3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1990s That Use Weird Instruments

The 1990s were all about diversity. When it came to music, that meant both a diversity of genre and a diversity of instrumentation. By the 1990s, people didn’t just want guitar, bass, drums, and keys. They wanted some sounds out of left field. Something new and strange!

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That’s just what we wanted to highlight here below. We wanted to dive into three songs from back in the day that left a memorable impression and did so by featuring some off-kilter sounds. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1990s that use weird instruments.

“The Lumberjack” by Jackyl from ‘Jackyl’ (1992)

If you’ve ever wondered what a song would sound like with a chainsaw in the mix, here is your chance to find out. The aptly titled 1992 offering “Lumberjack” by Jackyl includes the scary tree-cutting tool amidst its drums and electric guitars. The thing hits around the 1:30 mark and it provides a buzzing, chilling effect. Suddenly, you’re looking over your shoulder, hoping some masked monster isn’t chasing you as if you’re in some Halloween sequel!

“The Impression That I Get” by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from ‘Let’s Face It’ (1997)

If you took someone born in the 21st century and transported them back to 1997, they would be astonished. If you walked them into your local record store then, they would be aghast. But in the late 1990s, bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were all the rage. Songs like “The Impression That I Get” were all over the radio stations. Suddenly a sense of punk rock had blended with a slew of horns—trumpets, trombones, and saxophones—to create something that energized a mainstream music-loving public. Strange, yes. But true as well.

“Praise You” by Fatboy Slim from ‘You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby’ (1999)

The 1990s will be studied forever. The decade provided such a fruitful time for songs and sonic experimentation. What began with artists like Dr. Dre and Nirvana concluded with names like Fatboy Slim. While Kurt Cobain was writing songs with an electric guitar, Fatboy Slim less than a decade later was making music with things called Akai S950 samplers, Atari ST programmers, and Roland TB-303 synthesizers. No longer did you have to jam with bandmates in a studio—now you could program songs with cutting-edge tech!

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