25 Years Since....February 1993

It's that time again to look at what I was enjoying 25 years ago:

Oui 3 - For What It's Worth

This was the first time I'd heard the main riff in this tune which is taken from a Buffalo Springfield tune of the same name. In fact when I heard "He Got Game" by Public Enemy a few years later I assumed they'd sampled this.

Ultimately it was the riff which stood out to me from this tune, I didn't really remember the rapping or singing from it too much but listening to it now I'd say the vocals were quite good too.

This was the first of three Top 40 hits for Oui 3, the others being "Break From the Old Routine" and "Facts of Life" but they have several more tunes on their Greatest Hits which I own.

INXS - Beautiful Girl

INXS were my second favourite band in February 1993 after Guns n Roses so was clearly enjoying this tune at the time.

We would have to wait until the end of October for their next single which was a long time in those days, possibly because of this they had fallen down to third place in my list by the summer getting replaced at number two by Bon Jovi.

Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way

Back in 1991 there was a soulful ballad released called "It Ain't Over Till It's Over" which I remembered as being by Lenny Kravitz. Then in 1993 the name Lenny Kravitz came up again and I thought yeah he was the guy that did that soulful ballad a couple of years ago. Then I heard this and thought no it must have been a different person.

Turns out it wasn't, this was in fact the same person. What a tune though, I was very impressed with the guitar playing in this and also the energy. This tune prompted Lenny Kravitz to appear in many peoples Top 10 bands/artists at the time, mine included.

Sadly it wasn't to last, his follow ups "Heaven Help" and "Believe" were more of the soulful ballad variety which alienated the rock kids at school. Still I'm more open minded now and like "It Ain't Over Till It's Over" just as much as I like this.

Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name

Prior to this record coming out I was particularly impressed by the controversial nature of "Get in the Ring" by Guns n Roses, I simply didn't think it was possible for lyrics like that to exist in a song.

Then along came this which caught the attention of many people at school. Others who hadn't heard this didn't believe there was such a record that repeatedly said "Fuck You I Won't Do What You Tell Me".

This brings back many memories of a rebellious childhood. There was the last day of term when after playing lots of random songs on the tape player in the classroom we decided to simply play the Rage Against the Machine album the whole way through. This was the second track, the teacher heard it and that was it. Then there was the time on the school bus when I played this on the guitar on the school bus with several of us singing it loudly which upset a few people.

It clearly had an impact on many people given it became Christmas number one 16 years later. Sadly with crappy pop acts like Dua Lipa swearing on their music these days a record like this wouldn't have that sort of impact anymore, but there's more to it that the swearing in my mind.

REM - The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite

From a record with great lyrics to a record where I haven't a clue what the lyrics are. The only lyrics I thought I knew were "calling Jamaica" but turns out he doesn't sing that at all.

I remember hearing this for the first time, I was in the car and it came on the radio and the DJ said this is the new REM song, check out the lyrics to this.

I tried to check out the lyrics but figured his point was you don't stand a chance in figuring out the lyrics. I've always seen the vocal in this as more of an instrument than actual singing which is probably why I liked it.