Lee Ann Womack, ‘Send It on Down’ [Listen]

The comeback of Lee Ann Womack is still going strong, but with 'Send It on Down,' it's a bit more quiet -- and more beautiful than ever. This is a song that begs to be listened to without distraction, and preferably, more than once. It's stripped down and vulnerable, putting Womack's vocal prowess on full display and serving as a powerful testament to everything that's great about country music.

The story at the heart of 'Send It on Down' is equally heartbreaking and hopeful, laying claim to the past while striding towards the future. The lyrics, written by Chris Knight and David Leone, speak to classic country themes of love and loss and the history of what makes us.

"Dad used to own the hardware store / But now it and him ain’t around no more / Don’t know the whole story but I’ve overheard some / I know he’s who I got my drinking from," sings Womack in the first verse, and then later: "Sitting in the bleachers at the football field / Got a pretty good buzz from a quart I just killed / it’s a cold Sunday morning and the church bells ring / I can just about hear all the good folks sing."

The juxtaposition of a history of drinking alongside the hope of church bells ringing paints a  powerful image of the fact that we are all, indeed, shaped by our past, but also the truth that we don't have to be ruled by it. And these are lyrics that Womack sings best, her voice dripping with passion and heart.

Instrumentally, 'Send It on Down is striking in its simplicity. Starting with a piano and slowly adding additional instruments throughout the first chorus, it's a song that builds as it progresses and hits just the right tone of classic country with its twangy guitars and the simple melodies. What really brings weight to 'Send It on Down,' though, is the stark vulnerability in Womack's voice. Additional harmonizing vocals add layers of depth to the track, but it's her performance -- full of equal parts angst and hope -- that truly makes the track shine.

'Send It on Down' is a track that builds slowly and burns with feeling long after it's over, making it the perfect song to signal the return of a country performer who doesn't need much more than her voice to make an impression. This is storytelling at its best ... Musicianship at its best ... Country music at its best.

Why Fans Will Love It: 'Send It on Down' is a poignant and powerful song that will delight longtime fans of Womack's iconic voice, while introducing first-time listeners to a sound that adds a new layer of depth and complexity to an already stellar career.

Key Lyrics: "Jesus can you save me / From going crazy / I need some help getting out of this town / Are there any answers / Up in the hereafter / Oh if you got something won’t you send it on down / While I’m still able to be found."

Did You Know? 'Send It On Down' is the second single from Womack's first album in six years, and she says it's unlike she's done before. "We only cut songs that spoke to me," says Womack. "There were no voices in my head, and I embraced songs that really, really moved me."

Listen to Lee Ann Womack, 'Send It on Down'

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