For some of us - probably those of us 32 and older, and therefore out of college by 1999 - the final year of of the millennium doesn’t seem that far away. Sure, Dawson’s Creek was all the rage and Britney Spears had just hit the airwaves, but other things seem strangely familiar even 10 years later. Some songs from that year - “Mambo No. 5,” for example, or “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” or “Believe” (Cher) seem dated and clearly from yesteryear. But others continue to get decent airplay and hold up quite admirably. In fact? They hardly seem 10 years old at all.
10. “I’ll Be,” Edwin McCain. I think this song was actually released in 1998. Anyway, point being is that it’s a mainstay on lite rock stations and at least one American Idol contestant manages to bastardize it every damn season. And it’s still sort of pretty. So sue me.
9. “All Star,” Smashmouth. Okay, so this song totally sucks, and Smashmouth is a band full of poseurs and n’er-do-wells. My point is that it is still for some reason on the radio all the time, and has never gone away, and still sounds a little bit fresh, even with that whole “shape of an L on her forehead” reference.
8. “Cowboy,” Kid Rock. Before Kid Rock decided to go hard-core Southern Fried Rock, he dabbled with the rock/rap hybird popularized by Limp Bizkit and Korn. Cowboy has held up where “Nookie” never good.
7. “Never There,” Cake. Cake has a rather strange dichotemy in that they sound extremely unique but yet rather timeless. Their sound is evident in newer bands like Flobots, and they took their own sound from older bands like, oh, well, After the Fire, for one. And this tune is one of their best.
6. “Slide,” Goo Goo Dolls. Ahhhh … Dizzy Up the Girl. A great album that birthed this great song, reportedly about an unwanted pregnancy. “You wanna get married? Or run away … I’m cool with whatever, really.”
5. “Smooth,” Santana featuring Rob Thomas. This song, okay were it not for the utter Santana-ness of it all, dominated airwaves for most of 1999-2001. And it continues to do so. It can forever have a home on a variety of radio stations, form classic rock to adult alternative to “Hits of the 80s, 90s, 00s, and today!”
4. “My Own Worst Enemy,” Lit. Banna-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, banna-na-na-na-na, NA NA. That is all.
3. “All the Small Things,” blink-182. Say it ain’t so! Indeed, this spirited ditty and its sibling, “What’s My Age Again?” (one of my favorite songs of all time) were released as singles in 1999.
2. “Meet Virginia,” Train. Train’s first single and arguably their best. Clever lyrics, as many of Pat Monahan’s are, and the plot of the song is a bit cerebral when you get to the end and learn that the singer, in fact, can’t wait to meet the imaginary Virginia. Hey … this was deep in a year of Ricky Martin and Limp Bizkit.
1. “Little Black Backpack,” Stroke 9. Another one of my favorites. Mysterious and somewhat haunting lyrics, satisfyingly violent chorus, good bridge. And what the f*ck does it all mean? They’ll never tell.
Note that all of these songs are in the rock and roll/alternative rock milleau. I’m not sure what that says, but it’s something.
Never too old to rock and roll,
Lucy Glib
