Dixie Chicks About to Step In It ~ Again

So, the Texas Trio (artists formerly known as country musicians) has decided to try and make a comeback to country music - but with their first comeback release, they don't seem to have learned anything about their core audience and are apparently still stuck-on-stupid. In their new release "Not ready to make nice," Natalie Maines, Martie McGuire and Emily Robison try to win back their audience by thumbing their noses and whining about how hard life has been for them (Ahhhhh!?). I'll get to this supposed-to-be-brave "anthem" in a minute.

First, a recap from 2003:

March 10th Blunder: The Chicks were riding high on the success of their last album "Home" which had just weeks earlier swept the Grammy awards in four categories, including Best Country Album, and their concert tickets were suddenly next to impossible to get before they would be sold out.

This night, while playing to a sell-out audience at Shepherd Bush Empire Theatre in London, lead singer Natalie Maines was feeling mighty self-important. After thunderous applause for one of their numbers, she just couldn't help herself. "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."

Those fifteen words, thoughtlessly spoken on foreign soil against a Commander-in-Chief in a runup to war (which started ten days later) were heard around the world - and did not go over very well with a mostly conservative country music base in the States. Then the Damage Control and Kerry-like flip-flopping ensued:

March 12th appeasement: Recognizing that folks back home were angry, "I feel the President is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world."

March 14th apology: In response to continued outrage and sudden calls to boycott their records, "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect. We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers' lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American."

April 24th retraction: Obviously confused by continued rage by some former fans, country radio pariah status, and anger from die-hards over the apology, Maines said in a televised interview that she was "proud of (her) original statement."

September 15th bitterness: Maguire told Der Spiegel magazine: "We don't feel a part of the country scene any longer, it can't be our home any more." Noting a lack of support from country stars and being booed at the 2003 ACM awards. "Instead, we won three (sic) Grammys against much stronger competition. So we now consider ourselves part of the big rock 'n' roll family."

Well, I guess that didn't work out too well - as they DON'T PLAY ROCK. To seal the deal, these "chicks" hooked up with the doomed Kerry campaign of 2004. Then, relative radio silence....until now.

Here is the much-repeated refrain from this self-indulgent ditty just released:

"I'm not ready to make nice
I'm not ready to back down
I'm still mad as hell and don't have time
to go round and round and round"

"It's too late to make it right
I prob'ly wouldn't if I could
Cuz I'm mad as hell, can't bring myself to do
what it is you think I should"

(Watch Video Here)

Yada yada yada. Wanna know what "I think you should?" Here's a thought, you brainless bimbos: STICK TO DOING MUSIC! Leave the politics to the politicians, pundits, media and bloggers. What you should have learned from all of this is that folks DO NOT LIKE IT when celebrities cross this line - and when it comes to Country Music audiences, if you ain't waving the flag (like your nemesis Toby Keith) then shut the hell up and play your damned banjo!