Our Best Singles of 1993 list continues with a collection of #1 hits, breakthrough hits, and should’ve been hits. Kicking things off is the debut single from one of the decade’s most successful vocal groups.
#30
“Goodbye Says it All”
BlackHawk
Written by Bobby Fischer, Charlie Black and Johnny MacRae
Peak: #11
#9 – SG | #31 – BF
BlackHawk enjoyed a nice run of hits from their debut album, including this kiss-off song. Lead singer Henry Paul was best known for his work in the Southern Rock band The Outlaws, but his distinctive voice adapted well to mainstream country, too. “Goodbye” showed off the great harmonies from the trio (Paul, Dave Robbins and the late Van Stephenson), and it also proved the adage that nothing good has ever written been down in lipstick (Patty Loveless’ “She Drew a Broken Heart” is Exhibit B). – Sam Gazdziak
#29
“One More Last Chance”
Vince Gill
Written by Vince Gill and Gary Nicholson
Peak: #1
#8 – SG | #32 – LW
Vince Gill’s heart-breaking songs are so high, lonesome and gorgeous that it’s easy to forget that the man is also blessed with some amazing guitar skills and a wicked sense of humor. “One More Last Chance” shows off the latter two parts of his personality very well. The line about “she forgot about my old John Deere” is a sly reference to one of George Jones’ more infamous stunts, where he drove a riding mower to town to go drinking after his then-wife, Tammy Wynette, took away his car keys. – SG
#28
“That Summer”
Garth Brooks
Written by Pat Alger, Garth Brooks, and Sandy Mahl
Peak: #1
#16 – JK | #17 – SG | #39 – LW
Not using “That Summer” as the theme song to Cougar Town is one of pop culture’s most egregiously missed opportunities. – Jonathan Keefe
#27
“Feelin’ Kind of Lonely Tonight”
Shelby Lynne
Written by Brent Maher and Jamie O’Hara
Peak: #69
#9 – LW | #10 – JK
Considering how mellow the Americana albums of her rebooted career have been, it’s easy to forget what a spitfire Shelby Lynne could be during her run at mainstream success. On “Feelin’ Kind of Lonely Tonight,” Lynne belts her way through one of her sultriest performances over a swinging arrangement that doesn’t skimp on fiddles. – JK
#26
“It Must be the Rain”
Marty Brown
Written by Marty Brown
Peak: #74
#5 – SG | #15 – JK
Brown keeps his Kentucky twang largely in check here and trades in his honky-tonk sound for a thoroughly contemporary country-rock arrangement. While it may be outside of Brown’s norms, it was still well-written and well-sung, and it’s hard to listen to his first three albums and not wonder how country radio dropped the ball. – SG
#25
“I Guess You Had to be There”
Lorrie Morgan
Written by Barbara Cloyd and Jon Robbin
Peak: #14
#8 – KJC | #10 – BF
Morgan’s pop sensibilities in no way hinder her ability to tackle this Wynette-worthy weeper, which opens with Morgan’s narrator observing a man and women in romantic embrace on a date. The gradual revelation of the man’s identity as the narrator’s unfaithful spouse makes it all the more potent when she sadly concludes, “We’ve drifted so far apart and it’s hard to admit it but there’s nothing left for you here.” – Ben Foster
#24
“When My Ship Comes in”
Clint Black
Written by Clint Black and Hayden Nicholas
Peak: #1
#4 – SG | #24 – LW
Lots of people have tried to copy that Jimmy Buffett sound, but Black nailed the spirit of the Mayor of Margaritaville better than most. This tune about tropical escapism doesn’t have a Caribbean sound like the Parrothead wannabes aim for, but the lyrics about wanting to trade in Colorado for Puerto Know-One-Knows sound just fine with a fiddle and steel guitar instead of steel drums. Puerto Know-One-Knows is such a perfect name for a vaguely tropical destination that it’s amazing Buffett never sang about it. – SG
#23
“Mama Knows the Highway”
Hal Ketchum
Written by Charles John Quarto and Pete Wasner
Peak: #8
#7 – LW | #10 – SG
Hal Ketchum had a string of excellent albums throughout the nineties, and many of the best songs on those albums were weighty, sad songs. “I Miss My Mary” and “Trail of Tears” were never released as singles, but Ketchum’s fans knew them well. So when he sings something cheery like “Mama Knows the Highway,” it’s worth taking notice.
The tale of the road-savvy mama, the nice doses of mandolin and slide guitar, the little doses of four-land philosophy – “She can gauge a café just by looking at the sign” and “good country music will never steer you wrong” – shows that Ketchum can sing with a smile as well as with a frown. Ketchum reappeared with a new album last year after a long hiatus, and it’s a win for the music world to have him back. – SG
#22
“She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful”
Sammy Kershaw
Written by Bob McDill and Paul Harrison
Peak: #1
#8 – BF | #28 – LW | #31 – SG
As mainstream country music’s treatment of women grows ever more sickeningly misogynistic, my appreciation only grows for Kershaw’s heartfelt, classy ode to a woman who is beautiful inside and out. – BF
#21
“The Heart Won’t Lie”
Reba McEntire and Vince Gill
Peak: #1
Written by Kim Carnes and Donna Terry Weiss
#10 – LW | #17 – BF | #27 – KJC
Reba McEntire’s resonant voice with Vince Gill’s silky tenor blended together to form the main ingredients of one of the most essential country power ballads of the nineties. Reba and Vince perfectly captured the sensitivity and passion of “The Heart Won’t Lie,” which also made it one of the most memorable duets of the decade. – Leeann Ward
The Best Albums of 1993
Part One | Part Two
The Best Singles of 1993
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
Glad to see my favorite male vocalist Hal Ketchum on the list with “Mama Knows the Highway”. Other favorites here are Lorrie Morgan’s “I Guess You Had to Be There” (i remember the video with Kris Kristofferson as the cheating husband) and Vince Gill’s “One More Last Chance”.
I still remember listening to a country show on BBC where they introduced “Mama Knows the Highway” and talked to Hal about how he wrote it. Can’t believe that was 22 years ago… But man, what a good year 1993 was.
@bulbul – a check of the BMI website shows that Hal has written 231 songs (referred to as “work titles”). “Mama Knows the Highway” is not one of them. See the write-up above by Sam G. The writers are correctly identified as Charles John Quarto and Pete Wasner.