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1997: A Shot of Serotonin
219 Plays9 months ago
This week I am joined with the LEGENDARY wedding photographer extraordinaire and hello Bey Hive member, Jill DeVries-Dryer! In this episode, we take a stroll down memory lane and go through Billboard's Year-End Chart for 1997. From Madonna to Los Del Rio to the Spice Girls to Chumbawumba to the Backstreet Boys to Usher - we were left yearning for the 90's!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello, everybody. Welcome back to Pop Theory. This is your host, Zach Rickel, a.k.a. a function and gay from Instagram. Today, I am so excited. I am joined by a very special guest. I have known this delicious human being, gosh, for over 10 years, which is like blowing my mind. I was thinking about this today. I met her at a friend's little get together called feast day. Shout out to the Vance family. This was back in 2011.
00:00:29
Speaker
And I have been dear friends with this absolute angel ever since she is an incredible photographer. And maybe more importantly, a huge Beyonce fan, I don't know one could argue, also mother of the most beautiful little baby in the world that Nellie June.
Feast Day Memories and Local Hangouts
00:00:48
Speaker
I am so excited to welcome into your ears my dear friend Jill de Vries dryer. I'm so happy to be here. It's a long time coming. Long time coming.
00:00:58
Speaker
We, yeah, I just feel like as long as we've known each other, we've been, we've been talking about the hits and now we're just making it official.
00:01:08
Speaker
We're making it official. I mean, I'm trying to remember like when you and I bonded, like you and I met at feast day. For those of you that are listening, you're probably like, what the fuck is feast day? Basically, I truly feel like this was like before friends giving ever became like in the zeitgeist. So like this was basically like this family that we know, the Vance family, they are like a sibling of like what, 12?
00:01:32
Speaker
I think so. And they had a house where like a lot of the older kids lived and they just had like this day. I want to say it was in November. Yeah. And just friends from all over came and I remember I had just moved back to Grand Rapids and I met you. I met Zach Boswell and Marissa and like Kate and oh my gosh, people listening are probably like who gives a fuck but like all my people.
00:02:01
Speaker
all the people. And I don't I don't remember like how you and I bonded, but I just remember like us going to this bar, RIP Rockies, all the time, IP, RIP just recently closed, but you and I would just like dance the night away
Nostalgia for Late '90s Music
00:02:16
Speaker
together. Yes. Yeah. Drip and sweat.
00:02:20
Speaker
And then go eat had bags. Literally, oh my god, bring those back. Bring it. Bring Johnny's bees back. Yeah, man. RFP Johnny bees to RFP Johnny bees. Geez. And I don't understand because you and I are still only like 25 years old. But you know, whatever. Clearly, clearly. But you and I definitely bonded over our love for music specifically music from specifically the years 1997 1998 and 1999. Oh,
00:02:48
Speaker
Talk about a triple crown. Triple crown. Like I like I don't know. I don't know a better person. I don't know. I don't know a better I don't know a better trifecta or better Trinity.
00:03:02
Speaker
with all respect to Destiny's Child. I don't know a better trio. I don't. Right. Yeah. Yeah. 1997, 1998. It's 1997, 1998, 1999. And then Destiny's Child, I think. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit found dead.
Influences and Music Memories
00:03:20
Speaker
But
00:03:21
Speaker
I mean, literally, literally, but they rose again. So that's all good. Indeed. So having you on, I mean, Jill, tell me a little bit about like, when did you come into your own as far as like loving music? And like, when did you like really start discovering your own taste? Yeah, so I come from a family of four kids, and I'm the third of four. So I think growing up with older siblings, I think really puts you in touch with
00:03:51
Speaker
popular music in a way, like kind of ahead of schedule. You know what I mean? Like, because you're listening to what your other, your older siblings are listening to. So, you know, I have really vivid memories of like, like, you know, making fake music videos. And by fake, I mean, like we weren't even recording them with my sister and our cross street neighbor to Wilson Phillips hold on when I was like, you know, what, I don't know, six years old or something like that.
00:04:21
Speaker
And as a kid, I wasn't allowed to watch MTV. However, I was allowed to watch VH1. And the top 20 countdown was, as they say, the culture that made me say culture is for me. I love this. Oh my God. And so I would just sit in our basement and I would just watch the VH1 top 20 countdown. And as I got a little older, when I had my own room, I would tape songs off the radio.
00:04:49
Speaker
I would watch pop-up video. Eventually I was allowed to watch MTV and you know, I was watching TRL every day and I loved, I always loved to dance and I just, I loved, I just loved music and it was such a big part of, you know, so many of my memories of being a young kid and a teen and yeah.
00:05:12
Speaker
I love that. That is so magical. And specifically you saying recording songs off the radio, like people these days have no idea. No idea. Because when songs are released now, we live in this digital world where, and even like in the MP3 era, like, like iTunes era, I should say, like songs these days are like, when someone's releasing a song, they immediately release it to streaming. Like it's not, but back then songs would come out on their radio first, typically.
00:05:39
Speaker
Yep. And then the music videos would come out weeks, if not maybe even months later. Yep. And then during that around that same time, they would also have CD singles come out. And then typically the album and so forth. Well, and you would know every song, every word to a song you didn't even like because you had to listen to the radio. You know what I mean? Like you couldn't, you couldn't skip it. You could change the station. But like, in most towns, there's only like one pop station. So
00:06:08
Speaker
If you're waiting to hear, I want you back by and saying, you're going to sit through, I don't even know. I liked every single song though, but you know what I'm saying. Right. You're going to sit, you're going to sit through four or five songs, maybe even more. So you would have every word memorized to songs that you didn't even like. Just you had to listen to them. You couldn't skip. You couldn't pick what you were listening to. And like, we didn't have a CD player in my parents car at that time. Right. And I mean, even if we did.
00:06:35
Speaker
I probably still wouldn't have gotten to pick what we listened to because we're NPR family. But yeah, it was different, very different back then. Uh-huh. Oh, my God. Absolutely. Truly. And I kind of miss those days. I mean, there's something magical about the anticipation of it all. Yes, literally. And then also trying to hit play and record at the same time as quickly as you could when you
00:07:03
Speaker
heard the opening notes of a song you loved. It's literally oh my gosh because you're basically you have it's like basically a guessing game the entire time. Oh my god you're bringing me back to even though we're going to be talking about 1997 today. You're taking me to a time when the Backstreet Boys were playing their album black and blue for the first time it was like a teaser listening party.
00:07:22
Speaker
And it was I want to see the Chicago radio station be 96. I was just having a conversation about be 96 with my sister over the weekend. And I remember them playing get another boyfriend. And I remember like scrambling quickly and like hitting literally doing just that like hitting record on my little like tape man. Oh my gosh. And just what a time. What a time. What a time to be alive.
00:07:44
Speaker
Well, you and I have talked about 1997 specifically, I just for me, I think this was this was the year that kind of put me into overdrive as far as music loving goes. Yeah, specifically the song bought by hands and I loved music growing up like as a little
00:08:02
Speaker
kid and whatnot. And you know, Michael Jackson played a lot in my house. My dad loves a lot of rock music. So like Aerosmith, Daph leopard, things like that. Wilson Phillips also hold on specifically my dad made me like the original Nepo babies. And I love them for it. I'd have it no other way. But my dad like would make me these little like mixtape
00:08:25
Speaker
And, uh, like things like Gina G just a little bit, which I've had having a little bit more, a little bit more. Oh my God. Yeah. For some reason, 1997 specifically, and maybe it's probably just because yeah, like I was turning 12 that year. So like you're, you're getting into your preteens and, and whatnot. But I remember Hanson's came on the radio and I remember that song just being like,
00:08:49
Speaker
Wait a minute. What is this? I had my long hair at the time. Oh, you fit right in. Oh my gosh. My, my, my dorky little glasses. And I remember specifically, this is so random, but like going to my parents or not my parents, but like my parents took us to this cow farm in Bering Springs, Michigan, just to walk around, play with the cows and pet them and feed them. And then we would like walk in this stream of moo bitch.
00:09:13
Speaker
Um, and it was just, I don't know, but for like listening to the radio and hearing that song, I just remember being like, wait a minute. I don't want to like go play with the cows. Now I need to listen to the song. Yeah. And just, I need to do exactly what you were saying is sit back in the car and wait for that song to come on again. And ever since then, just full obsession into music. And so, and here we are today.
00:09:36
Speaker
Here we are today making a podcast about it now, baby. Oh man. So for me, 1997, I turned 11 at the end of May, 1997. And the next month, I grew up in upstate New York. My family moved from New York to Michigan.
00:09:52
Speaker
I never knew that in June. Really? I never knew that. Wow. Oh, yeah. I call it soda, baby. Oh, damn. It's soda. I love this. Yeah. So my family moved to Michigan the summer of 1997. And so I didn't really have any friends, but I had the radio. I know that sounds so silly. I had music videos and I had the radio. And so the songs specifically from that summer
00:10:22
Speaker
are just this indelible, deep memory for me, because it was what I had. And I mean, on top of being just an objectively incredible year for music, it was like, yeah, it was I would just sit and I would listen to music and it was what kept me
00:10:42
Speaker
Yeah, feeling like I wasn't alone. Yeah, I love that. That is truly magical. And that's truly like, I think we just chose the power of music and how it can make someone feel when they are feeling lonely. They don't know anyone yet, right? They're still trying to figure it out and make friends.
