Wynonna Judd began her solo career with a new sound, and on her 1992 hit song, “I Saw The Light”, the country legend has an epiphany.
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Success wasn’t guaranteed after moving on from The Judds, the blockbuster duo with her mother, Naomi. But you don’t become a country music superstar without grit and the necessary survival skills Judd displays on “I Saw The Light”. Produced by Tony Brown, it remains one of her defining tunes.
Judd’s debut, Wynonna, helped shape the sound of country music in the early 90s. And “I Saw The Light” helped make it an enduring classic.
About “I Saw The Light”
“I Saw The Light” opens with the narrator arriving at her lover’s home to surprise him with a rose and a note. But the unannounced visit goes bad when the curtains move, and she sees him with another woman.
I laid a red rose on your front porch
Wrote “I love you” on a note
I rang the doorbell and turned to go
Baby, when the curtains moved
I couldn’t believe the view.
Some “see the light” in a religious sense. While others grasp a real-world situation for what it really is. Both require doubt, and Judd must have suspected her man was cheating. Written by Andrew Gold and Lisa Angelle, the lyrics turn a tender gift into a much darker reveal.
The gospel and blues in Judd’s voice are both an illumination and despair following her heartbreaking discovery. Still, the lightness of the track tells you she’s already over this bum.
So take your cheating hands off my red dress
’Cause I ain’t wearing this thing for you
I see you clearly now, and your lies too
They say that love is blind
Well, baby, not this time.
Country Rock
Guitarist Steuart Smith propels the track with a blend of twangy country rock and glossy pop. (Smith, a touring member of the Eagles from 2001 to 2025, retired this year after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s.)
The electric sound of Judd’s solo debut was a departure from the acoustic-oriented country of her iconic duo. The Judds became one of the most successful country music acts in history. It was a risky move to reinvent her sound as a solo artist. But the powerful vocal performance on “I Saw The Light”, like the rest of her debut, showcases why Judd became such a singular artist in country music.
I know the truth when I look in your eyes
I saw the light in your window tonight.
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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