90s Music: The Highs, The Lows and… Pegging?

Allow me to set the scene. The year is 2001. It’s summer. You’re sitting in the back of your mom’s 1982 Buick LeSabre, windows down because the A/C was never right after your family got it secondhand. You’re watching the street signs flicker by as Drops of Jupiter by Train dances from the car speakers to your ears. You sing along like you know who ‘she’ is and how space travel allowed her to survive a trip to the Milky Way. As the song fades into a brief announcement from the local radio host, you take a breath after giving the performance of a lifetime.

After 20 years, those songs still slap. Here are 9 songs from the turn of the 21st century and the stories behind them.

1. Drops of Jupiter – Train

The singer wrote the song in his sleep!

Following the loss of his mother to cancer, Pat Monahan dreamt the song and wrote it in 15 minutes. He retold the story to American Songwriter: “I fell asleep and woke up maybe ten minutes later and I had the entire “Drops Of Jupiter” lyrics and melody, that I went downstairs and wrote the whole thing in 15 minutes.”

2. She’s So High – Tal Bachman

Secondary school bribes…

After hearing from a woman he was previously linked to in high school, vocalist Chris Barron sought advice from a friend who kept telling him to “just go ahead now.” Later that day, he sat down to write ‘Two Princes’ and the rest is a Billboard hit.

3. Two Princes – Spin Doctors

Just go ahead now ??

After hearing from a woman he was previously linked to in high school, vocalist Chris Barron sought advice from a friend who kept telling him to “just go ahead now.” Later that day, he sat down to write ‘Two Princes’ and the rest is a Billboard hit.

4. What’s Up? – 4 Non Blondes

Three cheers for 4 queers!

4 Non Blondes made history by being the first openly lesbian group to have a Top 40 hit.

5. Mr. Jones – Counting Crows

Who is Mr. Jones?

During a night out in Los Angeles, Counting Crows vocalist Adam Duritz and his longtime friend Marty Jones watched as a fellow musician charmed 3 ladies at once. In both awe and jealousy, Duritz ventured home and wrote the song.

6. Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz

Not album material?

Fly Away was never meant to make the album. Lenny Kravitz originally wanted the track as a B-Side, but changed his mind after a friend told him it was a hit. Thank you, friend, whoever you are!

7. All I Wanna Do – Sheryl Crow

Like poetry…

The hook of the song was inspired by a poem called ‘Fun.’ While in the studio, Sheryl Crow read the poem which has the opening line: “All I wanna do is have some fun.”

8. Roll To Me – Del Amitri

One and Done.

This was the only song to chart in the U.S. by Scottish rock band Del Amitri. They toured in the states following its success but were reluctant to play the Top 40 hit as it didn’t fit their sound. They were never able to break into the states after that.

9. Every Morning – Sugar Ray

? ?

As confirmed by lead vocalist Mark McGrath, this song… Is about pegging.