Dixie Chicks: Classic or Dud ?

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I'm genuinely curious about what y'all think of them. I would think that pop fetishists would love them, but I don't know if their appreciation would extend to country music.

Based on their Fly album, I like them a lot - they're fun and feisty, and they use their clout to push the limits of what mainstream country allows (you won't find fun sing-alongs about husband-murdering or hyper-speed bluegrass odes to "mattress dancin'" with lines like "praise the lord and pass the ammunition" on the next Tim McGraw record, I don't think). If I had a top 10 singles list for 2000, "Goodbye Earl" (written by the same guy who wrote Elvis' "Burning Love" - and Roger Miller's hippie-era "Where Have All The Average People Gone" !) would be on it easily - it's just an awesome incredibly catchy pop song.

Also, the short one who sometimes looks like a riot grrl is kinda cute.

Patrick, Thursday, 15 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Arrgh, the short one looks like a particularly unappealing Treasure Troll.

I really don't like the Dixie Chicks at all. It goes with the thread about being convinced out of liking things: my answer was that it's hard to convince me to not like something by telling me it's crap, but it is easy to convince me to hate something I find average if people really masturbate over how great it is. The Dixie Chicks fall under that category. For the most part, I could ignore them but the way everyone goes on and on about them like they're the second coming makes me LOATHE them.

And that Goodbye Earl song really irritates the hell out of me, to be honest. Whichever one is singing the chorus should be punched.

Granted, I'm hung over right now so I'm overreacting.

Ally, Friday, 16 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Don't hold back, Ally; tell us how you really feel.

I must say, I'm somewhat surprised to discover that someone else doesn't understand the fascination with the lead singer. I mean, she has a decent voice but she is rather emphatically NOT all that. Most people I know who talk about them talk about her as being the best part of the band. YIKES. Musically, I find them infinitely more intersting when they're doing bluegrass stuff. I saw a "Behind The Music"-style program on them and their rise to fame and the old clips where they were a four-piece that wore unabashedly tacky Grand Ole Opry-style spanglewear and did ferocious bluegrass were easily the most enjoyable parts of the program.

Had they broken into the mainstream with their bluegrass stuff, they'd be a classic. As it stands, I sometimes have problems telling them apart from The Corrs. DUD.

Dan Perry, Friday, 16 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

The music itself is unexceptional, and the lyrics are pseudo- empowering "you go girl!" Oprahfied drivel. The fact that they "push the limits" of mainstream country says more about mainstream country than it does about them.

And as much as most riot grrls annoy me, I still think it would be really insulting to them to say that the short one looks like one. Ally is spot on in the treasure troll comparison.

Nicole, Friday, 16 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

They're all fugging ugly, even by country's inbred standards.

I take offense to the Corrs comparison, Dan. The Dixie Chicks are far too offensive for anyone to mistake them for the Corrs. Turn your radio up. Shitty singers, comely outfits on unattractive people, wretched lyrics, a novelty hit that wasn't even as good as their other singles (not that it's bad - mention of the 4H club and the "Earl had to die" line punctuated by na na nas and the obligatory banjo makes it good enough, better if you remember that Earl is DMX's real name). I recommend (drunkenly, to Tom) Sheryl Crow doing "Strong Enough" live with the Dixie Chicks' inexplicable karaokeishness sending a duff song over the top into the land of surprisingly touching bittersweet tear- in-my-beer proto-nostalgia, lines like "please don't leave" being sung from the day before yesterday, when things were good, when their man's strength was still in question. But their best moment is "If I Fall You're Going Down With Me", an absurdly upbeat candidate for the Cruellest Lines thread, rivalled as new country's best moment by only that mockingbird song by the jailbait girl from a few years back and the new SheDaisy single, which if you haven't listened to on my recommendation, is Chuck Eddy's good enough for ya? (If that's still not enough: the chorus features hand claps! Not to mention buried punctuative oscillator hits.)

Otis Wheeler, Saturday, 17 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Ha, I can't believe this question is even being asked. Dud, no further discussion. Their music is just polished, sugar-coated BS - cutesy and sweet so that they can be spoon fed to the easily swayed yuppies, who are then able to claim "yeah, I like country, I'm trendy!" I can't stand it when people latch onto groups like the Dixie Chicks and Garth Brooks and think they like and know "country music." It's just bad pop music with a twangy guitar and an accent, and maybe somewhere they mention Dixieland or Alabama. Give me a break. They are basically tools of thier label, I'm sure, and all about their image, just like any other top 20 pop artist today - you can take your pick. And boy are they pushing their limits with songs about killing..boy..I'd rather a band push thier limits with thier music. oh, and you think the "riot grrl" is cute? well that's exactly what you're supposed to think...quick, go buy the CD now!

Emily, Sunday, 18 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Good grief. I've never had to defend myself from being a yuppie (hey, I wish I made enough money to be one !) OR faking interest in/knowledge of country music OR buying records based on an artist's looks OR following the herd musically, much less all four at once !! It must be bad karma from bashing Chameleons/Swans/Smiths fans on those classic-or-dud threads. I'm sorry Ned ! ;)

Patrick, Monday, 19 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Polished music can be good.
Sugar-coated music can be good.
Twangy guitars can be good.
Accents can be good.
Label tools can be good.
Image can be good.
Top 20 pop music can definitely be good.
Songs about killing can be good.
Cute 'riot grrls' can certainly be good.
Thinking what you're told to think can be good, too.
And yet despite all this the Dixie Chicks are still rubbish.

Tom, Monday, 19 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

Okay, well sorry Patrick. Didn't mean for my answer to be a personal attack on you at all. It's just that I really do not like them, and my young...naive...unknowing younger sister thinks they're great, so I'm used to spouting off reasons why I think they're crap. Didn't mean it personally. :)

Emily, Monday, 19 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

This hardened mainstream-country-hater actually likes the dixie chicks. Not sure why; they're sound isn't that different from other vomit-inducing mainstream acts. There's just an undefinable quality. Simply put, to my ears their songs sound Good, as opposed to almost 100% of the other country acts, which sound Bad.

Oh yeah, and the lead singer is great, looks aside.

Jack Redelfs, Friday, 23 March 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago) link

two years pass...
you guys all suck.

The Dixie Chicks RULE!!!!!

1stanniversary, Monday, 27 October 2003 03:04 (twenty years ago) link

they're better than Pavement, thats for sure

1stanniversary, Monday, 27 October 2003 03:08 (twenty years ago) link

well, yeah.

hstencil, Monday, 27 October 2003 03:11 (twenty years ago) link

yes, Classic. Natalie Maines especially classic (and kinda hot).

gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 27 October 2003 03:15 (twenty years ago) link

re Dan's post above, it's possible I'd like their bluegrass stuff better than their heartland pop-rock, but I'd rather a bluegrass band go songform and get huge because it's fronted by the new Madonna (Shania is Michael J maybe, with equal sex appeal) rather than stay another little bluegrass band, albeit an all-female one

gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 27 October 2003 03:51 (twenty years ago) link

I am not a fan, but I am glad they exist, and are popular.

I feel the same way about Ani DiFranco.

Kevin Erickson, Monday, 27 October 2003 06:02 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...
Had they broken into the mainstream with their bluegrass stuff, they'd be a classic.

I didn't like them at all until I heard "Home", which is less slick, more acoustic/bluegrassy and a decent enough listen if you're in the mood for that. Some of the songs are kinda corny, but that goes with the territory...
I have no desire to hear their other CDs, especially the one with that godawful annoying "Goodbye Earl" on it.

Don't Ever Antagonize The Horny (AaronHz), Thursday, 10 March 2005 19:15 (nineteen years ago) link

one year passes...
Okay, so that riot grrl comparison was insane. But still: most undeservedly one-sided C-or-D thread ever. Anybody feel differently now? (Frank?)

