In 1990, the music of the 1980s began transforming into a brand-new sound. These are three of the best rock songs that came out in 1990, songs that are so good, it’s likely every 90s kid still knows them by heart today.
“Bad Love” by Eric Clapton
“Bad Love” is on Eric Clapton’s Journeyman album. Written by Clapton and Mick Jones, “Bad Love” features Phil Collins. Collins plays drums and sings background vocals on the tune.
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A song about finding true love, “Bad Love” says, “Oh what a feeling I get when I’m with you / You take my heart into everything you do / And it makes me sad for the lonely people / I walked that road for so long / Now I know that I’m one of the lucky people / Your love is making me strong / I’ve had enough bad love / I need something I can be proud of / I’ve had enough bad love / No more bad love.”
After “Bad Love”, Clapton only had one more No. 1 single, with “Change The World”, out in 1996.
“Doubleback” by ZZ Top
“Doubleback” was written by ZZ Top band members Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard. It is the first single from Recycler, ZZ Top’s tenth studio album.
A five-week No.1 hit, “Doubleback” says, “You know I’m moving on in this fine machine / Rolling on through the night / Seeing things like I’ve never seen / And it’s taking me outta sight / I’m looking high and low, don’t know where to go / I got to double back, my friend / The only way to find, what I left behind / I got to double back again, double back again.”
Interestingly, ZZ Top had three No. 1 singles in 1990. After “Doubleback”, both “Concrete And Steel” and “My Heart’s In Mississippi”, all from Recycler, landed at the top of the charts as well.
“Cradle Of Love” by Billy Idol
On Billy Idol’s Charmed Life album is “Cradle Of Love”. Idol and David Werner wrote the rockin’ song.
“Cradle Of Love” says, “Well, rock the cradle of love / I rocked the cradle of love / Yes, the cradle of love don’t rock easily, it’s true / Well now / It burned like a ball on fire / When the rebel took a little child bride / To tease, yeah, so go easy, yeah / ‘Cause love cuts a million ways / Shakes the devil when he misbehaves / I ain’t nobody’s fool / Come on, shake it up / Whatever I do / Roar.”
“Cradle Of Love” is Idol’s final No. 1 single of his career.
Photo by Suzie Gibbons/Redferns/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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