March, March By The Chicks

We are only half-way through this year, but it is safe to say that history will remember this year in America for at least 2 major reasons (if not others to come). First, Covid-19, for all the reasons imaginable including government responses, economic repercussions, businesses shutting down, lock ins, and most significantly the deaths and illnesses. Secondly, the upwell in protest, both those surrounding racial injustice and inequity sparked by the killing of George Floyd in police custody and those sparked by other concerns that seem less important at this moment but seemed important to the people participating in them. It would be fitting then that the Anthem of the summer should be a protest song with a driving beat, strong lyrics, harmonies that rouse the spirit and a message of not backing down in face of adversity and opposition. At this moment, halfway through the year, March, March by The Chicks seems to be that song.

14 Years In The Making

To be clear, this song did not take 14 years to get made and it was not written 14 years ago. Rather, The Chicks (known as The Dixie Chicks until about 2 weeks ago, changing their name to "...meet the moment") spent 14 years on a forced studio album hiatus. Suggested as the first real victim of what has been termed as cancel culture, one statement about a sitting President Of The United States' use of military force 17 years ago and an apology for his actions that many thought was unpatriotic was all it took to set in motion boycotts, media attacks, and fan backlash which would see one the top selling country groups of all time's career derailed and made to appear toxic. March, March is an anthem that channels that same desire to speak out and repeats the statement in each chorus "I will not back down", a cry for our time that has sprung up from years of protest supporting action on climate change, women's reproductive rights, correcting racial injustice and police brutality, as well as many other causes. It is a song that fits the moment, but also brings much of the strength and energy needed to boost the spirit at a time of social distancing, lock ins, social events being cancelled, and general feelings of loss and futility.



The Music Itself

If my heart could voice words and make a request for instrumentation to bring it strength, lift its spirits, and lurch it forward towards a distant future, it would include a screaming fiddle, a strong drum beat, and a crisp and pure plucked banjo. Call we a country boy, but there are certain instruments, played well, that awake the soul in ways that others simply can't. As with much of their previous music, The Chicks have created an anthem that not only uses instrumentation to accompany strong lyrics and expert harmonies, but have also left room in it to highlight the fiddle playing of Martie Maguire and showcase crisp, clean banjo plucking by Emily Robinson. Reminding the world why the band formally known as The Dixie Chicks was one of the best selling country groups of all time, March, March is an anthem that not only channels 14 years of being kept out of a studio but also brings the energy of the moment and desire for change in a world with many causes to be voiced. Though not the first song released in advance of their upcoming album, March, March is perfectly suited to proclaim that The Chicks are back and not going to hide from causes they believe in or give in to those who wanted to bully them and see them cancelled. I am glad The Chicks are back to their true form and ecstatic that they brought back a real candidate for song of the year with them.