Peak
45
Weeks
7
Score
560
Chart Year
1999
This song was credited to the Australian film director Baz Luhrmann, although he is not actually on the recording. The vocals were by Australian voice-over artist Lee Perry. This samples Quindon Tarver's gospel remake of the Rozalla hit "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)," from the soundtrack to the 1996 Romeo & Juliet film, which was directed by Baz Luhrmann. The lyrics are from an essay called "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" by columnist Mary Schmich. It first appeared in 1997 in the Chicago Sunday Tribune, although the article was originally wrongly credited as being a collegiate commencement speech delivered by author Kurt Vonnegut. In the book 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh, Baz remembered, "I was working with my assistant, Anton Monsted and Josh Abrahams on a remix of 'Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)' when Ant showed me an email of these words that appeared to be Kurt's graduation speech. His simple observations and ideas seemed to provide a profoundly useful guide for getting through life. We wanted to record it but only had two days and didn't know how to get hold of Kurt. Ant went onto the Internet and discovered that a student had taken Mary's speech and linked it to Kurt's name in the style of a chain letter. To us it didn't matter who wrote it, it made sense and struck a chord with those who had read it, that we decided to record it." This song is played during the end credits of the 2000 film The Big Kahuna, starring Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito. >>
Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '99 Wear sunscreen If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it A long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable Than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth Until they've faded, but trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back At photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now How much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked You are not as fat as you imagine Don't worry about the future Or worry, but know that worrying Is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing Bubble gum The real troubles in your life Are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind The kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday Do one thing every day that scares you Saying, don't be reckless with other people's hearts Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours Floss Don't waste your time on jealousy Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults If you succeed in doing this, tell me how Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements Stretch Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life The most interesting people I know Didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't Get plenty of calcium Be kind to your knees You'll miss them when they're gone Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the 'Funky Chicken' On your 75th wedding anniversary Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much Or berate yourself either Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's Enjoy your body, use it every way you can Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your own living room Read the directions even if you don't follow them Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good Be nice to your siblings, they're your best link to your past And the people most likely to stick with you in the future Understand that friends come and go But a precious few, who should hold on Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle For as the older you get The more you need the people you knew when you were young Live in New York City once but leave before it makes you hard Live in northern California once but leave before it makes you soft Travel Accept certain inalienable truths Prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too, will get old And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young Prices were reasonable, politicians were noble And children respected their elders Respect your elders Don't expect anyone else to support you Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse But you never know when either one might run out Don't mess too much with your hair Or by the time you're 40 it will look 85 Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past From the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts And recycling it for more than it's worth But trust me on the sunscreen
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 27, 1999 | 61 | 65 |
| 2 | Apr 3, 1999 | 52 | 74 |
| 3 | Apr 10, 1999 | 46 | 80 |
| 4 | Apr 17, 1999 | 45 | 81 |
| 5 | Apr 24, 1999 | 46 | 80 |
| 6 | May 1, 1999 | 49 | 77 |
| 7 | May 8, 1999 | 79 | 47 |