Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten 11/24/1990

Good mix of classic, dreck, and forgotten things.

Honestly shocked to see Hall & Oates still charting in 1990.

last time!

Clive Davis forced them to get the song rearranged by Jon Bon Jovi.

"Groove Is In The Heart" by a nose over "Feels Good". I harbor a lot of warmth for this era of pop music but it's easy to forget how much of it was utter shit (see: the bulk of this list).

If any song points the way forward, it's "Feels Good."

3 I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston – 6 (3)
4 Groove is in the Heart –•– Deee-Lite – 11 (4)
5 Because I Love You (The Postman Song) –•– Stevie B – 8 (5)
8 Pray –•– M.C. Hammer – )
9 Feels Good –•– Tony! Toni! Tone!
10 Knockin' Boots –•– Candyman
13 The Way You Do the Things You Do –•– UB40
14 Hippychick –•– Soho
19 Tom's Diner –•– D.N.A. Featuring Suzanne Vega
20 Freedom –•– George Michael

all of these are good to great

this is a dead heat for me between Deee-Lite, Tony! Toni! Tone! and Soho

I love "Knocking' Boots" sooooooo much, so much that I'll vote for it over "Feels Good".

Okay, seeing DJP's edit, I realize that I way overstated the amount of crap in this list. Although I could still do without the UB40.

Great:

9 Feels Good –•– Tony! Toni! Tone!
10 Knockin' Boots –•– Candyman
14 Hippychick –•– Soho
19 Tom's Diner –•– D.N.A. Featuring Suzanne Vega
20 Freedom –•– George Michael

Don't mind:

Impulsive –•– Wilson Phillips
I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston

"More Than Words Can Say" is among the worst songs ever, this coming from a quarter that boasted Maxi Priest's "Close to You" and "I Don't Have the Heart." I have the same visceral reaction to "I Don't Have the Heart" as I do to Luther's "Here and Now," which got blanket airplay and made me wary about checking out his other material.

Probably voting "Pray" because we need to pray just to make it today.

Love all of these:

3 I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston – 6 (3)
4 Groove is in the Heart –•– Deee-Lite – 11 (4)
5 Because I Love You (The Postman Song) –•– Stevie B – 8 (5)
8 Pray –•– M.C. Hammer – )
9 Feels Good –•– Tony! Toni! Tone!
14 Hippychick –•– Soho
19 Tom's Diner –•– D.N.A. Featuring Suzanne Vega
20 Freedom –•– George Michael

Living in Miami meant blanket airplay for freestyle ballads.

I just remembered that the cassingles of "Feels Good" and "Impulsive" were among the dumb crap I swiped during a brief shoplifting phase in eighth grade. So I guess I can now pinpoint the general time frame of my little crime wave.

Living in Miami meant blanket airplay for freestyle ballads.

My family moved from Jacksonville to central Indiana in mid '90. Probably not coincidentally, this was when my obsession with radio pop started to taper off.

I just remembered that the cassingles of "Feels Good" and "Impulsive" were among the dumb crap I swiped during a brief shoplifting phase in eighth grade. So I guess I can now pinpoint the general time frame of my little crime wave.

― Thereby Creating Humor (Old Lunch)

did it feel good? Impulsive? Reckless?

Fuck me, this list looks like it could be a compilation entitled Music To Have Your Testicles Massaged By A Cheese Grater To.

Went for 'Freedom' by George Michael, but god...

It'd be released on the Hallmark label, too.

Ha, I voted for Alias. I don't know if I would have voted differently if I'd noticed Deee-Lite.

I have no memory of that Poison song at all.

the Poison song, like every other Poison song, is fucking horrible but not quite as bad as "Unskinny Bop"

Amen. I give a lot of indefensible stuff from that era a pass, but Poison and Bon Jovi do not make the cut.

Bon Jovi is like Beethoven when compared to Poison

And no, I'm not discounting "I'll Be There For You" when evaluating Bon Jovi

What the hell is an 'Unskinny Bop', anyway? Is it just another way of saying 'Truffle Shuffle'!?

Ha, I always used to wonder about that too. "So it's a ... fat, um, bop?"

its an american translation of "fremme neppa venette"

In the same way that Bon Jovi is an American translation of "good Jovi"?

lol

Ah, senior year of college. I had at least three of these on cassingle -- Dee-lite, Soho and DNA/Vega.

One of my roommates worked up a party routine re-enacting the scene from the Damn Yankees' video where Nuge kicks down the door and starts his solo.

Ha, I always used to wonder about that too. "So it's a ... fat, um, bop?"

