90s Flasback: TLC // Waterfalls
Man this song takes me back. Just like my post on Oasis’ “Supersonic”, I remember “Waterfalls” being used in one of the many episodes of Top Gear I watched on repeat from I was two years old.
It was used during the JD Power Survey of 1996, when Quentin Wilson was talking about a either the Peugeot 106 or 306 having leaking problems. That was pretty fitting considering the song’s title, with images of the car going through car washes and the like being shown as the song was playing. It’s strange how you remember all the little those little things as a child, and that great nostalgic feeling you get when you remember or rediscover it.
Anyways, less about my childhood oddities and more about this TLC classic. The slinky, laidback R&B vibes of this track really resonate with me. I love the slight hint of jazz it gives, with those muted horns that, which combined with the song’s lyrics remind me of water somehow.
And those lyrics are pretty impacting. The trio warn against chasing your desires which will ultimately lead to harm. Giving examples of a mother’s reaction to her drug dealing son’s murder and a man’s lust leading to his health fading due to AIDS, “Waterfalls” is a truly cutting track with an equally memorable video to match.
T-Boz’s smoky vocals give the lyrics real meaning, with everything combined making this a definite highlight of the 90s. However it’s Left Eye’s rap which is my favourite part of track, with her quirky delivery containing clever lyrics that bring a message of truth. “Dreams are hopeless aspirations, in hopes of coming true, believe in yourself, the rest is up to me and you”.
90s Flashback: Mobb Deep // Shook Ones, Pt. II
“Shook Ones, Pt. II” is a track you won’t forget once you’ve heard it. Released off Mobb Deep’s second album “The Infamous”, this track is the sequel to “Shook Ones”, which was a promotional single the year before this was released in 1995.
With a heavy drum beat and a straying piano loop, “Shook Ones, Pt. II)” sounds particularly sinister. There’s an ominous sound about the track, with the crackling horns creeping in at certain points giving the song quite an unnerving feel. There’s undertones of repressed anger in that beat alone - you could feel the tension of this song even if it was only an instrumental; that’s just how atmospheric this track is.
The lyrics are equally as dark, dealing with inner city violence from the perspective of struggling youths. This track no doubt has some of the best verses of 90s rap, as it manages to create a story which seems as unbelievable as it is realistic. Combined with that genius instrumental, which has been sampled by the likes of Mariah Carey and even Cassie, and this song just can’t help but be barefacedly dark and gritty.
90s Flashback: Dr. Dre // Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang [Feat. Snoop Dogg]
I’ve been listening to this track loads lately as I patiently await the release of ‘Detox’ in 2026 later this year. Hopefully Dr. Dre will take a break from making headphones and finally give us his third album, but I won’t hold my breath. Until then I’ll listen to ‘The Chronic’ and ‘2001’, the former being a soundtrack for much of 2012 for me so far.
“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” must be the epitome of West Coast hip-hop. With samples from Leon Hawywood, Public Enemy and Kid Dynamite, it perfects the sounds of Los Angeles. Its laidback sounds surely make it a better representative of early 90s hip-hop than most others.
Snoop and Dre are the perfect partership, they just work so well on tracks together. It must be their smooth delivery, but whatever it is, they definitely sound good together. Hopefully they’ll give us another to ball around Los Santos to….that is if Dre can get his album out before Grand Theft Auto V hits the shelves.
90s Flashback: 2Pac // Changes
A year has come and gone and a lot has happened in that time. There’s been a lot of good and bad, and as well as the fact that I don’t feel like posting a party song as I’m not having the New Year celebrations I’m really excited about until Monday, I thought Pac’s ‘Changes’ was a fitting song considering how different things are at the end of 2011 compared to how they were at the beginning.
A posthumous release from his 1998 Greatest Hits, “Changes” was originally recorded in 1992, and also uses lines from the track “I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto” which was recorded in the same year. An interpolation of Bruce Hornsby and the Range’s “The Way It Is”, the way the two songs fit in together lyrically as well as musically combined with the impact of 2Pac’s fairly recent death are what made it such a classic.
Dealing with topics such as racism and how the government concentrating on a war against drugs while ignoring the war on poverty, Shakur wishes for a better world on this social commentary. This song really puts things into perspective, as well as and making you realise that while you may want to live in a utopian world that “some things will never change”.
90s Flashback: SWV // Right Here (Human Nature Remix)
2011 was a good year in music. Sure it had it’s low points, but there were many highlights if you just looked hard enough. One of those which wasn’t so difficult to spot was the return of Chris Brown, who provided us with his best album to date, “F.A.M.E” this year.
