I marked one year of home ownership in December 1994 and recall friends from various stages of my life visit during that winter break. Two of those, Mark H and Lana, had driven in from St. Louis and I went back with them, returning to Kentucky via plane a few days later. Mark introduced me to Magic: The Gathering during our time together. It's fair to say the cards fascinated me more than the game itself did; I collected quite a few of them over the next couple of years.
On the MRT front, it surprises me not that I'm focusing mainly on the female voices from thirty years ago.
36. Mazzy Star, "Halah"
As I noted last time out, the success of "Fade Into You" led many folks, yours truly included, to check out Mazzy Star's first album She Hangs Brightly. "Halah" remains, to my mind, the band's best moment.
34. Aimee Mann, "That's Just What You Are"
Here's Mann's only solo appearance on the Hot 100 (spending six weeks in the 90s), courtesy of getting featured on Melrose Place. One certainly can't help but notice Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze contributing background vocals.
30. The Murmurs, "You Suck"
Female duo out of NYC; their one big moment features appealing harmonies and an interesting contrast between the sweetness of the music and the anger in the lyrics. One Murmur, Leisha Hailey, has gone on to a decently successful acting career.
22. The Go-Go's, "The Whole World Lost Its Head"
Is it just me, or did this excellent reunion track appear thirty years too soon?
35. Pearl Jam, "Better Man"
26. Soundgarden, "Fell on Black Days"
24. Soundgarden, "My Wave"
18. Pearl Jam, "Spin the Black Circle"
16. Pearl Jam, "Tremor Christ"
We may be at peak grunge. Pearl Jam struck while the iron was hot with their third album Vitalogy, while fellow Washingtonians were still riding that Superunknown high. Of these, I hear "Better Man" frequently enough nowadays, but the others? I promise you, I don't feel like I'm missing out.
Oh, and fear not--California punk is well represented on this chart, too, with two each from Green Day's Dookie and the Offspring's Smash.
12. Urge Overkill, "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon"
9. Cowboy Junkies, "Sweet Jane"
Soundtracks from ultraviolent movies, too? Check, with tunes from Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers. This was the second go-round in the MRT top 10 for "Sweet Jane," having done just fine without help from Woody Harrelson almost six years earlier.
8. Liz Phair, "Supernova"
Whip-Smart was supposed to be a make Phair a star. I gave both it and Exile in Guyville a shot, but neither ever forced their way into ongoing rotation chez Harris. "Supernova" sure pulls me in with that rockin' ascending bass line, though.
3. Smashing Pumpkins, "Landslide"
My recollection is that even before the 90s, "Landslide" was the best-known album cut on Fleetwood Mac. I suppose it's possible that Billy Corgan's sensitive take primed the pump for the commercial success of the live version on the Mac's The Dance later in the decade.
5. Hole, "Doll Parts"
2. Nirvana, "About a Girl"
Courtney and Kurt, charting simultaneously one more time. I'm realizing now how long it's been since I'd heard "Doll Parts," while some of the stuff on MTV Unplugged in New York has never gone out of style.
1. The Cranberries, "Zombie"
I certainly had an awareness of The Troubles growing up, and can recall when the Good Friday Agreement brought them to an end. While "Zombie" was never a favorite in the way that "Dreams" or "Linger" had been, it packs one of the biggest emotional wallops of any song from this era.
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