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!   March 28, 2000
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

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   October 28, 2004
Westley (Stuck in my head)
27 out of 32 found this review helpful

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.



It's hard to stay sad listening to these gals!   August 12, 1999
23 out of 27 found this review helpful

I absolutely hated country my whole life, with exception of Garth Brooks and Shania Twain. I mostly always listened to pop or alternative rock music...until I started noticing a change in my attitude and moods while I listened to that music. The lyrics of some of those alternative songs are so depressing and lifeless, I finally realized, I have my own problems, why do I need to listen to these jokers snivel? So a good friend of mine who always listened to country got me into country and for the last seven months, I haven't listened to anything else. But I have to admit, when I first heard the Dixie Chicks, I thought, "These are the girls I've been hearing so much about?" And then I noticed what a strange but unique voice the lead singer has. It actually grows on a person. But I heard Wide open spaces and there's your trouble and loved them. And when you were mine came out, that just caused me to go buy the cd, and I have yet to get sick of it. I've read all these reviews on here and someone said that their songs lack instrumental depth. I'd have to beg to differ. Listen to the last track. These girls kick butt to put it mildly. And I've also read people saying that the Dixie Chicks are more pop than country. NO WAY! I heard Wide Open Spaces on a pop station the other day without the fiddle in it, and with a pop beat and I have to say, it sounded ridiculous, because one hearing it can obviously tell it's a country song. There's no way to disguise that. Anyway, Dixie Chicks are great. I love their new song, Ready to Run. My boyfriend turns it up for me every time it comes on. Can't wait for "Fly"!


One of the best albums I own!   April 19, 2000
Carina (Hampshire, England)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

I bought "Wide Open Spaces" on impulse, after hearing "There's Your Trouble" just once on VH1. The album was an instant hit with me, and "There's Your Trouble" remains my favourite track. The album provides quite a wide range of music styles, although the theme throughout the CD is country. This is the sort of CD that you are always in the mood for, and although a lot of the tracks are quite sad, they are not depressing. One of the best songs on the album is "Let 'Er Rip" as this comes about half way through, and provides a complete contrast to most of the CD.

I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves music, and it is definitely enjoyable to non-country music fans. However, if you fall in love with this CD, be wary of the follow-up CD, "Fly" as the Dixie Chicks style has changed dramatically