A few months back, I realized two things: 1. My sons get along a lot better when we listened to music on the way to school; 2. They have not had wide exposure to music. So we started doing theme weeks where would listen to an artist, genre, or decade in the car on the way to and from school. Each Monday for the next few weeks, I am going to whittle down one of those playlists of 40-60 songs into a 12-14 song playlist. This is Monday Mixtape.
1998-2001
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, EA asked to specially curate a playlist for our last few years of high school. So it only seemed right to ask her which songs she thought should make the cut for this Monday Mixtape. A couple of these songs were actually released before the 3 year window, but they were definitely on the radio by the time 1998 rolled around. Songs are in the order in which they were released. Also, the commentary for the below songs are totally from me and do not necessarily represent the thoughts and feelings of my wife.
1. “Tubthumping” by Chumbawumba (1997)
Come for the epic singalong chorus. Stay for trying to answer your kids’ questions about the verses. Yep, when they’re not talking about getting knocked down and getting up again, Chumbawumba are talking about getting sloshed and singing songs that make them happy. Although, if you replaced the lyrics with “O Danny Boy” with something like “Amazing Grace” then we’re suddenly talking about your hip local church that holds a Beer & Hymns night at the local pub. Also, Chumbawumba is definitely on the first ballot for the Fun Band Names To Say Hall of Fame.
2. “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day (1997)
The song in which I always timed a question or comment to drown out the muttered profanity right before the guitar starts strumming. The boys never heard it because they would have definitely said something if they had. We don’t look like the best parents so far. I promise we are trying our best with them. Also, it is wild to me that I discovered this song because of a montage shown right before the series finale of Seinfeld. Even more wild that the montage made me tear up considering that Seinfeld was notorious for its “no hugging, no learning” rule.
3. “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” by Will Smith (1998)
Pop quiz: How many na’s are there each time before the former Fresh Prince says “Gettin’ jiggy wit’ it”? This makes me yearn for a simpler time when Will Smith was known for party jams, blockbuster movies, and party jams that re-told the plots of blockbuster movies. Do you know how awesome it would be if Will Smith decided to record a double album that went through the entire MCU song by song? It would be amazing for his career! There could be songs titled “Cool Like a Winter Soldier,” “Thwip Thwip (Spidey’s Coming),” and “Ragna-rock.” Let’s make this happen, Will. By the way, it is 14 na’s.
4. “Closing Time” by Semisonic (1998)
Yes, it’s another song about a bar. But also a song about being born and one that quotes the Roman philosopher Seneca with “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” I unabashedly love this song and have definitely quoted it for a closing devotional thought at summer camp at least twice.
5. “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls (1998)
One of the running themes in our weekly playlists is songs that are not named obviously. Liam, our youngest, loves it when the title of a song makes no sense (i.e. it doesn’t appear anywhere in the lyrics). Which brought us to this song and how I had no idea why the heck it was named “Iris.” Was that the name of Meg Ryan’s character in City of Angels? Is it some sort of pseudo-deep meditation on how beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Nope, the songwriter saw the name in a newspaper and liked it. These are the important things that Wikipedia is for.
6. “…Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears (1998)
Let’s talk a second about Max Martin, who wrote this song. He has written or co-written 25 songs that have hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The only two people who have written more chart-toppers are a couple of guys you may know by the names of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. And Max is only one away from tying Lennon! And he’s Swedish! He’s the Swedish Chef and what he cooks are hits.
7. “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys (1999)
Confession time: When I was 15 or 16, I rolled my eyes at this song because it was by a boy band and in my mind they had very little artistic integrity. I am man enough to admit that I was a fool and this song is amazing. I have been in rooms where people have started spontaneously singing this song dozens of times; including times when one of my two boys will start singing it. It is a stone cold classic. Also the co-writer of this song? The Swedish Chef Max Martin.
8. “All Star” by Smash Mouth (1999)
I think we all remember when we were in the theaters and first heard Smash Mouth tell us that only shooting stars break the mold. I am of course referring heart-rending climax to the cinematic masterpiece Rat Race.
9. “I Try” by Macy Gray (1999)
Macy Gray emotes the heck out of this song. I don’t know what the backstory is, but she makes you believe that she is experiencing it in real time when she hits the chorus. By the way, when EA added this song to the list, she and one of our boys briefly sang that chorus and it was the best.
10. “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child (1999)
Speaking of people in our family singing songs, one of the most impressive things I have witnessed this year was EA singing along to “Say My Name” in the car. Not just the chorus. Anyone can do that. But she was nailing all the words to those rapid fire verses. She probably hadn’t heard the song in years. The human brain is a remarkable thing.
11. “Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks (1999)
How do you know you’ve got it bad for a girl? When in spite of your lifelong disdain for country music, you slap a Dixie Chicks song on a playlist in college because she likes it and you find yourself growing to like it as well.
12. “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC (2000)
Admit it. You just did the hand flap thing three times in front of your chest? The one that NSYNC does in the video? It’s okay. I did it too.
13. “Everywhere” by Michelle Branch (2001)
I am 95% sure this was one of those love songs in which youth ministers looked at the lyrics and did a Wednesday night talk about how it was God who is “everywhere to me / And when I close my eyes, it’s you I see / You’re everything I know that makes me believe / I’m not alone.” There were a ton of “Could be Christian” songs like that in the late 90s and early 2000s. That could be its own playlist.