Tag: Story Behind the Song

What Is the Murder Ballad That Holly Hunter Sings to Nathan Jr. in “Raising Arizona”?

Holly Hunter Arizona Song

Early in the movie Raising Arizona (1987), after Hi (Nicholas Cage) and Edwina (Holly Hunter) have kidnapped Nathan Jr., Edwina is heard singing a song to the baby. If you listen carefully, you will notice that it is not a happy lullaby but a song about murder. What is the song?

The song has a long history and was not original to the film. It is called “Down in the Willow Garden,” although it is sometimes entitled after the murder victim, “Rose Connelly.”

“Down in the Willow Garden”

“Down in the Willow Garden” is a traditional Appalachian murder ballad, about a man who kills a woman named Rose Connelly. Much is ambiguous about the song, but it appears she was pregnant. And the singer tells us he killed her because his father offered to pay him.

My father he had told me,
His money would set me free,
If I would poison that dear little girl,
Whose name was Rose Connelly.

And so, the singer “drew a sabre through her” (and apparently poisoned her too). He then throws her body in the river and runs. But then he tells us what happened to him, with the twist that his father now must watch his son be hanged.

My father weeps at his cabin door,
Wipin’ his tear dimmed eyes;
For soon his only son shall hang
From yonder scaffold high.

My race is run beneath the sun,
My sentence is waiting for me,
For I did poison that dear little girl
Whose name was Rose Connelly.

We hear Holly Hunter sing that last verse to the baby Nathan Jr. in Raising Arizona. At the time, Hi has just awakened from a nightmare about the crime he and his wife just committed.

There is a bit of dark humor there in the movie scene: The kidnapper is singing about another crime and about the perpetrator being caught and punished.

Although it may seem odd to sing about a murder to a baby, it is not that unusual for murder ballads to be used this way. And a lot of songs we sing to children have dark undertones that only we as adults appreciate. I often sing “Goodnight Irene” to my newborn, but once you leave the chorus, the song is about a man losing his wife and contemplating suicide. I know others who sing “You Are My Sunshine” to their children. But again, once you leave the chorus, you realize the song is about a woman leaving the singer.

Here, in Raising Arizona, there is something sweet about Hunter singing the song. Its tune is comforting to the baby even as the words speak of something darker. The baby, who only hears the music, is reassured, while the lyrics reflect on the lingering guilt hanging over the adults.

Versions of “Down in the Willow Garden”

Early recorded versions of “Down in the Willow Garden” go back to the 1920s. And the song’s origins most likely go back through Appalachia to Ireland in the 1800s. The tune accompanying the lyrics reportedly come from the song “Old Rosin the Beau.”

In more modern times, the song has been recorded by Flatt and Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, Jerry Garcia, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Art Garfunkel, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the Chapin Sisters. Bringing it back the Coen Brothers’ movie Raising Arizona, Bon Iver and The Chieftains recorded a version used to close one of the episodes of the second season of The Coen Brothers’ inspired Fargo TV series.

One of the most famous groups to record the song was The Everly Brothers. They included the song on their 1958 album Songs Our Daddy Taught Us.

More recently, on an album of songs in tribute to The Everly Brothers, Billie Joe Armstrong (of Green Day) and Norah Jones recorded their harmonious version of “Down in the Willow Garden.” Their version appeared on Foreverly (2013), which they recorded as Billie +Norah.

The timeless song continues to live through these modern recordings. And, as noted above, it has also appeared in movies and TV shows, including recently at the end credits of the HBO show Sharp Objects.

Why is “Down in the Willow Garden” so timeless? We do not know if there was a real Rose Connelly, but the story rings true. It reminds us of the stupidity, foolishness, and cruelty of humans. Something we are reminded of all too often. But it also finds some beauty in the way we do not let the tale be forgetten.

And that is the Story Behind the Song.

Image via YouTube. Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Who Sang “Change in My Life” In the Steve Martin Movie “Leap of Faith”?

    One of the highlights of the Steve Martin film “Leap of Faith” is the performance of “Change in My Life,” although there is a small mystery surrounding the performers.

    I am never sure whether people are going to like the 1992 movie Leap of Faith. The comedy-drama never seems sure what position it wants to take about faith and religion as it focuses on the cynical traveling preacher played by Steve Martin. And is it a drama or a comedy?  There’s a seriousness to it, but not in the same way that Burt Lancaster captured with a stellar performance in a similar storyline in 1956’s The Rainmaker (a movie that inspired a 1975 Tanya Tucker song). 

