February 12, 2007

Dixie Chicks Win A Political Grammy

The Dixie Chicks won a slew of awards at last night's Grammys, including best song for "Not Ready to Make Nice".

Well, I love the Chicks, but "Not Ready to Make Nice" was not only not the best song of the year, it wasn't even the best song on the album. It was a sullen response to the country music community for the boycott of the Chicks that followed their anti-Bush statements in London. It's not a good song.

Giving the award to this song is meant to be a slap at George Bush and the Iraq War. Fair enough, but what's the real best song?

2 comments:

Rob Rockerr said...

The awards given to the Dixie Chicks were simply one thing....sending a message.

As you know, these awards were not given by the people. This was not the People's Music Awards, rather less than 11,000 members of professionals in the music industry. One writer brought up the idea that the vote for the various catagories was so split, that the largest chunk of votes left were the politically active members who had the opportunity to "make a statement" with what amounts to a lackluster album and a really boring song.

First of all, there's no way a song like that would take song of the year at the Grammys unless it had help, through collusion or other means, or jury nullification, just like the O.J. trial. And for them to win 5 awards if just not only improbable, but impossible! It looks like the Grammys jumped the shark last night, allowing politics to influence the outcome of not one but 5 awards and I personally could never look at them in any kind of positive light again, though that's been coming for a long time now.

I've been a professional musician for over 35 years, a session player on albums and a touring sideman. I'm hearing nothing, and I repeat nothing, but disbelief at what happened last night. Some are asking for an investigation to see if there was indeed any wrong doing in the "winning" of these awards. And all along, Natalie and the world still actually think that they really won those awards.

Sad. Hope they never realize what really happened. They were used!

Anonymous said...

You Have to Love the Chicks.