Day 42, and here we are on 29th March 1999, when Now! #42 was released.
Let’s see what the hits were as we went into the final year of the ’90s.
Track 1: Boyzone – When The Going Gets Tough
I mentioned this in my review of Now! #7, when discussing the Billy Ocean original. As I said there, the cover doesn’t do anything different, but it was the Comic Relief single for 1999, so it probably raised a lot of money. Including mine, ’cause I bought the single.
Obligatory ‘I hate pointless ’90s covers’ rant: And the reason I bought the single is because I thought ‘hey, that’s a great song!’ without realising there was a much better original version. Sigh.
Track 2: Steps – Better Best Forgotten
Quite liked it at the time, find it super irritating now.
Track 3: Cher – Believe
I don’t hate this as much as some people do – in fact, I quite like the tune – but it was really overplayed at the time, so I don’t think there was anybody who wasn’t sick of it.
Track 4: Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched and Billie Piper – Thank Abba For The Music
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Medley of Abba songs performed at the Brit Awards 1999 by contemporary pop artists in tribute to Abba. It was pretty cringeworthy at the time, and is even more so nineteen years later.
Track 5: Spice Girls – Goodbye
The Christmas number one from 1998, so it’s one of those ones that feels like it’s the wrong time of year for it. Pretty track, though.
Track 6: Honeyz – End Of The Line
Like this tune, but the vocals aren’t really to my taste.
Track 7: Billie Piper – Honey To The Bee
Found it a bit dull at the time, but I quite like the tune nowadays.
Track 8: The Corrs – What Can I Do
Lovely tune, great instrumentals. Big fan of this one.
Track 9: Emilia – Big Big World
Really liked it at the time, find it a bit saccharine now. Still a nice tune.
Track 10: Tina Cousins – Killin’ Time
Epic-sounding dance track – really like this one.
Track 11: Vengaboys – We Like To Party! (The Vengabus)
Bit of a guilty pleasure, this one, ’cause I do love that singalong chorus (and I have a soft spot for anything with a daft bus theme).
Track 12: Cartoons – Witch Doctor
Dance cover of the ’50s classic. Always quite liked this one.
Track 13: Ace Of Base – Always Have, Always Will
Jaunty track with a mid-century retro tinge. Happily nodding along.
Track 14: Blockster – You Should Be
Dull dance track based around a sample of You Should Be Dancing. It’s pretty uninspired.
Track 15: A+ – Enjoy Yourself
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
I quite like the take on Beethoven’s Fifth, but the rap is a bit generic.
Track 16: Deetah – El Paradiso Rico
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
I like the La Isla Bonita bit, but the rest of the track is pretty awful.
Track 17: Emmie – More Than This
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Fairly dull dance track. The vocal is quite nice, but the rest of the track’s pretty uninspired.
Track 18: DJ Sakin – Protect Your Mind (For The Love Of A Princess)
Dance cover of James Horner’s For The Love Of A Princess from the Braveheart soundtrack. It’s as awful as it sounds.
Track 19: Fool Boona – Popped
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
There’s a nice sample from Iggy Pop’s The Passenger in there somewhere, but it gets lost among a ridiculous amount of other stuff going on. It’s just a big mess, unfortunately.
Track 20: Sash! – Colour The World
Nice tune, but it’s pretty repetitive.
Track 21: Justin – Over You
Slow and dull, and I find the vocal too high-pitched and annoying.
Track 22: Robbie Williams – Strong
Never been a fan of this one – I find the tune super irritating.
Track 23: Lenny Kravitz – Fly Away
Classic rock track, really like this. Love that singalong chorus.
Track 24: Fatboy Slim – Praise You
A classic! Great dance track, love this one.
Track 25: Armand Van Helden and Duane Harden – U Don’t Know Me
Highly irritating intro. Once the hook gets going, it’s sort of okay.
Track 26: Mr Oizo – Flat Beat
I had (in fact, I think I still have) the single of this one. I don’t like it as much as I used to – it’s fairly tuneless.
Track 27: The Cardigans – Erase/Rewind
Another great rock track from the Cardigans. Awesome tune.
Track 28: Stereophonics – Just Looking
Urgh, incredibly annoying and depressing chorus. Don’t like this one at all.
Track 29: The All Seeing I and Tony Christie – Walk Like A Panther
I’ve always liked this track – great tune.
Track 30: The Divine Comedy – National Express
I normally like the Divine Comedy, but this is another one with an annoying chorus. The verse is great though!
Track 31: Terrorvision – Tequila [Mint Royale Shot]
A classic, and it was a bit of an anthem for me and my friends at the time. True fact: I drank my first shot of tequila while this song was playing, on Hogmanay 1999, Millennium Eve. Good times.
Track 32: The Beautiful South – How Long’s A Tear Take To Dry?
It’s a nice tune, but as often happens with the Beautiful South, I find the theme a little awkward.
Track 33: Roxette – Wish I Could Fly
Lovely tune, solid as ever from Roxette – great atmosphere too.
Track 34: 911 – A Little Bit More
It was too cheesy for me at fourteen, so you can imagine what I think of it at thirty-three. Just no.
Track 35: Dru Hill – These Are The Times
Slow, boring ballad with a forgettable tune, and you know what I think about those.
Track 36: Kele Le Roc – My Love
Another dull ballad. Not keen on this at all.
Track 37: All Saints – War Of Nerves
Great atmosphere, but there’s a slight disharmony between the vocal and instrumental that gets on my nerves.
Track 38: Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Inkanyezi Nezazi (The Star And The Wiseman)
Nice a cappella track – lovely tune.
Track 39: Blur – Tender
Gorgeous tune, great lyrics – really like this one.
Track 40: Dusty Springfield – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
Classic ’60s track, re-released in tribute to Dusty Springfield, who had just passed away in March 1999. Great song.