chimesfreedom

Melissa Etheridge: “Hold On, I’m Coming”

Etheridge Memphis Rock and Soul

Melissa Etheridge is releasing a new album of covers of classic songs from Stax Records, MEmphis Rock and Soul (2016). One of the songs on the new album is “Hold On, I’m Coming,” made famous by Sam & Dave.

“Hold On, I’m Coming” was written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter and first appeared on the self-titled 1966 debut album by Sam & Dave. Some folks may remember the song from its appearance in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers.

On her upcoming album Etheridge plays the song with a full band, and below performs “Hold On, I’m Coming” live.

MEmphis Rock and Soul hits the Internet and stores on October 7, 2016. The album also includes classic Stax songs such as I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (to Stop Now),” “Who’s Making Love,” “Dreams to Remember,” and a reworked version of “Respect Yourself.” The album is available for pre-order at PledgeMusic.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

10 Thoughts on Bruce Springsteen’s “Only the Strong Survive”

The Marcus King Band: “Goodbye Carolina”

Bonnie Raitt’s “Gypsy In Me”

Spotlight On the Four Magnificent Artists Behind “Sweet Soul Music”

New Album from John Mellencamp: “Plain Spoken”

New Music: “East Side of Town” from Lucinda Williams

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

Is “Captain Fantastic” Fantastic?

Captain Fantastic film

The film Captain Fantastic (2016) is much better than one might expect. Although a short description of the film sounds like a family television series, the movie rises above expectations so that the sum of its parts make it one of the more enjoyable movies of the summer.

Captain Fantastic, written and directed by Matt Ross, stars Viggo Mortensen as Ben, an idealistic father trying to raise his six children away from society in the wilds of Washington state. As the movie opens, we learn that Ben’s wife is away being treated in a hospital.

Ben is serious about the education of his children, teaching them such activities as defending themselves with knives and rock climbing. But he equally teaches them about politics, philosophy, and literature. For example, the anti-capitalist family celebrates Noam Chomsky‘s birthday instead of Christmas.

As the movie progresses, word about Ben’s wife leads him and the children to go on the road. Some of the more humorous moments involve the family clashing with modern society. Ben also clashes with family members, in particular with his father-in-law Jack, played by Frank Langella.

From a description, so much of the movie seems predictable. But the movie works for several reasons. First, the actors are outstanding. Mortensen, of course, dominates the film. But the actors playing the children do an excellent job of giving personality to the roles. Actors Samantha Isler and George MacKay, for example, show that they have promising careers ahead of them.

Another reason the movie works is that the characters are three-dimensional. Producers of movies like this one are often tempted to make the father character perfect, but Ben is far from perfect, just as Langella’s character is not all bad.

Captain Fantastic does not give a one-sided perspective. Variety even argues that the film is both left-wing and right-wing.

I will not say more about the movie because it is better enjoyed without knowing too much about it. It is not a big-budget summer blockbuster, but it is an enjoyable movie that may be under the radar. Is Captain Fantastic fantastic? I will have to think more about the question, but the movie certainly does restore your faith in small summer movies.

Rotten Tomatoes gives Captain Fantastic a 78% critics score and an 85% audience score.

What did you think of Captain Fantastic? Leave your two cents in the comments.

Buy from Amazon

Nicolas Cage Shines In Modest But Surprising “Pig” (Short Review)

Bryan Cranston As LBJ in “All the Way” (Short Review)

Runaway Train (Missed Movies)

Tommy Lee Jones and “The Homesman” (Missed Movies)

A Balance Between Culture and Fun: “In Bruges” (Missed Movies)

Snow Angels (Missed Movies)

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

Ramblin’ Jack and “Don’t Think Twice”

Don't Think Twice Elliot Charles Adnopoz was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 1, 1931. Although his birth name and location are not generally associated with cowboys, the boy became fascinated with cowboys and at the age of 15 ran away from home to join a rodeo. Eventually, he would achieve a more cowboy-like handle, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott.

Ramblin’ Jack

The folksinger reportedly got his nickname from Odetta’s mother commenting on how Ramblin’ Jack tells rambling stories. But it is as an interpreter of folk songs that we recognize the man, who was largely influenced by his connections with Woody Guthrie.

Elliott’s daughter made an excellent documentary about Ramblin’ Jack’s career and their relationship. It is worth tracking down the 2000 film, The Ballad of Ramblin’ Jack.

“Don’t Think Twice”

When thinking about Ramblin’ Jack’s songs, it is difficult to pick a favorite. But it is hard to top his interpretation of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice.”

Elliott tells a story about being snowbound, stuck in a cabin for three days after his wife ran off with another man. In the cabin, he had firewood, a bottle of whiskey, and a Bob Dylan record. So, in his pain, he listened to “Don’t Think Twice” for three days.

Finally, the snow melted and Elliott drove to New York City and went to the Gaslight, where it was open mic night. There, Elliott began playing the Dylan song he had learned in the cabin. Suddenly, in the dark audience, a man stood up. It was Dylan, who yelled, “I relinquish it to you, Jack!” Elliott finished the song, and he has played it ever since.

