‘L’Amour Toujours’ N°310 – Vintage 90s Music Videos

1 . George Michael – I Can’t Make You Love Me

Originally penned by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin, “I Can’t Make You Love Me” finds itself reimagined through the lens of George Michael’s icy elegance in 1997. Stepping away from the rootsy warmth of Bonnie Raitt’s definitive rendition, Michael offers a meticulously restrained interpretation, layering his velvet-like vocals over a backdrop of minimalistic electric piano flourishes.

Positioned as a double A-side with his reflective track “Older,” this version fits snugly within the late ’90s ethos of polished melancholia. It also makes its way into his 1998 compilation, a testament to its enduring relevance within the artist’s catalog. Quietly sorrowful and achingly deliberate, the song teeters on the border of catharsis and stasis, as if even heartbreak must obey the rules of precision.

The UK Singles Chart saw this cover ascend to number three, solidifying its presence among late ’90s balladry. Yet there’s an inherent paradox here: Michael’s meticulous delivery, though undeniably heartfelt, risks feeling emotionally detached compared to the raw vulnerability of Raitt’s original—a contradiction that lingers as the song quietly fades, leaving not triumph, but resignation.

Featured on the 1996 album “Older“.

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

2 . Dina Carroll – The Perfect Year

Dina Carroll’s “The Perfect Year” springs from the musical *Sunset Boulevard*, yet it masterfully detaches itself from its stage origins to become a standalone ballad entrenched in 90s sentimentality.

It’s the kind of track that revels in its cinematic lushness—Andrew Lloyd Webber’s fingerprints are all over the melody, elevated with Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s wistful lyrics. Carroll, known for her velvety tone, adds a quiet urgency that saves it from descending into mere schmaltz.

The song carved a respectable niche on the UK Singles Chart, cruising comfortably into the Top 10, but what keeps it from being just another seasonal tune is Carroll’s ability to juxtapose festive warmth with a nagging undercurrent of longing. It’s no surprise this became a New Year’s anthem; the lyrics, steeped in reflection, tap into that universal tug between nostalgia and hope.

The music video, set against Dublin’s urban landmarks, exudes a curious ordinariness that contrasts with the song’s sweeping emotional core. While perhaps unintentionally, it grounds the track in something relatable, sidestepping the overwrought visuals one might expect from a Lloyd Webber ballad.

Critically lauded, the single marked a high point for Carroll—proof that Britpop wasn’t the only game in town during the 90s. Her dual appearance in the decade’s Top 10 not only highlights her crossover appeal but also raises questions about why her star dimmed so soon after. Yet with “The Perfect Year,” Carroll crafted something timelessly sentimental, even if it never quite shook off its theatrical roots.

Featured on the 1996 album “Only Human”.

Review >> More by the same : Wikipedia

3 . Thunder – A Better Man

“A Better Man” by Thunder sneaks in with a departure from the band’s usual hard rock dynamics, steering straight into the realm of an earnest, acoustic ballad. Its release in 1993 marks a somewhat vulnerable moment for the group—a song less about loud riffs and more about introspection.

Gary James swaps his drumsticks for an acoustic guitar, an unexpected pivot that lends an intimate texture to the track. He’s also heard sharing vocal duties during live performances, a rarity that reshuffles the roles typically locked in stone within the band’s lineup. Luke Morley’s songwriting reaches into themes of maturity and personal betterment, avoiding melodrama while managing to stay heartfelt.

The accompanying album “Laughing on Judgement Day” carries this track as part of its broader sonic exploration, although its polished production hints at EMI Records projecting a stab at commercial appeal. The wistful melody and stripped-back arrangement resonated enough to push this single to number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and modestly into the Eurochart Hot 100.

Quirky additions such as live versions of “Higher Ground” and a cover of “Lazy Sunday Afternoon” bundled in the maxi-CD nod to Thunder’s playful irreverence, keeping their rock ’n’ roll ethos intact amidst a lighter musical approach. Yet, the emotional heft of “A Better Man” ensures Thunder isn’t just jamming for the sake of it. It offers a pensive reprieve before inevitably cranking things back up, a reminder that even hard rockers need their moments of self-reflection. The music video captures this earnestness, albeit with a staging that borders on predictability. Still, for all its earnestness and chart flirtation, it’s an honest offering in the band’s catalog.

Featured on the 1993 album “Laughing on Judgement Day”.

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

4 . Kristin Hersh – Your Ghost

“Your Ghost” opens Kristin Hersh’s solo journey with a blend of restraint and raw emotion. Stripped down to its core, the song thrives on its stark simplicity, with acoustic guitar and sparse arrangements creating an eerie intimacy that lingers well after its three-minute runtime.

Michael Stipe’s haunting backing vocals weave through Hersh’s trembling delivery, adding weight to the track’s spectral atmosphere. His presence is unshowy yet indispensable, echoing like a ghost in the room—fitting, given the song’s title. Hersh’s voice dances between fragility and strength, wavering as though on the verge of collapse yet never faltering, embodying the ache of love’s lingering specter.

The accompanying music video, directed by Katherine Dieckmann, channels the avant-garde surrealism of Maya Deren’s “Meshes of the Afternoon.” Shot in dreamlike, fragmented visuals, it underscores the song’s themes of memory and longing without veering into heavy-handedness. It’s an artful nod that complements rather than distracts.

Released in 1994 as a standout from *Hips and Makers*, the track arrived at a moment when indie music began digging deeper into vulnerability. Its success, especially chart-topping accolades in Iceland and noteworthy performances in Belgium and the UK, proves its quiet resonance transcends boundaries. Even its odd appearance on Triple J’s Hottest 100 hints at a broader, curious appeal—how does such a deliberately small song make waves?

The song’s cultural afterlife includes various covers, from Greg Laswell’s somber take to more experimental interpretations by The McCarricks. While covers range in fidelity, the enduring fascination with the track speaks to its malleability—Hersh penned something deeply personal yet hauntingly universal.

Despite being deeply of its time—a snapshot of indie-folk’s quieter revolution—it remains unsettlingly timeless. Hersh’s acoustic version at KEXP decades later is a testament to its enduring grip. Strikingly, she complements the performance by reading from her memoir, bridging the gap between her music and life with unflinching honesty.

“Your Ghost” isn’t just a song but a vignette—a study in restraint, character, and the unshakable presence of the past. Hersh doesn’t demand your attention; she haunts you, staying just long enough to leave a mark before fading into the ether of memory. Rarely does a track so minimal manage to feel so complete.

Featured on the 1994 album “Hips and Makers”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

5 . Texas – I’m so in love with you

Texas’s “I’m So in Love with You” carries a sentimentality that feels both earnest and unguarded, a confession laid bare with repeated declarations of love.

The track, featured on the band’s 1993 album “Ricks Road,” channels a straightforward emotional core, sidestepping lyrical complexity in favor of raw simplicity.

Sharleen Spiteri’s delivery, always the band’s hallmark, wields just enough restraint to avoid melodrama, her voice hovering between husky fragility and quiet power.

The arrangement leans on clean instrumental work—a balancing act of modest guitar hooks and warm rhythms that seem deliberately uninterested in competing with the vocals.

Clocking in as a mid-tempo track, it doesn’t push boundaries musically but instead finds safety in familiarity, which may feel either comforting or pedestrian depending on your mood.

As part of “Ricks Road,” an album drenched in bluesy, soul-tinged rock, the song fits snugly within the band’s aesthetic, even if it struggles to carve out a standout identity amid stronger entries.

While it avoids the more sophisticated textures that drive Texas’s best-known hits like “Say What You Want,” the song’s unabashed sentimentality may resonate with fans drawn toward its confessional tone.

The video—its 1.6 million views suggesting quiet but enduring affection—sticks to the band’s stripped-back ethos, letting Spiteri’s magnetic presence carry the visuals with minimal fuss.

Love songs abound in pop, and while “I’m So in Love with You” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it doesn’t try to either, and therein lies both its charm and its limitation.

Featured on the 1993 album “Ricks Road”.

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

6 . Kylie Minogue – What Do I Have To Do?

Released in January 1991, “What Do I Have to Do” by Kylie Minogue trades sugary pop for a more confident dance-floor edge.

Spun off her third studio album, *Rhythm of Love*, this track saunters into desire and frustration, wrapping it all in shimmering production courtesy of Stock, Aitken & Waterman.

The song’s pacing is lean but propulsive, with its irresistible beat begging for movement without overstaying its welcome.

