My Top 100, No. 59: "In the Meantime" by Spacehog

I know absolutely dick-all about this band apart from this song, and I do not care. Such were the wonders that produced one hit in the 1990s.

I do know that this song is not great for the reason you think it is.

The reason this song's such a hit is the "Oooo-ooooooooh" vocal part followed by the "Bawaheeawwheeewehwehwehweh" guitar part (it kicks in around 0:34 in the above video, if you don't know what I'm talking about), and that's great, but it's window dressing. It's what gets you in the door and keeps you singing the song--and make no mistake, I've sung "Oooo-ooooooooh Bawaheeawwheeewehwehwehweh" in the faces of strangers on the street before--but it is not the true genius of the song.

The true genius lies in the bass line. It's most clear about 11 seconds into the song, when it's only got the dialtone keyboard part to deal with, and then it takes a backseat once the "Oooo-ooooooooh Bawaheeawwheeewehwehwehweh" comes in. But for about 22 seconds, quel bass line. I've never gotten half-naked and wrestled with Baccus, Roman god of wine, in an inground pool filled three feet deep with mineral oil. But because I've heard this bass line, I have a pretty good idea of what that feels like.

And the rest of the song's great, but it's indistinguishable from anything Better than Ezra or The Toadies or Primitive Radio Gods might have come up with, but who really gives a shit once you've wrestled with the Roman god of wine, you know?