Songs: “Dream” by Forest for the Trees, “De Musica Ligera” by Soda Stereo, “16 Days” by Whiskeytown, “We Are The Normal” by the Goo Goo Dolls, and “Jessie” by Paw.
When I was a youngster, one of the D.C. area’s greatest treasures was an alternative rock radio station called WHFS 99.1. They had the cojones to play independent bands like Fugazi, Joy Division, and the Pixies. Every year at RFK Stadium- an ancient, battered concrete hulk in the middle of Southeast D.C.- they would put on the “HFStival,” which was a big enough deal to be headlined in various years by the Cure, Jane’s Addiction, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the early 2000s their ratings began to slip and they were known as a “concert with a station attached”; in 2005 they abruptly switched over to a tropical Latin format. (Without telling anyone beforehand.) So here are a few great alternative rock songs that HFS aired back in the day.
The 1990s and 2000s were a fertile nebula for rock, which melded with genres like ska, rap, industrial, electronic, and shoegazing. One of these newly birthed creations was “trip hop,” a kind of celestial and otherworldly spoken-word concoction popularized by Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps, and Groove Armada. Forest For The Trees’ “Dream,” with its bagpipe sample and hippie lyrics, is a prime example of this musical mash-up.
If it’s so good, why haven’t I heard of it? Carl Stephenson, the group’s founder (and co-writer of Beck’s “Loser”) was hospitalized with mental illness after creating their debut album. This undoubtedly made a grueling tour schedule out of the question, although the group did perform at Coachella in 2002. A reviewer at the Dallas Observer noted, “Like many artists who are both ahead of their time and ultra-sensitive to the world around them, Stephenson experienced some difficulty functioning in ‘normal society.’” “Dream” peaked at #18 on the Modern Rock chart in 1997, which proved to be their only successful single.
This near-mythical 1990 song by Argentina’s Soda Stereo is considered the cornerstone of Latin rock. Lyrically and musically, it’s sheer genius. “De Musica Ligera,” which means “Of Easy Listening,” was inspired by a CD bought by lead singer Gustavo Cerati’s parents called “Light Classics of All Times.” (Remember the cheap, off-brand compilation CDs you could buy at Costco?) Cerati drew from classical influences to build the song, which features complex harmonies and stunning lyrics.
“Ella durmió al calor de las masas, y yo desperté queriendo soñarla” (She slept to the heat of the masses, and I woke up wanting to dream about her.)
If it’s so good, why haven’t I heard of it? Because it’s in Spanish. Nowadays some Latin songs are played on mainstream stations (Daddy Yankee, Pitbull, and Bad Bunny are a few examples). But back in 1990, when this gorgeous single was released, it received minimal airplay in the United States. ‘Murica. It fared slightly better across the pond, where Coldplay covered it in concert.
“16 Days,” by North Carolina folk-rock band Whiskeytown, is a bit of a hard song to track down. There are several versions; my personal favorite is this one, which appears on the 1998 reissue of Faithless Street, but more sparse and acoustic renditions exist. Fronted by the extraordinarily prolific singer/songwriter Ryan Adams, who eventually dissolved the group in favor of a solo career, Whiskeytown released three critically acclaimed albums in the late 1990s- of which “16 Days” is a standout. “I got 16 days. . . You should have worn my wedding ring,” mourns a regretful Adams. For anyone who’s ever had drugs or alcohol ruin a relationship, this one’s for you.
If it’s so good, why haven’t I heard of it? Because Ryan Adams has a temper. He once stormed offstage after a fan jokingly asked him to play “Summer of ‘69” (by the similarly named Bryan Adams). In the case of “16 Days,” the single received considerable airplay until Adams, in a fit of rage, dared an influential programmer to take it off the air.
Before slow-tempo ballads like 1998’s “Iris,” the Goo Goo Dolls were a scrappy post-punk group from Buffalo, NY. Frontman Johnny Rzeznik wrote to his idol Paul Westerberg of the Replacements and asked him to collaborate on a song. Westerberg wrote the lyrics and Rzeznik wrote the music, leading to this catchy but troubled minor-key meditation on life. Fun fact: it’s one of the few rock songs that uses the viola as a melodic driver. (I know this because I played viola for one awful goddamn year at Haycock Elementary.)
If it’s so good, why haven’t I heard of it? While it peaked at #5 on the Modern Rock chart in 1993, it was later overshadowed by more commercially viable songs like “Iris,” “Name,” and “Slide”- all monster hits for the Goo Goo Dolls. The sweet, rough, contemplative “We Are The Normal” was pushed aside in favor of more slickly produced work.
The minor 1993 hit “Jessie,” by Kansas group Paw, paints one of the saddest pictures in all of rock: a man saying goodbye to his faithful dog.
“Oh but Jessie
It’s cold outside, and I’m not coming home
I don’t know where I’ll be, oh when the morning comes
And Jessie you’re a good dog, please don’t follow me
Just go on home”
I have a dog myself- a sweet, friendly five-year-old rescue Rottweiler named Haylee- and could never imagine leaving her. (Right now she’s cuddled up with me on the couch.) This song pulls at my heartstrings more than the most dismal Nirvana or Soundgarden tunes of the same era. Yes Kurt, we get that you hate yourself and want to die, but this guy has to leave his dog.
If it’s so good, why haven’t I heard of it? Because Paw didn’t really fit anywhere. The LA Times described their style as “country-grunge,” which was a hard crossover to sell. Despite favorable reviews, Paw was eventually deemed commercially unsuccessful and dropped by their record label A&M in 1996. Their debut Dragline made it into Rolling Stone’s “50 Greatest Grunge Albums” list.
These are just a few of the weird and wonderful songs of 90s alternative rock. Feel free to comment with your favorites!
Hey hey! Thanks for visiting- your presence is warmly welcomed. Please correct me if I accidentally got something wrong. If there are any songs, artists, or genres you’d love to learn more about, I’m always down for recommendations! This blog is free to read (and always will be) due to a fair amount of academic traffic, but you can always buy me a coffee (aka put a tip in my jar) if you enjoyed this article.
