This song popped into my head today, and since no one else signed up for this OT with less than 24 hours to go, I thought I’d sign up and then share the song here. It’s taken from the 1993 compilation album No Alternative compiled by the Red Hot Organization, a charity dedicated to raising money for and awareness of AIDS relief.
If you were of a certain age in 1993 and liked “alternative music”, there is a fairly good chance you might have owned this compilation, either on CD or cassette or taped off of one of your friends. Being a member of Columbia House and/or BMG might have also increased those odds. But even putting nostalgia and easy availability aside, it is a stellar compilation. And in addition to having the “hidden” Nirvana track (known at the time as “Verse Chorus Verse”, later revealed to be called “Sappy”), it’s also one of the somewhat rare examples of the cassette version having more tracks than the CD version: if you wanted to hear the live versions of “Hot Nights” by Jonathan Richman or “Burning Spear” by Sonic Youth, then the cassette version was the only place to get them!
OPTIONAL DISCUSSION PROMPTS:
- Did you/do you own this album?
- If “yes”, did your version have the girl or the boy on the cover?
- What’s your favorite song off of the album?
- Is there another compilation (benefit or otherwise) that rocked your world back in the day?
Have a Great Night Thread, Avocado!