‘We Are Live’ N°11 – Vintage 90s Music Videos

Levellers, UB40, Blur, Thin Lizzy, The Only Ones, Northern Uproar, Carter U.S.M., The House Of Love, Queen, Placebo, Manic Street Preachers, Libido

They are the performers of twelve “live” music videos that were ranked in various charts, this week (05/52) BUT … in the Nineties 90s.

Here, they are reunited in one glorious playlist. Enjoy!

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Tracklist

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1 . Levellers – One Way

“One Way” by the Levellers strikes an enduring chord with its mix of folk-rock grit and rebellious energy.

Emerging from their 1991 album “Levelling the Land,” the track dodged Top 40 glory but became an instant cult anthem within the indie and traveling music circles.

Its charging basslines, sharp guitar riffs, and explosive fiddles embody the DIY ethos of the early ’90s alternative scene, while nodding slyly to the acid house drum grooves of the era.

The lyrics channel a fiery spirit of individualism, urging listeners to carve their own path without compromise.

Airing on MuchMusic’s *CityLimits* brought wider attention to the song, paralleling comparisons to other alternative mainstays like The Wonder Stuff.

Reaching number 33 in the UK, it became less of a chart magnet and more of a generational touchstone, endlessly revisited in the band’s live sets.

Over time, its presence on compilations such as *One Way of Life: The Very Best of The Levellers* further cemented its legacy as an indie anthem.

The song’s success dovetails with the Levellers’ rise, evident in landmarks like their 1994 Glastonbury headline performance, a cultural moment that solidified their status in the UK’s indie narrative.

A distinctive marker of its time, “One Way” continues to thrive, not as a relic, but as an unruly reminder of defiance wrapped in sound.


Featured on the 1991 album “Levelling the Land”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

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2 . UB40 – The Way You Do The Things You Do

Few covers manage to walk the tightrope between reverence and reinvention as gracefully as UB40’s 1990 rendition of “The Way You Do The Things You Do.”

The track plucks the infectious flirtation of the Temptations’ 1964 hit and swaddles it in UB40’s signature reggae-pop grooves, a fusion that feels both breezy and deliberate.

Written by Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers, the original was a Motown playground for Eddie Kendricks’ falsetto; UB40 swaps the shimmering nostalgia for a warmer, mellowed stroll, favoring smoother vocals over theatrics.

Playful lines like “You got a smile so bright / You know you coulda been a candle” retain their sly charm, but the band’s sprightly rhythms inject an entirely new temperament into the mix.

The accompanying music video leans into live-performance intimacy, placing the band before a crowd that could have stepped straight out of a late-’80s postcard—big hair, exuberant dancing, and unwavering enthusiasm intact.

By the time the track climbed its way to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, UB40’s formula of feel-good covers was undeniable, solidifying their second “Labour of Love” album as a reliable jukebox for reinterpretations.

If the original was a polished jewel of ‘60s vocal harmony, then UB40’s spin feels more like a sun-lit pebble found on the beach—a little rougher, but endearingly approachable in its own right.


Featured on the 1989 album “Labour of Love II”.

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

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3 . Blur – Beetlebum

“Beetlebum,” a swirling Britpop track from Blur’s self-titled fifth album, carries a hazy lethargy that contrasts sharply with the anthemic bounce of the band’s earlier hits.

Damon Albarn’s lyrics take a fragmented dive into his heroin experiences, yet the song’s title feels more like a murmur breathed into existence than a coded drug reference.

Musically, the Beatles’ fingerprints are all over “Beetlebum,” with layered instrumentation and a dreamy production that balances sweetness with an undercurrent of decay.

The song flirts with melody in ways that feel both loose and deliberate, echoing the introspective uncertainty of its themes.

Its performance—a departure from Blur’s cheery Britpop heyday—was a gamble, with its sleepy tempo and subdued audacity defying the expectations of a chart-topping single.

Against all odds, it debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, a testament to its emotional resonance with listeners despite its unpolished mood.

Visually, the Sophie Muller-directed music video complements the track’s woozy feel, with kaleidoscopic patterns surrounding the band’s understated performance inside an ominously tall structure.

Though Blur was stepping into murkier creative waters here, “Beetlebum” solidified the band’s shift from Britpop poster children to something darker, stranger, and more introspective—leaving behind a trail of shimmering unease.


Featured on the 1997 album “Blur“.

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

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4 . Thin Lizzy – Dedication

“Dedication” by Thin Lizzy stands as an intricate hybrid of past and present, a song birthed in a moment of reinvention yet tethered to its creator’s legacy.

Originally intended for Phil Lynott’s post-Lizzy project, Grand Slam, its resurrection after his passing came with layers of controversy and creativity alike.

Built on the skeleton of an 8-track demo, Lynott’s unmistakable vocals and bass anchor the track, while Scott Gorham and Brian Downey infused it with freshly minted guitar and drum parts that lean into the band’s hallmark sound.

The song is a fascinating outlier within Thin Lizzy’s catalogue: a track both of them and apart from them, a sonic handshake between Lynott’s ambitions outside Thin Lizzy and the group’s persistent ethos.