00:10:59
Speaker
And that summer specifically, you just took me on seven different routes because you know what I love too about these particular years and specifically 1997 and 1998? The sound, the music was so diverse. You had so many different types of artists all succeeding. Everyone and everything sounded different and unique to them. And I loved that. You could go from semi-charmed life to Robin.
00:11:29
Speaker
Show me love. It was just, oh, what a time to next too close, which let's be real. I was saying the words and I did not know what they meant. I still think to this day, maybe one of the most brilliantly written songs of all time. It's so good.
00:11:46
Speaker
It's so good. Should we go into it? Should we cover the Billboard year-end Hot 100 singles? Should we do that? Let's do it. I'm going to dive right in. We're going to go start at number 100. I'm going to be honest. I think the lower part of this chart, similar to 1999, I'm not going to maybe know some of these. Yeah. But number 100 was Let It Go by Ray J. I did not even know he was releasing music at that time. Honestly, same.
00:12:14
Speaker
Like, good for you, Ray J. Like, good for you. Ride those coattails. Literally. 99 we have Madonna, you must love me. Zach, please don't disown me.
00:12:25
Speaker
I don't know that song. Jill, it was so nice having you on this podcast. Thank you for visiting. No, that's totally okay. So You Must Love Me was from the Aveda soundtrack. And I want to say, I won't lie too, like Aveda, I'm not super familiar with the musical. And in fact, that all the Madonna fans are going to crucify me right now.
00:12:49
Speaker
MLVC podcast, Please Don't Hate Me. But I have actually never seen Evita. I've still never seen Evita. I'm familiar with some of the songs, but this song in particular, I believe, was written for the movie itself. It was one of the original songs for the movie. So I'm really happy to actually see it on this list. Like, oh, Madonna. Oh, my God. Number 98. I know you know this one. You're Making Me High slash Let It Flow, Toni Braxton. Oh, my God.
00:13:16
Speaker
Okay. Zach and I text each other anytime we're in public and Tony Braxton is playing. We'll be like, I'm at Trader Joe's and unbreak my heart is playing. And I get a text message immediately. I met CVS and I hear he wasn't mad enough. I text Jill. I was like, I'm like, Tony Braxton's playing right now. Like, and he wasn't, he's still not mad enough. You're making me high. Was this a music video that was played on VH1 at this time, 12 years old, 11 years old. Were you watching VH1 still predominantly?
00:13:46
Speaker
Okay, so 98 was when I really made the switch to TRL. So 97 was still VH1. If it was, I can't picture the music video. Okay, the music video, I remember being like a 12 year old horny little preteen. And this was like me still discovering my sexuality and whatnot. But I remember the men in this video, they were specifically one guy. It's like all of these guys showing up to Tony Braxton's apartment and they're doing, I think, Vivica A. Fox is in the video. They're just having a little man show.
00:14:15
Speaker
And I remember one guy like lifted up his shirt and he had like 12,000 abs. And I just remember being like, I got it so high and like, and just the rest is history by this song. What about? Okay, so next we have I like it by the blackout all stars. I'm not familiar with this song. And nor am I.
00:14:33
Speaker
No, happy for them. I ain't ready to know that. You go blackout all stars and then we're not talking about the Britney Spears album blackout either. So then at 96 we have Let Me Clear My Throat by DJ Cool. Let me clear my throat. That is a song that almost is timeless to me. Like when I saw it on that list, I was like, I don't necessarily have 97 memories for it, but I have tons of memories of it. You know what I mean?
00:14:58
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And it's like, it's a song that is like a staple in sports, anything sports related, bringing on the obviously, I mean, I think that's my main memory of the song. Same. Yeah, it was truly immortalized there. Yes.
00:15:14
Speaker
Number 95 we have When You're Gone slash Free to the Side. There's a lot of songs with like double A side singles here by the Cranberries and I have to say I don't think I'm familiar with this one either. I don't think I am either. Sorry to the Cranberries. Sorry to this Cranberry. Sorry to this Cranberry, but 94 we certainly know this one. We have Aqua's Barbie Girl. Listen, I mean what do you even say? Iconic.
00:15:40
Speaker
I remember actually hating the song initially when it came out.
00:15:44
Speaker
Did this song come out in 96 and that's why it's so low on the 97 list or did it come out late in 97? I can't remember. I want to say it came out later in 97. So that's probably why it's so low. Okay. But that's a really good question. I'm going to look this up right now because April 97. Oh, interesting. But you know what? I bet you it was released. It was recorded in September 96, released April 97, but I bet you it came out in Europe first.
00:16:13
Speaker
Oh, sure. Or hearing on the radio later in the year, because remember, my mom used to take my brother and I on dates when we were young. And I remember us going on our quote unquote date. And I remember hearing this on the radio. And I was like, this is so cheesy, as I'm like obsessed with Hanson, like, you know, I mean, also, I just want to say right now,
00:16:34
Speaker
absolute shout out to anyone who makes it through this entire list of 100 with us. You're the real ones. You're the, you're truly the real ones. 93 we've got twisted by Keith sweat.
00:16:45
Speaker
And I remember Keith Sweat being a thing, but I don't remember this song. Same. Yeah, sorry to this man. Number 92, we have Coco Jambu by Mr. President. Oh, yeah, Coco Jambu. I don't know this one. Wait, for real? For real. This is an incredible banger. OK.
00:17:11
Speaker
As soon as we're done recording, you need to go listen to it. It's incredible. Oh my gosh. I need to 91. We have but a love by next again. Sorry. Sorry. Next. I am not familiar, but you had another over shadowed that I'm pretty sure is going to make it later on this. Yes, indeed. So.
00:17:26
Speaker
Number 90, familiar with this band, but not familiar with the song One More Time by Real McCoy. I want to say that this was like their comeback, like it was supposed to be like a comeback single after another night and run away, which were great.
00:17:42
Speaker
We really talked a big game for our 97 fans. I don't think I know this song. I know, but it's okay. I guess we have to consider there are people other than 13 year olds who are buying CDs at this time. Exactly, exactly. So we are then now going to go to number 89. We have Go the Distance by Michael Bolton.
00:18:05
Speaker
Hercules. Not the best song from Hercules. No. But for him, I guess. Good for him. Number 88, SWV featuring Puff Daddy. Feeling a little problematic, but that's, you know what? That's okay. Someone. Again, not familiar. Sorry.
00:18:29
Speaker
Yeah, I probably would recognize it if I heard it, but I don't know. Yeah, I have a feeling we're going to see Puff Daddy a lot on this list. We do not condone anything that Puff Daddy is being accused of, but we do. We are currently separating him from the music and that. Yeah, truly. Eighty seven. Don't cry for me Argentina by Madonna. And I won't. She's not going to cry. We have no tears. The truth is you never saw it. You know.
00:18:58
Speaker
Okay, so we're skipping to 82. You might know this one. I don't know. It might be a long shot. But low still Rio Macarena. The chokehold this song had on me as a kid. And the fact that this one came out in 96. And it was like the song of the summer in 96. Yeah, still charting in 97. I mean,
00:19:21
Speaker
Nobody was doing it like Los Del Rio. No one. And I want to say, I forget. I want to say they, it was like one of the longest running number one singles of all time until Mariah Carey then trumped it with one sweet day. Like this song. Wow. And this song, I mean, to this day, I mean, better song than one sweet day. No offense. No offense. One sweet day. No offense. No offense. But to this day, I mean, like you put on the Macarena, people know the dance. Yep.
00:19:49
Speaker
Like as they should. How incredible is that? Incredible. And then number 79, we're going to skip ahead here. Seal fly like an eagle space jam soundtrack. Incredible. I'm I'm obsessed with Seal. I know you are. I he has one of the most phenomenal voices I have ever heard. And every time he like opens his mouth, it just like butter.
00:20:14
Speaker
Um, number 78, RIP baby girl, Aaliyah, the one I gave my heart to. Oh my gosh. She, she's incredible. I will say, I feel like it was 98 when she really turned up the heat and became like that girl. You know what I mean? That's when she became like monoculture. Yeah. 100%. Yeah. She, this song, I remember, I remember again, very young, was watching Nickelodeon and Nickelodeon. Do you remember Stick Stickly? Yeah.
00:20:44
Speaker
Oh, my God. There was like a thing where like Stick Stickly was like, I want to say might have even interviewed Aliyah. And my son was like the single at the time. And I remember like them playing bits of the music video. And I was just like, oh, my God, this is so good. But like, what a beautiful ballad, I believe, written by Diane Warren. Oh, really? Mm hmm.