Its journey to fans’ ears wasn’t straightforward, initially positioned as a follow-up to “Better the Devil You Know” but finding its slot after “Step Back in Time.”

In the UK, it ascends to a respectable number six, while piercing several other charts with equal poise.

The video, brashly glamorous, finds Kylie mimicking Hollywood icons with kitschy flair, and her sister Dannii Minogue sneaks in for the ride.

In retrospect, the song is both a pivot and a distillation of Kylie’s evolution—managing charm, commercial ambition, and timeless appeal all at once.

Featured on the 1990 album “Rhythm of Love”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

7 . Wendy & Lisa – Don’t Try To Tell Me

‘Don’t Try to Tell Me’ from Wendy & Lisa feels like a time capsule of the early ’90s, a period dripping with funky, defiant energy.

The track carries a sharp edge, blending pop and funk in a way that mirrors the duo’s knack for pulling tension from silky grooves.

The lyrics confront the idea of imposed narratives, expressing a kind of cool-headed independence that avoids syrupy empowerment clichés.

The song’s arrangement leans heavily into bass-driven rhythms and sharp, punchy guitars, framing their voices with an air of brisk determination.

Though not a chart dominator, it casually saunters into the kind of understated artistry that doesn’t claw for attention but still warrants it.

The parent album, ‘Eroica,’ showcases Wendy & Lisa’s post-Revolution identity—a band not afraid of percussive risks and textured, exploratory melodies, offering something richer than the pop confines of the decade typically allowed.

Crafted with precision, the song lingers: a solid, if modest, testament to their uncompromising creative ethos.

Featured on the 1990 album “Eroica”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

8 . Lenny Kravitz – I Build This Garden For Us

“I Build This Garden For Us” from Lenny Kravitz’s 1989 debut album, *Let Love Rule*, occupies a hopeful, if slightly indulgent, corner of his catalog.

The track sprawls in its ambition, layering instruments like guitars, strings, and a Wurlitzer organ over Kravitz’s earnest vocals, creating a sound that evokes both late-’60s idealism and ‘80s rock grandeur.

It’s described by Kravitz as his most “self-indulgent” song, and it’s not hard to see why, with its utopian lyrics envisioning a paradise inspired by his then-wife, Lisa Bonet, and their daughter, Zoë Kravitz.

While sonically tipping its hat to both The Beatles and Prince, the song is less refined than its influences, leaning more on raw ambition than precision.

Nevertheless, its radio airplay in the early ’90s ensured it found its place alongside cultural touchstones like Madonna’s “Vogue” and MC Hammer’s “You Can’t Touch This.”

The lush visuals in the accompanying music video echo the song’s pastoral aspirations, further underscoring its grandiosity.

For all its excess, the track retains an enduring charm, nestled in the album’s mix of rock and throwback optimism.

Featured on the 1989 album “Let Love Rule“.

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

9 . Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough

Released in 1994, “Strong Enough” by Sheryl Crow occupies a tender space in the alt-country and acoustic pop landscape of the ’90s, a time when introspection wasn’t yet drowned out by auto-tune or overproduction.

This track, comfortably nestled in the “Tuesday Night Music Club” album, carries a stark vulnerability expressed through its swaying 6/8 time signature and deliberate acoustic arrangement.

Its chord progression, a cycle of D–G5–Bm♭6–A, mirrors the emotional tug-of-war in the song’s lyrics—confessional, raw, and unguarded.

Co-written by Crow alongside an ensemble of collaborators, the collective input feels organic rather than crowded, with the production retaining an understated quality courtesy of Bill Bottrell’s oversight.

The music video, stripped down to black-and-white, mirrors the song’s quiet introspection, as Crow walks through an empty space without theatrics—a rebellion against the maximalist visuals of the MTV era.

Yet, for all its lyrical honesty, the song skirts sentimentality, choosing restraint over melodrama.

Its cultural aftershock is seen in Travis Tritt’s 2002 “response” song, though few have managed to replicate its aching intimacy.

Far from being a technical showpiece, “Strong Enough” instead elevates authenticity, which might explain its enduring presence on Crow’s greatest hits compilations and live setlists.

The song’s reserved charm lies in its balance—emotional but not overwrought, personal but never cloying—a formula that feels as relevant in hindsight as it did upon release.

