<P> "Wide Open Spaces" is a song written by Susan Gibson, and recorded by American country music group Dixie Chicks . It was released in July 1998 as the third single and title track from the band's album Wide Open Spaces . The song hit number one on the U.S. Country singles chart and spent four weeks there in November 1998 . It also placed to number 41 on the U.S. Pop singles chart . It reached number one on Canada's country music chart, their first chart - topper there and presaging a long history of support for the band . </P> <P> In 2001, the RIAA placed "Wide Open Spaces" at number 259 on its 365 Songs of the Century list . In 2003, CMT named it number 22 in its 100 Greatest Songs in Country Music list . </P> <P> Amarillo, Texas - based Susan Gibson wrote the song's first lyrics in 1993, on her first visit back home after leaving for forestry school at the University of Montana . She left the notebook containing the lyrics at home by mistake when she returned to school; her mother found it and included it in a care package, inspiring Gibson to complete a song along the themes of leaving home . She first performed it in local clubs around the University of Montana, where it was sometimes requested . </P> <P> By the late 1990s, Gibson was lead singer of the alt country band The Groobees . They recorded an album, Wayside, that included "Wide Open Spaces" and which would be released in 1999 . It was produced by Lloyd Maines, father of new Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines . </P>

What is the song wide open spaces about