Beth Hart – Bad Woman Blues

The Song That Said What Good Girls Won’t

Beth Hart released “Bad Woman Blues” as a single on August 29, 2019, ahead of her ninth solo studio album War In My Mind. The track opened the album that would peak at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart when it dropped on September 27, 2019. The song became Hart’s calling card for raw honesty, a blues rocker that didn’t apologize or ask for permission.

While War In My Mind charted modestly in the UK, the album represented a commercial and critical peak for Hart in Europe, where she’d built a devoted following over two decades. The record followed her successful 2016 release Fire On The Floor, which had sold out iconic venues from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to London’s Royal Albert Hall. Hart had topped the Billboard Blues Chart six times by this point, but this album felt different, more personal and unflinching than anything she’d done before.

Hart wrote “Bad Woman Blues” with her longtime collaborator Rune Westberg, a Norwegian songwriter she’d worked with on and off for years. The pair had previously co-written several tracks for Hart’s earlier albums, including the emotional ballad “Thankful” that also appears on War In My Mind. Hart described the song as an anti-love song about a woman who owns her flaws without shame. She told interviewers it was about being brutally honest with a lover rather than pretending to be someone you’re not. The song features a gospel chant opening and an irresistible groove that Hart said came together naturally during their writing sessions.

Multiple Grammy-winning producer Rob Cavallo helmed the sessions at RW Studio in Los Angeles, with additional tracking at Sphere Studios in North Hollywood, The Van Studio, and Village Studios. Cavallo, known for his work with Green Day, My Chemical Romance, and Paramore, had nearly worked with Hart 16 years earlier but passed on her Leave The Light On album. They reconnected at a dinner party in 2019, where Hart played him new songs. Cavallo was impressed enough to take on the project, bringing in bassist Chris Chaney and a gospel choir for select tracks. Mix engineer Doug McKean added the final polish at Milk Friends Studios.

War In My Mind marked a turning point in Hart’s approach to recording. At 47, she insisted on no makeup and no airbrushing for the album photoshoot, telling her team she was done trying to be young and competitive. The album’s iconic cover shows Hart at an upright piano in the bed of a pickup truck, storm clouds and lightning seemingly growing from her head. The collection featured 12 deeply personal songs addressing her battles with bipolar disorder, drug addiction, childhood trauma, and the loss of her sister Sharon.

The album spawned several notable moments beyond the single, including the title track that reduced producer Cavallo to tears during recording. Hart’s powerhouse vocals drew comparisons to Janis Joplin and Tina Turner throughout her career, earning praise from admirers like Miley Cyrus, who called Hart one of the best voices of all time. Joe Bonamassa, her frequent collaborator, told Music Radar she was the real deal. The rawness of War In My Mind resonated particularly with European audiences who’d supported Hart through her ups and downs.

Looking back at the album in later interviews, Hart reflected on the freedom she felt making War In My Mind. She’d been sober for years by that point, supported by therapy, meditation, church, and medication to manage her bipolar disorder. “Bad Woman Blues” represented more than just a catchy opening track. It was Hart’s declaration that she’d stopped apologizing for being human, stopped trying to smooth her rough edges. The song remains a staple in her live shows, a defiant celebration of imperfection that connects with anyone tired of pretending to be something they’re not.