Praised by feminists and denounced by purists, the Dixie Chicks, now known as The Chicks, are hiding some dark secrets in their upbeat, catchy tunes.
In 2020, the talented, outspoken and formidable trio – who refuse to pander to the public – made a triumphant return with more sassy songs in “Gaslighter,” their first release in almost 14 years.
And despite being canceled years ago, the women are still “Not Ready to Make Nice.” Keep reading to learn more about the brilliant but dark side of this trio!
In 2003, the Dixie Chicks had a seismic drop in popularity after Texas native Natalie Maines fired shots at George W. Bush when she said: “We’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.”
The shockwaves were felt from the London stage she stood to people across the world.
Despite apologizing, radio stations banned the Grammy-winning trio from their playlists and Republican pearl-clutchers were outraged.
Then, the women – who received death threats for Maines’ anti-Bush comments – were canceled from mainstream music, but they still had a loyal following of fans who loved them harder than before.
After earning five Grammy Awards for the 2006 album “Taking the Long Way Home,” which includes ‘Not Ready to Make Nice‘ – the song responding to criticisms over the 2003 comment – the band fell quiet.
The incident cast a long shadow in the industry.
In her 2020 Netflix documentary Miss Americana, Taylor Swift, a lifelong Chicks fan, said her fear of getting “Dixie Chick-ed” is why she remains tight-lipped about politics.
Triumphant return
Almost 14 years later, the trio dropped Dixie from its name and made its triumphant return with the 2020 album “Gaslighter.”
The album tells a scathing tale of Maines’ hate-filled divorce from ex-husband Adrian Pasdar, an actor credited with starring roles in the TV series Judging Amy and Heroes. Pasdar also appears in the video to The Chick’s hit song, ‘Goodbye Earl.’
Filled with hilarious burns, the song, ‘Tights on My Boat,’ says: “You can tell the girl who left her tights on my boat that she can have you now…I hope you die peacefully in your sleep/Just kidding, I hope it hurts like you hurt me.”
While Maines admits there were no tights left on a boat, Pasdar did have a boat the Nautalee, named after his ex.
But it’s the title track that shares the dark journey traveled by Maines in her two-year divorce battle with Pasdar.
Maines sings: “We moved to California and we followed your dreams/I believed in the promises you made to me/Swore that night till death do us part/But you lie-lie-lie-lie-lied.” Referring to gaslighting, the song then says: “Tried to say I’m crazy/Babe we know I’m not crazy, that’s you.”
Promoting their newly branded title and album in 2020, Maines and her bandmates, sisters Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire, had a conversation with The Washington Post.
Maines said: “You can entertain, and you can know about the world that’s going on around you and have commentary and an opinion on it.” Refusing to conform to the beliefs of big corporations, like the country music industry that earlier canceled her group, she continues, “If a 10-year-old on Instagram can have a voice, it’s definitely our responsibility to have a voice and it’s perfectly fine to use it.”
‘Earl had to die’
Before all this, The Chicks were at the top of their game, inspiring women with the strength of their sisterhood.
Even though some radio stations refused to play the 2000 song about killing an abusive man, the smash hit ‘Goodbye Earl‘ is a punchy and irresistibly dark tune that is still an anthem for women fighting against domestic abuse.
The song tells the story of best friends MaryAnn and Wanda, roles in the video played by actors Lauren Holly and Jane Krakowski, and though it’s hilarious, upbeat and catchy, it talks about domestic violence and how the friends decided “that Earl had to die.”
After “Earl walked right through that restraining order and put [Wanda] in intensive care,” the women poison him with black-eyed peas, roll him in some tarp and toss him into the lake. “And it turns out he was a missing person who nobody missed at all.”
Almost 25 years later, as the song hits the ears of newer generations, The Chicks are again being praised for their fierce vocals and lyrics.
One user writes in the comments section of the video shared on YouTube: “The chicks bury him in a chorus of harmony and sass.”
“The murder is totally noncontroversial. Earl was such a huge jerk that everyone is just like ‘you go girl’ and then we all laugh. How lovely that is,’” shares a second fan.
“This song has completely blown up on TikTok. Glad to see a new generation appreciate what an absolute f**king masterpiece this song is,” adds a third.
Another fan shares the multi-generational influence the song has on her family: “My mom’s fav song was ‘Goodbye Earl.’ She thought it should be played at every wedding. She passed of cancer seven years ago. But this year, my daughter got married and I had a special dedication at the reception from my mom. And you bet your ass all the girls got up and sang and danced to ‘Goodbye Earl.’”
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