The ensuing legal battle over credits—where Laurence Archer’s contributions were initially omitted—extends the narrative beyond the song itself, injecting it with a meta-commentary on authorship and erasure.

Musically, it clings to Thin Lizzy’s signature twin-guitar punch while simultaneously exuding a rawness that speaks to its fragmented genesis.

Released as a single and housed in a 1991 best-of compilation, “Dedication” feels like an elaborate footnote, significant for what it implies more than what it is.

A guitar hook emerges central, a familiar muscle-memory nod to the band’s storied past, even if its origins reside elsewhere.

If authenticity is the goal, the piece is a paradox—a reimagined artifact whose vitality depends on its reconstruction, a peerless rock anthem, yet intrinsically askew.

What remains is its final energy: a celebration, an elegy, a reclamation, and an uneasy question mark, living comfortably in all those spaces at once.


Featured on the 1991 album “Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

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5 . The Only Ones – Another Girl Another Planet

“Another Girl, Another Planet” by The Only Ones stands as a peculiar gem from 1978, wrapped in its punk-pop veneer and loaded with contradictions.

The 48-second guitar intro, a mesmerizing concoction of spontaneity and skill, sets a tone of urgency, while the thundering percussion anchors the track with raw intensity.

Pete Perrett’s vocals careen between detachment and yearning, delivering lyrics that flirt with danger, love, and interstellar escapism without ever fully committing to one narrative thread.

The recording process, famously casual, imbues the track with an unpolished spontaneity that elevates John Perry’s ebullient guitar lines and the tight rhythm section by Alan Mair and Mike Kellie.

Despite its critical acclaim, the song initially bypassed the charts—its alleged drug references made it persona non grata for rigid radio playlists.

A belated re-release in 1992 brought modest chart recognition, but it wasn’t until a 2006 Vodafone advertisement that the song received a surge of mainstream interest.

That commercial resurgence spurred a mini-tour, cementing the track as a fixture in 1970s and 1980s rock anthologies while inspiring a slew of covers that rarely matched the gritty vitality of the original.

Though no official music video was ever produced, an enigmatic promo video exists, potentially tied to Kerrang, further cementing its DIY aesthetic and gritty allure.

Perrett himself insists the song was inspired by a Yugoslavian girl he met, adding another layer of ambiguity to lyrics already saturated with double meanings.

Ultimately, its enduring appeal lies in its contradictions—a melodic anthem born from chaos, straddling the worlds of pop accessibility and punk defiance, without ever leaning too far into either.


Featured on the 1978 album “The Only Ones “.

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

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6 . Northern Uproar – From A Window

Northern Uproar’s “From a Window” encapsulates the Britpop essence of the mid-1990s with jangly guitars and emotionally drenched lyrics that mirror youthful yearning.

Released in 1996 as part of their debut album, the track hit number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, a respectable placement that signaled the band’s foothold in the competitive Britpop scene of the era.

Musically, the song leans heavily on its melody-driven structure, carving out a niche between the anthemic choruses of contemporaries like Oasis and the subtler pop-rock dynamics of Cast.

The lyrics paint a vivid yet relatable snapshot of love and longing, all paired with the kind of unfiltered earnestness that could feel both evocative and slightly simplistic depending on the listener’s mood.

Visually, the accompanying music video embraces a bright, nostalgic tone, complementing the track’s reflective undercurrent without dipping into overt sentimentality.

The band’s straightforward presentation eschews collaborations or intricate production flairs, leaning instead on their raw, unpolished energy to sell the performance.

No less interesting is its place in Britpop history, serving as a reminder of an era when jangly guitars and heartfelt lyrics ruled airwaves, even if the track itself doesn’t stray far from the genre’s established playbook.

It’s fair to say “From a Window” plays it safe, but by doing so, it becomes an emblem of a time when heartfelt simplicity had its own commercial and cultural allure.


Featured on the 1996 album “Northern Uproar “.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Facebook

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7 . Carter U.S.M. – Bloodsport For All

“Bloodsport For All” arrives with the ferocity of a musical manifesto, fusing gritty alternative rock with an insistent dance backbeat.

The track takes aim at institutional racism and abuse within the military, its biting lyrics pairing condemnation with relentless energy.

Released in 1991, the song coincided with the Gulf War, its timing and themes earning it a ban from the BBC.

This act of censorship, rather than silencing the piece, amplified its sharp critique as an unflinching mirror held up to authority.

The production is a cacophonous mix of driving guitar riffs and a booming anthem-like chorus, demanding both attention and reaction.

Part of the album “30 Something,” which climbed to number 8 on the UK Albums Chart, the song underscores the band’s knack for addressing societal ills without losing musical punch.

Despite its polarizing reception, it stands as a rebellious snapshot of a politically charged era, brimming with both audacity and urgency.


Featured on the 1991 album “30 Something”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

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8 . The House Of Love – Shine On

“Shine On” by The House of Love exudes a cathartic energy that blends indie rock’s understated charm with shimmering layers of sound.

Originally released in 1987, the track establishes a foundation of melodic delicacy veiled in melancholic optimism, with Guy Chadwick’s vocals weaving through the reverb-drenched arrangements like a quiet plea.

