Pearl Jam: Yellow Ledbetter (1992)

The title comes from an old friend of Eddie Vedder's. Other than that, if there is a song with lyrics more indecipherable, I have not heard it. This is one of those songs that takes me to a time and place. I remember some people thinking it was an old Hendrix song, but Pearl Jam wrote it before releasing Ten. It did not make their debut album, but emerged as a b-side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs8y3kneqrs

Top 40 songs of 1992 (#1-10)

1. Man on the Moon- REM
2. One- U2
3. State of Love and Trust- Pearl Jam
4. Until the End of the World- U2
5. Drive- REM
6. Hunger Strike- Temple of the Dog
7. Human Touch- Bruce Springsteen
8. Jesus He Knows Me- Genesis
9. Shuffle It All- Izzy Stradlin and the JuJu Hounds
10. Wicked As It Seems- Keith Richards

The Top 40 Songs of 1992 (#11-20)

My favorites...

11. Tear It Down- Def Leppard
12. Would? -Alice in Chains
13. Jeremy- Pearl Jam
14. Sex Type Thing- STP
15. Bad Luck- Social Distortion
16. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses- U2
17. Lucky Town- Bruce Springsteen
18. Symphony of Destruction- Megadeth
19. Digging in the Dirt- Peter Gabriel
20. Lithium- Nirvana

Top 40 songs of 1992 (#21-30)

My favorites...

21. Rusty Cage- Soundgarden
22. Help Me Up- Eric Clapton
23. Let's Get Rocked- Def Leppard
24. Keep The Faith- Bon Jovi
25. Outshined- Soundgarden
26. Drown- Smashing Pumpkins
27. Try Not To Breathe- REM
28. Sliver- Nirvana
29. I Can't Dance- Genesis
30. Come As You Are- Nirvana

Top 40 songs of 1992 (#31-40)

My favorites.

31. Even Flow- Pearl Jam
32. Closer- NIN
33. Even Better Than The Real Thing- U2
34. Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen
35. November Rain- Guns n Roses
36. Got Me Wrong- Alice in Chains
37. Angry Chair- Alice in Chains
38. Sword of Damocles- Lou Reed
39. It's Probably Me- Sting and Eric Clapton
40. Remedy- The Black Crowes

U2: Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (1992)

U2 was never satisfied with "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses." Bono and Adam Clayton both reflected that the song was difficult to record and play in concert. Their producer Steve Lillywhite claimed the song was a bit like a cover band trying to do U2. My brother at the time said this is what U2 should be doing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gF4GS9cSll

The Screaming Trees: Nearly Lost You (1992)

Many thought Screaming Trees would be the Seattle band to break big time. Instead, they are now a footnote in history behind Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, and Soundgarden. This was their one big song, which appeared on their album Sweet Oblivion as well as the Singles soundtrack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE5f561Y1x4

Nirvana: Lithium (1992)

Nirvana began recording "Lithium" in 1990. Front man Kurt Cobain disliked drummer Chad Channing's effort on the record, which helped lead to Dave Grohl's entry into the band. The song is about a man that turns to religion to cope with his girlfriend's death. "Lithium" was inspired by Karl Marx's comments about religion being an opiate for the masses. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkcJEvMcnEg

Queen: I Want It All (1989)

“I Want It All” is classic 80s. It can be interpreted as a rebel song or as an anthem for someone that wants everything out of life. It served as an anti-apartheid theme in South Africa, but could also represent a Wall Street broker.  The band did not play it live until April 20, 1992 at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. Mercury died of AIDS the previous November giving the song yet another possible meaning. Roger Daltrey and Tony Iommi joined Queen on stage for the performance.

Studio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pm4fQRl72k

Tribute Concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCzkT5H7Udg

Stone Temple Pilots: Sex Type Thing (1992)

The Stone Temple Pilots incorporated KISS’ “War Machine” and Led Zeppelin’s “In the Light” together to create an anti-rape song. Despite the song title and full blown testosterone, Weiland says the song is based on a real life incident in which a girl he dated was raped by three men after a party. The song created controversy for a time. Critics misunderstood the lyrics as misogynist leading to some protests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhu-OyHqZM

War Machine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlnmNkMivHc

In the Light:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXFUnnoSphY

Randy Edelman: Last of the Mohicans theme (1992)

Daniel Day Lewis starred in The Last of the Mohicans in 1992. The epic music brought home the desperation of the times. The story was set during the French and Indian War (about 20 years before the American Revolution).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnRUznVrhs8

Duran Duran: Ordinary World (1992)

By 1992, Duran Duran had faded. They tried to adapt with the changing music scene, but to little success. "Ordinary World" briefly returned the band to prominence and became a worldwide smash. It peaked at #3 on the US Hot 100.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDLiVwpv89s
 

Social Distortion: 99 to Life (1992)

The character killed his wife and got 99 to life. Very Johnny Cash! Must have happened outside of Texas where they would have Texacuted the guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFAYRMWiJiA


 

Van Halen: The Dream is Over (1992)

Van Halen had two peaks. The first came under David Lee Roth in 1984 and the second from 1991-1992 with Sammy Hagar. "The Dream Is Over" is featured on the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album. That album was a greatest hits compilation of sorts. It is doubtful with today's industry that a band will put together an album like it again. Van Halen won't as they are now a shell of their former selves.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxQzw9aswrA

Bruce Springsteen: Human Touch (1992)

Bruce Springsteen fired the E Street Band after Tunnel of Love and went solo. Afterward, he released two solo albums that proved different than his earlier work. Human Touch and Lucky Days represented a man more content with himself and the world. The lead single, "Human Touch", features American Idol's Randy Jackson on bass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85cNRQo1m3A

Guns n Roses: November Rain (1992)

"November Rain" is the longest song to ever reach the top 10. Axl Rose began work on the epic in 1983 and actually released a version in 1985. Slash claims the band did an 18 minute version in 1986. Supposedly, Slash and Duff resisted recording the song preferring to stay away from symphonic ballads. The accompanying video is essentially a short film with a $1.5 million budget. The video is a mash up of various music video clichés, but is often considered one of the greatest ever made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbUC-UaAxE&ob=av2e

Def Leppard: White Lightning (1992)

Def Leppard suffered through many hardships in the 1980s. After the success of Hysteria, the worst appeared behind them. In 1991, guitarist Steve Clark died from a combination of alcohol, painkillers, and anti-depressants. The band claimed he literally died in the gutter. In response, they recorded "White Lightning" chronically his struggles. They featured the song on the Adrenalize album, which is probably the last major hit record for the pop metal genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eqkNuCjiHw

Guns n Roses: Yesterdays (1992)

Once upon a time, Guns and Roses ruled the world.  "Yesterdays" was released on Use Your Illusion II. The album, released alongside Use Your Illusion I, certified GnR as one of the biggest bands in the world. They toured for several years in support of the records destroying hotels along the way. Then, Axl Rose lost his mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5QHBZrDLvc

R.E.M.: Try Not To Breathe (1992)

"Try Not To Breathe" is about a dying person asking his family not to cry. The song was not released as a single and appears on Automatic for the People. The album centered on mortality and contained many subdued tracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RKzpCKexlw

Live (audio only):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRepiaBYo1c

The Rolling Stones: Has Anybody Seen My Baby? (1997)

Keith Richards put his new record on and his daughter starting singing "Constant Craving" over it. At that moment, he realized the similarity and the Stones gave KD Lang writing credit. In addition, the band samples Biz Markie. The video included Angelina Jolie as a stripper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElOXKt0v7-A

KD Lang:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXqPjx94YMg&ob=av2e