I had planned on finishing this sooner, but I wrapped up with other things this evening.
Britney Spears Born to Make You Happy
Absurdly anti-feminist, yet if you're willing to disregard content this is one beautiful track, highlighted by one of my favorite vocal performances from Britney. This particular mix ruins some of the sentimentality of the album version, turning a pleasant Max Martin midtempo into a booming, dancable, affair. (10)
Reba McEntire The Greatest Man I Never Knew
The greatest words I never heard
I guess I'll never hear
The man I thought could never die
Has been dead almost a year
He was good at business
But there was business left to do
He never said he loved me
Guess he thought I knew
****.
(9)
Celine Dion It's All Coming Back to Me Now
Ridiculously melodramatic, in the best way possible. I particularly love it when things get literal. "But you were history with the slamming of the door!" *BA-DU-DUM!* Brilliant.*(8)
Cathy Dennis Touch Me (All Night Long)
It's funny that Ace would bring up Fonda Rae. Cathy's brilliant dance-pop confections*have been causing me to touch myself (all night long) for several years, and in most of that time I had no idea that Cathy's most iconic and legendary song (
the most iconic and legendary song of all time, some might say) would not have come into existence had Ms. Fonda not provided necessary building blocks some 6/7 years earlier. In some sense I felt cheated. Unaware of this background, I had assumed TM(ANL) (Too Much Anal) was the complete genius of Cathy Dennis, fabulous pop lyricist and decidedly awkward/goofy solo pop act (watch some of her music videos, especially the stuff with D Mob). Well, the blow was eventually softened as I realized that Cathy's genius did indeed find it's way into this track in the form of several verses, perfectly revised to form a beautifully harmonious relationship with a too-perfect-to-be-improved chorus. Has a chorus before or since so epitomized pop music? (Where would we be without the lyric,
drive me crazy? WHERE?!) Whether you credit Cathy or Fonda, I think this chorus must be the point of reference, whether intentional or not, for at least 90% of pop songwriters. In any other week this would be my ten pointer, but I'll try to reign in my delusions just a bit and award this a healthy number seven. (7)
Third Eye Blind Jumper
I wish this chorus was not so damn literal, my friends
They could, rework it just a bit and obscure the meaning
And, if you do not agree with my rankin'
I would understand
But I really love this. That guitar solo is fantastic. These 90s Third Eye Blond hits forever have a special place in my heart. (6)
Cher Believe
I'm a believer. (5)
Notorious B.I.G. Hypnotize
One of Biggie's fantastic signature songs, but he has better. (4)
Green Day When I Come Around
Sure, it's a bit repetitive, but when the guitar riff is as infectious as this one I sort of don't mind that I'm listening to the same strumming for three and a half minutes. Out of any track this week, this is perhaps the one with the most sentimental value to me. When the parents would leave, my teenaged sister would bring her copy of
Dookie out of hiding. I miss hearing this blared through cheap CD player speakers. (3)
Selena Amor Prohibo
Dear Saint Selena, this was very enjoyable. (2)
Pearl Jam Even Flow
The thing is, I've always found Eddie Vedder's voice to be more than a bit annoying. So perhaps I harbor a little unfair bias against Pearl Jam? In the interest of fairness I feel the need to comment on some positive aspect of the track, and I actually can. That chorus is terrific; it's the sort of thing that you could hum for days. It has to be one of the most memorable/singable choruses of the 90s grunge era, no? (1)
