The best 500 songs from the 1990s. Lyrics, meanings and interpretations from your favorite musicians. Radiohead, REM, Weezer, No Doubt, Alanis, Jewel, and Guns and Roses. See which of your favorite 90s bands and artists rank highest on the greatest songs of all-time lists.
All you have to do is close your eyes/ And just reach out your hands and touch me.
Extreme’s “More Than Words” is about a relationship between two people who speak different love languages. The woman wants to hear him say “I love you”, and she tells him that she loves him. However, that is not what he needs from her. He wants her touch. He is telling her, “look, reach out and touch me every once and a while and I’ll know you love me.” We don’t know how this particular relationship turns out, but we can relate to the problem of the to characters in the story.
Extreme
With “More Than Words”, Extreme has a beautiful melody and nice harmonies. The acoustic guitars are also used as percussion in the song, which provides a unique sound. There is a lot of sound coming out of the speakers from just two guys with two guitars. Unfortunately, this would be Extremes only hit, but what a great hit it is.
More Than Words Lyrics
Saying I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It’s not that I want you
Not to say, but if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn’t have to say that you love me
‘Cause I’d already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn’t make things new
Just by saying I love you
More than words
La di da, da di da, di dai dai da
Now I’ve tried to talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is close your eyes
And just reach out your hands and touch me
Hold me close don’t ever let me go
More than words is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn’t have to say that you love me
‘Cause I’d already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn’t make things new
Just by saying I love you
Don’t speak, I know just what you’re sayin’/ So please stop explainin’/ Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts.
Gwen Stephani has had several hits both as a solo artist and in No Doubt, but “Don’t Speak” was her masterpiece. It’s about two lovers and best friends who are breaking up, and the emotional turmoil that follows.
No Doubt
She doesn’t want to hear the reasons why he doesn’t want to be with her anymore. Anything he says will only hurt her more. She understands already, so hush. Her typical wailing vocals go good with this song, because it is about a woman who is becoming undone by hearing horrible news. It matches her personal vocal style perfectly.
The instrumentation is great, as is the melody. The melody in the verse, chorus and bridge are very different, but add up to make a coherent package. A good choice is made for the solo. Rather than a wailing electric guitar solo, they go for a nylon string acoustic guitar with muted trumpets in the background. It sounds sad and solemn, which is exactly what this song is going for.
Gwen
Gwen’s contribution to 1990s fashion was incredible. She was the trend setter in fashion, but “Don’t Speak” shows she could also rock. Interestingly, this song started off very differently. For the first few years of its existence, it was a love song and had different lyrics. When she broke up with her boyfriend, bassist Tony Kanal, the song became the classic, seething breakup song it is now. Compare the lyrics with the original lyrics below:
Don’t Speak Lyrics
You and me, we used to be together
Every day together, always
I really feel that I’m losin’ my best friend
I can’t believe this could be the end
It looks as though you’re lettin’ go
And if it’s real, well, I don’t want to know
Don’t speak, I know just what you’re sayin’
So please stop explainin’
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
Don’t speak, I know what you’re thinkin’
I don’t need your reasons
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
Our memories, well, they can be inviting
But some are altogether mighty frightening
As we die, both you and I
With my head in my hands, I sit and cry
Don’t speak, I know just what you’re sayin’
So please stop explainin’
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts, no, no, no
Don’t speak, I know what you’re thinkin’
And I don’t need your reasons
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
It’s all ending
We gotta stop pretending
Who we are
You and me
I can see us dyin’
Aren’t we?
Don’t speak, I know just what you’re sayin’
So please stop explainin’
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
No, no, don’t speak, I know what you’re thinkin’
And I don’t need your reasons
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
I know what you’re sayin’
So please stop explainin’
Don’t speak, don’t speak
Don’t speak, no
I know what you’re thinkin’
And I don’t need your reasons
I know you’re good, I know you’re good
I know you’re real good, oh
La, la, la, la
La, la, la, la
Don’t, don’t, ooh, ooh
Hush, hush, darling
Hush, hush, darling
Hush, hush
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
Hush, hush, darling
Hush, hush, darling
Hush, hush
Don’t tell me ’cause it hurts
Don’t Speak (Original Lyrics)
I can see it all in an eye blink.
I know everything about how you are.
I understand exactly how you think.
Between you and me it’s not very far.
Side by side, you and I,
With many, many years behind us,
You let words pass us by.
Because we, we’re always together.
And we, we will be forever.
Such a special treasure,
You and I.
Don’t speak, I know just what you’re saying.
So please stop explaining,
It’s nothing new that I’ve heard.
No need to tell me you’re my best friend,
It doesn’t take wits to know who you are,
The message is so clear that you said-
Written in the stars.
Bye, bye. All days can fly.
And like the birds sing something older.
So do you and I.
Because we, we’re always together and we
Will be forever, such a special treasure,
You and I.
Don’t speak, I know just what you’re saying.
So please stop explaining,
It’s nothing new that I’ve heard.
I mean it sounds so familiar, to fools in the sky.
And are there words so deep between the lies?
It’s just that they were so amazing,
So let us stop pretending who we are.
written by Eric Matthew Stefani / Gwen Renee Stefani
Would he have loved you, and not let you down/ And would he be stronger than his father.
Isobel is a friend who had an abortion and, in her sorrow, may have skipped town because she felt ashamed. I am sure of the former part, not certain about the later. Dido’s lyrics rarely provide a complete picture, but they usually provide a hint, with the listener left to fill in the blanks.
What is amazing about this song is the live performance. Dido’s “Isobel” live version is a much different song than the the album version. The energy and production are completely different. Jam songs can get boring, but Dido and her band riff for a couple minutes at the end and it is heavenly.
Dido
If you like Dido, or great live concerts, or singer-songwriters, you owe it to yourself to buy Dido’s Live from Brighton Academy. It is one of the best concerts I have ever seen. It is also visually stunning. I go to a concert for the sound, but this experience is something else with the visual production and just seeing the beautiful Dido in her prime, singing.
Another interesting thing about this song is the number of melodies that come out of it. The verses into “…Isobel I hope you’re well” are pretty rocking, and sound great. Even better is the refrain, “I’m helping it past by loving, loving you more.” That line is great, and the melody of that line is so special.
Isobel Lyrics
I thought it was funny when you missed the train
When I rang you at home they said you left yesterday
I thought it was strange when your car was found
By the tree in Ennis where we used to hang around
Dear Isobel
I hope you’re well and what you’ve done is right
Oh it’s been such hell
I wish you well I hope you’re safe tonight
It’s been a long day coming and long will it last
When it’s last day leaving, and I’m helping it pass by loving you more
And who he would become, all the things he’d have done
Would he have loved you, and not let you down
And would he be stronger than his father
Don’t punish yourself, leave it well alone
Dear Isobel
I hope you’re well and what you’ve done is right
Oh it’s been such hell
I wish you well I hope you’re safe tonight
It’s been a long day coming and long will it last
When it’s last day leaving, and I’m helping it pass by loving you more
It’s been a long day coming and long will it last
When it’s last day leaving, and I’m helping it pass by loving, loving you more.
written by Dido
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