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'90s Survivor: 1995 - Winner Announced!


TwistedElegance™

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But her over Whitney's "Exhale", though? :umm::lol:

I just find Babyface's lyrics a little predictable in parts lol, but I still thought it was great enough to leave it alone until the top 7 :P

But I Wanna Slay Down & Slaying Up In My Room are so much better :P (I made this post only to post those titles :asham: )

Sittin Up On My Throne gives Slayby a run for its money tho ~ a close 2nd imo :P

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Sittin Up On My Throne gives Slayby a run for its money tho ~ a close 2nd imo :P

I LOVE that Brandy was determined for that song to sound as great as it was for the fact that it was gonna be on the same album as a Whitney song lol. i think solidly it's my favorite Brandy song, her vocals, them harmonies, the instruments, that bridge, them ad-libs at the end....God I miss that Brandy. But alas that Brandy was 16, a newbie and had it all.

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I used to be down for Baby and I use to hate Best Friend & Broken Hearted, but as in recent years I grew to love the later 2 more than Baby (not more than Sitting & Be Down ofcourse), Idk, I think it's the chours to Baby that Im not too big on anymore.

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Writers: Keith Crouch, Kipper Jones, Rahsaan Patterson

Producer: Keith Crouch

Label: Atlantic

The first to go in our double elimination is Brandy whose 'Baby' leaves the competition in sixth place. Released as the second single from the singer's self-titled debut album, 'Baby' became Brandy's second single to top the R&B chart and her first Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 4. On the production process, Patterson commented in 2011: "I remember going over to his [Crouch's] house for two nights in a row and from the first night that he wanted to play the track for me, I heard what I heard, but I kept it to myself because I was pretty much intimidated thinking he would think it was horrible. Then by the third day, he was like “We’ve got to turn this song in by Friday, so whatever you think of, just sing it!” So I sang to him what I had heard instantly when he played it and he was like “Man you’ve been sitting there holding that!”. Most of the background vocals and instruments were recorded in one of Crouch's bedrooms. Upon hearing the demo track, Brandy applauded the song for its "flavor and soul". 'Baby' mirrored its US No. 4 position in New Zealand, while peaking at No. 16 in Australia.

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Writer: Babyface

Producer: Babyface

Label: Arista

Fittingly, Brandy's idol Whitney Houston rounds out the second half of our double elimination as 'Exhale (Shoop Shoop)' bows out in fifth position. When she was cast in the film adaptation of Terry McMillan's novel Waiting To Exhale, Houston thought she should concentrate on her acting instead of recording a soundtrack, as she did for The Bodyguard. Director Forest Whitaker enrolled Babyface in writing songs for the movie. During a set visit, Babyface heard from Houston herself that she was not going to record any songs for the film. But then Babyface let her hear 'Count On Me', and she not only reconsidered, she ended up co-writing the song. Still, Houston was determined not to sing the entire soundtrack. She and Babyface made a list of female divas they wanted for the project, including veterans like Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan. Houston ended up singing three of the 16 songs on the soundtrack, with 'Exhale' becoming only the third song in Billboard history to debut at the top of the Hot 100, and going on to finish as the seventh biggest hit of 1995 in their year-end countdown. The song also reached No. 1 in Canada and Spain, while climbing to No. 11 in the UK, and No. 18 in Australia.

And so we have reached our final four. To switch things up, the winner's vote will be tallied from here as opposed to our regular final three. Cast your vote for the song you would like to win by sending me a PM. Results will be announced in the next 24 hours!

Our finalists (in alphabetical order):

Fantasy - Mariah Carey

Scream - Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson

Tell Me - Groove Theory

Waterfalls - TLC

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Results are in. Welcome to our grand final for 1995!

In 4th place...

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Writers: Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, James Harris III, Terry Lewis

Producers: Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam + Terry Lewis

Label: Epic

A pairing like no other. The first track released from MJ's ambitious HIStory, 'Scream' was simply unavoidable thanks to the blanket coverage generated by its enthralling co-stars. Cited primarily as an aggressive, retaliatory song directed at the tabloid media and their coverage of the child sexual abuse accusations made against Michael Jackson in 1993, 'Scream' fit its brief with impressive gusto. Two weeks before the official release of 'Scream', MJ happened to hear it on a Los Angeles radio station. The station was playing 'Scream' once an hour until served with a cease and desist order from Epic Records. Two other stations in Philadelphia also received similar orders. All involved denied that Epic leaked them the song early. 'Scream' had been a closely guarded secret by the label and most staff members were not allowed access to a copy. Though they potentially faced legal action, the Los Angeles radio station programmer noted that, "some things are more important... The record company was furious, lawyers were involved and the situation got hairy... But on a release as big as Michael Jackson's, there's no way we're going to wait if we receive a leak. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because his security is really insane." The 4:46 minute music video for 'Scream' was choreographed by Travis Payne, LaVelle Smith Jnr, Tina Landon and Sean Cheesman in May of 1995. Directed by Mark Romanek, it made Guiness World Record history as the most expensive music video ever made at a cost of $7 million. Production designer Tom Foden recalls, "Mark had written the treatment and the general idea was that Michael and Janet were on this large spacecraft. And they were alone... They were getting away from Earth, and the different sets were the different environments on the spacecraft where they could have a little bit of fun and where they could relax." Jim Farber of the New York Daily News says of Janet's darker persona in the video, "Sporting a thick thatch of wig hair, and eyes darkened by coal-black makeup... sullen and arty... [Janet] has never looked tougher, or more in control." The video premiered in the summer of 1995, on MTV and BET and the next evening on ABC-TV's "Primetime Live" during Diane Sawyer's interview with MJ and Lisa Marie Presley. The interview was broadcast to an approximated 64 million viewers. An obvious influence on TLC's 'No Scrubs' and Lil' Mama's 'Shawty Get Loose', the video also received the Glee treatment and was the most fitting and logical choice for Janet to pay tribute to her late brother at the 2009 VMAs. Despite 'Scream''s superstar power and global appeal, it is considered a modest chart hit, peaking at No. 5 on the Hot 100. The song topped the charts in New Zealand, Belgium, Italy and Spain, while reaching No. 2 in Australia and No. 3 in the UK.

Voted for by: Ms. Reyna

In 3rd place...

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Writers: Marqueze Etheridge, Lisa Lopes, Rico Wade, Ray Murray, Patrick Brown

Producers: Organized Noize

Label: LaFace

TLC was the first girl group to place two songs in the Billboard year-end Top 5 since The Supremes did it in 1964. Oddly, the songs occupied the same positions: The Supremes were in third place with 'Where Did Our Love Go' and fifth place with 'Baby Love', where TLC was No. 3 with 'Creep' and No. 5 with 'Waterfalls', our 3rd place winner for Survivor: 1995. Arguably the group's signature song, the legacy of 'Waterfalls' is cemented along with TLC's impact. Jeff Benjamin of Fuse wrote that 'Waterfalls' was "far more than just another pop hit: The track told a cautionary tale of HIV and AIDS, and its video depicted a man who didn't wear a condom with his girlfriend and later watched his body degenerate in the mirror." Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that 'Waterfalls', "with its gently insistent horns and guitar lines and instantly memorable chorus ranks as one of the classic R&B songs of the '90s." Sputnikmusic's Butler asserted that "any list of the best singles of the '90s that does not include this in the top 15 is among the worst lists ever written." 'Waterfalls' features backing vocals from Cee Lo Green and is also remembered fondly for its eye-popping video. Directed by F. Gary Gray who until this point had worked almost exclusively with rappers such as Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and Queen Latifah, 'Waterfalls' came with a million-dollar budget and was an MTV staple, picking up four VMAs including Video of the Year, and was nominated for two Grammys at the 1996 ceremony. Also a number one hit in Sweden and New Zealand, 'Waterfalls' went Top 5 in the UK and Australia.