The re-recorded 1990 version amplifies the song’s potency, with Tim Palmer’s production adding a polished edge that propelled it to No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart—a testament to its newfound accessibility without losing its ethereal undertone.

Terry Bickers’ guitar work, a darkly resonant presence throughout, contrasts beautifully with the plaintive vocal harmonies provided by Andrea Heukamp in the earlier iteration of the track.

The song finds itself perpetually relevant, appearing in skateboarding videos and TV soundtracks, yet its core emotion remains untouched—an atmospheric ache nestled in themes of hope and longing.

The re-release’s success not only revitalized public interest but also marked a pivotal moment in the band’s trajectory, reaffirming the enduring allure of their nuanced soundscapes.


Featured on the 1990 album “The House of Love”.

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

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9 . Queen – Tie Your Mother Down

“Tie Your Mother Down” kicks off Queen’s *A Day at the Races* with a no-nonsense punch of raw, grinding energy that sticks to the ribs.

Brian May’s opening riff is less a guitar line and more a statement—gritty, confident, and completely unpolished in the best way possible.

Written during May’s astrophysics research in Tenerife, it juxtaposes the precision of science with the chaotic abandon of rock.

Freddie Mercury’s insistence on keeping the cheeky titular lyric injects the track with just the right amount of irreverence, a hallmark of Queen’s dynamic interplay.

Layered with Roger Taylor’s pounding drums and John Deacon’s steady bassline, the song thrives on its stripped-down simplicity without forsaking technical finesse.

The promotional video, shot at Nassau Coliseum, amplifies the track’s live aura, encapsulating Queen’s unrelenting stage presence in their prime.

It’s not all blistering riffs and attitude, though—the track balances grit with a certain theatricality only Queen could pull off without looking self-indulgent.

Punctuating rock history, the song has been reimagined in collaborations ranging from Joe Elliott and Slash at the Mercury Tribute Concert to guest slots with Foo Fighters, cementing its adaptability beyond the band’s own lineup.

While it never topped charts, its resonance across decades places it closer to anthem territory than fleeting hit material.

“Tie Your Mother Down” doesn’t ask for approval—its brash existence is its own justification.


Featured on the 1976 album “A Day at the Races “.

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

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10 . Placebo – Every You Every Me

Released in 1999, “Every You Every Me” by Placebo carves its identity with sharp-edged lyrics and brooding instrumentation steeped in alternative rock ethos.

The track mirrors the late ’90s cultural pulse, pairing raw emotional intensity with a touch of nihilistic glamour, key hallmarks of an era enamored with vulnerability and angst.

Its production, helmed by Steve Osborne, layers reverb-drenched guitars over a driving rhythm that feels urgent, all while Brian Molko’s distinctive vocals add a biting vulnerability to the mix.

Lyrically, the song is a portrait of relational decay, a tug-of-war between desire and self-loathing, and its repetition of “Sucker love is heaven sent” gnaws at the listener like an unresolved argument.

Two music videos, one attached to “Cruel Intentions” and another, starkly minimal, reflect the song’s duality—cinematic allure versus raw intimacy.

Having secured a Gold certification in the UK and lingering as a cult anthem, its appeal refuses to wane, offering a snapshot of late ’90s pop-rock at its most unvarnished and evocative.


Featured on the 1998 album “Without You I’m Nothing”.

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

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11 . Manic Street Preachers – Motown Junk

“Motown Junk” delivers a thrashing cocktail of rebellion and critique, wrapped in an unapologetic alternative rock energy.

The track opens with a sample from Public Enemy, signaling the band’s intent to merge disparate influences into their sonic attack.

Its rawness extends to the lyrics, laced with controversy and formative anger, typified by an incendiary line about Lennon that often gets skipped during live renditions.

The title itself is a swipe at commercialized music culture, while the aggressive guitar riffs and frenetic drumming underscore the track’s no-compromise attitude.

Musical references like The Skids in the outro further reflect the band’s knack for embedding layers of meaning into their work.

The cover art—a charred watch frozen at Hiroshima’s moment of detonation—subtly complements the track’s ethos by evoking the frailty and destructiveness of human ambition.

Seen as a proto-manifesto for Manic Street Preachers, the song merges raw critique with electrifying execution, embodying the band’s early spirit of unfiltered defiance.


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

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12 . Libido – Overthrown

“Overthrown” is a track by Libido, a Peruvian band known for shaping Latin America’s alternative rock scene in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

Despite the absence of detailed information about this specific song, its gritty energy and raw instrumentation suggest a spirit of defiance, with sharp lyrics carving out its unapologetic tone. A 1998 release, it serves as a reflection of the band’s early and experimentally charged discography, blending aggressiveness with a sense of introspection.

The aesthetic of the accompanying video, reportedly raw and visceral, mirrors the song’s theme and complements its rebellious undercurrent.

While Libido’s catalog includes celebrated works like “Hembra” and “Un Día Nuevo,” “Overthrown” carves its niche within the era’s broader alternative rock ethos. The track illustrates a band adept at channeling both aggression and vulnerability, even without fully crossing into mainstream limelight during the track’s existence.


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