Here’s another 2-CD set that I bought at a thrift store for a dollar. And, as usual with these compilation CDs, the result is a mixed bag. Name performers like Luther Vandross and Meatloaf rub up against The Cover Girls and Will to Power (remember them?). I’m glad I finally have “All 4 Love” (a contemporary do-wop number) by Color Me Badd. What do you remember the music of the 1990s? Do you see any of your favorites included on these discs? GRADE: B
TRACK LIST:
DISC ONE:
1-1 –Will To Power I’m Not In Love 3:48
1-2 –Meat Loaf I’d Do Aything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) 5:09
1-3 –Paul Young Oh Girl 3:34
1-4 –Heavy D. & The Boyz Now That We Found Love 4:16
1-5 –Heart All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You 5:08
1-6 –Martika Love… Thy Will Be Done 4:20
1-7 –Firehouse (2) love Of A Lifetime 4:46
1-8 –P.M. Dawn I’d Die Without You 4:11
1-9 –Boy Krazy That’s What Love Can Do 3:21
1-10 –Babyface When Can I See You 3:50
1-11 –Warrant I Saw Red 3:46
1-12 –The Escape Club I’ll Be There 5:47
1-13 –Luther Vandross Here And Now 5:23
1-14 –The Cover Girls We Can’t Go Wrong 4:28
1-15 –George LaMond Baby, I Believe In You 3:55
1-16 –Saigon Kick Love Is On The Way 4:25
1-17 –Shai (3) If I Ever Fall In Love 3:08
1-18 –Jimmy Cliff I Can See Clearly Now 3:15
DISC TWO:
2-1 –Taylor Dayne With Every Beat Of My Heart 4:22
2-2 –K.W.S. Please Don’t Go 4:18
2-3 –Exposé I’ll Never Get Over You 3:48
2-4 –Londonbeat I’ve Been Thinking About You 3:49
2-5 –Tara Kemp Piece Of My Heart 4:29
2-6 –Hi-Five I Can’t Wait Another Minute 4:59
2-7 –Linear Sending All My Love 3:51
2-8 –Cathy Dennis C’Mon And Get My Love 3:50
2-9 –Trey Lorenz Someone To Hold 4:21
2-10 –Color Me Badd All 4 Love 3:30
2-11 –New Kids On The Block Tonight 3:27
2-12 –Regina Belle Make It Like It Was 4:15
2-13 –Surface The First Time 4:15
2-14 –Tony Terry With You 5:05
2-15 –Peabo Bryson Can You Stop The Rain 5:03
2-16 –Timmy T One More Try 3:15
2-17 –Dan Baird I Love You Period 4:24
2-18 –Bad English When I See You Smile 4:18
I dislike practically everything on these cd’s. No wonder I rarely listened to the radio back then. I was still mostly listening to artists who started out in the 70’s and 80’s. Newer artists that had a lot of success in the 90’s (that I liked) would include REM, Beck, Lucinda Williams, Wilco, , Nirvana, Blur, and Pearl Jam. These cd’s are geared to the easy listening audience. Kind of like the musical equivalent of a cozy mystery. I would give it a D-. And that’s being kind. There is only would artist that I have anything by here and that is Jimmy Cliff, the great reggae singer.
Steve, these compilation discs are a crap-shoot. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
Like Steve, I was listening to what was termed “alternative music” in the 1990s—grunge outta Seattle and all my favorite new wave bands from the 1980s who were still clinging to the musical relevance. Also, this was the decade my children were born and keeping up with new music took a back seat to raising kids. I hardly remember a single song on this compilation—although I do like “Now That We’ve Found Love,” but I’m baffled as to the inclusion of Jimmy Cliff’s “I Can See Clearly Now”—in my head, I’m thinking that song is from the 1970s.
I Can See Clearly Now was a hit in the early 70’s by Johnny Nash.
Deb, according to my sources: “Reggae singer Jimmy Cliff recorded a cover of the song for the 1993 movie Cool Runnings.” So this is the up-dated, cover version of “I Can See Clearly Now” instead of the original.
Agree. By the way, if you thought (as you said) The Nationals handed the Astros their asses Tuesday, how about LAST NIGHT’s game. Good grief. But then we’re pulling for the underdogs. If they could beat the Dodgers, they otta go all the way.
Rick, Vegas made the ASTROS heavy favorites over the NATS. Now, the tables have turned!
As Steve says, there was a lot of good rock music in the Nineties, but you’d never know it from this disgraceful compilation. I almost never think much of these compilations you come up with, but this one is the absolute pits. You’d think that what would turn out to be the last great decade of rock could be memorialized by something far better than this piece of shit.
Michael, I’m always seduced by low prices for this compilation discs. Sometimes, I get burned.
WHat do I remember about the music of the ’90s? I have a t-shirt that says it all:
“It Is Not That I Am Old – Your Music Really Does SUCK”
That applies to most of the music of the ’90s as well as it does today. I’ll be honest. I have never heard most of those songs, and couldn’t identify most of the performers in a lineup, let alone their music. One exception: Meat Loaf.
And keep off my lawn!
Jeff, there are some excellent singers from the 1990s, but apparently they’re not on these discs.
Same here.
Yes, I love Jimmy Cliff and still listen to the THE HARDER THEY COME CD, but “I Can Hear Clearly Now” is a Johnny Nash song.
I can SEE Clearly
I have to agree – the only two artists/songs I remember and liked are:
Jimmy Cliff I Can See Clearly Now
and of course
Meatloaf!
But essentially I’m still a 60’s man.
PS and rather OT but really fascinating, just published:
https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/292780/jimmy-miller-rolling-stones
Jimmy Miller was maybe the Greatest Rock producer – not only the Stones but also Traffic and Blind Faith …
Died an early death from drug abuse, a real shame.
Wolf, Jimmy Miller joins plenty of producers and artists that died too soon.
Not sure you got your bucks worth on this one, George.
Rick, there are a handful of songs on these CDs I’ll listen to, but you’re right…there is a lot of junk here.
Obviously I didn’t miss anything in the 1990s. By that point, I had pretty well stopped listening to music on the radio. Primarily it was the CBC. Now I am listening to several Sirius stations such as Willie’s Roadhouse, Seriously Sinatra, Margaritaville, a jazz sration and NPR plus a local nostalgia station that plays music into the ’70s.
Kent, I just read in the Wall Street JOURNAL that MARVEL is going to run a series of podcasts featuring their biggest superheroes on SIRIUS/XM Radio. I plan to check them out and review them here on this blog. And, have you noticed the Buffalo Sabres are off to a great start this season!
Yes, with a Winnipeg native as GM and a Steinbach, Manitoba coach. As for the Jets, not so good a start as they lost several good players to free agency. And their big defensemen Dustin Byfuglien seems more interested in waiting for the ice fishing season to start than returning to the team to play. Last year when he was reportedly out with an injury, he spent New Year’s Eve ice fishing on Lake Winnipeg and then in a nearby pub.
Kent, the Buffalo Sabres have been at the bottom of the NHL for a decade. Now, with a new head coach-Ralph Krueger–the Sabres are off to a great start. They shut out the Detroit Red Wings last night, 2-0.
I listened to rock and pop again in the ’80s when my daughters were teenagers, but I’ve been 99 percent out of the loop since then. The stuff on the Clear Channel “mix” stations that seem to dominate mainstream radio today (“greatest hits of the ’80s, ’90s, and today!”) mostly sends me up the wall. Maroon 5 and the country-bro dudes may be nice guys for all I know, but regardless I’d gladly buy ’em one-way tickets on one of Musk’s or Bezos’ space shots.
Fred, sounds like you might have exceeded your Nickleback limit! I find much of contemporary music unlistenable.
There is a lot of good music still out there but you have to look for it. You won’t find it on your regular broadcasts. Certain Sirius stations are very good such as Little Steven’s Underground Garage. I enjoy relatively new artists (last 25 years) such as The Black Keys, Wilco, The National, Cage the Elephant, Beck, Arcade Fire, The Eels. A lot of older artists are still putting out good music-Springsteen, U2, David Byrne, Nick Cave, Lucinda Williams. The airwaves and media tend to be dominated by rap, hip-hop, bro-country and boy bands ( how you can be called a band when you don’t play any instruments I don’t understand). Modern r & b is overproduced and underwritten. Some people just don’t look very hard. I was talking to a women in my building today-she is 72-who didn’t know who Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen were.
Steve, the fragmented music industry frustrates me. I occasionally watch YOUTUBE videos of new groups and artists. The Wall Street JOURNAL occasionally prints music reviews. And, word-of-mouth sometimes produces music recommendations.
All I can say, George, is not every purchase is a blog post! This one proves my point!
Bob, you might be right..,
Since I was born in 1993 and listening to country music throughout the decade, I don’t recognize most of these songs, however, I do give this compilation two thumbs up for including my favorite Heart song. Yes, “All I Wanna Do” was very controversial because of its lyrical content (Ann Wilson has even said she dislikes performing it live), but Mutt Lange did a great job writing it. Other great choices include Meat Loaf’s “I’d Do Anything for Love”, Firehouse’s “Love of a Lifetime” and even Saigon Kick’s “Love is On the Way”, a song that seems to get lost in the shuffle whenever power ballads are mentioned.
Kylie, thanks for your enthusiastic appreciation of “All I Wanna Do” and “I’d Do Anything for Love” and “Love of a Lifetime” and “Love Is On the Way.” The music of the 1990s sometimes doesn’t get enough love so this compilation set offers songs that deserve more respect…and airplay!