― EveningStar (Sund4r), Monday, November 3, 2014 8:57 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

"Fat, Um, Bop?" would have been a great title for an extended mix of that Hanson hit.

Anyway the correct answer to "what's an Unskinny Bop" is "if you have to ask..." followed by a sexy guitar lick

"Unskinny Bop" is what Brett Michaels dances now.

I guess every night does have its dawn!

Like:

I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston – 6 (3)
Groove is in the Heart –•– Deee-Lite – 11 (4)
Freedom –•– George Michael

Hate:

Something to Believe In –•– Poison – 8 (6)
High Enough –•– Damn Yankees
Ice Ice Baby –•– Vanilla Ice

I'm disppointed to see that no one's list of worst songs has included the vile second entry in Bette Midler's series of mawkish audio Hallmark cards.

I have a soft spot for "Wind Beneath My Wings" because I got so much joy from laughing at all of the overly earnest renditions various classmates sang while weeping, reminiscing about the last time they watched Beaches.

Also if you farted in class, you could say "sorry, I was being the wind beneath your wings"

God is farting on us
from a distance

Groove is in the Heart by a country mile

I made a Spotify Playlist mainly for the purpose of seeing if I like any of these other songs as much as "Knockin' Boots" (probably not).

I remember at least half that list like it's yesterday. And as much as I'd like to give a leg up to Tony Toni Tone or take pleasure at various levels of guilt in Poison, George Michael, or Mariah...

Groove is in the Heart by a country mile

― Willl, Monday, November 3, 2014 4:55 PM (58 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Bon Jovi is like Beethoven when compared to Poison

― kissaroo and Tyler, too (DJP), Monday, November 3, 2014 3:44 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Not that either (or anyone since) remotely compares, but imo Poison beats Bon Jovi on all but maybe production quality precisely because they're even less like him. Not that Jon was trying, of course; he came by his greater affectation in trying to be like Bruce. When the market went his way, Michaels & Co. took a turn away from cheap, metallic Dolls-by-way-of-Grand Funk knockoffs, resulting in relative dreck like the above.

I had to force myself to bother to read beyond "Groove is in the Heart" -- one of the greatest songs of the entire period, one that seems to stand OUTSIDE its period.

then you saw "Something to Believe In"

"Hippychick."

"Groove Is In The Heart" is the essential 'right, the 80s are definitely over' song to me....its unfathomable that it could have came out in 88 or 89 (also the video).

xp Don't diss Maxi Priest "Close to You."

I really like the pre-grunge '90s era. Even the bad songs are at least kinda funny. Whether or not you hate "Ice Ice Baby" it's still hugely recognizable.

"Freedom '90" and "So Close" are both way underrated. I'm considering "Love Takes Time" though.

Hippychick.

I don't recognize 3/4 of this list. Am I missing anything or are they all forgettable?

I'm going to be honest, I love nearly everything on here, as I have a soft spot for power ballads.
Still, it's Freedom vs. Groove Is In The Heart.

Odd Historical Curiosity
Hippychick

Genuinely Awful
Alias

Special Power Ballads ranking
Something to Believe In
High Enough
Stranded

Terrible Early 90s Rap ranking
Ice Ice Baby
Knockin Boots
Pray

1. "Hippychick," 2. "Ice Ice Baby" and "Groove Is in the Heart"

People used to argue about "Ice Ice Baby" the way they argue about Taylor Swift today.

"Pray" a classic example of biggest single not being most famous hit

I can't stand Hippychick.

OUT

"Love Takes Time" epitomizes what I dislike about early Mariah. "Love takes time/to heal." Oh.

People used to argue about "Ice Ice Baby" the way they argue about Taylor Swift today.

Not exactly. Van Winkle was clearly a doofus almost from the get-go. Remember his explanation of how "IIB" was completely different from "Under Pressure"?

vanilla ice has always been an ass-clown and i probably should associate that song with the kids that used to rap it on the school bus before giving me shit for my lil' REM cassingle but i love the song now. so many memorable lyrics, catchy as fuck.

prob voting deee-lite for being the song i'd most want to hear in most situations

Remember his explanation of how "IIB" was completely different from "Under Pressure"?

ding-DING-ding-ding-dinga-ding-ding

other songs i know i've got a soft-spot for (some i don't really know well):

"From A Distance" - for how bette sings "god is watching us" like it could either be a warning or a desperate plea of faith

"Feels Good" - for giving me "Tony tony tony has done it again!"

"Hippychick" - for being weird and awesome

"Tom's Diner" - ditto

"Freedom '90" - you really need to see women's college graduates dance to this

"freedom '90" has to be right up there with "sweet home alabama" when it comes to verse lyrics that confuse more and more karaoke participants with the passing of time.

with the added fun of "wait...this isn't freedom...stop the song...this isn't what i picked..." when the dj cues up wham

I think Christgau, who loves "From a Distance," said it was a subtle atheist's plea or something.

I def prefer it to "The Rose" or "Wind."

i'm also curious if its arrangement compared to the nanci griffith version was an influence on how the whitney houston version of "i will always love you" compares to dolly's

for the curious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF4BralTQW8

man i can't believe wham's "freedom" went to #3 while "freedom '90" only went to #8. Feels like the latter is infinitely more familiar now.

"Freedom" certainly hasn't dated as well.

It's almost as much fun to karaoke as "Everything She Wants" though

Oh, no doubt. George Michael's expanded discography is the bedrock upon which my karaoke history has been built.

"groove is in the heart" over "feels good", both are A+ though. the whitney and Mariah songs are ok too. after remembering those poison and damn yankees songs, it's a miracle it took a whole year before lite metal's popularity finally evaporated.

"People used to argue about 'Ice Ice Baby' the way they argue about Taylor Swift today."

Not exactly. Van Winkle was clearly a doofus almost from the get-go. Remember his explanation of how "IIB" was completely different from "Under Pressure"?

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra)

"People" meaning Chuck Eddy. He's a people. But Chuck was mostly a one-man fan club at the time (I liked, and still like, "Ice Ice Baby," but a little goes a long way), so you're probably closer to right.

like, i've never seen anyone respond to a "freedom" mix-up with a variation on "lol oh, it's the wham song, i'll just go ahead and sing this even bigger hit that's only six years older." it's always "excuse me, i have no idea what's even happening right now this song...what is this song..."

they should have named it freedom 2.0 because it's like the earlier version become immediately outdated

I'm sorry I didn't pick the week in October when Nelson was on the chart.

i don't think i've heard the entirety of Freedom in either incarnation

WHAT

what do we think about "Praying For Time," George's attempt to get some "Another Day in Paradise" cred for singing a five-minute ballad about the homeless? The production choices help: the guitar, the Plastic Ono Band echo, THE RICH DECLAH THEMSELVES POOO-AHHH, the organ.

In retrospect he made a serious mistake not allowing Sony to release his dance trash like "Too Funky" and "Happy." By the time he got to Older that's how he sounded.

listening to freedom '90 now; tomorrow i'll listen to don't let the sun go down on me '91

whoa i just blacked out for a second and when i came to steve harwell was singing this song instead of george michael, weird

I thought "Too Funky" was a pretty big hit?

Top ten

One of my favourites that year (not this one--maybe '92). The Mrs. Robinson record (and better than the Lemonheads' "Mrs. Robinson" cover, which was pretty good itself).

That's my point -- the songs are good and he still had a public willing to hear house-infused fast shit.

"From a Distance" is pretty, and I like it even better now having heard Christgau's reading of it, but I still gotta vote "Knockin' Boots."

"Too Funky" was basically my identity for months and months after it came out.

"groove is in the heart" would prob be in my top 20 singles of all time.

i've never really understood the revisionist love for "ice ice baby" -- i've always found it plodding and dull, not even much of a novelty song.

I love "Praying For Time". I could care less about the lyrical content, though. It's just so lush sounding. Brooding. His ballads were always the best.

"i flow like a harpoon daily and nightly"

Btw Nick Batt from DNA (remixers of Tom's Diner) is a bit of a celebrity in synth-geek circles nowadays due to his intricately detailed video reviews on Sonicstate.com

For some reason, I kinda see 1990 as a bit of a "nothing" year in comparison to 1989 and 1991, which were both phenomenal years for music.

Although having said that, Violator and Behaviour were both out in '90. But I dunno, even with that in mind, there's still something about 1990 which doesn't feel as monumental as the year before or the year after.

Yeah, 1989 in pop music might be my own personal Jesus.

xp!!!

Actually, I just realized "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" (aka the greatest pop song from that era up until the release of Janet's "If") wasn't released until 1990 so I might have to rethink that stance somewhat.

Tom's Diner, Dee-Lite, Soho: is this before ir after LaTour's People are Still Having Sex

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

'Cause my style's like a chemical spill
Feasible rhymes that you can vision and feel
Conducted and formed, This is a hell of a concept

the use of the word "feasible" is all the more hilarious considering it follows a description of Ice and Shay in a shootout with "dope fiends"

a shootout near a traffic jam no less ("Jumped in my car, slammed on the gas/Bumper to bumper, the avenue's packed")