“99” is a song about Courtney’s youth and his frustration with the societal expectations of growing older. In 1999, Courtney was 9 years old.
[Verse 1]
Heartstrung, young and dumb
Yeah, we had no fear
Way back when we said
We'd both be millionaires
Now those days are over
And we are all ghosts
[Pre-Chorus]
We used to sleep all day and talk all night
Stay up by the TV light (Oh, oh)
When your baby teeth ain't milky white
Wipe the stardust from your eyes (Oh, oh)
I said "Oh, come on, love, we'll be just fine
We're gonna live just like it's 1999"
[Chorus]
In nineteen-ninety–
In nineteen-ninety-nine
In nineteen-ninety–
In nineteen-ninety-nine
[Verse 2]
Back then we were trading
Cards behind the swings
Oh no, now it's money, gold, and diamond rings
Now those days are over
And we are all ghosts
[Pre-Chorus]
We used to sleep all day and talk all night
Stay up by the TV light (Oh, oh)
When your baby teeth ain't milky white
Wipe the stardust from your eyes (Oh, oh)
I said "oh come on love, we'll be just fine
We're gonna live just like it's nineteen-ninety-nine"
[Chorus]
In nineteen-ninety–
In nineteen-ninety-nine
In nineteen-ninety–
In nineteen-ninety-nine
[Bridge]
Oh, oh no, where does it go?
Well, whatever fill your body up with chemicals
Oh, oh no, kaleidoscopes
Well, whatever living better in
[Chorus]
In nineteen-ninety–
In nineteen-ninety-nine
In nineteen-ninety–
In nineteen-ninety-nine
[Outro]
Nintendo, Atari
Sega's my Ferrari
I got it, I love it, I, I–
In nineteen-ninety–
Got Sony electronics
Voodoo economics
I got it, I love it, I, I–
In nineteen-ninety-nine
“99” was written by Barns Courtney.
“99” was produced by Mike Crossey.
Barns Courtney released “99” on Fri Aug 24 2018.
Courtney shared via Facebook:
This was so much fun to make! I pretty much just said a bunch of stupid shit for 10 hours and we made it into a video! Thank you so much everyone who supports my tunes for giving me the best job in the world!