Ok guys, I've only got about 20 singles, and I just noticed the majority of them was released in 1995, when I was 14 (so young, I know). Some of them are really not worth mentioning but still, let's play a game with those 6 commercial hits. Which one do you hate the most? I know there could be said much more about 1995, Portishead and Tricky became big etc, some great rock and grunge tunes were played a lot etc... But nevermind those classics, I want to talk about the commercial stuff you heard on the radio at that time !

Diana King - Shy guy
The Bucketheads - The Bomb
Da Luniz - I got five on it
Shaggy - Boombastic
Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
The Nightcrawlers - Push the feeling on

That was when I first discovered this funky band from the UK called Jamiroquai.

Also, Del Amitri had a hit (with a strange video) with "Roll To Me".

Oh, and Bone Thugs and Harmony brought something fresh to the "game" too.

In 1995, I remember I was in middle school and I was heavily into Brandy's debut album that came out a year earlier. I remember the "Waiting To Exhale" SDTK was big and everybody was jammin' Brandy's "Sittin' Up In My Room." I was feeling Xscape's "Off The Hook" album ("Who Can I Run To" and "Do You Want To" were the jams from that one).

The Los Angeles music scene was on a national scale that year.

West Coast rap was everywhere back then. It was like how the South and Crunk is now. Everybody was listening to West Coast or "Gangsta" Rap. The jams used to be E-40's "Sprinkle Me," "Slurricane," Celly Cel's "It's Goin' Down" used to bump hard! Rappin' 4-Tay's "I'll Be Around" and The Click's "Scandalous." The Yay Area was definitely representing for the 9-5! (My brother wore out The Click's "Game Related" LP for about 2 years!)

Dr. Dre's "Keep They Heads Ringing" was all over the place. The movie Friday was BIG back then. Everyone saw that movie in L.A.!

In Los Angeles, the big songs that year were 2Pac's "California Love," Dove Shack's "Summertime In The LBC," Warren G, LV, C-Bo, Mack 10, The Twiins' "Round & Round," Snoop, etc. Gang culture took over the mainstream. I remember a lot of G-Funk/Long Beach and Bay Area acts were big that summer and year. Of course, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was big. I remember "Crossroads" was all over MTV and radio. Plus, at my middle school, it seemed like everybody and their uncle was bumpin' Tha Dogg Pound's "Dogg Food" album (the song "What's Your Fantasy" sticks out to me), 2Pac's "All Eyez On Me" was bumpin' (the song "All About U" were hummed by every girl with braids in their hair and every wannabe "gangsta" rugrat). For some reason, a lot of people were into those Bloods & Crips CDs like Damu Ridaz (Christopher, you know what I'm talkin' about!!!), Nationwide Rip Ridaz, the "Bangin' On Wax" CDs, etc. That was sooo L.A.! I also remember "Put Your Back Into It" from the Dangerous Minds SDTK and 24-K's "Don't Go There!"

On the rock front, No Doubt's "Tragic Kingdom" was huge that year. I used to hear "Don't Speak" and "I'm Just A Girl" all the time on KIIS, KROQ and L.A. radio in general. Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" was big that year.

On the dance music front, I remember females were singing a song called "SHORT D**K MAN!" by Gillette. Don't want no "short, short man." Also, Outhere Brothers had a big song that year called "Boom Boom Boom." The Buckethead's "The Bomb!" was big.

Des'ree's "You Gotta Be" was on VH1 24 hours a day!

TLC's CrazySexyCool was big in '95, duh. You couldn't escape that. "Red Light Special," "Waterfalls" and "Creep" constantly got played on radio. I was diggin' Sean Levert's "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is." Eightball & MJG's "Space Age Pimpin'" used to bump. Also, I remember the Nationwide Young Murder Squad was big. MC Hammer was trying to make a comeback with a song called "Straight To My Feet." Groove Theory's debut dropped and the lead single "Tell Me" was everywhere. Janet Jackson's Design of Decade got a lot of play that year. I remember "Runaway" got a lot of play on pop radio around the time along with "Scream" (I bought the cassingle). Michael Jackson's HIStory had some jams on it. I liked "They Don't Care About Us" and "Earth Song."

Monica's "Miss Thang" CD was bumpin' back then. "Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)" instantly takes me back.

I loved Grand Puba's "I Like It" from the 2000 LP. I didn't discover the rest of the album until I was in college though.

