Dixie Chicks Make Comeback After Decade-Long Hiatus With New Song 'Gaslighter'

Mar 10, 2020

Country music group Dixie Chicks just made a comeback with the release of their latest song, Gaslighter. The song was released last week and marks the first track we've seen from the legendary girl band in a decade. 

The new song deals with 'gaslighting', a phenomenon where a person will make their victim question their own sanity through manipulation. 

It’s time to get your kicks with the Dixie Chicks once more. After a hiatus that spanned an entire decade, the infamous country trio is back in business. Their first official studio recording in ten years has just been released, and critics everywhere agree that it’s a doozy with seriously relevant cultural overtones.

Despite an expansive career that spans multiple generations, the Dixie Chicks still sound fresh and fabulous. Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Robison have crafted a signature sound that has endured for ages, but they don’t sound dated for a second. In fact, these ladies still know how to stir up a commotion and make a major impact.

According to Psychology Today, the composition takes its name from a psychological term referring to someone who makes repeated attempts to make a victim question their own sanity. While this type of behavior might seem like an outlier to the uninitiated, it is much more common than many people realize.

Thankfully, the Dixie Chicks are shining a spotlight on this manipulative disposition, which should help more girls recognize the pattern and break free. Such meaning is confirmed with verses that feature straightforward acknowledgments like this: “Tried to say I'm crazy, babe. We know I'm not crazy. That's you.”

Although the track is seemingly a personal reflection on Maines’ arduous divorce from Adrian Pasdar, the details of her experiences are universally relatable for women everywhere. Profound social statements are practically synonymous with the Dixie Chicks, but this single illustrates the band’s newfound willingness to openly explore private affairs.

By tying their own hardships into the larger picture of civilization in 2020, the performers cleverly show that all women face similar difficulties regardless of their individual statuses.

The highly emotional auditory exposé is also accompanied by a new music video, so this release marks their long-awaited return to the small screen as well. By incorporating retro clips of feminine portrayals from various points in time, the artistic piece cleverly examines the societal progression towards contemporary womanhood.

While there appear to be several clues hinting towards a larger mystery, the main point of this creation is to accentuate the song and its poignant message. In this regard, the visuals succeed powerfully. It’s also hard to deny the recording’s intimate nature, especially with lyrics like, “We moved to California and followed your dreams. I believed the promises you made to me. Swore that night ‘til death do us part. But you lied."

The chorus is where the singer’s personal experience is revealed to be a microcosm of today’s larger political movements. In a not-so-subtle attack on the patriarchy, these words are melodically repeated: “Doing anything to get your ass farther. Repeating all of the mistakes of your father.”

Although the lyrical content is heavy, these words are juxtaposed with an unusually upbeat tempo. Jack Antonoff’s production is a little more polished than hardcore Dixie Chicks fans might be accustomed to, but it reveals a jauntier side of the group’s persona that could be explored more.

Still, avid followers are probably hoping for a return to the stripped-back recording quality that emphasizes their extraordinary ability to harmonize. Ultimately, if Gaslighter is any indication, the upcoming album and tour will showcase a fun new style that slyly manages to maintain their serious bent for forward-thinking activism.

Are you excited that the Dixie Chicks are back? Can you relate to Gaslighter? Pass this along to friends who you think might enjoy this.