Not Ready To Make Nice
However, I find that music usually helps me relax, so I've been listening to random tracks.
As I wrote earlier, I'm so proud of the Dixie Chicks and their five Grammy wins which includes a Grammy for best album of the year for Taking the Long Way and best song of the year for "Not Ready to Make Nice."
What came down on them was atrocious. Their lead singer Natalie Maines said this to an audience in London in 2003, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." Because of that statement, they were blacklisted by the powers that be in country music and Natalie's life was threatened. All of this in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
The backlash that they got for that was absolutely horrible. People seem to forget to in the United States we have this concept called Free Speech which is guaranteed by the First Amendment from the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.
After 9/11 people forgot it and there was no debate. I honestly doubt that most Americans have even read the Constitution because a lot seem to forget it when another American has a differing point of view. I remember discussing post 9/11 issues and the possibility of a war in Iraq with others. I had some of the most ridiculous conversations, if you want to call them that, of my life. It was truly depressing.
This song also hits home for me personally because I think of someone who was really close to me but speaking my mind got me into big, big trouble. However, regarding that I'm definitely not ready to make nice.
If you haven't heard the song in full, you can go here to the Dixie Chicks' MySpace page and it's right there in their player for you to hear.
Streaming formats:
"Not Ready To Make Nice" - Quicktime
"Not Ready To Make Nice" - RealPlayer
"Not Ready To Make Nice" - Windows Media (high)
"Not Ready To Make Nice" - Windows Media (low)
(links from Dixie Chicks - "Not Ready To Make Nice" Streaming Audio at About.com)
Here are the lyrics to "Not Ready to Make Nice" - enjoy!
Forgive, Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting
I'm through, with doubt,
There's nothing left for me to figure out,
I've paid a price, and I'll keep paying
I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should
I know you said
Why can't you just get over it,
It turned my whole world around
and I kind of like it
I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over
I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should
I'm not ready to make nice,
I'm not ready to back down,
I'm still mad as hell
And I don't have time
To go round and round and round
It's too late to make it right
I probably wouldn't if I could
Cause I'm mad as hell
Can't bring myself to do what it is
You think I should
Forgive, sounds good.
Forget, I'm not sure I could.
They say time heals everything,
But I'm still waiting*
The Dixie Chick's performance of "Not Ready To Make Nice" at this year's Grammys:
I won't get into the politics behind country music. All I'll say is I did grow up listening to it and remember, for better or for worse, watching Hee Haw with my parents. Not everyone who likes country music fits the stereotype...you know which one I'm alluding to. Then, again, I like all sorts of music, so I'm just confused.
Here is the trailer for their documentary Shut Up & Sing:
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More links:
- Country Music Television (CMT): Is Dixie Chicks' Sweep a Strong Message?
- Dixie Chicks: DixieChicks.com
- Washington Post: At the Grammys, Making Very Nice
- All-Inclusive Dixie Chicks Page (great history if you need it):The All-Inclusive Dixie Chicks Page
- NYTimes: It's Dixie Chicks vs. Country Fans, but Who's Dissing Whom?
- MSNBC: Dixie Chicks say they've been on a ‘hate list’
- Liberal Country Fan: Chicks Still Rule at the Grammys
- Yahoo! News: Country radio still cold to Dixie Chicks
- Tabloid Column: Dixie Chicks Boycott - Ashamed President Bush is from Texas
- Country Music Awards (CMAs): 40th Annual CMAs (they weren't nominated)
