‘L’Amour Toujours’ N°297 – Vintage 90s Music Videos

1 . The Rolling Stones – Out Of Tears

“Out of Tears” lands as a bittersweet lament nestled within the jagged grooves of The Rolling Stones’ 1994 album, *Voodoo Lounge*.

The track teeters on the edge of despair, with Mick Jagger crooning about emotional emptiness over a delicate composition birthed on piano in Ron Wood’s studio.

Lyrically, it’s an autopsy of a failed relationship, with lines like “I won’t cry when you say goodbye / I’m out of tears” cutting through the haze of resignation like a cold whisper.

Chuck Leavell’s subtle piano anchors the arrangement, while Jagger and Keith Richards’ vocal harmonies attempt, and sometimes succeed, in lifting the song out of the murk of heartache.

Produced by Don Smith and later remixed by Bob Clearmountain, the track’s mix carries both clarity and depth, with eerie tape echo effects giving the song a cavernous ache, a nod to the layering techniques of Phil Spector and John Lennon.

Stylistically, it circles blues, R&B, and country waters, though its true allegiance seems to lie in the lineage of Stones ballads like “Angie” and “Fool to Cry.”

Yet, whether it stands shoulder-to-shoulder with its predecessors is up for interpretation—its restrained delivery risks veering toward dreariness at times.

Peaking at a lukewarm #36 on the UK charts, it’s a curious choice for a single, lacking the obvious punch of massive radio appeal.

Still, for those attuned to the bruised, late-night vibe the Stones occasionally channel, it offers a slow-burning portrait of loss that doesn’t wallow so much as it lingers quietly, like the memory of tears long dried.

Featured on the 1994 album “Voodoo Lounge “.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

2 . Bernard Butler – Stay

Bernard Butler’s “Stay” arrives as an intersection between introspection and raw indie rock sensibilities, marking a significant chapter in his post-Suede trajectory.

Released in 1998 as part of his debut solo album *People Move On,* the track cemented Butler’s evolution into a fully realized artist, free from band dynamics yet carrying the creative momentum of his past work.

The production, helmed by Butler himself, carries a texture that feels both intimate and grand, an unusual pairing that sets it apart from the brash confidence of late ’90s Britpop.

Butler’s songwriting leans earnest here, highlighted by lyrics that dissect vulnerability without succumbing to sentimentality, a style he’s long mastered.

The UK Singles Chart peak at No. 12 hints at its resonance but also speaks to the limitations of chart success when grappling with subtler, more personal themes.

Creation Records’ backing lends credibility, though the label’s push toward more mainstream behavior in that era feels at odds with the track’s understated sophistication.

Musically, Butler’s signature guitar work shines—layered yet unobtrusive, it flows more like a companion to his voice than a platform for virtuosity.

There’s a certain tension between the song’s polished production and its lyrical rawness, a contradiction that heightens the track’s emotional stakes rather than detracting from them.

“Stay” feels like a quiet rebellion, sidestepping the bombast dominating its contemporaries to echo a deeper, more reflective narrative.

For Butler, it functions less as a bold statement and more as a carefully constructed bridge, connecting the storied past of Suede with a future that remains uncompromisingly his own.

Featured on the 1998 album “People Move On”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . Innocence – A Matter Of Fact

“Innocence – A Matter of Fact” steps into 1990 with the chill of downtempo R&B that feels like it’s wafting out of a smoky London basement, complete with Cooltempo Records’ gloss of the early ’90s.

The song charts at No. 37 on the UK Singles Chart, which is respectable but far from earth-shattering, yet its quiet allure lies elsewhere—namely, its production candy that leans heavily on the minimalist groove ethos popularized by Soul II Soul.

Producers Anna Jolley, Mark Jolley, and Brian Harris fine-tune the track’s texture into something subdued, fitting right into the chill-out-classics playlist of a café that sells hand-rolled cigarettes and has convoluted opening hours.

But the real Easter egg here belongs to Natural Thing’s 12″ version, which decides to slide in David Gilmour’s guitar solo from Pink Floyd’s “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” It’s a sly, borderline irreverent wink to somebody out there in the know—a touch of prog-rock grandeur tucked into a wisp of R&B introspection.

