|
ATRL: BoTB 90s Style Week 10: Say You Mean The Sweetest Things
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
|
BoTB 90s Style Week 10: Say You Mean The Sweetest Things
An appropriately sweet title for perhaps the most ... romantic, genuine week we've played so far. Young love gets put into contexts of pre-cursor emo (Weezer), yuppie soul (Toni), bubblegum pop (Britney) and wistful, made-for-summer R&B (Lauryn). Of course, I expect none of them to surpass what might be the best pop song of our generation.
The choice is in your hands.
Weezer, performing Say It Ain't So
Toni Braxton, performing You Mean the World to Me
Britney Spears, performing Sometimes
Backstreet Boys, performing I Want It That Way
The Fugees, performing Ready or Not
Nirvana, performing Lithium
Lauryn Hill, performing The Sweetest Thing
Green Day, performing Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
|
|
|
Member Since: 11/29/2010
Posts: 19,102
|
Maybe the first time I agree with almost all of the choices besides Toni's.
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Lipton
Maybe the first time I agree with almost all of the choices besides Toni's.
|
Toni got royally GYPPED - but, then again, nothing in her 90s singles catalog really compares to Let it Flow. That was a once in a lifetime moment, perfect marriage of song and singer.
|
|
|
Member Since: 11/29/2010
Posts: 19,102
|
She has better songs than what was selected. Who voted for that anyway? Let's step our cookies up, folks.
|
|
|
Member Since: 10/28/2008
Posts: 22,771
|
I need a moment to gather my rankings. I've decided who's the top rank though.
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Lipton
She has better songs than what was selected. Who voted for that anyway? Let's step our cookies up, folks.
|
Only two people voted for her top fours.
|
|
|
Member Since: 11/29/2010
Posts: 19,102
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Ace Reject
Only two people voted for her top fours.
|
I should have voted.
I know at least who one of the two is.
|
|
|
ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
|
Nirvana or Weezer? Weezer or Nirvana? Decisions, decisions--
Oh ****, RON?!
...why? Why must this week be so hard?
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Red
Nirvana or Weezer? Weezer or Nirvana? Decisions, decisions--
Oh ****, RON?!
...why? Why must this week be so hard?
|
It's such a stronger week than last week. Can't wait to play it.
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
|
Some more leftovers from the last round:
Aaliyah
1. One in a Million
2. Are You That Somebody?
3. The One I Gave My Heart To
4. If Your Girl Only Knew
The Dixie Chicks
1. Wide Open Spaces
2. Cowboy Take Me Away
3. Goodbye Earl
4. Ready to Run
Jewel
1. Foolish Games
2. You Were Meant for Me
3. Who Will Save Your Soul
4. Jupiter (Swallow the Moon)
Marilyn Manson
1. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
2. The Beautiful People
3. The Dope Show
4. Rock is Dead
Shakira
1. Ojos Asi
2. Inevitable
3. Pies Descalzos, Sueños Buenos
4. Estoy Aquî
Pavement
1. Summer Babe, Winter Version
2. Range Life
3. Elevate Me Later
4. Cut Your Hair
Pet Shop Boys
1. Go West
2. Being Boring
3. Jealousy
4. So Hard
Vanessa Williams
1. Save the Best for Last
2. Running Back to You
3. The Comfort Zone
4. I Got Work to Do
Hole
1. Celebrity Skin
2. Malibu
3. Miss World
4. Violet
The Spice Girls
1. Stop
2. 2 Become 1
3. Wannabe
4. Mama
U2
1. Mysterious Ways
2. One
3. Sweetest Thing
4. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Brandy
1. Sittin' Up in My Room
2. Almost Doesn't Count
3. Have You Ever?
4. Angel in Disguise
Outkast
1. Rosa Parks
2. Southernplayasticadillacmuzik
3. Jazzy Belle
4. Playa's Ball
Boyz II Men
1. End of the Road
2. On Bended Knee
3. I'll Make Love to You
4. Mama
Destiny's Child
1. Bills, Bills, Bills
2. Say My Name
3. Bug a Boo
4. So Good
Robyn
1. Show Me Love
2. Do You Know (What it Takes)
3. Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)
4. Electric
Fiona Apple
1. Never is a Promise
2. Shadowboxer
3. Criminal
4. Across the Universe
Ace of Base
1. The Sign
2. All That She Wants
3. Cruel Summer
4. Don't Turn Around
Paula Abdul
1. Rush, Rush
2. Promise of a New Day
3. Vibeology
4. U
|
|
|
ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
|
I've been avoiding this for a couple of days because this is literally unbelievably hard. Ugh. Gotta do it, though.
8) Weezer - Say It Ain't So (So many positive memories just rush back to me whenever I listen to this song. It was an extremely tough choice between songs 8-6, but this won out purely because of nostalgia)
7) Nirvana - Lithium
6) The Fugees - Ready or Not
5) Brit Brit - Sometimes (one of the happiest songs ever made, I really don't understand how some people could ever hate this)
4) Lauryn Hill - The Sweetest Thing
3) Toni Braxton - You Mean the World to Me
2) Green Day - Good Riddance (I just don't like this as much as most of GD's other songs...still like it, though)
1) Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way
Basically, the problem was two big battles between spots 8-6 and spots 5-2. 1 is the only one I don't really like, mostly because it just doesn't stack up with their best.
|
|
|
Member Since: 2/26/2006
Posts: 62,897
|
Hardest ranking ever in this game so far Many of my favorite songs this week, I wish I could give 8 points to four songs at least.
