Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 3

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Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 3 features music by C+C Music Factory, Erykah Badu, R.E.M., Kirk Franklin, and Sinéad O’Connor.

Ah, to be a 1990s kid! Sure, born in the late 1980s, much of the early music I experienced beyond the oldies played by my parents hailed from the 90s. Continuing a playlist series that examines various musical decades/eras, 🎧 Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 3 marks the third of many anticipated volumes of some surefire musical highlights from the 90s, following 🎧Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 1 (2023) and 🎧 Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 2 (2023). Will every big hit and every important song be covered? Nope – far too much ground! That said, you’re sure to find some bops and gems over the span of how many volumes of Incredible Songs: 1990s ultimately arrive. 🎧Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 3 features music courtesy of 🎙C+C Music Factory, 🎙 Erykah Badu, 🎙 Kirk Franklin, 🎙 R.E.M., and 🎙Sinéad O’Connor among others. Remember, each volume only scratches the musical surface!

1. C+C Music Factory, “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”

💿 Gonna Make You Sweat • 🏷 Sony BMG Music Entertainment • 🗓 1990

Three words: “EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!” WOO! That is all you need to know! Even three decades after 🎵 “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” arrived, those repeated lyrics remain iconic – instantly recognizable. 🎙 C+C Music Factory had a gargantuan dance smash on their hands with this groovy AF, no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Besides the multiplatinum single, the 1990 album, 💿 Gonna Make You Sweat, was also certified multiplatinum.

dance party Notably, rapper 🎙 Freedom Williams is credited as a featured guest on “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).” He should be, as his two verses are an integral part of the record beyond the memorable, titular lyrics (“And I’m here to combine / Beats and lyrics to make you shake your pants”). Perhaps more memorable from Freedom: “It’s your world and I’m just a squirrel / Tryin’ to get a nut to move your butt.” Gah-day-ummm – a nut 🥜, huh 😈? However, one of the biggest stories with the record is the robust sung vocals which went uncredited – an absolute travesty. “Come on let’s sweat, baby,” 🎙 Martha Wash (NOT 🎙 Zelma Davis) sings in the chorus, continuing, “Let the music take control / Let the rhythm move you / Sweat, sweat.” Yes ma’am! Wash is responsible for the best parts of the song yet didn’t receive her just due. Why? She didn’t look the part, basically. Ain’t that some 💩? Regardless, 🎵 “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”, one of the best and biggest club-, dance-, and gay 🏳️‍🌈 anthems wouldn’t be anything without Wash’s epic pipes fueling the fire. More could be said, but this dance joint speaks for itself. It’s been kicking a$$ and taking names since 1990 – NO 🚫 CAP🧢!

Appears in 🔻:

C+C Music Factory, “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”: Dance Gemz 🕺💎 🎶 No. 12 (2023)

2. Rage Against The Machine, “Killing In the Name”

💿 Rage Against the Machine • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 🗓 1992

“Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!” Woo – that’s a bold statement 🎙 Zack de la Rocha! Honestly, the entirety of 🎵 “Killing in the Name” is bold by 🎙 Rage Against the Machine. This angry, high-energy rap-rock record protests police brutality. The most famous song of their career arrived in 1992 on their self-titled album, following the infamous Rodney King incident. Prior to the scathing “fuck you,” de la Rocha asserts on the chorus, “Those who died are justified / For wearing the badge, they’re chosen white.” Wow – potent and sadly, relevant 30 years after the arrival of the record.

guitar smash Zack de la Rocha is the star, painting a damning picture of racists and in this case, the police: “Some of those that work forces / are the same that burn crosses.” Besides a dynamic, turned-up performance by de la Rocha, guitar god 🎙 Tom Morello shines, delivering kick-ass jagged riffs and a stellar guitar solo. Before de la Rocha even performs a note, Morello helps establish the ferocious tone of this 90s classic. Expectedly, a profane rock record protesting police brutality is going to earn a controversial badge and be censored. Regardless, 🎵 “Killing in the Name” marks one of the greatest songs of the 90s 🤘.

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3. Mary J. Blige, “Missing You”

**💿 Share My World • 🏷 MCA / UMG Recordings, Inc. • 📅 1997**

“I’m not in love / It’s just some kind of thing I’m going through.” Ah, famous last words 🎙 Mary J. Blige. One of the best songs from the 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B musician’s 1997 album, 💿 Share My World, is 🎵 “Missing You”. “Missing You” was written and produced by a force in R&B, 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Babyface. From the opening accented hit on “Missing You,” it’s clear MJB came to slaughter – absolutely kill it – on this adult contemporary R&B ballad. Mary tries to deny the L-O-V-E, but in the pre-chorus, admits, “But I dream about it every night, baby / Wanting you here with me / Making love to me.” Woo – and she’s NOT in love? Please! Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, where she makes more admissions about her feelings:

“I’m missing you like crazy

Body and soul is aching

I’m out of control

Missing you so.”

