1997
Download the 1997 mix here.
This disc is a mix of songs from modern classics (Homogenic, OK Computer, Homework) and songs from people who... didn't do much else (Sneaker Pimps, Harvey Danger, Cornershop). The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are going to be the only representatives of the brief Ska revival, and The X-Ecutioners' "Turntablist Anthem" will have to represent the DJ movement at the end of the nineties, which wasn't really a singles movement anyway.
Looking at this mix now, I can see why it seemed like Electronic was going to take over the world. Bjork, Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, and Roni Size were all at the top of their games in very different styles, and that's without Prodigy and Cornershop, who had Fatboy Slim remix their hit, "Brimful of Asha," to great success (I included the original here because I like it more). The nineties, I believe, are going to be explored more by music historians, because I think the decade was a battle in a lot of ways between the systemic racism of the music industry and the desire of the consumer, which by this time was for hip hop to take over the world. Rock tried with Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but by 1997 the whole genre had basically cooled off - even OK Computer had electronic elements and was a step away from the classic sound. I would argue that Foo Fighters' The Colour and The Shape was the last really strong rock album of the 90s that worked both commercially and critically. The predominantly white music magazine business (especially in Britain, where NME is notoriously biased) needed new heroes, and so they threw their full weight behind Electronic. It failed for a number of reasons (which you could write a book about), but we know the result: hip hop took over the world, which by this point was pretty unstoppable.
By the way, I knocked off "Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen" at the last moment. While that was a huge song, it just became too much of a chore to listen to, and anyway "Bittersweet Melody" is certainly the song to start off this mix with, one of the great anthems of the 90s.
Other songs not included: Missy Elliot: "Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", OMC "How Bizarre," Chumbawamba: "Tubthumping," Hanson "Mmmbop," Green Day: "Good Riddance," anything from Camp Lo's Uptown Saturday Night, Wu Tang's Forever, or Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind. However, I'm thinking about including some Bob Dylan songs in the 60s. not really sure yet.
Comment below.
1. Bittersweet Symphony - Verve - 5:58
2. Block Rockin' Beats - The Chemical Brothers - 5:13
3. Song 2 - Blur - 2:01
4. Hypnotize - The Notorious B.I.G. - 3:49
5. On & On - Erykah Badu - 3:45
6. 6 Underground (Nellee Hooper Edit) - Sneaker Pimps - 3:54
7. Everlong - Foo Fighters - 4:10
8. Brimful Of Asha - Cornershop - 5:16
9. Walking On The Sun - Smash Mouth - 3:26
10. The Impression That I Get - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - 3:14
11. Paranoid Android - Radiohead - 6:24
12. Around The World - Daft Punk - 7:09
13. Firestarter - Prodigy - 4:41
14. Brown Paper Bag (Full Vocal Mix) - Roni Size - 4:43
15. The Turntablist Anthem - The X-Ecutioners - 3:48
16. Autumn Sweater - Yo La Tengo - 5:14
17. All Is Full Of Love - Björk - 4:33
posted by bza @ 11/07/2005
8 Comments:
Nice mix here, my friend. Some notes from my desk:
1) I hated Prodigy but understand the significance of them and of "Firestarter".
2) I know some people who are going to be upset by the absence of Miss Misery by Elliot Smith, which I believe was made famous by Good Will Hunting, released in 1997.
3) I completely forgot about that Sneaker Pimps song, but it was a little gem! Very sexy.
4) It's probably not a bad idea to include some Dylan in the 60s mixes. I heard from my parents that a lot of people really liked him.
I like "Around the World." That's all. Good job on your project. I'm secretly grading you. So far you have an A-.
Another fine list. My own mix would've swapped out "Paranoid Android" for "Karma Police" due to length and my preference. But you bring up great point about the breakdown of rock over the course of the nineties, and I guess the Android's status of being a rock song(/epic) utilizing electronic conventions makes this breakdown not as alarming, make it seem more like a mutation. Karma Police, I would argue, is much graphic in that it marks the mean between The Bends and Kid A and hints at the future dissolution of Radiohead's rock conventions (against which the early 2000 revival/garage movements).
But no need to bloviate -- I still owe you one, or two, for bringing that Blur's "Tender" and the Blackacious' "Alphabet Aerobics" to my attention.
Can't stand the memory of "brimful of asha", but overall enjoy the general mellow-turning of pop in 1997. Also some fantastic music videos went with these songs/artists. I think I didn't really appreciate any of this as much back then, glad I can now.
Very nice mix.
Questions/comments not necessarily relevant to '97: Is it possible to represent the jam band movement in this project? I guess Blues Traveller and Dave Matthews were crossover's... Also, Norah Jones?? Her debut I hear is the only thing to beat "Kind of Blue" in record sales.. were there singles on it??...
Sincerely.
I hate dave matthews, so none of that. I thought about some phish singles, but ultimately I think if I stick one or two dead songs on here that will be enough. The stuff they influenced mostly sucks anyway, let's be honest.
As for Norah Jones, her biggest hit was, of course, "Warm Milk and Kittens." Just kidding. Actually, "Don't Know Why," was the big hit, and I considered it. But really, it only matters for sales, and there are far better songs. Seriously, I don't even think most people who like Norah Jones care. Her music is so non-confrontational and inoffensive, it washes over you and then it's gone.
how do you feel about phish, bza? I feel like you'd probably hate them since a lot of people do. I used to listen to them a lot in high school (huhuh, high), and I recently revisited some of their stuff. I still think most of it is decent, although the vocals are way too high in the mix on most of the albums. thats one of those things I just can't take often. the first album, junta still sounds pretty good to me.
the overall fanbase is a little wanky too... narphish and I went to the concert and I was shocked, shocked to see all those hippies. I had no idea!
I can't imagine what other phish song besides down with disease could make it on these. That was the only mild crossover as I remember it. I will always like phish better than dave matthews band, blues traveler, oar, and the band whose name is too stupid to write.
Your tardiness in posting 1996 will be more than forgiven if you re-up 2000-2002 for Fellow Tardies.
I ain't tardy. 1996 will be posted in the morning, just like usual.
Next week, after I post 1995, I will be reposting all of the mixes, so you don't have to wait too long. Thanks for caring, though.
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