The end of the 1980s became an important part of country music. A gateway of sorts into the iconic 90s country sounds, these are three of the best country songs from 1989. They are so good, it’s almost certain that every 80s kid still knows them by heart today.
“Ace In The Hole” by George Strait
By the time George Strait released “Ace In The Hole”, he was already used to having No.1 singles. This song, written by Dennis Adkins, is on Strait’s Beyond The Blue Neon record. It became his 18th single to reach No. 1, and his third in 1989.
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“Ace In The Hole” says in part, “You’ve got to learn to play your cards right if you expect to win in life / Don’t put it all on the line for just one roll / You’ve got to have an ace in the hole.”
His 11th consecutive No. 1 hit, Strait broke the streak with his next single, “Overnight Success”. Also from Beyond The Blue Neon, that song peaked just inside the Top 10. Strait named his band Ace In The Hole, although the name came long before the song.
“Timber, I’m Falling In Love” by Patty Loveless
“Timber, I’m Falling In Love” is on Honky Tonk Angel, Patty Loveless’s third studio album. “Timber, I’m Falling In Love” was written by Kostas. It became Loveless’s first single to reach the top of the charts.
The feel-good song says, “Who knows how love starts / I woke up with you in my heart / Timber I’m falling in love.”
Honky Tonk Angel also includes “Chains”, another No. 1 hit for Loveless.
“If Tomorrow Never Comes” by Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks’ second single, and first No. 1 hit, is “If Tomorrow Never Comes”. On his eponymous freshman album, Brooks wrote “If Tomorrow Never Comes” with Kent Blazy.
The chorus of “If Tomorrow Never Comes” says in part, “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.”
Interestingly, Brooks first pitched “If Tomorrow Never Comes” to other artists before deciding to record it himself.
“I had passed the song to two or three different songwriters, and they just didn’t get it,” Brooks tells The Anthology: Part 1. “So the first time I sit with Kent, he goes, ‘What’ve you got?’ I said, ‘Well, I got a song nobody likes.’”
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