SHUT UP & SING

Remember the olden days when people couldn't question authority without fearing social ostracism, the loss of their livelihood, and potentially the loss of life and limb?

Remember the olden days when people couldn't question authority without fearing social ostracism, the loss of their livelihood, and potentially the loss of life and limb? Gosh, when was that? Back in the McCarthy Era? In some distant undemocratized land? Nope, that would have been 2003, in America, when Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks quipped that she was ashamed that President Bush hailed from Texas. Shut Up and Sing chronicles the firestorm that ensued, the band's sudden fall from grace, and their slow climb back to the top. Fans of the Dixie Chicks will certainly enjoy the behind-the-scenes access, but this fabulously thought-provoking documentary offers up plenty for the rest of us to chew on.

In the weeks following The Remark, the Dixie Chicks were all but banished from country radio at the insistence of offended fans. People who had once loved their music burned their CDs (with actual fire) and unleashed a torrent of verbal venom. The Chicks were suddenly twits, Communists, and traitors, and quite a few people offered to do them bodily harm. With so many musicians speaking out against the war, how had they managed to strike such a nerve?

It seems the issue was not so much what Natalie said, but rather who was listening. While her words were met with cheers in London, they did not set well with traditional country music fans. It was now apparent that the Dixie Chicks were not one of their own ( i.e. not Bush supporters), and the realization was more than some fans could handle. No matter how much they had loved the music, regardless of how much money they had invested in concert tickets and CDs, it was simply no longer possible to tolerate a band that did not share their political beliefs.

At this point it would seem fitting for Rodney King to emerge from the chaos and plead, "Can't we all just get along?" Can we not enjoy someone's work without endorsing their personal beliefs? Did Maines make it personal when she aired her opinion in public? Should she shut up and sing? Is there some reason why this incident didn't open up a dialogue about free speech, the war, the President, etc. rather than a childish bout of finger-pointing and name-calling?

As the Chicks struggle to stand tall, their fan base shifts and the band slowly regains momentum. Despite death threats, these bold women continue to kiss their babies in the dressing room and take the stage. Whether you support them or not, their bravery is admirable, and their success proves that freedom of expression is still alive and well in the United States. It is no longer possible to compartmentalize these women with the country sound and rock beliefs, and this may be their greatest triumph of all.