Patrick (Patrick), Tuesday, 25 April 2006 03:59 (eighteen years ago) link

i like the new single. i like the pissed-offedness, and it's catchy too.

gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Tuesday, 25 April 2006 04:21 (eighteen years ago) link

I like the new Bush piss-off single, sorta good-Tom Petty meets pissed girl pop. Plus, they're all wearing black leather. What's not to like?

Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Tuesday, 25 April 2006 04:21 (eighteen years ago) link

Great then, great now!

edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 25 April 2006 04:25 (eighteen years ago) link

one month passes...
Jeez, Louise, why the frack are people not babbling hosannas about the new CD?

I mean, people talk about Jenny Lewis and here we've got the real deal in Natalie, singing like a velvet flamethrower with Rick Rubin Cashing the production and where's the love? Hello?

Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Friday, 26 May 2006 01:01 (seventeen years ago) link

Evidence:

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Dixie-Chicks-Let.wmv

Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Friday, 26 May 2006 01:45 (seventeen years ago) link

i like the album pretty well. it's a little on the dull side, music and melody-wise, but i need to listen to it more. there are some very nice tunes, and some great lines (the description of the "crucifix skyline" in lubbock). it'll take a squad of rihannas going bananas to keep "not ready to make nice" off my singles-of-the-year list.

gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 26 May 2006 01:55 (seventeen years ago) link

That's some song, isn't it.

I think you'll find it grows on you. "Voice in My Head" is gorgeous; "Baby Hold On" has a chorus that reminds me of ELO but I'm weird.

Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Friday, 26 May 2006 03:29 (seventeen years ago) link

And damn--that girl can *sing*!

Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Friday, 26 May 2006 03:30 (seventeen years ago) link

four months pass...
I don't know what to think about this photo:

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/09/20/dixiechicks_wideweb__470x305,0.jpg

jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 23 October 2006 21:44 (seventeen years ago) link

http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1267665.jpg

jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 23 October 2006 21:48 (seventeen years ago) link

is she trying to look scarjo or something?

gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 23 October 2006 21:51 (seventeen years ago) link

n. maines is NOT HOT - wtf? unless you think sharon gless is hot.

they should do something with mellencamp, Tim mcGraw & all the red state anti-bushites, some sort of We Are The World-style hootenanny.

timmy tannin (pompous), Tuesday, 24 October 2006 01:18 (seventeen years ago) link

She's not supposed to be hott--she's supposed to be Natalie.

Grey, Ian (IanBrooklyn), Tuesday, 24 October 2006 04:34 (seventeen years ago) link

four years pass...

What a hilariously horrible thread.

"Travelin' Soldier" is killing me today; it's perfect in every way, the singing, the playing, the song's twist that's so obvious from the start & yet pow! each time it comes.

Euler, Monday, 4 April 2011 17:33 (thirteen years ago) link

four years pass...

this thread is always a good opportunity to fp people who are hopefully gone forever from ILM

droit au butt (Euler), Saturday, 30 January 2016 10:20 (eight years ago) link

three years pass...

this thread is always a good opportunity to fp people who are hopefully gone forever from ILM

― droit au butt (Euler), Saturday, January 30, 2016 11:20 AM (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Euler otm

"Not Ready To Make Nice" is the one's that knocking me out today. And the "Daddy Lessons" remix.

L'assie (Euler), Saturday, 21 September 2019 16:23 (four years ago) link

seven months pass...

"Gaslighter" is so good. it is KILLING me that she says "you broke me" because it's a flip from the pose of "Not Ready To Make Nice" and yet comes out feeling even tougher.

Joey Corona (Euler), Tuesday, 19 May 2020 14:36 (three years ago) link

two years pass...

god damn, "Top Of The World" is so sad

alpine static, Monday, 15 August 2022 21:15 (one year ago) link


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