Okay, boosted this from she who does bucky nekkid cartwheels in a hyperbaric chamber. Swear to goodness, that’s the best blog name out there, if for no other reason than I could never get away with it. I have a love for anything anything I find interesting that I couldn’t do.
Either way, it goes like this. I went to musicoutfitters.com and brought down the top 100 songs of my graduation year of high school (1997). Now, the ones I like–and there’s a pretty low threshhold for liking something–are in bold. Guilty pleasures are italicized. Songs I don’t like get that good strikeout. If I don’t care, it gets nothing.
And there’s a chance this list may stop at fiddy. 100’s a lotta songs.
Let’s go.
1. Candle In The Wind 1997, Elton John I have so many good things to say about Elton John, but our friendship has to be strong for me to listen to his songs in the car. No one wants to hear me sing “Rocketman.” Seuss digs it, too, so we can sing along to it together without feeling uncomfortable. It makes me feel good about things.
2. Foolish Games / You Were Meant For Me, Jewel
3. I’ll Be Missing You, Puff Daddy and Faith Evans I don’t care who this was about. It was absolutely terrible. There are songs about Jesus that suck.
4. Un-Break My Heart, Toni Braxton
5. Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down, Puff Daddy
6. I Believe I Can Fly, R. Kelly. If my godson could write it, no dice. My godson is seven months old.
7. Don’t Let Go (Love), En Vogue
8. Return Of The Mack, Mark Morrison White people, I just don’t understand you all sometimes.
9. How Do I Live, LeAnn Rimes
10. Wannabe, Spice Girls The only time I’ve ever wanted to box with Nelson Mandela was when he acknowledged loving them. Must not have been any good musicians when he waws on the bricks.
11. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), Backstreet Boys
12. MMMBop, Hanson
13. For You I Will, Monica
14. You Make Me Wanna…, Usher
15. Bitch, Meredith Brooks Why are empowering and corny so often synonymous?
16. Nobody Keith Sweat Open your mouth, Keith. I can’t understand what you’re saying. And were’s Kut Close right now?
17. Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind
18. Barely Breathing, Duncan Sheik
19. Hard To Say I’m Sorry, Az Yet Featuring Peter Cetera I admit to liking some really bad records with Peter Cetera on them.
20. Mo Money Mo Problems, Notorious B.I.G. My goodness.
21. The Freshmen, Verve Pipe
22. I Want You, Savage Garden
23. No Diggity, BLACKstreet Featuring Dr. Dre If for no other reason than I bet Bill Withers need to cash a check.
24. I Belong To You (Every Time I See Your Face), Rome Simpin’ must be easy.
25. Hypnotize, Notorious B.I.G.
26. Every Time I Close My Eyes, Babyface Who told him he could write songs? And who told you to like those songs?
27. In My Bed, Dru Hill
28. Say You’ll Be There, Spice Girls Just playing. This is abysmal.
29. Do You Know (What It Takes), Robyn
30. 4 Seasons Of Loneliness, Boyz II Men Hello, we’re negroes, but no need to feel threatened.
31. G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T., Changing Faces On part two of this song, they threaten to make buddy “disappear.” I’m dead serious.
32. Honey, Mariah Carey
33. I Believe In You And Me, Whitney Houston One day, someone will have to explain to me why black people love Whitney Houston so much.
34. Da’ Dip, Freaknasty
35. 2 Become 1, Spice Girls
36. All For You, Sister Hazel
37. Cupid, 112 So poorly written. However, that is the one lowlight on a great record.
38. Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?, Paula Cole
39. Sunny Came Home, Shawn Colvin
40. It’s Your Love, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
41. Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit, Gina G Don’t know the song, but it sounds dreadful.
42. Mouth, Merril Bainbridge
43. All Cried Out, Allure Featuring 112 Better than the original?
44. I’m Still In Love With You, New Edition Rare bright spot on a bad record.
45. Invisible Man, 98 Degrees
46. Not Tonight, Lil’ Kim Assuming we’re talking about the “Ladies’ Night” remix.
47. Look Into My Eyes, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
48. Get It Together, 702
49. All By Myself, Celine Dion
50. It’s All Coming Back To Me Now, Celine Dion
51. My Love Is The Shhh!, Somethin’ For The People I was like sixteen. I still wouldn’t pay to see these suckers piss on a flat rock.
