The Dixie Chicks – Not Ready To Make Nice

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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

[Chorus]
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
Why can't you just get over it?
It turned my whole world around
And I kinda like it

I made my bed, and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets, and I don't mind saying
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
Saying 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, 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

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Lyrics submitted by kimmygirl21

Track duration: 03:58

"Not Ready to Make Nice" as written by Natalie Maines, Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, Dan Wilson

Lyrics © Dixie Chicks/Woolly Puddin' Music/Scrapin' Toast Music, CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Not Ready To Make Nice song meanings
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131 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:i didnt hear about what happened with the dixi chicks being all the way in australia. we had our own problems with the same war. this song had a slightly different meaning for me, but similar and powerful
    why is green day allowed to say (through song) how sucky the politics are in america but these girls werent allowed to say it out loud. most songs are just opinions or feelings with a backingtrack
    Flag avejoeblowon September 25, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Minnah Karlsson does a beautiful cover of this one (:
    Flag sunsetsyndromeon August 26, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Love this song! I always listen to it really loud when I am pissed!
    Flag lindsaylovesmusicon October 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It was a bold move, Natalie not caring about how people would react to it, stood up to Bush. Of course Americans always standing by thier president no matter how stupid he is, told her to shut up. Either stopped going to their concerts, or went just to bash them.They received many death threat, but the chicks kept singing. Their songs even stopped being played on the radio.
    They have a right to speak up, and they did. How can you not respect that? but alot of Americans are closed minded (im going to get bashed for saying it)
    Of course, the chicks got more popular in canada when this took place. :P
    Flag quininon July 17, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:who cares about the politics? this song is so powerful; it reaches and allows us to connect with so many different emotions, the most obvious being anger. they write with a passion and truly believe in what they are saying--thats something most artists lack today. they are writing about something that is actually meaningful. they were willing to put themselves out there and fight for what they said, they recognized it & owned up to it. you may not like the dixie chicks, what they said, or what they represent, but you should have respect for their music and their courage to stand up for themselves.
    Flag loveallmusic88on January 16, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:the dixie chicks have a right to voice their opinions, it doesn't matter if people agree or disagree with what they said about Bush, the point is that they can can say what they did because this is a free country and we all have a right to free speech. and they do not have to support the president. patriotism isn't supporting and respecting the president it is supporting and respecting your country. (and to Laserlight10,) everyone has a right to make political statements, not just politicians. you don't need to go to harvard, or any other college, to speak your mind about politics either. the dixie chicks aren't stubborn, they are standing up for what they believe in.
    Flag voiceinmusicon December 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:agreed with other posters - one of the greatest comeback songs ever. let's face it, anyone that says that they LOVE WAR is warped. it's clear now after the fact that WE STILL HAVE WAR CONTINUING with this new idiot also. to quote a movie line: THERE'S NO HEAD TO CUT OFF... IT'S A CONGLOMERATE.

    so, her comment about bushco was somewhat amiss, because we're still over there and expanding.

    you can't blame ANY American for wanting our boys home. it's only those caught up in the left and right propaganda that get all bent out of shape. they're just flip sides of the same coin. those in the shadows run our world and the politicians are scum, but they're just puppets of the elite globalists.

    you know, each of them will get what they deserve. glad the chicks are back just doing their thing. time does heal all wounds. time is the best equalizer, too.
    Flag parismatchon October 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I feel like this song would have a lot more depth (cause it is a really good song) if it was about something more relevant to their lives,than public opinion is.

    Yeah I know public opinion can effect your life but..I don't think you should mix 'art' with a debate/statement...might just be me but..

    i've never seen another COUNTRY singer do that...only rap arists.
    Flag neonskyy3on August 14, 2009   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:Love this song. And I really dont see how what Natalie said was such a big deal? Green Day wrote almost an entire album about the suckiness of the politics of America :S Not everyone has to like Bush. In fact now, most people hate him so its kind of like wtf? Anyway I love the DC's even more for standing up for what they believe in and the people sending the death threats and throwing out their cd's etc is way overboard and actually very horrible.
    Flag xkat92xon May 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:
    "i get what they mean by ppl thinking they need to think before speaking, but shoot without aiming? didnt cheney like shoot someone hunting or something like that?"

    Yes, but I don't think that's relevant. That's an old English proverb which is the kind of thing a school child might very well have to write on a chalkboard as punishment for speaking out of turn, and the director of the video was an Englishwoman.
    Flag Letmeinon January 02, 2009   Link

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