Garth Brooks
Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots
With the opening line of his hit single celebrating the value of having “Friends in Low Places,” Garth Brooks changed country music forever and cemented his place in its history.
I was in fifth grade and had no idea what the lyrics meant. Still, I sang every word with as much twang as I could muster. Many of my friends — and countless folks across the country — were doing the same.
Though I don’t know how to quantify it, I’m confident that Garth’s tremendous success opened the door for some terrific country artists — some of whom would never have gotten their shot otherwise. Record companies were willing to take more chances and bankroll more albums because Garth proved country music could be wildly profitable on a global scale.
He consistently broke long-held records for album and ticket sales — even surpassing Elvis and The Beatles in some categories — and won dozens of awards by combining honky-tonk twang with rock ’n’ roll showmanship.
Even during a four-year sabbatical to be more present for his daughters, Garth kept a firm grip on the hearts of his fans so that 37 years after his 1989 debut, he’s still selling out arenas and stadiums all over the world. Two things define his reign: his dramatic storytelling and the “it” factor.
Drama king
In Part I of this series, I briefly wrote about the similarities in both style and substance between Class of ‘89 artists Garth, Clint Black, Alan Jackson, and Travis Tritt. They’re neotraditionalists with a talent for what Dolly Parton has coined songtelling — that unison of songwriting and storytelling that makes country music special.
Clint is to philosophy as Garth is to drama.
From singles like “Papa Loved Mama” and “That Ol’ Wind” to album cuts like “New Way to Fly” and “The Night I Called the Old Man Out,” Garth has a flair for the dramatic. In his songs, he tells vivid stories of breakups and makeups, wishes denied and dreams fulfilled, life and death, and everything in between.
As so many of his fellow ‘90s country stars learned, pairing those songs with cinematic music videos brought his stories to life in new ways and expanded his reach even further.
In “The Thunder Rolls,” Garth transformed his appearance, hiding under a fake beard, wig, and glasses to play the cheating, abusive husband as Garth the singer performs in the pouring rain to narrate the tragic events.
The video broke ground in country music, tackling head-on the taboo subject of domestic violence and paving the way for artists like Martina McBride to boldly address social issues in their songs and music videos.
Later, Garth would give us “Standing Outside the Fire,” an emotional music video that follows a high schooler’s quest to compete on his school’s track team instead of in the Special Olympics. Because he has Down syndrome, his father fears that he’ll embarrass himself. Though the boy falls during the race, his dad, recognizing his son’s strength and persistence, encourages him to finish strong. In a shrewd move, Garth doesn’t appear in the video until two minutes into the song, deepening viewers’ investment in the boy’s story.
In “The Dance,” written by Tony Arata, video footage of American icons — from civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. to Western film star John Wayne to World Champion bull rider Lane Frost — adds layers of new meaning to the song.
Though his first album, 1989’s Garth Brooks, which included “The Dance” and three more Top 10 hits, was a bona fide success, his follow-up No Fences established his legacy. “Friends in Low Places” became his signature song and a No. 1 hit that, when performed live, shows off the indefinable characteristic that makes Garth a transcendent superstar.
“It” factor
The “it” factor is hard to define. It’s not just one quality but several that combine to make unforgettable magic.
Garth’s “it” factor is most obvious in his concerts. His live shows, made more accessible by broadcast TV deals that beamed those experiences to the masses, were opposite of what most people expected from a country singer at the time. He smashed acoustic guitars, sprayed bottles of champagne, climbed the scaffolding on stage, and flew over the audience suspended by wires.
I’ve only seen Garth live once, and it wasn’t his concert. When my parents, one of my brothers, and I got lucky and caught him at the Grand Ole Opry, it was a much more muted performance. Garth holds the Opry and its history in high regard, so there were no theatrics that Saturday night.
Still, when he walked on stage, the floor shook. He sang three or four songs to an absolutely enraptured audience, connecting with fans like us in the balcony and the luckier ducks on the front row. That genuine connection and devotion to his fans is a big piece of his magic. Remember when he signed autographs and took pictures with fans for 23 hours straight at the 1996 Fan Fair in Nashville?
