Nashville Anthems: Dissecting 80s & 90s Country Music

We finally get to a classic from Clint Black's era-defining (and we're not exaggerating here) 1989 debut album, its title track no less: "Killin' Time". But we're not just filling 24 minutes: What are the puzzle pieces that make this song cross that line from great to classic, and why do they fit together so naturally?

Mary Chapin Carpenter's ode to her favorite Bethesda haunt is one of the most infectious country songs of the early 90s.  But what exactly made "Down at the Twist and Shout" strike such a strong Cajun chord, and what exactly is she saying anyway?

David Lee Murphy shows us what it was like in 1995 to hang out with the "Party Crowd"... or does he?  What's going on below the surface of this honky-tonk celebration, and what do "Neon Moon" and "The Thunder Rolls" have to do with it? I bet you thought this one was straightforward, didn't you? Listen to see if you agree with Melton that there's something deeper here.

Dwight Yoakam's influences are readily apparent in this early neotraditionalist cover of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man".  Hank, Cash, Elvis, and of course Buck Owens are all in there, but what thematic material has Yoakam also imported from the mid-20th century?

Tanya Tucker reminds us that there is more than one point of view to a country cliche, beating Sugarland to the punch while doing so, in her early 90s hit "Soon". We didn't just start liking cheating songs or anything, but what is it about the melody and harmony on this particular one that leaves us feeling so unsettled?

Garth Brooks finds the best kind of disillusionment at his high school homecoming in his 1990 hit "Unanswered Prayers". Nostalgia reigns in this early example of Brooks's sweet spot, but what is it about his brand of neotradionalist country music that keeps this song so gloriously local as we wistfully revisit it all these years later?

Shania Twain takes us back to the diva days of the late 90s with pop-country powerhouse, 1997's "From This Moment On". Of course, we're still suckers for the soaring vocals and dramatic key-changes, but is there something more that keeps this nuptial classic in our collective consciousness?

Billy Dean takes us into the wild west of his childhood backyard in his signature hit, "Billy the Kid".  Rodeo-esque dark, western blues permeates the chorus, but in what sense(s) does the tone shift in the choruses? And what exactly is so relatable about Dean's specific take on nostalgia in this song?

We take our first walk with Eddie Arnold's brand of early 80s R&B-inspired country pop with his 1981 hit "Step by Step".  But what is it that gives this song its particular catchy groove, and how does that groove relate to the idea of taking it slow?

The influence of Garth Brooks and some hallmarks of country piano take center stage in Kenny Chesney's 1999 #1 hit "You Had Me from Hello". Some of the same trends we've previously explored about country music in 1999 show up here as well, but how does Chesney's particular brand of macho mojo enrich in this seemingly straightforward love song?