    But a really good gospel song cannot hide its power, and during one scene in Leap of Faith with the song “A Change in My Life,” one can’t help finding some meaning in the film.  Anyone who loved the song in the film, however, may have encountered confusion in trying to track down a recording.

    Leap of Faith the Movie

    Leap of Faith music

    The 1992 movie Leap of Faith came at an interesting time in Steve Martin’s career. He was taking a turn away from goofy characters like The Jerk (1979). Instead, he expanded into more serious roles starting to some extent with Roxanne in 1987.  In the early 1990s, he starred in L.A. Story (1991), Father of the Bride (1991), Grand Canyon (1991), and Leap of Faith (1992).

    One may see why he seemed perfect for Leap of Faith.  He was able to embrace his serious side in the dramatic scenes while letting out a little of his wild-and-crazy-guy during his tent sermons.  I find his performance mesmerizing at times. 

    You usually root for Martin’s characters. But here his character Jonas has a harder edge, a fake healer wrapped in cynicism.  The movie also provided a strong female lead in Debra Winger that boosted everyone’s performance in a strong cast.  The cast also includes Liam Neeson, Meat Loaf, Lolita Davidovich, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

    “A Change in My Life” in the Film

    The movie also has a pretty good soundtrack.  But there is one song that stands out, “A Change in My Life.” 

    During the movie, the song plays against a backdrop of the traveling healing show.  Amidst the scenes of workers promoting and setting up the tent show, the singers reveal a moment of beautiful sincerity in a movie that wavers in its faith at times.

    Apparently, the song had the same effect on others that it had on me when I first heard it in the movie theater. It sent me to the record store to buy the soundtrack.

    I bought the soundtrack on cassette tape and popped in my car stereo. But disappointment followed immediately. The version of “A Change in My Life” on the soundtrack was different than the version from the movie.

    The Soundtrack Version

    The soundtrack version was still very good. But it did not have the same power of the movie version.

    The soundtrack notes revealed that the song was not an old timeless gospel song. It was written by Billy Straus, who arranged this soundtrack version with Sean Altman and has had a long career of writing music. On the soundtrack, “A Change in My Life” is listed as sung by John Pagano. IMDb, however, lists the artist as a group called The Angels of Mercy.

    It seems, then, that John Pagano recorded the soundtrack version with The Angels of Mercy. The latter are actually the Twin Cities Community Gospel Choir from Minneapolis, Minnesota. But even this soundtrack version is probably not the most popular recording of “A Change in My Life.”

    Rockapella and Other Versions

    Many years later after I no longer had a cassette player for the movie soundtrack, I went looking for a recording of “A Change in My Life” for my iPod. The only one I found at the time was by the New York a cappella group called Rockapella.

    And it is their version that I still have on my phone today.

    If you hear “A Change in My Life,” it will most likely be this version by Rockapella (who in 1999 sang background vocals on a version by Sam Harris). Rockapella’s version first appeared on their 1992 self-titled album. Rockappella recorded the song and released it the same year as Leap of Faith.

    As noted in one of the comments below (thanks Daniel Clayton), one of the founders of Rockapella was Sean Altman (who had arranged the version for the soundtrack of Leap of Faith). So also considering the timing, it appears the song is an original Rockapella song.

    Many years later Leap of Faith made the leap to Broadway as a musical. In 2012 the movie’s story made it to the New York stage after a limited run in Los Angeles in 2010. The musical, however, has its own original music and the soundtrack does not include “A Change in My Life.”

    There are a handful of covers of “A Change in My Life,” and not surprisingly some college acapella groups, like Chapman University’s Men of Harmony, have made sweet music out of the song. But maybe the most famous group to sing “A Change in My Life” is Hanson.

    Best known for their hit “Mmmbop,” the Hanson brothers are very talented and underrated as adults. They get less attention than they should as adults because people got sick of hearing the cute kids singing that earworm of a pop song.

    Yet, this live cover of “A Change in My Life” from 2013 shows that sibling harmony is something special and that these brothers have great taste in music. The fact that they have performed the song a number of times through the years illustrates their own connection to the song.

    Who Sang “A Change in My Life” in the Movie?

    This history brings us back to the great mystery about the singers in the movie and the version that many people love even if they cannot find a recording of it. Like others, I still love the movie version more than the official recordings. So who sang it?

    Well, through a comment on YouTube, we have the information. A commenter named Daniel Carlin explained that he produced the version that appears in the movie, and the song was recorded live by the film’s music engineer Joseph Magee. Carlin has a long career in music. He is currently a professor and vice dean at the USC Thornton School of Music.

    He reports, “We actually recorded it where you see the singers standing, then took away the overhead microphone stands and shot to a playback of the recording (run by the onset ProTools operator, engineer Fred Vogler).” But who are the singers?

