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

1 . Basia – Drunk on Love

“Drunk on Love” is a polished piece of jazz-pop flair that struts confidently between genres, with Basia flaunting her signature scatting and smooth vocals over vibrant horns and Latin-infused rhythms.

The upbeat energy feels as though it’s crafted for a cocktail lounge that moonlights as a dancefloor, expertly polished by Basia Trzetrzelewska and Danny White, who co-wrote and produced the track for her 1994 album, “The Sweetest Illusion.”

Released via Epic Records, the song’s biggest claim to fame lies in its extended reign atop the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, where it held court for an impressive 12 weeks in 1995, a testament to its irresistibly infectious groove that clearly resonated with dance crowds.

Critics at the time nodded approvingly, with outlets like *Billboard* and *Cash Box* welcoming its bold blend of jazz, soul, and dance influences, while *AllMusic* gave it a middling but respectable 3.5 stars, calling out its layered sophistication amidst ’90s dance-pop tropes.

The accompanying music video, directed by Nick Morris, is a charmingly mid-’90s ode to Soho, London, where Basia performs against a backdrop of local landmarks including Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and Bar Italia, giving the visuals an air of effortless, urban cool.

The original track’s DNA later evolved in Roger Sanchez’s remix, a “gospel-house” reimagining that took the song from swanky cafés to pulsating nightclubs, further amplifying its appeal with new dimensions of energy and fervor.

Basia’s willingness to weave Kevin Robinson’s sparkling trumpet solos into the mix elevates the track, embodying a lushness that distinguishes it from the paint-by-numbers pop of the era.

The song’s enduring charm lies in its balancing act: flashy yet refined, intricate but accessible, it bridged niche jazz-pop sensibilities with broader dance-floor appeal, firmly establishing itself as a cult favorite among fans of elegant yet effervescent grooves.

Featured on the 1994 album “The Sweetest Illusion “.

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

2 . Soft Cell – Tainted Love

Released in 1981, Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” reshapes Gloria Jones’s 1964 Northern Soul track into a pulsing synth-pop odyssey.

Anchored by Marc Almond’s theatrical vocals and Dave Ball’s minimalist production, the song distills emotional exhaustion into a cold, electronic lament.

The sparse instrumentation and relentless drum machine loop make the track both hypnotic and claustrophobic, mirroring its themes of toxic entanglement.

Debuting on the platinum-certified album *Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret*, it quickly ascended to global prominence, claiming the No. 1 spot in 17 countries, including the UK, while making a respectable impact in the US charts at No. 8.

The accompanying music video offers a strange tableau of low-budget surrealism, pairing the song’s alienation with uncanny imagery.

Though rooted in nostalgia, the track takes liberties, incorporating a slowed-down tempo and a medley with The Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go” on the B-side, lending it broader appeal.

“Tainted Love” held an iron grip on the charts, spending 43 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100—a Guinness World Record at its peak.

Despite its simplicity, the song manages to balance kitsch and sophistication, cementing its place as a cornerstone of the early 80s synth-pop movement.

The irony and emotional detachment it projects feel emblematic of a cultural moment, a neon-tinged signal of the disillusionment the decade would embrace with open arms.

Featured on the 1981 album “Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret“.

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

3 . Marc Almond – My Hand Over My Heart

“My Hand Over My Heart,” from Marc Almond’s 1991 album “Tenement Symphony,” leans into grand theatrics and lush production that feels larger than life.

The song is marked by Almond’s emotive delivery, bringing a sense of yearning and romantic grandeur that tiptoes the line between sincerity and self-aware melodrama.

Trevor Horn’s production is unmistakable, with dramatic orchestral flourishes riding alongside smooth synth-pop instrumentation, giving the track a polished, cinematic feel.

Released as a single, it reached a modest No. 33 on the UK Singles Chart, signaling that while Almond’s fanbase may appreciate his distinctive flair, mainstream audiences may have found the emotional opulence too niche.

Thematically, the song oscillates between longing and escapism, reflecting the album’s broader division between its Grit and Glitter sections.

The visuals of the accompanying video complement the song’s theatrical nature, showcasing Almond’s penchant for a heightened, almost operatic sense of style and storytelling.

What makes “My Hand Over My Heart” noteworthy isn’t its chart placement but its encapsulation of Almond’s ability to straddle camp and genuine sentiment without slipping fully into either.

Despite its mixed commercial reception, the piece remains a standout example of Almond’s artistic tendencies and the layered production style of the early ’90s pop aesthetic.

Featured on the 1991 album “Tenement Symphony”.

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

4 . Terence Trent D’Arby – To Know Someone Deeply Is To Know Someone Softly

Terence Trent D’Arby’s “To Know Someone Deeply Is to Know Someone Softly” feels like the oddball cousin at a family gathering—you’re not sure it belongs, but it’s hard to look away.

Released in 1989 on *Neither Fish Nor Flesh*, an album that itself confused critics and fans alike, the track offers a tangled blend of R&B fused with hints of 1960s psychedelic experimentalism and a smattering of funk, like an overenthusiastic stew of genres.

D’Arby claimed the inspiration came to him in a dream, whispered by none other than Marvin Gaye—a claim that’s either endearing or, frankly, delusional.

The lyrical theme leans heavily into romantic introspection, which D’Arby serves up with his usual dramatic flair, though sometimes the delivery teeters on the edge of pretentiousness, raising the eyebrows of critics who weren’t buying the artsy packaging.

Commercially, the song faltered, holding a modest presence on the charts but earning much warmer embraces in pockets of Europe, where it landed a top-three spot in Belgium and a cozy sixth-place finish in the Netherlands.

Despite the lukewarm reception elsewhere, the track has quietly gathered an almost cult-like following, celebrated for its lush production and the nuanced intimacy of D’Arby’s vocal performance.

The production itself is dense, layered with shimmering instrumentation that feels like it’s constantly trying to one-up itself: guitars echo as if lost in a cavern, while ethereal vocal harmonies drift by as though half-remembered from childhood.

Its sense of experimentation signals an artist longing to shrug off the straightforward pop-soul formula that made his debut a critical and commercial darling.

The track’s music video, viewable in scattered corners of YouTube, translates the song’s mood into muted, dreamlike visuals, though, like the song, it feels more self-indulgent than universally resonant.

While it falls short of being the defining anthem of the album, the song remains an intriguing page in the book of D’Arby’s restless, occasionally puzzling artistry.

Featured on the 1989 album “Neither Fish nor Flesh”.

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

5 . Eternal – Oh Baby I

“Oh Baby I,” released on October 24, 1994, finds Eternal channeling their R&B finesse into a heartfelt ballad that balances emotional vulnerability with polished production.

As the fourth single from their debut album *Always & Forever*, the track carves its place as a radio-friendly anthem marked by lush harmonies and an undeniably slick finish.

Written by Dennis Charles and Ronnie Wilson, it leans heavily on the genre’s early-’90s penchant for stirring melodies drenched in sentimentality, all while showcasing the group’s vocal chemistry.

It debuted respectably at #7 on the UK Singles Chart before peaking at #4, affirming the group’s growing commercial foothold.

Tim Royes helms the music video, a visual companion flaunting glamorous settings that elevate the track’s romantic overtones without veering into unnecessary theatrics.

Critics often commend its “touching” and “sophisticated” quality, descriptors that seem both apt and slightly predictable given the mid-’90s pop-Ballad trends.

Clocking ten weeks in the top 40, it’s a finely tuned example of Eternal’s early craft, tethering itself more to safety than risk-taking while securing enough chart success to merit a side glance from future playlists.

Featured on the 1993 album “Always & Forever”.

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

6 . Madonna – Justify My Love

Released as the centerpiece of Madonna’s *The Immaculate Collection*, “Justify My Love” is less a song and more an unapologetic mood piece, blending spoken-word sensuality with trip-hop undertones.

A collaboration with Lenny Kravitz and Ingrid Chavez, the track goes heavy on atmosphere, borrowing a discreet beat from Public Enemy’s “Security of the First World,” creating a hypnotic loop that feels simmering yet minimal.

The lyrics—equal parts yearning and provocation—establish a narrative of sexual liberation, effortlessly flipping traditional gender dynamics as Madonna takes control of her desires, whispering tantalizing verses like, “I wanna kiss you in Paris, I wanna hold your hand in Rome.”

The accompanying video, a black-and-white fever dream of erotic imagery shot by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, found itself banned by MTV, prompting Madonna to release it as a standalone VHS—a marketing gamble that paid off in platinum certifications and worldwide media frenzy.

Underneath the controversy lies a quietly revolutionary pop experiment, weaving elements of hip hop, experimental pop, and ambient textures into a piece that feels strangely timeless.

While Madonna has never shied away from dancing with controversy, “Justify My Love” might be her most deliberate act of provocation—less about shock value and more about dragging taboo subjects into the mainstream with a smirk and a whispered command.

Featured on the 1990 album “The Immaculate Collection”.

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

7 . The Corrs – I Never Loved You Anyway

“I Never Loved You Anyway” blends Celtic traditionalism with pop-rock sensibilities, resulting in a crisp shuffle beat adorned with tin whistles and bodhrán interludes.

