“Where Did I Go Wrong”
Steve Wariner
Written by Steve Wariner
Radio & Records
#1 (1 week)
May 12, 1989
Billboard
#1 (1 week)
June 3, 1989
“Where Did I Go Wrong” is the most traditional effort yet from Steve Wariner.
Since he’s an artist known for his own stellar musicianship, it’s really cool to hear him surrounded by fiddle by Mark O’Connor and mandolin by Carl Jackson. He steps up his game as a singer here too, as if he’s being fueled by the top notch pickers supporting him on this track.
His work for Arista went in a more muscular direction, though we still got hints of his traditionalist leanings here and there. “Where Did I Go Wrong” captures a moment where Wariner went right. All of his earlier eighties hits would’ve benefitted from the same approach taken with this enjoyable single.
“Where Did I Go Wrong” gets a B+.
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In most ways, this is a pretty standard Steve Wariner song that’s an extremely pleasant listen but largely empty calories with little nutritional value. However, I agree that the instrumentals and vocals are stepped up here, especially in the latter part of the song. Not much to say about it beyond that but if it comes on my local oldies station(s) I wouldn’t change the radio dial.
Grade: B
To my ears, there is a disconnect between Wariner’s vocals and the instrumentation, to the extent they sound as if they were layed over the instrumental track. I actually think Wariner is better served by the less organic production style of his earlier hits from the decade.
His lack of dynamism as a singer makes his vocals sound uninspired in comparison to the feisty mandolin and fiddle.
I didn’t know this listless song topped the charts.
I want to like it more than I do.