Elliott provides a weariness to “Don’t Think Twice.” Instead of interpreting it as an angry breakup song, he gives voice to an older man looking back through some years with regret. “Don’t Think Twice” is a great song when Dylan sings it; but it is a different great song with Elliott’s voice.

Below, Elliott plays “Don’t Think Twice” in 2008. Check it out.

Ramblin’ Jack remains an American treasure. Earlier this year, Folk Alliance honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award.

What is your favorite Ramblin’ Jack Elliott song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

Suze Rotolo: One of the Twentieth Century’s Great Muses

A Coen Brothers Movie About Dave Van Ronk?

One Degree of Separation Between Bob Dylan & Twilight Zone: Bonnie Beecher & “Come Wander With Me”

Sheila Atim Peforming “Tight Connection to My Heart” (Great Bob Dylan Covers)

Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s Cover of Bob Dylan’s “Brownsville Girl”

Vampire Weekend Saluting a Font By Covering Bob Dylan’s “Jokerman”

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

Buy from Amazon

“Star Trek Beyond” Gets Back to Basics

The latest installment in the rebooted Star Trek films, Star Trek Beyond (2016), is a fun ride that helps get the series back on track although it does not reach the heights of most films in the original series. If you have been following the reboot, you will probably enjoy the ride. Still, you might feel like you wanted a little bit more.

The Good

First, consider the good things about Star Trek Beyond. The strength of the reboot has always been the actors selected to play the iconic roles. With no exception, each of the actors in the main roles are reminiscent enough of the original actors while also bringing something new.

Chris Pine, as Captain Kirk, builds on William Shatner’s swagger. Similarly, Zachary Quinto perfectly evokes the late Leonard Nimoy‘s character. Quinto adds a little more vulnerability to Spock in the alternate universe of the current films.

Meanwhile, the actors in the other main roles have all been given moments to shine in the three movies. The outstanding cast includes Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin, who recently passed away. Pegg, who plays Scottie, co-wrote with Doug Jung the most recent film, which was directed by Justin Lin.

As with the original series and films, I will continue to watch every Star Trek film with this cast. The greatest enjoyment I get from the series is the interaction and relationships among the characters.

The Not-So-Good

Like many modern action films, Star Trek Beyond often relies too much on action in place of drama. Some scenes seemed to drag on with dark CGI effects that at times seemed repetitive.

Similarly, I was excited that Iris Elba was playing the villain in this film. But for the majority of the time, he is buried in makeup. Without spoiling anything, I wish the film would have made better use of this great actor by further developing his personal turmoil and making him more three dimensional.

On the other hand, the reality of modern movies is that they overly rely upon action, partly to appeal to younger viewers and partly to appeal to international viewers. That said, the movie does have good action scenes.

How Does Star Trek Beyond Compare to Other Films in the Franchise?

The first film in the rebooted movies, 2009’s Star Trek, was a wonderful re-introduction to the Star Trek characters. That film, directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, brought together this great cast.

The 2009 movie also intelligently created an alternate universe for the characters. The plot twist that affects the entire series allows viewers to see the characters develop without us knowing their futures. Rotten Tomatoes gives Star Trek an excellent 95% critics score and a 91% audience score.

The second film, 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, was a disappointment for many fans. Into Darkness, again directed by J.J. Abrams, was written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof.

Fans had high expectations for Into Darkness once rumors leaked that the movie would feature the character Khan Noonien Singh. The character had appeared in the original series. More importantly, Khan was the villain in what many consider the best Star Trek film, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982).

Into Darkness, for the most part, was fun. Rotten Tomatoes gives Into Darkness an 86% critics score and a 90% audience score. But by the end of the movie, many Star Trek fans were disappointed or angry The producers created a movie that tried to retread too much of The Wrath of Khan. Thus, it ended up being a somewhat ridiculous story instead of a tribute to the much better movie.

Star Trek Beyond avoids the pitfalls of Into Darkness. Instead of trying to rework another movie, it creates a new adventure for the crew of the Enterprise. Some have noted that the new movie seems more like a television episode, and there is some truth to that.

Star Trek Beyond takes a few nods at developing the depth of the characters and addressing larger issues. It begins with Captain Kirk pondering the sameness of day-to-day life in space. Similarly, Spock gets news that makes him reconsider his career choice too.

But the movie does not do enough with these existential crises, perhaps reflecting modern worries that tend to focus on violence and terrorism. Most of the movies in the original series did a little more with the characters (most notably Kirk’s aging in The Wrath of Khan).

Star Trek Beyond instead hints at what might have been a better movie. And there are some other deep themes regarding violence, isolationism, and collectivism bubbling around the seams.

Conclusion?

I liked Star Trek Beyond. It featured some funny dialogue and great action scenes. And one cannot resist the appearance of a Beastie Boys song fulfilling a role similar to a Slim Whitman song in Mars Attacks (1996).

