Every #1 Country Single of the Eighties: The Judds, “Girls Night Out”

“Girls Night Out”

The Judds

Written by Jeffrey Bullock and Brent Maher

Radio & Records

#1 (1 week)

April 12, 1985

Billboard

#1 (1 week)

April 27, 1985

It certainly isn’t something that I noticed when I first heard “Girls Nights Out” on their greatest hits collection, but looking back, “Girls Night Out” has a fresh perspective that builds on Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”

Wynonna growls about how she’s been working her fingers to the bone, but now that it’s Friday night, she’s going to spend every bit of fun she earned during a long work week.

Brent Maher co-wrote this as well as producing it, and he does a great job supporting the Judds’ bluesy harmonies with a traditional country arrangement.  The steel guitar on this track is fire, and it mirrors the ways that Wynonna and Naomi bend and twist their vocals throughout the track.

My favorite line is this one: “I’m gonna dance every dance ’till the boys go home.”  It’s such a declaration of independence, and it’s tossed off casually as if it’s already understood.  It’s a girls night out, you see.  The boys are just there to be dancing partners, if they’re quick enough to follow Wynonna’s lead.

This era of the Judds simply does not miss.

“Girls Night Out” gets an A.     

Every No. 1 Single of the Eighties

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2 Comments

  1. My favorite Judds songs are the ones that really REALLY showcase Wynonna’s incredible voice. This song was not one of them.

    Nice song but not one of my favorites.

  2. It still blows my mind that two dudes wrote this female country anthem.

    The Judds seemingly arrived on the music scene every bit as fully formed musically as did George Strait.

    The energy and sass of this performance gets better with time. The confidence and swagger is crazy.

    It’s a another Judds’ classic.

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