We're not getting The Dixie Chicks' first album in 14 years this week, with Gaslighter's original May 1 release date getting postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The indefinite shelving of the new album does not equate a lack of new music though, because "Julianna Calm Down" got posted to the band's Instagram account on Thursday (April 30).
The post identifies the empowerment anthem as track nine off members Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire's Jack Antonoff-produced album.
Lyrically, there's more f-words and phrases at play than "five minute song" as the trio offers advice about heartbreak and other temporary setbacks to not just the title character but also Harper, Eva, Katie, Violet, Juno, Yaya, Berta, Amelia, Naomi and Hesper. The names of the heartbroken and heartbreakers may change, but the heartfelt advice of friends and mentors stays consistently true. Or it might be motherly wisdom— Stayer has a daughter named Julianna.
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Musically, the new song leans more pop than past Dixie Chicks cuts, including the forthcoming album's title track. For some, a slicker sound will feed negative perceptions about the trio. For others, more examples of the Chicks' evolving sound (if not a remix or three of "Julianna Calm Down") cannot hit social media soon enough.
"Julianna Calm Down" Lyrics
Julianna, calm down
You know he's about to leave but don't panic
Don't give him the satisfaction that you can't handle it
Breathe
It'll be okay
And, Harper, hold on
To the peace you know he's gonna try to take when he's gone
And you know exactly where he'll try to take it from
Breathe
It'll be okay
Just put on, put on, put on your best shoes
And strut the f**k around like you've got nothing to lose
Show off, show off, show off your best moves
And do it with a smile so he doesn't know it's
Put on, put on, put on
Put on, put on
Don't think about his lips
How every time he'd kiss you, you'd tremble
Try to only think about the bad things you remember
Breathe
It'll be okay
I guess this is the time to remind you
Sometimes, what's going through your head
Is just a temporary situation
And light will soon be shed, oh
Just put on, put on, put on your best shoes
And strut the f**k around like you've got nothing to lose
Show off, show off, show off your best moves
And do it with a smile so that no one knows it's
Put on, put on, put on
Put on, put on, put on, yeah
Put on, put on, put on
Put on, put on
And, Katie, calm down
You know there'll come a time you think you can't handle it
But dig deep and know that you can handle it
Breathe
It'll be okay
And, Eva, hold on
To everything you know to be true
Don't let the wolves get the best of you
Breathe
You're gonna make it through
So just put on, put on, put on your best shoes
And strut the f**k around like you've got nothing to lose
Show off, show off, show off your best moves
And do it with a smile so that no one know it's
Put on, put on, put on
Put on, put on, put on, yeah
Put on, put on, put on, oh
Put on, put on
I guess this is the time to remind you
Sometimes, what's goin' through your head
Is just a temporary situation
And light will soon be shed, oh
Just put on, put on, put on, yeah
Put on, put on, put on, yeah
Put on, put on, put on, yeah
Put on, put on
And Violet, calm down
And Juno, calm down
And Yaya, calm down
And Berta, calm down
Hesper, calm down
And Amelia, calm down
Naomi, calm down
Juliana, calm down
Julianna, calm down
Julianna, calm down
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