Which ’90s Women Is Lauren Alaina Singing About in ‘Ladies in the ’90s’?
Lauren Alaina is a child of the '90s, no doubt (pun intended). Her single "Ladies in the '90s" tells the story of her childhood through catchy references to the music of her youth. From pop to hip-hop to country, Alaina sweeps across genres with the references she makes in the song.
Whether you were a devoted country fan in the last decade of the 20th century or your musical tastes were a bit broader, some of the tunes Alaina drops into the lyrics of "Ladies in the '90s" should ring a bell. Read on for a rundown of the references.
"Strawberry Wine"
Deana CarterIn "Ladies in the '90s": "Turn the dial and find me some “Strawberry Wine” ..."
Alaina needs somebody to dial in "Strawberry Wine" on the radio, referring to Carter's 1996 hit song that became the anthem of teenage heartbreaks everywhere.
"... Baby One More Time"
Britney SpearsIn "Ladies in the '90s": "So I can sing all night long, acting like I’m Britney / Come on, baby, hit me just one more time ...”
Spears and her music are a recurring theme for Alaina in with her new single: she even teased the release with an Instagram shot of herself sporting a throwback Spears shirt and the hashtag #FeelingLikeImBritney.
"Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"
Shania TwainIn "Ladies in the '90s": "Man, I feel like a woman ..."
No song handles '90s female confidence quite as well as Twain's fearless 1997 hit.
"Breathe”
Faith HillIn "Ladies in the '90s": "I can feel you breathe ..."
It's a line right out of Hill's 1999 chart-topping, sultry love song. Sure, Alaina might have only been in Kindergarten when the song came out, but there's no doubt that the country diva had a big influence on Alaina's future.
"Say My Name"
Destiny's ChildIn "Ladies in the '90s": "... when you say my name ..."
Alaina injects "say my name," the title of a 1999 Destiny's Child hit, between country music references, indicating a well-rounded musical upbringing.
"No Scrubs"
TLCIn "Ladies in the '90s": "I don't want no scrubs ..."
Alaina re-purposes the chorus line from TLC's 1992 hip-hop hit.
"Cowboy, Take Me Away"
Dixie ChicksIn "Ladies in the '90s": "... need a cowboy to take me away."
Alaina sings this line in reference to one of the biggest hits that the powerhouse female trio the Dixie Chicks had in 1999.
"Fancy"
Reba McEntireIn "Ladies in the '90s": "Here's your one chance, Fancy ..."
This part of the bridge is a nod to one of the powerful musical contributions that McEntire made to the 1990s, and the bootstrap story of another strong female.
"Genie in a Bottle"
Christina AguileraIn "Ladies in the '90s": ""Genie in a Bottle" ..."
Alaina drops the title of Aguilera's 1997 song, the first in a solid lineup of defining pop tunes of the mid-to-late '90s.
"Vogue"
MadonnaIn "Ladies in the '90s": "... then "Vogue" ..."
No '90s female artist lineup would be complete without a mention of Madonna, and what better tune than her 1990 hit "Vogue" to become a "Diva in the living room" with "Momma’s heels on after school" to?
"Wannabe"
Spice GirlsIn "Ladies in the '90s": “I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want ...”
The opening line from the Spice Girls' hit from 1997 makes for a catchy segue, even in a country song.
"You Oughta Know"
Alanis MorissetteIn "Ladies in the '90s": "You oughta know, I wanna feel like ladies in the '90s ..."
Right at the end, Alaina throws in a nod to Morissette's 1995 hit that still soundtracks a breakup just as well as it did back then.