The Chicks, formerly known as The Dixie Chicks, spent two weeks with the No. 1 song on country music radio back in 2000 with their release of "Cowboy Take Me Away."
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The popular tune about being swept off your feet by the one you love was written by Chicks' member Martie Maguire and songwriter Marcus Hummon. The song, which was inspired by band member Emily Strayer and her marriage to fellow singer-songwriter Charlie Robison, was released as the second single off their studio album Fly.
The hook of the song came from a famous slogan used in commercials for Calgon beauty products. When asked about the song on the VH1 show Storytellers, McGuire shared "[Emily] had been dating a bunch of guys I didn't approve of, and then she met Charlie and I sort of pictured him whisking her off into the sunset."
Read More: 'Not Ready to Make Nice':The Story Behind The Chicks' Triumphant Response To Controversy
The iconic country song made quite the impact on young Taylor Swift. In a 2019 Elle UK essay, Swift recalled, "To this day, when I hear 'Cowboy Take Me Away' by the Dixie Chicks, I instantly recall the feeling of being 12 years old, sitting in a little wood-paneled room in my family home in Pennsylvania. I'm clutching a guitar and learning to play the chords and sing the words at the same time, rehearsing for a gig at a coffee house."
The Chicks (Natalie Maines, Emily Robison, and Maguire) are well known for their hits "Travelin' Soldier," "Not Ready To Make Nice," "Without You," "Wide Open Spaces," "Sin Wagon," "Ready To Run" and "Goodbye Earl."
'Cowboy Take Me Away' Lyrics:
I wanna break it in my hands
I wanna grow something wild and unruly
I wanna sleep on the hard ground
In the comfort of your arms
On a pillow of blue bonnets
In a blanket made of stars
Oh, it sounds good to me
Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free, oh, I pray
Closer to heaven above and closer to you
Closer to you
I wanna skip and not fall
I wanna look at the horizon and not see a building standing tall
I wanna be the only one for miles and miles
Except for maybe you and your simple smile
Oh, it sounds good to me
Yes, it sounds so good to me
Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free, oh, I pray
Closer to heaven above and closer to you
Closer to you
I wanna break it in my hands
I wanna grow something wild and unruly
Oh, it sounds so good to me
Fly this girl as high as you can into the wild blue
Set me free, oh, I pray
Closer to heaven above and closer to you
Closer to you
Closer to you
Cowboy take me away
Closer to you
Editor's Note: This article previously ran in August of 2021.
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