Sum up the 90s in song

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No one can deny that 'Like a Prayer' by Madonna was the song that really summed up the 80s. But what about that forgotten decade, the nineties?

― Phil, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Erm, how exactly can one song define an entire decade?

― Robin Carmody, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm not really sure how "like a prayer" sums up the 80's? It doesn't mention Transformers, Adam and the Ants, the Cold War, Thatcher, Maradona's hand ball...:)...If anything, "Material Girl" is closer to the mark. I'll try and think of some song that could define the 90's...

― james e l, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Dumb" by Nirvana. He thinks he's dumb. He proved that he was right by killing himself. Nothing says 90s more than an uber-depressed heroin addict with a shotgun to his head!

― Tim Baier, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" should be the clear winner here. All that stuff about a grungy young person being in a darkened underpass and hesitating to take control, and the requests to be taken out dancing? I imagine the fact that this was written in the 80s disqualifies it ( aside from the fact that I'm reaching here oh so much :P ).

― Dave M., Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm tempted to write something by the KLF for some reason, but they're actually more suited to nowadays what with Chris Morris and all... I dunno, i think you'd have to split the nineties into chronological segments: Baggy/Rave 90s Grunge 90s Britpop 90s Boy/Girl band 90s.

― dog latin, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

this is simple I Got A Man by Positive K, she's got a man and he aint trying to hear that..see?

― Kevin Enas, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

One song? "1999" by Prince. HA! IT SUMMED UP THE DECADE!

I'll lie down now.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Ready For The '80s" by the Village People.

― Duane Zarakov, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think it's absurd to try summing up a decade of music (or most human endeavors, really, and forgive me for sounding like Glenn McDonald) in one song. If Madonna sums up the 80s, then how exactly does she cover Minor Threat, for example? And for whom / from whose perspective is this summing up being done? Etc.

― Josh, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'3 A:M Eternal' - KLF (thanks dog latin ;)

― Omar, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

pixies - rock music

― gonçalo, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The sentence in the question saying

>>> No one can deny that 'Like a Prayer' by Madonna was the song that really summed up the 80s

is so gloriously, bafflingly idiotic that it should get its own TV show or something.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I assumed it was a joke. Or, again, something that should find its way into a badly translated French encyclopaedia of rock.

It's a crazeee project, I accept. But here is my answer: 'Groove Is In The Heart'.

― Nick, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think you're right, Nick, in which case I was probably at least half-wrong.

Naturally I disagree about 'Groove Is In The Heart', though.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Naturally. I've just reread the question and realised that is says 'Sum up the 90s in song' not 'in a song'. Should we start composing our reqiums (requia?) and post them up somewhere in mp3 format? It sounds like fun. Thinking about it, you may have already done this, pinefox. Except the mp3 bit. Naturally.

― Nick, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pinefox: I think such idiotic statements already have their own TV shows. Stuart Maconie usually has something to do with them.

― Robin Carmody, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

and kate thornton

― gareth, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If we had to sum it all up in one countemone single, I'd be tempted to go with "Where it's At" by Beck: good beat, fusion with other genres esp. hip-hop, it brings the noise, adds the acoustic, is a tiny bit retro, and ultimately has very little meaning.

― Sean Carruthers, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

that's such a vh1 answer. best example i've seen so far is the deee-lite tune.

― ethan, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm assuming that was a diss, but it's good to know I have a new potential career path if this computer thing falls through!

― Sean Carruthers, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Join our Club? Oh, now you're just being silly...

― Ally C, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Clearly, no one can deny that "Punka" by Kenickie was the song that really summed up the 90s. The rest of ya'all just have pretenders listed.

― Ally, Saturday, 28 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eight months pass...

That "Inner Smile" song by Texas. A Scottish band called Texas with a female singer doing impressions of an American from 30 years before in the video. 90s=globalisation yes?

― Ronan, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"She Bangs"

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

But there were better songs than that which summed up globalism, Ronan.

― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

if madonna did LIKE A VIRGIN then that covers minor threat surely?

― bettah late than nevah, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The proper answer is, as with so many things, Slackmotherfucker.

― JM, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Bush - "Everything Zen"

― Kris, Tuesday, 8 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

oceanic - insanity.

it's the first thing i think of when i think '90s', just as ronnie james dio enters my head with the words 'heavy metal'

― david, Monday, 14 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Just Gimmie Indie Rock by Sebadoh.

― Mr Noodles, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"No Rain" by Blind Melon. Or something by the Spin Doctors. ANYTHING early 90's alternative.

― Mandee, Thursday, 17 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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