In the 1990s, the acoustic guitar made a comeback. The jangly six-string was everywhere. From jam bands to solo acts using looper pedals, the instrument was in the hands of people all over late-night shows, live concerts, and your neighborhood pub.
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Here below, we wanted to explore three songs from the decade that both utilized the acoustic guitar and helped make it the instrument of choice for so many again. Indeed, here below are three acoustic 1990s songs to sing along to that will make your nostalgic heart happy.
[RELATED: 3 Eternal Acoustic Led Zeppelin Songs]
“Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews Band from Crash (1996)
This song, which earned the jam group Dave Matthews Band a Grammy nomination in 1998, is a love song about a peeping Tom. Not necessarily the most savory of topics but it certainly is one that’s garnered a lot of attention and adoration over the years. Throughout the decades, Matthews has played the tune live with his big band as well as at intimate solo performances. But all the while he has used his acoustic guitar to get the song out. And on it he sings,
You’ve got your ball
You’ve got your chain
Tied to me tight, tie me up again
Who’s got their claws
In you my friend
Into your heart I’ll beat again
Sweet like candy to my soul
Sweet you rock
And sweet you roll
Lost for you I’m so lost for you
“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” from Green Day from Nimrod (1997)
This acoustic-driven song from the California-born band Green Day has become a fan favorite. While Billie Joe Armstrong strums his acoustic, he sings about the nostalgic past, how time slips away, and how to focus on the future despite what’s behind you. The song has also become a favorite for new guitar players to learn as they get familiar with the instrument. Indeed, on the tune, Armstrong offers,
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don’t ask why
It’s not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It’s something unpredictable
But in the end, it’s right
I hope you had the time of your life
“Wonderwall” by Oasis from (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
While Oasis is known for big, buzzy rock songs, it was this track from their hit 1995 LP (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? that perhaps was their most famous song. Jingle-jangly, the track is a fan favorite to both sing and try to learn on guitar. The tune, which hit No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, will surely be a regular song played as the group undertakes its upcoming reunion tour in 2025. And on the song, Liam Gallagher sings over brother Noel’s guitar,
Today is gonna be the day
That they’re gonna throw it back to you
By now you should’ve somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don’t believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now
Backbeat, the word is on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I’m sure you’ve heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don’t believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images On Location
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