Song #715: "Love Will Lead You Back" by Taylor Dayne

Date: Apr 7, 1990
Weeks: 1

Here's a song to remind us of the gap between popular music and good music. Not only were there better songs in 1990 that missed being No. 1 because this song was there, but Taylor Dayne has better songs than this that should have made No. 1. Unfortunately, this is her only No. 1 song.

The biggest problem with this song is the late-80s power ballad backing music. It's too soft and gentle and Taylor Dayne's powerful, bold voice completely drowns it out. And she's holding herself back, too. This is a woman whose voice can dominate a full 80s synth song. She can cover a Barry White song and not do half-bad. She's poorly matched to this song.

The song was written by Diane Warren, a songwriter responsible for some of the cheesiest schmaltz songs ever to reach the pop charts. Personally, I know her best for this particular crime against music. I guess Warren's writing explains much of my problem with this song, although maybe with more acoustic instruments and a more gentle singer this song could be okay.

The lyrics are essentially just an expansion of that old expression that if you love something, set it free, and if it comes back to you it was truly meant to be. Expand that idea to 4 minutes and as many words as possible, and you have this song. It's not that creative an idea for a song, although I guess there's nothing in particular wrong with the lyrics.

My verdict: Don't like it. Taylor Dayne should be remembered for better songs than this.