I’m not a country music fan.
Sure, I LOVE Pasty Cline and Loretta Lynn. A little Alison Krause.
But you can take your Toby Keith’s and Garth Brooks, and those Dunn and Big and Richard and Rene Zellweger’s Ex, and Nicole Kidman’s Now and whomever else and stick them up your ass.
I remember all the “uproar” over the whole “We’re ashamed Prez. W is from Texas” thing. But I didn’t really get it. Apparently the Chicks were in trouble for opening their mouths.
I mean, so what? I live in Southern California. People say stuff like that ALL THE TIME.
Then the Dixie Chicks disappeared. Disappeared like…gone. Not the -Beyonce/Destiny’s Child we’re so overexposed we’re going to pretend to be away for a few months then show up in the Super Bowl half time show- kind of disappear…but the Dixie Chicks were just, gone.
I didn’t really care. I just noticed.
I thought they were ok. The Earl song was funny. Landslide was a good cover. But I wasn’t rushing out to buy anything.
Then a few weeks ago, I ran across their new song “Not Ready to Make Nice.” And heard the stories. The death threats. The boycott. The total dis from country music fans, musicians, etc.
I made a mental note.
Then a few days later I saw a story on CNN about the new single NOT getting airplay on country stations.
They were the butt of jokes last night at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Apparently those View ladies got their panties in a wad because they weren’t making that many public appearances.
…and something in my music listening tastes started to change.
Call me a country music fan. Because I have new and total respect for the Dixie Chicks.
And I’m going out to buy their new CD.
They are women speaking out. They are mothers speaking out.
Yeah, I can identify with that.
I have always liked the Dixie Chicks. I may not agree with some of the things they say/have said however, that’s the beauty of being an American: You have the freedom to speak your mind even if there are those who disagree. People who made threats, vowed to never listen to them again, etc are missing the point of the big picture: we have these freedoms that other people in this world would die and have died for. We take them for granted. I have more respect for the Dixie Chicks than those who choose their words carefully because they don’t want to offend.
Actually, they made those comments at the very beginning of the tour for Home, which had the Fleetwood Mac cover on it. The tour continued and I believe they netted about 60 million and had the #4 album of the entire year that year. So they didn’t just disappear.
Don’t ask me how I know this stuff.
I think they rock. I haven’t listened to *that* much of their music, but I know more than one song of theirs, and besides rocking for speaking out, their music isn’t the same old twangy “my mother’s in jail and my dog just died and my truck is stuck in a ditch” type of thing I’ve come to expect out of country music.
they finished off that tour with death threats…then disappeared.
There is also an interesting article (looking for the link) that shows how the actual women have very little actual money to show from all the money that was made.
I could not agree with you more! In fact, I am one of those weirdos who does not listent ot a lot of music, so I don’t usually buy CDs. My husband is a dedicated MP3 downloader, and I told him that I am buying the new Dixie Chicks album. He offered to download it for me, but I told him that it’s not about the music (although it got great reviews), but about showing the country industry that there is money in the Chicks’ politics. Go Chicks!
I’m not a country music fan (probably because it’s all around me all the time here in Ohio), but I fully support what the Dixie Chicks are doing.
While I haven’t heard many of their songs, I’d be willing to give them a listen just based on their principles. After all, if they’re hated by Bush supporters, there’s a good chance I just might like them.
I heard the new song and can NOT wait to hear the album. I agree. Not a huge contry music listener but them, I like. Cool stuff. I may have to pick up that mag, ya know… in my free time. LOL…
Cheers,
Kdubs
I have always really liked the Chicks. And I was terribly sad when the industry wussed out like it did. And now I’m delighted that they’re coming back out swinging!
Nice post!
First, apologies for the Oprah thing. Who knew you loved her? Hmmm. Must. Rethink. Squealing.
So, you know what I love about reading blogs? When someone I adore (that would be you) writes something great (that would be this post) that is exactly what I want to say but didn’t.
I’ve been a fan for a while (odd, huh? Black girl liking country.) and when they exercised free speech then I loved them even more.
The 60 Minutes piece on them on Mother’s Day was great. And, in the meantime while they disappeared, they had babies, lived lives, and wrote songs.
I’m putting it on the must buy list, too.
I didn’t notice that they disappeared, but then I was told yesterday that Ben Afflick had a little girl with that Alias star. I’m out of it if it isn’t on Sprout or Noggin. However, I was really impressed they said what they said. Maybe I’ll check their CD out, I don’t really listen to any music, but I do like Patsy Cline.
You know other female country singers have been ground-breaking. Lorette Lynn wrote that song on the Pill when it first came out.
I’m a big country music fan. I liked them BEFORE the bruhaha (sp?). I LOVED them even more after! If a man were to have made that comment, the shit would have hit the fan and all would be fine after a few days….but because a WOMAN spoke up….oh, hell no! Let’s burn the witch at the stake! Idiots.
Hey, I just walked past them doing a concert in Bryant Park in NYC. It’s for Good Morning America.
I Just listen to the music, not the people. Ken
IT is the anger people have that is so scary to me. What would make someone send death threats to three women, moms, who are speaking their minds? Why is that so threatening? ugh. makes me steamed. great post!
I was always a fan, and I have all but the newest album, because my Very Republican Mother gave me her copies after the bruhaha.
At least she didn’t burn them.
I love that they stood up for their beleifs despite alienating their core audience. I too proudly feel like proclaiming “FUTK”.
In fact, I think I’ll make a t-shirt.
Wanna go in it with me and put ’em on Cafe Press?
They are a joke and no longer even in the country genre.
http://everythingconsole.blogspot.com/
I just like music. When I’m down or just want something to pass the time. There’s all this stuff about the people who mkae the music. It’s all over the news. ( this may sound harsh ) But I really don’t care about it. To me all that really matters is the music and only the music. It’s not like I’m going to listen to someones music just becuase I like the artist. Or not listen to someones music becuase I don’t like the artist. That’s not me and it never is. It may sound like everyone listens to music they like, but you will be suprised that so many people just listen to the popular stuff. I love classic rock and thats basicly all I listen to, but that’s what I like. A lot of my freinds make fun of me becuase I don’t know who some of the popular artist’s are. But that’s a risk I’m willing to take.
Just one person trying to make a difference in todays changing world
Hey, hi! Just stopped in from dak-ind’s. Hey, anonymous, I don’t think they have been trying to call YOU lately so get over yourself! Oops, did I say that out loud? My bad!
I LOVE THE CHICS…love strong women who can play, sing, be mom’s, speak their minds (that is MINDS, anon) AND call Bush a horses patoot, all without messing up their hair~!
Give em’ a big HELL YEAH!