    Carlin reveals who did the singing in the movie: “The chorus is comprised of 6 members of the Edwin Hawkins Singers (who we flew in from Oakland), along with gospel singer [Shun] Pace-Rhodes (the . . . female gospel singer at the top of the screen), and additional local talent that we found in Texas, including the silver-toothed male soloist.” Today, the singer Shun Pace-Rhodes is better known as Tarrian LaShun Pace.

    Finally, Carlin adds about the location of the scene. He reports it was in “Groom, Texas, where some rich local guy subsequently had a 19-story cross erected to commemorate the filming of the movie there. Show biz lives. “

    How might you know the Edwin Hawkins Singers? Well, they took another song that was an 18th Century Hymn and turned it into a hit song. In 1968, they released “Oh Happy Day” which became the first gospel song that appeared on pop charts.

    Several people responded to the comment, asking Carlin if a complete recording featuring the six Edwin Hawkins Singers and Tarrian LaShun Pace exists anywhere. But there has been no response, leaving us to believe that we will never get that version.

    And it remains a mystery why the movie’s version did not appear on the soundtrack. Most likely, the soundtrack was made separately from the filming of the movie, and director Richard Pearce along with Carlin and others put together the scene in the movie with singers they chose.

    At least we have the stunning moment that for a few minutes takes a Steve Martin film to another heavenly level.

    And that is the Story Behind the Song.

    What is your favorite version of “Change in My Life”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    “Last Train to Clarksville” as a Protest Song?

    The Monkees

    One of the biggest hits recorded by The Monkees is “Last Train to Clarksville,” which was released in 1966.  Many of us grew up singing along to the song without realizing it was written as a protest against the Vietnam War.

    Take the last train to Clarksville
    And I’ll meet you at the station,
    You can be here by four-thirty,
    ‘Cause I’ve made your reservation, don’t be slow,
    Oh, no, no, no,
    Oh, no, no, no.

    If you listen closely to the lyrics sung by Micky Dolenz, you can hear that The Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville” is actually in the voice of someone frightened about going off to war.

    Now I must hang up the phone,
    I can’t hear you in this noisy railroad station,
    All alone, I’m feeling low.
    Oh, no, no, no,
    Oh, no, no, no,
    And I don’t know if I’m ever coming home.

    The song does not specifically mention the war, but songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart explained that they kind of “snuck in” the Viet Nam references.  They noted, “We couldn’t be too direct with the Monkees.”

    And that is the story behind the song.

    What is your favorite song about the Vietnam War or about trains? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    How Farah Fawcett Inspired “Midnight Train to Georgia”

    One evening in 1970, songwriter Jim Weatherly called up a friend from his college years, the actor Lee Majors.  Weatherly and Majors played in a flag-football league together.  But the actor was not home, and his girlfriend Farah Fawcett answered the phone, saying something that would inspire Weatherly to write the song “Midnight Train to Georgia.”

    After reporting that Majors was not home, Fawcett said she was packing for a trip.  More specifically, she said she was preparing to take a midnight plane to Houston to visit her parents.  Weatherly, who had a songwriter’s ear, immediately recognized a great phrase for a song.

    Weatherly’s “Midnight Plane to Houston”

    As Weatherly explained in the book Anatomy of a Song: The Inside Stories Behind 45 Iconic Hits, by Marc Myers, Weatherly created the song “Midnight Plane to Houston” in about 45 minutes.  Weatherly recorded the song on an album of songs, hoping a famous singer would record one or more of the songs.

    Below is Weatherly’s own recording of “Midnight Plane.”

    Cissy Houston’s Changes

    Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston, was the first to want to record “Midnight Plane.”  But because she was from Georgia, and because people she knew took trains instead of planes, she asked to change to title.  Weatherly agreed, and the title about a train going to Georgia was born.

    Houston recorded the song as “Midnite Train to Georgia” in Memphis in 1972 (released with spelling “Midnight” in the UK).  But without much support from the label, the song went nowhere. Houston’s version has more strings than the later hit recording, but it is still a very good recording.

    Gladys Knight & the Pips Create a Classic

    But then, Weatherly’s manager-publisher sent the song to Gladys Knight, who also was from Georgia.  She loved the song.

    Although she loved Houston’s version, she wanted a different sound.  She also made some tweaks to Weatherly’s lyrics with his permission.  Her producer added several horn players, including saxophone player Michael Brecker, while putting less emphasis on the rhythm section.

