{"id":46,"date":"2023-01-30T02:06:24","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T02:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/?p=46"},"modified":"2023-02-02T15:05:16","modified_gmt":"2023-02-02T20:05:16","slug":"lubbock-or-leave-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/2023\/01\/30\/lubbock-or-leave-it\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Lubbock or Leave It&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Lubbock or Leave It\" width=\"1333\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/z6DFBiU-3cI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preliminary Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLubbock or Leave It,\u201d the controversial country rock song, was released on April 7, 2006 (\u201cLubbock or Leave It\u201d). It is the seventh track on the band\u2019s fourth album&nbsp;<em>Taking the Long Way<\/em>, which happened to be the last album for which they still referred to themselves as Dixie Chicks. Natalie Maines, the lead singer, and sisters Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire wrote the piece with Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Biographical information and context are crucial to understanding the complexity of this song. Maines hails from Lubbock, Texas, a city in the northwest region of the state. The piece was created as a direct response to Maines\u2019 hometown after its involvement in shunning the group following her anti-Iraq war sentiments that she expressed in their 2003 UK performance (Hight; Watson 49).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/sbVPcPL30xc\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><figcaption>The Chicks (from left to right): Emily Strayer, Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Texan-ness from the compositional perspective<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Maines came from Lubbock, Strayer and Maguire started Dixie Chicks in their hometown of Dallas, Texas. The song appears to showcase some rock influence, which many may initially assume is attributable to their co-author Campbell. Although we may not immediately think about rock music when we hear &#8220;Texas,&#8221; this genre has a strong connection to the state\u2014as this was where the sound was born. Rock music draws influence from the blues, jazz, and western swing genres, and Jasinski states that many Texans played key roles in developing these sounds. One of the most influential (and relevant) individuals is Buddy Holly, who is discussed later on in this post. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.scdn.co\/image\/ab67616d0000b273b053c075f12f1e7c6403e121\" alt=\"\" width=\"365\" height=\"365\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Despite the inherent rock influence, the country sound is at the forefront of this piece. According to Hight, the band \u201cpre-fame\u201d played music that reflected the western country genre of bluegrass. The Chicks do not shy away from their roots, as the jazz\/blues influence, main vocals and harmony, and unique instrumentation that categorizes the genre is evident in this piece (\u201cBluegrass\u201d). Regarding instrumentation, Maguire plays the mandolin, Strayer plays the electric and acoustic guitars and banjo, and the credits also indicate that a bass is present\u2014these are four key instruments that make up the traditional bluegrass sound (\u201cTraditional Bluegrass Instruments\u201d). Maines\u2019 early life experiences also contribute to her country sound. Hight notes that the vocal techniques Maines\u2019 employs are \u201cdistinctly country.\u201d Watson (50) goes even further, suggesting that her upbringing in Lubbock plays a significant role in her artistry, and this is evident in &#8220;Lubbock or Leave It.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.instrumentalley.com\/v\/vspfiles\/images\/Bluegrass.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"458\" height=\"305\" \/><figcaption>Traditional bluegrass instruments<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lubbock: The Faith, The Irony, The Sarcasm<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The title \u201cLubbock or leave it\u201d is a play on the pre-existing phrase \u201clove it or leave it,\u201d meaning that if you don\u2019t like the American (or, in this case, Lubbock) lifestyle, then you can leave (Watson 55). The title alone hints at the patriotic nature of the town, a characteristic that is prevalent throughout the state. Watson notes that conservatism and religion have been powerful forces in Lubbock since its conception. This knowledge provides a better understanding of the lyrics, which appear to take a more sarcastic and critical approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"224\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/love-it-or-leave-it.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/love-it-or-leave-it.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/love-it-or-leave-it-300x67.jpg 300w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/love-it-or-leave-it-768x172.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption>&#8220;America Love It or Leave It&#8221; bumper sticker<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p> The lyrics provide descriptors of the town, with Maines calling it a \u201cDust bowl, bible belt\u201d that \u201cgot more churches than trees\u201d\u2014these opening lines immediately paint the picture of the overly religious nature of the region. In this same verse, we learn about the landmark location \u201cloop 289\u201d which, according to Watson, is a highway that surrounds Lubbock (55). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/loop-289.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-197\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/><figcaption>A very blurry image of loop 289<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, one of the main attributes of this song are the numerous references to the rock pioneer, Buddy Holly. Verse one begins this introduction with The Chicks singing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>&#8220;Oh Boy&#8221;<\/p><p>&#8220;Rave On&#8221;<em> down Loop 289<\/em><\/p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;ll Be the Day&#8221; <em>you see me back in this<\/em> &#8220;Fool&#8217;s Paradise.&#8221;<\/p><cite>Genius<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The words that are italicized and in quotation marks are all song titles from the late musician (Watson). In the third verse, the lead singer tries to compare herself to the Lubbock legend. When talking about the \u201cinternational airport,\u201d Maines notes how she \u201claugh[s] to [herself]\u201d because Buddy Holly\u2019s face can be seen when boarding the plane. In this line, The Chicks appear to point out the irony of the situation, as Buddy Holly tragically died in a plane crash. The verse continues with the lines <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>I hear they hate me now<\/em><\/p><p><em>Just like they hated you<\/em><\/p><p><em>Maybe when I&#8217;m dead and gone<\/em><\/p><p><em>I&#8217;m gonna get a statue too<\/em><\/p><cite>Genius<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>These bold lines explicitly highlight the hypocrisy of Lubbock as, according to Maines\u2019, the city proudly showcases an artist for which they had no initial respect for. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue-718x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-195\" width=\"332\" height=\"474\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue-718x1024.jpg 718w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue-210x300.jpg 210w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue-768x1095.jpg 768w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue-1078x1536.jpg 1078w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue-1437x2048.jpg 1437w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue-1200x1710.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/buddy-holly-statue.jpg 1796w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 332px) 100vw, 332px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lbk-mural-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200\" width=\"501\" height=\"339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lbk-mural-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lbk-mural-1-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lbk-mural-1-768x521.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lubbock-mural-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-201\" width=\"621\" height=\"207\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lubbock-mural-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lubbock-mural-1-300x100.jpg 300w, https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/files\/2023\/02\/lubbock-mural-1-768x257.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Finally, the chorus states <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>Temptation&#8217;s strong<\/em><\/p><p><em>(Salvation&#8217;s gone)<\/em><\/p><p><em>I&#8217;m on my way<\/em><\/p><p><em>To hell&#8217;s half acre<\/em><\/p><p><em>How will I ever (2x)<\/em><\/p><p><em>Get to Heaven now<\/em><\/p><cite>Genius<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p> These tongue-in-cheek lines once again jab at Texan\u2019s religious fanaticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Concluding Remarks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Lubbock or Leave It&#8221; is a multifaceted peace that has a lot to say about Texas. The song draws from the inherently Texan sounds of rock-and-roll and bluegrass\u2014whether it be through instrumentation or vocalization. However, the lyrics go against the Texan mythos and, more specifically, how the citizens of  Lubbock view themselves and their hometown. Rather than praising the state, The Chicks took a more critical approach (and were met with backlash for doing so). I guess one could say that they chose to <em>Leave It<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Works Cited<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Bluegrass&#8221;. <em>Encyclopedia Britannica<\/em>, 30 Dec. 2022,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/bluegrass-music&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1675037610330991&amp;usg=AOvVaw3J--6RnlJLn0Vt6w4CI44q\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/art\/bluegrass-music<\/a>. Accessed 29 January 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe&nbsp;Chicks \u2013 Lubbock or Leave It.\u201d&nbsp;<em>Genius<\/em>, 2023, genius.com\/The-chicks-lubbock-or-leave-it-lyrics. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hight, Jewly. \u201cThe Unprecedented History of the Chicks.\u201d <em>Vulture<\/em>,  17 July 2020,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.vulture.com\/2020\/07\/the-chicks-career-history-timeline.html&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1675035705437982&amp;usg=AOvVaw3GbB5vxO0MsQNdTx0sCxfz\" target=\"_blank\">www.vulture.com\/2020\/07\/the-chicks-career-history-timeline.html<\/a>. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jasinski, Laurie E. &#8220;Rock-and-Roll.&#8221; <em>Texas State Historical Association<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tshaonline.org\/handbook\/entries\/rock-and-roll\">https:\/\/www.tshaonline.org\/handbook\/entries\/rock-and-roll<\/a>. Accessed 1 Feb. 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Lubbock or Leave It.&#8221; Youtube, uploaded by The Chicks, 8 November 2014,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v%3Dz6DFBiU-3cI&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1675033740555231&amp;usg=AOvVaw1PovlmrsBLcpTHksm1xGNZ\" target=\"_blank\">youtube.com\/watch?v=z6DFBiU-3<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTraditional Bluegrass Instruments | Kentucky Studies.\u201d <em>PBS LearningMedia<\/em>, KET, 2021,&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/cptv.pbslearningmedia.org\/resource\/traditional-bluegrass-instruments-video\/kentucky-studies\/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1675041170474541&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uMEzR0AhHJAPzLT8dSNzL\" target=\"_blank\">cptv.pbslearningmedia.org\/resource\/traditional-bluegrass-instruments-video\/kentucky-studies\/<\/a>. Accessed 29 Jan. 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Watson, Jada. &#8220;The Dixie Chicks&#8217; &#8220;Lubbock or Leave It&#8221;: Negotiating Identity and Place in Country Song.&#8221; <em>Journal of the Society for American Music<\/em>, vol. 8, no. 1, 2014, pp. 49-75, doi: 10.1017\/S1752196313000606<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Preliminary Information \u201cLubbock or Leave It,\u201d the controversial country rock song, was released on April 7, 2006 (\u201cLubbock or Leave It\u201d). It is the seventh track on the band\u2019s fourth album&nbsp;Taking the Long Way, which happened to be the last album for which they still referred to themselves as Dixie &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"portfolio_post_id":0,"portfolio_citation":"","portfolio_annotation":"","openlab_post_visibility":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[5,31,30],"class_list":["post-46","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-songs-of-texas","tag-country-rock","tag-lubbock","tag-the-chicks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/516"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46\/revisions\/208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unewhavendh.org\/music-of-texas-spring-2023\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}