The beauty of country music songs is that so many of them are timeless. These three songs all came out in 1989, but happen to still be considered among the best songs of all time in country music.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That” by Dolly Parton
By 1989, Dolly Parton had spent the last two decades as one of country music’s biggest stars. So when “Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That” was released on her White Limozeen album, it’s no surprise that it landed at the top of the charts.
“Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That” is written by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas. The song is about a woman in love with a good-looking man, who seemingly knows it. The song begins with, “Why’d you come in here lookin’ like that / In your cowboy boots and your painted on jeans / All decked out like a cowgirl’s dream / Why’d you come in here looking like that.”
“Two Dozen Roses” by Shenandoah
“Two Dozen Roses” is Shendandoah’s third consecutive No. 1 single, and their first multi-platinum hit. Written by Mac McAnally and Robert Byrne, “Two Dozen Roses” is on Shenandoah’s sophomore The Road Not Taken record.
“Two Dozen Roses” is about a man who regrets not doing more to keep the woman he loves. The lyrics include, “I brought flowers to your door last night / I done you wrong, and I wanna make it right / You say I’m not welcome here / I know it oughta be perfectly clear / But I can’t help but wonder what it might be like / If I had two dozen roses / And an older bottle of wine / If I really could’ve hung the moon / Would it change your mind?“
“If Tomorrow Never Comes” by Garth Brooks
“If Tomorrow Never Comes” is Garth Brooks’ second single, and first No. 1 hit. Written by Brooks and Kent Blazy, the song is on his eponymous debut album.
“If Tomorrow Never Comes” is an early indication of Brooks’ talent as a songwriter. The song says, “If tomorrow never comes / Will she know how much I loved her? / Did I try in every way to show her every day / That she’s my only one? / And if my time on earth were through / And she must face the world without me / Is the love I gave her in the past / Gonna be enough to last / If tomorrow never comes?“
Brooks had not yet had any success in country music when he began writing “If Tomorrow Never Comes”. In fact, he was cleaning churches when he met Blazy, who was already an established songwriter. But even early on, Blazy could tell Brooks had talent, after hearing a rough draft of “If Tomorrow Never Comes”.
“I said, ‘I love your idea on this thing,’” Blazy recalls to The Tennessean. “The problem is you’re killing somebody off in the first verse. It’s like killing the star of the movie (early).”
Photo by Ron Davis/Getty Images
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