The year 2002 was a pivotal one for country music. Some big hits were released that year, songs that have sadly since been forgotten. We take a closer look at four big country songs from 2002, songs that are worth remembering today.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Ten Rounds With José Cuervo” by Tracy Byrd
Casey Beathard, Michael P. Heeney, and Marla Cannon-Goodman wrote “Ten Rounds With José Cuervo”. The feel-good, uptempo song is on Tracy Byrd‘s Ten Rounds album.
“Ten Rounds With José Cuervo” tells the story of a man who keeps drinking to forget someone’s memory. The song concludes with, “One round with Jose Cuervo / I went two rounds with Jose Cuervo / Three rounds with Jose Cuervo / Five rounds with Jose Cuervo or was it four? / Six rounds with Jose Cuervo / Eight rounds with Jose Cuervo / Ten rounds with Jose Cuervo…“
Surprisingly, “Ten Rounds With José Cuervo” became Byrd’s final No. 1 hit of his career.
“I Miss My Friend” by Darryl Worley
Darryl Worley tugs on heartstrings with “I Miss My Friend”. The title track of Worley’s sophomore album, written by Tom Shapiro, Mark Nesler, and Tony Martin, is the first No. 1 single of Worley’s career.
“I Miss My Friend” says, “I miss my friend / The one my heart and soul confided in / The one I felt the safest with / The one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again / And let the light back in / I miss my friend.”
Although he didn’t write it, Worley says the song hits so close to home, he almost didn’t record it. Worley was formerly dating a woman who had a nine-year-old daughter.
“We’d dance, and we’d hang out, and we’d go to dinner sometimes, and I fell in love with her daughter. She was precious,” Worley tells Taste of Country.
“Long story short, her and her daughter were both killed in a car accident,” he adds. “When I heard that song, I said, ‘I can never sing this.’”
“Where Would You Be” by Martin McBride
“Where Would You Be” by Martina McBride is written by Rachel Proctor and Rick Ferrell. The song is on McBride’s Greatest Hits album.
The powerful song questions the future of a once-strong relationship. “Where Would You Be” says, “I don’t wanna hold you back / No, I don’t wanna slow you down / I don’t wanna make you feel / Like you’re all tied up and bound / ‘Cause that’s not what love’s about / If there’s no chance we could work it out / Oh tell me now / Tell me, tell me now / Where would you be / If you weren’t here with me.”
Despite it being a fan favorite, “Where Would You Be” peaked in the Top 5 and did not become a No. 1 hit for McBride.
“Unbroken” by Tim McGraw
Among Tim McGraw’s many, many hits is “Unbroken”. Annie Roboff and Holly Lamar are the writers of the sweet love song. “Unbroken” became a chart-topping single for McGraw. Nevertheless, it isn’t as remembered as some of his other big hits.
“Unbroken” says, “No one ever left me out in the rain / Cold words still remain unspoken / And I never got lost, spent years in the dark / You are here, now my heart’s unbroken / When I see your smile fill my soul again / I am unbroken.”
Photo by M. Von Holden/FilmMagic for Time 4 Media
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