous route - worked 6 years, military 6, started college at 29)

I was taking summer classes and sharing a 100 year old 3-story Dutch colonial house with 8 friends (block from campus, ‘twas glorious)

I had a 150 watt power amp with Bose 901 series 6 speakers I bought at a NATO PX in Italy

we attempted to blow out the single pane windows of that house with this song approximately 6 to 10 times 

per day

 
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I loved Live back then.  Still like the first two albums today, but nothing like I did when they were released.  I guess now would be the time to admit that I almost got THIS tatoo, but as as a poor college student, I couldn't scrape together the fundage.  Thank God.

 
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FatMax said:
I loved Live back then.  Still like the first two albums today, but nothing like I did when they were released.  I guess now would be the time to admit that I almost THIS tatoo, but as as a poor college student, I couldn't scrape together the fundage.  Thank God.
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Wow. Just wow.  

 
#47 - Counting Crows - A Murder of One

I’m almost disappointed that my love for Hole and Oasis didn’t result in any i-fights.  No way that can happen with Counting Crows too - most of my friends back then outright banned me from listening to 1993’s August and Everything After in their presence.  So I listened to it by myself, a lot, and embraced the loneliness.  Still do on occasion.  A Murder of One was the closing track and the final single from the record.   According to Adam Duritz: "I can remember being eight years old and having infinite possibilities. But life ends up being so much less than we thought it would be when we were kids, with relationships that are so empty and stupid and brutal."  Oof. 

A Murder of One

 
scorchy said:
#47 - Counting Crows - A Murder of One

I’m almost disappointed that my love for Hole and Oasis didn’t result in any i-fights.  No way that can happen with Counting Crows too - most of my friends back then outright banned me from listening to 1993’s August and Everything After in their presence.  So I listened to it by myself, a lot, and embraced the loneliness.  Still do on occasion.  A Murder of One was the closing track and the final single from the record.   According to Adam Duritz: "I can remember being eight years old and having infinite possibilities. But life ends up being so much less than we thought it would be when we were kids, with relationships that are so empty and stupid and brutal."  Oof. 

A Murder of One
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Really like the bass work on this tune. Also has a bit of a The Smiths "How Soon Is Now" vibe at the beginning.

Never occurred to me before: crows, murder. I get it.

 
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I almost got a Queensryche tattoo, similar deal, (military) I didn't have enough cash and I never went back

Got my first one 25 years later after my pops died, much better than the Ryche symbol, not that it matters, as I am living the nevernude lifestyle

I DID have a custom-made Queensryche velcro patch that I wore often on aircrew missions, it took the place of the peace sign, which I was commanded to stop wearing

Anyhoo

Dig Live but Lightning Crashes can gf

Fix my record player DT

 
simey said:
Why didn't your friends like it? It is one of my favorite albums of the 90s. 
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Yeah, mine too.  Most of my friends were either grunge or classic rock guys.  They thought CC was too soft/whiny, that Adam Duritz sounded like Kermit the Frog, and/or the album was too corny/mainstream.  IIRC, our own General Malaise loathes them.  If you google "Why do people hate Counting Crows," you'll get pages and pages of results.

 
plinko said:
I almost got a Queensryche tattoo, similar deal, (military) I didn't have enough cash and I never went back

Got my first one 25 years later after my pops died, much better than the Ryche symbol, not that it matters, as I am living the nevernude lifestyle

I DID have a custom-made Queensryche velcro patch that I wore often on aircrew missions, it took the place of the peace sign, which I was commanded to stop wearing

Anyhoo

Dig Live but Lightning Crashes can gf

Fix my record player DT
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QR became my favorite band in the mid-80s and I too considered their symbol as a tattoo.  Instead I got a devil on my shoulder   The veil tattoo was fading ten years later and I covered it with a large tribal piece.   I probably should have gone with the QR symbol.  I don’t think I would have regretted it.  

 
plinko said:
I almost got a Queensryche tattoo, similar deal, (military) I didn't have enough cash and I never went back

Got my first one 25 years later after my pops died, much better than the Ryche symbol, not that it matters, as I am living the nevernude lifestyle

I DID have a custom-made Queensryche velcro patch that I wore often on aircrew missions, it took the place of the peace sign, which I was commanded to stop wearing

Anyhoo

Dig Live but Lightning Crashes can gf

Fix my record player DT
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A dorky guy on my floor freshman year called them Queens-reesh.  He also called KC Royals utility infielder Terry Shumpert Terry Shoom-pear.  Maybe he just thought everyone was French.

