The trio is currently ranked as the highest-selling female musical group in the USA, according to RIAA Gold & Platinum album certifications. As of 2012, The Chicks had won 13 Grammy Awards. While The Chicks continues, Maguire and Robison are writing and recording as Court Yard Hounds as of Feb 2010. The Dixie Chicks renamed the band in 2020 to The Chicks dropping Dixie from the official name as the name had the word 'Dixie' referencing the American Mason–Dixon line, which separated the free and slave-owning southern states.
Robin Lynn Macy was an original bandmember, as was Laura Lynch. Macy left the group in 1992, while Lynch was replaced by Natalie Maines in 1995.
The group aroused considerable controversy for publicly denouncing President George W. Bush and the imminent invasion of Iraq during the European leg of their Top of the World tour supporting Home. Many country music stations immediately pulled their music from the air, and the band received criticism from many corners of the media.
A Road Is Just a Road
Dixie Chicks Lyrics
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Laying rubber and spewing rust
And on any road he'd take
He'd have his foot on the pedal and my heart on the brake
Underneath the smooth tar curves
A road is only dust and dirt
On a lonely interchange
The signs all look the same
No matter where you go, from Waterloo to Wichita
A road is just a road that the one you love is leaving on
And midnight's another dawn, 100 miles ago
His wheels spun out of sight of me
Believing that I'd set him free
But I'd heard the voice of the prisoner
Saying he couldn't get enough of her
You go by land, you go by air
You go by sea, hell I don't care
You can go any way you choose
Wearing out the soles of your traveling shoes
And a road is just a road and a feeling's just a feeling
No matter where you go, from Bangor, Maine to Bakersfield
A road is just a road that the one you love is leaving on
And midnight's another dawn, a hundred miles ago
And every sleepless night I see him
Screaming by the scenery
Not noticing another mile
That's rolled down between him and me
'Cause a road is just a road and a feeling's just a feeling
No matter where you go, from Saskatoon to San Antone
A road is just a road that the one you love is leaving on
And midnight's another dawn, a hundred miles ago
Yes, a road is just a road and a feeling's just a feeling
No matter where you go, from San Bernardino to Sault Ste. Marie
A road is just a road that the one you love is leaving on
And midnight's another dawn, a hundred miles ago
In "A Road is Just a Road," the Dixie Chicks sing about the heart-wrenching experience of a lover leaving on a road trip. The song opens with a vivid scene of the lover tearing off in a cloud of dust and the singer left behind, feeling like her heart is on the brake. The lyrics then describe the monotony of the road, with its smooth tar curves and uniform signposts. Yet, despite its seeming sameness, the road becomes charged with meaning as the one you love pulls away, leaving behind only emptiness and heartache. The singer doesn't care how the lover leaves, whether by land, air, or sea, because no matter which road he takes, a road is just a road, and his leaving is what matters most. As the song draws to a close, the singer imagines her lover speeding down the highway, oblivious to the miles that have rolled down between them. Once again, the song emphasizes that no matter where the road leads or how many miles separate them, the one true feeling that matters is the ache of missing someone you love.
The lyrics of "A Road is Just a Road" are extremely powerful, conveying the deep sense of emptiness and loss that arises when a lover sets out on a journey without you. The monotony of the road and its interchangeability (as evidenced by the lookalike signs) only serve to underscore this sense of loss. The song is a reminder that, in the end, what really matters is the people we love and the connections we share. By immersing us in the visceral experience of heartache, the Dixie Chicks have created a song that resonates with anyone who has ever felt the pain of separation and the yearning for reunion.
Line by Line Meaning
He pulled out in a cloud of dust
He left abruptly, leaving a trail of dust behind.
Laying rubber and spewing rust
Driving fast, leaving a trail of burnt rubber and rust from the car.
And on any road he'd take
He was a restless traveler and would take any road available.
He'd have his foot on the pedal and my heart on the brake
He drove recklessly while I was worried and scared.
Underneath the smooth tar curves
The road may look smooth and perfect, but it's made of dust and dirt.
A road is only dust and dirt
Despite the smooth appearance of the road, it's made of simple materials like dust and dirt.
On a lonely interchange
Even on an empty intersection, the signs look alike.
'Cause a road is just a road and a feeling's just a feeling
The road and the emotions it evokes are both simple and straightforward.
No matter where you go, from Waterloo to Wichita
Traveling from one place to another doesn't change the simplicity of the road or the feelings associated with it.
A road is just a road that the one you love is leaving on
The road represents the path of someone leaving, and the pain felt by the one left behind.
And midnight's another dawn, 100 miles ago
Time and distance are insignificant when it comes to the feeling of loss and heartbreak.
His wheels spun out of sight of me
He drove away quickly, leaving me behind with a broken heart.
Believing that I'd set him free
He thought that by leaving, he was freeing himself from me and our relationship.
But I'd heard the voice of the prisoner
I knew that he was actually a prisoner of his love for me, despite his attempt to escape it.
Saying he couldn't get enough of her
He was unable to resist his love for me, no matter how hard he tried to leave.
You go by land, you go by air
The mode of travel doesn't change the underlying emotions and pain associated with leaving or being left behind.
Wearing out the soles of your traveling shoes
Traveling aimlessly in an attempt to escape one's feelings eventually becomes exhausting.
And every sleepless night I see him
The memory of his departure haunts me every night, keeping me awake.
Screaming by the scenery
He was driving so fast that he didn't even notice the passing scenery, or the emotional toll his leaving took on me.
Not noticing another mile
He was so focused on leaving that he didn't even realize how much distance had passed between us.
That's rolled down between him and me
The physical distance that had grown between us paralleled the emotional distance caused by his departure.
Yes, a road is just a road and a feeling's just a feeling
Despite the simplicity of the road and emotions, the pain and heartbreak caused by separation are real and difficult to bear.
No matter where you go, from San Bernardino to Sault Ste. Marie
The location doesn't matter, the pain caused by separation is universal.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHN JENNINGS, MARY CARPENTER, MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
natanbridge
I owned their cowgirl albums before Natalie Maines joined the group and they changed their image.