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.
Wide Open Space
Dixie Chicks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who's never left home, who's never struck out
To find a dream and a life of their own
A place in the clouds, a foundation of stone
Many precede and many will follow
A young girl's dreams no longer hollow
It takes the shape of a place out west
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes
She traveled this road as a child
Wide eyed and grinning, she never tired
But now she won't be coming back with the rest
If these are life's lessons, she'll take this test
She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes
She knows the high stakes
As her folks drive away, her dad yells, "Check the oil!"
Mom stares out the window and says, "I'm leaving my girl"
She said, "It didn't seem like that long ago"
When she stood there and let her own folks know
She needed wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes
She knows the high stakes
She knows the highest stakes
She knows the highest stakes
She knows the highest stakes
The lyrics to the Dixie Chicks' song Wide Open Spaces tell the story of a young woman's journey to find her own place in the world. The first verse sets the scene by asking who hasn't left home to pursue a dream of their own. The second verse talks about the many who have come before and will come after, but for this young girl, her dream takes the shape of a place out west. She doesn't know what it holds for her yet, but she knows she needs wide open spaces and room to make mistakes.
The chorus repeats the idea that she needs wide open spaces and new faces to find her place in the world. The third verse reveals that she had traveled this road as a child, full of wonder and excitement, but now she won't be coming back with the rest. She knows she must take this test called life and find her own way.
The final verse is poignant, as it is the moment when her parents leave her to find her own way. Her father yells out to check the oil, while her mother stares out the window and says, "I'm leaving my girl." The young woman reflects on how it wasn't that long ago when she had stood there and told her parents that she needed wide open spaces. She knows that the stakes are high, but she's ready to face whatever comes her way.
With its catchy melody and relatable lyrics, Wide Open Spaces has become a beloved song of empowerment and independence, inspiring many people to pursue their own dreams and find their own place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Who doesn't know what I'm talking about
Who among us has never felt the need to strike out on our own and find our place in the world?
Who's never left home, who's never struck out
Who has never taken a risk and left the safety of their familiar surroundings?
To find a dream and a life of their own
To pursue the dream they have always held close in their hearts and create a life uniquely their own.
A place in the clouds, a foundation of stone
A place of fascinating possibilities and excitement, yet grounded in something strong and enduring.
Many precede and many will follow
Countless others have taken this path before, and countless more will follow in their footsteps, all seeking the same thing.
A young girl's dreams no longer hollow
The dreams of a young girl no longer seem distant and unattainable, but within reach if she is brave enough to pursue them.
It takes the shape of a place out west
The dream she envisions is a place in the western part of the country, full of endless possibilities and excitement.
But what it holds for her, she hasn't yet guessed
She is uncertain of what this journey will hold for her, but knows that she must take the chance and find out.
She needs wide open spaces
She longs for freedom and the ability to explore without constraints, both physically and emotionally.
Room to make her big mistakes
She wants the space to take risks and make errors, learn from them and move on, without judgment or regrets.
She needs new faces
She yearns for new people to meet, to learn from, and to create new memories with.
She knows the high stakes
She is aware of the significant risks and the uncertainty of this journey, but despite that, she keeps moving forward and taking risks.
As her folks drive away, her dad yells, "Check the oil!"
As she sets out on her journey, her father reminds her to be practical and take care of herself along the way.
Mom stares out the window and says, "I'm leaving my girl"
As she watches her daughter depart, her mother feels the poignant mix of sadness and pride that comes with letting your child go to pursue their dreams.
She said, "It didn't seem like that long ago"
Reflecting on how quickly time has passed, the young girl remembers standing in the same spot where her parents now stand, declaring her need to venture out on her own.
When she stood there and let her own folks know
Remembering that moment, she realizes that she has come full circle and is now the one striking out on her own.
She knows the highest stakes
The risks she is taking are monumental, yet she is determined to keep going and see where these open spaces will take her.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT
Written by: Susan Gibson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anthonyoram7614
Am I the only person that still Calls them the Dixie Chicks even though people think the word “Dixie” is racist. It just means Southern.
@stephenhobbs5883
I'll be honest I had no idea they changed it 😢
@hensen5309
I grew up in Oklahoma. I was born the year 2000. My school played this every morning. We had multiple songs we would sing when we got there in the morning. This was one of the songs.
@LawrenceMcLaughlan-jj4kz
1 of there best songs
@waynemasey545
That's a wonderful way to start the day magical Wayne in ecclefecan Scotland
@lyndseymendoza8113
Checking in June 2023
Such a timeless hit, thank you Dixie chicks!! ❤♾️
@Kevin-qo6qt
Yep!
@Kevin-qo6qt
8/23......
@peterdavis8471
The sixty chick's sounds great
@JD-72191
I liked it better when they were called the Dixie Chicks.