While I have high expectations for the Star Trek franchise that may be hard to meet, this movie still is a fun summer popcorn movie. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an 84% critics rating and an 85% audience rating. It was great to see the characters and actors together again. I can’t wait for the next film in the franchise.

What did you think of Star Trek Beyond? Leave your two cents in the comments.

7 Things About “Star Trek: Into Darkness” (Short Review)

“Star Trek Beyond” Tribute to Leonard Nimoy

The Strange Coincidence With the Ending of “Wrath of Khan”

Two Spocks and an Audi

One Degree of Separation Between Bob Dylan & Twilight Zone: Bonnie Beecher & “Come Wander With Me”

Nicolas Cage Shines In Modest But Surprising “Pig” (Short Review)

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

The Mystery of Bobbie Gentry

Bobbie Gentry created great music in addition to her mysterious “Ode to Billie Joe” before her early retirement.

Where is Bobbie Gentry? Roberta Lee Streeter, who later took the stage name Bobbie Gentry, was born in Chickasaw County, Mississippi on July 27, 1944. Best known for the song “Ode to Billie Joe,” the singer-songwriter eventually became almost as mysterious as the song.

Bobbie Gentry released her first single, “Mississippi Delta,” in 1967. But it was the flip-side song, “Ode to Billie Joe” that became the hit. There are various reports that the four-minutes-plus song was originally written as a seven-minute song with extra lyrics, although others doubt that story.

Ode To Billie Joe, the album that featured the song, also became a hit. It replaced The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in the number one position on the Billboard Albums Chart.

The Mysteries of “Ode to Billie Joe”

Listeners loved “Ode to Billie Joe” partly because it left so many questions unanswered. The song tells the story of two Mississippi teen lovers who share a secret, with the young man, Billie Joe MacAllister, committing suicide by jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge.

In the song, the young woman listens to her parents talk about Billie Joe. The parents do not know what the listeners understand about the young woman’s connection to the young boy.

Fans still debate what the girl and the boy earlier threw off the bridge. But Gentry has stated that the item is not the point of the song.

Gentry explained to Fred Bronson in an interview, “[T]he real message of the song, if there must be a message, revolves around the nonchalant way the family talks about the suicide. They sit there eating their peas and apple pie and talking, without even realizing that Billie Joe’s girlfriend is sitting at the table, a member of the family.”

Below, Bobby Gentry performs “Ode to Billie Joe” on BBC Live in 1968.

The year “Ode to Billie Joe” was released, Gentry won three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. Rolling Stone today lists “Ode to Billie Joe” as the 47th greatest country song of all time.

Gentry’s Career After “Ode to Billie Joe”

After “Ode,” Gentry continued to write and record songs like “Fancy” (later covered by Reba McIntyre).

Gentry hosted a TV show on BBC-TV. Below is an episode of The Bobbie Gentry Show from 1968.

The 1970s was the era of variety shows, and Gentry appeared on several of them. For example, she appeared with The Smothers Brothers and on Dick Van Dyke’s 1976 show Van Dyke and Company. In 1974 she even hosted her own summer replacement CBS variety show, The Bobbie Gentry Happiness Hour.

Below, Gentry sings “Let it Be Me” with Glen Campbell on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour in 1969. During the making of the show, the two realized how well their voices blended. So, Campbell and Gentry ended up making an album together too.

Gentry’s song “Ode to Billy Joe,” though, continued to be her biggest hit and to have a life of its own. The song was eventually transformed into a film that provided its own answers to the questions asked in the song.

In 1978, Max Baer, Jr. directed Ode to Billy Joe, which starred Robby Benson and Glynnis O’Connor. Gentry re-recorded “Ode to Billie Joe” for the movie, which had changed the spelling of the main character’s first name to “Billy.” Below is the trailer.

Retirement

In 1978, Gentry decided to retire and married singer-comedian Jim Stafford. The marriage ended after about a year, but the retirement was more lasting. In addition to her work in music, her success with investments (such as purchasing a share of the Phoenix Suns NBA team in 1969) allowed her to exit the public stage. In the last several decades, Gentry has stayed out of the public eye and denied requests for interviews.

In a June 2016 Washington Post story, reporter Neely Tucker wrote of efforts to find Gentry. The reporter tracked down Gentry to a gated community about a two-hour drive from the location of the Tallahatchie Bridge, which had collapsed in 1972.

The reporter called the number of the house and asked for Gentry. The person who answered said that Gentry did not live there and hung up, although the reporter believed the person speaking was Gentry.

So we do not know much about Bobbie Gentry during the last several decades. But she is entitled to her privacy, just as we can be thankful she entertained us and gave us some great recordings, including one of the most mysterious songs of all time.

Singer-songwriter Jill Sobule (“I Kissed a Girl”) even took the mystery about Bobbie Gentry and turned it into a song. Her song “Where is Bobbie Gentry?” is, of course, in the style of “Ode to Billie Joe.”