I remember Selena died that year. "Dreaming of You" and "I Could Fall In Love" were all over the radio.

Songs that remind me of 1995:

Grand Puba - I Like It (...and ya say New York City)
TLC - Red Light Special / Creep
WC & The Maad Circle - West Up! (feat. Ice Cube)
Janet - Runaway
Monica - Don't Take It Personal (Just One of Dem Days)
Michael & Janet - Scream
Sean Levert - Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
2Pac - All About You / California Love
Brandy - Sittin' Up In My Room
Rednex - Cotton Eye Joe
Dr. Dre - Keep They Heads Ringin'
Mariah Carey - One Sweet Day
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Crossroads / 1st of Tha Month
The Click - Scandalous
E-40 - Sprinkle Me
Corona - Baby Baby
Hootie & The Blowfish - Let Her Cry
The Bucketheads - The Bomb!
Des'ree - You Gotta Be
Vanessa Williams - Colors of the Wind


Slang words of '95:
"199-FIN" or "9-FIN"
"Scrilla"
"Mark"
"Busta"
"Okie Doke!"

wow, that was an elaborate answer, JanFan. It's funny how many things you mentioned never came through in Europe. Or maybe they did, but I was just to young to notice. I remember skating was really very in at that time here. Every person who had my age left their house on wednesdays and weekends to go skating. I didn't have a board, too clumsy for that, I was more into rollerblading. Of course, this was less cool than the real board.

TLC and Dr. Dre,... Tupac,... of course. But who remembers Scatman John? I think the poor lad died some time ago.

JANFAN4L said:

I heart this post forever! you soo took it back to 1995,jr,high,listening to the radio on the way to school,skipping first period!

MarieLouise said:

janfan listed alot of tracks already...but a few more for your list are

Montell Jordan-This Is How We Do It
Candy Rain - Soul For Real
Mariah-fantasy
Alanis-you outta know
Blues Traveler -Run-Around
Hootie and the blowfish- I only wanna be with you
Green day-When i come around
No doubt-Just a girl
Live-Lighting crashes
Oasis-Wonderwall
Everclear-Santa Monica
TLC-Creep
Adina Howard -Freak Like Me


.
[Edited 12/19/04 4:36am]

Yeah Christopher, I know almost all those songs, surely when I hear them, but they are not in my singles-collection. All though I have many of these other songs in my cd-collection. My original plan was to make a contest about the first 6 I listed, but if some of you just want to recollect the memories of 95, that's of course fine with me !

Christopher said:

MarieLouise said:

yeah, i was having a 95 moment!

I liked Live back in the day, Throwing Copper is a good cd, but I never liked them during their 'come-back'. Lightning crashes is a beautiful song. It was played at the funeral of an older guy I knew back then. He was a leader of the scoutingmovement I was in. He became only 24, so sad.

JANFAN4L...you really took me back. I was 20 that year and got my first job at a record store. That summer I remember the BATMAN RETURNS soundtrack being HUGE...It featured Seal's 'Kiss From A Rose' and U2's 'Hold ME THrill Me Kiss ME Kill Me'.....I remember months before it blew up 2 girls coming in and asking about a singer named ALANIS MORRISSETTE....they were like 'she fucking tells it like it is'..they were talking about 'You Oughta Know'

....Women in rock were beginnging to get more radio play...SHERYL CROW had just come off her breakthrough year in '94, Alanis' success paved the way for many women who would later be labeled as 'Lilith Chicks'....NATALIE MERCHANT went solo and the end result was my #2 pick of 90's albums: 'Tigerlilly'..so beautiful, so introspective.....JEWEL's debut 'Pieces of You' is released but it would be a year before anyone would give it the attention it would later recieve (in '97 it was certified 10x platinum).....like Jewel...JOAN OSBORNE's 'Relish' comes out and it takes a minute before we all start wondering..'what if God was one of us?"...and if anyone remembers the Alanis copycats began and a fabulous singer by the name of TRACY BONHAM roars onto radio with her screetching 'Mother Mother'...(if you dont remember the title..you may remember the line..."EVERYTHINGS FIIIIINNNNNEEEEE!!!!!"

Jangly pop/rock and bluesy/folksy jam bands were all the rage.....HOOTIE was king as the album 'Craked Rear View' sold over 12 million albums...DAVE MATTHEWS BAND broke through with their single 'Ant's Marching' from their first big album 'Under The Table And Dreaming'....DEL AMITRI had a big radio hit with 'Roll To Me' and BLUES TRAVELER's bouncy 'Runaround' put them on the map. Hippie folk/worldbeat band RUSTED ROOT enjoyed success with their jam 'Send Me On My Way'....all of these bands (sans Hootie would join the surprise summer festival tour of '05 called the HORDE FESTIVAL..I was there...flannel, hacky sack and all....Blues Traveler, Dave Matthews, M'Shell, Natalie Merchant and dreadlocked LENNY KRAVITZ all headlined.

That fall would later be known as the 'Diva pile-up' as pop's 4 reigning divas all released projects within weeks of each other and at one point all were in the Top 10 together....First up...MARIAH CAREY exploded into the charts with yet another #1 album and HUGE #1 single with 'Daydream' and 'Fantasy'....next JANET's 'Design of a Decade' pops on into the Top 5 along with a Top 5 single 'Runaway'.....MADONNA then strolled on in with her second hits collection...the ballad set 'Something To Remember' in which it was the first time her promotion tear really did focus on the songs rather than her (remember the initial copies of STR were clear jewel boxes with only the booklet and cd inside (I thought it was a misship!).....WHITNEY HOUSTON then graced us with the fabulous 'Waiting To Exhale' soundtrack that boasted 4 tracks by Whit herself and included Faith, Mary, Chaka, Aretha, Brandy, Chante...and many more soul divas.

I look back at '95 with great fondness...it was my year that I really began to expand my musical horizons whether good or bad all the while a pure joy. So now if you excuse me I'm gonna pull out OASIS' 'Whats the Story (Morning Glory)'.....

peace

Christopher said:

!

Christopher said:

Christopher, you are going back -- to the lazy weekends when I used to watch MTV and VH1 all day. I remember the Hootie & The Blowfish video "I Only Wanna Be With You" they were playing golf and there was a ESPN Sportscenter cameo.

I'm listening to Green Day's "When I Come Around" right now. "Dookie" was a great album. I remember that was really big in '95. Infectious chords. What was the video where they were in an infirmary with orange jumpsuits?

I loved "Welcome To Paradise," too!
[Edited 12/20/04 20:12pm]

Christopher said:

I forgot how good the music was back then. People say '90s music sucks, but then had years like these. You had to live in and be a part of that youth culture to understand it.

VANITYSprisonBYTCH said:

Thanks for posting, VANITYS.

Now how did I forget Ms. Sheryl Crow?! Thanks for bringing up all these female acts. You and Christopher touched on Alanis, yeah, she was definitely big at that time. My faves by her were "Head Over Feet" and "Ironic" (that video is unforgettable). Alana makes really memorable videos. I remember the Smashing Pumpkins were big, too. The song "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," sticks out. MELON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS had some cool songs on it! "1979," "Tonight, Tonight," etc. Stone Temple Pilots had some cool songs, too. I remember "Interstate Love Song."

A traffic jam, when you're already late
A 'no smoking sign,' on your cigarette break
It's like 10,000 spoons, when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams --
and then meeting his *beautiful* wife

Isn't it ironic (don't'cha think)
A little too ironic (yeah, I really do think)

It's like rainnnnn on your wedding day
It's a free rideeeee when you've already paid
It's the good adviceeee that you just didn't take
And who would've thought
It figurrrrres.

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you (ooh, yeah)
Life has a funny, funny way
Of helping you out, helping you out.

::stops strumming guitar::

Alanis Morissette - Ironic

Son Volt - Trace
Wilco - A.M.
P.J. Harvey - To Bring You My Love
Natalie Merchant - Tigerlilly
Radiohead - The Bends
Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters
The Beatles - Anthology 1

MarieLouise said:

I don't have any of the radio tracks you mentioned. However, I have both Tricky's Maxinquaye and Portishead's Dummy.

JANFAN4L said:

we're so here with that one! remember mtv beach house? kennedy,bill belemy,simon,idalis? lol


that green day video was basketcase i think. remember the band Bush? that was their yr as well(and they seem to have fallen off the earth).remember weezer-"say it aint so" or filter -Hey Man, Nice Shot about kurt?
.
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[Edited 12/21/04 0:47am]

JANFAN4L said:

i agree. and speaking of the 90's vh1 is doing -i love the 90s part deux- soon.