#LetTheGirlsPlay Cover: Tim McGraw, ‘Red Rag Top’ [Watch]
Nashville's Song Suffragettes took on a controversial classic at a recent Monday night gig at the Listening Room with a cover version of Tim McGraw's "Red Rag Top."
Lucy Scholl, Lena Stone, Kalie Shorr, Jenna McDaniel and Tessa were on the bill for the #LetTheGirlsPlay show on July 31, and they gave an emotional performance of the song, which drew controversy when McGraw released it as the first single from Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors in 2003 because the lyrics reference an abortion.
McGraw's original recording tells the story of a young couple who make the heartbreaking decision "not to have a child" after they accidentally conceive from the perspective of a man. Interestingly, the Suffragettes' rendition chooses to remain with that rather than re-arrange the lyrical perspective to reflect the female point of view, creating an unexpected tension between the lyrics and the performers. Making that work is an unusual task that they pull off in the video above, which was shot at the end of a weekly gig that also features the revolving lineup of five of Music City's best young female singer-songwriters performing their own original songs.
Taste of Country is a longtime supporter of the #LetTheGirlsPlay movement. Look for a new cover each week on the site, as well as monthly interviews with featured artists and other high-profile content. Chloe Gilligan is our current featured artist. Shorr and Stone were two we spotlighted early, and we named Shorr as one of our RISERS for 2017. Watch her perform an original song titled "Nothin' New" for RISERS below. Shorr also took part in a photo shoot and talked to us about her SiriusXM breakthrough single, "Fight Like a Girl."
Kalie Shorr Performs "Nothin' New" for RISERS
Kalie Shorr On Set at the 2017 RISERS Shoot
Kalie Shorr Opens Up About Obstacles That Led to "Fight Like a Girl"