NOEL KING, HOST:
All right. As 2018 ends, we're asking for best songs of the year. Here's one answer.
KATIE COOK: I'm Katie Cook, co-host of CMT's Hot 20 Countdown. And my favorite song of 2018 is Pistol Annies' "Got My Name Changed Back."
(SOUNDBITE OF PISTOL ANNIES SONG, "GOT MY NAME CHANGED BACK")
COOK: Pistol Annies, they're made up of three of the most talented women - Ashley Monroe, Angaleena Presley and Miranda Lambert. They're smart, funny and they're not afraid to say exactly what's on their mind.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GOT MY NAME CHANGED BACK")
PISTOL ANNIES: (Singing) It takes a judge to get married, takes a judge to get divorced. Well, the last couple years, spent a lot of time in court, got my name changed back. Yeah, yeah. I got my name changed back. Yeah, yeah.
COOK: I mean, just the opening line - takes a judge to get married, takes a judge to get divorced, the last couple years, spent a lot of time in court - really just sets up the whole song. It's just hilarious. And they're just kind of making fun of what could be a really sad situation. There's four marriages and two divorces in Pistol Annies, so they certainly know what they're talking about.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GOT MY NAME CHANGED BACK")
PISTOL ANNIES: (Singing) I don't let a man get the best of me, spent an afternoon at the DMV, got my name changed back. Yeah, yeah. I got my name changed back. Yeah, yeah. Now who I was ain't who I'll be. I got my name changed back. Yeah, yeah. That's right.
COOK: Country music has always touched on heartbreak. But somehow, the Pistol Annies are - they're getting their power back in this song. And I think that's why I love it so much. It's like, you know what? I don't have to just sit at home and cry. I'm going to go down to the courthouse and get my name changed back.
You know, honestly, getting your name changed back is a freaking process (laughter) - kind of makes me want to go out and tell women, just don't change your name to start with. It's too much of a pain in the butt. But you know what? There's nothing that says you can't turn around and change it right back and go back to who you were before the divorce. And it's all about female empowerment.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GOT MY NAME CHANGED BACK")
PISTOL ANNIES: (Singing) I got my name changed back. Yeah, yeah.
KING: That was Katie Cook. She's a country music host over at the CMT channel. And her favorite song of 2018 is "Got My Name Changed Back" by Pistol Annies.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "GOT MY NAME CHANGED BACK")
PISTOL ANNIES: (Singing) I got my name changed back. I got my name changed back. I got... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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