7 January 2025 - The (Dixie) Chicks - Wide Open Spaces

I decided this year to go through all my drafts on this blog.  I have, not a joke, almost 500 of them, a large percentage intended for future March posts.  

Yes, my musical tastes skew a little Canadian. Sue me. 

This song was my oldest draft, and it'll surprise some of you that I actually enjoy the song, unironically.   A song about a young woman leaving home to live her life on her own.... it was written by award-winning songwriter Susan Gibson, from the alt-country group The Groobies - who would go on to RELEASE the song themselves in 1999.... after recording it a few years prior.

So how did the song get to the Chicks?

That album the Groobies was recording was produced by famed country producer Lloyd Maines, who happens to have a daughter named Natalie..... and he thought the song was a good fit for his daughter's new group's first album (which would also be named Wide Open Spaces).   (Also, anyone who thinks it's talent and not who you know that makes a hit - well, this is evidence to the contrary). 

Remember earlier when I mentioned Susan Gibson was an award-winning songwriter?  This song, which she loved and, by most accounts I found, still does, is a large reason for that.  Sure, it was deeply personal for her - but the fact that it resonated with another artist was something she not only understood, she appreciated. 

Anyway, this song, which ended up being the Chicks' third single, was a HUGE hit - and their performance was a big reason for that. 

OF COURSE they perform it live, and of course it is brilliant.

Now go to Totally Covered, because we have a more recent cover of this song there.  

3 January 2025 - Lights - Damage

"Hey, remember when you used to use that quote style in your blog posts?"  

"Yeah, that was kind of lazy.  It was usually a sign I was out of ideas."

"Kind of like when you try to sneak in a Lights post?"  

"Are you implying something?"

"Yeah, I'm implying that there is literally a relatively new Lights song you haven't posted featuring a video of her giving herself a haircut."

"I just assumed her hair would fit behind that LŪN mask easier if she cut it?"

"I mean, I guess that's true.  Want to actually say something of substance about this song?"

"It's kind of a throwback to older Lights, I guess, and even she's said it's Little Machines coded. "

"Seems like you're making an excuse to add another link here."  

"Just listen to the music."

"I mean, also, that's not her hair colour.  She probably was wearing a wig."

"This live video implies otherwise, buddy."

"OK, we stand corrected.  Sorry."

"Her tears at the end of that video were also real, buddy.  Wanna doubt that?!"

2 January 2025 - Taylor Swift - You Need To Calm Down

I think I've mentioned here that I thought Lover was a high water mark for Taylor Swift.  This song is yet another reason why.  Written and produced by Swift and Joel Little, this LGBTQ+ anthem is fun, funky and smart.  The song peaked at #2 on the pop charts in the US, blocked from #1 by the juggernaut that was "Old Town Road".   

But can we talk about this video?  So many cameos - and a lot of them are members of the LGBTQ+ community, which is wonderful.... but also, for all those people who thought "Bad Blood" was about Katy Perry must have been satified to see Ms. Hudson show up in this video wearing a hamburger and sharing a sweet moment with a fries-wearing Swift.  

The video is fun and completely unhinged.   

What would we be if we didn't include an Eras Tour version of this song?

1 January 2025 - Tommy Richman - Million Dollar Baby

What a weird song to start 2025 with?

Yeah.  It is.   

But also, it's unlike any other song released in 2024, and it was a HUGE hit.... Richman's first as a vocalist.  Strangely, it's a non-album single that does not appear on his later-in-2024 album Coyote, itself a decent piece of work.

Anyway, I don't post a lot of trap music, so when I hear something interesting and different, I am going to post it.  

This is going to be our biggest year yet, so stay tuned.