It’s a CLASS OF 1990 Reunion Weekend! What hit…and what missed?
I remember the start of the 1990s WELL. There was a certain freshness; a certain belief that we were dawning a new era – and the LAST era before the year 2000. Technology was booming, music was tremendous, and athletes were the superstars we ALL wanted to grow up to be. (You’ll see more of that in a second.) So, without further ado, we present: THE HITS and MISSES of 1990!
THE 3 BIG HITS… or Hit Makers…
3) MICHAEL JORDAN. We said we all wanted to grow up to be like the athletes in 1990, right? While some had their issues with alleged juicing (see Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire), and others were at the end of their glory days (looking at you, Joe Montana), we all wanted to BE LIKE MIKE with Michael Jordan’s aerial shots and amazing dunks on the court. Jordan’s 1990-91 Bulls won their first NBA title, and Gatorade summed up his ascent to the top with this famous song, “I WANNA BE LIKE MIKE” in an iconic advertising campaign.
2) JULIA ROBERTS. Not only did “Pretty Woman” break box office records as the biggest romantic comedy EVER in theaters, it also set her on a trajectory as theeeee leading lady of the ’90s, into the ’00s as well. There is no character that Julia Roberts cannot pull off, and every time, we see a slightly different side of her.
1) MARIAH CAREY. When you first heard Mariah’s debut on “Vision Of Love,” you knew she could sing. But did you know she could… <ahem>… SAAAAAAAAAAANG? I mean, REALLY SING? Like the highest of the high notes and still on key? So unreal. Here’s to the begin of Mariah’s reign as the queen of all divas.
AND THE 3 BIG MISSES…
3) BROCCOLI. This was, perhaps, one of George Bush Sr.’s most human moments: he announces to the world that he was forced to eat broccoli as a child, he doesn’t like it, and from this point forward, he wouldn’t be eating it – and would in fact – BAN it from White House dinners and functions. (Seriously, Mr. President, what did it ever do to you?) But it got him some great laughs, and even in the health-conscious craze of the ’90s, became one of those moments we’ll never forget.
Sorry, broccoli… it just wasn’t your year.
2) SAYING YOU DIDN’T SAMPLE A SONG WHEN YOU MOST CERTAINLY DID. Yes, Vanilla Ice, we’re looking at you.
Maybe it’s because the practice was so new in the ’80s and ’90s, but it certainly didn’t seem to be a problem for the Sugarhill Gang to give credit to Chic when they created “Rapper’s Delight” based off the beat of “Good Times.” Still, this infamous clip of Vanilla Ice saying “Ice Ice Baby” and “Under Pressure” are “completely different” is just… to quote another ’90s rap group… wiggity wiggity wiggity wiggity whack.
1) MILLI VANILLI. There’s in old saying that in politics, the American public is very forgiving. But when it comes to these two, not so much. The duo lip synched their hit songs “Blame It On The Rain” and “Girl You Know It’s True” among others, and rescinded their Grammy in February 1990 in this infamous press conference.
So, hopefully these three HITS and three MISSES jogged your memory enough for you to spend a little time with us this weekend on Throwback Nation Radio. Be sure to share these with your friends from the Class of 1990, and let’s get YOUR throwbacks on this weekend, 1990’ers!
