“He made me pretty, he made me smart, and I’m gonna break me a million hearts…”
What a line.
From the Pistol Annies’ single and title track to their 2011 debut studio album, “Hell On Heels” has become an anthem for badass ladies everywhere who maybe don’t always play by the rules, and always go after what they want.
For better, or possibly for worse sometimes, this song in particular became the mission statement for the country girl band comprised of three powerhouses in Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley.
And on this date in 2011, they released Hell On Heels, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and peaked at #5 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. There are no outside writers on the record, either, and it has since been certified Gold by the RIAA.
They’ve given us 12 years of great music ever since, and a large part of what I love about them is how unique their music is, even within the country genre alone.
It’s witty, sassy and above all, honest about the struggles women face. The fact that all three of them are from the South like I am makes me relate to them even more, I suppose.
Miranda said in a previous interview that she wanted to start the band to fill a void in perspective she saw in country music, and I think it’s safe to say at this point, that’s certainly what they’ve done:
“This band is so important to me and for female music and perspective.
Because there’s three of us, it’s such a relief in a different way. It makes me more brave, because when there’s three of us, we can say whatever we want.”
This album in particular made such a strong statement, especially during a time that there weren’t many other female bands in the more mainstream part of country music willing to say the things that they did on this record in such an unapologetic way.
From the sassy and brazen aforementioned title track, to the hilarious “Trailer For Rent,” and the more sensitive and loving “Boys From the South,” this album really has it all in terms of covering just about every emotion or topic you could possibly imagine…
Except, they say what we ladies are all really thinking, but no one wants to admit to out loud, which is the best part about it.
The Annie’s haven’t slowed down a bit since then, either, with two other incredible studio albums in Annie Up (2013) and Interstate Gospel (2018), and most recently, their Christmas album Hell of A Holiday (2021).
And since it’s been quite a while since we’ve heard new music from them, not including their aforementioned Christmas album, I’m dying for something new and hoping they’ll put out a new record sometime in the near(ish) future.
There’s just somethin’ special about “Hell On Heels,” though…
And I will most certainly be blaring “Trailer for Rent” today:
“Boys from the South”
“Takin’ Pills”