00:21:06
Speaker
Diane Warren ballad, which like listening to that song now like totally makes sense, like going back to that time. We're going to skip ahead up until we're going to go number 70 with Gotham City by R. Kelly. Oh, my God. Listen.
00:21:22
Speaker
Fuck that man, but this is a banger banger. Actually, you could say that about pretty much all of his songs. You know, right. Right. Yeah. Like truly. That's what the whole thing with like the streaming that makes it really sad, because like back in the day, you could purchase a CD single or whatever and then you could be like.
00:21:43
Speaker
Like, yeah, you gave them money once, but then that was it. Whereas these days you're getting people money every single time you you stream. And I have heard something and I don't know if this is true and I would want to verify it, but I have heard that there was something in the settlement where his streaming royalties go to his victims. Oh, really? Yes. And I hope that's true. Not that I'm streaming his music anymore, but I hope that's true. Yeah. Yeah. That would that would give be good reason. If that's true, that would be good reason to actually stream his music. Oh, number 69.
00:22:14
Speaker
Nice. This song changed the world. It changed the world. Like, I remember hearing this song. First of all, I remember feeling very naughty, like when I would sing pissing the night away, like going to Lutheran school. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Tell something by Chama Wamba. You will always be famous. Always be famous. This song. I don't even know where to begin. It's just such a good song.
00:22:44
Speaker
And I mean, yeah, weren't they a bunch of like Irish anarchists or something like that? Something like that. Say it about drinking. Yeah. Yeah. And I remember this being a song that my dad and I like my dad and I loved a lot of songs together. But like there was also a lot like I definitely gravitated to the dance pop.
00:23:01
Speaker
And he gravitated to rock. And this is where like one of those songs where he and I came together. Yes. And when we were here on the radio, we would like blast it really loud. And yeah. Wow. What a number 68. My Baby Daddy by B Rock and the and the biz. I don't know this song. Good for them. But I will say B Rock, if this is who I'm thinking of, did do a remix of Usher's Nice and Slow. It's that like.
00:23:28
Speaker
that like, it's like a roller skating. I always associate it with roller skating. Oh my gosh. Okay. Very uptempo. In fact, I was really, really crossing my fingers and hoping that Asha was going to do that remix of nice and slow at the Super Bowl. Oh yeah. Speaking of roller skating. Speaking of roller skating. He really, he like.
00:23:46
Speaker
During that Super Bowl performance, I thought that he was gonna like, when I saw him doing that, I was like, Oh, no, he's gonna like, fall. And he didn't. Um, oh, my gosh. Let's see. Where are where are we now? Change the world by Eric Clapton 67. I vaguely remember this song.
00:24:02
Speaker
I remember it, but I remember not liking it. Same. I feel like this song is boring. Yeah. Same here. I remember my brother. This is a thing too. Is it my brother? He loved like the more rock music as well. Sure. And so I remember my brother loving this song and me being like, this is no one, no one likes this. It was like, I was like, no one cares. No one cares. No one cares. I think we need to skip forward to number 64. And I would love for you to introduce this song. This is a song.
00:24:34
Speaker
Listen, some have covered it. Some, even that we love, have covered it. But you know what? Nobody was doing it like Donna Lewis was doing it. I love this song, Always and Forever. So much so that I walked up to the aisle at my wedding to this song, I Love You Always Forever by Donna Lewis. You should have been higher than 64.
00:24:56
Speaker
little much higher. This song, Jill, when you walked on the aisle to the song, it was truly magical. I remember getting goosebumps because because you and I have talked so much about how much we love this song and how much this song has been a huge part of our lives. We resonated with it so much. And it's like a serotonin rush in a song. You can't listen to this song and not just immediately feel good. And one thing that I loved about this song
00:25:21
Speaker
Was that I feel like at the time, I remember there were like a lot of songs about brown eyes or green eyes, but this song said you have the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. And as, as a blue eyed girl, I felt that. Just you and I, just a couple of blue eyed Gemini's over here. Here we go. All four of us. And then at number 63 brings us to Sarah McLaughlin's building a mystery. This song enchanted me.
00:25:51
Speaker
I felt this was such a beautiful song. Sarah McLachlan has one of the most beautiful, haunting voice all time. I felt like the witchiest little woman when this song would come on. Yes. That whole album was so good. My older sister had it and I would steal it.
00:26:10
Speaker
It's just such a good song. If you listen to it now, it would still be as beautiful as the first time you heard it. It really is. It's one of those songs that just truly feels timeless. I feel like someone could record it today and you would be like, oh, this is new and fresh. It's just a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful song. I remember them playing, because this is when I was getting into my MTV era, I remember them playing this music video all the time.
00:26:34
Speaker
and just constantly. And I want to say that Lilith Fair also went on this summer. And I want to say that this was like a big deal. Big deal. I feel like she was one of the like headliners or organizers or something like that. Yeah, yes, I yes, she was. And I just remember I just remember MTV interviewing her and talking about it and
00:26:54
Speaker
Oh, you just couldn't you really she was truly one of those staples in 1987. Mm hmm. Where like you you couldn't go somewhere without hearing the song or hearing her mention. I love the shift in gears here because a huge shift. We got number 62 with Pony by genuine. I mean, OK, at the time it was a banger. Undeniable. However,
00:27:22
Speaker
I feel like this song really came into its own, you know, in the early aughts like somehow had like a second life.
00:27:31
Speaker
It got a second life. It really did. And was it in Magic Mike? Is that why people like suddenly loved it again? Oh, maybe. Maybe it's been a minute. I've only seen Magic Frank once and it's been a minute. But I bet that sounds about accurate. I can I could see that this song. I just remember like the bail. Yeah. An early Timbaland song. Yeah. And a song that also another song that was released in 1996.
00:27:57
Speaker
summer of 96 so just showing how huge of a hit it was. Oh wow yeah. To be this high at number 62 on the 1997 chart. Yeah. That's incredible. Um and I also remember Ginny Wine was another one of those beautiful men that I just remember being like I
00:28:16
Speaker
I am into this pony that he's talking about. I'm into this pony. Um, sorry. Number 61. I'm unfamiliar. MC light. I know who MC light is, but I'm not familiar with cold rock a party. Um, but I certainly am familiar with number 60. Would you like to introduce this one? Okay. This, this is a song that I would listen to in my cousins at their house in New Jersey by an artist who has given us some of our most timeless songs.
00:28:44
Speaker
That's a lady named Cheryl Crow. And the song is every day is a winding road and get a little bit closer. She just was, she was okay. Can we just talk about, I mean, she's always been hot, but in 1997, she was just looking so fine. Smoke show, absolute smoke show, playing her guitar. It's a banger.
00:29:06
Speaker
Feeling fine. Feeling fine. Feeling fine. The song. Oh, my God. I just again, similar. And I want to say that she was part of the Little Fair, too. And and but again, couldn't go anywhere without hearing this song. Yeah, absolutely love it.
00:29:22
Speaker
Number 59. This is strange to me because I don't remember hearing this song as much as I mean, being so high on the chart, but it's I Don't Want To by Tony Braxton. Yeah. Love Tony Braxton. I like this song, but like this song just probably because you're making me high and unbreak my heart. We're just such so massive singles.
00:29:46
Speaker
that just is completely overshadowed this. Yeah. Number 58. I vaguely remember this one. Magoo in Timbaland up jumps to boogie. R.I.P. Magoo. We just lost him.
00:29:57
Speaker
Oh, really? Um, 57 Journey didn't know they were still making music in 97. Same. But good for them. Number 56 never make a promise by Drew Hill talk about another man that I was in love with. Cisco. Yeah, Cisco. I remember being like I remember him specifically popping up on my screen one day watching MTV and being like
00:30:25
Speaker
This is actually kind of sad, but I remember being like thinking to myself, he's so hot, but I can never tell anyone that. And I know, but I hear I am telling the world, but I say it loud, say it proud. Say it loud, say it proud. Hot, so hot, so hot. Would you like to introduce number 55? Listen, she's back and better than ever. It's Cheryl Crow, if it makes you happy. I have such a distinct memory of this music video.
00:30:56
Speaker
Well, I think I do. I believe it was filmed like at the natural history museum or something like that. She was in like these big dioramas. Do you remember that? Yes. Oh my God. Yes. Yeah. And I just thought it was so cool. And I think it was her first single from her second album. So after the massive success, you know, of her first album, which was what, 1994 maybe 95 ish. Um,
00:31:22
Speaker
Yeah. It's just such a good song. It makes you happy. Why the hell are you so sad? Why the hell are you so sad? That's the eternal goddamn question, isn't it? It sure is. And let me tell you what, also another song that made me feel very naughty by saying, why the hell are you so sad? Oh, I have memories of turning down my radio for a split second with it. Why are you so sad? Why are you so sad? Yeah. Why are you so sad? I don't know.
