Ten 90s Songs that Reached into the Depths of Our Souls

Coming of age in the 90s was much different than that of today. While there was technology at our fingertips, there was no such thing as social media. Our socializing was over the phone or in person. We spent a lot more time alone, analyzing our own thoughts and emotions. These songs really tapped into those feelings and told our stories.

One Headlight — The Wallflowers

I seen the sun comin’ up at the funeral at dawn

With the long broken arm of human law

Now it always seemed such a waste

She always had a pretty face

I wondered why she hung around this placeFull of metaphors and verbal images, One Headlight focuses on the death of ideas. “The death of the long broken arm of human law” refers to the seeming lack of respect and appreciation amongst humans.

Written by lead singer Jakob Dylan (the son of musician Bob Dylan), his purpose wasn’t to focus on one specific person, but humanity as a whole, with its “ugliness and greed.”

This song may be more relevant today than it was in 1997 when he wrote it. A downer if you think about it, but great songs never lose their relevance.

Gin Blossoms — Found Out About You

Months roll past the love that you struck dead

Did you love me only in my head?

The things you said and did to me

They seem to come so easily

The love I thought I’d won

You give for free

We all had our hearts broken, typically because of lies and immature decisions. We were all young once. We made mistakes. Found Out About You encompasses several of writer and Gin Blossoms’ guitarists Doug Hopkins previous girlfriends in his younger days.

It embodies the pain we felt after the betrayal of a high school sweetheart without being whiney and juvenile. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean that you are immune from heartache, so this song can still pull out the stops on an emotional setback.

It first appeared on their 1989 album Dusted but didn’t become a hit until 1993.

Soul Asylum — Runaway Train

Runaway train never going back

Wrong way on a one way track

Seems like I should be getting somewhere

Somehow I’m neither here nor there

Can you help me remember how to smile

Make it somehow all seem worthwhile

How on earth did I get so jaded

Life’s mystery seems so faded

Accompanying a seriously heartbreaking video, which featured pleas for information on missing teens and highlighted the plight of teenage runaways, are lyrics that described the black cloud of depression. It wasn’t something talked about much in the early 90s, especially in regards to youth. It hit deep for those dealing with mental health issues, family problems, and the difficulties of being a teenager at the time.

During a tough stint, Soul Asylum’s lead singer, Dave Pirner, wrote the song in one sitting. The video, however, became bigger than the song itself and is even credited for reuniting several missing children with their families.

Closing Time — Semisonic

Closing time, time for you to go out

To the places you will be from

Closing time, this room won’t be open

Till your brothers or your sisters come

So, gather up your jackets, 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

While being very literal as far as being asked to leave a bar, writer and lead singer Dan Wilson also wrote it in anticipation of fatherhood. He was writing the song while his wife was pregnant and realized that it had a double meaning. He recognized that it was about coming into the world and experiencing something bigger.

This song was my senior class’s graduation song. The line “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end” seemed especially fitting for the occasion.

Creep — Radiohead

When you were here before

Couldn’t look you in the eye

You’re just like an angel

Your skin makes me cry

You float like a feather

In a beautiful world

I wish I was special

You’re so fuckin’ special

But I’m a creep

I’m a weirdo

What the hell am I doin’ here?

I don’t belong here

Oh, my. There are so many people that hate this song, including Radiohead themselves. However, if you went through your youth without being in the “in crowd” because of the way you looked, the clothes you wore, or just because you weren’t deemed “cool” enough, this song spoke to you. I was most definitely that person, so I feel ya.

Sadly, that part of the world hasn’t changed much, so it is still very relevant. It’s easy to be made to feel as though we aren’t good enough for various reasons and sometimes you let it build up so much that you just want to scream “I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo!” Weirdos are my people.

The Verve — Bittersweet Symphony

’Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony, that’s life

Tryna make ends meet

You’re a slave to money then you die

I’ll take you down the only road I’ve ever been down

You know the one that takes you to the places

Where all the veins meet yeah

Bittersweet Symphony is one of those songs that you don’t realize the significance until you look back on it. More relevant now, as an adult and contributing member of society, this song is about all of us.

Referring to life itself, it means that our existence is seen as “bittersweet”. While giving us the possibility of so many good things throughout our existence, it’s also very begrudging in the sense that we work ourselves to death until we actually die.