No shame in admitting you like/love somebody Mary – we’ve all been there girl. Furthermore, the bridge drives it on home: ‘God knows I’ve been trying to keep out of my head / … I ain’t trying to get hurt again.” That said, isn’t love worth the risk? Worth noting that the lush production by Babyface only amplifies the infatuation.

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4. Next, “Too Close” (Ft. Vernell “Vee” Sales)

**💿 Rated Next • 🏷 Arista • 📅 1997**

“I wonder if she could tell I’m hard right now.” Damn, that’s an eyebrow raising lyric, from the intro of the 🎙 Next classic, 🎵 “Too Close”. Honestly, the transparency regarding a boner sets the tone for this beloved, naughty contemporary R&B cut from 1997 album, 💿 Rated Next. As a child – and a naïve child at that – when “Too Close” reached no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, I didn’t catch all the sexy references. As a fully matured adult, starting with the opening boner, the intimacy, or desire for intimacy, is fully erect – through the roof!

The chorus alone was enough to send “Too Close” to the top of the charts. Even to this day, this is one of the more memorable choruses of the 1990s. What is interesting, however is, per Genius verifications from members of Next, most people butcher the words of this particular song 🤯. With that considered, I don’t feel as bad experiencing the eye-opening experiencing of reading what the lyrics accurately say, particularly the often flubbed opening lyric of the chorus:

“Baby, when we’re grindin’, I get so excited

Ooh how I like it, I try but I can’t fight it

Oh, you’re dancin’ real close, plus it’s real, real slow

You know you’re makin’ it hard for me.”

Bitmoji Image With grindin’ being confirmed, that explains the excitement. Of course, the verses emphasize the desire, the lust, the sheer horniness – sex is uttered in both. Perhaps more erect is the pre-chorus, when 🎙 Vernell “Vee” Sales sings, “Step back, you’re dancin’ kinda close / I feel a little poke comin’ through on you.” What more is there to be said thematically? Musically, 🎵 “Too Close” benefits from smooth, rhythmic production (🎛 Kay Gee) that helps to fuel its sensual fire. This joint remains sexy AF to this day.

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5. Sinéad O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”

**💿 I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got • 🏷 Chrysalis • 🗓 1990**

“It’s been seven hours and fifteen days / Since you took your love away.” Those iconic lyrics hail from the beloved, 1990 classic, 🎵 “Nothing Compares 2 U” (💿 I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got). As stated previously, “Nothing Compares 2 U” was written by the late, great 🎙 Prince. Furthermore, he recorded it originally in 1984. Still, the most familiar version hails from the one and only, 🎙 Sinéad O’Connor. Sadly, O’Connor passed away on July 26, 2023, at just 56 😢. Despite death, the legacy of 🏆 Grammy-winning the Irish singer/songwriter lives on via the fierceness of this no. 1 hit, the biggest and most important song of her career. Nominated for three Grammys, it surprisingly won none, though 💿 I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got was awarded the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.

excellent Sinéad O’Connor made this cover truly sound like an original, PERIOD (more like exclamation). Her tone is haunting and marvelous on “Nothing Compares 2 U.” A tuneful song, Her expressiveness only amplifies the melody more. Furthermore, she does a superb job bringing out the emotions: “Since you’ve been gone I can do whatever I want / … But nothing, I said, nothing can takeaway these blues.” Of course, she’s particularly electric on the chorus: “‘Cause nothing compares / Nothing compares to you.” Adding to the allure of this beloved gem, nominated for three Grammys itself, is the production by O’Connor and 🎛 Nellee Hooper. The sound, it’s just glorious – maybe it’s the keys, or is it the strings? Regardless, the world lost a magnificent artist in Sinéad O’Connor. Her music and her legacy endures on, particularly on her ace in the hole, 🎵 “Nothing Compares 2 U”.

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6. Eric Benét, “Spend My Life With You” (Ft. Tamia)

💿 A Day in the Life • 🏷 Warner • 🗓 1999

There were numerous awesome R&B songs released in 1999 – it was a special year. Among the best – and one of my personal favorites – was 🎵 “Spend My Life with You”. “Spend My Life with You” paired 🏆 Grammy-nominated artists 🎙 Eric Benét and 🎙 Tamia. The result? An unforgettable, romantic slow jam where their voices mesh celestially 👼. Basically, you can’t listen to “Spend My Life with You” and not feel those nostalgic, 90s vibes – that good old, adult contemporary, grown folks R&B! It appears on Mr. Benét’s 1999 album, 💿 A Day in the Life.

