# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1992 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 1, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276 "2014-11-01T16:40:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/1 "2014-11-01T16:40:01Z")
Our survey brings us now to 1992. As I’ve mentioned before, songs started to have much longer runs at #1 once Billboard switched to Nielsen SoundScan, and this is the first full year where we can see the difference; with MJ carrying over, we have a mere 13 songs to choose from, two of which broke the record for longest run at #1 that Elvis set all the way back in 1956, as well as the first rap song by an African-American to reach #1. You know the rules. What’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/2 "2014-11-01T16:47:51Z")
By a landslide, Whitney Houston, _I Will Always Love You_. One of the truly great vocal performances of our day. It helps that the others are all meh at best. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/3 "2014-11-01T16:48:14Z")
The only ones I could consider voting for are Kriss Kross and Boyz II Men. I went with the Boyz – hey, at least they brought group vocal harmonizing back into vogue. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/4 "2014-11-01T16:53:13Z")
I voted for Vanessa Williams. “Save the Best for Last” is a really beautiful song and doesn’t sound dated today. Boyz II Men is the runner-up. If I never hear “I Will Always Love You” ever again it will be too soon. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/5 "2014-11-01T16:56:00Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > I voted for Vanessa Williams. “Save the Best for Last” is a really beautiful song and doesn’t sound dated today. > > Boyz II Men is the runner-up. > > If I never hear “I Will Always Love You” ever again it will be too soon. I agree with everything you said except for the middle. If I ever hear Boyz II Men again it will be too soon. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/6 "2014-11-01T16:59:18Z")
I voted for Sir Mix-a-Lot, and I can not lie. It was pretty much _the_ big song that showed the world what hip-hop was capable of, its lyrics and video were downright scandalous and still are today, and hip-hop/rap/R&B artists are still imitating it today (I can think of at least three major radio hits about the buttocks this year alone, one of which is the current #1). Plus, Mix-a-Lot is a a Seattle native and is still active in the Seattle music scene to this day ([here he is performing his signature song with the Seattle Symphony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w59e20ijOpE)), and since Nirvana never made it to #1, at least there’s _one_ PNW musician I can rep for in this survey. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/7 "2014-11-01T17:04:18Z")
The main improvement over the previous year is that there are less songs. The quality is still below par, but I picked Right said Fred for the novelty value. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/8 "2014-11-01T17:33:47Z")
There’s a question? Baby Got Back. Done. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/9 "2014-11-01T17:37:00Z")
Can I take votes away from “I will always Love you”? I HATE that rendition of the song. I can’t sit though it. It is so over sung, it is like a punch in the face. The Dolly Parton [version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS-F4rfU4ns) is so much better. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/10 "2014-11-01T17:53:51Z")
It was hard to decide between Right Said Fred and Sir Mix-a-Lot. Butts are great, but Fred won just by making my butt move more. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/11 "2014-11-01T17:53:54Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Can I take votes away from “I will always Love you”? I HATE that rendition of the song. I can’t sit though it. It is so over sung, it is like a punch in the face. The Dolly Parton [version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS-F4rfU4ns) is so much better. It’s kinda like Axl Rose’s version of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. All performance, but way to miss the point… ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/12 "2014-11-01T18:01:44Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > It’s kinda like Axl Rose’s version of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. All performance, but way to miss the point… Ehhh. Whitney’s version suffers from a lot of the same problems of over-production that were endemic to '90s soft-pop (and late '80s come to think of it, since “Wind Beneath My Wings” had all the same negative qualities this one does), and the instrumentation is inferior to the simple country rhythm of the original, but I have to say her voice is a lot better than Dolly’s. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/13 "2014-11-01T18:01:59Z")
I won’t vote now, decide whether George upstaging Elton, Vanessa Williams, or Right Said Fred gets the vote. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/14 "2014-11-01T18:02:01Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > It was hard to decide between Right Said Fred and Sir Mix-a-Lot. Butts are great, but Fred won just by making my butt move more. On the catwalk? On the _catwalk,_ yeah, you shake your little tush on the catwalk. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/15 "2014-11-01T18:03:23Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > On the catwalk? On the _catwalk,_ yeah, you shake your little tush on the catwalk. Then turn around, and stick it out. Even white boys got to shout. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/16 "2014-11-01T18:05:51Z")
I wasn’t really a fan of slow jams, but “End of the Road” gets my vote here. ---
**Author:** ![Abracadebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Abracadebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abracadebra)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/17 "2014-11-01T18:07:44Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > It’s kinda like Axl Rose’s version of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. All performance, but way to miss the point… No kidding. “Knock, knock, knocking on heaven’s dohooer, aye aye aye aye aye”. Same for the Whitney cover. Dolly’s version is sweet and heartfelt. Whitney just crushes the sentiment right out of it. I voted for George and Elton, just because I love those Bernie Taupin lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/18 "2014-11-01T19:42:10Z")
“Baby Got Back” blows this field away like [Secretariat at the Belmont Stakes](http://www.secretariat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Belmont_-Stakes_-31-lengths_photo1.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/19 "2014-11-01T19:55:58Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > “Baby Got Back” blows this field away like [Secretariat at the Belmont Stakes](http://www.secretariat.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Belmont_-Stakes_-31-lengths_photo1.jpg). I agree. This year was an easy choice. Like it or not, Baby Got Back is a true classic and original song that still doesn’t sound dated. Even people that usually hate hip-hop still like it. I heard a street musician perform it this spring in an acoustic and very downbeat style. It was still catchy and hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276/20 "2014-11-01T20:06:46Z")
Another shitty year, another halfhearted vote. This time it was for Madonna’s “This Used to Be My Playground”. Almost went with “Baby Got Back”, but I figured - correctly - that that tune would be the far and away winner for this year. I do also like the George Michael (featuring Elton John) live cover of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”, but more for the video. Plus, while it’s perfectly pleasant and all, it is still merely a cover, and not a revelatory one (such as Sinead’s definitive version of “Nothing Compares 2 U”) at that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1992/703276.md?page=2)