Yesterday’s Songs: October 6, 1990

An old feature returns today, as we look back at the top twenty singles on this date in 1990.

The top twenty singles of October 6, 1990 capture a genre in transition. The stars that will power country music to its greatest level of popularity in history are starting to surface, but they’re alongside the heavy hitters that are about to be unceremoniously dumped from the radio playlists, along with a couple of younger artists who simply wouldn’t be able to compete with the level of talent about to take over. But perhaps most interesting to see are the artists who would be able to compete because they were able to raise their game.

Here’s a look back at top twenty country singles from 26 years ago today.

Top Twenty Country Singles
October 6, 1990

#20
“I Could Be Persuaded”
The Bellamy Brothers

Peak: #7

There was a laid back charm to the hit records of the Bellamy Brothers that couldn’t keep up with the energy and vitality of nineties country music. This was their last top ten hit, and it’s a forgettable one.  Grade: C

#19
“Wanted”
Alan Jackson

Peak: #3

Jackson is still finding his voice on this single from his debut album, but it’s already clear that he has a distinctive point of view as a songwriter and a beautifully emotive singing voice that even has power when applied to spoken word.  Grade: B+

#18
“A Few Ole Country Boys”
Randy Travis featuring George Jones

Peak: #8

A sentimental duet about the power of country music that is especially poignant today, given that both legends have now been silenced – one by death, and one by illness.  Grade: B+

#17
“Nothing’s News”
Clint Black

Peak: #3

Even the weakest single from Killin’ Time is pretty strong, as Clint Black does a country spin on Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” that trades in the bravado for pure melancholy. Grade: A-

#16
“My Heart is Set On You”
Lionel Cartwright

Peak: #7

A perfect example of what was good enough in 1990 but wasn’t going to cut it as the decade progressed. This anemic entry from Cartwright managed to go top ten, and he would score a #1 hit with “Leap of Faith” one year later. But he simply wasn’t up to par with the new artists emerging at this time – seriously, look at the rest of list – and he soon faded away. Grade: D

 

#15
“Home”
Joe Diffie

Peak: #1

A powerful debut single from a man who would later be knows as “Joe Ditty,” but was introduced as a pure country singer able to deliver weepers for the ages. This song was such a huge hit that Alan Jackson had to delay his own “Home” from being a single until years later.  Grade: A

#14
“‘Til a Tear Becomes a Rose”
Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan

Peak: #13

This duet from beyond the grave won a CMA award, but that doesn’t make it any less awkward or creepy. Morgan became a great artist in her own right, but here she’s banished to the shadow of her late husband. Sentimentality aside, it just doesn’t work. Grade: C

#13
“Story of Love”
The Desert Rose Band

Peak: #10

Yes, Virginia, there were rock and roll exiles in country music before Hootie. The Desert Rose Band was one of the better ones, as Chris Hillman’s rock music always incorporated country instruments. This was one of their last hits, as they were also among the rising stars washed away by the flood of new talent. It’s a decent record.  Grade: B

#12
“Fourteen Minutes Old”
Doug Stone

Peak: #6

After a stunning debut single, Stone’s second hit was something of a letdown. Sure, it isn’t easy to follow up “I’d Be Better Off (in a Pine Box)”, but this would’ve been a boring listen even if it wasn’t coming right after that instant classic.  Grade: C

#11
“The Battle Hymn of Love”
Kathy Mattea & Tim O’Brien

Peak: #9

A gorgeous melding of country and Celtic, Mattea’s wedding anthem collaboration with Tim O’Brien foreshadowed the wonderful work she would do in the nineties and 2000’s, once she’d stopped recording music with one eye on country radio.  Grade: A

#10
“Born to be Blue”
The Judds

Peak: #5

You can already hear the bluesy growl that would dominate Wynonna’s solo sound on this winning single from the Judds. The radio version cut out the lengthy ballad intro from the album version. Seek out the full track to hear this song at its best.  Grade: A

#9
“I Meant Every Word He Said”
Ricky Van Shelton

Peak: #2

A simple country heartbreak song. Shelton was at the top of his game in 1990, and you can’t help but root for the girl at the altar – marrying someone else, of course – to turn around and notice the guy who loved her all along but never found the words to tell her.  Grade: A

#8
“Precious Thing”
Steve Wariner

Peak: #8

The last of 22 top ten singles that Wariner recorded for RCA and then MCA, “Precious Thing” is a cute little love song, if a bit on the slight side. Wariner managed to avoid being swept off the charts in the nineties by resurfacing with Arista and then Capitol, scoring three gold albums – a feat he never accomplished on his first two labels.  Grade: B

#7
“You Lie”
Reba McEntire

Peak: #1

Reba McEntire teams up with Tony Brown for the first time, and kicks off a string of ten outstanding singles that make her a multi-platinum superstar. This was the best she’d sounded on record up until that point, and the song remains one of the strongest she’s ever recorded.  Grade: A

#6
“Drinking Champagne”
George Strait

Peak: #4

A perfectly serviceable cover of a country classic, understandably overshadowed by the massive hits that came before and after it: “Love Without End, Amen,” and “I’ve Come to Expect it From You.”  Grade: B-

#5
“Too Cold at Home”
Mark Chesnutt

Peak: #3

A stunning debut single that introduced one of the finest traditional country singers of the nineties. He’d go on to record many more fantastic hit singles, but a case could be made that his first was still his best. Grade: A

#4
“Jukebox in My Mind”
Alabama

Peak: #1

Alabama did radio-friendly filler better than just about anyone, which helped them stay afloat in the nineties, even as their relevance faded away.  This song spent four weeks at #1, amazingly enough.  Grade: B

#3
“I Fell in Love”
Carlene Carter

Peak: #3

The daughter of June Carter and Carl Smith, Carlene Carter suddenly resurfaced as a country singer in 1990.  She rolled in like the second coming of Wanda Jackson, effortlessly fusing rockabilly and hillbilly to form a sound that was both refreshing and timeless. Grade: A

#2
“Holdin’ a Good Hand”
Lee Greenwood

Peak: #2

Something of a comeback single for Greenwood, this was his first top ten hit in a couple of years, but it also ended up his last. Few artists exemplified the excess of the eighties like Greenwood did, and despite a game effort here, he just couldn’t update his sound enough to remain a serious contender.  Grade: B-

#1
“Friends in Low Places”
Garth Brooks

Peak: #1

What song could better exemplify that the times were changing than this one? At its core, it’s a classic country drinking song, but Brooks turned it into a stadium anthem without compromising its ability to play just as well in a rundown bar.  Play it for ten or play it for ten thousand.  Either way, all of them will be singing along. Grade: A