The verses are fabulous, with Benét taking first blood: “And I never knew what my life was for / But now that you’re here I know for sure.” Sweet! Tamia follows up sublimely on the second verse: “And I never knew that my heart could feel / So precious and pure / One love so real.” Later, the format is similar, with Benét singing a brief third verse, and Tamia ‘bringing it on home’ on the fourth. There’s a sweet bridge as well, but we all know that the crowning achievement is the chorus, with both singers bringing it in spectacular fashion.

“Can I just see you every morning when

I open my eyes

Can I just feel your heart beating beside me?

Every night

Can we just feel this way together?

Till the end of all time

Can I just spend my life with you?”

sunset love Yes, there were bigger songs in 1999, even in the R&B realm. That said, “Spend My Life with You” was nominated for a 🏆 Grammy for good reason. Also, it peaked at a respectable no. 21 on the Hot 100. The big story is that vocal chemistry between Benét and Tamia which is nothing short of incredible. Benét, 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Demonte Posey, and George Nash Jr. wrote and produced a gem.

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7. Prince & The New Power Generation, “Sexy M.F.”

💿 Love Symbol • 🏷 NPG / Legacy • 🗓 1992

“In a word or two, it’s you I wanna do / No not your body, your mind you fool / Come here baby, yeah / You sexy motherfucker.” 🎙 Prince & the New Power Generation brought the heat (and controversy) on the song 🎵 “Sexy M.F.” from 💿 Love Symbol (1992). On the one hand, 🎙 Prince seems to want an emotional connection. On the other hand, however, even if Prince makes it ‘explicitly’ clear “This ain’t about sex” (verse two), it’s hard to deny sex is an ingredient, particularly given his heaping dose of potty-mouth. The Purple One uses ample terminology associated with sex, even if, as he asserts, it’s not about sex.

“You seem perplexed I haven’t taken you yet
Can’t you see I’m harder than a man can get
I got wet dreams comin’ out of my ears
I get hard if the wind blows your cologne near me
But I can take it, ‘cause I want the whole nine
This ain’t about the body, it’s about the mind.”

Alrighty then… Honestly, the controversy associated with “Sexy M.F.” speaks for itself. Despite its explicitness, the hella funky yet controversial AF “Sexy M.F” was a single from 💿 Love Symbol. Obviously, it had to be amended for airplay because, well, you can’t go around throwing the mf-bomb around! While stateside it didn’t ignite the Billboard Hot 100 on fire, it did debut and peak at no. 66. Examining Prince’s catalog in its entirety, “Sexy M.F.” is one of his better records. Certainly, it ranks among his funkiest and most fun (“Sexy motherfucker shakin’ that ass, shakin’ that ass, shakin’ that ass”)!

Appears in 🔻:

Prince & the New Power Generation, Sexy M.F.: Controversial Tunes 😈🎶 5 (2022)

8. Brandy, “Have You Ever”

**💿 Never Say Never • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1998**

“Have you ever loved somebody / So much it makes you cry?” Nearly 25 years ago (as of publication), 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Brandy had a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with stunning ballad, 🎵 “Have You Ever”. “Have You Ever” appears on her 1998 album, 💿 Never Say Never. There are many reasons why “Have You Ever” is awesome. The biggest reason is Brandy. She has an amazing voice that’s incredibly distinct. There’s a raspy, smoky quality of her instrument that makes it incredibly ear catching. This ballad is perfectly suited for such expressive pipes, particularly when she ad-libs and ‘lets loose.’

Another big contributor to the success is the songwriter, the legendary 🎼 ✍ Diane Warren. Warren is one of the best in the game. The lyrics, driven by love, are poetic and relatable. The melody (the tune) is memorable, particularly in the chorus, which Brandy sings exceptionally beautifully.

“Have you ever loved somebody

So much it makes you cry?

Have you ever needed something

So bad you can’t sleep at night?

Have you ever tried to find the words

But they don’t come out right?

Have you ever, have you ever?”

much love Also, shout out the production by 🎛 David Foster. The backdrop is classy, perfectly suited to a then-teenaged R&B singer. If by some chance you’ve never heard this 1998 contemporary R&B classic, you need to fix that immediately!