00:31:51
Speaker
I don't know. No, I love that you mentioned the music video because I remember watching this music video as a kid and thinking art. This is art right now. Next we have I'll Be by Foxy Brown featuring Jay-Z. Another song that I'm not super familiar with, however, I do remember Foxy Brown being a big thing in 1997. Yes, and can I tell you that when I hear a song called I'll Be,
00:32:16
Speaker
i'm gonna be real all i think of is edwin mccain sure do that's right and yeah i'm here same here and sorry sorry foxy she's not really part of the conversation anymore which is i know which is true she's like you know one of the greatest ever do it as far as female rappers go
00:32:36
Speaker
Yeah, and truly like one of the first to kind of be to really own her sexuality, her and little Kim, you know, at that same time. So shout out to you, Foxy Brown, Foxy. Um, I'm gonna jump ahead here to number 52. No mercy. Where do you go? Yo, this is I mean, I think this is one of those songs that people know, even if they don't know, they know it.
00:33:02
Speaker
You know what I mean? Yep. 100%. It's one of those like Eurodance. Yes. One of my co-workers coined it as Eurotrash.
00:33:11
Speaker
It it truly is like it is it like I put this in the same category as Gina G's who are just a little bit. Yes, they're like night at the Raxberry vibes. One hundred percent. And I want to say someone recently sampled this song. I don't know who it was. Yeah. OK. But yeah, they I was like, you get those royalties, baby.
00:33:33
Speaker
Let's see, I'm going to jump ahead again to number 50 and number 49. A little combo here by none other than Celine Dion. Okay, so all by myself. Now, that song had to have come out several years before this, didn't it? They are from the same album, actually. Because isn't that song in Clueless?
00:33:58
Speaker
Oh, I don't know. Is that someone else? Is that a cover? Okay, so maybe it's the earlier version because I'm like, that movie's from 1995. Right. And when I saw this on here, I was like, what?
00:34:13
Speaker
Yeah, no, this song is a cover. And both were on the album falling into you. Okay. Has because you love me. Yeah. And so I love that these songs I mean, Selene power ballad guru. I mean, it's all coming back to me now that music video is there were moments of golden there were flashes of light, you know, and that's really all I can say about it.
00:34:40
Speaker
That's all I can say. And I have to say, I've never felt more sad seeing the motorcycle accident. Oh my God. Tragedy had struck my household when I saw that. That song would make me legitimately emotional as like a little 11 year old. I remember telling my uncle, I called it an elemental song because I was like, there's so many elements to it. And you were right. There were many elements to it. Yeah. Yup. And I love it. Like the, like the album version of the song I want to say is seven minutes.
00:35:10
Speaker
long. Bring that back. What a time. What a time to be alive. Also shout out to meatloaf for writing it. Yes. Yes. We miss you. We miss you meatloaf. Um, number 48 get it together by 702 not the 702 song that I know.
00:35:27
Speaker
But where that song at? Where that song to back from the front to back we I mean, come on. Is that 98 99? We'll be talking about that on a future pod. We sure we certainly will. And let me tell you too, though, like I love that they had so much success with this song. This song is like in the top 50 of 1997. Yet I have never heard of it like good for them. Good for them. 46 Staple Summer song for me. This
00:35:57
Speaker
is a legendary grouping. Absolutely legendary. Like him, the brat, left eye, RIP, Missy Elliott and Angie Martinez. I mean,
00:36:10
Speaker
We often talk about Lady Marmalade being like the ultimate female grouping. And it is, I would say, definitely one of them. But this song, for me, is just like neck and neck with that grouping. These women just, and this music video, I forget what soundtrack this song is for, but it was like a Tim Curry movie. Was it Tim Curry? Tim Robbins, Tim Robbins movie.
00:36:38
Speaker
I don't remember what the movie was. But I remember it was part of a soundtrack. But I remember the music video featuring Jet Skis, popularly themed in 1997. We might see a song later that had a Jet Ski in it. But you saw so many cameos in it. I remember Mayor Jay Blige having a cameo, SWV, Total, like so many people in this video. And it was just all about having a good time. But this song makes me so happy.
00:37:05
Speaker
I just remember like also to like, because I'm not the biggest rap fan. But I always laugh because I'm like, I'm not the biggest rap fan. But like, I know everyone has a song. Man, I haven't heard it in so long. It's so good. Did you ever see the VMA performance to the song?
00:37:21
Speaker
Not that I remember. They came in wearing Roman like soldier like garb and there was like and they I want to say that one of them came in. It might have been Debrat like being pulled in on like a like a carriage and it was just like extra. Oh yes. Obsessed. Obsessed. Love that they were all they're able to like do that together. Number 45. Thoughts on the Invisible Man by 98 degrees? This was like early 98 degrees.
00:37:51
Speaker
my introduction to 98 Degrees. Yes, indeed. I remember being a young kid being like, who are these guys? And I was kind of not into this song, but definitely closeted me thinking that they were all cute. But I was kind of keeping my eye out for Selena, if you will. But yeah, it wasn't my favorite song by 98 Degrees. I think it was their second album when it was really, when they, you could say, turned up the heat.
00:38:20
Speaker
And boy did they, boy did they, I know my heat was turned up. Number, I'm gonna skip ahead just one, two, number 43, All Cried Out by Allure featuring 1-12. This song was, I remember, huge in my hometown. And like, one of my friends had the CD single,
00:38:43
Speaker
And I remember being so jealous of them because I couldn't find it at the store. And so we would like listen into it in her car with her mom. And I just remember being like, I'm so jealous that you have this. I think I probably like tried trading CDs or something with her. But dude, oh my gosh. Yeah. What a memory. Trading CDs. I know. And did you know that allure, I want to say Mariah Carey briefly had like a record company, something or other that she started. I want to say that allure was signed to her label.
00:39:13
Speaker
Really? Yeah. Yeah. That's a Zach ass fact. Mm hmm. So thanks. Thanks, Mariah. Thanks. Thanks for this one hit wonder. Forty two. Do you know the song? OK, I distinctly remember the name Merrill Bainbridge. Uh huh. I don't I couldn't sing this on to you.
00:39:34
Speaker
So me either. So my friend Jesse from Jesse's Girls Podcasts, he and I were talking one day about this song specifically. And I was like, Jesse, I have no recollection of the song whatsoever. And he was like, Zach, this was a huge hit in 1997. And I was like, I believe you, I have zero recollection.
00:39:56
Speaker
We have a lot of homework after we're done recording. We really do. We really do because I'm sitting here like, oh my gosh, 1997, biggest year of my life. But I will say, here's the thing, we know about half the list for sure. And the half of this list are like these songs of my life. Quality, not quantity. Exactly. Exactly. And speaking of quality,
00:40:21
Speaker
just a little bit just a little bit by Gina G. If anyone had heard the last podcast and my final songs we don't talk about enough. I would talk about Gina G. And how I went down. I am not kidding you, Jill, I
00:40:38
Speaker
actually, in an all seriousness effort, revisited her album Fresh and listened to it top to bottom. Wow. Because I'd never done it before. I was like, I've only really knew this song and I knew one other song of hers that was like a one off single back in like 2006. Back then, you couldn't just, you couldn't, you had to own it or get it from the library. You couldn't just like, you know,
00:41:01
Speaker
listen to it one time, you can just access it without owning it. Exactly. And I remember a family member having this CD single. So I did just that, like I just had the CD single and listened to it over and over and over again. And then I think my dad put this also on one of my mixtapes. I remember him specifically putting the song and Real McCoy's Another Night back to back.
00:41:21
Speaker
Another dream another night another dream. It's but always you but but this song This song for me the way that you mentioned Donna Lewis's I love you always forever is a shot of serotonin This is a shot of serotonin for me you this song comes on. I'm immediately taken to
00:41:43
Speaker
childhood in the summertime going on walks with my mom. I remember being really into the Animorph books, dude. And I had this whole fantasy of like music video played out in my head where the Animorph kids were going to be in the music video. And I forget what two characters they were, but they were the ones that like there was like that sexual like love tension between the two of them, not sexual. It was just like romance. But I remember in this video, like during the bridge of the song, like so alive.
00:42:13
Speaker
I remember in my head, I was like, Oh my gosh, this is where the two of them are finally going to kiss. I had this whole thing planned out. You are bringing me back to the childhood joy of envisioning making up a music video in your head. I remember, do you remember on the first Ace of Base album, it was called like Dancer in a Daydream or something like that. I had like a whole vision in my head of it was like,
00:42:37
Speaker
a ballerina on some clouds and just like I don't even know why but like in like making up amazing video in your head. I'm obsessed. I am obsessed. I literally would have sketchbooks. I think I've shown you some of these drawings but I had sketchbooks where I would like write out
00:42:52
Speaker
Also, I was obsessed with drawing and I was obsessed with lists. And I would make out lists of music videos that I wanted to make. And I would list off the budgets for each one of them. And I was like, Oh, because I'm making the video, they would be like, the budget was $1 million. And you'd be like.
00:43:09
Speaker
You'd be like mind blown. You'd be like, that is so much money. And I remember like writing out the budget. So I'd be like, this is going to be eight million dollars. This one's going to be seven million dollars as if like, I mean, back then they had the budgets kind of. But like, yeah, there would be like one music video with that would have like a five million dollar budget. And then that would be like it for like the next five years, you know. Yeah. And but yeah, I just remember. Yeah, I had this whole thing planned out whole thing. OK, number 40. I'm going to be honest with you. I'm not normally a country girl.