8. Green Day, performing Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
7. Nirvana, performing Lithium
6. Britney Spears, performing Sometimes
5. Weezer, performing Say It Ain't So
4. Backstreet Boys, performing I Want It That Way
3. Toni Braxton, performing You Mean the World to Me
2. The Fugees, performing Ready or Not
1. Lauryn Hill, performing The Sweetest Thing
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 3/18/2009
Posts: 35,164
|
Another tough week. I struggled with how to order those first five fairly (specifically, whether I was letting nostalgia cloud my judgment regarding BSB). On a personal level, I was sad to rank my girl Brit so low, but I can't do anything about the weird picks voters made for her. Toni's was the only song that really wasn't doing it for me.
Weezer, performing Say It Ain't So: 5
The opening verse is surprisingly slinky and sexy for slacker rock, and I actually think it holds a lot more power (of intrigue) than the increasingly screamo rest of the song. Nevertheless, that guitar riff is such a slice of perfection that it almost doesn't really matter what's going on with the vocal.
Toni Braxton, performing You Mean the World to Me: 1
Let's start with the positive: Toni sounds fantastic here. But that muzak-like instrumental is doing her no favors, and it sounds dated as hell. Early '90s R&B production claims another victim.
Britney Spears, performing Sometimes: 3
This was never one of my favorite Britney songs, so I rarely listen to it anymore. I think I wrote it off unfairly, because it's a lot better than I remember: the composition actually has a number of interesting elements, Britney sounds fairly strong here, and it's not nearly as sickly sweet as I imagined. That said, she needed something more (where is "...Baby One More Time"?!) to move on this week.
Backstreet Boys, performing I Want It That Way: 8
Oh, man! After a song like this has been recorded, where does a genre go? No wonder bubblegum pop was done by 2002. (Also, that key change is hands down one of the greatest moments in music history. If you disagree, you're wrong.)
The Fugees, performing Ready or Not: 4
The sample, Lauryn's delivery—those first 30 seconds are just sick. (I mean, what else can you say?) The rest of the song never reaches the same energy and intensity of her opening salvo, but I love that she sounds like this ethereal angel of doom throughout.
Nirvana, performing Lithium: 7
A lot of songs—many of which we've listened to in previous weeks of this game—struggle to balance high and low points in the emotion, severity or magnitude of their delivery. This one veers wildly back and forth between enormously loud and intimately quiet, yet it's absolutely pitch-perfect throughout.
Lauryn Hill, performing The Sweetest Thing: 2
It's low-key pleasant—something I might enjoy listening to when I'm in a relaxed or lazy mood. But it's neither as beautiful nor as urgent as her best work.
Green Day, performing Good Riddance (Time of Your Life): 6
Understated and honest and achingly beautiful. Definitely unexpected among Green Day's early discography, but I'm sure that only adds to its allure and emotional heft. I have a lot of great memories associated with this song.
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 3/18/2009
Posts: 35,164
|
Also, sorry for the extremely late post. I was out of town all of last week visiting family and I just got back a few days ago.
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
|
Thanks for bumping it, because I have to rank! I leave it open for the next day or two to get more votes.
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/23/2010
Posts: 16,089
|
Wow I totally forgot. Will do it tomorrow. I worked too much last week. Sorry.
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/23/2010
Posts: 16,089
|
I won't really comment for each song, You know a week is tough when I rank my Lauryn Hill at #4. The last two weeks were too hard, I hope the upcoming ones will be a little more obvious.
Weezer, performing Say It Ain't So 5
Toni Braxton, performing You Mean the World to Me 2
Britney Spears, performing Sometimes 1
Backstreet Boys, performing I Want It That Way 3
The Fugees, performing Ready or Not 8
My fave this week, Lauryn makes the song. Funny how she manages to be the highligh of Pras's verse.
Nirvana, performing Lithium 7
Lauryn Hill, performing The Sweetest Thing 4
Green Day, performing Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) 6
|
|
|
ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/23/2008
Posts: 14,330
|
Backstreet Boys I Want It That Way (8)
Weezer Say It Ain't So (7)
Britney Spears Sometimes (6)
Nirvana Lithium (5)
The Fugees Ready or Not (4)
Lauryn Hill The Sweetest Thing (3)
Toni Braxton You Mean the World to Me (2)
Green Day Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) (1)
|
|
|
ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 2/19/2003
Posts: 34,484
|
I see, yet again, that my rankings are the outlier of the group.
I'm going to try to describe these in one-word blurbs, with two exceptions.
Say It Ain't So - Genius. 6
You Mean the World to Me - Dated. 2
Sometimes - Sweet. 5
I Want it That Way - The best pop song of the past fifteen years. Lyrically rubbish, generally perfect. 8
Ready or Not - Lauryn. (Not an adjective, but she steals the show; best rapper of the three also.) 4
Lithium - Powerful. 3
The Sweetest Thing - Where I differ from everyone else. If a whopper like IWITW wasn't in the competition, this would be the clear winner. It just gets everything SO RIGHT about teenage love amongst young black people. I think it's actually a remarkable record, with so many layers.
7
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Seinfeld. 1
|
|
|
|
|