Back in 2003, The Dixie Chicks raised controversy when lead singer Natalie Maines announced – to a concert audience in London and in opposition to the Iraq war – that the Chicks were ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas. Her comment changed their career.
I’m not a country music fan, so I hadn’t heard of the Dixie Chicks until they enraged a significant number of red-blooded Americans, who began boycotting the group and staging demonstrations involving various forms of destroying Dixie Chicks CDs. You’d think these hardcore Americans would be happy to see fellow citizens exercising their right to free speech, but the common sentiment from Bush-lovers was “free speech is fine, but don’t do it in public, and don’t embarrass the President.”
And so goes the title of this feature-length documentary, Shut Up & Sing. The film presents an intimate, insider’s look at the incredibly popular Dixie Chicks as they deal with the aftermath of the anti-Bush comment, and evolve their career for the better. We see the chicks at home with their families, at work in the studio and on stage, and sitting around with their manager discussing their tumultuous career.
The film does a great job showing the emotional impact the protests and death threats had on these three women, and how their anger, sadness and frustration fueled the creation of their double-platinum album, Taking the Long Way.
It’s now hard to imagine such an uproar over criticism of Bush and the Iraq War, since the man and his mission are reviled more and more with each passing month, and talk of impeachment has been swelling up in several areas of their country. But back in 2003, Bush was still pretty darn popular, and the nation was too close to 9/11 to be anything but overly sensitive to military matters. Back then, the Dixie Chicks sticking to their guns was courageous and risky. It still is, but now they seem like visionaries for helping to lead the opposition charge.
So the film is an intimate portrayal of an emotionally explosive situation. How’s the DVD?
Video
Dixie Chicks – Shut Up & Sing is presented on a single disc, in 1.33:1 full screen format. The documentary includes footage from a wide variety of sources, from home videos and media clips to more professional stuff, which makes it difficult to assess the overall quality. I’d say the transfer is good, and the overall presentation ranges from ok to good.
The main menu is animated and scored.
Audio
The only audio presentation is English Dolby Digital 2.0. The film is mainly dialogue, and all of it clearly presented, but it would have been nice to have a fuller sound for the Dixie Chicks music, whether in studio or on stage. Still, even with the varying quality of source material, the track won’t have you straining to hear anything.
Subtitles are available in Spanish.
Special Features
There’s no bonus material. Move along.
Final Thoughts
Dixie Chicks – Shut Up & Sing is an intimate view of the struggles and triumphs of one of the most popular female bands of all time, and is interesting commentary on the potentially volatile result of mixing politics in the music business. Certainly a must-see for any Dixie Chicks fan.
03/13/2007 @ 6:41 pm
Impeachment? Do you know anything at all about the American system? Not once has impeachment been brought up in either house. A swell?
10/07/2008 @ 9:56 pm
Tom,
I respect your opinion but you don’t know what in the Hell you’re talking about.
I taught college level American Government for 8 years and you would have flunked.
Your remarks are totally irresponsible.
If you don’t like the man, say so, it’s your right.
Just don’t make crap up and pass it off as fact.
First: No serious person here in the USA has talked impeachment.
Second: Impeachment can only be brought about for actual crimes.
Bush, like him or not, did not violate the American Constitution.
Next time read the document before you talk about it.
I certainly hope you are more informed about your DVD’s before you review them
Shame On You,
Gino
10/07/2008 @ 10:43 pm
Gino, your degree of respect for my opinion is clear. While I’ll accept a small degree of criticism for my choice of “swelling”, I stand by the rest. Assuming you didn’t grade your American Government course on the basis of DVD reviews, I’m sure I would have done just fine.
Would you consider Dennis Kucinich a serious person? He has been calling for impeachment for some time. Bush’s approval ratings are at Nixonian levels, and world opinion of the United States has soured as a result of the Iraq war.
In any case, those portions of my review were based on observation of Internet opinion and various news sources, not on my personal feelings for your president.
Thank you for your rude and condescending remarks. As a fellow reviewer on this site, I would have hoped for more respectful correspondence.
10/08/2008 @ 2:13 am
Tom,
You missed the point.
Impeachment is a constitutional legal issue .
Bush has done nothing in violation of the document.
I have no problem with your opinion.
You really needed to stay away from that issue, without understanding it.
By the way to answer your question. No, i don’t consider Kucinich a serious person. Neither does his own party.
Bush does have low approval rate,but impeachment has NOTHING to do with approval.
I believe you confuse the terms Impeachment with Recall.
There is no Federal recall.
Many states have such rules on their leaders, but not on a national level.
As for my respect for you. I’m sorry you feel the way you do.
I do have respect for you but your impeachment statement was simply too irresponsible.
remember that your Democratic controlled Congress is at a 9% (a third of Bush’s). Should we “Impeach” them as well?
I care a great deal about this site and our crediblity.
This is my home, too.
Take Care,
Gino
10/08/2008 @ 2:43 am
I’m glad we’re back on more friendly footing. I never called for impeachment. I merely noted that calls for impeachment, obviously unofficial, were growing. I accept that I overexaggerated on that point. My comments about Bush’s approval rating were related to my review statement that resentment for Bush and his mission was on the rise.
The democractic congress has definitely not risen to the challenge, but they are certainly not mine. I’m Canadian.
Again, that small portion of my review you take issue with was not based on my personal opinion, but on my admittedly casual observation of the issue. We’re writing DVD reviews, not blogging about politics.
10/08/2008 @ 2:53 am
Tom,
I’m sorry you believed we were ever on anything but friendly footing. As I’m sure your viewing of the DVD showed you this is a hot issue.
If I can comment on their situation. Some of us go to concerts to hear them play. We respect their right to speak but not when I paid $50 to be there.
I NEVER talk politics when I perform and try to keep it out of my music.
I understand you wanting to voice your opinion.
I was offered that title to review and turned it down because I knew I would be unable to make a strong political statement.
It was a trap, my friend.
I apologize for being harsh.
I love political debate but I see Constitutional issues misrepresented too often and it just drives me nuts.
I hope you understand.
Take Care,
Gino
10/08/2008 @ 3:15 am
No worries, Gino. I clearly do not share your level of understanding of the details of your government, and I did not anticipate a flippant choice of words in my review to tick anyone off.
I hear you about musicians spending concert time you paid for to sound off on politics. But don’t musicians often talk a little between some of the songs, make a few comments, etc.? From the clip on the DVD, if I recall correctly, the original statement that started the whole Dixie Chicks firestorm was basically a one-liner.
10/08/2008 @ 3:40 am
Yeah it was a one liner.
Here was the trouble.
Say you paid $50 for a ticket (cheap these days).
I know the media has you believe that we all hate Bush but many of us don’t.
Remember in 2000 the media said Bush had an approval of 36% the day before he took an election by over 50%.
Now, I didn’t teach math, but even I know something doesn’t add up.
Anyway…now say you like the prez.
You paid that money to listen to the band insult your Prez.
See how you can feel rippedoff.
Even still you don’t put down a Texas prez at a country music concert. How dumb is that?
They made the mistake of buying into the media slant that folks hated Bush. They never expected so much of a backlash.
Hell, I think they expected to be hailed as heroes.
Enough said.
Hey, at least this will drive traffic to an old review.
I wouldn’t have noticed except for the first comment.:-)
Take Care,
Gino
10/08/2008 @ 3:48 am
By the way. Sorry for the review crack.
Again, sensitive issue.
Take Care,
Gino
10/08/2008 @ 1:18 pm
Sensitive issue, no worries.
The one-liner was delivered to an audience in London, England. I suspect it got plenty of cheers at the time, since there probably weren’t many Bush supporters, let alone Americans, in attendance.
You’re right that they made a mistake, because word of them disrespecting the president on foreign soil got home to the republican fans right quick. The extreme reaction by many of those fans disgusts me, though. Public album destruction, boycotts and death threats? Sheesh.
Just curious, are you still a Bush supporter? If so, why? It seems pretty clear that he has been one of the worst presidents in your nation’s history, at least from an outside perspective.
10/08/2008 @ 2:22 pm
Hey Tom,
I agree the death threats are disgusting.
Destroying the CD’s is OK with me so long as they owned them. Boycotts I also agree with. If they offended me why should I buy their product.
Yes, I am still a Bush supporter.
Not enough room here to describe why except to say that 25 years from now Iraq War will go down in history, not as a mistake, but the defining moment in a free and stable Middle East.
Believe it or not He’s the best Prez in my lifetime.
Many of us believe that, but because of the media and such are just afraid to stand up and say so.
I saw an interview with Kelsey Grammer about his new film where he talks about how conservative actors don’t speak out unless they are already big stars because they get black listed if they do. I hope you find that as disgusting.
There are far more of us than you know.
I’ve likely put a target on my own back by speaking so open about it here, but some of us have to have the courage to blast the crazy notions that get all of the airtime.
If you’d like a more detailed explanation feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to provide it.
Take Care,
Gino
10/08/2008 @ 3:10 pm
I definitely disagree with anyone being blacklisted for their political opinions. It has echoes of McCarthyism, a black mark on American history. Diversity breeds strength and should be embraced.
I would be interested to learn why you think the Iraq war will eventually be recognized as a success, and why Bush is the best president in your lifetime. I’ll send you a PM in the forums with my email address.
10/08/2008 @ 3:55 pm
I look forward to hearing from you.