Category Archives: 1990s songs

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.

1990s songs, party songs

#424 Closing Time- Semisonic

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Closing time/
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

Semisonic’s “Closing Time” is a 90s pop staple about the end of the night at a bar. Closing up the bar each night not only involves the routine maintenance of the bar, but the band notices the patrons follow a routine as well. And that is obviously a lot more interesting.

Last call is made, lights are turned on and people are told to grab their jackets and leave. There is a last-minute chance to hook up with whomever hasn’t left with someone else already. But sometimes “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Occasionally there can be more in store for you for that evening.

Closing Time Meaning
Semisonic

“Closing Time” is popular because everyone has felt the shame and excitement of a night ending without anyone. Also it turns a usually shameful situation into a message of hope: this could be a new beginning! It is also a very sing-able song: great for karaoke.
The drummer of Semisonic wrote a good book about his experience as a “one-hit wonder” touring these small bars, called: So You Wanna Be A Rock Star. Check it out.

Closing Time Lyrics

Closing time
Time for you to go out go out into the world.
Closing time
Turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time
One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time
You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home

Closing time
Time for you to go back to the places you will be from.
Closing time
This room won’t be open ’til your brothers or you sisters come.
So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits
I hope you have found a
Friend.

Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.

Yeah, I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home

Closing time
Time for you to go back to the places you will be from
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home

Closing time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

Songwriters: Dan Wilson

1990s songs, relationship problems

#415 White Flag- Dido

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And if you live by the rules of it’s over/
Then I’m sure that that makes sense.

Dido is another singer who is criminally underrated in the music world; she has several all-time great songs, some of which you have heard, some you haven’t.  “White Flag” you have heard.

Dido’s “White Flag” is about a relationship that is over-in most senses of the word- but Dido will not give up on it. She will not wave her white flag and give up on the relationship. He doesn’t think she should love him anymore, but she does, and she will go down fighting to save the relationship.

It is interesting to note that in the relationship Dido describes she seems to be the one at fault, but the song is universal in that anyone who has tried to save a relationship can relate. Even those who have valued a relationship and want to fight for it can rally behind this song. It is a classic.

White Flag Meaning
Dido

Dido’s music uses a lot of percussion and synthesizers to achieve her sound. She is a great live performer. If you love music, you must see her Live at Brighton Academy performance on dvd. It is one of the best live performances I have seen. Also, live, Dido’s songs sound a little more raw, and her voice sounds more alive. Check it out.

White Flag Lyrics

I know you think that I shouldn’t still love you
Or tell you that
But if I didn’t say it, well I’d still have felt it
Where’s the sense in that?

I promise I’m not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

I know I left too much mess and
Destruction to come back again
And I caused nothing but trouble
I understand if you can’t talk to me again
And if you live by the rules of it’s over
Then I’m sure that that makes sense

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

And when we meet
Which I’m sure we will
All that was there
Will be there still
I’ll let it pass
And hold my tongue
And you will think
That I’ve moved on

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

Songwriters: Dido Armstrong / Richard W. Jr. Nowels / Rollo Armstrong

 

1990s songs, breakup songs

#410 Into Dust- Mazzy Star

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Like two strangers/
Turning into dust.

Hope Sandoval and Mazzy Star have a very distinctive sound as displayed in “Into Dust”. It is depressing, mopey, lingering and introspective. I mean that in the best possible way. Their sound seems to be achieved through the use of echo, coupled with acoustic guitar, strings and Sandoval’s vocals.

A lot of bands use those same tools, but none create the unique sound that is Mazzy Star. There are not many singers who could hold our attention with a song that proceeds at this slow of a pace, yet we are enthralled.

Into Dust Meaning
Mazzy Star

Mazzy Star’s “Into Dust” is a song about the death of a relationship. Sandoval likens it to an actual death. It can feel that way at times; that is the appeal of the song. Is the death of a relationship so much different than the death of an individual? In both cases an entity is destroyed forever. (Of course, one is more final than the other, but why split hairs?). Mazzy Star can really set a mood and is one of the more underrated bands of the 90s.

Into Dust Lyrics & Meaning

Still falling, breathless and on again.
Inside today, beside me today.
Around, broken in two,
Till your eyes shed into dust.
Like two strangers turning into dust,
Till my hand shook with the weight of fear.

I could possibly be fading,
Or have something more to gain.
I could feel myself growing colder,
I could feel myself under your fate,
Under your fate.

It was you, breathless and torn,
I could feel my eyes turning into dust.
And two strangers turning into dust,
Turning into dust.

Written by David Roback/ Hope Sandoval