52. Where Do You Go, No Mercy
53. I Finally Found Someon, Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams
54. I’ll Be, Foxy Brown Featuring Jay-Z Never liked it. Not for a second.
55. If It Makes You Happy , Sheryl Crow
56. Never Make A Promise, Dru Hill
57. When You Love A Woman, Journey
58. Up Jumps Da Boogie, Magoo And Timbaland What a beat. And what y’all know about the CAU Residence Hall Step Show ’97?
59. I Don’t Want To / I Love Me Some Him, Toni Braxton
60. Everyday Is A Winding Road, Sheryl Crow
61. Cold Rock A Party, Mc Lyte I remember liking this, but I can’t remember what it sounds like.
62. Pony, Ginuwine Shady Ln’s father–R.I.P.–loved this song. So funny.
63. Building A Mystery, Sarah McLachlan
64. I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis
65. Your Woman, White Town
66. C U When U Get There, Coolio
67. Change The World, Eric Clapton A lot of songs from men that don’t sound, yanno, manly.
68. My Baby Daddy, B-Rock and The Bizz One of the few things that I believe may have set the race back.
69. Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
70. Gotham City, R. Kelly Kareem from Kansas City, Brawly ’97, did a great interpolation of this.
71. Last Night, Az Yet If for no other reason than the leader of this group was the nigga that gave up on Boyz II Men because he thought they weren’t going anywhere.
72. ESPN Presents The Jock Jam, Various Artists
73. Big Daddy, Heavy D
74. What About Us, Total I remember liking this. Wow, my memory’s going bad.
75. Smile, Scarface Oh my goodness, flawless from top to bottom.
76. What’s On Tonight, Montell Jordan
77. Secret Garden, Bruce Springsteen
78. The One I Gave My Heart, w Aaliyah
79. Fly Like An Eagle, Seal
80. No Time, Lil’ Kim Great choice of sample. JB’s “Take Me As I Am.”
81. Naked Eye, Luscious Jackson
82. Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los Del Rio Could a Latino please tell me if you guys talk about whether your race was set back by shit like this?
83. On and On, Erykah Badu Overrated though it may be.
84. Don’t Wanna Be A Player, Joe Punk ass.
85. I Shot The Sheriff, Warren G
86. You Should Be Mine (Don’t Waste Your Time), Brian McKnight Featuring Mase
87. Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Madonna
88. Someone, SWV
89. Go The Distance, Michael Bolton
90. One More Time, Real McCoy
91. Butta Love, Next
92. Coco Jamboo, Mr. President
93. Twisted, Keith Sweat
94. Barbie Girl, Aqua
95. When You’re Gone / Free To Decide, Cranberries
96. Let Me Clear My Throat, DJ Kool Probably gonna hear this ’til the day I die. Good? I dunno.
97. I Like It, Blackout Allstars
98. You’re Makin’ Me High / Let It Flow, Toni Braxton
99. You Must Love Me, Madonna
100. Let It Go, Ray J
19 Comments
by Laylah
Oh, hey, I graduated HS in 1997, too. That list took me on a nice trip back to HS Graduation (I Believe I Can Fly was our graduation song) and Mo Money Mo Problems was the theme song of Freshman year…
by Laylah
Oh, hey, I graduated HS in 1997, too. That list took me on a nice trip back to HS Graduation (I Believe I Can Fly was our graduation song) and Mo Money Mo Problems was the theme song of Freshman year…
by Rachel S
Man you have too much time on your hands. LOL!! But I must be in the same boat as you because I looked up my year, 1993–much better year. And BTW the White people were not repping in 1993–only 2.5 in the top 20–Robin S., Snow, and UB40 (multiracial band). LOL!!
PS- Ray J is in your year; Joey Lawrence in mine, ugh.
Too much time…sounds about right. But really, 1993 is one of the supreme feast of famine years in music history. The stuff on that list is either brilliant or hot C.D. Bosh.
by Solomeen
Interesting idea–don’t think I’ll be looking at my year anytime soon.
BTW: Rachel, Robin S. IS black.
Bomani–after your explanation, I will refer to you by your whole first name–MC Lyte’s “Cold Rock a Party” used the Diana Ross “Upside Down” sample.
DJ Kool will ALWAYS be good. Try “The Music ain’t loud enuff” from ’88. (Yeah, that cat’s been around 4ever…) I can even remember a Sprite commercial he did back in ’97-’98 that was sooo hot people were calling the radio station to REQUEST it. Even though it was Augusta, Ga., it was still blazin’.
by Solomeen
Interesting idea–don’t think I’ll be looking at my year anytime soon.
BTW: Rachel, Robin S. IS black.
Bomani–after your explanation, I will refer to you by your whole first name–MC Lyte’s “Cold Rock a Party” used the Diana Ross “Upside Down” sample.
DJ Kool will ALWAYS be good. Try “The Music ain’t loud enuff” from ’88. (Yeah, that cat’s been around 4ever…) I can even remember a Sprite commercial he did back in ’97-’98 that was sooo hot people were calling the radio station to REQUEST it. Even though it was Augusta, Ga., it was still blazin’.
by Solomeen
Interesting idea–but I don’t think I’ll be looking at my year anytime soon.
BTW: Rachel, Robin S. IS black.
Bomani–after your explanation, I will refer to you by your whole first name–MC Lyte’s “Cold Rock a Party” used the Diana Ross “Upside Down” sample.
DJ Kool will ALWAYS be good. Try “The Music ain’t loud enuff” from ’88. (Yeah, that cat’s been around 4ever…and so have I). I can even remember a Sprite commercial he did back in ’97-’98 that was sooo hot people were calling the radio station to REQUEST it. Even though it was Augusta, Ga., it was still blazin’.
by Kirk
Man, it could be worse. 1995, and we’re being bombarded with Hootie and The Fishblow everywhere I turn. Add that to having a moron for a roommate who thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread, and life was hard.
Oh, and #1? That damn Coolio rappin’ to Michelle Pfeiffer with “Gangsta’s Paradise”.
I had to wait for a guilty pleasure until all the way down to #78 with “No More ‘I Love You’s’, by Annie Lennox, if for no other reason than because I liked trying to guess which gender she was in the video and being scared no matter what answer I came up with.
by Rachel S
Robin S is Black; really? Shows how much I remember her. I really tried to tune out the mid-1990s dance music fad. LOL!! So us White folks did even worse LOL!! I have to go down to 26 Billy Joel and the Proclaimers. Now there was a guilty pleasure…..I would walk 500 miles and….Oh god. This reminds me of my first car 1986 Dodge Aries I used to dance to all of these songs in my car–especially the Toni Tony Tone album. Well, until the engine blew up on my way to my Whopper Flopper job at Burger King. True story. I walked to a pay (no cell phones in Southern Ohio at that time); called my Dad. He said what’s wrong. I said it won’t go and there’s oil and smoke everywhere. ROTFL!! Enough already.
by Rachel S
Robin S is Black; really? Shows how much I remember her. I really tried to tune out the mid-1990s dance music fad. LOL!! So us White folks did even worse LOL!! I have to go down to 26 Billy Joel and the Proclaimers. Now there was a guilty pleasure…..I would walk 500 miles and….Oh god. This reminds me of my first car 1986 Dodge Aries I used to dance to all of these songs in my car–especially the Toni Tony Tone album. Well, until the engine blew up on my way to my Whopper Flopper job at Burger King. True story. I walked to a pay (no cell phones in Southern Ohio at that time); called my Dad. He said what’s wrong. I said it won’t go and there’s oil and smoke everywhere. ROTFL!! Enough already.
by J.R.
Bonus points go to Solomean for mentioning ‘the Music Ain’t Loud Enuff” from back in the day. I still got that shit on WAX
by J.R.
Bonus points go to Solomean for mentioning ‘the Music Ain’t Loud Enuff” from back in the day. I still got that shit on WAX
by J.R.
Bonus points go to Solomeen for mentioning ‘The Music Ain’t Loud Enuff” from back in the day. I still got that shit on WAX!
Ahhh, my memory has kicked in. That’s the joint with one of the last bangin Missy Elliott verses ever. “Puff Daddy be my pal when I hee-hee…” Shit, Puff “produced” that. I hate liking his stuff.
by J.R.
Bonus points go to Solomeen for mentioning ‘The Music Ain’t Loud Enuff” from back in the day. I still got that shit on WAX!
Ahhh, my memory has kicked in. That’s the joint with one of the last bangin Missy Elliott verses ever. “Puff Daddy be my pal when I hee-hee…” Shit, Puff “produced” that. I hate liking his stuff.
by jaedalaurez
Class of 97 here!!!! (class song- Seasons of Love from RENT…yeah- it was that kind of school)
That list took me back to skipping Calc I after my college apps were approved and going to breakfast instead, listening to the new alt. station- The Verve Pipe, Duncan Sheik, Lucious Jackson, Sister Hazel; Shawn Colvin, Jewel, Sarah MacLaughlin…all those Lillith Fair chicks lol….good times all around.
by jaedalaurez
Class of 97 here!!!! (class song- Seasons of Love from RENT…yeah- it was that kind of school)
That list took me back to skipping Calc I after my college apps were approved and going to breakfast instead, listening to the new alt. station- The Verve Pipe, Duncan Sheik, Lucious Jackson, Sister Hazel; Shawn Colvin, Jewel, Sarah MacLaughlin…all those Lillith Fair chicks lol….good times all around.
by Elizabeth
Damn ’97 sucked. Sidenote, in agreeance to songs that blew up for no reason. Particular song about Jesus that sucked: “Jesus Walks.” Grammy winning even.
Ohhh, not sure about Jesus Walks. But ’97 was a little better than that list would indicate. That list only has singles, which means some great shit didn’t make it. Examples–“Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” and “All About the Benjamins.”
by Elizabeth
Damn ’97 sucked. Sidenote, in agreeance to songs that blew up for no reason. Particular song about Jesus that sucked: “Jesus Walks.” Grammy winning even.
Ohhh, not sure about Jesus Walks. But ’97 was a little better than that list would indicate. That list only has singles, which means some great shit didn’t make it. Examples–“Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” and “All About the Benjamins.”
by Danyel
dude! I like your list.
by Danyel
dude! I like your list.