    When Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded their vocal tracks in Detroit, she thought of problems in her own marriage.  Her husband at the time was unhappy because she was on the road so much.  They would eventually divorce in 1973.  But, as Knight explained in Anatomy of a Song, “I was going through the exact same thing that I was singing about when recording — which is probably why it sounds so personal.”

    During the recording session, the leader of the Pips, Merald “Bubba” Knight asked her to ad-lib some gospel phrases at the end of the song.  Gladys had trouble coming up with good lines, so Bubba, who also was her brother, fed her lines through her headset.  The improvised lines included “My world, his world, our world” and “I’ve got to go, I’ve got to go.”

    The song was finally completed.

    After “Midnight Train to Georgia” was released in August 1973, it became the group’s first number-one hit song on October 27, 1973. It also won the 1974 Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus.

    And that is the story behind the song.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    “Shannon”: Henry Gross, Sha Na Na, and a Beach Boys Dog

    Shannon Dog

    Henry Gross, who was born in Brooklyn on April 1 in 1951, was the youngest person to perform on the main stage at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in 1969. At the time, he was eighteen years old, performing as one of the founding members of Sha Na Na. But Gross is best known for his song about a dog.

    The members of Sha Na Na formed out of a Columbia University a cappella group that started performing under the Sha Na Na name in 1969.  The group, with Gross, eventually performed prior to Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock.

    Some credit Sha Na Na’s short appearance in the Woodstock film with contributing to the nostalgia for the 1950s in subsequent years.  That nostalgia led to the film American Graffiti (1973) and the TV show Happy Days.

    In 1970, though, Gross left Sha Na Na to pursue a career as a solo singer-songwriter. He initially found little success.  But he played guitar as a session musician on one of the classic albums of the early 1970s, Jim Croce’s I Got a Name (1973).

    Following some modest success with his own recordings, Gross wrote a song about the death of an Irish Setter owned by Beach Boys member Carl Wilson. The song, “Shannon,” became an international hit.

    Shannon, is gone I heard,
    She’s drifting out to sea;
    She always loved to swim away;
    Maybe she’ll find an island with a shaded tree,
    Just like the one in our backyard.

    The Story Behind “Shannon”

    There is something gut-wrenching about the beautiful song.  So much of it seems real that one may wonder how could this be a song about somebody else’s dog? Well, it really is only partly about Wilson’s dog. Gross also had a dog named Shannon.

    In 1972, when Gross was twenty-one, he became involved with a woman named Kathy Reinmann, first as a friend then as a girlfriend. She had a two-year old Irish Setter named Shannon. As Gross described the dog later, “She was an uncannily human dog whose ability to manipulate her human counterparts cannot be understated.”

    Around this time, Gross was touring with the Beach Boys and struck up a friendship with Carl Wilson. While visiting Wilson at his home in Los Angeles, Wilson told Gross that he had previously had an Irish Setter too.  Wilson explained that he lost his dog when it was hit by a car. His Irish Setter, coincidentally, had the same name as Gross’s dog, Shannon.

    Soon after the trip, Gross sat in his apartment trying to write a song. But a neighbor was playing loud music that interfered with his creative process.  So, Gross put on an environments record called The Ultimate Seashore. While listening to the sounds of the ocean on the record, he thought of the Beach Boys, Carl Wilson, and Wilson’s dog Shannon.

    Gross looked at his dog Shannon, and he thought of “the indescribable sadness that losing such a beloved partner in life must be.”  He later recalled, “The song seemed to write itself taking no more than ten minutes and with almost no cross outs on the paper.”

    Inspired by the sounds of the ocean on the record, Gross sang about Shannon “drifting off to sea.” The setting also sounded more romantic than getting hit by a car. The lyrics were ambiguous enough that listeners would not know it was about a dog and could imagine their own story.

    Gross initially sent the song to Wilson, hoping he would provide background vocals. But the timing never worked out. So Gross recorded his version, which appeared on his album Release, and “Shannon” was released in 1976.

    Gross’s song blanketed the nation that year. A country weary from Watergate and the Vietnam war was looking for something new in its bicentennial year. The release of “Shannon” and Gross’s high aching voice captured some of the sadness of the times.

    Gross eventually took Shannon’s owner Kathy Reinmann as his wife, although the two would later divorce. They remained friends for decades until she died of lung cancer.

    Gross continues to make music since “Shannon,” as you can hear on his website, some with degrees of success. For example, he co-wrote the top 40 country song “Big Guitar” for Blackhawk.

    But he never had a hit quite like his song about a dog. Below, Gross performed “Shannon” in 2014, showing he still can hit the high notes.  And yes, he still has dogs (and cats).

    And that is the story behind the song.

    Leave your two cents in the comments.

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