With Bottom Feeders we take a look at the songs on the Billboard Hot 100 that only got a little love. It’s an A-Z look at songs that charted no higher than #41 in the decade. Take a listen, enjoy and comment. And don’t forget, information on the top 40, airplay and bubbling under charts are on pages 2-4.
Section 1: The Ass End
Lorrie Morgan
”Go Away” 1997, #85 (6 weeks) (download)
”Maybe Not Tonight” 1999, #86 (5 weeks) (download)
With the given birth name of Loretta Lynn Morgan, the lady was destined to be a country star. She’s had a great career in country but most of her music just wasn’t pop enough to cross over. Having not liked country music that much back in the 90s, I know her more for her personal life. She’s on marriage #6 right now (sometimes you just have to wonder if it’s you…) to a guy named Randy White but she liked musicians and celebrities the most, being married to Keith Whitley and Sammy Kershaw (who is the duet partner on ”Maybe Not Tonight”) and dated both Troy Aikman and Fred Thompson. Night and day there.
Alanis Morissette
”Unsent” 1999, #58 (6 weeks) (download)
My lord, I hate this song. The spoken story with no attempt to rhyme, the fitting too many words into each line, ugh. I’m surprised this got any airplay at all to be honest.
Nathan Morris
”Wishes” 1996, #86 (5 weeks) (download)
Having grown up in Philly and loving Boyz II Men, I remember being a little surprised to see that Nate was doing a track on his own here without the rest of the gang. It turned out to be a decent song even if it didn’t do much on the charts. It comes from Kazaam.
Mark Morrison
”Moan & Groan” 1998, #76 (7 weeks) (download)
I never really liked Morrison’s voice but even so, ”Return of the Mack” was such a fantastic song that I was able to overlook it. Here, I can’t. Outside of his one big hit, I was never really interested.
Morrissey
”The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get” 1994, #46 (14 weeks) (download)
Morrissey was never my thing but even still, I recognize that he’s one of the most important and influential musicians of his era. One day I’ll go back and listen to some of his solo records and probably start with the one this song came from, Vauxhall and I.
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Wendy Moten
”Come In Out of the Rain” 1993, #55 (15 weeks) (download)
I’ve never even heard of Wendy Moten let along this song. Though listening to it now, I’m shocked it wasn’t a bigger hit as it’s very typical to what Whitney was releasing.
Motley Crue
”Same Ol’ Situation” 1990, #78 (9 weeks) (download)
”Primal Scream” 1991, #63 (5 weeks) (download)
I’m convinced that if ”Primal Scream” had been released even just two years earlier, the Crue would have had another top 10 hit on their hands. It’s my favorite of all the singles but of course the musical climate was changing so much that this tail end of the run wasn’t terribly fruitful for them.
The Movement
”Jump!” 1992, #53 (20 weeks) (download)
Jump Muthafukkaz, jump muthafukkaz jump. Sorry, I mean ”everybody.”
Ms. Adventures
”Undeniable” 1990, #73 (9 weeks) (download)
Here’s a group that was simply made to be a one hit wonder. Ms. Adventures were three sisters, who at the time of this release were 20, 17 and 13.
Mulberry Lane
”Harmless” 1999, #99 (3 weeks) (download)
Almost a true bottom feeder, this eeked up to #99 in May of 1999. It’s interesting how these four sisters were promoted. They kind of have that Wilson Phillips vibe going and were marketed to an adult contemporary audience, though 1999 was a little late for all of this. I’m not sure of their ages at this point but the video certainly didn’t make them look young. In fact, they look more youthful now than they did back then. Not sure there was ever a real audience for them.
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The Murmurs
”You Suck” 1994, #89 (7 weeks) (download)
There are no words to describe how much I think this sucks. And the video, I mean, that’s one of the worst ones ever made.
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