Q101: 2000

How did we get here?


2000 (Or, the year you still listened to Creed and weren’t ashamed to say so)

5. “Boyz-N-The-Hood” – Dynamite Hack

'Cause the boyz in the hood are always hard / Come talkin' that trash and we'll pull your card / Knowin' nothin' in life but to be legit / Don't quote me, boy, I ain't said shit

Despite being a strong year overall, 2000 offers up a fairly weak top 5 relatively speaking.  This list was weakened by the fact that my top 3 songs were ineligible for this year’s list.  So here we are with an acoustic cover of a hip-hop song.  I get a kick out of the way this song mocks the original, which is further punctuated by its video.  I always felt like this song was a win for alternative in the world of terrible cross-genre covers.   

4. “Stellar” – Incubus

How do you do it? / You make me feel like I do / How do you do it? / It's better than I ever knew

In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Incubus had a steady stream of radio hits.  Incidentally, it’s what I would call their prime.  I always liked their stuff but never loved it, so I was surprised to see one of their songs crack the top 5 upon revisiting.  I feel as though I never gave Incubus their full due back then but I’ve gained a stronger appreciation for their work over the years.

3. “Take A Picture” – Filter

Could you take my picture? / 'Cause I won't remember

Apparently this song was based on actual life events.  The lead singer got drunk on an airplane, took off all of his clothes, and fought with the flight attendants.  I suppose you would want visual evidence of those proceedings.  “Take A Picture” has a dreamlike aura and its chorus was catchy enough to hook me in.

2. “Californication” – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Space may be the final frontier / But it's made in a Hollywood basement / And Cobain can you hear the spheres / Singing songs off station to station / And Alderaan's not far away / It's Californication

Instantly recognizable by the opening guitar riff that repeats itself over and over.  It’s a fun music video as you get a third-person view of the band members in a video game.  There are a lot of references in this song and if you blink, you might miss some.  Just in the snippet provided, you’ve got a shout out to the moon landing conspiracy, a mention of Kurt Cobain and a David Bowie album, and a Star Wars reference.  I tend to go through phases where I grow weary of the Chili Peppers but this is one of their songs I can always find time for.

1. “Adam’s Song” – Blink-182

I never conquered, rarely came / 16 just held such better days / Days when I still felt alive /… I couldn't wait till I got home / To pass the time in my room alone

I professed my love for Enema of the State in the previous year’s installment.  This is about as serious as Blink will get.  I feel like my life is finally starting to turn around but I spent much of my 20s mired in depression.  I often wondered if high school was going to be the highlight of my life and everything was just going to be a slow decay.  Those sure seemed like better days.  I’m still a homebody and I enjoy my alone time but it doesn’t feel like I’m rushing home to enter my tomb any longer.