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From the Vault...
10/26/2003
#861 |
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info
Soundtrack
"O Brother, Where Art Thou"
© Mercury Records
Year of Release: 2000
Rating:
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track listing
James Carter &
The Prisoners--
Po Lazarus
Harry McClintock--
Big Rock
Candy Mountain
Norman Blake--
You Are
My Sunshine
Alison Krauss--
Down To The
River To Pray
Soggy Bottom Boys--
I Am A Man Of
Constant Sorrow
Chris Thomas King--
Hard Time
Killing Floor Blues
Norman Blake--
I Am A Man Of
Constant Sorrow
The Whites--
Keep On The
Sunny Side
Alison Krauss &
Gillian Welch--
I'll Fly Away
Emmylou Harris
Alison Kraus &
Gillian Welch--
Didn't Lea
The Peasall Sisters--
In The Highways
The Cox Family--
I Am Weary
(Let Me Rest)
John Hartford--
I Am A Man Of
Constant Sorrow
Ralph Stanley--
O Death
Soggy Bottom Boys--
In The
Jailhouse Now
Soggy Bottom Boys--
I Am A Man Of
Constant Sorrow
John Hartford--
Indian
War Whoop
Fairfield Four--
Lonesome Valley
The Stanley Brothers--
Angel Band
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Soundtrack
"O Brother, Where Art Thou"
O Brother Where Art Thou is an excellent movie -- it tells the
story of a road movie, with a trio of ex-cons who wend their way around
the state of Mississippi during the Great Depression. Ulysses Everett McGill,
played by George Clooney), is on a journey of sorts. Along the way he meets
all manner of "monsters" and "sirens", and, in the end, he finds the treasure
that was prophesied to be his. Ulysses is an escaped convict from a Mississippi
prison. Since he couldn't get out on his own, he was forced to bring two of his
fellows with him - the less-than-brilliant Delmar O'Donnel (Tim Blake Nelson) and
the sour, appropriately named Pete Hogwallop (John Turturro). Together, these
three are on the way to retrieve Ulysses' stash of $1.2 million in ill-gotten gains.
But their path to the money isn't an easy one. In addition to being pursued by
the authorities, they encounter a variety of unsavory characters who are
interested in robbing them, turning them in, or both. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to
them, after recording a song as the "Soggy Bottom Boys", they become singing
sensations.
James Berardinelli
The opening track, "Po Lazarus" by James Carter and the Prisoners,
is a 1959 recording a Southern field excursion. A prison chain gang from
Camp B at Mississippi State Penitentiary in Lambert was recorded chopping wood
while singing and swinging their axes in unison. The remainder of the
soundtrack is an excellent work of bluegrass, blues and country music. Harry
McClintock's 1928 recording of "Big Rock Candy Mountain" is very
enjoyable, and the standard "You Are My Sunshine" by Norman Blake, is
very old-fashioned Country. Country's Alison Kraus' "Down To The River To
Pray" has a country gospel feel.
But probably the highlight of the soundtrack is "I Am A Man Of Constant
Sorrow," where there are four versions of this song. The Soggy Bottom Boys'
version is the most recognized, as the characters of the movie (George Clooney,
John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson rev up the crowd with their rendition.
Norman Blake's version is acoustic guitar, and played much slower than the
Soggy Bottom Boys' version, as this unplugged version displays an excellent
work of bluegrass and/or old-traditional country. John Hartford's version has
a violin as it's main instrument, giving it a very somewhat sad feel, yet
very emotional. John Hartford is best known as the composer of "Gentle On
My Mind" which was very popular for Glen Campbell. Another entertaining
version by The Soggy Bottom Boys is the remaining version, and is just as
enjoyable, as the rhythm of the 4th version is slowed down just a bit.
Acoustic guitar blues is heard on Chris Thomas King's "Hard Time Killing
Floor Blues," Traditional country/bluegrass is heard on The Whites'
"Keep On The Sunny Side," an act consisting of Buck White's daughters,
Sharon and Cheryl, who has recorded music for the past 30 years in country
music. The same style of The Whites is heard on the next song, "I'll Fly
Away" by Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch. Krauss, Welch, and Emmylou Harris
display great vocal harmonies on the slavery-styled tune as heard on the opening
track on "Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby."
The Peasall Sisters (Sarah [12], Hannah [8], and Leah [6]) were the
singing voices for George Clooney's daughters in the movie, after being chosen
in an open audition. "In The Highways" is traditional bluegrass country.
Traditional country best decscribes The Cox Family's "I Am Weary (Let Me
Rest)." Ralph Stanley's 1955 recording of "O Death" is another
slavery-driven blues song, just featuring Stanley's vocals, and no musical
accompanient. The Soggy Bottom Boys return with "In The Jailhouse Now;"
another excellent bluegrass/country tune, with yodelling, and can easily be
compared to the great Hank Williams Sr.
John Hartford's "Indian War Whoop" has the whoops all right, yet this
song just may be the least to listen to. However, The Fairfield Four's
"Lonesome Valley" is another slavery-styled gospel blues song with so
much emotion, you can actually feel the sadness. The Stanley Brothers
(featuring Ralph) has the last track on the soundtrack, "Angel Band,"
a traditional country flavored song.
An excellent look at bluegrass, blues and traditional country, the
soundtrack of O Brother Where Art Thou, likewise the movie itself,
is very entertaining, and an excellent look at traditional styles of music.
The soundtrack alone stands out as one of music's most interesting and
entertaining sources. Even after viewing the movie, the music willl
automatically attract your attention, and you'll immediately rush to the
stores to pick up the soundtrack, and/or the movie as well on either VHS or
DVD.
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Mercury Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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