On This Day in 1990, Garth Brooks Was at No. 1 With a Song He Promised To Cut Before He Signed His First Record Deal

On this day (July 27) in 1990, Garth Brooks was on a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “The Dance.” Taken from his self-titled debut album, it remains one of Brooks’ signature songs and a staple of his concerts. After hearing it for the first time, the then-unsigned Brooks promised the song’s writer he would record it when he got a record deal.

Tony Arata wrote “The Dance,” and Brooks released it as the fourth and final single from his debut album. It was the fourth top 10 hit and second chart-topper from the LP. More than three decades later, it remains one of Brooks’ best-known songs. Moreover, it is one of his favorite songs. While some artists get tired of playing their biggest hits night after night, Brooks has said that he would happily play this one multiple times a night.

Brooks first heard Arata play “The Dance” during an open mic night in Nashville. At the time, they were both little-known songwriters who were doing all they could to stay in Music City and break into the music business. Brooks was so stricken by the song that he told Arata he’d cut it when he got his record deal.

Garth Brooks Transformed “The Dance”

Garth Brooks’ version of “The Dance” is so different from Tony Arata’s that the songwriter didn’t recognize it when he heard it the first time, according to Songfacts.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1991, Garth Brooks Was in the Middle of an 11-Month-Long Run at the Top of the Country Albums Chart]

“When he played the album for me, I listened to all 10 cuts and thought to myself, ‘Well, I guess it didn’t make it.’ It was the last cut on the album, and I didn’t recognize my own song,” Arata recalled. “That proves what a great artist he is, and what a great producer Allen Reynolds is, and also the musicians who were involved with the recording of the song,” he added. “Garth made it his song. He didn’t just copy the demo. He heard it in his heart, and he and Allen were able to explain it to the musicians. My demo starts with a major chord, no piano. So, you can imagine the first time I heard it, and it was a dramatic minor chord that opens the song.”

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