Liner Notes and Lyrics: Home On The Radar Range

In late 1991, in between the debut album Thank Heavens For Dale Evans and the transition album Little Ol' Cowgirl, the Dixie Chicks recorded a Christmas single. It was recorded at Sumet-Bernet Studios in Dallas, the same studio where Dale Evans was recorded for $5000 of the band's own money (so the story goes), and could be ordered from the form in the Chick Chat, the Dixie Chicks occasional newsletter. According to long-time fan James Venhaus, the cassette and 45rpm versions were both available at the now-defunct Sound Warehouse stores as late as Christmas of 1992.

They entitled the release Home On The Radar Range, but the songs are Christmas Swing, sung by Robin Lynn Macy, and The Flip Side, sung by Laura Lynch. Both songs evoke memories of a simpler past; the Leave It To Beaver sort of scene depicted on the jacket. But they're as different as Christmas and New Year's Day. Christmas Swing is upbeat and even a little silly ("Santa's coming south to see us, his team of longhorn flying"). Robin gives it a happy, Christmasy folk sound. But Laura's rendition of The Flip Side is a slower, more serious look at what we've lost: "And this here is the flip side, a skip back to the past."

I've transcribed the liner notes and lyrics from the cassette version of the single. The foldout is only printed on one side, and the panels are arranged as follows:

• Cover
• Credits
• Lyrics to Christmas Swing
• Lyrics to The Flip Side
• More Credits

On the short end of the foldout, the Dixie Chicks address is listed like this:

The running times are:

• Christmas Swing: 3:17
• The Flip Side: 3:20

It's Christmastime in Texas
People go a carrolling
Divinity 'n mistletoe
And sing-a-longs with Bing
But we rosin up the fiddle
And do the Christmas Swing.

So blow you ol' blue northern
And make the cowbells ring
From Abilene to Beaumont
Folks sing along with Bing
And if it snows in late December we don't care!
We'll do the Christmas Swing.

Homemade gifts and recipes and old tales to exchange
At afternoons gathered 'round my mother's radar range
The candles lit, the doorbell rings, we'll put on Vaughn Monroe
And warm our hands around the hearth with friends we've come to know.

This is the flip side and when the record's through
We'll remember simpler times when most folks drove but seldom flew
Should old acquaintance be forgot, should Barbie break with Ken
Just move the record needle back and play the past again

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Last update: 11/08/1999 by Robert Brooks
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