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.
Bitter End
Dixie Chicks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They still ring in my head
Don't you know
We say goodbye
With a tear in our eye
Oh, where'd you go
It's alright you can sleep tonight
Farewell to old friends
Let's raise a glass to the bitter end
Farewell to old friends
Will you be the same when we see you again
Remember the days
When we'd laugh as you played
Who would have known
The water would come and just take you away
Oh, where'd you go
It's not alright
I can't sleep tonight
Knowing you should have played on
On and on
Farewell to old friends
Let's raise a glass to the bitter end
Farewell to old friends
Will you forgive me when I see you again
You had a good time
Drinking all of our wine
After the show
We all rode the wave
Of that crazy parade
Oh, where'd you go
What happened to
The ones we knew
As long as I'm the shiniest star
Oh, there you are
Farewell to old friends
Let's raise a glass to the bitter end
Farewell to old friends
We'll still be here when you come round again
The lyrics of Dixie Chicks's song Bitter End are powerful in their contemplation of life and death, the passage of time and the fleeting nature of relationships. The song is an ode to friends and acquaintances whom the singer has lost along the way, as they reflect on the moments they shared together and the memories that remain. The repeated refrain "Farewell to old friends, let's raise a glass to the bitter end" is a poignant reminder of the bittersweet nature of goodbye, as the singer comes to terms with the fact that every ending is also a beginning.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for what's to come, as the singer recalls the words that are still ringing in their head despite the passage of time: "The words that you said, they still ring in my head". The second verse is particularly heart-wrenching, as the singer remembers the days when they used to laugh together before tragedy struck: "Remember the days when we'd laugh as you played, who would have known the water would come and just take you away". The song ends with an acknowledgement that life goes on, even as we say goodbye to friends who are no longer with us: "We'll still be here when you come round again".
Overall, Dixie Chicks's Bitter End is a powerful and moving tribute to the people who shape our lives, even as they slip away from us. The song is a reminder that we can only hold onto memories and cherish the moments we have, before they too become part of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
The words that you said
I can't stop thinking about what you said
They still ring in my head
Your words continue to affect me
Don't you know
Expressing frustration that the other person doesn't understand
We say goodbye
Acknowledging that it's time to part ways
With a tear in our eye
Feeling emotional about saying goodbye
Oh, where'd you go
Expressing confusion about where the other person went
It's alright you can sleep tonight
Trying to console the other person
Knowing you'll always live on in a song
Suggesting that the other person will be remembered in music
Farewell to old friends
Saying goodbye to people who were once close
Let's raise a glass to the bitter end
Toasting to the ending of a relationship, even if it wasn't pleasant
Will you be the same when we see you again
Questioning whether the other person will have changed by the next time they meet
Remember the days
Reflecting on the past
When we'd laugh as you played
Thinking back to times when they had fun together
Who would have known
Wondering how things could have turned out differently
The water would come and just take you away
Using water as a metaphor for change and loss
It's not alright
Admitting that they're not doing okay
I can't sleep tonight
Struggling with sadness or insomnia
Knowing you should have played on
Regretting that the other person's story didn't continue
On and on
Wishing that things could keep going forever
Will you forgive me when I see you again
Asking for forgiveness for any mistakes they made in the past
You had a good time
Noticing that the other person enjoyed themselves
Drinking all of our wine
Joking about sharing wine with the other person
After the show
Referencing a specific event or performance
We all rode the wave
Feeling like they were all in it together
Of that crazy parade
Comparing life to a parade - full of energy and chaos
What happened to
Expressing confusion about how things changed
The ones we knew
Talking about people they used to be close with
As long as I'm the shiniest star
Joking that they're the most important person
Oh, there you are
Realizing that the other person is still around
We'll still be here when you come round again
Promising to still be there for the other person in the future
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARTHA MAGUIRE, NATALIE MAINES, EMILY ROBISON, GARY LOURIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ot4cw6iv3f
Such a beautiful song. Natalie has such a beautiful voice. After 14 years she sounds just as beautiful and on point❤loving all their new music
@anneshreve2337
All I have to say is “I sure wish they would return “. I will always love their sound. Miss you girls.
@robbieatwell9462
Oh this song I cried and cried-it reminded me of my mom passing.1first verse,2nd-verse...I miss her daily.And this song is so POWERFUL.Probably my fave Dixie Chicks-song...Beautiful song.She played the piano and the 2nd verse Remember the days we would laugh as you played(I remember my brothers and I growing up in rural Texas.Us playing in the yard and hearing her playing the piano)I love the Dixie Chicks and when she died she had the Home CD I got her in the CD player(she died in an automobile accident on her birthday)She loved Landslide...Wow how your music has truly been a part of my life's playlist.
@Tess.of.all.trades
I played this song for my mom on the day of her funeral (today 4 years ago) 😔
Hugs
@barrydavidson6871
Going to be played at my dad's funeral in a couple of days.. he loved the Dixie's..
@michellejordan911
Love this song my cousin sang this at my dads funeral it was beautiful miss him everyday 😢💙
@biagiocarbone4477
Una bellissima ballata suonata e cantata splendidamente. Il testo è ben scritto e suggerisce anche le parole che non dice. La ascolto ma anche la suono molto volentieri e con commozione. Dalla lontana Italia un saluto da un vecchio musicista.
@rubsjaf7986
Best song ever...love❤ Dixie Chicks...
@trickychristopher
This sounds like my Dixie Chicks 💜
@denisesealy6053
Rest in everlasting peace Laura. Such sad news. Peace and love to all and prayers of comfort to your family, friends and fans 😢