Songs of Protest: How Natalie Maines and Eartha Kitt Refused to be Government Hookers

For years, women artists have been silenced and shunned for sharing their political views. Just as in the cases of the Dixie Chicks and Eartha Kitt, opposition to women’s equality and political participation is deeply rooted in their identities.

Music is one of society’s best teachers. In Songs of Protest, writers analyze some of music’s greatest hits, using their findings to make sense of the world around them.

Written by Roberto Soto
Illustration by Suzy Devane

The 2010s have been a fabulous decade for popular music. They have also been a decade of exponential growth in social awareness and activism. With the introduction of social media, fans feel so much closer to their favorite celebrities and the current events of the political world. From the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Brexit to the Chinese detention of a million Uighur Muslims, it’s hard for us to ignore what’s happening in the world around us, whether it affects us directly or not.

Oftentimes, fans look to their favorite musical artists to either tell them how to react or, in contrast, to check which “side” they are on. Quickly, the words of a musician or actor are misconstrued or simply amplified for fans across the globe to hear and boycott the artist. It’s either stick to the status quo or face the wrath of the general public and its long list of contradictory morals. Although “cancel culture” seems to be a fad of the new age, the boycotting of a politically vocal musician is nothing new. Whether you agree or not, politics always play a big part in the careers and social presence of celebrities, especially when those politics are questioning of the respective government. In Lady Gaga’s standout track, “Government Hooker,” she chants over blaring electronica how she will do whatever her master wants, so long as he satisfies her as well. The layers of song are powerful — is she talking about a lover or the literal government? For as long as it has existed, Hollywood has had a tempestuous relationship with the U.S. government, from the Hollywood Canteens of 1940s to Cold-War Rocky IV. Hollywood is constantly in conversation with U.S. politics and has its stars work as government hookers. But what happens when stars refuse to serve the heavy hand of Uncle Sam? In the cases of Eartha Kitt and the Dixie Chicks, their opposition to the actions of the U.S. government during times of war led to the downfall of their popularity with the American public.

Just an Old Fashioned Girl

Jazz musician Miss Eartha Kitt had talent and a dynamic voice that purred across the airwaves of the 1950s and 1960s. She originated the iconic “Santa Baby” in 1953, as well as Catwoman on the 1967-68 “Batman” series. Not only was Kitt multi-talented and incredibly wise, but she was also a humanitarian. She worked with inner-city communities to help build their knowledge and morale. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, invited Kitt and a group of women to the White House for a day.

On the infamous day, Lady Bird expected the women to nibble on tiny sandwiches and hear more about how she planned to make the country beautiful again. She was stunned when Kitt came up to the microphone to explain to her that juvenile crime was attributed to the fear and outrage of the Vietnam War drafts. She said the boys were terrified of the war, being sent to a country they didn’t know, to fight for what they didn’t know. Apparently, the First Lady burst into tears, and the other women at the meeting came to back up both Lady Bird and the actions of the U.S. government.

Photo courtesy of Rex Features/Aroldo di Crollalanza.

Not only did Kitt face personal attacks from the President, the First Lady, and the CIA, but the general public lashed out against the artist as well. After Hollywood blacklisted her from the industry, she was forced to exile to Europe to salvage her career. Years later, after awful truths regarding the Vietnam War came to light, Americans shared Kitt’s repulsion of the war and celebrated her comeback in the late-1970s. Still, the impact on Kitt’s mental health and career were immeasurable and unforgivable. Kitt paid the price for speaking her mind on a common concern regarding the shipment of unknowing young teens.

As times have progressed, different perspectives on politics have been accepted — so long as they are in favor of the U.S. government’s agenda. The oppression of politics that question the status quo are labeled “radical” and “liberal,” as though change is unnecessary. Much of the U.S. involvement in overseas tension has raised questions regarding the morality and ethics of warfare based on fear. After the 9/11 attacks, the world was shaken by the strike on the global superpower, and many asked what the U.S. would do in response. At the time, President George W. Bush declared a “war on terror” and sent troops overseas to fight in the Middle East. In a bout of patriotism, Americans enlisted in the military in support of their country. But as history repeats itself, many people had things to say.

Easy Silence

The Dixie Chicks were once a standout Texas trio in the music scene, breaking records and smashing ceilings in the country music. With Multiple Grammys and Platinum records, the group remains the most successful all-female group in country music. Their star seemed to have no end in sight, but while on tour to support their third studio album, Home, the iconic trio came under severe public scrutiny following the 9/11 attacks. At a 2003 concert in London, frontwoman Natalie Maines took a moment to give a special announcement before playing the group’s hit “Travelin’ Soldier,” a track written about the sadness and sorrow that came from the Vietnam War taking the lives of innocent young soldiers. In response to former President George W. Bush’s impending declaration of war on Iraq, Maines told the crowd: "Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence. And we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."

Within no time, the comments went viral and the tremors were felt across America. Previous listeners called in to radio stations, demanding the discontinuation of any and all Dixie Chicks airplay. Former fans burned their albums, some even photoshopping the women with Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden’s images, as if to infer that the women were, in fact, on the “other side.” Imagine giving your personal politics to a group of loyal fans, only to be antagonized by that same group. For years, the women faced backlash for the 15 words said on that stage in 2003.

Photo Courtesy of Mark Lennihan — Associated Press

In response to several feuds with fellow country music stars, the group released “Not Ready to Make Nice,” a poignant track about navigating the darkness of the group’s exile. The single and album, Taking the Long Way would win Record of the Year and Album of the Year, respectively, at the 2007 Grammys. However, the group has yet to release any music since and their country radio boycott has lasted for over 16 years. Just this year, they were featured on Taylor Swift’s “Soon You’ll Get Better,” and the uproar returned. Although the women plan to release an album this upcoming year, will country music fans warmly welcome them back, or will the long absence and country music’s continued conservativism bring them down yet again?

Pop Goes Political?

Now, more than ever, will you hear or see a star speak their political views. With the 2020 elections on the horizon, what can we expect from those who we look to for guidance on summer playlists and winter lookbooks? Will their words be valued? Has pop culture become too political? Or is there an underlying factor that played into the demise of these women’s careers?

As women, their voices were not only ignored, but silenced by the conservative patriarch that surrounded them. In the case of Eartha Kitt, the daughter of a former slave, her status as a mixed-black woman in the 1960s did not serve her well. Had a man suggested a thorough critique of the deployment of young men overseas, much less scrutiny would have taken place. Bob Dylan and John Lennon made careers thrived in critiquing the American involvement in Vietnam. The same can be said for the comments delivered by Natalie Maines. There would have been a brief uproar, followed by a half-hearted apology and a long conversation with another “dignified” white man on a primetime talk show. The comments would lead to reform and eventual forgiveness and celebration. Why can’t women have this impact? They can.

As our world evolves, we must remember that we have power in the fates of our leaders and favorite artists. Listen to women, and not just when they’re on our Spotify playlists or in a new Marvel movie — every day we should listen to women and their scrutiny, their pains and their concerns, their opinions and their advice. Just as we learned with Kitt and Maines, they were onto something bigger than we realized. We don’t have to follow in the patterns of our past mistakes.

With that being said, I encourage you all to register to vote, get educated, and speak your minds.