Did you actually google how to fix your turntable?  B/c that's all I'm gonna do ya noob.

 
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scorchy said:
A dorky guy on my floor freshman year called them Queens-reesh.  He also called KC Royals utility infielder Terry Shumpert Terry Shoom-pear.  Maybe he just thought everyone was French.

Did you actually google how to fix your turntable?  B/c that's all I'm gonna do ya noob.
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I thought about it. We’ll see. Easier to buy you pizza. 

 
DocHolliday said:
  I probably should have gone with the QR symbol.  I don’t think I would have regretted it.  
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I read this all way too quickly and actually actually thought you were saying you would have gotten this.  Which honestly seems kind of cool.  :lol:

As an aside, +1 on Counting Crows appreciation.  Haven't listened in years but loved them at the time and have no reason to think I wouldn't now.  Also, crows in general are smart creatures who hold grudges, so I don't want to get on their bad side.

 
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#46 - Freedy Johnston - Bad Reputation

One of my favorite one-hit wonders of the 90s and among my top 5 songs to close a movie ever (Kicking and Screaming - the Noah Baumbach one not the Will Farrell one).  The song just hits all the right notes.

Freedy Johnston moved from Kansas to NYC in the mid 80s, working as a gopher at an architectural firm (unfortunately too early to cross paths with @El Floppo) while doing open mics on the side.  He released two records on an independent label before signing with Elektra and recording 1994’s The Perfect World with Butch Vig.  Critics loved it (Rolling Stone named Freedy the songwriter of the year) but sales were minimal.  Bad Reputation was the only single and it peaked at #54 on the Hot 100.

Bad Reputation

 
scorchy said:
#46 - Freedy Johnston - Bad Reputation

One of my favorite one-hit wonders of the 90s and among my top 5 songs to close a movie ever (Kicking and Screaming - the Noah Baumbach one not the Will Farrell one).  The song just hits all the right notes.

Freedy Johnston moved from Kansas to NYC in the mid 80s, working as a gopher at an architectural firm (unfortunately too early to cross paths with @El Floppo) while doing open mics on the side.  He released two records on an independent label before signing with Elektra and recording 1994’s The Perfect World with Butch Vig.  Critics loved it (Rolling Stone named Freedy the songwriter of the year) but sales were minimal.  Bad Reputation was the only single and it peaked at #54 on the Hot 100.

Bad Reputation
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Nice!  Would never have thought of this one but should have.  He was a darling of the Chicago music scene in the mid and late 90s despite not being in Chicago, if that makes any sense.

 
#45 - Range Life - Pavement

As far as Pavement songs go, Range Life isn’t my favorite, but if nothing else, it earns a spot for one particularly snarky 90s-specific verse:

Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins
Nature kids, they don't have no function
I don't understand what they mean
And I could really give a ####

The whole Billy Corgan vs Stephen Malkmus feud became Biggie/Tupac for the indie set.  Billy was so pissed that he had Pavement kicked off that year’s Lollapalooza (Pumpkins were headlining).  Even 15 years later, he couldn’t shut up about it, tweeting:

Just found out Smashing Pumpkins are playing with Pavement in Brazil.  It’s gonna be one of those New Orleans-type funerals. I say that because they represent the death of the alternative dream, and we follow with the affirmation of life part.  Funny how those who pointed the big finger of ‘sell out’ are the biggest offenders now.
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Even though pretty-much everyone regards Billy Corgan as a jackass, it did have to suck to be an amazing musician with perfectionist tendencies and a goal of making the "perfect" record during a time when the worst thing you could be was a try-hard.  Still, the dude should have just laughed it off like Scott Wieland (lines in Range Life also joked about STP).

