On not ready to make nice...

I often take a great deal of crap for my taste in music. Not all of it. Just some. The fact of the matter is I truly like a little bit of everything, having grown up around, well, everything. But I'm not ashamed that my car radio is tuned, more often than not, to a pop music station. I grew up watching way too much MTV and VH1 and listening to radio stations called 92 Moose. No, that's not a joke.

I take the most crap for the female artists I enjoy. Bonnie Raitt can never be ripped on without the threat of a slap across your face, but I know some find me silly for admiring people like Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks.

The thing is, I really can't be bothered with female artists unless they're the kind of woman I'd want to hang out with socially. Otherwise, what exactly do we have in common? How can I really relate to your art? And, since it's fact that the music business is tougher on female artists, I respect the few and proud who survive, particularly without nudity or any sort of skank factor. Now, in the spirit of full disclosure, the one exception to the "could I grab a beer with this chick sometime" rule is the "does the song have a beat strong enough to make me want to shake my arse?". I'll blast that on the radio as well.

I came home tonight delighted to find the Dixie Chicks "Storytellers" on VH1. This really is one of my more favorite series and I wish it was one I could catch more regularly. Some might say that knowing the story takes the fun out of the personal interpretation music allows, but as an English major who always felt guilty for making assumptions about the motivations of the writers I was reading, I appreciate the ability to marvel at the art behind the spinning of the true tale. For example, take Silent House. I never knew it was about Natalie's grandmother suffering with Alzheimer's.

And I will try to connect
All the pieces you left
I will carry it on
And let you forget
And I'll remember the years
When your mind was clear
How the laughter and life
Filled up this silent house

The song that got me the most worked up, as it always does, is Not Ready to Make Nice. The ladies described it as the only therapy after the media backlash (instigated by America's favorite redneck Toby Keith) brought upon the band in light of some unfavorable, but honest and candid remarks about the current administration. I adore this song and will turn it "up to 11" whenever I hear it. It's sad to say that I've related to this song on a number of levels, but oddly enough, more in terms of career struggles faced in the last year. How odd it could relate, but it does. Of course I also tune it to past relationships, both platonic and romantic, but, at its core, simply appreciate the honesty of the reaction and the pain of suppression and misunderstanding. I leave the lyrics for you now. I hope you might pull it up on YouTube and enjoy it for yourself. I love the mixture of melodies used, guiding you on a journey of melancholy then anger, weakness then strength. It's my personal war cry whenever needed.

As a parting thought, shame on you VH1 for playing a Toby Keith video after the episode tonight. Does somebody out there still think he didn't have his fair share of airtime or was it a sophomoric attempt at being clever? Either way, it lacked class.

"Not Ready To Make Nice"

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting