Time to continue our fun Sunday blogs with a look back a great little list, the Top 20 Songs from R&B girl groups of the 90s.
The 90s is back in a big way, 80s is old hat, the retro to like right now is the 10 years before the millennium. Now I've always loved girl groups, I did a countdown of Aussie girl groups a few weeks back. 90s R&B was always amazing, whether it was from the US or the UK, both are included here. I had such fun compiling this list and going back and listening to these songs again. They truly are classics!
Check out the countdown and tell me your favourites in the comments section below.
20 - Don't Let Go (Love) - En Vogue
The ladies of En Vogue certainly had some pipes, those ladies could sing and the harmonises were sublime. This was their biggest hit and the last time they were a four piece. This is still a classic, and you have to love that lone guitar that belts through the track. "You have the right to lose control", got to love it!
19 - Cleopatra's Theme - Cleopatra
Signed to Madonna's Maverick Record Label, these three British sisters were a one hit wonder in the US, and reached Number 3 in the UK with this very catchy tune. You hear it and you just get, "Cleopatra, comin' atcha" stuck in your head. Lead singer Cleo had a wonderfully distinctive voice. This hasn't aged too well, but it's still a lot of fun!
18 - I Wanna Be the Only One - Eternal (featuring BeBe Winans)
The only UK number one for the then three piece Eternal is their biggest hit. A duet with US soul legend, Bebe Winans, this is a very contagious track that is the right mix of pop and R&B. Love the spoken line in thick British accent, "My Lord you do". A very fun tune.
17 - Hey Mr DJ - Zhane
This was a track I had completely forgotten about until researching this list and then I downloaded it and have been playing it non-stop. It has that great early 90s groove that is so smooth. The duo sound great together and this was such a great party tune back in 1993. Now hit play and put it loud.
16 - Bug a Boo - Destiny's Child
Now Destiny's Child are really darlings of the 00s. Their first album was 1997 and they were releasing tunes from their massive, "The Writing's on the Wall" in 99, but "Say My Name" came out in 2000. Happy to say that the early releases from this album were great. "Bug A Boo" is the fun Destiny's Child we know and love. I love Kelly and Beyonce together and they sound great here. Plus these lyrics are brilliant, "And so what, my Momma likes you, and what now, guess you think I will too".
15 - I Wanna Love You - Jade
This is one that may not be remembered well but I have always had great affection for. The ladies of Jade knew how to sing so well together, on the soul side of R&B, the ladies had a winner with this very funky track. The chorus is a sure fire winner.
14 - Warm Summer Days - Vybe
Now this was my jam back in 1995. Such a sexy groove, beautifully deep vocals and heavenly harmonises. This was massive here in Australia, probably cause we love any song that celebrates summer, and this song did it perfectly. This is such an easy track and so very funky. I miss music like this!
13 - Stay - Eternal
Eternal are back for a second appearance with their debut single, "Stay", their only US hit and their highest charting single in Australia. I was in Uni when this came out and remember being so excited when a friend bought me the CD single for my birthday. I belted this tune many times and still love its slow and funky R&B groove and great harmonises.
12 - I Know Where It's At - All Saints
All Saints are another group that were massive in the 00s but got their start in the 90s. "I Know Where It's At" was their debut single and was always a favourite of mine. There was always something incredibly cool about these ladies and this track was amazing. Shaznay always had a spectacular voice and her little spoken word/rap part here is fierce.
11 - Free Your Mind - En Vogue
Don't get on the wrong side of the En Vogue ladies, cause they will own your arse. And that's what they did to the racists in this amazing rock / R&B classic. The vocals are so guttural, fierce and strong that you have to love it. Then they throw in some beautiful harmonises to fuck with your mind. This is inspiring stuff.
10 - No Scrubs - TLC
You just knew that TLC had to make an appearance here, and here they are with possibly their most iconic tune. After all, they did add the word "scrub" into popular culture. And what a great tune that still holds up perfectly today. I promise you, pop this on at your next party and people will go crazy, everyone loves this song, and if they don't, ditch them, you don't need that negativity in your life!!!
9 - Whatta Man - En Vogue / Salt 'n' Pepa
Salt 'n' Pepa make a sneaky entrance into the countdown (cause they are a hip-hop group) with their amazing collaboration with my ladies of En Vogue. This was everywhere when it first came out, taking the chorus of a famous soul song and adding the rap was brilliant and the music is just exceptional. This is one of the reasons why we are loving the 90s so much right now!
8 - Weak - SWV
Not all of the 90s R7B girl group hits had a massive groove, some were beautifully simple ballads. SWV had an amazing debut with their album, "It's About Time", and the stand out track was this wonderful ballad. The ladies have a great sound and this track gives you the feels. Bonus points because member Taj was on Survivor years later!!
7 - All Cried Out - Allure (featuring 112)
Speaking of beautiful ballads, this stunning collaboration between girl group Allure and boyband 112 was all class. Coming out in 1998, this tune is the perfect example of how amazing 90s girl groups were, and how big their voices were. And the chorus is a heart breaker, as she sings, "I'm all cried out over you", you heart feels for her. Beautiful stuff.
6 - Just a Step From Heaven - Eternal
This may not have been Eternal's biggest hit, and there are some tracks I would have loved to have included here, including "Power of a Woman" and "I am Blessed", but "Just a Step From Heaven" just brings me joy. There's that 90s beat that wonderfully introduces the tune and then the chorus is such a winner.
5 - Never Ever - All Saints
"A few questions that I need to know ...." and so begins a 90s classic. Co-written by Shaznay, this was a deserved number one in the UK and Australia and a number 4 smash in the States. This is such a great song to sing along with, a great mid tempo ballad with a rich beat and some great vocals from the ladies. Now sing it with me, "Never ever have I ever felt so low ..."
4 - Bills, Bills, Bills - Destiny's Child
"Bills Bills Bills" was definitely the best Destiny's Child song from the 90s. That opening is amazing and then Beyonce throws down some serious attitude and it is everything. These lyrics are so great, "But your Momma's numbers on here more than once". That line still makes me smile. This was the Destiny's Child track that caught my attention and made me realise they were a group I was going to love.
3 - If You Love Me - Brownstone
While the ladies of Brownstone may not be as well known as many others on this list, I love "If You Love Me" with all my heart, and have continued to play this since its release in 1994. The three ladies sound magical together and those lyrics are special, "I don't want to rain on this parade". There's a great chorus and a beat that is brilliant. Have a play of this track and remember why its so good!
2 - Baby Baby Baby - TLC
When I counted down my favourite songs of all time in July this year, this song featured. This brilliant number brings me sheer happiness and such great memories. It came out in my final year of high school and I just fell hard for it. The ladies sound great here, especially T-Boz. It also demonstrates why producer's La Reid and Babyface were just the Kings of the 90s.
1 - My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) - En Vogue
For me there could be no other song at number one. This was listed as my 17th favourite song of all time earlier this year. The harmonises are exquisite and the beat is perfection. This is a brilliant tune and no matter where I am or what I'm doing, when it comes on, I am a happy man. What a classic, not just for the 90s, but for any era. This song is perfect, "and now for a breakdown ... "
Like the list? What would you have put on it? Tell me in the comments section below.
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