3 Country Lyrics From the 1990s That Should Be Studied in Songwriting Classes

The 1990s have been touted by pretty much everybody as the golden age of country music. It had just enough pop appeal to spark a massive boom in popularity, but the genre’s bones were very traditional. This made for an era with buoyant anthems and touching ballads anyone could love, without sacrificing their country-ness.

The selection of lyrics from 1990s country songs below should all be studied in songwriting classes. They are strong testaments to the genre’s power in this era.

[RELATED: 4 Iconic Rock Songs That Define the Classic Sound of the Early 1990s]

“Don’t Take The Girl” (Tim McGraw)

“Take any boy in the world / Daddy, please, don’t take the girl.”

“Don’t Take The Girl” is a masterclass in narrative. Of course, there are plenty of songs in this style of writing from the 1990s to dissect, but this stands out as a highlight from the era. Few songwriters have been able to tell such a pitch-perfect, life-spanning story the way that Craig Martin and Larry W. Johnson were able to with this Tim McGraw cut.

The lyrics above kick off this story about cooties turning into crushes and, eventually, into life-altering love. In the opening verse, the characters are young, and being around each other feels like a chore. As the plot unfolds, feelings change, and eventually heartbreak ensues. It’s pretty much the perfect country song, making it a shoo-in for this list.

“Carrying Your Love With Me” (George Strait)

“Cause I’m carryin’ your love with me / West Virginia down to Tennessee.”

Likewise, there are plenty of 1990s country songs that talk about being a touring musician and leaving your loved ones at home. But none do it better than George Strait in “Carrying Your Love With Me”. Songwriters Steve Bogard and Jeff Stevens hit it out of the park with these simple but timeless lyrics.

“It’s my strength for holdin’ on / Every minute that I have to be gone / I’ll have everything I’ll ever need / I’m carryin’ your love with me,” Strait sings in this hit. It’s such a genius piece of writing because it remains universal. Though Strait’s story is about a musician on the road, it can really stand in for anyone who has to leave home regularly. That is the kind of relatability that all country writers strive for.

“You’re Still The One” (Shania Twain)

“Looks like we made it / Look how far we’ve come, my baby.”

Speaking of simple but timeless songs, we have to discuss Shania Twain’s “You’re Still The One” on this list. This straightforward but powerful song is everything one could want out of a 1990s pop country crossover. Twain and “Mutt” Lange penned a true stunner here.

“They said, ‘I bet they’ll never make it’ / But just look at us holding on / We’re still together, still going strong,” are lyrics that have been held on to dearly for decades. When it comes to writing a love song, most people want listeners to treat a track like their own. Plenty have done that with “You’re Still The One”, making it one of the most enduring songs from the decade.

(Photo by Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)