This is Garth’s third song in the Top 12 on my list. His mark on Country was gigantic as so was this song. This was the last single from his debut album which also included If Tomorrow Never Comes (#12 on this list), and the single before Friends in Low Places (#4 on this list). There is absolutely no question or room for any debate that The Dance and Friends In Low Places, released back-to-back made Garth Brooks the star he became. Those two completely different kind of songs dominated the charts for a very long time. This was a #1 for 3 weeks which quite frankly is laughable, as this song was easily the biggest song in country that year for far, far longer than that. It then went on to win a bunch of awards and sell an untold millions. But more than the awards and sales, this song was – and is – as loved as any song that has ever been recorded in any kind of music. I mean this is loved like like Bing Crosby’s White Christmas big or any other song that you hear your entire life. And you will hear this song the rest of your life. The simple song is lyrically perfect, and is open to many meanings and interpretations hits people directly in the heart. Songs like this are just not written very often. This was written by Tony Arata who wrote a lot of songs that others recorded over a long period of time. But a song like this is written once in a generation, if that. It found its way to a young, basically unknown Garth Brooks and made history. I feel that was really a big part of the success of this song. Being a brand new artist at that moment, it allowed the arrangers to make the song – The Star Of The Song! This is as big as songs get, it’s been named the best country song ever a number of times by various entities, and it’s certainly up there. As far as fans and listeners are concerned this is a country music work of art that made just a singer – an international star.
