Sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire of Dallas’ own Dixie Chicks are hard at work on their side project, the Court Yard Hounds. They debuted lived at SXSW and their first CD is set to drop May 4. Today, the Advocate linked to CMT’s interview with Robison in which they discussed the song, “Ain’t No Son.” In it, she mentions the inspiration for the song came from television.
This song’s bluegrassy intro is from the point of view of a disenfranchised young man. The rest of the song, as it shifts into rocker mode, describes the narrow viewpoint of his angry father. The lyrics aren’t specific about the exact points of family contention, but Robison had a story in mind.
‘I turned the TV on, and it was A&E or one of those documentary kind of shows about these poor teenage kids who are devastated that their parents won’t let ’em stay in the house because they found out they were gay,” she explains. The lines, ‘You ain’t no son to me/Eight pound baby boy I bounced on my knee‘ were around from the very beginning. That idea, how can you have kids and love them so much and one day decide not to — it just boggled my mind.’
Take a listen here.
Robison assures the Dixie Chicks haven’t broken up. The Court Yard Hounds is the sisters’ project while singer Natalie Maines is biding her time before recording again (speculative translation: going solo?). However, the trio joins The Eagles for a summer tour this year, but not stopping in Dallas. Grrr.
