This Top 10 Lee Greenwood Songs list presents the best Lee Greenwood Songs including God Bless The U.S.A. “Hopelessly Yours” and more. Californian born and raised Lee Greenwood lived with his grandparents on a farm near Sacramento where he learned to sing as young as seven years old for a church they had attended. At eighteen years old, he formed his first pop-rock band in 1962, Lee Greenwood Affair, a group that enjoyed an eight-year run who mostly performed in Las Vegas casinos, as well as produced a few recordings under the Paramount label in Los Angeles. When the group disbanded in 1970, Greenwood, his first wife, and children made Las Vegas, Nevada their home where he worked as a casino dealer during the day and as a singer at night.
Discovery
Lee Greenwood also performed in Reno, Nevada, and it was while in that city he’d earn his first big break that led to a 1981 signing with MCA Record’s Nashville Division. In addition to discovering Greenwood, Larry McFadden also became his manager. While with the MCA label, Greenwood’s music was heavily promoted, earning him a solid place among country music fans throughout the 1980s and beyond.
Lee Greenwood Legacy
Lee Greenwood’s discography has twenty-two studio albums to his credit, as well as seven compilation albums, and thirty-eight singles. Seven of those singles became number one hits. In 2018, he was inducted into the MMP Hall of Fame and was also awarded for his contribution to the music industry as an artist.
Top 10 Lee Greenwood Songs
#10 – Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands
1981’s “Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands” was Lee Greenwood’s first top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, which peaked at number five. It also became his first international hit as it charted as high as number two on the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart. From his debut album, Inside Out, this country song seemed to serve as a reflection of Greenwood’s own personal experience as a married man as the bliss between the newlyweds shared at the beginning changed to heartache after time apart resulted in extramarital affairs as a means to fill in emotional voids. Through Lee Greenwood, “Ring on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands” was his first big hit and served as an inspiration for Reba McEntire to record this song from a woman’s perspective in 1995.
#9 – Dixie Road
From Lee Greenwood’s Greatest Hits album, which was released in 1986, “Dixie Road” was marked as his third number-one single on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart since he began his recording career. This lyrical reflection of friendship and memories also became a number one hit on the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart. Cheerful, heartwarming, and perhaps a bit thought-provoking, “Dixie Road” is that perfect song to simply listen to when thinking about good times and good friends during an era that didn’t seem so troublesome.
#8 – Going, Going, Gone
“Going, Going, Gone” was Lee Greenwood’s second number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, as well as on the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart, after it was released in 1983 from the album, Somebody’s Gonna Love You. As a lyrical narrator, Greenwood delivered this heartfelt ballad as a relationship gone south due to a couple’s failure to keep the love shared between them alive. One’s neglect leaves the other too lonely to let this matter slide and needs to move on in order to fill the gaps the dying relationship has left behind.
#7 – Mornin’ Ride
Love Will Find Its Way to You featured the hit single, “Mornin’ Ride,” which became another number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart after it was released in 1986. This is the perfect song to listen to while on the road, perhaps enjoying a Sunday drive somewhere to take in the splendor of Mother Nature and its beauty as this phenomenal easy-listening classic does its musical magic, featuring Lee Greenwood at his down to earth country best.
#6 – I Don’t Mind the Thorns (If You’re The Rose)
1985’s “I Don’t Mind the Thorns (If You’re The Rose)” was a number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart. It was the first of three consecutive number one hits from the album, Streamline, and remains as one of the all-time favorites among Lee Greenwood fans as his remarkable performance of love and friendship continues to make its mark among the romantics who also have a love for the country music genre. Romantically played, the piano beautifully parallels with Greenwood’s incredible vocal delivery as someone wanting to make his relationship with his love interest work.
#5 – You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’
From the 1984 album, You’ve Got a Good Love Comin’, the title track was the fourth and final single that was released. On the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, it peaked as high as number nine and was a number six hit on the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart. This cute song of a narrator’s quest to win over a heartbroken love interest witnesses Lee Greenwood offering himself as a beacon of hope to kick loneliness to the curb. For a good cheer-up song, “You’ve Got a Good Love Comin'” fits the bill, especially among country music fans who refuse to give up on the hope of finding that special someone they can spend some good times with.
#4 – Don’t Underestimate My Love for You
On the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart, “Don’t Underestimate My Love for You” became a number one hit after it was released as a single in 1985 from the album, Streamline. This incredible ballad has been a solid favorite among country music fans, especially at weddings as that perfect first dance for newlyweds. It’s also that ideal proclamation of love song to win over the heart of that someone special or at least serves them a reminder of how powerful true love can be.
#3 – Hopelessly Yours (featuring Suzy Bogguss)
Originally recorded and released in 1986 by George Jones, “Hopelessly Yours” became a 1992 Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Vocal Collaboration after it was performed as a duet in 1991 by Lee Greenwood and Suzy Bogguss. From his album, A Perfect 10, “Hopelessly Yours” became a number twelve hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and a number ten hit on the RPM Canadian Country tracks chart. For a country classic that beautifully portrays how the best relationships between two people survive the test of time, “Hopelessly Yours” is a real tearjerker as a ride that has its fair share of ups and downs.
#2 – I.O.U.
On the US Billboard Hot 100, “I.O.U.” peaked at number fifty-three, making it the first crossover hit single for Lee Greenwood in his career. From his second studio album, Somebody’s Gonna Love You, which was released in 1983, “I.O.U.” also became a number six hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and a number-four hit on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and the RPM Canadian Country Tracks chart. This served as Greenwood’s second-biggest crossover hit and has been covered many times over, nationally and internationally, by a series of recording artists in various languages.
Power ballads are a Lee Greenwood specialty as this artist’s incredible voice always delivers an emotional punch that can easily trigger fans who are known for wearing their hearts on their sleeves. “I.O.U.” remains a favorite among romantics, and is often played during special occasions such as anniversaries, weddings, and as radio-requested dedications.
#1 – God Bless the U.S.A.
Already popular at the time it was first recorded and released in 1984, “God Bless the U.S.A.” quickly became Lee Greenwood’s signature song. His Canadian version, “God Bless You Canada” also became a popular favorite and for good reason. This proudly patriotic ballad became popular again in 1991 during the American involvement of Operation: Desert Storm, and yet again in 2001 after the terrorist attacks which took place on September 11.
This RIAA-certified platinum gem continues to be an all-time favorite among the patriotic who put the love of their country first, regardless of personal political affiliations. On the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, “God Bless the U.S.A.” peaked at number seven and was a number twenty-six hit on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart when it first charted in 1984. In 2001, “God Bless the U.S.A.” appeared on the music charts again, this time peaking as high as number sixteen on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, as well as number twelve on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
In 2020, it was a number one hit on the US Billboard Digital Song Sales chart, confirming this is an all-time cult favorite among patriotic American citizens who share the same attitude as Greenwood, which is to honor and defend the rights, liberties, and freedoms that were fought and died for when America was first founded as a nation.
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Top 10 Lee Greenwood Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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