The 10 Best Hootie and the Blowfish Songs of All-Time
Hootie & the Blowfish was a band that came out of South Carolina, making their debut in 1986. The four-member rock band formed in the city of Columbia, featuring Darius Rucker, Dean Felber, Mark Bryan, and Jim Sonefeld. They became a sensation and held the course for 20 years, taking a break from their rigorous touring in 2008. Rucker went out on his own as a solo artist and became a success in the country music genre. They had a reunion in 2019, releasing a new studio album after fourteen years with sixteen singles that charted and a platinum album that sold more than 21 million copies. Here are the 10 best Hootie & the Blowfish songs of all time as ranked by fans and critics.
10. “Running From An Angel”
Return of Rock rates “Running From An Angel” as the tenth best song ever released by the band. It’s a song about a woman he loved who couldn’t seem to stop betraying him. The song came out of the “Cracked Rear View” album that dropped in 1994 after the band had been around for about 8 years.
9. “Hannah Jane”
“Hannah Jane” is an iconic song for the band, appearing on the “Cracked Rear View” album in 1994. The title of the song is the name of the pub that set the background for the formation of Hootie and the Blowfish. It’s a popular watering hole in Columbia, South Carolina and the place has a special meaning for all members of the group.
8. “I’m Goin’ Home”
The 1994 “Cracked Rear View” album was chock full of high hits for Hootie & the Blowfish. “I’m Goin’ Home” is a song that helped a lot of fans. It’s about learning to cope with the loss of a loved one. The lyrics describe the loss of a mother and having the faith to believe in life after death, and going to a better place. It became a hit for the group and it remains one of the solid top-ten hits that fans still find relevant.
7. “I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You”
“I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You” appeared on the “Scattered, Smothered and Covered” album that was released in 2000. It was a big hit for the group with Rucker’s smooth vocals. It’s a romantic song that showcases the vocal range of Darius Rucker as he puts it over as one of the most romantic songs in the group’s history. It’s a fan favorite and probably always will be.
6. “I Go Blind”
“I Go Blind” was released on the “Cracked Rear View” album that came out in 1994. This song calls for us to take a hard look at what’s going on around us instead of pretending that social issues don’t exist. It’s about the plight of children who are living in an oppressive world. The intense and moving song points out the facts. It points to those of us who pretend not to notice inequities and injustices and act like it’s not happening. It’s a powerful song about finding a life that is not occupied with the struggle for basic survival.
5. “Time”
Classic Rock History ranks “Time” as the fifth-best song that the band has ever released. It appeared on the “Cracked Rear View” album in 1994 and was the fourth single that emerged from the debut album. It peaked on the charts at number 14, which wasn’t bad at all.
4. “Old Man & Me”
“Old Man & Me” is a song that appeared on the album “Fairweather Johnson.” This song is one of the most popular from the 1996 release. It dropped just two years after the previous album “Cracked Rear Window” with a high bar to reach. The group was on a positive forward trajectory. They had done so well that the pressure was on to maintain their momentum. Although the “Fairweather Johnson” album didn’t make as many sales, the song “Old Man & Me” was arguably one of the biggest this of all time for Rucker and his bandmates.
3. “Hold My Hand”
“Hold My Hand” is an iconic song for the band. It became the third-best single of all time for Hootie & the Blowfish. The single hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1994, peaking at the number ten spot. It was released when the grunge scene was one of the most intense new forces to be reckoned with on the music scene. It gave those that didn’t get into the Seattle grunge vibe an alternative and a smooth tune to listen to with a positive message. “Hold My Hand” was first released on the “Cracked Rear View” album in 1994.
2. “Let Her Cry”
“Let Her Cry” is the second-best Hootie & the Blowfish song ever released. The song came out on the “Cracked Rear View” album in 1994. It was the winner of a Grammy Award that year. It was the second single released from the album. The song peaked on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts at the ninth position in 1994.
1. “I Only Wanna Be With You”
The number one top hit for Hootie & the Blowfish is “I Only Wanna Be With You.” This tune was released on the “Cracked Rear View” album in 1994 as the third single released. In 1995, it charged on the Billboard Hot 100 in the number six spot at its peak. This tune was one of the group’s most requested songs on the radio. It remains a favorite today.
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