Three Dixie Chick Songs

Around 1997 I was listening to the country sounds of the Dixie Chicks. I loved hearing the violin and the excellent vocal harmonies. Along came the ever-popular song, Wide Open Spaces and from there, I knew I had to purchase the songbook.

I thought I'd share a few of their songs in the Key of E to start with. Of course, there are a few songs in A, like Give It Up Or Let Me Go, You Were Mine, and Loving Arms. Also, from the album, you'll find one in the Key of F and a few in C.

Here are 3 chord charts in E:

I Can Love You Better

Key of E Major
4/4 Time (Moderately)

C#m  B/C#  C#m          E 
Doodum doooh ooh oh
C#m            D D 
Hey hey hey oooh 
E             D                   A          
She's got you wrapped up in her satin and lace 
E       D                 A 
Tied around her little finger 
E                D          A     
She's got you thinking you never can escape 
E          D                     A     
Don't you know your heart's in danger 
B                        C#m      
There's a devil in that angel face 
    D                      A                        
If you could only see the love that you're wasting 

Chorus:

E      D         A            
I can love you better that that 
E              D         A 
I know how to make you forget her 
E        D             A              
All I'm askin' is for one little chance 
E           D         A             E ----D A 
Baby I can love you, Baby I can love you better 


E          D               A              
I'm gonna break the spell she's got on you 
E            D           A 
You're gonna wake up to find 
E          D              A      
I'm your desire my inten-tions are true 
E     D              A 
Hey babe, I know in time 
B                          C#m 
You're gonna see what you mean to me 
    D                       A              A  
So open up your eyes cause seeing is believing 

Chorus


C#m  B   C#m    E 
Woooo oooh oooh oh 
C#m  B   C#   D   A7 
Hey hey hey oooh

Chorus: 
E      D         A          A 
I can love you better than that
E              D         A 
I know how to make you forget her 
E        D             A 
All I'm askin' is for one little chance 
E           D         A 
Baby I can love you, Baby I can love you 
E      D         A 
I can love you better than that 
E              D         A         E 
I know how to make you forget her 
E        D             A 
All I'm askin' is for one little chance 
E           D         A 
Baby I can love you, Baby I can love you 
E      D         A               E 
I can love you better than that 
E      D         A     E 
I can love you better 
E      D         A 
I can love you better than that 
E           D         A                    E       
Baby I can love you, Baby I can love you better 

Wide Open Spaces

Key of E Major

4/4 Time (Moderately Fast)

Intro: E A/C# E A/C# E A/C# E A/C# E F#m7 E F#m7 A/B

E = E/BEG#

A/C# = C#/AC#F#

F#m7 = F#/C#EA

A/B = B/C#EAB

WEho doesn't kF#m7now what I'm Etalking about


Who's never left hF#m7ome, who's never stE/G#ruck out


To find a drAeam and a life of their oEwn


A pAlace in the clouds, a founA/B         Bdation of stone


  EMany preF#m7cede and many will fEollow



AE young girl's dF#m7ream no longer hEollow

It takes the sAhape of a place out Ewest

But what it hAolds for her, she hasn't yA/Bet guessed

Chorus:

She needs wEide oF#m7pen sp
aces

REoom to mF#m7ake her big m
istakeAs

She needsE neF#m7w faAces

She kBnows the high sEtakes F#m7   A  B

Verse 2:

SEhe traveled this F#m7road as a cEhild

WEide eyed and grF#m7inning, she never tEired

But now she wAon't be coming back with the rEest

If these are lAife's lessons, she'll take tA/Bhis test

(Repeat Chorus)

                             A/C#                             E

As her folks drive away, her dad yells, "Check the oil!"

                               A/C#                             E

Mom stares out the window and says, "I'm leaving my girl"

She said, "It didn't seem like that long ago"

When she stood there and let her own folks know

(Repeat Chorus)

She knows the highest stakes

She knows the highest stakes

She knows the highest stakes

She knows the highest stakes


E F#m7 A  A/B E
Wide Open Spaces


Let 'Er Rip

Key of E Major

4/4 Time (Slowly, freely)

      A7                                      E 
I can tell there’s something you don’t wanna tell me
       A7                                 B  Bb7 A7 
It’s killing you cause words are hard to find
Bb7    A7                          E 
I know you want to break it to me gently
           F#7                      B   C B B7#5 
Well sweet baby say what’s on your mind

CHORUS:(Fast)
            E            E 
Let’er rip,   let it fly

Come on baby say it do you think I’m gonna cry
      A7                            E 
ain’t about to bawl  I ain’t gonna die
             B                      A7 
so if you’re gonna say goodbye don't take all damn night
           E            E7 
let’er rip, let it fly

A7                                                E
Why the drama we don’t have to drag out the situation
          A7                                                   B
It wasn’t you, it wasn’t me, sometimes the chemistry don’t ignite
      A7                                                 E
There ain’t no rings, no mortgage there ain't any complications
       F#7                                             B 
Just a hyphenated word get it out I’m sure I’ll be alright

Chorus:

It ain’t no big deal, it ain’t no great loss
You and I are on the same train of thought
You don't have to tell me where to get off
Maybe I misunderstood you if you leave me baby would ya

CHORUS:
            E            E 
Let’er rip,   let it fly

Come on baby say it do you think I’m gonna cry
      A7                            E 
ain’t about to bawl  I ain’t gonna die
             B                      A7 
so if you’re gonna say goodbye don't take all day and night
           E            E 
let’er rip, let it fly
             B                      A7 
so if you’re gonna say goodbye don't take all damn night
           E            E 
let’er rip, let it fly
            
Listen to the Dixie Chicks!
 
Country Music Shop Country Sheet Music!

            

Blessings,

-- LadyD

 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Christmas in July Piano Practice

"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least."  -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The question I like to ask my students is... "When do you practice?" Pretty much their response is after school or in the evening. So, we work with that and for sure I can hear their progress with the ones who diligently practice. However, what I found with homeschoolers and older adult students is that early morning practice is the best!

Here are a few important reasons why morning practice works:

• Sleep affects the learning of a fine motor skill in a very positive way.
• Morning practice is not as forgotten as our busy day unfolds.
• The discipline of morning practice establishes good proactive habits in other areas, too.
• You're mentally alert, in a better mood and have peace.
• Family members can hear you practice and make beautiful music.

What I have found to be true is doing a habit pattern over and over becomes built into the brain and you are more likely to keep up the new behavior... and that's a very good thing!

Here are a few approaches to practicing:

• Make the quiet parts of the song as quiet as can be and the loud parts real loud.
• Choose a song and count the rhythm quietly or aloud while you play.
• Pick the hardest part of the song and play it at least three times in a row.
• Play an easy song faster.

Some of my kiddos enjoy playing these chord progressions in their left hand:

FC /  GD /  AE /  CG

Perhaps you will combine notes from the D Minor 5 Finger Pattern with these L.H. Chords:

DA /  CG /  BbF /  CG

Another fun approach is having the right hand play a Pentascale while the left-hand plays the perfect octave interval as eighth notes. Start on C, move to F, back to C, then G to F. Try this in all the keys following the I - IV- V chords.

Congratulate yourself for having achieved what you set out to do! Now, let's take a look at an easy tutorial video on YouTube for Silent Night.

A great teaching video, Christmas Keys1, is a game changer. Here's what's inside:

Discover the power of "inversions" and how changing one note in your chord can totally alter the way a progression sounds!    Beginners: How to play an entire song with only three-fingered major chords (...also known as "major triads").    How to add fuel to your bass by understanding how "power" chords work in holiday music.    Discover the power of "walk-downs" with basic primary chords (...you'll learn this in "Silent Night")!    How to sneak in "filler 13th chords" on your right hand to keep your holiday songs sounding full at all times.

Happy Playing!

~ LadyD

 "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King