Featured on the 1993 album “Tuesday Night Music Club“.

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

10 . The Blessing – Highway 5

“Highway 5” by The Blessing carries a brooding, road-trip vibe wrapped in layers of melancholic rock, making it both contemplative and gritty.

It originally surfaced in 1991, before being repackaged and charting higher with a re-release in 1992.

The track doesn’t shy away from textural complexity, with William Topley’s smoky vocals at the helm, steering it through restless melodies and yearning lyrics.

The instrumental lineup, featuring Luke Brighty’s sharp guitar riffs and Mike Westergaard’s atmospheric keys, finds balance between precision and raw energy.

There’s a cinematic quality to its storytelling, evoking windswept highways and introspection, even if its production leans a tad polished for some ears.

The album enlists heavyweights like Jeff Porcaro and Richard Tee, adding a seasoned depth to the tracks, though their presence sometimes risks overshadowing the band’s own identity.

For all its ambition, the song resonates most with listeners drawn to storytelling tinged with longing rather than revelry.

Featured on the 1991 album “Prince of the Deep Water”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Wikipedia

11 . Lisa Loeb – I Do

Released in 1997, Lisa Loeb’s “I Do” wrestles with friction—not in a relationship as one might expect, but between artist and industry.

Loeb crafts an energetic folk-pop track that hides its battle cry for creative autonomy beneath a deceptively sweet melody.

The electric guitars, courtesy of Tony Berg, provide an almost jangly backbone, while Leland Sklar’s bass infuses the track with a subtle warmth.

John “JR” Robinson’s drums keep the mid-tempo groove steady, ensuring the song is accessible but not pedestrian.

The chorus, catchy and insistent, hints at Loeb’s frustration, which was less about romantic woes and more a response to label pressure for a “radio-friendly” hit.

Its lyrics cut through the song’s glossy arrangement with lines that feel personal but edge toward defiance.

Meanwhile, Phil Harder’s music video adds a dose of whimsy, with upside-down microphones and feather-covered floors providing a surreal visual narrative.

This clash between Loeb’s artistic integrity and commercial expectations doesn’t just root the song in its time, but speaks volumes about artists navigating the late-‘90s pop landscape.

Unlike the humdrum singles often churned out under executive demands, “I Do” manages to reclaim ownership of its own rebellion, transforming compromise into craft.

Featured on the 1997 album “Firecracker”.

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

12 . Shawn Colvin – Round Of Blues

Shawn Colvin’s “Round of Blues,” off her 1992 album *Fat City*, offers a blend of introspection and melodic folk-rock that sits comfortably in its own skin without trying too hard to please. Released during a period when the genre often leaned toward overproduced sentimentality, the track strikes a balance between craft and feeling.

The song’s architecture is deceptively simple: Colvin’s earthy vocals, coupled with Larry Klein’s thoughtful bass arrangements, give the song a grounded quality with just enough texture to keep it interesting. Bruce Hornsby’s piano lines hover delicately in the margins, like a friend chiming in at just the right moment, while David Lindley’s Hawaiian guitar injects a breezy melancholy to tether the emotional stakes.

What stands out is the collaborative atmosphere. It’s not every track that can claim contributions from luminaries like Joni Mitchell and Richard Thompson, even if their presence doesn’t overwhelm the song’s identity. If anything, their involvement underscores Colvin’s knack for curating musicians who enhance rather than overshadow. The result is unshowy but enduring, much like Colvin herself.

Lyrically, the track navigates familiar territory: love, disappointment, self-realization. But it’s Colvin’s ability to sidestep melodrama that keeps it compelling. There’s weight but no wallowing, and the song has an almost conversational quality that resonates without grandstanding.

It’s no surprise that “Round of Blues” has seen its share of live renditions, including a memorable performance with Mary Chapin Carpenter that feels like a natural pairing. If the studio version is polished introspection, its live iterations lean into the communal spirit of shared woes and quiet resilience.

By the numbers, *Fat City* might not have shattered charts, but the album’s modest achievements—like peaking at No. 2 on the Top Heatseekers chart—underscore its steady appeal. “Round of Blues” isn’t trying to change the world, but it’s the kind of song that makes you feel like someone out there gets it, which might just be enough.

Featured on the 1992 album “Fat City “.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site