General Gregory N. Pigott: Late Night Music Part 88........"90's Country"

You guys have been begging me to do a country list. I finally broke down and put together what was the best decade of country music ever into a list. I tell ya, despite the unbelievably bad fashion and horrendous haircuts, 1990's country was just better on another level. I see these videos on this list, and then see the mainstream country of today and it's just no question on which is better. I've now done a country list.......so shut up!

Also receiving votes in this category were. "That's The Night That The Lights Went Out In Georgia" by Reba McEntire, "Walkaway Joe" by Trisha Yearwood, "Soon" by Tanya Tucker, "Little Rock" by Collin Raye, "My Love" by Little Texas, and "Independence Day" by Martina McBride. Not appearing on this list is Shania Twain. I don't care how fine she is- she sucks.

"A Bad Goodbye"- Clint Black and Wynonna Judd. I can't get over how Clint Black's shirts are always perfectly ironed and fit so tight without cutting off his circulation. How does the guy even play the guitar? Also, wearing all black all the time when your name is Black is pretty lame. This song kinda cracks me up because he's singing with one of the most unattractive singers ever and is married to Lisa Hartman. Is it a really a "bad goodbye" to leave Wynonna for Lisa Hartman? Is it just me or does Wynonna's nose look like an eagle beak?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXdlW-eKESw

"I Don't Call Him Daddy"- Doug Supernaw. Before he turned into a criminal nut job, Doug Supernaw found 15 minutes of fame with this #1 Country hit off of his 1993 album "Red Rio Grande". This song is actually a cover of a Kenny Rogers song (COVER SONG ALERT!), which makes him immediately lose bonus points for his only hit being a cover song. Sorry, that's pretty bad. This is such a great song and I love the video. Bonus points for the He-Man underwear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kz3fAXyuhw

"When She Cries"- Restless Heart. In 1993, these guys headlined a Rapids on the Reservoir summer concert lineup that included Foreigner and .38 Special. No you did not misread that. These guys had quite possibly the best mullets in country music in 1992 and rode this #1 hit all the way to the Billboard Hot 100 #8 spot. However, let me please point out to everyone that any time your lead singer is your drummer, you're not going to be famous very long. Don't tell me "but Genesis" either because Phil Collins moved from behind the drums to the lead spot. The same can be said for the Eagles- besides Don Henley didn't always sing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HXuJVOKU-I

"Meet In The Middle"- Diamond Rio. Diamond Rio burst onto the scene in 1991 with this debut single from their self-titled album. The popularity of the song and video led to the first ever song to reach #1 on the Billboard Country Charts as a debut single from a band. While being very popular, they still looked ridiculous. I know it was 1991, but seriously- would you ever leave your house wearing something like that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWKpCmPdGmM

"The Cheap Seats"- Alabama. This song brings back many memories of watching the Jackson Generals at Smith Wills Stadium when I was growing up. I can't think of a better baseball song (close second is John Fogerty's "Centerfield") for a minor league baseball game. Released in 1993 on the album of the same name, Alabama was starting to fade in popularity, and this song, despite staying widely popular, was Alabama's first single in *FOURTEEN YEARS* to not reach the top 10. (GOOD GRIEF THAT IS RIDICULOUS!!!!) Despite that, Alabama has always been one of my favorite bands and has to be the most popular country band from the 1980's. I hate that they have had a recent history of lawsuits within the band because I always respected how they had the exact same lineup for their entire existence. I can't think of many bands who did that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VCQDbg7jPk

"Midnight In Montgomery"- Alan Jackson. In 1991, Alan Jackson released his second album "Don't Rock The Jukebox", which produced 5 hit singles including the title track. 4 of those songs went to #1 on the country charts. All except for this one, which peaked at #3. This song, written as a tribute to Hank Williams, has always been a fan favorite and I think really showed the future stardom that awaited Alan Jackson just due to the great songwriting. I remember quite a few girls liking this song growing up, so I memorized the words just to impress them. Don't judge me. Pretty good live version here. Bonus points for the line "I'm so lonesome I could cry" and for the fact that he is visiting the grave in the song on the anniversary of Williams' death, as Hank Williams passed away on New Year's eve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQboiuonNHw

"You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone"- Brooks and Dunn. I was upset when my dad drug me to a Reba McEntire/Brooks and Dunn concert in Tupelo in 1996. I never cared for either, but it was actually a halfway decent show, much because of this great country ballad by Brooks and Dunn. This #1 single was included on their 1994 album "Waitin' On Sundown". The most interesting fact about this song is that Brooks and Dunn had TWENTY #1 singles on the country charts. Of all of those, Kix Brooks sings ONE. This one. This song is my dedication to all you women out there. Bonus points for Kix Brooks holding the guitar in the video and not playing it. I guess it just makes him look tough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjENhIdDsic

"Standing Outside The Fire"- Garth Brooks. SUPER Lame video. Great song. It's actually quite hard to find Garth Brooks videos on youtube because of abunch of copyright bullcrap. In 1993, Garth Brooks was one of the most popular acts in the world, so not surprisingly, his album "In Pieces" was a huge success, selling 19 million copies worldwide. Garth reached #3 with this song that to me is one of his best ever. Garth later revealed that he came up with the idea for the title as he was being evacuated from downtown Los Angeles during the 1991 L.A. riots. To hear him tell that story is one of the most powerful accounts of that situation I've ever heard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0kNr8HOCZk

"Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)"- John Michael Montgomery. I'm super pissed that because of copyright issues I cannot find a video for his best song "Hold On To Me" on youtube. That really sucks. However, I'll settle for this one which has always been one of my karaoke favorites. This #1 single off of his self-titled 1994 album really cracks me up with this video because JMM definitely looks like a rodeo cowboy and not a country singer. Bonus points for the old guys he walks in front of and for always playing this song while passing through Grundy County, Tennessee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW8TwRDgjRY

"Cross My Heart"- George Strait. This scene from the movie "Pure Country" has been featured in the "Great Song, Horrible Movie" list, so we'll save the movie back story. It is, however, one of the few movies that I know of (the only other being "The Bodyguard") that has a soundtrack at least 100 times more popular than the movie. Funny fact is that the soundtrack was George Strait's best selling album ever and produced this worldwide #1 hit. However, George Strait hasn't made any more movies. Talk about selling your soul to the devil. I have personally heard this song sung at MORE THAN ONE WEDDING. If you are reading this and it was at your wedding, please know that I laughed a little bit on the inside. Nothing against you, but seriously watch the video and tell me you wouldn't laugh either. George Strait just drips with cool though- he's quite possibly the coolest country singer ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY-Z9kdSMXU

"I Like It, I Love It"- Tim McGraw. In 7th grade, you weren't cool if you didn't have Tim McGraw's CD "All I Want", which featured this #1 single. This song actually had a pretty funny video made for it, but for some reason I can't find it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfCHSiYU5vI

"Let Me Let Go"- Faith Hill. Faith Hill led the way for the sound of country music for the last decade, and this song gave a glimpse of 2000's country with this song off of Faith's 1997 album "Faith". In the late 90's Faith Hill was trying awful hard to cross over to mainstream. This included a memorable performance on the 1997 version of "VH1 Divas". This is the first video so far to not feature a mullet or a cowboy hat. Bonus points for that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnO7HC_u2xo

"Just About Right"- Blackhawk. I can't understand why I always loved this song so much. As I've said before, Blackhawk wins the award for "the band trying the hardest to sing really hard and make painful faces while they do it". While they are still around, I think they would have been alot bigger, had lead singer Van Stephenson not tragically passed away after a battle with skin cancer. This song off of their 1994 debut self-titled album was one of reached #7 on the country charts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eauvh5v2ZLU

"Texas Tornado"- Tracy Lawrence. I can't believe I've had this song on here twice now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=673z5uD84UM

"I Wish I Could Have Been There"- John Anderson. John Anderson is an artist I have seen live..........twice. Not only is he a very talented song writer with a very lengthy successful career, he also one of the ugliest human beings alive. You know he'd have to have a great voice and have a great band around him because seriously, just look at the guy. With that being said, this song off of his 1993 album "Solid Ground" was praised as being a country version of "Cats In The Cradle". Also around this time, John Anderson was being praised for resurging his career after nearly a decade of little success in the charts. If you look at the two peaks of his career (early 80's and early 90's), it just goes to show that any artist can come back after a few albums or a few singles that don't quite make it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2USYrYv3EGg

"When Love Finds You"- Vince Gill. I had forgot about this song..........wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwoAAjaxzmk

BONUS VIDEOS- "God Must Have Spent a Little More Time On You"- Alabama and N'Sync. Just a good cover version of the N' Sync song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6djej1NLk4

"This One's For The Girl"- Martina McBride. Doesn't qualify, but this is without a doubt my #1 country guilty pleasure song ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTowId2CWHA