Mark Chesnutt’s “Goin’ Through the Big D” – A Divorce Anthem with a Texas-Sized Sense of Humor
Mark Chesnutt’s “Goin’ Through the Big D” is a prime example of ’90s country at its best—clever, catchy, and irresistibly fun. Released in 1994, the song takes what could be a melancholy subject—divorce—and flips it on its head, delivering a rollicking, honky-tonk anthem with a Texas-sized wink.
From the first few notes, the track establishes itself as a barn-burning, two-steppin’ good time, with twangy guitars, a driving beat, and Chesnutt’s signature smooth yet rugged vocals leading the way. Lyrically, it’s packed with wit and irony—the narrator may have lost the house, the car, and just about everything else in the split, but there’s one silver lining: he gets to keep his freedom. The way Chesnutt delivers lines like “She got the goldmine, I got the shaft” (not a direct lyric, but certainly the sentiment) makes the song feel less like a sad breakup ballad and more like a victory lap through the neon-lit bars of Texas.
Musically, “Goin’ Through the Big D” is pure, uptempo honky-tonk bliss—the kind of song built for live shows, dance floors, and long drives down country highways. The guitar licks are bright and infectious, the fiddle and steel guitar weave effortlessly through the mix, and the chorus is an absolute earworm, making it almost impossible not to sing along. It’s the kind of song that proves country music can be just as fun as it is heartfelt.
The track was a massive hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and solidifying Chesnutt’s place as one of the leading voices of the ’90s country boom. Even today, it remains a staple of honky-tonk playlists, standing as a testament to Chesnutt’s ability to mix humor, heart, and undeniable musical chops into a single unforgettable track.