Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1996.
For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Dolly the Sheep and her…umm Dad? (Sir Ian Wilmut the Dolly project leader). She was the only surviving lamb from 277 cloning attempts. Dolly actually helped push stem cell research forward by 20 years. Well done Dolly.
In 1996, the first genetically modified foods go on sale in the UK, the IRA end the 17-month ceasefire and bomb the docklands in London killing two people and injuring 39, Take That (the most successful British band of the 90s) announce that they are splitting up, an IRA bomb explodes on a London bus killing one and injuring eight, in a primary school in Dunblane a gunman kills 16 children and their teacher, wounds 13 others plus another teacher and then commits suicide, as a result of this tragic massacre tighter gun laws are implemented in the UK, a massive IRA bomb is detonated in Manchester city centre which devastates its retail district, Dolly the Sheep the first mammal to ever be successfully cloned from an adult cell is born, the Olympics take place in Atlanta, USA, the Prince and Princess of Wales complete their divorce proceedings after 15 years of marriage, an IRA bomb explodes at British army barracks in Northern Ireland killing one and injuring 31, 4% of the UK population now have internet access, Mad Cow Disease hits the UK, a bomb on the Paris subway kills four people, 12 minutes after leaving JFK airport a jumbo jet crashes into the sea killing all 230 people on board, the films Independence Day, Scream and Trainspotting are all released and I leave my teenage year behind me and turn 20 years old.
By 1996, I’m living in Oxford and having far too much fun. I also celebrated my Birthday exactly 22 years ago, to this day. Yes, that’s right it’s my Birthday today! I’ll extend the deadline to get all your gifts and flowers to me by Monday. I’m kind like that. You can read how I feel about getting older HERE. Whilst, this year we have Bjork and Tori making another appearance, all the other acts here appear for the first time.
1. On & On by Erykah Badu
2. Underground by Ben Folds Five
3. No Diggity by Blackstreet featuring Dr Dre
4. Don’t Let Go (Love) by En Vogue
5. Hyper-ballad by Bjork (I also equally love the Brodsky Quartet Version of this song, so much so that I’ve added it as bonus track at the end of the playlist for you)
6. 2 Becomes 1 by Spice Girls (I will always stand by my opinion that this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written).
7. Ladykillers by Lush
8. Professional Widow (It’s Got To Be Big) by Tori Amos
9. Being Brave by Menswear
10. Born Slippy (NUXX) by Underworld
Bjork or Underworld? BJORK OR UNDERWORLD?! I’m not sure I can choose….oh ok, I’m going with Underworld. Probably for personal reasons. Come one then. Which one is your favourite?
As a bonus for this week only, I’m posting an extra song. I wanted to add this to this week’s playlist, but it doesn’t exist on Spotify. So, here’s a YouTube video of it instead for you to enjoy. It is an incredibly stunning song and deserves recognition.
One Night Stand by the Aloof
See you next week for 1997!
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What a year 1996 was. I was in primary school and I can remember how quickly they got a big fence up and if you were late (I often was thanks to my mam’s shifts) you had to be buzzed through to reception after peering into a little security camera to check who you are.
Also a very happy birthday!
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Yes I don’t think you get primary schools without secure gates these days. Thank you very much for the Birthday wishes x
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Arrgggghhhh I can’t choose! Love Born Slippy – so many brilliant memories. The Tori Amos song I always loved because I heard it has ‘gotta big dick’ also Yo Diggity is a particular favourite to get dancing around the kitchen. Also Spice Girls harmonising – love love love.
Hmmmmm if you’re going to force me to choose it’s going to have to be Born Slippy just because the link with Trainspotting pushes it to number one for me.
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Yes same here! It’s the Trainspotting link & my memories attached to that film that pushed it to no.1 for me too. Plus dancing in the clubs to it! Tori, Blackstreet & Spice Girls are all excellent choices too!
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PS Happy birthday! 🎉
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Ha thank you!
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Happy Birthday!!! Yeah for you being born.
