Base "Sign" of Toxicity
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Artist:
Lately, I worry that I've been unfair to the Yanks and Brits I've castigated on Toxic Tuesdays, since I haven't attacked more foreign musicians. One salvo against a stinker by a non-English-speaking act won't completely redress the balance, but it's a start. So...
How dunderheaded and repetitive can a pop song get? The short answer is "Very," especially when it's an English-as-a-second-language special like "The Sign" - a confoundingly massive international hit by the Swedish beat-box dance-pop group Ace of Base.
How massive? Get this. Released in the U.S. during 1994, "The Sign" spent a total of six weeks in the #1 position on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 chart. Furthermore, it was deemed the #1 song of 1994 according to Billboard's year-end charts, selling over nine million copies in America. It also reached the U.K. Top 10 after being issued there in 1993.
Why? Was it the loping, insistent quasi-reggae hip-hop beat? Was it the disaffected girly vocals by sisters Jenny and Linn Berggren? Was it the puerile, whiny, new-agey self-empowerment chorus with its mindless lyrics? Consider these words of wisdom: "I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes / Life is demanding without understanding / I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes / No one's gonna drag you up to get into the light where you belong / But where do you belong?" Deep as a fjord, baby! Deep as a fjord!
No matter. Here's the promo video. You're encouraged to sing along. And if you enjoy that, I know a nice cliff you can jump off.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (22)
'94!!?? Sounds like it should have come out around '74 for any sort of marginal play. It may have fit in perfectly with the pre-Saturday Night Fever prepubescents.
Ugh No thanks I tried to Ignore this peice of shit when it was popular there's no way I'm offending my senses with it now.
Well done sir!
Thank you so much for putting that god awful song in my head!
Pure lameness- fortunately I barely recall hearing this one- but it serves as a perfect reminder why I stopped listening to those Top 40 pop stations when I was in my tweens.
Actually, I enjoyed the video greatly ... with the laptop muted. ;)
wasn't this band endorsed by ABBA or something? nevertheless, my girls were at the age where they danced around incessantly to this pap. horrid as it is, it's ingrained to the point where I can hear the repetitive chant just by tapping a spot on my temple. hhmmmph, memories are not always that "kodak" moment...
Wait, Scot- you mean this isn't ABBA?
Dabeef: I'd say that '74 was more hip than hop - at least in some quarters...
dansemcabre: You've done the right thing, my friend. Sometimes it does seem as if the river of crap is unrelenting.
contrabandwidth: You're welcome. Mwah-hah-hah!
Fasted7: You saw the sign?
Dale: Yes, it's true. Swedish babe-age is pleasing to the eye. As for the ears? Uh-oh.
scotfree: The only similarity to ABBA other than nationality is the fact that when I hear Ace of Base, I want to send out an "S.O.S."
It gets worse Mike. Some of the new pop "stars" mention Ace Of Base as one of the artists they like. I can't bring myself to write "influences".
i was here
Possible Grammy acceptance speech any year now:
I'd like to thank God, who makes all things possible, my mom and dad who stuck with me when times were tough, and, I can't forget my musical inspiration, Ace Of Base. They saw a sign and it changed my life..Thank You."
You are the tenth A of B post all time on MOG. Holy Shite.
Yall crazy. Ace Of Base rule.
Best Thread of One liners EVER!
contrabandwidth says: Thank you so much for putting that god awful song in my head!
Jonh Ingham says: It gets worse Mike. Some of the new pop "stars" mention Ace Of Base as one of the artists they like. I can't bring myself to write "influences".
deadmandeadman says: i was here
Unfair? No, no, keep the bile flowing...
Jonh: Influences? More like influenza.
dmdm: So it is written...
Cody B: Somebody out there likes 'em. What was that number again? Nine million? Yikes. I guess that's why they have chocolate and vanilla - and dung.
Anna: Whoops. Someone better reprogram the 'bot.
Ghost in You: Creativity is our business!
Neill: Okay. (Or shall I say I see the sign?)
Not sure I see the "ace" part, but they are most definitely base....
Ha! Burn!
Gotta stand w/my niece Anna, ya'all trippin'! I definitely detested it since they played the hell out of it at the time. But now it seems like such a happy song. Enjoyed it!
'94? Geezus, hard to believe it was 15 years ago!!!!!
August: Whatever floats your boat, I guess. Your gravy boat! (Hey! It's Thanksgiving Day!)
I saw this post, and it told me to walk away......just walk away!
Rawk: Smart move!