The “New 7″ Edit” exists but doesn’t make much of a dent across the Atlantic, never charting stateside. Maybe the vibe was too niche or the stars weren’t in alignment, but it’s a footnote in the track’s identity.

Look, this isn’t your stop-the-press moment in musical history, but that’s sort of the point—it’s about mood and space, about threading reveries into something you half-sing along to while sipping overpriced herbal tea. It doesn’t beg for your attention, but it rewards it if you’re tuned in.

Featured on the 1990 album “Belief”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

4 . Tina Arena – Show Me Heaven

Tina Arena’s rendition of “Show Me Heaven,” a 1995 cover tucked into her album “Don’t Ask,” delivers a restrained emotional punch that contrasts with the meteoric success of Maria McKee’s 1990 original.

The song’s lineage traces back to its roots on the “Days of Thunder” soundtrack, with McKee’s version effortlessly commanding the charts, reigning at #1 across the UK, Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and cozying into the top 5 globally.

By comparison, Tina’s version, while competent, carved out a moderately successful niche—peaking at #29 in the UK, hitting #33 in New Zealand, and grazing #78 in Germany.

The US reception shows complexity, breaking into the top 3 of the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100, though it never fully ascends.

Musically, this soft rock/adult contemporary hybrid rests on its polished production by Peter Asher and Tina’s vocal prowess, which subtly reshapes the song without reinventing it.

The original title, “Secret Fire,” hints at the tension between McKee’s rewritten lyrics—which she initially scorned—and its haunting melody that seems to have redeemed itself through time.

Arena’s video, released in 2000 under Sony Music Productions, melds calculated visuals with the song’s subdued yearning, now easily accessible on YouTube for a second look.

Ultimately, the enduring tension between these two versions reinforces the fine line between a faithful cover and a reimagined standout.

Featured on the 1995 album “Don’t Ask”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

5 . Paul Carrack – Eyes of Blue

Paul Carrack’s “Eyes of Blue” softly lands in the realm of mid-’90s adult contemporary pop, a genre often accused of being too polite for its own good.

The track, a tender ballad from his fifth solo album *Blue Views*, teeters precariously on the edge of melancholia and sugary sweetness, offering what sounds like a soundtrack for wistful gazes out of rainy windows.

Originally released in 1995, “Eyes of Blue” manages to straddle both sides of the Atlantic with modest success, reaching #40 in the UK charts and climbing to a not insignificant yet forgettable #24 on the US Adult Contemporary rankings—twice, thanks to its peculiar re-releases in both 1996 and 1997.

Produced by Peter Van Hooke, the production is predictably glossy but doesn’t drown in overindulgence—one can almost sense restraint in the melody, as though the song begrudges its own sentimentality.

Carrack’s voice, a smooth yet slightly grizzled marvel, adds just enough grit to the polished instrumentation, creating a tension between vulnerability and control that gives the track its depth.

Oddly enough, this sonic elegance aligns poorly with its oddly mundane chart journey, a case study of a song that tiptoes into relevance without ever truly owning the spotlight.

Behind its lush arrangement lies a theme of longing, but not the grand, aching yearning of more ambitious ballads; instead, it’s the kind of emotional pining that feels personal yet safe to admit in public—a hallmark of adult contemporary’s cautious emotional palette.

Its genre placement, while accurate, feels almost like a pigeonhole, limiting a track that might otherwise branch out as a low-key gem for fans of introspective pop.

If you catch the 2014 remastered video on YouTube, you’ll discover a slightly clearer sheen on this already polished piece, though no remaster can upgrade the song’s oddly faded legacy.

Perhaps “Eyes of Blue” is best appreciated as a snapshot of ’90s easy listening at its most quietly conflicted: polished enough for radio, raw enough to resonate, yet never bold enough to truly break free.

Featured on the 1996 album “Blue Views”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

6 . Cher – One By One

“One by One” slips into the mid-’90s like a tailored jacket, stitching together rock and R&B threads with an air of restrained emotion.

The UK mix leans on Stephen Lipson’s polished production, while the US version pivots toward Sam Ward’s moodier, groove-laden undertones, reflecting a time when genre fences were constantly being crossed—if not entirely torn down.

A remix featuring rapper Melle Mel layers a punch of New York grit over Cher’s melancholy falsetto, blurring boundaries between reflective balladry and club pulsation.

Junior Vasquez’s dance remix pumps adrenaline into the track, destined for late-night spins, a curious move for a song that otherwise contemplates love’s quiet resilience.

It’s not a reinvention, but rather an exercise in range, a mirror to Cher’s ability to shapeshift without losing her sense of self—an artist who never overstays in one genre yet leaves her imprint on each.

The message of perseverance clings to relevancy, even as the production feels tethered to its time, a paradox that keeps the song both dated and eternal.

Featured on the 1995 album “It’s a Man’s World “.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Twitter

7 . Living in a Box – Different Air

Living in a Box’s “Different Air,” tucked away in the band’s 1989 album of the same name, exists as a collocation of late-’80s Synth-pop aesthetics rather than a standout moment in pop history.

Released under the Chrysalis label, its sonic identity is marked by slick electronic production, a hallmark of the era, though it doesn’t carry the same commercial or cultural heft as their punchy 1987 breakthrough single, “Living in a Box.”

Thematically elusive and lacking the kind of memorable video treatment that often defined its contemporaries, “Different Air” feels less like groundbreaking work and more like an echo of sounds already circulating in the electronic pop slipstream.

Still, the band’s Sheffield origins and their fluctuating lineup—Richard Darbyshire eventually replaced by Kenny Thomas and later Bryan Chambers—add intriguing texture to the group’s narrative.

Reforming in 2016 to play nostalgic festival circuits, their history reflects the push-pull of fleeting success and revivalist appeal, though “Different Air” remains a minor entry in their repertoire, vaporous in both theme and execution.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

8 . Carmel – You Can Have Him

“You Can Have Him” by Carmel, pulled from their 1990 self-titled album, lands in a peculiar intersection of jazz, soul, and a light dusting of pop and electronic accents.

Released under London Records, the track reached a modest peak at 76 on the UK Singles Chart, a rank as ambiguous as the song’s genre leanings.

The music video is parked on Apple Music, though whether it adds texture or fizzles visually may hinge on the viewer’s tolerance for early ’90s aesthetics.

The production itself is a curious time capsule—smooth yet slightly unfocused, with none of the earthy grit that might have elevated its jazz elements and not enough punch to truly carve out a pop identity.

The vocals, warm and polished, hint at a deeper emotional narrative, though any thematic exploration feels lost amidst the blend of styles.

It’s a polished track that resists lodging in memory, a polite offering rather than a bold statement.

While Carmel’s intent isn’t immediately clear, the song ultimately occupies a lightly forgettable space: pleasant enough, yet never quite daring to be indispensable.

Featured on the 1989 album “Set Me Free”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia

9 . Brother Beyond – The Girl I Used To Know

“The Girl I Used to Know” sits at an odd crossroads in Brother Beyond’s discography, as if the band itself couldn’t decide what it wanted to be when it grew up.

Released exclusively on the American version of *Trust* in 1990 (and left out of its European counterpart), it’s a track that trades the polished Motown gloss of their earlier work for a funk-inspired edge that doesn’t entirely commit.

Produced by the consistently clean-cut duo Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, the song feels like a calculated grab at U.S. radio airplay—a gamble that only half paid off, peaking at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Nathan Moore’s subsequent claim of mafia payola circulating £100,000 for U.S. airplay raises an eyebrow, if not two, lending a spicy undercurrent to the fairly tame proceedings.

Anton Corbijn’s accompanying video, a surreal mix of sepia-toned desert drives and monochrome studio shots, manages to inject some visual intrigue, even if it has little to do with the song itself.

Musically, it’s the kind of late-‘80s/early-‘90s pop that’s as unmemorable as it is technically airtight—catchy enough to hum along with but destined to leave no lasting imprint.

It’s strange to think this was their lone foray into the Billboard charts, a fleeting moment of American relevance tied to a song that feels alien to their UK catalog.

A minor hit in Canada and the UK as well, the song exists more as a footnote than a highlight, a curiosity for completists and retro-pop enthusiasts looking to piece together what might have been.