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9. Alice In Chain, “Man in the Box”

💿 Facelift • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 🗓 1990

“I’m the man in the box / Buried in my shit.” Woo, that’s some statement 🎙 Layne Staley makes on the 🎵 “Man in the Box”! It’s a key statement on a song that seems to have multiple meanings, depending on who you ask. Staley was a brilliant front man for the Seattle grunge band 🎙 Alice in Chains. Sadly, he’d succumb to a drug overdose at just 34 years old in 2002. Nonetheless, Layne left his mark on this 1990 🏆 Grammy-nominated record purportedly about censorship… or drug addiction… or being boxed-in… On “Man in the Box,” the band is in top-notch form – it marks their debut single from their debut album! Revisiting being the “man in the box,” by the pre-chorus, Staley asks to be saved. Saved from what? Well, that’s debatable and again, depending on who you ask, a source of controversy. Worth noting, Staley is backed by guitarist/co-songwriter 🎙 Jerry Cantrell on the oft-analyzed chorus:

“Feed my eyes

Can you sew them shut?

Jesus Christ

Deny your maker

He who tries

Will be wasted

Feed my eyes

Now you’ve sewn them shut.”

Cantrell, interestingly, contradicts/offers the opposite of Staley, which is part of the charm of the record. The “feed your eyes…sew them shut” lyrics speak to the censorship angle. Of course, it can also be interpreted to mean other things as everyone seems to have an opinion on this song. The second verse returns with more “shit,” censored on some versions of this classic. While outlandishness earns “Man in the Box” the most attention, we should be talking about that rad Jerry Cantrell solo 🤘.

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10.Keith Sweat, “Twisted”

💿 Keith Sweat • 🏷 Elektra • 📅 1996

“You know you want my lovin’ / You got me twisted over you.” Ooh, wee! 🎙 Keith Sweat has had many R&B hits and attained success on the pop charts, which is awesome for an R&B artist. His biggest hit on the pop charts was his platinum-certified single, 🎵 “Twisted” from his 1996, quadruple-platinum album, 💿 Keith Sweat. “Twisted” spent a total of 38 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at no. 2. The premise is relatively simple. This woman has toyed with Sweat’s emotions, giving mixed messages. Does she want him or does she not? That is the question! “Girl you did me wrong / …I thought we were down,” he sings in the pre-chorus, adding, “Now you say you want me girl /… Ooh, make up your mind.” He has a legitimate point. As he expresses his feelings about the situation, Sweat gets an awesome assist from 🎙 Kut Klose, who helps emphasize his points. Furthermore, 🎙 Pretty Russ provides a rap verse that also supports the twisted-ness:

“You got me twisted thinking about the way that things use to be

When it was you and me girl I was so free, see

You had my heart from the start like Cupid

And I was just downright foolish and stupid

… I guess I’ll wait for the day until you come back

Because my heart is where your love is at

You got me twisted.”

🎵 “Twisted” remains ripe, nearly 30 years after its release. The sentiment expressed remains relevant to the n^thdegree.

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11. R.E.M., “Losing My Religion”

💿 Out of Time • 🏷 R.E.M. / Athens L.L.C. / Concord Music Group • 🗓 1991

“That’s me in the corner / That’s me in the spotlight / Losing my religion.” Losing your religion, 🎙 Michael Stipe? You’re not allowed to lose religion – you’ll go to a burning, flaming HELL! Okay, okay, okay – I’m totally messing around. First and foremost, if Stipe and 🎙 R.E.M. are okay with 🎵 “Losing My Religion”, then, so am I. Honestly, the 🏆 Grammy-winning record just happens to be one of the greatest of all time. Furthermore, this gem from 💿 Out of Time (1991), isn’t even about religion! The pre-chorus, a key section, continues, “Trying to keep up with you / And I don’t know if I can do it / Oh no, I’ve said too much / I haven’t said enough.” Sigh, regardless of the fact we can’t be judgmental about actually losing religion, we can show this marvelous pop/rock classic some love.

“I thought that I heard you laughing

I thought that I heard you sing

I think I thought I saw you try.”

My, my, my! “Losing My Religion” is about obsession, which should be crystal clear in the first verse and confirmed by the excerpted chorus. “Oh, life is bigger / It’s bigger than you, and you’re a not me,” Stipe sings, continuing, “The lengths that I will go to / The distance in your eyes / Oh, no, I’ve said too much / I’ve set it up.” Woo! Stipe remains obsessed in the second verse, admitting to “Trying to keep an eye on you / Like a hurt, lost, and blinded fool.” Stipe is right – his longing for this person who won’t reciprocate the feelings/ keep the same energy is a waste of time. As outlandish as his obsession may be, can’t we all relate to some degree? 🎵 “Losing My Religion” ranks among the most kick-ass songs of all time.

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12. Erykah Badu, “On & On”

💿 Baduizm • 🏷 Universal • 📅 1997

“Oh my, my, my, I’m feeling high / My money’s gone, I’m all alone / Too much to see / The world keeps turning.” Ah, in 1997, the unique, one of a kind 🎙 Erykah Badu delivered one of neo-soul’s most important albums with her debut, 💿 Baduizm. Furthermore, Baduizm marks of the best albums of the 1990s. Nothing shines brighter on Baduizm than the cool, calm, but energetic 🎵 “On & On,” in which Badu channels her inner 🎙 Billie Holiday incorporating jazz into her brand of scintillating neo-soul. The sound of the record was ear-catching and truly refreshing at the time. Approaching 30 years later, it remains ear-catching and refreshing. Beyond the backdrop and distinct, refined vocals of Badu, who deservingly won the 🏆 Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal performance, the songwriting is brilliant – thought provoking. “On & On” thrives off its intellectualism and social consciousness. In the first verse, she sings, “If we were made in his image, then call us by our names / Most intellects do not believe in God but they fear us the same.” Who exactly do they fear on this no. 12 Billboard Hot 100 hit? Us refers to black people, which fits this black-centric, Five-Percent Nation referencing gem. The centerpiece, of course, is the chorus:

“Oh, on and on, and on and on

My cypher keeps moving like a rolling stone

Oh, on and on, and on and on

All night ‘til the break of dawn.”

Appears in 🔻:

11 Best R&B Songs: 1990 – 2000 (2018)

13. Kirk Franklin, “Lean On Me”

**💿 The Nu Nation Project • 🏷 GospoCentric • 📅 1998**

“This is for that little child with no father / For that man that doesn’t have a place to stay / For that little boy living with AIDS…” When you hear the name 🎙 Kirk Franklin, you instantly characterize him as a gospel music icon. In the 1990s, Franklin was a true pioneer in the industry. He showed a knack for making the genre alluring to a younger audience, incorporating hip-hop and R&B, while delivering inspirational and uplifting messages. Franklin’s 1998 album, 💿 The Nu Nation Project, is epic – one of the finest gospel albums of the decade. The biggest song from The Nu Nation Project was 🎵 “Lean On Me”, which featured an all-star cast of musicians: 🎙 R. Kelly, 🎙 Crystal Lewis, 🎙 Mary J. Blige, and 🎙 Bono – yes that Bono of U2 🤯! “Lean On Me” is that rare gospel record that crossed over onto the pop charts – it peaked at no. 79 on the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, “Lean On Me” – categorized as an R&B song – was nominated for three 🏆 Grammys: Song of the Year, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Ultimately, The Nu Nation Project’s win for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album would secure Franklin with one of his 19 🏆 Grammys (to date).

amen “Lean On Me” is a mighty musical lift 🏋️‍♀️ thanks to its encouragement, spirituality, and marvelous vocals.. R. Kelly, long before becoming disgraced, is the first singing voice heard, and he sounds stellar. He paints a picture of a homeless man going through a great trial, concluding the verse with “And his blue skies are gone / Can’t you hear him cryin’ out.” Think to yourself – have you ever cried out to friends, family, and God? From there, Crystal Lewis provides the perspective of a girl, searching for someone to lean on, prefacing the powerful chorus, performed by the choir stupendously:

“I, am here

You don’t have to worry

I can see, your tears

I’ll be there in a hurry when you call

Friends are there to catch you when you fall

Here’s my shoulder, you can lean on me.”

The “I” represents dedicated, true friends, with none bigger than The Most High, God. Mary J. Blige arrives in the third verse, continuing to depict scenario of folks in need. Bono adds his unique, nuanced voice to the fourth verse, singing with the choir, and Kirk serving up his usual brand of ministry. Later, the bridge marks a truly magnificent moment, with lines performed by Kelly, Bono, Lewis, 🎙 Dalon Collins, and Kirk. It leads into the most dynamic, powerful chorus of them all, including a fitting key change. Listening to 🎵 “Lean On Me” the big takeaway is showing humanity, lending a helping hand, and of course, putting faith in an all-merciful God, who can do anything. 25 years later, this song remains a blessing 🙌 🙌 🙌.

Appears in 🔻:

Kirk Franklin, Lean On Me: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 40 (2023)

Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 3 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Arista, Atlantic, Chrysalis, Concord Music Group, Elektra, GospoCentric, Legacy, NPG, Sony Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings, Inc., Universal, Warner; Jvxhn Visuals from Pexels]

Incredible Songs: 1990s, Vol. 3 | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on August 21, 2023August 21, 2023