Country radio nixes Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks: America Catches Up With Them
Well, while some folks (like myself) are applauding the Dixie Chicks for their willingness to stick to stated views that are unpopular among the American sheeple, it appears that country radio stations are still unwilling to countenance anything but unquestioned support for Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader. Corporate mindsets hate controversy, because that threatens the status quo they’ve worked so hard to create. Controversy only means people think, which to a suit’s way of thinking, can only threaten their investment in the status quo.
It would be nice to think that freedom of speech still has a place in this country, but it appears that freedom ain’t worth nearly what it used to be. Granted, the country music industry in general tends to be very heavily Republican and it tenders to cater to the more Conservative segments of American society (and if you can’t figure out why & how, I’m not about to spell it out for you), but to deny the Dixie Chicks’ new album air time simply because of their political views is just plain wrong. It also displays a pronounced intolerance for differing viewpoints that can and should be described as censorship.
Yes, I understand that the country music industry is frightened of rocking the boat and thus threatening their investment by possibly angering the portion of the American sheeple who still think that Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader walks on water. Heaven forbid that all the NASCAR fans and good ol’ boys who unquestioningly vote Republican should actually have to THINK about what is happening in the world around them….
NASHVILLLE, Tenn., May 22 (UPI) — It appears the war U.S. country radio stations mounted against the politically outspoken Dixie Chicks has not abated in the least.
The band is promoting “Taking the Long Way,” its first album since Natalie Maines told a London audience in 2003 she was ashamed to be from the same state as U.S. President George Bush. The comment sparked a radio boycott of the group’s music.
Country radio showed it’s true colors at that time by hosting parties in which Dixie Chicks were burned by legions of Right-wing nutjobs too busy reacting to actually think about the absurdity of what they were doing. Did these folks sleep through Civics class while they were in high school at the trailer park? Apparently so.
Although the album hits stores Tuesday, the first two singles from the album are not getting widespread airplay, Billboard.com reported Monday.
The first single, “Not Ready to Make Nice,” only peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and the second single, “Everybody Knows,” is moving downward after its peak at No. 48.
I downloaded the album from iTunes yesterday, and I am here to tell you that “Taking The Long Way” is a damn fine piece of musicianship. The songs are well-written, and the lyrics are thoughtful and introspective in a way that you normally wouldn’t expect from a country album. If you’re a Dixie Chicks fan, as I am, you’ll probably love the album. If you’re a Toby Keith fan, you’ll probably think it’s the spawn of Satan.
WKIS FM in Miami reported it pulled “Not Ready to Make Nice” due to listener complaints after only one week.
The program director at KUBL/KKAT in Salt Lake City told Billboard he was angered by its “self-indulgent and selfish lyrics.”
“Self-indulgent and selfish lyrics”? WTF? So now program directors are threatened by a lyrical range that actually extends beyond drinking, heartache, and pickup trucks? Memo to aspiring country music artists: generic lyrics only, please. If you want to write lyrics about introspection and/or anything but unquestioning support for Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader’s Glorious War of Liberation in Iraq…well, go talk to WIllie Nelson or Neil Young, ‘kay??
So now we’re seeing music criticized for lyrical content? Like Toby Keith or Reba McEntire would pass that smell test. Have we become so ignorant and so intolerant of differing points of view that we have no problems with stooping to outright censorship? If we’re talking about country radio, the answer would be an unqualified yes.
And you wonder why Natalie Maines spoke of being ashamed that the President is from Texas? This sort of thing makes me ashamed to be an American, because the sort of people responsible for keeping the Dixie Chicks off the air clearly have NO idea of what it means to be an American. Freedom of speech? We don’t need no stinkin’ freedom of speech! We’re at war damnit, and that means all you bleedin’ heart Libruls need to just keep you damn mouths shut.
All the more reason to applaud the Dixie Chicks.
