How Will I Ever

Get to Heaven Now?

Rain is coming down and delaying my plans for heading Cineplex to rot my brain with whichever film is showing this afternoon. I actually have no idea what is showing, but I’m tired of sitting at home. After the disaster that was Valhalla Rising, by brain is refusing to allow me to read anything as it detoxes. I’ve watched as many DVDs on my laptop as I can handle for now. I’d bake something, one of my favorite pastimes, but I’m sans oven right now—a problem I hope to resolve in the very near future. (I’ll just get fat. It’s the one vice left when you’re dead meat.) I’ve got to get out and mingle with living, breathing people.

But it’s raining…so I’m back on my sofa, laptop in my, well…lap, feet propped on the coffee table, thinking about how much I like the Dixie Chicks.

It took me awhile to become Chicks fan. I always disliked country music. It was always on the radio at Grandma’s house. Before I knew what being car sick was, I thought the reason for my nausea during road trips was the twang of the steel guitar featured in my cousins’ musical selections as we traversed the hills of northern Alabama. I gained an appreciation for the Chicks’ music after the release of their second album, Fly (not really their second because they had independent releases before Natalie, but their second major-label release). The song Sin Wagon struck a chord with me, and it tore down the long-standing I-hate-country-music barrier I’d built to protect myself from some really bad music. (“Feed Jake. He’s been a good dog…” Are you kidding me? Yuck!)

Anyway, I just got a copy of the DVD, Shut Up and Sing, a documentary about the Dixie Chicks’ career since Natalie Maines, the groups lead singer, said, “Just so you know, we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas,” during a show in London in 2003. The reaction and backlash in America was tremendous and outrageous. Comments such as: “I believe in freedom of speech. Just don’t do it in public” ensued and the girls’ music was banned from the radio basically everywhere that played country music. How did such a simple comment from a small entertainer in a relatively small venue to a relatively small crowd in London capture so much media attention in the U.S.? Why did such a simple comment from a small entertainer in a relatively small venue to a relatively small crowd in London capture the President of the United States of America’s attention and lead him to make a lame-ass comment about it during a primetime interview with Tom Brokaw when there was (is) a war going on?

Natalie’s response to the lame-ass comment? “You’re a dumb f@$*. You are a dumb f@$*.”

You gotta love her! Unless, that is, Natalie is the reason you were late for prom because you were bumped from your hair appointment because she was a walk-in and your stylist gave her preference. Then you don’t gotta love her. Sorry, C, but can’t we just let the past go?

Why did such a simple comment from a small entertainer in a relatively small venue to a relatively small crowd in London inspire the making of a documentary film? I guess it was the reaction of the American public that inspired the documentary. In the words of Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew, “The First Amendment gave me freedom of speech. What are you sayin’? It didn’t include me?” Someone said something, playfully, not in favor of the President, and the reaction in America was tremendous and outrageous. Death threats were even made! The reaction to the Chicks’ comment and how the Chicks’ dealt with the reaction makes an interesting story. Plus, it inspired some excellent music.

Excellent music. It was the documentary, Shut Up and Sing, that inspired me purchase my first Dixie Chicks’ album. I bought Taking the Long Way from iTunes two days ago, and I’m loving it. Lubbock or Leave It really gets me moving and makes me think of Nicole and her, “and I did,” comment and giggle a little.


Temptation's strong (Salvation's gone).
I'm on my way to hell's half acre.
How will I ever?
How will I ever get to heaven now?

Oh, well. The rain has stopped. I guess it’s off to Garden City to rot my brain.

p.s.

I watched the Grammy Awards this past February at Copa Cabana in Naalya. The Dixie Chicks’ pretty much swept the awards. Most of the people I was with watching the awards were unfamiliar with the Dixie Chicks and their music and were outraged that they beat Mary J. Blige. I tried to explain the significance of the Chicks winning, but they just didn’t get it.