In 2012, Charli XCX rose to prominence with the Icona Pop collaboration "I Love It", which became an international success, reaching top 10 in North America and Europe. Her debut studio album, True Romance (2013), was released that year to critical acclaim, despite not meeting commercial expectations. In 2014, she contributed the chorus and hook to "Fancy" by rapper Iggy Azalea, which finished the year as one of the best-selling singles worldwide and was nominated for two Grammy Awards. The same year, Charli XCX released "Boom Clap", which became her first solo top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100. Her second studio album, the pop/rock-influenced Sucker, was released at the end of the year, and spawned the successful singles "Break the Rules" and "Doing It".
In 2015, Charli XCX began working with producers and artists in A. G. Cook's British collective PC Music, as well as producer Sophie. While working on her third album, she released the Vroom Vroom EP in 2016 and the mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2 in 2017, as well as a series of singles including the BPI-certified "After the Afterparty", "Boys", and "1999". In 2019, Charli XCX released her third studio album, Charli, which was followed by her fourth studio album, How I'm Feeling Now, which she recorded and released during the UK's first national lockdown in 2020. Charli's latest addition to her discography is CRASH, released on 18 March 2022, including the singles Good Ones and New Shapes.
In addition to her solo work, Charli XCX has co-written songs for other artists including Camila Cabello, Rita Ora, Selena Gomez, and many more.
1999
Charli XCX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a ride to my old neighborhood
I just wanna go back, sing, "hit me, baby, one more time"
Wanna go back, wanna go
Yeah, I just wanna go back
Nike Airs, all that
CD, old Mercedes
Never under pressure, oh
Those days it was so much better, oh
Feelin' cool in my youth, relaxin'
No money, no problem
It was easy back then
Ooh, wish that we could go back in time, uh
Got memories
Ooh, maybe we can do it tonight
Tonight's the night
I just wanna go back, back to 1999
Take a ride to my old neighborhood
I just wanna go back, sing, "hit me, baby, one more time"
Wanna go back, wanna go
Yeah, I remember back home
Best friends, all night, no phone
No cares, I was dumb and so young
My room singing Michael Jackson (hee, hee)
Never under pressure, oh, those days it was so much better
Feelin' cool in my youth
I'm askin', "Does anyone remember how we did it back then?"
Ooh, wish that we could go back in time, uh
Got memories
Ooh, maybe we can do it tonight
Tonight's the night
Ah, yeah
I just wanna go back, back to 1999
Take a ride to my old neighborhood
I just wanna go back, sing, "hit me, baby, one more time"
Wanna go back, wanna go
Back to where we came from, playin' air guitar on the roof
In the kitchen, up on the table
Like we had a beautiful view
I wanna go
I just wanna go back, back to 1999
Ah
Back to 1999
I know those days are over but a boy can fantasize
'Bout JTT on MTV and when I close my eyes
And I'm right there, right there
And he's right there, right there
And we're right there, right there
Ah, ah, ah, I wanna go back
I just wanna go back, back to 1999
Take a ride to my old neighborhood
I just wanna go back, sing, "hit me baby, one more time"
Wanna go back, wanna go
Back to where we came from (came from)
Playin' air guitar on the roof
In the kitchen, up on the table
Like we had a beautiful view
I wanna go
I just wanna go back, back to 1999
Go back, yeah, yeah
I just wanna go back, yeah back to 1999
Yeah, take me back to '99
In this song, Charli XCX expresses her yearning for her childhood days in the late 1990s. She reminisces about simpler times when she didn’t have to worry too much about money and responsibilities, but could just hang out with her friends, sing along to popular hits, and indulge in youthful activities like playing air guitar and dancing on the kitchen table. She nostalgically recalls growing up with pop icons like Britney Spears and Michael Jackson and listening to rappers like Eminem. She expresses her desire to revisit those days and – with a tinge of sadness – acknowledges that those times are now over, but she can still treasure the memories.
The song's lyrics also reflect how music, fashion and culture played a huge role in shaping the childhood of people born in the late 80s and early 90s, who are now adults ruminating over the past. The 90s is a sentimental era, and this song relives that time and serves as an homage to that generation.
Line by Line Meaning
I just wanna go back, back to 1999
Charli XCX wishes to go back to 1999.
Take a ride to my old neighborhood
Charli XCX wants to revisit the neighborhood where she grew up.
I just wanna go back, sing, "hit me, baby, one more time"
Charli XCX desires to relive the nostalgia of listening to Britney Spears' hit song "...Baby One More Time" from 1998.
Wanna go back, wanna go
Charli XCX reiterates her wish to go back to 1999.
Yeah, I just wanna go back
Charli XCX restates her desire to return to 1999.
Nike Airs, all that
Charli XCX fondly recalls her Nike Air shoes from 1999.
CD, old Mercedes
Charli XCX reminisces about driving around in her old Mercedes car while listening to music on CDs, a common technology format in 1999.
Drive 'round listening to Shady like, oh
Charli XCX enjoyed driving around while listening to Eminem's music, particularly his Slim Shady persona.
Never under pressure, oh
Charli XCX remembers a time when she didn't feel the same level of stress or pressure that she does now.
Those days it was so much better, oh
Charli XCX believes that life was better in 1999.
Feelin' cool in my youth, relaxin'
Charli XCX recalls feeling cool and carefree during her youth.
No money, no problem
Charli XCX remembers a time when she didn't worry about money as much.
It was easy back then
Charli XCX reminisces about how things were easier in 1999.
Ooh, wish that we could go back in time, uh
Charli XCX repeats her wish to go back to 1999.
Got memories
Charli XCX acknowledges that she has memories of the past.
Ooh, maybe we can do it tonight
Charli XCX suggests that they can perhaps relive the past tonight.
Tonight's the night
Charli XCX emphasizes that tonight is the opportune time to revisit the past.
Yeah, I remember back home
Charli XCX reminisces about her time growing up.
Best friends, all night, no phone
Charli XCX fondly recalls spending time with her best friends for an entire night without the distraction of phones.
No cares, I was dumb and so young
In hindsight, Charli XCX believes that she was carefree and naive when she was young.
My room singing Michael Jackson (hee, hee)
Charli XCX loved to sing Michael Jackson's music in her room.
I'm askin', "Does anyone remember how we did it back then?"
Charli XCX wonders if anyone else feels nostalgic for the past like she does.
Back to where we came from, playin' air guitar on the roof
Charli XCX recalls playing air guitar on the roof of a building where she grew up.
In the kitchen, up on the table
Charli XCX remembers standing on a table in her kitchen for a better view.
Like we had a beautiful view
Charli XCX believed that the view from the table was beautiful and worth standing on it for.
I know those days are over but a boy can fantasize
Charli XCX acknowledges that those days are gone, but she still likes to imagine them.
'Bout JTT on MTV and when I close my eyes
Charli XCX fantasizes about Jonathan Taylor Thomas (JTT) appearing on MTV when she closes her eyes.
And I'm right there, right there
Charli XCX feels transported back to 1999 in her mind when she thinks about it.
And he's right there, right there
Charli XCX imagines JTT being right there with her in her nostalgic memories.
And we're right there, right there
Charli XCX feels like she and JTT are together in her memories.
Ah, ah, ah, I wanna go back
Charli XCX repeats her desire to go back to 1999.
Go back, yeah, yeah
Charli XCX continues to express her desire to go back.
Yeah, take me back to '99
Charli XCX reiterates her wish to return to 1999.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brett Leland Mclaughlin, Noonie Bao, Oscar Thomas Holter, Troye Sivan, Charlotte Emma Aitchison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind