Sally Barris' "Little Voice"

Reading through Sally Barris’ discography of stars who have covered her songs is a trip down memory lane (Trisha Yearwood, Kellie Pickler, Kathy Mattea, Lee Ann Womack, Martina McBryde…). Sally has been writing and performing songs in Nashville since before Nashville was cool, but she’s not one of those “flashy” country stars. Her lovely, soft voice whispers stories to you. She often starts her concerts with her quintessential song, “Little Voice” as it perfectly embodies her sound and personality. It’s also a touchingly relatable song for the audience. In the first verse “Clairese” gets laughed at in acting class and loses her nerve (and who doesn’t have some traumatic childhood story of being laughed at while trying to do something with all our heart?). Right from the beginning of her concerts Sally gently encourages you to let down your guard and let her stories in: “How many dreams do you think there are/ Hiding away in somebody’s heart?” She adds a touch of humor later in the song with an inside joke (John and Paul say they think they can make it in the music business “with a little help from their friends” and if they can only “imagine”). At the end of the song she lilts through the final chorus: “I’m gonna shout ‘til I get heard/ from all the rooftops of this world/ I’m gonna make a great big noise/ with my little voice.” She may have a “little voice” but she often has a big message if you stop to listen.