LESSON FROM THE CHICKS

The Dixie Chicks, a well-known country music trio, are heading into a tough season. But their story carries a useful lesson for the United States.

First, what’s happened to the Chicks? After successful appearances on “60 Minutes” and the cover of Time magazine, they have had to postpone at least half of the 42 dates scheduled for their domestic concert tour starting July 21 because of poor advance sales. As the Wall Street Journal put it, “Dixie Chicks May Lay Egg With U.S. Tour.”

Their trouble began when their lead singer, Natalie Maines, told a British interviewer in 2003 that they were “ashamed” that President Bush comes from their home state of Texas. Another problem has been changes in their music style in search of a wider audience. Then came cracks about mainstream country music fans, calling them “a bunch of rednecks” and saying, “We don’t want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do.”

Other music groups have sounded off against the Bush administration and still flourished. The Chicks have tried to capitalize on their political jibes and their snarling style, but they have alienated much of their American audience. The lead single in their new album, “Not Ready to Make Nice,” has drawn widespread protests and has rarely been aired here.

But what has largely flopped in this country has gone over big abroad. “Not Ready to Make Nice” is a mainstream hit in Germany, Scandinavia, Britain and Australia, according to the Journal. On their Web site, the Chicks are saying, “We will go where the fans are, with great anticipation and no regrets.” A new schedule is expected to take them to Canada, Europe and Australia.

The Chicks’ experience may reflect the impact of Bush administration behavior on America’s reputation in the world. Its occupation of Iraq, its legalistic justification for the torture of prisoners, its unilateral abrogation of international agreements on human rights, its announced policy of preemptive warfare – all of these have combined to plunge this country’s reputation to a new low. This is most noticeable, according to a new Pew study, in countries such as Britain and Germany, where the Chicks are doing so well.

Now no music group can be a sole measure of American actions and policies. Neither can foreign music audiences. But it is worth noticing that American musical groups that are not making nice to the administration receive such a welcome reception in other countries.