Tuesday Tunes: 90's Childhood

I got into a fix this weekend on music I remember listening to on the radio as a kid.

You know, those songs that were so cool that you bought the artist's/band's album only to discover that, "Dang, the rest of this album stinks!"

Oh, the 90's. So fondly remembered, yet so bound to the confines of compact discs wrapped in impenetrable plastic while being, in general, incredibly embarrassing.

Except not as embarrassing as the 80's.

Fair warning on this post. If you elect to hang out and listen to the music videos embedded here, you will think that I am either:

a) Way too young with these choices, and that you really do need to head to YouTube for another era of choice.

b) Inside your head. I guess. Like, in the 90's (likely for those born between 1980 and 1994).

We begin!


This is third grade for me, people. Do we have a reference point now?


I feel like VH1 played this video for three years straight. Maybe people kept requesting it because we see the band members fighting. Or because it's an awesome song. Could be either.


I started singing along to this during a "90's at noon" type marathon and my sister looked at me like I had totally lost it. I must be the only person who has ever heard of this song.


Voted "most likely to get stuck in your head."


With the exception of the mall attack, this feels most 90's. Mall attacks feel more present day.

Since YouTube isn't letting me embed any Goo Goo Dolls, you'll have to do that on your own. Otherwise, this gives a good cross section of my childhood (at least the alternative and adult rock version).

Ok, your turn. What are your 90's picks?

.

Listen to the Melody

I really like Melody Gardot. I discovered her one day about a year ago while exploring iTunes. It was a serious stumble upon one of my favorite modern artists.

Her latest album, My One and Only Thrill, is one of those few records that I can keep listening to over and over again, and it never gets old. NEVER. Trust me, I get bored with the same breakfast three days in a row.

Each song has a personal memory attached to it. It takes you back to the place you first heard the song. It lets you imagine yourself in a different locale, where you walk around in ethereal bliss with this song as your soundtrack. It's just as good as the song before it, and is a great lead in to the song after it.

I wouldn't just say this about any vocalist. This is serious business—this lady can sing. Her voice has a classic jazz feel, but her songs have this great Latin-y, French-European vibe from the instrumentation. The music captures all those little sounds that you wished other favorite songs of this genre had.

Everything I said above is as close as I can get to actually knowing what I am talking about. I’m no expert in music terminology or composition. I just know what my ears like.

I know you’ve been waiting in suspense for a whole one minute, thirty-nine seconds to hear this awesome music. So, here are a few of my favs, courtesy of YouTube. (If you don’t listen to this at the appropriate volume, then you are only hurting yourself.)

A few from her latest album…

Baby, I’m a Fool (please disregard the weirdness of the music video—the song is still awesome)

The Rain

My One and Only Thrill

And a couple extras…

High Night (Alta Noite)

Ain’t No Sunshine


P.S. The first person to get me free Melody Gardot tickets to a show nearby (like, in CA) gets a free steak dinner (however you want it!) and my undying gratitude. :)