Range Life

 
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scorchy said:
#45 - Range Life - Pavement

As far as Pavement songs go, Range Life isn’t my favorite, but if nothing else, it earns a spot for one particularly snarky 90s-specific verse:

Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins
Nature kids, they don't have no function
I don't understand what they mean
And I could really give a ####

The whole Billy Corgan vs Stephen Malkmus feud became Biggie/Tupac for the indie set.  Billy was so pissed that he had Pavement kicked off that year’s Lollapalooza (Pumpkins were headlining).  Even 15 years later, he couldn’t shut up about it, tweeting:

Even though pretty-much everyone regards Billy Corgan as a jackass, it did have to suck to be an amazing musician with perfectionist tendencies and a goal of making the "perfect" record during a time when the worst thing you could be was a try-hard.  Still, the dude should have just laughed it off like Scott Wieland (lines in Range Life also joked about STP).

Range Life
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yeah... not my fave tune of theirs, but IIRC, the first one I noticed of theirs that pushed out into the collective consciousness.

 
#44 - Cracker - Get Off This

David Lowery drops line after line of truth bombs at the "they're a bunch sellouts" crowd.  Not sure which I like better:

Is it true that you have sold your soul?"
I say "Hey man, I don't know
Lend me a quarter, won't you? I'll call my accountant."

or

Petty little Ayatollahs
Come around to judge and stone ya
All's we're trying to do is make a fortune

I should be seeing Cracker tomorrow night in Athens, GA (technically, it's David Lowery and the Georgia Crackers) as part of Drive-By Truckers homecoming weekend.  The shows got moved from January due to Omicron and me and my friends just couldn't make the new dates work. 😢

For the record, I always liked Lowery's first band - Camper Van Beethoven - more than Cracker, though it's pretty obvious why the latter got way more airplay.  Get Off This even manages to address it:

He's just tryin' to get some sleep but everyone's complainin'
Are you truly deeply cynical?
'Cause boy you know that I loved you so
When no one knew your name and you were pompous

Get Off This

 
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scorchy said:
#49 - Elastica - Connection

Now that Damon Albarn’s out of the way, time for something from the other half of Britpop’s first couple.  Justine Frischmann formed Elastica in 1992 with another ex-member of Suede and had a minor hit the following year with debut single Stutter.  They released Connection in late 1994 ahead of their first album.  The single reached #2 on the modern rock chart and even cracked the Billboard top 40.  

Unfortunately, Elastica was more than just derivative of their post-punk influences.  They got sued by both Wire and The Stranglers (settling out of court) while Mark E. Smith from The Fall just blew it off.  I’m docking Elastica 20-25 spots in the countdown as a penalty.

Connection

Compare to Three Girl Rumba by Wire
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Undisclosed settlement with Wire iirc

 
#43 - Meat Puppets - Backwater

The Meat Puppets formed in Arizona in 1980 and released a bunch of hardcore and cowpunk records on famed SoCal label SST throughout the decade.  Even after signing to a major in 1991. they toiled in relative obscurity until superfan Kurt Cobain invited them to play a few of their songs with Nirvana on the latter's 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance.  A few months later, the Meat Puppets released Too High to Die, with Backwater as the first single.  It was the band's biggest hit, reaching #11 on the modern rock charts.

Backwater

 
scorchy said:
#43 - Meat Puppets - Backwater

The Meat Puppets formed in Arizona in 1980 and released a bunch of hardcore and cowpunk records on famed SoCal label SST throughout the decade.  Even after signing to a major in 1991. they toiled in relative obscurity until superfan Kurt Cobain invited them to play a few of their songs with Nirvana on the latter's 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance.  A few months later, the Meat Puppets released Too High to Die, with Backwater as the first single.  It was the band's biggest hit, reaching #11 on the modern rock charts.

Backwater
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Great band - wish they had stuck around longer.

 
scorchy said:
#45 - Range Life - Pavement

As far as Pavement songs go, Range Life isn’t my favorite, but if nothing else, it earns a spot for one particularly snarky 90s-specific verse:

Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins
Nature kids, they don't have no function
I don't understand what they mean
And I could really give a ####

The whole Billy Corgan vs Stephen Malkmus feud became Biggie/Tupac for the indie set.  Billy was so pissed that he had Pavement kicked off that year’s Lollapalooza (Pumpkins were headlining).  Even 15 years later, he couldn’t shut up about it, tweeting:

Even though pretty-much everyone regards Billy Corgan as a jackass, it did have to suck to be an amazing musician with perfectionist tendencies and a goal of making the "perfect" record during a time when the worst thing you could be was a try-hard.  Still, the dude should have just laughed it off like Scott Wieland (lines in Range Life also joked about STP).

