MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — opening guitar riff of “When I Come Around”)

College and alternative stations were pushing this song up the charts
on February 8th, 1995.

Green Day
with “When I Come Around.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

For his 11th birthday, Billie Joe Armstrong received a
Fernandes Stratocaster copy known as “Blue.”

(Music Cut 3)

On this song —
that same guitar still comes out on tour
and gets played live.

Maybe even at Super Bowls.

(Music Cut 4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“You can’t go forcing something
if it’s just not right.” — Green Day

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — opening of “Black”)

In the early ’90s,
this song wasn’t released as a single.

And yet —
by February 7th, 1993
everyone knew Pearl Jam’s

“Black.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

Before it had its name,
this song was known as “E-Ballad.”

Stone Gossard wrote the music in 1990
which was then included on a demo tape to Eddie Vedder

(Music Cut 3)

While in San Diego, Vedder wrote the lyrics between surfing
and working night shifts at a gas station.

(Music Cut 4 – Final Song clip)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“I know someday you’ll have a beautiful life,
I know you’ll be a star
in somebody else’s sky.” — Pearl Jam

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — groove fades in)

This song didn’t need
a big chorus
to hit the charts
on February 6, 1990.

The Stone Roses.
Fools Gold.

(Music Cut 2 — groove settles in)

If you listen to the full 9 minute, 53 second version,
you’ll notice something right away —

the lyrics are sparse.

(Music Cut 3)

Ian Brown actually wrote more verses.
But once the band locked into the groove,
he stopped singing.

He later said adding more words
would’ve cluttered the vibe.

(Final Song clip)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Gold’s just around the corner
breakdown’s coming up round the bend.” — The Stone Roses

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — opening groove of “Me, Myself and I”)

Climbing the charts on February 5, 1990 —
De La Soul’s
“Me, Myself and I.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

The song is built around an instantly recognizable sample of
“Knee Deep”
by Funkadelic.

(Music Cut 3 — “Knee Deep”)

George Clinton was so impressed by how De La Soul flipped it
that he didn’t just clear the sample —
he became a lifelong fan.

(Final Song clip)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Mirror, mirror on the wall,
tell me mirror what is wrong?” — De La Soul

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — quiet opening of “Enjoy the Silence”)

College radio — and alternative stations across the U.S. —
were playing, on February 4, 1990,
Depeche Mode’s
“Enjoy the Silence.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

The original demo was nothing like this.

It was slow.
Stripped back.
Just Martin Gore’s voice and a harmonium —
that’s a pump organ

(Music Cut 3)

Thankfully, the band’s so-called “silent member,”
Alan Wilder, heard something else.

He sped it up.
Turned it into a dance track.
And created one of Depeche Mode’s crown jewels.

(Final Song clip)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Words are very unnecessary,
they can only do harm.” — Depeche Mode

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — opening synth / hush of “Nothing Compares 2 U”)

On February 3, 1990,
Sinéad O’Connor was holding steady at No. 1
with “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

The most iconic moment in the video,
that single tear rolling down Sinéad’s cheek,
wasn’t planned.

She later said she was thinking about her mother,
who had died five years earlier —
and the grief simply hit her.

(Music Cut 3)

The song was written by Prince,
and Sinéad took it to No. 1.

But my favorite version?
The one Chris Cornell recorded years later.

(Music Cut 4 – Chris Cornell)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Nothing can stop these lonely tears from falling.” — Sinéad O’Connor

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — crackle / opening sample of “Sour Times”)

February 2, 1994. Everyone was enjoying the sound of
Portishead’s “Sour Times.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

Producer Geoff Barrow was obsessed with making new recordings feel old.

So he recorded parts of the song onto vinyl…
took the records out to the parking lot…
rubbed them on the pavement…
kicked them around…

Then sampled those damaged records
back into the song.

(Music Cut 3 — brief vocal lead-in)

That dusty, worn-out feeling heard on the song?
That was the point.

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Who am I, what and why?
’Cause all I have left
is my memories of yesterday.” — Portishead

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — iconic string opening of “Bitter Sweet Symphony”)

February 1, 1998.

A defining song in rock music
was climbing the charts.

The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

This song became a legal nightmare –
built on a Rolling Stones sample
that cost the band all publishing rights
for more than two decades.

(Music Cut 3 — instrumental swell)

But then in 2019,
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
signed their share of the rights back to
Richard Ashcroft —
aka the Verve guy.

After 22 years,
there was finally a happy ending.
He owned his own song.

(Music Cut 4 — final chorus lift)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“I’m a million different people
from one day to the next.” — The Verve

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — opening guitar of Last Goodbye)

January 31, 1995.
Climbing the charts was
Jeff Buckley’s “Last Goodbye.”

(Music Cut 2 — verse settles in)

The original demo from 1990
was louder,
more aggressive,
and closer to straight rock.

Buckley pulled it back like he did with the title —
Which was initially called “Unforgiven.”

(Music Cut 3 — brief vocal lead-in)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“You gave me more to live for,
more than you’ll ever know.” — Jeff Buckley

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut 1 — opening strings of Linger)

January 30, 1994.
A quiet song about miscommunication
ended up at No. 1.

The Cranberries —
“Linger.”

(Music Cut 2 — “Linger” lyric)

During the video shoot for Linger,
Michael Stipe from R.E.M. showed up
just to watch.

He became such a fan that he immediately invited the band on tour —
a move that helped break The Cranberries in the United States.

(Music Cut 3 — verse settles in)

(Final Song clip)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Trying not to lie —
things wouldn’t be so confused.” — The Cranberries

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