Jeff Pophistory

What Is That Song About Dying in “Hell or High Water”?

One of the nice movie surprises of recent years is Hell or High Water (2016), directed by David Mackenzie and starring Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Gil Birmingham. Besides being an excellent movie, the film makes great use of a beautiful song too.

The movie, about two brothers who rob banks in order to keep one bank from foreclosing on family land, features a beautiful scene between the two brothers with a wonderful song about dying in the background. It is Gillian Welch’s haunting voice on her song, “I’m Not Afraid to Die.”

The song works well in the film, portraying the bond between the two brothers and highlighting the risks they are taking. There is a overall sadness to the film that reflects on hard times for struggling people who are often left behind in modern society. Hell or High Water deals with nuances, even while the movie written by Taylor Sheridan also features action. The characters are flawed and human, even the sheriff played by Bridges.

So “I’m Not Afraid to Die” works well against the West Texas landscape. There are moments of confidence in the song written by Welch and David Rawlings, as you can see in the title about not being afraid.

Forget my sins upon the wind;
My hobo soul will rise;
Lie-d Lie-d Lie
I’m not afraid to die.

Yet Welch’s voice reveals a deep sadness underlying the boast. And if you listen carefully, you find some fears: “Sometimes it finds me fast asleep,/
And wakes me where I lie.”

“I’m not Afraid to Die” works like some of the best hymns. It finds faith within doubt, buried deep within a melody and voice that comforts you while confronting the terrors of this world.

Above, Welch and Rawlings perform “I’m Not Afraid to Die” in Atlanta at Variety Playhouse. “I’m Not Afraid to Die” originally appeared on Welch’s 1998 album Hell Amongst the Yearlings.

Hell or High Water has a great soundtrack. What is your favorite song from the movie? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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“Fifteen Spirituals That Will Change Your Life” (Book Review)

Henry L. Carrigan Jr.’s recent book Fifteen Spirituals That Will Change Your Life is a delightful quick tour of fifteen hymns and spirituals. Carrigan’s guidance through these songs will educate and delight you. His book also will make you want to track down various versions of songs you have heard before and new ones you have not heard.

Carrigan, a musician and journalist who writes for No Depression, examines many of the most popular religious songs, including “Amazing Grace,” Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “How Great Thou Art,” “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?,” and “I’ll Fly Away.” I also learned about a few songs I had not heard before.

For each song, Carrigan tells the reader about the origin of the song. In the cases where there are known composers, he informs us about the writers. Then he provides a deeper discussion of the lyrics and the meaning of the songs, often suggesting different versions you should hear. Throughout, he often reflects on his own personal experiences with each song. Finally, he ends each chapter with a “Reflection” section, providing guidance to religious readers who want to use the songs to find a closer connection to their faith.

The well-written book is for believers, non-believers, and for all music lovers. One does not have to be religious to enjoy this book about some of our most beautiful folk songs. Atheists may skip over the short “Reflection” sections, but even they will find insight in the suggestions there. One tip: To better understand an extremely familiar song like “Amazing Grace,” find a new version to hear.

I enjoyed learning more about songs I knew. I knew the story that a former captain of a slave ship wrote “Amazing Grace,” but I did not know all of the details about the history of that song or other songs I knew.

I especially enjoyed Carrigan’s suggestions about versions of the songs to check out. Among his insight, he led me to a lovely Tina Turner version of one of the highlighted spirituals.

The book may lead you to other discoveries. I had never heard Andraé Crouch‘s “If Heaven Was Never Promised to Me,” and found it to have some of the most loving lyrics about one’s relationship with God.

The book, unfortunately, does not include complete lyrics to the songs, which I assume was a rights issue. But Carrigan quotes from the lyrics in his discussion of the songs, giving the reader some insight into the words. The purpose of his book, though, is to get you to listen to the songs, and it will send you following Carrigan’s suggestions.

In short, Fifteen Spirituals That Will Change Your Life may lead you to some life-changing discoveries. But even if it does not meet the title’s boast, the book is a delightful pleasurable and informative read about some great songs.

