4 Songs That High Schoolers in 1994 Knew Every Word To

From movie hits to popular R&B tracks, 1994 was full of good tunes. Here are a few songs from the year that stand out.

“Waterfalls” by TLC

In the 90s, R&B girl group TLC had a string of hits. “Waterfalls” is the one that most people know, as it’s one of the group’s most signature hits. The song is in part about sexually transmitted diseases while also being about drug violence. If you look at the lyrics, they almost serve as a warning.

Don’t go chasing waterfalls
Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to
I know that you’re gonna have it your way or nothing at all
But I think you’re moving too fast.

“I Swear” by All-4-One

Ever heard the song “I Swear” by country artist John Michael Montgomery? Well, this is the same song, but boy group All-4-One turned it into an R&B hit. Songwriters Frank Myers and Gary Baker wrote it; Baker came up with the title idea and suggested it to Myers. On the way to see his co-writer, Myers basically wrote the entire song on the drive. “I said, ‘Let me think about it on the drive down.’ So I did, and I actually wrote the chorus,  music, and words, driving down to his house,” he explained to Bart Herbison of NSAI.

“Can You Feel The Love Tonight” by Elton John

In 1994, Disney’s The Lion King hit theaters and became one of the highest-grossing films of all time. John’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” chronicled the love story of Simba and Nala, childhood friends in the film who later became lovers. Although John is known for partnering with lyricist Bernie Taupin for much of his music, it was Tim Rice who took on the task of adding words to his compositions for The Lion King.

“Kiss From A Rose” by Seal

“Kiss From A Rose” was also included in a film from 1994, The NeverEnding Story III. This song would also appear in Batman Forever the following year, a movie for which it is perhaps better known. After that, “Kiss From A Rose” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Seal a ton of nominations, including MTV’s Best Song from a Movie award. It also won Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 1996 Grammys.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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