Track Listing

1. I Can Love You Better
2. Wide Open Spaces
3. Loving Arms
4. There's Your Trouble
5. You Were Mine
6. Never Say Die
7. Tonight the Heartache's on Me
8. Let 'Er Rip
9. Once You've Loved Somebody
10. I'll Take Care of You
11. Am I the Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way)
12. Give It Up or Let Me Go

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1931 in Music
• Released on: 1998-01-27
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com essential recording
The major-label debut from this Texas trio proves their instrumental abilities, blending more traditional twang with slow melodic blues, foot-tapping rockabilly, and bluegrass-inspired pop harmonies. From the opener, "I Can Love You Better," the Chicks let their love of music and genuine joy shine through while the energy on this album reminds one of Carlene Carter. Solid musicianship, topnotch vocal performances, and infectious pop hooks make this a stellar project. --Paula Ghergia

Country Music
Like a lot of young Nashville acts, The Dixie Chicks borrow a lot from 70's and 80's California pop-rock; unlike a lot of their peers, The Chicks go to the originals for their material, and cover songs written by J.D. Souther, Maria McKee, Tom Jans and Bonnie Raitt.... Until they can make a song crackle with danger and lust, The Dixie Chicks will merely be a pleasant but inconsequential diversion.

People
This Dallas Trio ... have a lively delivery and tightly harmonized sound reminiscent of Georgia's Forester Sisters. Although the politically correct may growl at the Chick's throwback tendencies--they do a lot of stand-by-tour-man and grieve-over-the-loss-of-him songs--this is an old-fashioned, good-time album, affable and rich with sweet-toned melodies.

Customer Reviews

Truly a wonderful CD!
The first song I heard from this album was "Wide Open Spaces." I immediately liked the harmony and sound of this song, but was a little hesitant to buy the album since The Dixie Chicks was a new group to me (they had been performing for years prior) and I didn't know if the other songs would be as pleasing.

Well, later I heard "There's Your Trouble" and found the beat and melody very infectious indeed. So I decided to buy the CD on the merits of those two songs. Soon afterward, the hit, "You Were Mine," a beautiful and melancholy song about divorce was released. Following "You Were Mine," another country hit, "Tonight the Heartache's on Me" was released. This tune is also very catchy and much more country sounding than the previous hits mentioned, but very good nonetheless. Then there's the more universally appealing hit, "I Can Love You Better." This is a fun and peppy tune I love too.

The Dixie Chicks' "Wide Open Spaces" has become one of my favorites in my 1,000 CD collection. I have come to enjoy every song on the album. It's one of those handful of CDs in my collection that I can listen to from start to finish over and over again. I believe this CD will appeal to Country and Pop music lovers alike. The Dixie Chicks' follow-up album, "Fly" is good, but I don't believe it has the same magic and cohesiveness that this album exhibits. Enthusiastically recommended!

Excellent!
First off, let me say that I listen to ONLY country music. I don't see why people are saying that this CD is not country enough. It's packed with country songs, and while it does fit in with the crossover music that's popular today, it definitely stays within the country boundaries. I have both of the Dixie Chicks album's, and I prefer Wide Open Spaces over the newer album Fly. I think Wide Open Spaces is one of the best country albums available today. It combines upbeat, fun-loving songs with tender, heart-felt ballads. My personal favorites are Wide Open Spaces, Loving Arms, You Were Mine, Never Say Die, and Am I The Only One (who's ever felt this way). If you're considering purchasing a Dixie Chick's album for the first time, this one is the one you want. While Fly is a good album, it doesn't have the emotion and energy of Wide Open Spces. So purchase this album today, especially if you're a country music fan! You'll be glad you did!

Terrific Major-Label Debut
The Dixie Chicks had been kicking around the country music scene for years with a variety of personnel before they added Natalie Maines as lead singer and released "Wide Open Spaces" - their major label debut. The CD, of course, was a huge smash and established them as one of the biggest country groups ever. In fact, with over 12 million copies sold, "Wide Open Spaces" is the best-selling CD ever by a country group (#2 is their "Fly" CD). After they released this CD, the group also won the Country Music Association (CMA) Award for Vocal Group of the Year in 1999.

Five songs on the CD were major hits, starting with the "I Can Love You Better" (#7 in 1998), a playful up-tempo song. The group then scored three #1's in a row: "There's Your Trouble" (2 weeks in 1998), "Wide Open Spaces" (4 weeks in 1998), and "You Were Mine" (2 weeks in 1999). "Wide Open Spaces" has really become their signature song; it's a great sing-a-long about a girl's need to find her own place in the world. In addition, it won the CMA Award for Song of the Year. They finished with "Tonight the Heartaches on Me" (#6 in 1999), which is a very fun swing tune. Of note, "Let 'Er Rip" also scored some airplay and peaked at #64, although it wasn't released as an official single.

In addition to these hits, the CD is filled with terrific songs. "Loving Arms" has been a hit before for several artists, including Elvis Presley; the Chicks add some nice sweetness to it. Perhaps the prettiest ballad on the CD is the top-notch "Once You've Loved Somebody." I'm also impressed with "Give It Up or Let Me Go": a cover of a Bonnie Raiit song that the Chicks have made into a serious barn-burner.

I hadn't heard of the Dixie Chicks until this CD was released, so I don't have the bias against them that a few others seem to have; that is, thinking that the group "sold out." Although this CD is clearly more mainstream than their older work (which I've heard on TV shows), their music is still more country-oriented than that of many contemporary hit groups. I really admire their music, and this CD is a great listen.