The following four rock bands from the 90s are typically known for being deeply unserious and anything but solemn and somber. Their music reflects this more often than not. But on occasion, they’ve stepped out of those personas and made something heartfelt. Here are four songs that demonstrate this variety and skill.
“A Tear For Eddie” by Ween
“A Tear For Eddie” appeared on Ween’s 1994 album Chocolate and Cheese, as an instrumental tribute to Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel. Dean and Gene were working on Chocolate and Cheese when Hazel died in December 1992, and “A Tear For Eddie” showcases Dean’s skills on guitar. It’s a somber eulogy for one of the greats, pulling inspiration from Hazel’s solo on the Funkadelic track “Maggot Brain”.
When Hazel recorded the one-take “Maggot Brain” in 1971, bandleader George Clinton told him to imagine he had just learned of his mother’s death. The result is mournful, haunting, and devastating in a way that Ween mirrored in their tribute. As if Dean’s direction was, “Play the guitar like you just learned Eddie Hazel died.”
“I Miss You” by Blink-182
“I Miss You” was released in February 2004 on Blink-182’s self-titled album. They had already built a reputation for raunchy adolescent lyrics and aggressive pop-punk antics. But here, Blink took a bit of a heartfelt, somber turn not only in the lyrics, but in the moody, goth-inspired instrumentation. While it’s since had its moments of being memed to death, “I Miss You” is unironically a vulnerable depiction of depression’s effect on relationships.
“No Answer” by They Might Be Giants
“No Answer” exists only as a grainy recording from over an answering machine as part of They Might Be Giants’ Dial-A-Song phone line. But that natural distortion actually works for this somber track. And this by the guys who made probably the best cover of “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”. Lyrically, there are many interpretations of the seemingly unconnected verses, most of which note a central theme in the chorus. Overall, it’s a haunting exploration of death and devotion, loss and preservation of memory.
“Bound Away” by CAKE
“Bound Away” appeared on CAKE’s 2011 album Showroom of Compassion. CAKE is often known for their sardonic, dry observations in their lyrics. But “Bound Away” is seemingly an honest and real expression of the tribulations of endless touring travel. The bone-deep exhaustion, the confusion of never knowing what city you’re going to wake up in. Near the end of the track comes the line, “I’m trying to come home, but I’m here with the band,” paired with endless imagery of circling, pacing, unraveling, and waiting.
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