Dixie Chicks Doc Opens Nov 10th

In 2003 Natalie Maines, the lead vocalist for the country trio, Dixie Chicks made an off the cuff remark at a London, UK concert. She said "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." This comment came at a time when the United States and the UK were about to invade Iraq. This did not sit well with many in the American media, some Dixie Chicks fans, and politicians. Many felt that as the country was about to "go to war" it was inappropriate to publicly disparage the President.

A documentary called Shut Up & Sing covering the time period from the comment incident to their 2006 tour has been made and will be released on November 10. The movie was screened at the Toronto Film Festival in September of this year, and was the first documentary in 14 years to be screened at a gala presentation.

Click the play button below to view the trailer.

The group was on Oprah recently to promote the movie, their new album and tour. I was familiar with their new song, 'Not ready to make nice', which I really like, but I wasn't aware until the Oprah show that the song is essentially the Chicks response to the backlash against them, which included protests, the burning of their records and even a death threat. That threat, and a reference to a Mother telling her toddler daughter to call the Dixie Chicks "scum" (which can be seen in the movie) are part of the lyrics that make up the powerful climax of the song:

Not Ready To Make Nice
Words & Music by Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Dan Wilson

I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,

With no regrets and I don't mind saying,

It's a sad sad story

That a mother will teach her daughter

that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.

And how in the world

Can the words that I said

Send somebody so over the edge

That they'd write me a letter

Saying that I better shut up and sing

Or my life will be over

Quotes from Emily, Martie and Natalie about their new song from their official press website:

Emily [Robison]: We knew it was special because it was so autobiographical, and we had to get it right.

Martie [Maguire]: I realized I had suppressed a lot about the death threat. It all came flooding back in the process of writing this song, I think we all realized just how painful it had been for us.

Natalie [Maines]: This album was therapy. To write these songs allowed me to find peace with everything and move on."

I will see the movie when it comes out, and I will write my opinion about it here. It should be interesting and entertaining, even though some have said it is simply a ploy by the artists to increase their sales and try to win back fans. That may be so, but, America is supposedly a free country, and if at the same time the group is educating Americans to be a bit more tolerant and accepting of the rights they so proudly brag about all the time, then it can't be all bad.

Related:
MSNBC
CNN Story November 24, 2003
New York Times Article on Barbara Koppel
SAWF