Lyric Analysis
Kayla Keeney
English 131
Ms. Jones
20 Feb. 2013
“Not Ready To Make Nice” Rhetorical Analysis “Not Ready To Make Nice,” a song released in 2006 by the Dixie Chicks is a controversial song written after Natalie Maines commented that she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas" (Tyrangie), in between songs at a concert in Britain in 2003. The comment resulted in The Dixie Chicks being dropped from playlists at many radio stations across the south (Tyrangie). This song is about how Maines is not willing to forgive all of the negative remarks and actions made towards the band, some which include death threats. One rhetorical tool used by the Dixie Chicks is pathos. The first verse, “Forgive sounds good/ Forget I’m not sure I could/ They say time heals everything/but I’m still waiting,”opens the song showing forgiveness, anger and sadness (Dixie Chicks). They are letting it be known that they would like to forgive all of the people that have hurt Natalie, and the rest of the band, due to her comment, but some of the actions taken towards them were so extreme that they are not sure that they could ever forget them. The next verse includes the lines “I’m through with doubt/There’s nothing left for me to figure out/ I’ve paid a price and I’ll keep paying” (Dixie Chicks). When this, and the lines “It turned my whole world around and I kind of like it” are sung, Maines is making it clear that she does not have any regret about her comment towards President Bush and she is done doubting herself because of it. She is letting it be known that she may have had to pay a price of the Dixie Chicks music no longer being on the radio, but she is no longer going to doubt herself or regret her comment because she is entitled to freedom of speech. This brings a bitter sweet emotion into play, because she realizes many other people probably feel the same way; she just voiced her opinion publicly and is not ashamed of it. Pathos is used in that verse when she
English 131
Ms. Jones
20 Feb. 2013
“Not Ready To Make Nice” Rhetorical Analysis “Not Ready To Make Nice,” a song released in 2006 by the Dixie Chicks is a controversial song written after Natalie Maines commented that she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas" (Tyrangie), in between songs at a concert in Britain in 2003. The comment resulted in The Dixie Chicks being dropped from playlists at many radio stations across the south (Tyrangie). This song is about how Maines is not willing to forgive all of the negative remarks and actions made towards the band, some which include death threats. One rhetorical tool used by the Dixie Chicks is pathos. The first verse, “Forgive sounds good/ Forget I’m not sure I could/ They say time heals everything/but I’m still waiting,”opens the song showing forgiveness, anger and sadness (Dixie Chicks). They are letting it be known that they would like to forgive all of the people that have hurt Natalie, and the rest of the band, due to her comment, but some of the actions taken towards them were so extreme that they are not sure that they could ever forget them. The next verse includes the lines “I’m through with doubt/There’s nothing left for me to figure out/ I’ve paid a price and I’ll keep paying” (Dixie Chicks). When this, and the lines “It turned my whole world around and I kind of like it” are sung, Maines is making it clear that she does not have any regret about her comment towards President Bush and she is done doubting herself because of it. She is letting it be known that she may have had to pay a price of the Dixie Chicks music no longer being on the radio, but she is no longer going to doubt herself or regret her comment because she is entitled to freedom of speech. This brings a bitter sweet emotion into play, because she realizes many other people probably feel the same way; she just voiced her opinion publicly and is not ashamed of it. Pathos is used in that verse when she
Cited: Chicks, Dixie. "Not Ready To Make Nice." Cowboy Lyrics. cowboylyrics.com. Web. 19 Mar 2013. <http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/dixie-chicks/not-ready-to-make-nice- 16996.html>. "freedom of speech." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 19 Mar. 2013. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/freedom of speech>. Schorn, Daniel . "Dixie Chicks: Not Ready to Make Nice." http://www.cbsnews.com/8301- 18560_162- 1611424.html. CBS, 11 February 2009. Web. 19 Mar 2013. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301- 18560_162-1611424.html Tyrangie, Josh . "Chicks In the Line of Fire." Time Magazine . Time Magazine, 21 May 2006. Web. 19 Mar 2013.