My Top Ten Tunes for 1999
In the nick of time for the millenium, here are last year's most worthy.
Note: if you live outside the UK then these songs may belong in a different year or not be familiar at all! Where possible I have collected evidence to enlargen on/ support my claims.
No. 1 Driftwood (Travis)
Scotland's finest export of the non throat-burning variety! Travis have been on the scene for several years, but 1999 was their big break in the UK.
The song itself has a poignant reflective sound and some beautifully-produced guitar strumming. Anyone who likes to get mellow with Del Amitri should remember the name.
Only thing is, they don't dress very well (example right)! Still, at least they know to wrap up against the Highland winds.
No. 2 I'm Gonna Get Ya Baby (Black Connection)
Probably the least well-known in my top ten, this song. A very catchy, energising club tune which combines some unusual elements. There are most definitely undercurrents of drum-and-bass menace to it, and yet the chorus is almost-dare I say it- "Cagney and Lacey" style! That said, the saxophone is what makes the song memorable (I'm humming it writing this) and gets toes tapping/ hands in the air. I have no idea where it rated in the charts, I certainly wasn't aware of it on Top of the Pops. But that's part of the beauty. The song "Sweet Like Chocolate" (Shanks and Bigfoot) could have made my top ten maybe, apart from the fact that it was overkilled on the radio/ TV/ etc. For "I'm Gonna..." there will be no accompanying picture, there will be no CD purchase to listen to round the house, this one's for the clubs only.
No. 3 Kiss Me (Sixpence None the Richer)
Well everybody knows this song! Makes you think you live in a small, leafy town with verandas and rocking chairs. Basically replace Van Beak with yourself in the show Dawson's Creek . But it's sincerely done, and the singer is eminently kissable.
What does the band's name mean? If I had sixpence I'd be some the richer (although you can't buy much for six pence these days, moan moan....)