In preparing for writing my novel again, I’ve been listening to a lot of the music I was listening to as a teenager. It’s actually been quite an emotional, even somewhat cathartic, exercise. I might write more in-depth about it at some point, but today I thought I would cobble together some ‘noteworthy’ mentions. These are songs that were all released at some point in 1993.
It was a pretty big year for me, as I began working at McDonalds, so most of these songs are linked to my Saturday mornings, as I would sit in the staff room out the back, and the television would be switched to RAGE, or later Video Hits on Channel 10, and I waited for my shift to start. These would play over and over. Let’s see how many you know, and love (or hate).
20. Snoop Doggy Dogg, Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)
The solo debut single from Snoop Dogg’s debut album Doggystyle and remains as his biggest ever selling single, according to Wikipedia. I still remember kids on the playground walking around humming this tune.
19. Green Jellÿ, Three Little Pigs
Technically this was first released in 1992 but had to be re-released in 1993 due to the perceived trademark infringement of the band’s original name (Green Jellö). Is it terrible? Sure. But you all remember the film clip, don’t you?
18. Denis Leary, Asshole
A much bigger hit here in Australia than it ever was in the United States, this song was voted #1 in the 1993 Triple J Hottest 100. Written to offend – or at least try – pretty much everyone, and is a song that sparked a debate with Louis CK, who claimed that it was stolen off one of his routines, which Leary denied.
17. Meatloaf, I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)
Look, I love Meatloaf. Not so much the live singing though, and I remember watching the night he debuted the song on Hey Hey it’s Saturday and it went very wrong at the beginning. Maybe we should’ve taken that as a sign?
16. Radiohead, Creep
Radiohead back in the days when I was listening to them, not going OMG RADIOHEAD!! R-A-D-I-O-H-E-A-D.
15. Lenny Kravitz, Are You Gonna Go My Way?
Terrific, even now. More, even.
14. Madonna, Rain
I was obsessed by Madonna when I was a child, then into my teenage years. I loved and valued everything she did, studied and appreciated her artistic phases. I suspected this clip was going to be a possible transition into another one of these phases, and I was pretty right. Hailed by the critics, the song is taken from her Erotica album – which I bought on CD, and also included a poster that you could rip out if you wanted. I chose not to, and then got upset when I discovered one day that a cousin had taken the liberty to do so. I’ve since forgiven her!
13. Billy Joel, The River of Dreams
It’s a pretty daggy choice, yes. But it’s peppy and singable. It was also the favourite song of one of my girlfriends.
12. 4 Non Blondes, What’s Up
This song has its fair share of haters, but I liked the honesty of its lyrics (“Twenty-five years and my life is still/Trying to get up that great big hill of hope/For a destination”), their gusto, and the song is long for pop/rock, even for then, at a smidge under five minutes.
11. Michael Jackson, Will You Be There?
I bought the Dangerous CD – and still have it to this day. So this is quite sentimental.
10. Gabrielle, Dreams
Still smooth and effortless.
9. Ace of Base, All That She Wants
“All that she wants is another baby” – I took that lyric literally. Seriously. Like, a real baby. WHO WAS I?! Whole different listening experience if you think of it that way.
8. Spin Doctors, Two Princes
I say if Chris Barron wants to wear a white cardigan and an ear-flap beanie in a video clip, then Chris Barron can do what the hell he likes.
7. R.E.M Everybody Hurts
I’m pretty sure this has been everybody’s anthem at some stage in their life: “Sometimes everything is wrong”. It’s a powerful moment when Michael Stipe finally starts singing, the camera pans back, and all the people who are stuck in the traffic jam get out of their cars to walk off.
6. East 17, It’s Alright
Don’t sneer. You remember this as well as I do.
5. Salt N Peppa, Shoop
Loved it.
4. U2, Numb and Stay (Faraway, So Close)
I can’t really split these – I chose Numb because it was the first time I recall seeing someone other than Bono in the ‘limelight’ (The Edge, in this case), but Stay (Faraway, So Close) because I love it – I listen to it at least once a day. Both tracks are off Zooropa, which I bought, but someone nicked while I was at university. Some might say that U2 never could quite surpass their 80s greatness, but I have a soft spot for this era of their music.
3. Björk, Human Behaviour
This video lost out to Peter Gabriel’s Steam at the MTV Video Music Awards, but easily stands as being at least as worthy. I love Björk.
2. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Boom! Shake the Room
When the camera stops moving and swirling around long enough, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of a young Will Smith. The ‘arms over the head’ swaying in the chorus was done at many a school disco.
1. UB40, I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You
Did I know this was an Elvis song first? Yes. Did I prefer this version? Yes. Did I know that Sliver was supposed to be a terrible movie? Yes. Did I still want to see it anyway? Yes. Have I to this day ever gotten around to that? No. But I still have a soft spot for the song.
Have I missed any big 1993 songs? Do you have any favourites here?