It’s an exuberantly biting breakup anthem penned by The Corrs with Carole Bayer Sager, carried by Andrea Corr’s casually sardonic vocal delivery.

The lyrics exude a deliciously cutting dismissal of a former flame, embracing irony and irreverence without tipping into melodrama.

David Foster’s polished production manages to elevate the track’s rhythmic charm while preserving its rustic undertones, recorded across studios in Malibu and Los Angeles.

The accompanying music video, directed by Dani Jacobs, juxtaposes Dublin’s weathered Iveagh Market with playful visual flourishes, from mirrored fragments to scrawled graffiti.

Though dogged by seagulls and rain during filming, the aesthetic lands somewhere between chic dishevelment and homespun whimsy.

Critics were divided—Music Week saw traces of Alisha’s Attic, while Billboard highlighted its “delicious cynicism.”

Charting modestly across the UK and Australia, the single didn’t quite soar but held its commercial ground, nestled within the multi-platinum “Talk on Corners.”

The track’s acoustic version, found on international single releases, softens its edge but retains the wry delivery, a testament to its adaptability.

Performed during iconic live sets like The Royal Albert Hall’s St. Patrick’s Day concert, it solidifies its role as a fan favorite.

Whether in glossy studio form or stripped-down concert renditions, the song captures The Corrs’ knack for mingling tradition with contemporary bite.

Featured on the 1997 album “Talk on Corners”.

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8 . All Saints – Never Ever

Released in late 1997, “Never Ever” by All Saints delivers a melancholic slice of R&B-infused pop that still clings to its late-90s electronic polish.

The track opens with a spoken-word monologue so drenched in introspection, it teeters on parody, but somehow walks the line between earnestness and melodrama with remarkable finesse.

What follows is a lushly produced ballad—courtesy of Cameron McVey and Magnus Fiennes—that wraps gospel-inspired harmonies around a minimalist beat, creating a sound both anthemic and oddly restrained.

Commercially, the song became a juggernaut, holding the UK Singles Chart hostage for two weeks at number one and refusing to leave the top 10 for a staggering 15 weeks.

The video, meanwhile, opts for a monochromatic aesthetic, presenting the group as effortlessly cool yet oddly unreachable, lip-syncing their emotional turmoil with precision choreography by Factory Films.

Lyrically, the song wallows in romantic despair but never fully extracts itself, leaving listeners with unresolved tension—a hallmark of its appeal.

The track isn’t afraid of being catchy yet complicated, a combination that resonates with its impressive global chart dominance, from New Zealand to Sweden and everything in between.

Though showered with accolades, including two BRIT Awards in 1998, “Never Ever” isn’t without its detractors, who may find the song’s emotional labor a bit overwrought and its endlessly repeated chorus toeing the line between hypnotic and tiresome.

Still, for all its contradictions, it’s an undeniable slice of late-’90s pop history, a moment where slick production met raw vulnerability, and the radio never quite recovered.

Featured on the 1997 album “All Saints”.

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

9 . Kylie Minogue – Tears On My Pillow

Released in January 1990, Kylie Minogue’s “Tears On My Pillow” cleverly reimagines Little Anthony and the Imperials’ 1958 doo-wop classic through the glossy production lens of Stock Aitken Waterman.

As the fourth and final single from her sophomore album “Enjoy Yourself,” it caps off her transition from Australian soap darling to global pop phenomenon.

Chart-wise, it surges to the top of the UK Singles Chart, briefly reigns as a chart champion, and lands decently elsewhere, though with mixed results—New Zealand perks up at #2, while Ireland shrugs at #31.

The song’s connection to Kylie’s cinematic venture, *The Delinquents*, isn’t incidental; the accompanying video stitched moments of her from the movie into the fabric of its visuals, leaning heavily on nostalgia and heartbreak as thematic anchors.

Musically, the track keeps things simple: syrupy strings, a measured tempo, and Kylie’s soft, polished vocal delivery. If the original was raw emotion, this version is studio-manufactured melancholy for mall sound systems.

Some hear charm in its retro affectations, others detect cynicism in its calculated sweetness, but either way, it refuses to be anything but inoffensive.

The inclusion of the B-side “We Know The Meaning of Love” buffers its appeal, though calling it essential would be overstepping. Above all, this track is less about reinvention and more about reintroduction—a way of holding onto her chart-topping streak while revisiting someone else’s sentimental fingerprints.

Featured on the 1990 album “Enjoy Yourself”.

