As the end of 1995 approached, I was finishing up my seventh semester at Georgetown. The thing I remember most about that term now was the geometry class I taught. I'd picked an idiosyncratic text and assigned students group projects at the end that were plenty difficult. My grading on said projects was plenty (read: too) harsh, and I assigned a course grade of B to a few quite bright, hard-working, aspiring math minors in what were all very borderline cases (after which these students became former math minors). You might think after 30 years I could let go of what I now consider an error of judgment, but I'm not wired that way.
On the social side, Martha and I had begun thinking about how our first Christmas season as a couple might play out. We settled on trying to make everyone partially happy. I joined her family for Christmas Eve dinner and the late night service at her home church, after which I drove to my parents' house. Late the following morning, Martha made the same journey to have Christmas dinner with my extended family. Accompanying Martha on the trip was a new friend, a gift from me she'd received the night before:
Say hi to Beanbottom, the first entry in what's turned out to be an ongoing series--Martha still gets a new bear every year.
It had been clear for a good while that our relationship was hurtling toward marriage. On that Christmas Day, I think we allowed ourselves to verbalize this to one another; we might just have gone out the following day to see what a few mall jewelry stores had on offer...
In the meantime, the modern rock was still rockin', so let's check some of that out.
39. Deep Blue Something, "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
38. Melissa Etheridge, "Your Little Secret"
Not to play gatekeeper or anything, but here are two that feel a little out of place. Etheridge is riding high at #4 on the Album Rock Tracks chart, while DBS find themselves at #25 on Hot AC and #15 on the Hot 100 (and climbing). Felt to me that "Breakfast at Tiffany's" hung around forever; I like it fine, but I can't help but feel there was a better way to fill the chorus than with stuff like, "and as I recall, I think..."
30. Ruth Ruth, "Uninvited"
New to me, but I'm generally game for melodic, hooky crunch. The only time these guys from NYC came close to breaking through.
24. Toad the Wet Sprocket, "Good Intentions"
Ah, music from the Friends soundtrack album. These guys played in Lexington earlier this fall, along with KT Tunstall. Maybe I shoulda gone to that show...
20. Natalie Merchant, "Wonder"
Easily my fave from Tigerlily, perhaps because it's more uptempo than many of the other songs on it?
17. Everclear, "Santa Monica (Watch the World Die)"
Given the way the worm turned heavier in alterna-land as the 90s progressed, I'm grateful for the bands in the arena that held onto a strong streak of pop sensibility. Art Alexakis and his pals in this Portland trio fit that bill; "Santa Monica" is one of their better tunes.
16. Blues Traveler, "Hook"
The song is pretty vicious commentary on the vacuity of mid-90s life as seen on TV. The video features the late Ken Ober getting bored flipping channels using his remote control.
12. Collective Soul, 'The World I Know"
Like "Breakfast at Tiffany's" above, this multi-format hit was hard to escape for a number of months. It would be the last big moment for Collective Soul.
11. Seven Mary Three, "Cumbersome"
Never was a fan, but obviously many folks were, so appropriate props. In today I learned via Wikipedia: the band's name came from the call sign for the non-Erik Estrada lead character in CHiPs.
7. The Rentals, "Friends of P."
The Rentals started as a side project for then-Weezer bassist Matt Sharp. One of its former members, Moog-playing Cherielynn Westrich, is now a state senator in Iowa.
Definitely an odd one.
6. Folk Implosion, "Natural One"
Speaking of side bands, the Folk Implosion was co-founded by Sebadoh member Lou Barlow. Don't think I ever heard any other product from them, but I'm all aboard for this gem.
13. Smashing Pumpkins, "1979"
2. Smashing Pumpkins, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings"
Be truthful--can you even begin to imagine someone writing a paean to 2009 right now?
I noticed a couple weeks ago that Billy Corgan helped put together a re-imagining of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. I have only mild regret over not looking into the opportunity to check it out.
As for Mellon Collie's lead single: I don't quote it often in conversation, but the line "Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage" has found all sorts of application in my brain across the years, maybe more frequently as time has passed.
The world is a vampire? Sure seems like it some days.
(Note: I screwed up in October and wrote up this chart's #1 song, RHCP's "My Friends," then. Mea culpa.)
No comments:
Post a Comment