I don’t listen to enough of Erykah Badu. That lady is something else. There are so many good ones here. No Diggity for party time fun. And On & On for like, always. I’ve decided that might be my theme song for the day. We are facing another storm here in Minnesota–and I need the reminder that it’s you know, just a point in time.
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Thank you love. Erykah Badu is extraordinary. I am a little bit in awe of her. I have all her albums and they’re all excellent. I should get listening to them all again. I hope you’re surviving your storm ok!
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There is something about that Born Slippy that takes me back to that era. I was 16 at the time and had just started clubbing. Seemed like a whole other world. I loved dancing and losing myself in the music. Happy birthday, Hayley!
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Oh God every time Born Slippy came on in the clubs, I would well and truly lose myself. There’s something about that tune that’s kind of magical. My clubbing years were so much fun- I definitely made the most of them! Thanks Jo x
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Love R&B, so No Diggity is the winner for me.
Happy Birthday gorgeous, expect those flowers all the way from down under!! Lol… Xx
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Aaah thank you lovely Lorelle. They smell gorgeous. And No Diggity is an excellent choice indeed.
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Glad you liked them 😘
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I can’t believe you’re up to 1996 already, seems like yesterday we were dwelling in the 1980’s! I saw Menswear live (I was still at uni in 1996) but I had completely forgotten about their music. I had that Tori CD single, so I’ll pick that one (it’s still the only Amos song I like).
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I know- we are storming through the years. Tori is an excellent choice. That song always gets me up dancing.
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I love that Aloof song! My pick of the original 10 is Ladykiller, although my personal favourite from Lush is the wonderful Ciao with Jarvis Cocker…that’s a karaoke duet I’d love to do 😂
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I’m so glad happy you love that Aloof song. I’ve only met a small handful of people who have heard of it. It’s such a stunning song. YES and we have a vote for Lush. Bloody love that song. Oh and Ciao is really good too. Doing karaoke with that would be ace- you’re quite right.
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My decision was between Ben Filds and Tori Amos. I’ve got to go with Ben Folds as my no. 1 choice.
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Love that Ben Folds Five song. Such a cheering tune.
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Yes, it is. Takes me back to the 90’s when I hear it
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Did you have permission to have a birthday in my month? I hope it’s been a good one.
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Haha I do believe, my mother wrote to you & asked for permission. Maybe the letter got lost in the post? Thanks April- it has
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Spice Girls!!! Oh, I love Trainspotting. My husband and I rewatched it a few weeks ago, still as good as the first time I saw it.
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Oh I’m so glad you love that film. It’s one of my all time favourites. And yes I love a bit of Spice Girls too x
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🙂
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Happy Birthday, Hayley. I like ‘No Diggety,”Born Slippy’ and ‘2 Become 1’ by the Spice Girls. That is all that I know out of that lot, but I was a huge fan of The Spice Girls and Take That as I mentioned last week, despite being 30 years old in 1996!! 🙂
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Excellent choices though Judy and thank you for the Birthday wishes x
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I hope you had a wonderful day, Hayley 🙂 x
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No Diggety is my choooooon!!!!!
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It is absolutely brilliant. Love that song.
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It was my song to walk down the catwalk to at a fashion show in uni… complete with dance moves and moody face lol!
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Haha. Oh my God- that sounds AMAZING! Will you show me your moves at the awards bash?
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Ha he!!! I’m just thanking God I don’t have a vcr.. . Video evidence is around! But yes we can do that!!!
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Haha excellent 👍🏻
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂🍷🍸🍹🍾🍾🍾
Tori, Bjork? Tori, Bjork?Tori, Bjork?Tori, Bjork? Bjork, Tori,Bjork, Tori, Bjork, Tori,Bjork, Tori,. Torjork?
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Ha yes! They are two of my most favourite artists, so always so very hard to choose between the two.
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Indeed, what do you think of my niece ..
https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/2018/04/13/saffron/
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She’s amazing! How old is she?
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I like the way you work it!
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Such a chooooooon!
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No doubt!
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Don’t know what the hell I was doing in 96 but none of these songs mean anything to me. My first child was born, so that could be it!
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