On that album is my favourite Chris Brown single, “She Ain’t You”, which samples Michael Jackson’s ‘Human Nature’ and in particular the Human Nature remix of SWV’s ‘Right Here’. A 90s classic, “Right Here” contains everything which is good about early 90s R&B. It’s laid back, summery, with great vocals and perfect harmonies. There’s that distinctive 90s drum beat in the background, coupled with some percussion and that infamous Michael Jackson sample which really makes the song perfect. Add a shoutout from a young Pharrell Williams and you might as well classify this as a star studded collaboration.
Speaking of collaborations, the SWV remix of Chris Brown’s “She Ain’t You” was definitely a highlight of 2011, and while I haven’t paid much attention to the band’s return, hopefully 2012 will see a resurgence in the amount of classic R&B on our airwaves.
90s Flashback: Mariah Carey // The Roof [Feat. Mobb Deep]
‘The Roof’ would have to be my favourite Mariah song of all time. It’s just so intense, yet understated and sultry, representing a time when Mariah was at her peak and had just gotten her first real taste of freedom with the album ‘Butterfly’.
Built around a sample of Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones part II”, the song saw Mariah further into the world of Hip-Hop and R&B as she broke away from her controlling ex-husband Tommy Mottola, who continued to make her career difficult by refusing to release her singles in the US as head of Sony. Nevertheless, this newfound independence of sorts saw Mariah create her best material, as her restrained vocals suiting the slinky feel of the song while still retaining that strength that she was so well known for.
Downbeat, gritty R&B really suited Mariah. This song has such a low-fi sound, allowing Mariah could hold back a little vocally and let her songwriting skills do the talking. All that combined with a great verse from Mobb Deep, which suited the clever sample, make this a definite highlight of 90s music for me.
90s Flashback: Destiny’s Child // No No No (Part 2) [Feat. Wyclef Jean]
As soon as this came on the music channels came on the music channels a few days ago, I just knew I had to post it up here.
‘No No No’ was of course the debut single from Destiny’s Child, and is probably most known in its remix form. Known as Part 2, this version features Wyclef Jean of ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ fame (don’t worry, I’m joking y’all!) and a decidedly more Hip-Hop production compared to the R&B vibes of the original.
The oldschool Hip-Hop vibe of the track is laid back, yet the percussion just makes you wanna move. It’s a classic 90s track, which is an excellent example of the amazing harmonies Destiny’s Child were capable of. Plus, without this track we wouldn’t have superstars such as LeToya, Farrah Franklin, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. Plus some other chick called Beyoncé.
90s Flashback: Nirvana // Come As You Are
I saw the music video for this and was reminded of just what a great song it is. I just had to make a post about it.
It think that riff is ingrained in my mind after being used in an episode of Top Gear I watched endlessly as a child. I think it was during a segment in which they tested amphibious cars, which is appropriate considering the watery tone of the guitar in the verses.
This song manages to be melodic, yet moody at the same time, which is great as it seems like there’s always a time when I feel like I’ve got to listen to some moody music. It would be nice if the campaign to get Nirvana the UK Christmas #1 used this song instead of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, but it’ll be nice to see them appear nonetheless.
90s Flashback: En Vogue // Don’t Let Go (Love)
Prompted by the release of a new single and an amazing cover by Little Mix on X Factor, I just had get this 90s R&B classic up on here.
A power ballad of epic proportions, the female empowerment anthem deals with the situation of a lover who just won’t commit. The song’s massive chorus is backed up by piano, along with overblown guitar and vocals. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it manages to pull it all off without being tacky.
Maybe it’s because the track hasn’t been ridiculously overplayed or that the emotions they convey throughout it are completely believable. Whatever the reason is, it sure is impressive that they managed to create a song so dramatic, yet so classy.
90s Flashback: Lauryn Hill // Lost Ones
Almost every song on ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ seems to be some sort of masterpiece. ‘Lost Ones’ is perhaps more well known than most of the album tracks due to getting a US radio release. And thank goodness for that, I’d be ecstatic if I ever heard this on the radio.
The track combines a tight hip-hop beat with reggae and dub influences, along with Lauryn’s cutting rhymes, which have all the attitude you could only get from a woman who’s been betrayed. It’s a great song, with an obvious religious element, as Lauryn speaks about people who “gained the whole world for the price of [their] soul”. Lyrical content which speaks of people who give up something so important to gain ultimately fickle things is genius. L-Boogie really knows how to approach hard hitting topics, which have definitely remained relevant till this day still.
Listening to album there is so much to take in as Lauryn effortlessly tackles what some would consider taboo topics nowadays. In some ways, although I would have loved a follow up, anything after a record so brilliant would just seem underwhelming in comparison. At least with such an iconic album, Lauryn should be remembered for all the right reasons.
