3 One-Hit Wonders That Take Me Back to the Glorious Late 1990s

If a magical spirit came down from the clouds and granted you a wish, what would you choose? Well, if you’re like us, you’d get a time machine and head back to the late 1990s when everything made sense, and life was just about perfect. Thank goodness there is music, though, right?

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Because while that magical spirit will likely never come down from the sky, human beings have given one another the next best thing. Songs. Below, we wanted to highlight three terrific ones. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders that take us back to the glorious late-1990s.

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

The late-1990s and their infatuation with ska—how amazing it was! The Mighty Mighty Bosstones really had an era. People were picking up trumpets and trombones and trying to combine their garage rock with brass horns. Combine that with the swing dance revolution around the same time, and it really felt like bootlegging would come back in style. Nevertheless, this track hits us hard—right in the 1990s heart.

“Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba from ‘Tubthumper’ (1997)

You just had to be there. What the heck is this song about? What are these words? Are these words? Of course, we kid. But still…you had to be there. On the other hand, this song’s music video has garnered 100 million views on YouTube alone. Perhaps that’s all folks like us, feeling nostalgic. But maybe there is also another audience. A younger one full of listeners who wish they knew the 90s better. Well, if you want to know the late 1990s, put on “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba. It’ll be like you were there.

“You Get What You Give” by New Radicals from ‘Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too’ (1998)

This is the 1990s version of The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. It’s a lesson put to pop music that swept a generation. Indeed, when New Radicals released the music video for this track, and we saw that it was shot in a shopping mall, everyone from the late 1990s just felt seen. Enjoy it now and remember when life was at its peak!

Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc