Some radio stations bag Chicks' 'Earl'

By Larry Birkhead, USA TODAY

The Dixie Chicks' latest single, Goodbye Earl, is stirring up controversy, with some radio stations refusing to play the song.

'Earl' interrupted: Lauren Holly, left and Jane Krakowski, right, join the Dixie Chicks with 'Earl' in tarp, on the video.

Earl is the story of two friends who take the law into their own hands and knock off Wanda's abusive husband, Earl. Wanda, sporting a black eye and bruises, whips up a batch of black-eyed peas laced with a dash of poison.

The single is at No. 17 and rising on Billboard's country singles chart.

The problem is that "a lot of people feel that it is inappropriate sending out a message that it is OK to kill," says Travis Moon of K-102 in Minneapolis. The station airs the song with a message directing victims to a local center. Moon says positive comments outweigh complaints.

Is 'Goodbye Earl' out of line?

"I love the Dixie Chicks, but I don't want to be in the position of putting murder in someone's face," says Scott St. John of WKIX in Raleigh, N.C., which won't air the single.

Says John Pellegrini, program director for WGTY in York, Pa.: " If a record company came out with a song about a high school shooting, would the radio stations play it?"

Earl, written by Nashville songwriter Dennis Linde (Burning Love), has sparked such debate that KRTY in San Jose, Calif., held a town meeting about it.

KRTY makes a donation to a domestic-violence shelter each time the song airs .

But there are still hundreds of stations playing the song.

"Let's not take it too seriously. She got even, but he probably deserved it," says Coyote Calhoun of WAMZ in Louisville.

The Chicks' label isn't worried. "Controversy is (what) the Chicks are all about. They have an irreverent sense of humor," says Sony Nashville's Mike Kraski.

According to Country Music Television and The Box Music Network, the video, starring Dennis Franz,  has been one of the most requested for three weeks. CMT reports few complaints, The Box none. The Chicks' Emily Robison says, "We're not promoting murder, and we even say that in a disclaimer on our album. Besides, is there a gentler way to go than with black-eyed peas?"