A savvy businessman, Garth used exclusive deals with Walmart and later live Facebook episodes of “Inside Studio G” to build his brand. While I think he went too far with the “G-spot” on his website, I can appreciate that his branding goes beyond the lowercase “g” logo or the Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk. Reciprocating his fans’ adoration, Garth created a community that’s still introducing new converts to country music.
Whether you’re a longtime listener or one of the newbies, I hope you’ll check out my favorite songs from the ‘90s king.
My Top 5 Favorite Garth Brooks Songs
“Much Too Young (to Feel This Damn Old)”
From his 1989 album Garth Brooks. Written by Garth Brooks and Randy Taylor. Peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
I liked this song before it mattered to me. In my early 20s, I was really struggling. Driving through town one day, I heard this song on the radio and felt it in my very bones. You don’t have to be banged up from a grueling rodeo circuit to realize you’re much too young to feel this damn old.
“More Than a Memory”
From his 2007 album The Ultimate Hits. Written by Lee Brice, Kyle Jacobs and Billy Montana. No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
What a well-written, gut-wrenching song that’s as Garth-esque as anything he’s written. The first time I heard it, I was convinced he had. Garth fully inhabits the song’s narrator and challenges himself vocally much like he does on his 1991 hit “Shameless.”
“The Beaches of Cheyenne”
From his 1995 album Fresh Horses. Written by Garth Brooks, Bryan Kennedy and Dan Roberts. No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
This ghost story details the breakup of a couple after the rodeo cowboy goes back on his word to his beloved to withdraw from a bull-riding event. He’s injured and killed, and she’s consumed by grief. Her diary tells of their fight and her regrettable words to him before his death. But the rumor is she’s still alive. You can even see her footprints in the sand because every night she walks the beaches of Cheyenne. The storytelling on this one is chef’s-kiss perfect as is the fiddle intro.
“What She’s Doing Now”
From his 1991 album Ropin’ the Wind. Written by Pat Alger and Garth Brooks. No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Back when Garth had his own channel on Sirius/XM, I always enjoyed hearing the behind-the-scenes stories he told about his songs. This one surprised me because he described the idea behind it as little more than a lark. “What would it be like to call an ex’s number?” The finished product is far more serious, and I love how the lyrics shift from him wondering what she’s doing now to wondering if she knows that he’s wondering what she’s doing now. Does she know that he isn’t over her?
“One Night a Day”
From his 1993 album In Pieces. Written by Gary Burr and Pete Wasner. Peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
There are probably three or four songs I could put in this slot, but this is today’s Top 5. “One Night a Day” stands out because of its departure from Garth’s usual twang. It’s bluesy and features only piano, saxophone, bass guitar and drums. There are times when singers step outside of their comfort zones when you wish they hadn’t. That’s not the case here.
Bonus Album Cuts
“Mr. Blue”
From his 1990 album No Fences. Written by Dewayne Blackwell.
Garth managed to make this pop-jazz cover of a 1959 No. 1 hit by the Fleetwoods all his own, giving fans an early glimpse into his diverse music tastes.
“Mr. Right”
From his 1992 album The Chase. Written by Garth Brooks.
Clever and upbeat. I’m Mr. Right forever or just until whenever/ Mr. Right or Mr. Right now
“The Night Will Only Know”
From his 1993 album In Pieces. Written by Garth Brooks, Stephanie Davis and Jenny Yates.
Even juicier than “The Thunder Rolls” or “The Beaches of Cheyenne,” this album cut with risqué subject matter includes an affair, a murder and a cover-up. Find another country song that rhymes innuendos with steamy windows, and I’ll buy you a Coke.
What’s your favorite Garth Brooks hit? Are you into his early stuff or do you play his more recent hits on repeat? Let me know in the comments and come back to Roots & Rhinestones for Part III of the Class of ‘89 series featuring the champion of the small-town Southern man, Mr. Alan Jackson.
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