Featured on the 1990 album “Trust”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia

10 . Erasure – I Love Saturday

Released in 1994, Erasure’s “I Love Saturday” brings synth-pop melodrama to a cheery, disco-ready framework.

Plucked from their album *I Say I Say I Say*, this track struts its way to #20 on the UK Singles Chart, brushes the dance floors of America, and tiptoes timidly into continental Europe with modest rankings in Sweden and Germany.

Produced by Martyn Ware, its bouncy composition wraps themes of finding romance—portrayed as a clichéd knight in shining armor—in layers of shimmering keyboards and Andy Bell’s vocal elasticity.

Critics note its infectious energy, though its sugar-coated optimism might tread close to saccharine territory for some listeners.

Its accompanying video, filmed at Bell’s Majorcan home, does little to break the routine of mid-‘90s music video aesthetics, though the setting lends it a degree of voyeuristic charm.

Released under Mute Records in the UK and Elektra in the US, the song makes no pretense of subtlety but revels unapologetically in the kitschy abandon of a synth-pop anthem devoted to something as unassuming as weekend love.

The EP’s additional tracks serve as filler, adding to the sentiment but straying far from any groundbreaking moments.

Featured on the 1994 album “I Say I Say I Say”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

11 . Tanita Tikaram – We Almost Got It Together

Released in 1990, “We Almost Got It Together” by Tanita Tikaram arrives with the sort of understated folk-rock charm that defines much of her work.

The upbeat melody feels like a warm breeze, though Tikaram’s trademark somber voice lends it an oddly melancholy authenticity.

Musically, it blends a breezy saxophone solo with jangly guitar riffs, creating a textured arrangement that’s modest but effective.

Thematically, it’s a hopeful love story, though much of the lyrical subtlety is lost in delivery, dividing critics between admiration for its sincerity and disdain for its vagueness.

Recorded in 1988 and released as part of *The Sweet Keeper* album, the track’s production by Peter van Hooke and Rod Argent ensures a crisp sound that feels radio-ready, even if it lacks a certain edge.

Commercially, it charted modestly across Europe, with Finland and Italy showing it the most love, while its UK placement at 52 suggests it just missed wider traction.

Intriguingly, it reached third place on the European Airplay chart, indicating it resonated better as a background mood piece than as a marketplace juggernaut.

Ultimately, the track captures a peculiar duality: a record radio stations embraced, but listeners only half-followed.

The music video, now a nostalgic timestamp on YouTube, adds a splash of late ’80s character, though it doesn’t elevate the track beyond its humble aspirations.

While not a daring reinvention, it remains a notable mini-hit for those who appreciate Tikaram’s quiet insistence on her musical identity over larger pop ambitions.

Featured on the 1990 album “The Sweet Keeper”.

Lyrics >> Review >> More by the same : Official Site

12 . Clivilles & Cole – Pride [In The Name Of Love]

There’s something inherently ambitious about taking a U2 anthem, slapping on a high-energy dance beat, and pairing it with your own club-ready original, but Clivillés & Cole manage to turn that into a 1991 moment worth dissecting.

The A-side, “Pride (In the Name of Love),” reimagines U2’s soaring tribute to MLK Jr. through the glitter-strewn lens of early ‘90s dance music, where synthesizers and thumping beats drown out the gravitas of Bono’s lyricism.

It’s not subtle, and maybe that’s the point—subtlety rarely fills dance floors.

The B-side, “A Deeper Love,” proves to be a stronger contender, gripping listeners with a pulsing, relentless energy that doesn’t ask for permission to dominate.

Later covered more soulfully by Aretha Franklin, it’s a track that lives two lives: one as a club banger and another as a gospel-tinged empowerment anthem.

The accompanying video awkwardly splices both songs together, creating a curious Frankenstein of earnest political homage and pure hedonistic escapism.

The chart performance reflects this split personality—strong in the UK, tepid in the US, but omnipresent in ‘90s club sets.

It’s an offering dripping in contradictions: homage and commercialism, gravitas and frivolity, genuine artistry and calculated trend-chasing.

Whether you’re captivated or disenchanted likely depends on which half of its identity resonates more with you.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia