“Decency / Would be for you to sign and release me / If you ever loved me / Then will you do this one last thing? / Set me free…” Natalie Maines, the front woman of The Chicks (formerly Dixie Chicks) sounds kinder, gentler, and more vulnerable on the aforementioned lyrics. This is certainly not the Maines who created quite a stir criticizing President Bush back in the day. Here, she’s sincerely pained, and it’s thanks to the d-word, divorce. The excerpted lyrics hail from “Set Me Free,” the concluding song off the trio’s 2020 comeback album, Gaslighter. Here, Maines seeks atonement for unnecessary pain inflicted by her ex-husband following a messy, ugly divorce.
On this thoughtful ballad, Maines implores her ex to be a bigger, better person, like she knows he can be (“There’s a good guy in there”). Even though they’re separated, she’s still attached and entrenched because of legal issues, which she claims are his doing, keeping her imprisoned. “Why, oh why do you keep me tethered?” she asks on the first verse, continuing, “You’ve taken enough from me / Untangle me from your lifeline / Why not just set me free?” On the second verse, Nat speaks ability to ‘let go,’ singing, “You risked my body, broke my spirit / And still, I’ve let you go.” Now, it’s on him to do the right thing.
Personal to the nth degree, “Set Me Free” is record that should be relatable to anyone who’s had a messy breakup/divorce and still feel ‘aftershocks,’ or perhaps, the earthquake hasn’t quite subsided. Basically, Maines and The Chicks are tired of it. Time to move on, heal, and start a fresh new chapter in life.
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About The Curator - Brent Faulkner
Slightly eccentric with interests that seem to know no ends, restless ‘Renaissance Man’ is the best way to characterize Brent Faulkner, a native of Kentucky. A certified music educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his incredibly sharp ear, he lives and breathes music of a variety of styles. In addition to passion for educating, performing, and writing music, he’s equally passionate blogging and writing about it, managing his own site, The Musical Hype (https://themusicalhype.com). When he’s not intensely analyzing music, you can find him reading or watching a movie, reality television or some sporting event.