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

10 . Julia Fordham – [Love Moves In] Mysterious Ways

Julia Fordham’s “(Love Moves In) Mysterious Ways” is a pop ballad that made its understated premiere on the soundtrack for the 1991 romantic comedy *The Butcher’s Wife*.

Its release in 1992 as a single from her album *Swept* cemented its position as a heart-wrenching staple within Fordham’s discography, its melodrama heightened by Peter Asher’s production.

This is not a flashy hit—its charm lies in a certain emotional restraint, an unpretentious unfolding of tender vulnerability.

While it peaked at a modest No. 19 in the UK Charts, its real impact blossomed overseas.

The Philippines embraced it years later through Nina’s live rendition in 2005, spinning what was once a soundtrack flicker into a bonafide pop classic throughout Southeast Asia.

The song’s structure leans heavily on sentimentality, its simplicity tempering what could easily tip into saccharine territory.

Its slow climb to global affection reflects an uncanny ability to shaped-shift between cultures: from Winnie Hsin’s Mandarin cover in 1992 to Michael English’s more spiritual take in 1993, the ballad found a way to speak to wildly disparate audiences.

Julia Fordham herself returned to the track on occasion, sprinkling it across intimate live shows, where her emotive delivery gave audiences a closer taste of the song’s forlorn core.

In some ways, the track thrives visually – the absence of a formal video left it as an audio experience first and foremost, a rarity by today’s streaming-centric standards.

The track’s broad appeal though does prompt suspicion of it being overly “safe” for its genre.

There’s an unshakable feeling that the song’s narrative, revolving around love’s unpredictable nature, is almost too self-contained, courting timelessness yet avoiding surprise.

While its lyrics aim to uplift and its melody aims to nestle in memory, there’s an absence of risk that robs it of any real sense of adventure.

For what it lacks in audacity, though, it compensates with sheer emotional directness, and Julia Fordham’s delivery remains the song’s lantern, guiding it through the decades.

Featured on the 1991 album “Swept “.

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11 . Carleen Anderson – Let It Last

Carleen Anderson’s “Let It Last” lands somewhere between a heartfelt confession and a carefully curated showcase for her vocal range—an attempt to channel personal vulnerability into something marketable.

Released in 1994 on the “True Spirit” album, this track came amidst Anderson’s pivot from ensemble work with The Young Disciples to carving out her solo identity.

The album, produced under the Circa/Virgin umbrella, achieved modest commercial success, peaking at UK No. 16 the following year, though “Let It Last” itself wasn’t a chart-topper.

Structurally, it leans into R&B with pop undertones, coming alive in its slower, melodramatic build and intricate vocal layering that only Anderson could pull off while maintaining control.

Despite lacking a breakthrough hook, it is buoyed by Anderson’s talent for creating minor emotional epics, even on tracks that don’t necessarily demand your undivided attention.

Where it falters is its production, which feels more dated than its contemporaries—less restrained, more crowded at points where space might have worked better.

Still, fans appreciated the introspection and lyrical candor that nodded to resilience and personal striving without slipping into cliché territory.

Oddly, this track wasn’t tied to any defining artist milestone, which means it lives awkwardly in the shadow of Anderson’s more enduring songs like “Mama Said” and “Nervous Breakdown.”

True to her lineage—she is, after all, the daughter of notable soul icons—Carleen infuses every note with just enough pedigree to guarantee interest but not uncritical adoration.

It’s a decent example of progress over perfection, appreciated more for its context within her artistic journey than the track itself.

Featured on the 1994 album “True Spirit”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

12 . Paul Young – Calling You

Paul Young’s interpretation of “Calling You” summons a sense of yearning that feels both familiar and slightly unmoored from its original cinematic roots.

Originally composed by Bob Telson and popularized by Jevetta Steele in the indie cult film *Bagdad Café* (1987), the track’s distinct melancholy seems tailor-made for Young’s emotive vocal delivery.

Released as part of his 1990 *Other Voices* album, this version trades some of the sparse intimacy of the original for a fuller, polished sound, courtesy of producers Nile Rodgers and Wayne Livesey.

While the track did manage to secure a #57 spot on the UK Singles Chart, it lacks the raw fragility that made the original such a haunting listen.

The song’s lyrical themes of connection and longing feel sincere in Young’s rendition, though his slick production style might render it less poignant for listeners craving unvarnished emotion.

Available on YouTube through Sony Music UK, this version balances between tribute and reinterpretation, but its dance/electronic leanings risk overshadowing its soulful core.

Young’s ability to navigate the schisms between vocal theatrics and gentle pathos remains evident, yet one wonders if the weighty cultural resonance of its predecessor leaves his reimagining trapped in its shadow.

Featured on the 1990 album “Other Voices”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : YouTube