00:43:40
Speaker
But this is a banger. It made me have me in my feelings in your lungs. It's just something to me. Oh my God. Can't get enough. Can't get enough. Tim McGarr Faith Hill, one of the country's most iconic couples. I'm not gonna lie. I don't know the song.
00:44:02
Speaker
It's a good one. I hear it at weddings. OK. I bet you if I heard it, I'd be like, oh, yes, of course. Yes. Oh, yes, of course. Of course. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Faith Hill, though, like, what a gem. I mean, both of them, really. Just a couple of jewels. And I want to say, too, that 1997 is probably the year that also introduced me to Faith Hill. Because was this the same year that this kiss came out?
00:44:32
Speaker
Was it 96? I mean, it feels like it would have been on the list if it were 97. Right. Yeah. Well, anyway, we've got some lists to go. So we've got some lists to go. We shall see. Number 39. I want to say this is a Grammy winning song. As if it's not, it should be. Yeah. Fucking slaps. Slaps. Talk about a banger. Sean Colvin. Sunny came home. Gen Z's found dead. They're probably like, who the fuck is that?
00:45:03
Speaker
Listen, okay, don't come for me, but no one in Gen Z knows music that came before them. And our, I think because millennials grew up, there had only been X number of decades of recorded music when we were kids. So like, I grew up listening to fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, and today, which were the nineties. Yep.
00:45:28
Speaker
But I feel like that's just not a thing anymore. Right. Yeah. It's like you- I love you, Dempsey. Thank you for being the change you wish to see in the world. However, learn your musical history. Learn your musical history. Sunny came home. This song, this is another song that you could not go anywhere without hearing. Nor would you want to. Quintessential 1997 melody, I think. Yeah. Like this chorus. She's sunny.
00:45:58
Speaker
Like, oh my gosh, I'm walking on a wire. I'm walking on a wire. And this song did win Song of the Year at the 1998 Grammys. I'm so happy to hear that. You go, Sean Colvin. Would you like to introduce this next one? Yippee-yay. Yippee-yay.
00:46:18
Speaker
This song brought us one of the best song lines of all time, which is, will you go have a beer? A beer. Listen, when I do it, it doesn't sound that good, but let me tell you, it's iconic. This song is Where Have All the Cowboys Gone by Paula Cole. She sang spoke, so Taylor Swift could run.
00:46:36
Speaker
Taylor Swift, Taylor who? Just saying. Swifties are like done. Deathracks incoming. Incoming. Paula Cole, I remember this song, she performed this at the Grammys. I think that at the 1988 Grammys, savior that Sean Colvin won the award. I remember the controversy that kind of swirled around this performance because she didn't shave her armpits.
00:46:57
Speaker
Oh, I remember that so vividly. Vividly. Like it was such a thing that people like people like I can't believe it. And like looking at it now, you're just like, okay, so what? The things that gave us the ick in the 90s. I mean, crazy. Love the 90s. But wow, what a time. What a time. What a time to be alive. Um, I would like to skip to number 35. Maybe the most iconic songs of all time.
00:47:26
Speaker
I agree with you, but I just have to give a special shout out to number 36, which is all for you by Sister Hazel. Give it to me. Give me the spot to shout out. It's hard to say what it is I see in this song. I wonder if I'll always be with this song. Okay. You don't know this one? I don't know this song. Yes, you do. I promise you don't. How does it go? It's hard to say what it is I see in you. Wonder if I'll always be with you.
00:47:52
Speaker
I'm a flop. I'm canceling my own podcast. Of course. Yeah. OK. Good night. Yeah. Good. Seriously. Yes. Oh, my God. Yeah. No, you got to go. And this is another like you could not get anywhere without hearing this. Yeah. Yeah. I think on the radio plays list, it's higher than this number 35. We've got a song by one of the most iconic girl groups of all time, if not the most, I would say the most the most. Yeah. Yeah. It's the Spice Girls to become one.
00:48:21
Speaker
Oh, this is a ballad for all ballads. A ballad for all ballads. You've got math. You've got London in the music video. You've got a cool winter breeze. A nice little winter breeze. You've got a song about getting it on. Getting it on. Getting it on. Because tonight is the night. Tonight is the night.
00:48:47
Speaker
Oh, my gosh. And I never felt dirty listening to this song. No, no. Agreed. Agreed. Never felt naughty. Unlike the other songs, like this song, I just felt like, oh, like. Yeah. And every girl had her own little verse, little line. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I remember this music video. I love this music video too, because of the slow, like the high speed background, the slow motion, like the post. It's so good. It's so good.
00:49:15
Speaker
It's really, really cool how much an impact the Spice Girls have had on culture, not only during that time, but just even today. And the Spice Girls have only had three albums and their peak was only for the first two. Thinking back on that, that is
00:49:36
Speaker
Rare. Rare. Yeah. And even today, like if one of the Spice Girls walked in right now, I would be like falling to the floor. I mean, again, quality, not quantity. You know what I mean? Just saying. Just saying. Number 34, a staple in my high school dances. This one. I guess my hands up on my hips and I dip you dip we dip. Yes. Yes. Indeed. Freaks nasty. Just one of the greatest of all time.
00:50:06
Speaker
Truly. And what's funny is that if I, I could sing the song, but without looking at this list, I wouldn't have been able to tell you who it's by. I wouldn't have been like, Oh yeah, that's, that's my freak nasty. You know, the artists freak nasty, freak nasty. I wouldn't have known that, but the song, the song lives on most iconic rapper of all time. Freak nasty. Iconique. Iconique baby. Number 33. We've got Winnie Houston from the preacher's wife soundtrack with I believe in you and me.
00:50:33
Speaker
Wow. What a moment in her career. Truly. Like this was a moment where. God, like I feel like Whitney Houston. Maybe I don't know, did she hit legendary status at this point? I mean, obviously she was huge through the 80s and with the Bodyguard soundtrack, but there was something about this particular soundtrack, at least to me, that like really got my goat. Here's what it is. My experience of this soundtrack was when you're a little Christian kid and your parents
00:51:03
Speaker
are feeling some type of way about the news you're consuming. But it's like it's the preacher's wife. So nobody had anything bad to say, you know, like, of course you can listen to it. Of course, of course. Now, I am a little hurt that this song is
00:51:19
Speaker
that it's this song and not step by step because step by step for me would make my personal list of 100 songs of all time for me, for my favorites. Wow. Yeah. And is and step by step by Whitney Houston is my favorite Whitney Houston song, I would say, too. Really? Mm hmm. By far. Yeah. Yeah. Again, so there's something about that song that just gets takes me back to
00:51:46
Speaker
childhood and just kind of like what you were saying, because I was I went to a Lutheran school. And so maybe that's what it was, too. Like, again, with parents feeling a type of way about the music they were listening to. And then that song just being I don't know, just kind of this anthem and uplifting anyway. Yeah. And also written by Annie Lennox. I mean, come on. I did not know that. Yeah. And Annie Lennox. And now when you listen to that song, you're going to hear it. She also does backing vocals on it. Oh.
00:52:16
Speaker
Love that for us. You know what? When it comes to this coffin I throw, I could use a little bit of number 32. You give it to us. The real kind. This is Honey by Mariah Carey. This might be my favorite Mariah Carey song. I love that. Oh my gosh. This is one of Josh's favorite Mariah Carey songs. That's hard, but it might be. It might be.
00:52:45
Speaker
Yeah, this that I remember this song, this music video. I remember this music video debuting on MTV. I remember I'm going to stop you right there. We need to redo the intro to the song because I really fucked it up because what I didn't do is I didn't say what we don't do right here is we go smooth it out. Name another iconic line from a song like that line.
00:53:14
Speaker
You and I say that constantly to each other. Constantly. Constantly. We are always texting that lyric to each other. The text is constant. He hasn't kissed me in five years. I broke a blanket in half. Do you understand what I'm saying? I cracked it in half.
00:53:35
Speaker
This song, though, I mean, honestly, what Mariah's kind of sing about, allegedly, she's singing. She's singing about. It's all coming for full circle. Yes. Coming later. Honey by Mariah Carey. Just. I know. I don't know a better song. I don't know a better song. I don't know a better song. This song, again, it's end of summer of ninety seven for me. Mariah is getting sexy for the first time. A reinvention of her for herself. Mm hmm.
00:54:06
Speaker
And shout out to Jeff Beach. This is one of Jeff's favorite Mariah Carey songs. We talk about taste. If Jeff were on the pod right now, he would say, I have to say this is probably my top five Mariah songs. Yes, 100%. Jeff is always putting something in his top five or top 100. Jeff loves the steak, whereas I feel like I'm about to get murdered in front of my family every time.
00:54:30
Speaker
Um, number 31. So here's another song that I remember the visit music video. I remember changing faces, the iconic group changing faces. I mean, sorry, sorry, changing faces. I mentioned that the Spice Girls were one of the biggest groups of all time. But you know, you you are as well. You stand corrected. But I cannot for the life of me right now. Think of this song, but it's get out. G h e t t o ut. When I hear that, all I hear is Jojo. I'm sorry.
00:55:00
Speaker
Yeah. I don't know this song. Right. Right. I. But good for them that they're so high on the list. Number 30, I have feelings about this song.
00:55:12
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Yeah. Four scenes of loneliness by boys to men. Another song that I remember saying to my uncle, this is an element song. There's so many elements at minimum for at minimum for baby for and this music video. This song is produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Really? Mm hmm. And one of my favorite ballads of all time. I know people get on me for always just loving dance music. But this song
00:55:40
Speaker
takes me back melodically. Like I wish songs were like this. This is what I miss about army music. Yes. What a time. What a time. What a time. Jill, I'm letting you take, I'm letting you introduce this. Listen, back before there was dancing on my own, back before there was call your girlfriend, there was a little decade called the nineties and there was a woman, a young Swede named Robin.
00:56:10
Speaker
gracing us with her presence, giving us incredible songs such as, do you know what it takes? Do you know what it takes to love me? Do you know what it takes to do me, right? Running around with her cheek talking, not to be confused with Cheetah, as I thought it was as a kid. She came in here, she came into America driving this big ass van with a delicious chair in the background. Oh, absolutely delicious.
00:56:39
Speaker
And won my heart over and it hasn't let it go since. I was so happy to see her resurgence in like 2010. But I think a lot of people don't realize that she made some of the best songs of the nineties, like, and then just kind of like did her own weird thing for a while, which I love that for her. And it's so scandy of her to just make weird music for a while. Uh, but yeah, this song is so good. It's so good.
00:57:08
Speaker
It really is. This is one of my favorite childhood songs. It's still one of my favorite Robin songs. And if I am remembering correctly, I want to say this is Max Martin's first top 10 hit.
00:57:19
Speaker
Really? Yeah. Like it was either there or quit playing games with my heart. And, um, yeah, this, this pretty much broke down those doors into the force that is Max Martin. Yeah. Wow. Absolutely incredible. Uh, number 28, we've got another Spice Girls song with say you'll be there. Okay. I have to be honest. This is the Spice Girls song for me.
00:57:47
Speaker
wannabe is amazing, but this is the one. The video in the desert, the black outfits. This was the one that made me a Spice Girls fan. Talk about waiting for a song to come on or waiting for this. I remember watching MTV religiously hoping and praying that this music video would come on and getting so frustrated when it wouldn't come on.
00:58:14
Speaker
It's so good, it's so good. It really is. Talk about cementing them into the pop stratosphere. Like, wow. Man. Jill, do you want to introduce this next one? This next song. Wow. Where to start. I literally don't even know where to start because it's so fucking good. This song is hypnotized by Notorious B.I.G. You may know it from Julia Stiles' performance in Say the Last Dance. Her iconic performance.
00:58:44
Speaker
R.I.P. Biggie. Mm hmm. One of the goats. One of the goats. I remember this song being one of my brother's favorite songs at the time. And I was like at first kind of like, what? I don't know who this is. And then I remember hearing it and then being like, oh, yeah, no, this slaps. This slaps. Yeah. And also this is a song that I loved and listened to as much in 1997, maybe more later. Like I loved this song in high school. I loved this song in college.
00:59:12
Speaker
I love this song after college. Like this is a song that if it comes on, it goes as hard as it did the day it came out. Yeah. Biggie, Biggie, Biggie. Can't you see? And I want to say this is the last song that he released while he was alive. Oh, wow. I want to say I mean, he died in 97. So that makes sense.
00:59:32
Speaker
Yeah. I want to say, if I'm remembering correctly, someone might need to fact check me on this, but like, I want to say that hypnotize and his death were almost like side to like simultaneous. Yeah. It's really, really sad. Gone too soon. Gone too soon. Yeah.
00:59:47
Speaker
Now, number 24, I was like, the song didn't remind me, wasn't like signaling anything, but I was like, the name Rome was doing something to me. And I was like, why is this like signaling something to my brain? And so I looked it up. This man is from Benton Harbor, Michigan, which is where I'm from. What?
01:00:07
Speaker
Yeah, I belong to you every time I see your face. I couldn't name this. I couldn't. I have no idea what this no idea. I remember clicking on it. And I was like, Okay, see this man, beautiful black man with a goatee. And I was like, Why is this face like coming? And so I was like, Who is this probably shown play at the mall? Probably.
01:00:28
Speaker
Probably. And then I was like, this is why because he was a big deal in my hometown. So there you go. Rome wasn't built in the day. Yeah. Joe, please introduce this next song. OK, this song, I'm sorry, but 23 feels painfully low for the song. No diggity by Black Street featuring Dr. Dre. No diggity. No doubt. I want to bag it up.
01:00:56
Speaker
Okay. Am I remembering correctly? Did they have claymation in this video or am I just completely making that up? I am pretty sure that you are not making this up and that is accurate. Like I'm pretty sure that they use claymation and like themselves, like real life in the video. Okay. I'm going to sound like a total, does I want to bag it up means I want to put a condom on or does it mean like, I just want to like bag.
01:01:23
Speaker
like bag you, like get you. Oh, I always took it as the latter. But like, if it is safe sex anthem, but maybe not. I feel like we need to either way. I wouldn't have known in 1997. No, same here. Oh, my gosh. That again, much like next to close, like bag it up. I'm like, well, yeah, they're just trying to bag the lady, you know? Yep. Again, you could not escape this song in no, no, no, there was no escape.
01:01:53
Speaker
It's so good, it's so good. It really is. Another good song, number 22. No, another great song. Great. From Your Boy. Oh my God. From one of my heroes, I Want You, Savage Garden, Darren Hayes, I would love to have you on the podcast. Please, this is my official ask, please come on the podcast. You should do it, it's really fun.
01:02:22
Speaker
This song does something to me. It takes me to a place like I mean, I'm more I don't know a more iconic line. And I don't I don't know a more iconic line. And this song is kind of goes all over the place. It's like electronic. It's rock. It has a little bit of hip hop thrown in there. There's like like three or four different breaks in it. Like the the
01:02:45
Speaker
Anytime I need to see if I should just close my eyes and I am taken to a like, I remember like studying those lines just so frantically trying to be like, I have to learn everything. Yep. Yeah. And this music video, like so futuristic. Robotic. Yeah. Like, yes. I remember like the blues and the blacks and just like the. Oh my God. Like I never buy it. I never wanted my aesthetic to be anything more than this. It's so good.
01:03:14
Speaker
It's so good. Yeah. Jill, do you want to introduce this next one? This local legend? This next one is by our hometown heroes, the Burbank Grand Rapids own. Burbank gave us The Freshman. What's going on Brian Van Der Ark? Oh my god. Okay, this song also because I remember moving to Grand Rapids that summer.
01:03:39
Speaker
and hearing that they were from Grand Rapids. And I had lived in, not that Grand Rapids is a big city, but I had grown up in a much smaller town and being like, what? There's a song in the radio by a band from my town. And it's actually like a really beautiful, vulnerable song. And
01:03:59
Speaker
I guess people resonated with it because it was a big hit. Huge hit. I want to say it peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. Massive hit. Brian actually, I don't know if he still does, but when I worked there, he was getting his hair cut at cheeky strut when I worked there. I believe it. I mean, he's got some famous hair.
01:04:17
Speaker
He sure does. And I remember him walking in and being, that was like my first time, granted, had I not known someone who told me who he was before he came in, so I got really nervous. But had I not known, I would have been like, oh, she's another person. But I remember him coming in and we were listening to a 90s alternative rock station when he came in. And while he was waiting for his hair to get on, he was like, these are all my friends just playing their songs right now. And I was like, oh,
01:04:45
Speaker
I was like, oh, Cheryl, Cheryl Crowe is your friend. Cool. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. So incredible. Shout out to the Verve pipe. Back to the banger makers of 1997. Mo money. This is one of the best songs of all time. I agree. There was a time in my life when I could rap every single word to this song. Yeah. And I think tell me who rock, who sell out in stores.
01:05:11
Speaker
I think if it were playing right now, I'd probably be at 80%. Yeah, same.
01:05:17
Speaker
I I I thought I knew the lyrics. Well, that too. And and so I remember like when I was young, I would just like make up syllables and like sounds if I didn't really know the words. Yes. And like I did that with Not Tonight that like cola boppin. I don't I think she's saying club hopping, but I thought she was saying cola boppin. And so I would just be like, you know, I'm just cola boppin, you know, 12 year old brain video was iconic.
01:05:47
Speaker
And it was like, you know, it was the fish islands era. They had the shiny metallic suits on. And they were in like the flying, you know, those like flying wind tunnels. Yes. And the money and oh my God. And then there was like that like kind of almost creepy video of
01:06:08
Speaker
Because again, this song was released posthumously by the notorious D.I.G. featuring Prof. Daddy and Mace. And I remember there was a video of him where he's talking about more money, more problems. But the video was like home footage, but the video just seemed really creepy in the middle of it.
