Chances Are

Album: Wildflower (2005)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This ethereal track from Crow's fifth studio album was co-written by her longtime songwriting partner, Jeff Trott.
  • In our interview with Jeff Trott, he said that he was partly inspired by the work of the eccentric author and lecturer Terence McKenna, who found popularity in the '90s as the "intellectual voice of the Rave culture." Trott explained: "[McKenna] studied Psilocybin mushrooms, the effects and the religious aspects of these hallucinogenic drugs. He had this theory that human beings didn't start talking until like a Neanderthal picked a mushroom and ate it, and then all of a sudden his brain started developing and he could speak, or he could communicate through words.

    It's really weird. It's kind of far-fetched, but I love reading stuff that's just out there. He also called Psilocybin mushrooms the telephone to God.

    'Chances Are' really was inspired by this kind of philosophy. I managed to somehow talk Sheryl into writing it with me, and it's pretty cool. I love the music in it, too. It's really kind of odd and not what you would typically associate Sheryl with. It's not that weird, but for her it was a little left of center."
  • McKenna is also name-checked in the song's lyrics:

    Terence McKenna said
    It is better to explore within
    We were apes before we spoke of sin

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."