Shut Up and Sing

Just want to put in a huge RAVE for the documentary "Shut Up and Sing" about my ALL TIME favorite band...umm of ALL TIME :) , the Dixie Chicks...who totally ROCK, by the way!

I was a huge fan of them before the whole George W comment broohaha and I was an even bigger fan of them after the fact. Not necessarily because of the comment itself (although that wasn't bad either :), but more so because of the way they handled themselves during the storm. Regardless of what you think of the Chicks or of what Natalie said ("Just so you know, I'm embarassed the president of the United States is from Texas"), I think a lot can be learned about sticking together and having faith in yourself even when no one else does, from watching this film.

There is a really powerful scene where the girls are about to go on tour during the height of the backlash (when they're even getting death threats if they show up) and they had to decide whether to take a flat rate from the studio or be paid based on ticket sales. Everyone around them thought no one would come and was really putting the pressure on to just take the flat rate...when Natalie says "Y'know I would rather know that we took the risk and had faith and lose money than do what I think it's gonna do and sell out out and have to think everyday why didn't we just have some faith in ourselves...to know I didn't bet on myself when I KNEW I should." And, of course, FIVE Grammys later we know they made the right bet.

I could go on and on about the way they stuck by each other and stood for something and the unbelievable courage and composure they showed when taking the stage under threat of death and the crazy hours leading up to that night. But most of all it's about having faith in yourself and shutting out all the voices that would ever doubt you. Y'know what, just go watch it...because I'll *never* be able to explain it well enough to do it justice. :)

CHICKS RULE! :)