You can’t
really think of amazing 90s songs without thinking of the truly incredible, and
slightly insane, TLC. They ruled the charts in the mid-90s with some brilliant
and always catchy tunes. Together the trio of Chilli, T-Boz and Left Eye were a
formidable team. I have so many amazing memories attached to so many of their
songs, so it seemed fitting that this week’s Top 5 list celebrates my favourite
songs of this iconic pop / R&B girl group.
Now as
tradition would suggest, here is the part where I moan that five sonns aren't enough
(I made the rules, but I still whine!), and the same is true with TLC. I am
still angry with myself that “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” hasn’t made the list. What
was I thinking excluding “Unpretty”? And their album track, “If I Was Your
Girlfriend” is one of my favourite covers, ever. But I guess it shows how
strong these songs really are!! So without further fanfare, here are my
favourite Top 5 TLC songs.
“Creep” takes me back to final year Uni and hating life there, music was my only salvation (as it is for so many). I used to blare this song on my CD player and get lost in its brilliance. This Dallas Austin penned tune about cheating back on a cheating man may have been hated by Left Eye for its message (she thought a woman should just leave) but I love the lyrics, and that slow, dirty groove is just perfection. This is one sexy song, a specialty of the girls.
4 - Waterfalls
“Waterfalls” may be one of the most recognisable songs of the 90s, it is much loved – often considered the girls signature song. It’s also been covered many times (tomorrow I am reviewing the new Bette Midler album and it includes a great cover). While musically it’s great, and the girls, as always, sound amazing, this song is about those phenomenal lyrics. Beautifully written by Left Eye, the song tackles issues still current today, youth violence, drugs, promiscuity and HIV. It is poignant and beautifully handled, now I have the song back in your mind, sing it loud, “Don’t go chasing waterfalls …..”
3 - Red Light Special
This may be one of the sexiest songs of all time! “Red Light Special” is all kinds of awesome, even though it only charted in the US (it reached number two there). This has a slow and dirty groove, a trademark TLC sound and some great vocals from the girls, especially the low and sexy voice of T-Boz. The lyrics are pretty hot too, “If move too fast just let me know, cause it means you move too slow”. Amen sister, light some candles, invite round a “friend” and enjoy this song.
“No Scrubs” is one of my favourite songs, so it may seem a little strange for it to be sitting at number two – but that’s how much I love these ladies. It’s so funny that the term scrub, meaning a guy who in Australia we’d call a bludger, is out of our vernacular and this song could have aged badly, but is still highly popular. Whenever this pops onto my shuffle at work, people sing along loudly and proudly. It’s a perfect example of the girl’s harmonies and how great their attitude filled songs could be. Their only Aussie number one (they had four in the US), and rightly deserved for this catchy tune.
For me there really could be no other song at number one. While this didn’t chart in my home country, I discovered this song in high school when I used to spend Sunday afternoons doing homework and listening to American Top 40 on the radio – this is where I discovered so many amazing songs my fellow Australians never heard. Written by powerhouses LA Reid and Babyface, it was the girl’s first US number one and the first single not to include a rap by Left Eye. It’s an amazing ballad with a slow groove, killer vocals and some spunky lyrics, “Long as you know that I can have any man I want to, it’s actual and it’s factual. But still I choose you…” How can you not love those lyrics? Such a truly amazing track.
The girls are really missed. What are your favourite TLC songs? Tell me in the comments section below and let me know which artist I should feature next with a Top 5 list.
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