Jan 29 2009
Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing
I know I’m two years late on this one, but I just finished watching the documentary, Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing.
For those of you who don’t know, this doc deals with the repercussions of lead singer Natalie Maines’ comments about the war in Iraq. The comments were made in 2003, and resulted in at least one death threat to Maines.
Apparently, in the country music world, speaking against George W. Bush is a bad idea. The movie comically highlight the red-neck backlash that proceeded for the next few years.
A surprise for me was the appearance of producer Rick Rubin and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. They both played an integral role in the recording of the Chicks’ “come back” album. There was some cool footage of the band in the studio, as well as a few typical shots of Rubin lying on the couch.
As a response to the negative feedback, the Dixie Chicks wrote a song called Not Ready to Make Nice. This song is pretty phenomenal. I remember enjoying this song when it was first released back in 2006, but hearing it again was quite refreshing.
Another highlight of the film was the inclusion of the hyper-active and enthusiastic manager, Simon Renshaw. This guy seems like someone that you’d want on your side in any situation. He always remained positive and spastic no matter how pissed off or depressed the women were.
So if you’re looking for an interesting documentary, I’d recommend checking out Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing. And for your listening/viewing pleasure, check out the video for Not Ready to Make Nice:
