ONTD Original: Forgotten Songs from the Year 2000
*This image has nothing to do with the post except for the fact that Coyote Ugly came out in the year 2000 and I unashamedly love this movie.
After posting about the 20th anniversary of Scary Movie (and Regina Hall's iconic performance as Brenda) a few days ago, I've been stuck in the year 2000, reliving my youth by revisiting music of that transitional year into a new century. Sure, we remember the hits, like Aaliyah's "Try Again," or Janet Jackson's "Doesn't Really Matter," or Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady," but what about those gems that may not have been big hits but still hold a place in your heart? ONTD, I present to you 11 Forgotten Songs from the Year 2000! This list is a mixture of songs by legends, one-hit (or no-hit) wonders, and/or successful artists of the era that weren't Billboard chart-toppers but were still regarded as memorable tracks from a great year (by me, at least). Enjoy!
Whitney Houston and Deborah Cox, "Same Script, Different Cast"
Click to viewWhitney Houston released Whitney: The Greatest Hits in 2000, packaging all her great ballads and remixes of her uptempo hits with a handful of new collaborations, including "If I Told You That" with George Michael and "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" with Enrique Iglesias. However, the crowning achievement was this stunning duet with Canadian songstress Deborah Cox, hot off of the mega-hit "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here." It's a shame that "Same Script," a sort-of mature version of Brandy and Monica's "The Boy is Mine," never had an official video teaming up the two divas, but that didn't stop it from getting major airplay on R&B radio that year and burning up the dance clubs with new versions remixed by some of the hottest DJs of the era.
Vertical Horizon, "You're a God"
After hitting No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 with their smash "Everything You Want," rock band Vertical Horizon suffered a slight sophomore slump with their follow-up. "You're a God," which featured Saved By the Bell's Kelly Kapowski (actress Tiffani Amber-Thiessen) as a beauty queen in the video, peaked in the top 30 in the fall of 2000, but received a new life when it was featured in the hit Jim Carrey flick Bruce Almighty in 2003.
Kina, "Girl from the Gutter"
Kina Cosper, formerly of the R&B group Brownstone (she joined them on their 1997 album, Still Climbing, featuring the single "5 Miles to Empty"), dropped her last name and struck out on her own in the new millenium with a blend of alternative rock and soul that set her apart from other R&B girls at the time. Her first single "Girl from the Gutter" barely made a dent on the charts, but it was a late night VH1 staple that year and remains an incredible "F*ck you, I proved you wrong" anthem with an unforgettable chorus: "I hope your hell is filled with magazines, and on every page you see a big picture of me, and under every picture a caption should read, not bad for a girl from the gutter like me...."
Ricky Martin feat. Meja, "Private Emotion"
For the fourth single from his English-language debut album, Ricky Martin teamed up with Swedish singer and labelmate Meja (singer of another forgotten 2000s song "All About the Money") to cover "Private Emotion," originally recorded by The Hooters (famous for the 1986 hit "And We Danced"). Although the heat from Martin's album was fading by this time and the song didn't even break the top 50 of Billboard's Hot 100, "Private Emotion" is still a great ballad with a CHILLINGLY clever video directed by future Hunger Games filmmaker Francis Lawrence.
En Vogue, "Riddle"
Funky R&B divas En Vogue rose to stardom in the early 90s, thanks to hit songs like "Hold On" and "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)." The latter half of the decade wasn't as kind, as founding member Dawn Robinson left the group midway through recording their 1997 album EV3, which featured one of their biggest hits, "Don't Let Go (Love)." High hopes were had for their first official album as a trio, Masterpiece Theatre, but those were dashed when it flopped along with the first single, "Riddle," which barely cracked the Hot 100. The song's not without its charms though...one listen and no doubt you'll have the earworm of a chorus stuck in your head for a while ("One little riddle, two little, three little, four little riddle...").
Vitamin C, "The Itch"
Colleen Fitzpatrick, better known as Vitamin C, found herself on every teenager's mixtape in the summer of 2000 with the anthem "Graduation (Friends Forever)," taken from her self-titled debut album. She followed it up that winter with her second album, More, and the first single, "The Itch," which didn't really reach the heights "Graduation" did. It's mostly notable for the video, which features clips from Get Over It, a teen comedy which Vitamin C had a role in and appearances from the movie's stars Kirsten Dunst and Mila Kunis.
Kandi, "Don't Think I'm Not"
After she broke away from the successful R&B group Xscape as a hit songwriter for TLC ("No Scrubs") and Destiny's Child ("Bills, Bills, Bills") but before she became one of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, The Masked Singer Season 3 winner Kandi Burruss released a solo album titled Hey Kandi... in 2000. The first single, "Don't Think I'm Not," actually broke the top 30 of the Hot 100, but it remains overshadowed by Burruss' excellent work for the aforementioned groups, as well as hit singles from her own group. Still, "Don't Think I'm Not" is a solid slice of early 2000s-era R&B, including killer lyrics such as "When you're feeling good in somebody's spot, getting hot, don't stop, just don't think I'm not...."
Savage Garden, "Affirmation"
The title track from their second album, Savage Garden's "Affirmation" didn't stand a chance of coming anywhere close to the mammoth success of lead-off single "I Knew I Loved You," but it remains a fan-favorite track with its upbeat and inspirational message ("I believe in karma, what you give is what you get returned...."). Also, the lyrics "I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality...." were a not-so-subtle nod to lead singer (and songwriter) Darren Hayes' then private life as a not-yet-out gay man.
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, "Where You Are"
In the year 2000, you had artists like Britney Spears & Christina Aguilera and the Backstreet Boys & *NSync representing pop music's top tier. Underneath that tier were artists like Jessica Simpson and 98 Degrees who weren't as huge, but still managed to carve out some success in the market. Simpson teamed up with 98 Degrees lead singer and then-boyfriend Nick Lachey for this "from beyond the grave" power ballad, featured on the soundtrack of the Chris Klein-Leelee Sobieski-Josh Hartnett teen drama Here on Earth.
Da Brat feat. Tyrese, "Whatchu Like"
Mostly known for her tomboyish style, rapper Da Brat threw everyone a curveball in 2000 with the release of new album Unrestricted and a glammed-up, sexier image. She put her new look on display in the video for single "Whatchu Like," featuring guest vocals from Tyrese and shots of the duo frolicking on a beach paradise. "Whatchu Like" marked Da Brat's final appearance in the top 40 of the Hot 100 and preceded her appearance in bff Mariah Carey's cinematic classic Glitter.
soulDecision, "Faded"
Canadian boyband (or boygroup, I guess? since they played instruments?) soulDecision took "Faded" to the top of the charts in their home country but weren't able to duplicate that feat in America. However, the video was a hit on MTV's signature TRL, reached the top 30 on the Hot 100, and remains a forgotten pop gem.
Honorable Mention: Sisqo feat. Foxy Brown, "Thong Song Uncensored"
While barely anyone could forget the "Thong Song," I wanted to include this remix (from the soundtrack of Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps) solely for Foxy Brown's completely underrated verse before the final chorus.
Another Honorable Mention: Madonna, "American Pie"
Madonna covered Don McLean's eight-plus minute magnum folk rock opus "American Pie" for the soundtrack of her 2000 movie The Next Best Thing and turned it into a four-minute radio friendly pop ditty featuring backup vocals from co-star Rupert Everett. It barely cracked the top 30 on the Hot 100 and was eviscerated by critics and "Pie" purists at the time, but it has developed quite a following over the years, even earning praise from McLean himself.
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Are you familiar with any of these songs, ONTD? What are some of your favorite forgotten songs from 20 years ago? Were you even born in the year 2000???