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Shut Up And Sing

In 2003, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines created an uproar when, at a show in London, she jokingly proclaimed that she was ashamed the President is from Texas. The statement was printed in The Guardian, and a shock wave resounded throughout the media. The Dixie Chicks could not respond in person, because they were touring abroad. When they got back to the States, they confronted the situation head-on as a team.

The documentary Shut Up and Sing consists of archived footage behind-the-scenes, interviews, clips from C-SPAN, input from family, and comments from politicians and fans. At the beginning of the war, when President Bush’s approval rating was sky-high, many Americans took offense to Natalie’s statement. The outcry was catastrophic. Their #1 single, “Traveling Soldier,” dropped on the charts, and FreeRepublic.com amassed followers who boycotted stations that played Chicks songs. Some stations even held events where people could smash old albums.

All the negative press didn’t stop diehard fans from attending concerts en masse. The look behind-the-scenes shows three extraordinary women stand together in defense of free speech. It’s an eye-opener to realize there are people in this country who are quick to judge based on a few words, and no facts, while ignoring the First Amendment because someone disagrees with them.

The movie tracks the recording process of the Chicks’ latest album, and the catharsis of using music as an outlet for frustration. The powerful song, “Not Ready To Make Nice,” revolves around the death threat aimed at Natalie. “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?”

Three years after “the comment,” the Chicks are wiser, but no less opinionated, and have come back with a new sound for a new audience. They also have conviction about standing up to an unruly public, and know the importance of saying what you believe in this age of lies and war. It’s an eye-opener, and a must-see.

Written by: Tracy Elledge

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