Julianna Calm Down

Album: Gaslighter (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Chicks trio of Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire have five daughters between them and several nieces. This chin-up anthem is dedicated to the girls in their families, encouraging them to maintain a brave face amidst romantic breakdowns.
  • Each of the Chicks' daughters (baby chicks?) is name checked during the song.

    In the first verse:
    Julianna, the eldest daughter of Emily Strayer. She has a twin brother called Henry.
    Harper, the third daughter of Martie Maguire.

    In the second verse:
    Eva and Katie, Martie Maguire's twin daughters.

    In the outro:
    Violet, the youngest daughter of Emily Strayer.
    The outro continues with exhortations to some other female relatives to "calm down."

    Emily Strayer explained to The Sun that after starting off mentioning Julianna, they decided to include the names of all their daughters and nieces. "It's as if we're telling our younger selves or our kids how to put things in perspective during the angsty teenage years," she said. "I love that song."
  • Natalie Maines wrote the song with:

    Singer-songwriter Julia Michaels, whose other writing credits include Justin Bieber's "Sorry," Hailee Steinfeld's "Love Myself," and Selena Gomez's "Lose You to Love Me." She also had her own hit with the song "Issues."

    Frequent Taylor Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff, who co-produced Gaslighter with The Chicks.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Desmond Child

Desmond ChildSongwriter Interviews

One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer."

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.