You may remember the intemperate remarks by Dixie Chick Natalie Maines about President Bush three years ago, how she was “ashamed the President was from Texas”, or words to that effect.

Maines and her cohorts in crime quickly backpedalled (somewhat), talking about the stress of being in Europe where everybody was against the war, yadda, yadda, yadda. When they returned home, they discovered exactly how big a firestorm they had ignited, and have been laying low ever since.

It’s one thing to be the Rolling Stones, U2, Eminem, Barbbarra Stryzeand (I know how to spell it correctly, but wanted her to feel at home if she happens by The Right Track), or Bruce Springsteen and mouth political platitudes. Their audience is different. But with a  name like “Dixie Chicks” and an audience of hard core country fans, the Chicks should have known better.

You see, country music is family. It’s Andy and Barney on the front porch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s fried chicken and biscuits and NASCAR and waving to the only other car coming your way on a road whether you know the person driving or not. It’s saying “bless her heart” rather than flipping her off when you pass the little old lady driving just a little too slow. And above all, it’s knowing that you don’t mess with the family. You air your dirty laundry in private, not for all the world to see, and that’s exactly where the Chicks screwed up. They said something against family in a foreign land. That’s something you just don’t do.

Three years ago before the furor died down, they were talking about leaving country music and going in another direction. What other directions might exist for an all-girl trio whose main instruments are a mandolin, banjo, dobro, and guitar, and whose vocal style most closely resembles the nasality of Webb Pierce we were only left to wonder about.

Well, they’re back and they have a new song, but they haven’t learned lesson one. The name of the song is “Not Ready to Make Nice”, and it’s all about the furor that they themselves caused:

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when 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
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

Yes, it’s a sad story to teach hate simply for political speech. Death threats should be dealt with quickly and decisively, and result in a trial and fine or jail if the accused is found guilty. But the lyrics shown above only reinforce the notion that the Chicks simply haven’t learned their lesson. Should they have the right to speak about politics? Of course they should. But at the prices charged for their live performances and CDs, they shouldn’t be shocked if people express their displeasure by withholding their greenbacks from people who espouse causes or ideas that they themselves don’t believe in. This is simply the people speaking back!

Well, it just so happens that I’m ashamed that the Chicks claim to be from Dixie, so I simply have refused to allow them to use the name in the last few paragraphs.

It’s too bad the Chicks aren’t a little more familiar with an old Johnny Cash tune. They could learn from it:

There once was a musical troupe
A pickin’ singin’ folk group
They sang the mountain ballads
And the folk songs of our land

They were long on musical ability
Folks thought they would go far
But political incompatibility led to their downfall

Well, the one on the right was on the left
And the one in the middle was on the right
And the one on the left was in the middle
And the guy in the rear was a Methodist

This musical aggregation toured the entire nation
Singing traditional ballads
And the folk songs of our land
They performed with great virtuosity
And soon they were the rage
But political animosity prevailed upon the stage

Well, the one on the right was on the left
And the one in the middle was on the right
And the one on the left was in the middle
And the guy in the rear burned his driver’s license

Well the curtain had ascended
A hush fell on the crowd
As thousands there were gathered to hear The folk songs of our land
But they took their politics seriously
And that night at the concert hall
As the audience watched deliriously
They had a free-for-all

Well, the one on the right was on the bottom
And the one in the middle was on the top
And the one on the left got a broken arm
And the guy in the rear, said, “Oh dear”

Now this should be a lesson if you plan to start a folk group
Don’t go mixin’ politics with the folk songs of our land
Just work on harmony and diction
Play your banjo well
And if you have political convictions keep them to yourself

Now, the one on the left works in a bank
And the one in the middle drives a truck
The one on the right’s an all-night deejay
And the guy in the rear got drafted

TD