90s Rock: Best Songs

This list is fucking impossible to make, but I'm going to try to do it anyway.  The 90s is my favorite decade of music out of the last five.  As an aside, if I had to extinguish one decade's music from existence, my first pick is the 70s.  Then it would be the 2000s.  I'd much prefer to have the 60s, 80s, and 90s still in my future cloud player that will clearly be jacked directly into my brain like I'm Neo from the Matrix.

But I digress.  I was at Dick Tracy's house the other night and we were going through our favorite 90s songs.  There were too many to count, so I understand that my efforts will likely be futile.  I'm trying to come up with a Top 20, but let's start with the first batch of songs that, if they were at the Cold Stone Creamery, they would come in "Gotta Have It" size.

1) "Dead And Bloated" by Stone Temple Pilots

This song gets me pumped.  If I ever needed to win a Super Bowl, murder a vampire, or pull off a bank robbery with Jason Statham, I believe I would pick this song to put me in the right mindset. 

Making playlists for murder worked for Jessica Biel in "Blade: Trinity."

Obviously, this song is helped by me just having seen STP in July, but nonetheless, it tops my list of 90s Rock songs.  I'm not sure where Scott Weiland's deep grunge voice has disappeared to, but if I could request a return for their next hypothetical record, I would love to do so.  Make it happen interwebs!

2) "Drain You" by Nirvana

This song is a classic.  It is not overplayed like almost every other song on "Nevermind," and if it ever comes on the radio, I do not change the station.  This song really, really brings me back to my youth.  I can still remember watching a pink haired Kurt Cobain perform this song on MTV... ya know, back when MTV had music- not just Ronnie and CT knocking fools out.

MTV also had this crazy show that was probably awesome... on WEED!

3) "Them Bones" by Alice In Chains

This list is dominated with songs that get my juices flowing. "Them Bones" is a perfectly written Rock/Metal/Grunge song that stands up all these years later. Layne Staley yelling "AH!" a few times at the beginning sets the stage for an epic rocker with ridiculously memorable harmonies. With two of the original members of AIC dying due to heroin addiction, one has to wonder if they could've produced this song without the drugs. One could also wonder if they could've produced even more great songs had they actually kicked the junk. Much like, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop?"- the world may never know.

4) "Infected" by Bad Religion

Another song that gets me pumped and would keep my attention if it came on the ol' FM radio. Changing the station when this song comes on could get your hand slapped in the same manner as if you were stealing french fries off my plate. Do not do either of those things!

"There are several sacred things in this world that you don't ever mess with. One of them happens to be another man's fries."

The overlapping lyrics at the end of this song are a highlight of not only just this song, but the entire decade of the 90s.

5) "Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand" by Primitive Radio Gods

I can't name one other song by this band off the top of my head.  I'm certain one of my friends had the CD and I listened to it, but this is the only song that stood out- and it is a doozy.  I believe the sample in this song is of B.B. King and I still listen to this song regularly to calm myself during particularly stressful days.  The piano solo seems awfully improvised, and it works well within the framework of the song.

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Like I said, this list is impossible and ever-changing.  The point is, the 90s was a great decade for music and I love reminiscing about the great songs from back then.  It brings nostalgia to the forefront of my brain... in a great way.  Stay tuned for more songs and bring your list to the party in the comments.