01:06:28
Speaker
And then it cut to footage of him rapping in concert. But yeah, this song, again, this is one of my summer songs. I've made a summer playlist and it is permanently on there. It still goes as hard as they will. It sure does. It sure does. Now, I have to say number 19, I am unfamiliar.
01:06:49
Speaker
Me, too. How did it make it up here? And we don't know what this song is. It's right. Hard to say. I'm sorry. As yet. I remember the name as yet vaguely, but no idea who who the song is or what the song is. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry to these men. Number 18, Duncan Sheik barely breathing. Air apparent to what's his name? Chris Isaac.
01:07:19
Speaker
I always thought he looked like Chris Isaac. Could be making that up. Man, this is a great song. And this is a song that you hear. This is a song that you hear at CVS. This is a CVS song for sure. 100%. And you know what? We need those songs. We do. We really need the CVS song. The CVS song can save a day. The CVS song can change a life. The CVS song can take you from
01:07:47
Speaker
zero to an absolute 60. And this is one of those songs, for sure. Amen. Amen to that.
Iconic '90s Songs Discussion
01:07:54
Speaker
Let's see. Number 17. Jill, please introduce this song. Listen, you never knew a song about math could make a sixth grader so happy. So fucking happy. But here it is. It's Semi-Charm Life by Third Eye Blind, which to me is the number one song of 1997. Oh, my God. Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. OK, this song
01:08:17
Speaker
This is a shot of serotonin. This is a sunny day in Venice Beach. This is so good. And let me tell you, if you put this on at a wedding right now, you don't think this is a wedding song. You put this on at a wedding and I should just tell the listeners, I'm a wedding photographer. I go to weddings for a living.
01:08:35
Speaker
It goes so hard. You don't even know. Everyone is like, I didn't know I needed to hear this right now and loses their goddamn mind loses their mind. Yeah, such a good song. And this song I completely agree with everything that you said this is such a feel good song. Did not know it was about math till much later in life. Oh, same big time same much later in life. I'm just like semi charmed life I
01:09:02
Speaker
don't like Lucky Charms, but let's go like in retrospect, I was taking sips of it through my nose might have been like a, you know, but just a laugh. Yeah. But you know, at that time, I'm just thinking about fucking cheeseburgers. So whatever.
01:09:18
Speaker
Number 16, we've got Nobody by Keith Sweat featuring Athena Cage. I don't know this song. I don't either. I'm so sorry. But I do know number 15. I sure do. Wow. This song, Bitch by Meredith Brooks. This could be my Instagram bio. Literally. I'm a bitch. I'm a lover. I'm a child. I'm a mother. I'm a sinner. I'm a saint.
01:09:45
Speaker
I do not feel ashamed. I'm your hell. I'm your tease. I'm nothing in between. You know you wouldn't want it any other way. This song. So I remember this song being massive on MTV. This song was the music video was heavy rotation. Yep. And I remember my mom not loving that I loved the song. Naturally. Naturally.
01:10:10
Speaker
This is maybe talk about turning down the radio. So truly. But this is also a song where I don't recall a clean version of this. How could there be? It's the titular word. Right. And I feel like the song was very much played on the radio. I remember hearing it on the radio. Yeah. So maybe one of the very few songs that played this song on the radio uncensored. Yeah. Yeah. I love to see it.
01:10:38
Speaker
You go Meredith Brooks and girl, you go girl. And a lot of people think that the song is Alanis Morissette and it's not. We just, yeah, I mean, it does have that energy. Totally. But yeah, you stay in your lane. All of you people who think that Jill, please introduce the next song. U S H E R R A Y M O N D. Tell me what you want to do to me. You make me want to leave the one I'm with.
01:11:07
Speaker
start a new relationship with you. Okay, the podcast has devolved into us just saying this. But that's what this music does to us. It just takes us immediately back to this time, this music video specifically, and Usher specifically being one of my earliest, if not the earliest memory of me being turned on by a man.
01:11:33
Speaker
Specifically my sister, I remember her showing me a photo of him in Teen Vogue magazine in his underwear and an unbuttoned shirt. And me being like, her being like, oh, he's so hot. And I just remember being there being like, uh-huh. Yeah. Yep. In my head, like, yep. I agree. I agree. I agree. From banger to a ballad, we have Monica's For You, I Will. I gotta be honest. I didn't realize this song was so high.
01:12:02
Speaker
This was a huge hit. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I remember it and I remember Monica. Yeah. But I don't remember it being like everywhere. This was a song. So this song and fly like an eagle by seal and obviously the space jam title track like that soundtrack, the space jam soundtrack was massive. I believe I can fly. Yeah. And so I mean, it just produced hit after hit after hit. Yeah. And this was one of those songs from it. Yeah.
01:12:29
Speaker
I remember being on a field trip and listening to this song on the radio and all of my friends, we were just blaring it and singing at the top of our lungs, probably annoying the hell out of our parents because we were like 12 years old.
01:12:45
Speaker
Yeah, love, love, love the song. Up next, we've got the song that started it all for me. Your boys, my boys, the brothers, Hanson, the brothers, Hanson, they bopped their way into my heart. And for a long time, I wanted to boop them for sure. You know what? It's funny that you say that because I love this song. And so many people thought they were so hot. And I was like, I don't get it. I love that. Oh, my gosh, you're too cool. You're so cool. What can I say?
01:13:15
Speaker
You really were. And you you always are. You're always cutting edge. And I love that. Yeah, you really are. Yeah, I just marched to be to my own drummer, I guess you could say. Mm hmm. Damn. And with that, please take it away. Listen, 97 gave us something I will always be grateful for. And that is the beginning of the boy band revolution revolution. First first in that gang was the Backstreet Boys.
01:13:45
Speaker
Oh my God. And quit playing games in my heart. Man, just so singable. So fun. Just absolutely deserving of being this high on the list. Absolutely. And I say that as an instant girly.
01:14:00
Speaker
Oh my Oh, I don't know if I knew that I don't think I knew that makes sense considering us seeing Justin Timberlake with Jay-Z. Big time. Wow. Okay. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. No, this song. This song reigns in my heart. Another Max Martin banger. Yeah, Stan. We love Stan. Yeah, incredible. Yeah. We
01:14:21
Speaker
We are getting into the top 10 and hold on to your bots, everyone. The like the track run of these songs is truly insane. Number 10, we've got Wannabe by the Spice Girls. I mean, and correct me if I'm wrong, is this overflow from 1996? Yes. Yes. So that I was you the cultural power of this song.
01:14:41
Speaker
Yeah. Wanna Be by the Spice Girls was everywhere. Everywhere. And I don't like to mention her often, but I will mention at this one time my evil stepmother. She I remember this song. I played it so much on the CD single that the next time I went to visit my dad after I like I discovered the song, she goes, you're playing the song once and once only. Devil Woman. Anyway, now I listen to the song. All I fucking want. Yeah, you fucking do.
01:15:10
Speaker
If she wants to be your mother, she's got to get with your sons. Exactly. Bitch. Bye. Bye. Jill, please do us the honors with introducing us with number nine. OK. This song is by. I'm not even going to say a young woman, because quite frankly, she was a girl at the time. Young girl. Young girl. I thought I want to say under 16 young. This is my husband's first celebrity crush.
01:15:40
Speaker
because she sang in front of the Jurassic Park waterfall at Universal Studios. He loved Jurassic Park. This is Miss Leanne Rimes with How Do I Live? How do I live without you? I want to know this song. Like beautiful, beautiful song. The 90 1997 was all about R&B and power ballads. Yes, love the power ballad. And this was a power ballad.
01:16:07
Speaker
This song was also, I want to say, simultaneously released with a version sung by Trisha Yearwood, which is really wild. Yeah, because I want to say that the Trisha Yearwood version was on the soundtrack for Con Air.
01:16:26
Speaker
Buy it with Nicolas Cage. Yeah. Did not know. Nuts. Absolutely nuts. But I love Land Rimes. I love Land Rimes. Yeah. Next up, we have maybe one of the most iconic. Party songs of all time. Mark Morrison Return of the Mac. This is this song. I don't know what God damn word he's saying. And yet I can sing every one of them. Yep. Sure do. The power that that has. Oh, my God.
01:16:57
Speaker
Like this song is change life changing. I would say one of the most iconic songs of the nineties, one of the most iconic songs of the nineties, one of the absolute best one hit wonders ever, ever.
01:17:13
Speaker
Thank you, Mark Morrison, for your service. Oh my God. So good. Number seven, a song that I didn't realize was this big of a hit. But thank God it is. But obviously we love Invoke. We love Invoke. Oh my God. Damn. We have Don't Let Go, Love.
01:17:35
Speaker
another ballad. And this song, I just remember like my mom playing this a lot in the car. What's interesting to me is that a lesser known and Vogue song I associate very much to 1997 because they really I want to say this is another song that was overflow. It was either released early in the year or overflow from 96.