Voted for by: Janet4life, Illi

In 2nd place...

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Writers: Mariah Carey, Dave Hall, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Steven Stanley, Adrian Belew

Producers: Mariah Carey, Dave Hall

Label: Columbia

The lead single from the worldwide smash Daydream, 'Fantasy' lands in second place for Survivor: 1995. It became the second song in history (and first by a female) to enter the Hot 100 at number one after Michael Jackson's 'You Are Not Alone' just a month before it. As previously mentioned, Whitney Houston also achieved a number one debut in 1995 with 'Exhale', making it a landmark year for the Hot 100. The song was written by Carey and Dave Hall, both serving as primary producers alongside Puff Daddy who produced the song's revolutionary remix featuring Wu-Tang Clan founding member, Ol' Dirty Bastard. 'Fantasy' samples Tom Tom Club's 1981 song 'Genius of Love', of which Mariah recalls, "I was listening to the radio and heard 'Genius of Love', and I hadn't heard it in a long time. It reminded me of growing up and listening to the radio and that feeling the song gave me seemed to go with the melody and basic idea I had for 'Fantasy'. I initially told Dave about the idea, and we did it. We called up the Tom Tom Club and they were really into it." She recalled how the writers were really intrigued by the idea of Carey sampling the song, and immediately signed over the rights. After Carey presented Hall with the sample, the chorus and beat, he developed a familiar groove that he felt would "highlight Carey's voice." He also recalls, "It was a fun song to do. And that song didn't take us but a minute to do, because she really busted that out within two days. We did a rough copy and let Tommy Mottola hear it and he loved it, so all we had to do was bring it back in and mix it." While Columbia allowed Carey more leniency with the music she recorded, they became hesitant when she featured Ol' Dirty Bastard on the remix for 'Fantasy'. They feared the sudden change was completely left-field for her music, and worried it would jeopardize the album's success. Finally, the Bad Boy remix used guest raps from O.D.B. and background vocals by Puff Daddy. Some of the song's R&B elements were removed for the remix, while the bassline and 'Genius of Love' sample were emphasized and the bridge from the original version was used as the chorus. Whether conscious or not, the song remains an influence on artists today for its bridging of pop and hip-hop audiences and the fact that it shone a light on sampling like never before. 'Fantasy' shot to No. 1 in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, while reaching the Top 5 in the UK and Top 10 in several countries.

Voted for by: Principal of Pleasure, RedSimba, HollyHood, TwistedElegance

And claiming 1st place...

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Writers: Darryl Brown, Amel Larrieux, Bryce Wilson

Producer: Bryce Wilson

Label: Epic

And so Groove Theory's 'Tell Me' takes out top honours in a surprising race to the finish. One of many hip-hop and R&B songs to sample 1983's 'All Night Long' by Mary Jane Girls, the familiar bassline in that song is itself a sample of R&B/jazz fusion star Keni Burke's 'Risin' To The Top' released the previous year. Helmed by Groove Theory's own Bryce Wilson, he would soon extend his songwriting talent and earn his first number one as co-writer and producer of Toni Braxton's smash 'You're Makin' Me High', while Amel Larrieux would go on to make a name for herself in the neo soul genre after the duo officially disbanded at the end of the 1990s. 'Tell Me' was a No. 3 hit on the R&B chart while peaking at No. 5 on the Hot 100. It reached No. 6 in Australia while resting just outside the Top 30 in the UK.

Voted for by: jarrylf, Toni B., JoeJoe, Selz, Mr. Wonder, vibeology

I must say I really loved this round and it proved to be the toughest so far. Thanks so much to everyone who participated, it was fun as always! :D

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WOW, no lie I voted for "what I voted for" just because I kinda thought nobody would, and I am kinda obsessed with that song lately, and tho I love 2 of the songs more as a whole than what I voted for, right now I love that song a TON, but totally didn't predict it being #1! I opened each spoiler not expecting what won to be in each lol.

And yay for me for voting for the win each time thus far (I think....)

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