“Tryna make ends meet” is a concept that most of us are familiar with and often determines our course in life. While we try to change, we are often stuck in a “mold” that is preventing us from moving beyond where we are. Whatever that mold is, it hinders our ability to reach a point where we are no longer working just to survive and eventually die.

REM — Losing My Religion

Oh life is bigger

It’s bigger than you

And you are not me

The lengths that I will go to

The distance in your eyes

Oh no I’ve said too much

I set it up

That’s me in the corner

That’s me in the spot-light

Losing my religion

Trying to keep up with you

And I don’t know if I can do it

Oh no I’ve said too much

I haven’t said enough

This song was often referred to as sacrilegious during the early 90s, even though it had little to do with religion. “Losing my religion” is actually a Southern term referring to someone losing their patience or being at the end of their rope. This is the point when someone goes from being polite to angry, possibly using words and phrases that the religious deem inappropriate.

What’s masterful about this hit was that almost everyone could relate to it. Finally reaching your wit’s end over a relationship that’s not meant to be is a place filled with a variety of emotions — anger, fear, bitterness, and heartbreak — all portrayed brilliantly by lead singer Michael Stripe.

Wonderwall — Oasis

And all the roads we have to walk are winding

And all the lights that lead us there are blinding

There are many things that I would like to say to you

But I don’t know how

Because maybe

You’re gonna be the one that saves me

And after all

You’re my wonderwall

While the media assumed that the song written by Noel Gallagher was about his then-girlfriend and printed such, he came out later admitting the true inspiration for the song wasn’t even real.

“The meaning of that song was taken away from me by the media who jumped on it,” he said. “And how do you tell your missus it’s not about her once she’s read it is? It’s a song about an imaginary friend who’s gonna come and save you from yourself.”

In my opinion, this makes it much more appealing, because it is more relatable. How many of us closed our eyes at night, only to dream of that “person” who would change our life. This person that we had never met was our escape, our hope that things would change for the better. They would be the one to save us when we couldn’t save ourselves.

The Offspring — The Kids Aren’t Alright

When we were young, the future was so bright

Woah-oh

The old neighborhood was so alive

Woah-oh

And every kid on the whole damn street

Woah-oh

Was gonna make it big and not be beat

Now the neighborhood’s cracked and torn

Woah-oh

The kids are grown up, but their lives are worn

Woah-oh

How can one little street swallow so many lives?

Chances thrown

Nothing’s free

Longing for used to be

Still it’s hard, hard to see

Fragile lives

Shattered dreams (Go!)

Known for whimsical songs such as “Pretty Fly for a White Guy”, the Offspring went really deep on this one. While keeping a tempo of 100 BPM, the depressing meaning of the song was hidden inside its high energy.

The song was inspired by lead singer Dexter Holland’s return to his old neighborhood in Orange County, CA. Many people that he had grown up with had been swallowed by adversity and misfortune. Their struggles stirred something inside him.

It highlights the big dreams we all have for our future when we are young and how sometimes those dreams crash hard. We can’t always foresee the obstacles that will force us to deviate from the path that we had mapped out in our heads.

It brings to light the reality of how the world actually works. Chances are thrown away by temptation or pressure. “Nothing’s free” just points out that everything comes with a cost.

Iris — Goo Goo Dolls

And all I can taste is this moment

And all I can breathe is your life

And sooner or later, it’s over

I just don’t wanna miss you tonight

And I don’t want the world to see me

’Cause I don’t think that they’d understand

When everything’s made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

Written for the movie City of Angels, this song was perfect for the scene and for every person who has had to let the love of their go for any length of time. Where it be for a night or a lifetime, those last moments of hanging on, knowing that you had to say goodbye were torture.

Johnny Rzeznik’s life was pretty manic when he wrote the song after attending a screening for City of Angels. The movie tells the story of an angel who gives up immortality to be with the woman he loves. After Rzeznik arrived back in his hotel, the song just took shape. The only snag he ran into was naming the song, so he began to look through a LA Weekly magazine. Seeing a piece about singer/songwriter Iris DeMent struck him and Iris was born.

The whole piece is powerful and gives me chills every time I hear it, even 23 years later. The build is emotional and passionate, much like the relationships of our youth. And that drum break? Perfect. A fierce climax that feeds your adrenaline and leaves you wanting more.

***This story was previously published by author on Medium.com***