I love the 90s--I'm Just a Girl....

Before reading on, check out last week's installment of this new blog series, if you haven't already: I Love the 90's

This week I am talking about albums and songs by my favorite female singers of the 90's.

Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill”: This is, by far, Alanis’ most popular and well-loved album. I still play it and the music doesn’t feel outdated at all. (I recently got it on CD so I could play it in my car!) The first time I heard it was thanks to a friend from my “Rocky Horror” days. We used to hang out a lot and just drive around. She played this cassette one day and I was hooked. Then my roommate in college had it and I listened to it in my dorm room. I eventually got my own cassette so I could hear it whenever I wanted. She had a lot of well known, standout hits. However, my favorite song on that album is “Not the Doctor.” I love the contrast between the verses and the chorus and the way it has a 90’s rocker chick feel. Overall, this is one of the best and most memorable 90’s albums.

Natalie Merchant, “Tigerlily”: This is another album that I recently had to buy on CD to play in my car. It’s more mellow in nature, but has some beautiful lyrics. Nothing else Natalie Merchant has done since that time has come close to this caliber of quality. I used to listen to it on my walkman all the time in college (after getting the cassette for Hanukkah sophomore year) and even went to see her in concert that spring. Afterward, I started listening to 10,000 Maniacs because she started with them. (They also have a lot of good songs.) My favorite song used to be “Wonder,” but now I like "Carnival" better and tend to sing along with it (or just end up singing it around the house). It has a nice beat to it and I also like the contrast between the verses and the chorus.

Jewel, “Pieces of You”: I first got into Jewel’s music toward the end of sophomore year of college. I then bought this cassette at the beginning of the summer and played it in my car all the time. It kept me sane during my first break-up and my terrible waitressing job. I continued to be a Jewel fan when I got back to college and people would send me tapes of her “rarities.” When I went to a “Rocky Horror” convention that fall, I hung out with a girl who was also a Jewel fan. We were singing her songs together all evening. (And probably driving the guys we hung out with crazy, as a result.) I went to her concert with some friends the following spring. It was a bit of a hassle getting there, but worth it to see her perform live. When I was in a theater troupe (about social action) during senior year of college, I sang “Pieces of You” with a few other performers. I performed the “Jew” part since I was one of the few Jewish people at my school (and probably the only one in the troupe). I also sang “Jessica” (one of her rarities) during Theater Ted during junior year. Overall, my favorite song is still “Who Will Save Your Soul?” It just makes me think of the days before Jewel knew she’d be a big hit. It also has a great beat and is easy to sing along. Nowadays, Jewel is a country singer. I recognized one of her rarities on her country album (it was also used as the title of the album, "Perfectly Clear"). She still has a good sound, but nothing compares to her first album.

No Doubt, “Tragic Kingdom”: I started liking this CD around mid-junior year of college. My sister had it and I borrowed it from her and then couldn’t stop listening to it. The songs were catchy and a lot of fun. At first, they all sounded similar but then each took on a life of its own. I really like Gwen Stefani’s voice (and still do). My favorite song on this CD is “Spiderwebs.”. I heard this song in the car today and that brought back memories of when I used to listen to this CD a lot more often. Their other CDs are good, but nothing compares to “Tragic Kingdom.”

Juliana Hatfield, “Only Everything”: I had heard some songs by Juliana Hatfield on the “Reality Bites” and “My So-Called Life” soundtracks. I really liked her voice and the type of music she sang. Then “Universal Heart-Beat” started playing on the radio and I really liked that too. I decided to purchase her album on cassette one summer day between my freshman and sophomore years of college. Afterward, I played it over and over again in my car. It had a great sound and each song had a unique feel. I think I still like “Universal Heart-Beat” the best though, as it reminds me of that time period in my life. I was in a pretty good place being in my first serious relationship and getting to see my boyfriend all the time that summer. This album reminds me of those carefree days of summer. I was supposed to see her in concert back in 2000 when she was opening for Aimee Mann. However, she got sick that day and someone else performed instead. She was really good but kept apologizing for not being Juliana. I bought her CD anyway.

There are some 90’s songs by females that I also wanted to mention. I am listing them because they either bring back good memories or they just have a great sound and I always associate them with this decade, no matter when I hear them. (I’m not listing any from last week though.) Check them out if you want some fun nostalgia.

“My Favorite Mistake” by Sheryl Crow
“You Gotta Be” by Des’ree
“As I Lay Me Down” by Sophie B. Hawkins
“Do You Sleep?” by Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories (I know I mentioned this along with my commentary about “Stay” last week, but this song is too good not to stand on its own!)
“Crush” by Jennifer Paige
"I Know" by Dionne Farris

Coming next week...Favorite Soundtracks!