Range Life
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I started a thread with those lines back in 2014 or 2015. 

I love this album and this song. To me, this is 1995, though. I caught it a little bit later than most. "Cut Your Hair" could easily be here, too. This album was the indie album of the nineties, IMHO, which is ironic because it was their crossover album that everyone caught onto rather than their other stuff. 

Silence Kit is one of my favorite songs -- still. 

Just a really, weird powerful song about making rock and roll. One of the best meta songs ever, IMO. 

Silent kid don't lose your graceful tone

 
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scorchy said:
#49 - Elastica - Connection

Now that Damon Albarn’s out of the way, time for something from the other half of Britpop’s first couple.  Justine Frischmann formed Elastica in 1992 with another ex-member of Suede and had a minor hit the following year with debut single Stutter.  They released Connection in late 1994 ahead of their first album.  The single reached #2 on the modern rock chart and even cracked the Billboard top 40.  

Unfortunately, Elastica was more than just derivative of their post-punk influences.  They got sued by both Wire and The Stranglers (settling out of court) while Mark E. Smith from The Fall just blew it off.  I’m docking Elastica 20-25 spots in the countdown as a penalty.

Connection

Compare to Three Girl Rumba by Wire
Click to expand...


Yeah, Wire and Three Girl Rhumba off of Pink Flag wanted a word or two, I guess. Still a great riff in a great song. 

 
scorchy said:
#44 - Cracker - Get Off This

David Lowery drops line after line of truth bombs at the "they're a bunch sellouts" crowd.  Not sure which I like better:

Is it true that you have sold your soul?"
I say "Hey man, I don't know
Lend me a quarter, won't you? I'll call my accountant."

or

Petty little Ayatollahs
Come around to judge and stone ya
All's we're trying to do is make a fortune

I should be seeing Cracker tomorrow night in Athens, GA (technically, it's David Lowery and the Georgia Crackers) as part of Drive-By Truckers homecoming weekend.  The shows got moved from January due to Omicron and me and my friends just couldn't make the new dates work. 😢

For the record, I always liked Lowery's first band - Camper Van Beethoven - more than Cracker, though it's pretty obvious why the latter got way more airplay.  Get Off This even manages to address it:

He's just tryin' to get some sleep but everyone's complainin'
Are you truly deeply cynical?
'Cause boy you know that I loved you so
When no one knew your name and you were pompous

Get Off This
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take the skinheads bowling, scorch.

 
rockaction said:
 I started a thread with those lines back in 2014 or 2015. 

I love this album and this song. To me, this is 1995, though. I caught it a little bit later than most. "Cut Your Hair" could easily be here, too. This album was the indie album of the nineties, IMHO, which is ironic because it was their crossover album that everyone caught onto rather than their other stuff. 

Silence Kit is one of my favorite songs -- still. 

Just a really, weird powerful song about making rock and roll. One of the best meta songs ever, IMO. 

Silent kid don't lose your graceful tone
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Unfair, for me.

 
rockaction said:
That's the one that got me hooked and I could never get into the others as albums as a whole. Strange how within liking a band, there's a million miles of distance. 
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a credit to the band for having the range.

S&E is my jam in a big way. that thing came out and I was all in. still one of my favorite albums.

 
El Floppo said:
a credit to the band for having the range.

S&E is my jam in a big way. that thing came out and I was all in. still one of my favorite albums.
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Yeah, I don't mean to denigrate at all. There are songs off of S&E that I love, like "Summer Babe" and "Trigger Cut." And "Two States." All great songs. 

 
El Floppo said:
no denigration taken... it's cool if you don't even like the album- I'll still love it.
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Heh. Naw, I'm just saying there are different levels of like. I know you'll still like it, Flop. 

Just remember, I am not afraid of you and I will beat your ###! 

:)

Still remember you drafting that during one of our drafts and hearing it and being like "Hells yeah!" 

 
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Love the Pavement talk.  Another song coming further up (or is it down (no binky)) the countdown.  I'll save any Pavement stories though for '92.  Except that my favorite track of theirs, at least at the moment, is Frontwards off the Watery Domestic EP.

 
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