What is your favorite spiritual? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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Sheryl Crow & Johnny Cash: “Redemption Day”

Recently, Sheryl Crow released a video for a new version of her song, “Redemption Day,” combining her vocals with those of Johnny Cash. Cash had recorded Crow’s song not long before his death in 2003.

Cash’s version originally appeared on his posthumous album, American VI: Ain’t No Grave in 2010. Crow has been using Cash’s version as a duet partner in her live shows, and she thought it was a good time to release the song and video.

The video features Crow at a piano and images of Cash. Also, we see a young boy intertwined with destructive and hopeful images, as the song warns that we need to take better care of our planet and each other.

There is a train that’s heading straight
To Heaven’s gate, to Heaven’s gate;
And on the way, child and man,
And woman wait, watch and wait,
For redemption day.

Crow explained to Entertainment magazine how having Cash’s voice on the song helps bring home the message about being better people. It’s “because he stood up for what he believed at a time when what he believed wasn’t so popular — it means more.”

“Redemption Day” will appear on a duets album Crow is releasing on August 30, 2019 called Threads. The album also will feature duets with Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks, Don Henley, Willie Nelson, Joe Walsh and Vince Gill.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

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Chronicling the Struggle for Justice in “True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality”

In some quarters, most people who know about Bryan Stevenson and his work see him as a hero. But many do not know about the wonderful work he has been doing for decades. The new HBO documentary True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality hopefully will reach a wider audience about the work done by Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), which Stevenson started in 1989.

Stevenson and his colleagues at EJI in Montgomery, Alabama have worked to help wrongly convicted and unfairly sentenced defendants. They have won reversals for more than one-hundred people on death row. And Stevenson has personally argued before the U.S. Supreme Court several times.

Stevenson and EJI also work to educate the country about the history of racial injustice. They created the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, working to educate people about 4,400 victims of lynching.

Great Work and a Fascinating Man

The accomplishments are amazing, and the documentary provides insight into the racial discrimination present in our criminal justice system. Just hearing Stevenson’s clients discuss their cases and see reactions to the lynching memorial make watching True Justice worthwhile. But Stevenson, who has long shied away from participating in a documentary despite his many awards and public appearances, makes this film essential viewing for all Americans.

Stevenson is an amazing person, perhaps one of the closest things we have to a saint walking among us. His work is humble and selfless, as the documentary lightly touches on the sacrifices Stevenson has made to do to work he has done. But Stevenson does not see himself that way, as the glimpses we get of his personal life show someone who is happy in the choices he has made.

Stevenson is a great speaker whether talking intimately to the camera or appealing to a large crowd. Maybe the nearest we get to understanding what drives him is his stories about his family and grandmother. For example, he recounts a story when as a child he had laughed at another kid who stuttered. He tells how his family corrected him, not with punishment, but by telling him to apologize to the other little boy and to hug him and tell him he loved him. The response the young Stevenson receives surprises him, but one can see the foundations of his life reflected in that moment.

Movie viewers will soon learn more about Stevenson because his memoirs, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, is being made into a film starring Michael B. Jordan. The film is set to be released in January 2020, but you should take the opportunity to catch the real thing now. HBO currently is allowing everyone to watch True Justice on its website for free.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

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Willie Nelson: “Immigrant Eyes”

Willie Nelson has released a video for his cover of Guy Clark’s song “Immigrant Eyes.” The track appears on Nelson’s new album, Ride Me Back Home.

Clark’s original version of “Immigrant Eyes” appeared on his 1989 album Old Friends. But with immigration in the news, it is not difficult to understand why Nelson wanted to release his own version.

In the song, Clark remembers his immigrant grandfather. The song connects many of us to our immigrant heritage, which in turn connects us to today’s immigrants.

Sometimes when I looked in my grandfather’s immigrant eyes;
I saw that day reflected and couldn’t hold my feelings inside;
I saw started with nothing and working hard all of his life;
“So don’t take it for granted, ” said grandfather’s immigrant eyes;
“Don’t take it for granted, ” said grandfather’s immigrant eyes.