We hear all the stories about songs being careful, concentrated processes that sometimes take years to complete. These sagas make a song seem even more powerful than it already is. But then there are songs that take just mere minutes to write. These stories are just as astounding. How did the three era-defining 1990s country songs take so little effort? That’s the miracle of songwriting that no one can fully explain.
[RELATED: 4 Songs From 1993 That Are Better Than Anything on Country Radio Today]
Videos by American Songwriter
“Should’ve Been A Cowboy” — Toby Keith
It’s remarkable enough that Toby Keith‘s debut single was “Should’ve Been A Cowboy”. A song that is focused and pitch-perfect typically comes along later in an artist’s career. But the fact that this song was such an early hit is made even more incredible by the fact that it reportedly took 20 minutes to write.
“I should’ve learned to rope and ride / Wearin’ my six-shooter, ridin’ my pony on a cattle drive / Stealin’ the young girls’ hearts,” the lyrics to this iconic country hit read. This song is undoubtedly a perfect fit for Keith and appeals to country fans everywhere. That kind of genius usually takes time, but not for “Should’ve Been A Cowboy”.
“Here’s A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)” — Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt delivered one of the most punchy, snide breakup songs ever with “Here’s A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”. This 1990s country song was the result of just a 15-minute writing session, as confounding as that might be.
“I wrote that song in about 15 minutes; it just came to me,” Tritt once said. “It’s a song I wrote never considering to release it. I wrote it because it was a personal song for me to pick me up whenever I would get depressed over my personal situation.” It may have started as a personal, diaristic song. But it quickly became a universal cathartic anthem.
“Dust On The Bottle” — David Lee Murphy
This David Lee Murphy hit is one of the cleverest allegories about a relationship that country music has ever heard. Murphy gets advice from an older neighbor about keeping his relationship intact. Like his dusty bottles of homemade wine, the neighbor speaks of the benefit of time.
“You’re still with me, and we’ve made some memories / After all these years, there’s one thing I’ve found / Some say good love, well, it’s like a fine wine / It keeps getting better as the days go by,” the lyrics read. This perfect metaphor resulted from a 15-minute writing session. Murphy proved himself not only to be a stellar songwriter but also a succinct one.
(Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)