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 and 3. It’s a half post today as I had a long week but still some decent songs in this one.
Section 1: The Ass End
Skindeep
”No More Games” 1996, #92 (5 weeks) (download)
Skindeep was a trio from Brooklyn, NY and this track featured Lil Kim back when she still had her own face. The problem I always had with this song is that it sounds like at least the first guy is mumbling everything. Maybe the second one as well but at least the first verse is pretty much unintelligible to me. I need to be able to sing along to tracks like this.
Skyy
”Real Love” 1990, #47 (12 weeks) (download)
I remember being totally shocked hearing Skyy on the radio in 1990. The same Skyy that hit with ”Call Me” back in 1982 and hadn’t had a hit since. Even though this song is totally 1985, it’s still fantastic but they couldn’t parlay this into any future success.
Slaughter
”Real Love” 1992, #69 (8 weeks) (download)
Back-to-back songs called ”Real Love” this week but of course they have nothing to do with each other (or the Jody Watley tune either).
I’ve always lumped Slaughter together with Skid Row since they hit at pretty much the same time but I think that’s unfair to the latter. Skid Row had a harder edge and kept that edge through their three albums (with the original lineup). I liked Slaughter back in the day but looking back now, they were more like Winger to me. A little bit of an edge but with too much pop influence in the end. ”Real Love” is one of those pop songs that make them seem very sappy in retrospect.
Slick Rick
”Behind Bars” 1994, #87 (3 weeks) (download)
Rick the Ruler! I’m actually dressing up as Slick Rick this Halloween, so it’s a perfect time for him to show up here. Of course, I would think most people know him for ”Children’s Story” but his only hit on the Hot 100 was ”Behind Bars” which isn’t quite as good but still features that instantly recognizable heavy English accent.
Smart E’s
”Sesame’s Treet” 1992, #60 (16 weeks) (download)
How many of you remember this one? ”Sesame’s Treet” has to be one of the worst songs of the entire series as this trio of dudes from English must have been high as a kite when they thought it would be a great idea to do a techno remix of the Sesame Street theme. L is for lame.
The Smashing Pumpkins
”Ava Adore” 1998, #42 (20 weeks) (download)
”Perfect” 1998, #54 (6 weeks) (download)
Somewhere around this point is where I jumped off of the Smashing Pumpkins bandwagon. I loved the first three records (and Pieces Iscariot) especially Siamese Dream which I still think is one of the best albums ever made. Adore wasn’t terrible but it paled in comparison to the previous records. I think this was around the time where I simply started thinking Billy Corgan was just a little fucking weird and while I liked Machina as the follow up, I’ve just never felt quite the same about the Smashing Pumpkins as I did in the early part of the 90s. The weird ass video for ”Perfect” didn’t help matters at all.
Smif-N-Wessun
”Bucktown” 1994, #93 (5 weeks) (download)
Darden Smith
”Loving Arms” 1993, #96 (2 weeks) (download)
”Loving Arms” is one of those tracks you know but you likely have no idea who sang it. You’re welcome.
Michael W. Smith
”For You” 1991, #60 (11 weeks) (download)
”Somebody Love Me” 1993, #71 (11 weeks) (download)
”Love Me Good” 1998, #61 (5 weeks) (download)
Contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith is one of those artists that I never knew whether to love or hate. ”Love Me Good” is a perfect example of a song that probably isn’t that great but that I still think is solid. And I always liked the pure pop vibe of ”For You” which was co-written by Will Owsley. Even though I enjoyed these songs, there was never a point where I even once thought about buying a Michael W. Smith record or anything like that.
Comments