Track Listing

1. Ready to run
2. If I fall you're going down with me
3. Cowboy take me away
4. Cold day in July
5. Goodbye Earl
6. Hello Mr.Heartache
7. Don't waste your heart
8. Sin wagon
9. Without you
10. Some days you gotta dance
11. Hole in my head
12. Heartbreak town
13. Let him fly

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12040 in Music
• Released on: 1999-08-30
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
A much better album than 1998's multi-platinum Wide Open Spaces, the trio refused to rest on their commercial laurels and pushed the envelope in several directions. The first US single "Ready To Run" and the second track "If I Fall You're Going Down With Me" offer the same commercial appeal as before, but from there the Chicks up the ante. Not only does it contain more mainstream pop and traditional country sensibilities than virtually any other major label Nashville release in1999, ballads such as "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Without You" steer clear of the slushy side of Nashville. The album also rocks into the territory of alternative country on the mischievous murder song "Goodbye Earl", a tale of revenge on an abusive husband. It might be a shock to those who like the more formulated radio-friendly country of Wide Open Spaces, but on the other hand it has got the ability to appeal to a much wider audience. --Tim Perry

Customer Reviews

Another good album from the Dixie Chicks
I've had this album for a while now and its a joy to listen too. In my opinion, it's not as good as the album "Wide Open Spaces" but if you have that album, you should get this one too because it's more of the same. I think that "Hello Mr. Heartache" is the best on the album. It's really catchy and typifies the modern country sound that the Dixie Chicks try to do. The only thing that I think doesn't make it as good as the previous album is that the songs aren't as cheerful and seem more sombre. The new album "Home" goes back to the more happy sounding songs. Anyway, the songs are still good on this album though and once again written very well. Get this if you have "Wide Open Spaces" and get the new album "Home".

Just buy it!
Along with "No Place That Far" by Sara Evans my joint favourite album of 1999. Nice to hear country with banjos and fiddles so ingrained in the music that de-twanging for the pop market is a practical no no. Fabulous stuff, real good time music!

Traditional country with a contemporary edge
I first came across the Dixie Chicks via their album, Little old cowgirl, in the early nineties and I remember thinking how un-commercial it was. I was therefore surprised when their first major label album, Wide open spaces, became such a huge success, not only in America but internationally. In order to achieve that success, their sound - and their line-up - had changed substantially, but the quality was still there. Martie and Emily were always part of the group, but the two main singers had left and were replaced by Natalie. This album, their second on a major label but their fifth in total, shows further changes.

The group have had more than their share of controversy. Goodbye Earl is a song about domestic violence in which two women get their revenge by poisoning his food, killing him. In a footnote following the lyrics, the ladies say they do not advocate premeditated murder but love getting even. Nevertheless, they lost some fans and gained others because of the controversy.

Despite that song, this is generally an upbeat album, which was clearly a lot of fun to record if the goofy pictures are any indication. While their previous album contain a few covers, this contains just one - Cold day in July, first recorded by Joy White (now calling herself Joy Lynn White) and later covered by Suzy Bogguss. It is a great song and I'm glad it finally appeared on a top selling album although I still prefer Joy's version.

Elsewhere, the album is filled with exciting up-tempo songs, superb ballads and some great mid-tempo songs. Every track is brilliant but of those I haven't mentioned, my favorites are Ready to run, Hello Mr Heartache, Sin wagon, Without you and Some days you gotta dance.

Except for a few die-hards who insist that this isn't country, this should appeal to the vast majority of country fans. At a time when country music was getting ever further removed from its roots, the Dixie Chicks came along to prove that it is possible to sell country music in huge quantities while still sounding country. Long may they continue.