Now Do You Believe The Dixie Chicks?

By Keith Boykin, in music
Tuesday, July 4 2006, 12:05AM

Dixie Chicks with flagSuccess may be the best revenge. Three years after the Dixie Chicks sparked national outrage for criticizing the President, the singing group is riding high in popularity while George Bush's popularity hovers at an all-time low. The Dixie Chicks' new album "Taking The Long Way" debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart and quickly turned platinum. Despite three years of criticism and controversy, they became the first female group in chart history to debut three albums at #1.

Most striking is that the album positions the recording artists right where they left off, as critics of the war and the Bush Administration, and there's one particular single that has generated its own controversy. It's called "Not Ready To Make Nice," and the Chicks use the tune to lambaste the conservative culture pervading the country. This Fourth of July, as America enters its fourth year in a seemingly endless and unjustifiable war in Iraq, I can think of no better song to recommend than this one.

Three years ago, the Dixie Chicks were the most popular female group in history, says CBS News. "They had the No. 1 country single and were about to embark on a sold out worldwide tour when lead singer Natalie Maines made an off-the-cuff remark in London. On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, she said she was ashamed that President Bush was from her home state of Texas. Not since Jane Fonda’s trip to Hanoi had an entertainer enraged so many people with a political statement," according to CBS.

Dixie Chicks Not Backing Down

In a political climate where the pseudo patriotic nonsense of "freedom fries" was supposed to replace french fries, the belligerent uproar of 2003 drove the Dixie Chicks' songs off the charts and off the radio. As Americans tried to impose political uniformity on the music industry by punishing the country music group, the Dixie Chicks would not be denied and would not apologize.

Even now, asked if she is sorry about her comments three years ago, Maines told CBS, "Sorry about what? Sorry about not wanting to go to war? And not wanting people to die?" She's right. What is there to feel sorry about when you're an American expressing your right to speak out against an unnecessary war? Now that most Americans have turned against the war, the Dixie Chicks look more like prophets every day. Just read some of the lyrics to the song "Not Ready To Make Nice" and you'll see just how strongly they still feel about the attitude of hatred in this country.

Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting

I'm through, with doubt,
There's nothing left for me to figure out,
I've paid a price, and I'll keep paying it

I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should

The Promise of America

I've never believed that patriotism requires support for war or unanimity of thought. As Americans, we have not only the right, but the duty to speak up for what we believe, even when our views contradict those of our leaders. For me, that is the promise of America. I believe in this country because I believe in the promise of Dr. King's dream "that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'"

This Fourth of July, I celebrate America by supporting freedom of speech, even in times of war. As our sorry excuse for a president stoops to attack his critics, the media, and anyone who dissents from his world view, I encourage you to listen to the song "Not Ready To Make Nice" and think about what America is becoming and what we could be instead.

As New York Times columnist Frank Rich wrote on Sunday, "The assault on a free press during our own wartime should be recognized for what it is: another desperate ploy by officials trying to hide their own lethal mistakes in the shadows. It's the antithesis of everything we celebrate with the blazing lights of Independence Day."

Comments (9) reveal

Comments conceal

Jeff[TypeKey Profile Page]
July 4 2006, 1:35AM

For all their success on the charts, they're having problems selling concert tickets. They've had to cancel stops in several Southern cities due to this "controversy", though they may make up for it in other areas.

Dixie Chicks tour struggling in several markets | Reuters.com

It's a damned shame, too, since Taking the Long Way is a great album and I'm sure it'd be a really good live show.

Kenneth Winfrey[TypeKey Profile Page]
July 4 2006, 1:38AM

Many who know me know that I've always claimed to be "allergic to country music." The Dixie Chicks changed that with "Landslide." I must admit I suppressed my feelings and remained in the closet about my feelings for a band with not only the word "Dixie" but also "Chicks," in its title!

I don't blame Natalie either. Katherine Dunham spoke of her embrassment as an American in the early eighties. I had no idea back then, and I'm sure that Ms. Dunham, Natalie and I are not alone in feeling that way today...

Shabaka[TypeKey Profile Page]
July 4 2006, 2:48AM

I have a confession to make. This is the first Dixie Chicks song I've listened to. And it's a great one.The video is harsh and just right to get their point across. As for the lyrics,well,...Go Dixies!!

chris-leo
July 4 2006, 12:26PM

i'm no country fan, per se, although i've enjoyed many country songs and country voices here and there. but when natalie made the original statements about bush in london, and i heard all the hoo haa about "have the chicks gone too far??", i IMMEDIATELY went to their website and bought a t-shirt to show my support.

what seems to have gotten lost in the sauce is the idea that being banned on the radio today is not like being hated on by a zillion local stations in lockstep. the HUGE consortium, Clearchannel owns and operates franchises across the nation, sometimes multiple stations in many cites, creating a legally dicey oligopoly with just a few other superstations. banning the chicks was a decision made by businessmen, who hoped to own even more stations and were trying to make nice with michael powell, chairman of the FCC and (then) secretary of state, colin powell's kid.

so the chicks' ban was like being banned at Starbucks and not a zillion individual coffee houses. the fans never turned away.

Stuffed Animal
July 5 2006, 10:41AM

"Not Ready To Make Nice" . . . this would be a good song for people at the Advocate and websites like Washington Blade to listen to and take to heart. I am seeing far too many Gay apologists for hate-filled "Christian ministers" like Fred Phelps and Bishop Alfred Owens. They argue that we're supposed to protect the "freedom of speech" rights of these bigots. Last I heard, the US Supreme Court had drawn a distinction between free speech and hate speech. Don't they know what hate speech is when they hear it? Here's a clue: The phrase "God hates fags!" That's what hate speech is. If Gay activists ever hope to be taken seriously, they'd better learn how to stop playing "make nice" with the Religious Right. People who pervert the teachings of Jesus Christ to promote homophobia and heterosexism must be denounced in the strongest possible terms, and not just for the sake of Lesbians and Gay men. False prophets hurt everybody.

Derrick from Philly
July 5 2006, 11:06AM

For country music entertainers to come out against the right-wing in this country is as brave as a gay actor coming out of the closet...well, I think so. They are brave southern ladies...women.

g
July 5 2006, 9:19PM

Last time I checked...almost half their tour dates are either on hold or has been cancelled because of poor ticket sales. Not sure if that is success. Not a fan of Bush or this group, but the Chicks sound dumber and dumber each time they open their mouths to chime in on anything political. I think most of America sees that now and it's reflective in the failure of their tour.

DDC
July 6 2006, 2:42AM

Dixie chicks should re-name themselves the Ugly Chicks. Gooooollleeeee, I swear they all dawgs. I agree, too, that they sound dumber after every comment. 'Just so you brits know, we're ashamed that the prez is from our home-state', duh... was that supposed to be a clever quip-- and in reference to what exactly, ladies? Then to apologize and take it back a few years later sounds like they don't know whether they're coming or going. Goes to show they have no structure or planning in their careers- they've gone from being 3 edgy Dolly Partons to being 3 wannabe Bob Dylans. But maybe this will mostly blow over as the years go by and Bush is thankfully long-gone from office. Americans in general can be quite forgiving, especially with the passage of time.

Babies
August 8 2006, 12:24AM

I hope these three have a pretty clean back yard since they are so good about judging everyone when they do wrong. I guess they fall along the lines with Jane Fonda and a few of the others that are anti-American. To judge one must be awfully perfect and I doubt these three are. Now you are bashing Mel Gibson. Oh my, he made a mistake he is apologizing. I guess that is not good enough for the one a be Queens. Give people a break not everyone is perfect nor are you keep your polictical and judgemental thoughts to yourself no wonder America is going down hill it is people like you that makes America so negative.


Post a comment