In 2019, The Highwomen, a supergroup made up of Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires, released their debut single "Redesigning Women," a cheeky, harmony-filled tune chronicling the ups, downs and hard truths of womanhood.
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A little "9 to 5" mixed with Shania Twain's "Honey, I'm Home," the song, written by Natalie Hemby and Rodney Clawson, is a countrified "I Am Woman" for the 21st century.
"Redesigning women/ Runnin' the world while we're cleanin' up the kitchen," the group sings. "Makin' bank, shakin' hands, drivin' 80/ Trying to get home just to feed the baby."
Prior to joining the group, Hemby, who had written for the Dave Cobb-produced A Star is Born soundtrack, was approached by Cobb about writing songs for The Highwomen. Cobb suggested the band write their own statement of empowerment, similar to Parton's "9 to 5."
Hemby says the title was inspired by her love of the '80s and '90s sitcom Designing Women, starring Jean Smart, Annie Potts, Dixie Carter and Delta Burke.
"I used to watch a show all the time. I had that title for a long time," Hemby told Wide Open Country. "Dave [Cobb] was like 'We need like Dolly Parton '9 to 5.' And I was like 'Okay, how in the hell can I write something like that? That is a classic, iconic song.' But I'd had 'Redesigning Women' and, you know, look, as much as women are amazing, there's some amazing men that help women too. Rodney Clawson is a big songwriter here in Nashville and I called him and he writes some of my favorite lines in there, like 'always trying to make everybody feel special.' I just thought that was so funny."
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 12: (L-R) Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Amanda Shires of The Highwomen perform onstage as BMI presents Dwight Yoakam with President's Award at 67th Annual Country Awards Dinner at BMI on November 12, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Erika Goldring /Getty Images)
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Released in the summer of 2019, "Redesigning Women" was the perfect introduction to The Highwomen.
The song's video features Lauren Alaina, Cam, Wynonna, Tanya Tucker and more.
In 2020, The Highwomen's "Crowded Table," written by Hemby, Carlile and Lori McKenna, won a Grammy for Best Country Song.
Hemby released her second solo album, Pins and Needles, last year.
'Redesigning Women' Lyrics:
Always tryin' to make everybody feel special
Learnin' when to brake, and when to hit the pedal
Workin' hard to look good till we die
Raisin' our brows and a new generation
Rosie the Riveter with renovations
And always gets better with wine
Runnin' the world while we're cleanin' up the kitchen
Makin' bank, shakin' hands, drivin' 80
Trying to get home just to feed the baby
Skippin' the bread for the butter
Changin' our minds like we change our hair colour
Yeah ever since the beginning
We've been redesigning women
Some of us are saints and some of us are surgeons
Made in God's image, just a better version
And breakin' every Jell-o mold
And if the shoe fits, we're gonna buy eleven
How we get it done? We like to keep 'em guessin'
But secretly we all know
Runnin' the world while we're cleanin' up the kitchen
Makin' bank, shakin' hands, drivin' 80
Trying to a get home just to feed the baby
Skippin' the bread for the butter
Changin' our minds like we change our hair color
Yeah ever since the beginning
We've been redesigning women
Makin' it up as we go along
How do we do it? How do we do it?
Half way right and half way wrong
Runnin' the world while we're cleanin' up the kitchen
Makin' bank, shakin' hands, drivin' 80
Trying to get home just to feed the baby
Skippin' the bread for the butter
Changin' our minds like we change our hair color
Yeah ever since the beginning
We've been redesigning women
