SOLOSONGS: THE BEAUTY OF “WIDE OPEN SPACES”

SoloSongs is our feature in which we highlight songs that show the joys and struggles of being independent.

There are only a few songs that perfectly describe the need to be on your own. “Wide Open Spaces” is one of them.

The song, written by Susan Gibson and recorded by The Chicks (then called Dixie Chicks), depicts a young woman leaving home for the first time, backed by beautiful country instrumentation and perfect harmonies.

It captures that naïve hope young people feel when they’re undaunted by the fact that life will be hard. In fact, they are excited about it.

The chorus hits it perfectly: “She needs, wide open spaces/Room to make her big mistakes.”

Other details in the song give it its authenticity: “As her folks drive away her dad yells, ‘Check the oil.’”

The song, which appears on the album of the same name, became a huge hit for The Chicks, reaching number one on Billboard’s country charts and launching the band’s legacy as one of the most successful female music groups of all time.

Now it’s the theme song for every teenager who’s waiting to graduate from high school, ready to get out of the house and create their own life.

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