BY Eric Rezsnyak
While working on this week’s episode devoted to the Best Female Country Music Artist, we realized it was a great opportunity to highlight a country-music act that experienced decent success at the beginning of the 21st Century, but which was never, in our opinion, given the credit it deserved. SHeDAISY — a trio act featuring sisters Kristyn, Kelsi and Kassidy Osborn — came out strong with 1999’s The Whole SHeBANG, and released three subsequent albums (plus a remix album, a holiday album, and a Best Of album) through 2006’s Fortuneteller’s Melody.
The group had a handful of hit singles, but the charts do not accurately reflect the terrific music the group produced. So GPCD Host Eric Rezsnyak — who loved this group so much he stole his own mother’s Whole SHeBANG CD and never gave it back (he bought her a new copy) — put together his personal Top 10 list of SHeDAISY songs. If you enjoy country-pop, or girl groups, and have never heard of SHeDAISY, we strongly encourage you to give these tracks a listen. You may find yourself a new fan!
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Best Female Country Music Artist
Honorable Mention: “Brand New Year (My Revolution)”
I generally don’t consider holiday music as part of these lists, although the SHeDAISY holiday album from 2000 — also titled Brand New Year — is a great pop-country Christmas disc. This is a New Year’s song, which is novel in and of itself. I fully admit that that intro voiceovers are cringey from a 2020s perspective, but once you get to the meat of the song at around 25 seconds in, it’s terrific. It’s filled with hope, energy, and zeal, and those stunning harmonies that define a great SHeDAISY track. And also the wacky instrumentation. Gals, is that an electro harpsichord? Regardless, this is on my New Year’s playlist every December 31.
10. “I’m Taking the Wheel”
One of the group’s later singles — off the last original album, 2006’s Fortuneteller’s Melody — “I’m Taking the Wheel” has left behind most of the pop elements of the group’s earlier tracks, leaning heavy into unapologetic country rock. It prominently features a steel guitar line and slide guitar later in the song, with a rollicking beat. The verse is fine, but the chorus is where the song shines, transitioning into a very good bridge. A great driving song, if a bit on the nose.
9. “I Will…But”
One of the group’s earliest hits — it hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 2000 — this is a boppy country-pop confection. There’s no doubt it was engineered to grab Dixie Chicks fans, but with even more pop appeal. The lyrics are a manifesto single women setting good boundaries when dating, and honestly, there are no lies detected here. The song sounds a little dated 20+ years later, but still a delight. Is that a zydeco? I think it might be!
8. “Turn Me On”
This song would be higher on this list except for two things: 1) “just trust me, you want it; I’ve always known it” is a terrible line in a 2020s consent-forward world; and 2) that intro with the behind-the-scenes audio was irritating when it was released, and is even worse now. That was an indulgent production decision that I think put this song at a real disadvantage. I don’t think it was ever released as a single. But man, that chorus is terrific; it’s a full-on hoedown in a 3:22 pop song. Fiddles! A great bass line! A total banger.
7. “Get Over Yourself”
This song 100 percent should have crossed over to pop. Some sharp verses sandwiched between a shout-along chorus. I do wonder if the shouty nature is what turned some people off of the song, but personally, I love it. It’s one of the group’s more rock-forwarded productions. Let me give you a tip: add this song to your gym workout mix. You’re welcome.
6. “Before Me and You”
This was the SHeDAISY song that first captured my attention. Arguably more Faith Hill than Dixie Chicks, “Before Me and You” leverages the sisters’ harmonies probably better than any other song on this list. The canon in the chorus is SO GOOD, and all three of the sisters have moments to shine vocally here. It is such a sweet, upbeat love song. This FOR SURE should have been a hit. It’s crazy to me that it never took off. I’m going to blame the accordion line, although that very much was of its time. It’s giving “Drew Carey Show” theme song.
5. “Mine All Mine”
Featured in Reese Witherspoon’s Sweet Home Alabama romcom, I am still flummoxed as to how this was not a bigger hit (it peaked in the mid-20s on the Country Singles Chart in 2002). The lead vocals are flawless, the harmonies are stunning, the instrumentation — mandolin, slide guitar, etc. — so good! Not only should it have been a hit on country radio, this absolutely has pop-crossover potential. I don’t get it! That chorus is an absolute banger, and it has a beautiful, longing wind down that lingers with you and begs you to hit repeat. America! How did you pass this up?! *shakes fist*
4. “Lucky 4 You (Tonight I’m Just Me)”
The multiple-personality answer to Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” this song probably wouldn’t play well with modern sensibilities regarding mental health. But it is a GREAT revenge song, as the sisters all take turns singing lead as they switch between a wronged woman’s different internal responses to seeing her ex with a new flame. Super catchy chorus, this would be a great karaoke song. If the people at the bar knew the song, that is. I love the “Woo, girl!” in the background when they say, “And there ain’t nobody wants to mess with 23.” Team 23!
3. “Passenger Seat”
One of the later SHeDAISY songs, off the 2004 Sweet Right Here album, this is a blistering country-pop banger that screams to be played on a road trip. A great rocking bridge, wonderful harmonies, and some of the best lyrics from the group. “When I look to the left, see his sun-tanned hands, his muddy-river hair, and his thousand-acre plans” — that is a great line. It starts as a toe-tapper and finishes as a full-on belt.
2. “Little Goodbyes”
The debut single for the sisters, and one of the group’s biggest hits. It’s easy to understand why. It feels VERY country-pop 1999. There’s Dixie Chicks. There’s Bonnie Raitt. There’s some Faith Hill. But it also sounds uniquely SHeDAISY. There are some great lyrics on this song that still, 25 years later, give me a chuckle. (“I took the Beatles/left him The Door” is a great line.) The song hit No. 3 on the Country Singles Chart in 1999, and made The Whole SHeBANG a Platinum album that spent 99 weeks on the Country charts.
1. “I Wish I Were the Rain”
A purely personal pick, but it is my favorite SHeDAISY song. I genuinely do not understand how this song was not released as a single. It is beautiful. Lovely, insightful lyrics. Equally warm instrumentation. A chorus that absolutely soars. The harmonies on this song still give me goosebumps. While I prefer my SHeDAISY upbeat, this is, in my opinion, the group’s most successful ballad. There is not a single element of this song I would change. It is perfect. Give it a listen.
Want to listen to all the tracks in succession? We made a playlist for you:
