Claire Thompson
Travelin' Soldier is a song by the Dixie Chicks, from their 2002 album Home. It was written and originally recorded by Bruce Robison, a Texas singer-songwriter, in 1996 and again in 1999. The song is about a teenage girl who is waiting for a young soldier who has been drafted and paints a vivid image of a small-town Friday night. The Dixie Chicks' version was released during the US intervention in Afghanistan, and later during the Iraq War, giving the song a new political dimension.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year written | 1996 |
| Writer | Bruce Robison |
| First recorded by | Bruce Robison |
| Year first recorded | 1996 |
| Year first released | 1999 |
| Album first released on | Long Way Home From Anywhere |
| Year the Dixie Chicks recorded the song | 2002 |
| Album the Dixie Chicks recorded the song for | Home |
| Date released as a single by the Dixie Chicks | December 9, 2002 |
| Song genre | Country |
| Song theme | War, grief, loss, love |
| Song perspective | Teenage girl waiting for a young soldier to return from war |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- 'Travelin' Soldier' was written by Bruce Robison in 1996 and rereleased in 1999
- The song is about a teenage girl waiting for a young soldier to return from war
- The Dixie Chicks recorded the song for their album, 'Home', in 2002
- The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart
- The Dixie Chicks' performance of the song was impacted by lead singer Natalie Maines' criticism of then-President George W. Bush
'Travelin' Soldier' was written by Bruce Robison in 1996 and rereleased in 1999
"Travelin' Soldier" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison. Robison wrote the song in 1996 and recorded it in the same year. Three years later, in 1999, Robison rerecorded the song in a rewritten form.
The song tells the story of a shy, lonesome, young American soldier who strikes up a conversation and later a correspondence with a young girl during the Vietnam War era. It paints a vivid image of a small-town Friday night, with the soldier waiting for the bus in his army greens and the girl with a bow in her hair. The soldier has no one else to write to, so he sends letters to the girl, and when he dies, she is the only one who knows.
In a 2013 interview, Robison shared that the song was inspired by his time working in a kitchen in Austin when he was called up in the reserves for the first Iraq War. He set the song during the Vietnam War, but his own experiences influenced the themes and emotions of the song.
"Travelin' Soldier" was first released as a single by the Dixie Chicks in 2002, under their previous name, the Chicks. The song reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The Dixie Chicks' version of the song gained particular attention as it was released while the U.S. was sending young people to fight in Afghanistan, and the group's lead singer, Natalie Maines, expressed her displeasure with then-President George W. Bush's pro-war stance.
Best Woodchips for Smoking Chicken: A Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The song is about a teenage girl waiting for a young soldier to return from war
"Travelin' Soldier" is a song by the Dixie Chicks, released in 2002. It was written and originally recorded by Bruce Robison, who is the brother-in-law of Dixie Chick Emily Robison. Robison first recorded the song in 1996, and again in rewritten form in 1999.
In the song, the soldier mentions in his last letter that "it's gettin' kinda rough over here" and that he "won't be able to write for a while". The scene then shifts to a football game at the girl's high school, where the local soldiers who died in the war are announced. The soldier's name is on the list, and only the girl, who is present, recognises it. She mourns for him, as described in the lyrics: "One name read and nobody really cared but a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair".
The song is set during the Vietnam War, although Robison has stated that he was inspired by the first Iraq War and the situation of soldiers being called up for service.
Why Do Chickens Have Purple Combs?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Dixie Chicks recorded the song for their album, 'Home', in 2002
"Travelling Soldier" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison in 1996 and again in 1999. The song was later recorded by Ty England in 1999 for his album Highways & Dance Halls. The song is about a shy, lonesome, young American soldier who strikes up a conversation and later a correspondence with a young girl during the Vietnam War era.
The Dixie Chicks recorded the song for their album, Home, in 2002. The group performed the song before its release at the 2001 Country Music Association Awards. It was released as the third single from the album on December 9, 2002. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
The Dixie Chicks' version of "Travelling Soldier" is particularly notable because of the political controversy that surrounded it. The song was climbing the charts in 2003, just as the U.S. was sending young people to fight in Afghanistan. However, the song's success was short-lived. During a March 2003 concert in London, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines expressed her displeasure with then-President George W. Bush from the concert stage because of his pro-war stance. Country radio stations responded by dropping the song from their playlists, and within weeks it had disappeared from the charts. The career of the Dixie Chicks went into decline, and things have never been the same for them since.
Chikungunya Symptoms: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart
"Travelling Soldier" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison in 1996 and again in 1999, in rewritten form. The song was later recorded by Ty England in 1999 for his album Highways & Dance Halls. The first rendition to be issued as a single was by the Chicks, then known as the Dixie Chicks, who recorded the song for their third major-label album, Home (2002). It was released as the third single from the album on December 9, 2002. The group performed the song before its release at the 2001 Country Music Association Awards.
The song is a tale about a shy, lonesome, young American soldier who strikes up a conversation and later a correspondence with a young girl during the Vietnam War era. The song takes place during the Vietnam War and is about an American soldier who befriends a waitress shortly before he enters the army. He writes her letters as he has no one else to write to, and when he dies, she is the only one who knows.
The Dixie Chicks' version of the song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart (then titled the "Hot Country Singles & Tracks" chart). However, the song dropped off the charts shortly after a March 10, 2003, concert in London where lead singer Natalie Maines introduced the song by expressing her displeasure with then-President George W. Bush due to his pro-war stance. Country radio stations responded by pulling "Travelling Soldier" from their playlists, and within weeks, the song had disappeared. The Dixie Chicks' career went into decline, and while they have never completely faded away, things have never been the same for them.
Tasty Chicken Parts: Best Flavors and Textures
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Dixie Chicks' performance of the song was impacted by lead singer Natalie Maines' criticism of then-President George W. Bush
"Travelling Soldier" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Bruce Robison in 1996 and again in 1999. The song was later recorded by the Dixie Chicks for their third major-label album, "Home" (2002). The song is about a shy, lonesome young American soldier who strikes up a conversation and later a correspondence with a young girl during the Vietnam War era.
Maines' criticism of Bush and the subsequent backlash had a significant impact on the Dixie Chicks' performance of "Travelling Soldier". The song had been climbing the charts and was on its way to becoming a hit, but due to the controversy, country radio stations pulled the song from their playlists, and within weeks it had disappeared. The song's disappearance from radio playlists was part of a larger trend of the Dixie Chicks being boycotted and blacklisted within the country music industry and by country listeners.
The Dixie Chicks stood by Maines, and while they never completely faded away, their career trajectory was altered, and they never regained the same level of mainstream success and popularity they had previously enjoyed. The incident also sparked broader debates about American patriotism, global politics, and the intersection of those issues with country music and its fan base.
The Dixie Chicks addressed the criticism and the impact on their career in their 2006 song "Not Ready to Make Nice", which won Grammy Record and Song of the Year and became a double-platinum-selling Billboard pop chart hit. In the same year, Maines rescinded her previous apology to Bush, stating that she no longer felt he was owed any respect.
Step-Chickens: Navigating the Challenges of Step-Parenting
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The song was written and originally recorded by Bruce Robison in 1996 and again in 1999.
The Dixie Chicks, now known as The Chicks, recorded the song in 2002 for their third major label album, 'Home'.
The song is about a teenage girl who is waiting for a young soldier who has been drafted. The soldier writes letters to a waitress as he has no one else to write to, and when he dies, she is the only one who knows.
Yes, it reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
