They Endure

964. SINEAD O'CONNOR, "The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance"
Produced by Chris Birkett, Sean Devitt, & Sinead O'Connor; written by Sinead O'Connor
1990 Did not make pop charts

The life cycle of a woman going through a divorce: same words throughout, but the feeling changes. If you listen closely, you can almost hear her heal.

Emma Goldman Might Have Been Pleased

284. PUBLIC ENEMY, "Fight The Power"
Produced by Carl Ryder, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, Hank Shocklee, and Keith Shocklee; written by Chuck D, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, Hank Shocklee, and Keith Shocklee
1990 Did not make pop charts

Speaking of Spike, here's a song he's triply responsible for: he commissioned it for Do the Right Thing and then set images to it not once but twice: first in the Rosie-Perez-as-boxer opening titles for the film, and then in the Brooklyn booster parade of the song's official video.

This track is more on the nose than most PE cuts, maybe even more univalent than Lee's film eventually turns out to be. It also has far fewer lyrics than most of the group's well-known songs. The only upside of less Chuck D and more Terminator X is that for long stretches of the song you can just dance and not worry about missing any good lyrics (although to make sure you get the Elvis dis, Chuck repeats it).

P.S.: Yes, I know Goldman probably didn't actually say that thing about dance and the revolution, but she sort of did. And besides . . . it's my blog :)

Hail to the Fool

912. PUBLIC ENEMY, "911 Is a Joke"
Produced by Carl Ryder, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, Hans Shocklee, and Keith Shocklee; written by Flavor Flav, Eric "Vietnam" Sadler, and Keith Shocklee
Def Jam 73309 1990 Billboard # 34

Because back in the day, children, Flavor Flav was not a clown--he was a Fool. Cracking wise and speaking truth, here he is in his finest hour, not merely serving as a comic foil for Chuck D but holding the whole single by himself, being seriously funny. Social commentary you can dance to and sing along on the chorus for? That makes the upper half of the Hot 100? Hell yes that's a day that we should feel nostalgic for.