Q101: 1994

How did we get here?


1994 (Or, the year I used Dookie to test if you could break a CD by listening to it too many times)

5. “Closer” – Nine Inch Nails

My whole existence is flawed / You get me closer to god

Word of caution: you probably shouldn’t click the above link unless you’re willing to view some freaky shit.  Trent Reznor has no interest in hiding his intentions or sugarcoating his lust; he really does want to fuck you like an animal.  I think I was probably drawn to this song because of its forbidden nature.  I was a pretty straight-laced kid (shocking, I know) but I had my moments of feeling rebellious.  In my youthful mind, listening to this song felt like how that rebellion should manifest itself.  I just had to be careful not to turn up the sound too loudly when this song came on in my room for fear of explaining to my mom what in the hell I was listening to.  Sort of like when the intro to White Zombie’s “More Human Than Human” came on.  I still feel like I need to ask god for forgiveness or perform some sort of charitable work after hearing “Closer.”

4. “Far Behind” - Candlebox

Now maybe I could have made my own mistakes / But I live with what I've known / And then maybe we might share in something great / But won't you look at where we've grown / Won't you look at where we've gone

I don’t really have a problem with Candlebox making the top 5.  This song was a huge success back in the day and continues to be one of the most included songs on any ‘90s rock compilation.  “Far Behind” represents a time when I didn’t need to know any more than what was being force-fed to me.  I can count the number of Candlebox songs I know on one 1 hand (don’t even need all the fingers) and I don’t even know the lead singer’s name.  This song has the distinction of being on one of the first custom mix CDs I made for myself in high school.  I heard the DJ once describe these guys as jerks who let their fame go to their head.  I won’t hold that against this song though.

3. “Buddy Holly” – Weezer

Woo-hoo, but you know I'm yours / Woo-hoo, and I know you're mine / Woo-hoo, and that's for all time

Come on, you know you want to.  Join in on the infectious woo-hoo’s and sing along.  I’m sort of glad that Mandie identified this time period as the height of Weezer’s career because I agree.  I’ll pump the brakes on any notion that they’ve descended into complete crappiness but this is the Weezer I want to think of.  I’d like to give a shout-out to “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer.  It would have been first on this list but couldn’t crack the top 5 in 1995, which speaks to the strength of that year in my eyes (ears?).  Fun fact:  Rivers Cuomo originally didn’t want to include this song on the [insert color here] album.  How dare he try to deprive me of learning who Mary Tyler Moore is?

2. “Mayonaise” – The Smashing Pumpkins

We'll try and ease the pain / But somehow we'll feel the same / Well, no one knows / Where our secrets go

This song has retroactively become one of my favorites and I’m proud of how its inclusion symbolizes my growth as a music fan.  I was still trying to gain my musical identity in 1994, and my alternative universe was almost exclusively limited to songs I heard on the radio.  This definitely isn’t one of the first songs that would come to your mind when recalling ‘90s hits from the Pumpkins.  It wasn’t even on my radar back then, or even during high school for that matter.  Over the years I’ve gone back and listened to some of the full albums from this time period that contained songs I enjoyed.  Siamese Dream became one of my all-time favorite albums with “Mayonaise” obviously being a big part of it.  It hooked me with its dreamy intro and those distorted, whistle-sounding guitar parts.  When listening to the 1994 countdown one year, the DJ (Electra maybe?) commented how this was her favorite Pumpkins song.  It isn’t quite mine but I took her admission as further justification of the song’s place on my list.

1. “Basket Case” – Green Day

Do you have the time / To listen to me whine / About nothing and everything / All at once

That’s pretty much what I’m asking you all to do with the blog isn’t it?  It sure seems that way sometimes.  I wouldn’t be shocked if my readers consider me a basket case after reading some of the things I’ve written, especially about past crushes and my “rules.”  I’m just a melodramatic fool.   Dookie was my favorite album at the time (and still ranks very high) so it’s fitting that one of its songs would top this year’s list.  I was always perplexed and fascinated by the inaudible “Uh yuh yuh yuh” that replaced “Am I just stoned?” the second time through the chorus.  I wanted to know WHAT that lyric was or why Billie Joe felt the need to utter it but only at that one part.  I guess some things are better left a mystery so the legend can grow.