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 2-3.
Section 1: The Ass End
Swing Out Sister
”Am I the Same Girl” 1992, #45 (12 weeks) (download)
I had forgotten this was a Swing Out Sister tune, remaking the original by Barbara Acklin, or more likely the instrumental version called ”Soulful Strut” by Young-Holt Unlimited. Or, since Swing Out Sister was heavily influenced by Dusty Springfield, even more likely, her version of the tune.
Swirl 360
”Hey Now Now” 1998, #47 (11 weeks) (download)
Denny and Kenny Scott, a pair of Floridian brothers debuted in 1998 with their album Ask Anybody. Although I remember the band name and I know we played it at my college station, I don’t recall the record or this song. Maybe that’s an indication that it was as boring as ”Hey Now Now” is. But they are still making music and writing tunes for other artists so someone must like them.
SWV (Sisters with Voices)
”Right Here” 1993, #92 (5 weeks) (download)
”Always On My Mind” 1994, #54 (17 weeks) (download)
”It’s All About U” 1997, #61 (15 weeks) (download)
”Can We” 1997, #75 (15 weeks) (download)
For some reason the end of the letter S is making me feel like I have Alzheimer’s. SWV were the 23rd biggest artist of the decade according to Billboard and yet I don’t remember any of these tunes above. And I’m even sure I owned at least the first two SWV album. Even if I had remembered the tunes, I think I would have still been surprised that these ladies were so huge. I haven’t heard the name SWV mentioned in a decade so their songs must not have stood the test of time.
(Note: For some reason I can’t seem to find or maybe don’t own the original version of “Right Here,” only the bigger remix version with “Human Nature” included. So you can download that version and the original is in the Youtube video embedded below).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I1LdPCtWP4
Sybil
”Walk On By” 1990, #74 (6 weeks) (download)
”You’re the Love of My Life” 1993, #90 (2 weeks) (download)
”The Love I Lost” 1993, #90 (2 weeks) (download)
Sybil’s ”Don’t Make Me Over,” which hit #20 in 1989 was a decent enough song but nothing past that was anything but generic. She had a few more shots at success but with nothing setting her apart from the pack, these ended up being her last Hot 100 tunes.
You’re the Love of My Life / The Love I Lost” is a double A-side single.
Tag
”The Way I Feel” 1992, #63 (8 weeks) (download)
Finally moving out of the letter S and into T, we get a somewhat rare one to start the letter. Tag were a pop group from English consisting of Treana Morris and Gareth Young. T and G — Tag.
Tag Team
”Addams Family (Whoomp!)” 1994, #84 (3 weeks) (download)
”Whoomp! (There It Went)” 1995, #97 (1 week) (download)
I’ve said before that I liked that Southern booty shaking bass music and ”Whoomp! (There Is Is)” was no exception to that. However, if you want a perfect example of a group ”selling out,” whoomp, here they are.
Fifteen minutes of fame be damned, Tag Team took their hit and remade it into an Addams Family tune for the movie and then the following year went one step further and remade it into a Disney song with Mickey, Minnie and Goofy guest starring on the ”There It Went” version. And this was all after ”Here It Is, Bam!” didn’t work as a single. Not kidding, ”Here Is It, Bam!” Yikes.
Tanto Metro & Devonte
”Everyone Falls In Love” 1999, #88 (16 weeks) (download)
The T’s are starting off with some really oddball tracks. Frankly, I had no idea what this was before listening here but I’m happy I did because now I know who sang that tune I heard like a half dozen times while I was in St. Lucia last year. These dudes spent 16 weeks on the chart and only made it to number 88. That’s gotta be quite a feat.
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