3 Songs From the 1990s That Owe More to Country Music Than Fans Realize

Country music has a wide reach… a wider reach than many non-fans realize. From storytelling songwriting to simple chord structures and universal truths, artists of every persuasion can look to country for inspiration. The three 1990s songs below owe more to the twangier sides of music than many give them credit for.

[RELATED: 4 Songs That Set up the Neotraditional Country Boom of the 1990s]

“Name” — Goo Goo Dolls

Though the Goo Goo Dolls are firmly placed in the alt-rock category, at its core, “Name” is an acoustic-driven ballad that isn’t too far removed from country music. Like the strongest efforts in country, this Goo Goo Dolls song strips things back in favor of simplistic vulnerability.

The subtle chord progression lets the lyrics take center stage. “You could hide beside me
Maybe for a while / And I won’t tell no one your name / And I won’t tell ’em your name,” the lyrics read. These lines capture a complicated relationship with brutal honesty. Any country artist would be proud to write a song this compelling, even if it is more dimly lit than most of that genre’s biggest hits.

“Runaway Train” — Soul Asylum

Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” has a grit that only rock music can muster, but if you removed the musicality and just saw the song on paper, it could work as a country ballad. The structure of this song captures the same charm as a folky track. With different instruments, this song could instantly become something befitting alt-country.

“Call you up in the middle of the night / Like a firefly without a light / You were there like a blowtorch burning / I was a key that could use a little turning,” the lyrics read. Sure, these lines are a little edgy, but they are deeply visual, like any great country song.

“Kiss Me” — Sixpence None The Richer

Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me” borrows the southern singer-songwriter spirit. It’s straightforward, blushing love that could’ve made any country artist proud. If you added some fiddle or banjo, this song could easily jump genres.

“Kiss me, out of the bearded barley / Nightly, beside the green, green grass / Swing, swing, swing the spinning step / You’ll wear those shoes, and I will wear that dress,” the lyrics read. It’s easy to imagine a twangy voice singing these lines rather than the power pop delivery it has now.

(Photo by: Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

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