01:17:57
Speaker
But I associate another song with En Vogue from 1997, but I'll get into that another time. But this song, I just wanted to double check. Yeah. Okay. This song was released late 96. That's why. But this is from the Set It Off soundtrack, which I believe was a huge soundtrack as well. The 90s loved soundtracks. I mean, yeah.
01:18:18
Speaker
Absolutely incredible. Thank God for Barbie, you know, trying to bring back the soundtrack. I mean, yeah, more of that, please. Yeah. Next up, we've got famed horrendous criminal, but banger maker R. Kelly with I believe I can fly. You know, listen, I'm not one for separating the art from the artist, but this gets this gets me right here.
01:18:44
Speaker
This gets us right here. This is peak again, peak childhood. I mean, I pretty much all of these songs at this point are going to be peak childhood. But I believe I can fly like I did believe I could fly when I heard this song.
01:18:58
Speaker
And you heard you've heard the song everywhere you heard this you still heard the song everywhere up until recent years, you know, this is again, staple of the 90s and held our hearts for a very long time. You know, yeah. Number five. Can't nobody hold me down. Puff Daddy featuring mace.
01:19:20
Speaker
I love this song, but I don't remember. I remember some of their other songs being bigger than this one. Right. Yeah. But this was like this was a song I do remember hearing all over the place. I remember if I'm not. No, wait, this wasn't the song I was going to say. I want to say that this was the song where like we had early JLo in it. But I want to say that was a different song. I want to say I'll have to do my research and come back. But the singer or dancer?
01:19:49
Speaker
as a like as a it's not a dancer, but she is like a love interest, I believe, in the music video. Oh, OK. OK. It was the song that they did that sampled the been around the world and I. Yeah. Yeah. That's called been around the world. Been around the world by my daddy. OK. Yes. It was that music video. OK. That it was in. But yeah. But Puff Daddy really did have a hold on 1997. Mm hmm. He grabbed it by the balls and never let it go. Mm hmm. Until now when the FBI came to get him.
01:20:20
Speaker
Thank God, and. Rotten hell. Rotten hell, baby. Joe, please, please give me the honors of introducing this incredible song. Listen, you thought you'd seen a hedge maze. You thought you'd seen a beautiful hedge, but you hadn't really seen one till you saw Tony Braxton run past it, saying unbreak my heart. Say you love it again.
01:20:46
Speaker
I mean, I was 11 and the way that I was like, thought I could relate to this song. No, I have it would be many years before I would so much as hold a hand. Mm hmm. But. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. My heart was broken, smashed to smithereens. I experienced the death of a lover with the song. I experienced someone cheating on me for the first time with the song. I was only 12 years old. But with this song. Mm hmm. Oh, my God.
01:21:16
Speaker
And I have to say, you know, I'm a dance remix girlie. This is one of the first ballads remix into a dance song in history.
Breakout Successes and Chart Toppers
01:21:23
Speaker
I don't know if it was like the first, but it's one of the first ones that was super successful to the point where she did a mashup version of the ballad in the dance version of the Billboard Music Awards.
01:21:34
Speaker
that led that led her record label to rush release that special mashup remix to radios like a slow to fast version. Yeah. Yeah. So and that remix was done by Hex Hector. I mentioned him a lot in this podcast, but my boy Hex Hector. Number three, again, Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans and one twelve with I'll Be Missing You. Man, this song, you know, famously sampling
01:22:05
Speaker
interpolating, I don't know, the police, famously for Biggie. This song was all over MTV.
01:22:12
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. All over MTV. You couldn't again, another song that you could not escape. And I remember seeing this music video just on constant rotation. And I also remember the surprise appearance of Sting singing the song with them at the 1997 VMAs, which was like a big deal. Yeah. I do love this song. It's been a minute since I've listened to it. Yeah, it's great. Jill, I'm shocked at how high this next one is.
01:22:42
Speaker
Personally, I am not because I was as mentioned before, I was a VH1 girly, not an MTV girly. This one is
01:22:52
Speaker
You were meant for me, Foolish Games by Jewel. I mean, huge songs. Huge song. Talk about Lillith Fair. This was the epitome of Lillith Fair in my head and in my heart. Jewel really came in swinging, but not really because she was like homeless for a very long time. And I want to say that this- Living in the car. Living in the car. And I want to say this album came out in 95.
01:23:16
Speaker
Wow, really? Yeah, so it didn't really get its fair chance until you were meant for me came out. Interesting. Yeah, good for her. Yeah. Not long after this, she would be doing commercials for
01:23:30
Speaker
You know, a razor, a razor baby. Yeah. Venus. And this brings us to number one, which you and I discussed before, uh, we started recording, but this song, we have no recollection of it ever being played on the radio. Yeah. So we should say that the billboard top 100, which we are referencing is album sales, not radio plays. Yeah. But this is candle in the wind by Elton John.
01:24:00
Speaker
Yeah. And you bet your ass that every mom in America, UK, and probably everywhere else bought this song. Yep. And so it's the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 of 1997. And, you know, RIP.
01:24:17
Speaker
Yep. R.I.P. Princess. R.I.P. And this song couldn't sing a note, but love that Sir Elton John had this number. And I want to say the song was number one for a really long time. I want to say I believe that like 11 weeks. Yeah, I believe it. But yeah, not the song that I attribute to 1997 personally. And I have to say. For me, there is a very, very important 1997 song that is not on this list.
01:24:48
Speaker
due to a technicality, but it was number one on the radio for many, many weeks. I know exactly what we're going to say. And I would love for you to tell us more about it. And I'm not going to say we don't talk about this song enough because I think we do. I think this is just a technicality. This song is touring by Nell and Bruglia. Yep. And that song is 1997 to me.
01:25:08
Speaker
Yeah, 100% Natalie and Bruglia torn. Like, that's one of the greatest pop songs of all time. One of the greatest pop songs of all time, bound and naked on the floor. Again, on a part where I was like, like, turn that volume down a little bit.
01:25:26
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And I want to say that because during this time period, songs were not eligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 if they weren't released as a CD single. And I want to say that that song was one of those singles where there was no CD single for it, therefore was ineligible to chart. The video was iconic. It was on the radio all the time. However. Yeah. Yep. Another song very similarly was Don't Speak by No Doubt.
01:25:54
Speaker
Yes. Huge. Huge. And I was a big no doubt girlie. And yeah, so shame on you, Billboard Hot 100 for doing that to our girls. Shame on you. Yep. Yep. Jill, do you have a song that we don't talk about enough? Yeah. So, okay. This song, it actually, it did come out in 1987 and it ended up being a big hit. It was, it charted in 98.
01:26:21
Speaker
So it's not to say that it didn't at the time get the love it deserves, but I don't hear anyone talking about this song nowadays. And I think it is an absolute banger. If it came on right now, everyone would go so hard. It honestly still would feel fresh. And that song is Love You Down by I Know Jay. Oh my God, Jill, whoa. Obsessed. Talk about a roller skating song. Talk about a roller skating song.
01:26:50
Speaker
Nothing makes me want to throw those skates on. I maybe have told you this before, but the Mean Girls fan that you are will appreciate this story. Give it to me. In seventh grade, I had to miss a roller skating party.
01:27:04
Speaker
because my family was going to see Ladysmith Black Mombazo play. Oh my God. That is amazing. I love that. Katie Herron, I felt that. You felt that in your soul. Oh my God. That's hysterical. I love that. Yeah. Love You Down by N.O.J. It's such a good song. Wow.
01:27:31
Speaker
Yup. Lyrics are a little questionable. I was listening to it today and I was kind of like, sounds like this guy sucks, but you know, great song. Oh my God. Yeah. Well, I know Jay. Hopefully she, hopefully you've changed your ways. Hopefully.
01:27:44
Speaker
Um, I'm gonna go so mentioned earlier that there's an en vogue song that is 1997 song for me. The music video was on heavy rotation on MTV. It was I want to say directed by Matthew Ralston, who was was known for like very artsy looking videos, lots of bright vivid colors and imagery. He also directed the in my pocket music video for by Mandy Moore, just our girl, Mandy Moore, our girl, Mandy Moore, just to kind of give you a visual about what
01:28:14
Speaker
the video was kind of like, but it's a song called Whatever by En Vogue. And it's this like beautiful R&B like mid tempo song. I say beautiful, but it's also like kind of gritty. And there's this like, I don't know how I would describe this sound, but it's got this beeping sound as part of the beat. Anyway, the song performed moderately, I want to say only peaked at like number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
01:28:42
Speaker
but it wasn't a smash single and which is I mean obviously we didn't even see it on this list but that song to me has not talked about enough the music video is stunning the song is amazing the vocals are insane and I just feel like the world needs to get together and get with it with Envogues whatever Jill thank you so much for joining me on this
01:29:08
Speaker
this trip down memory lane for Nintendo 7. My pleasure. It's been a long time coming. It's been a long time coming. Well, everyone, thank you for listening to this episode. It's probably going to be a little bit longer than usual, but we appreciate it. And until next time, peace out. Peace out.