From Alvin Wong:
Michael Jackson – Bhangra
Semi Final: Thriller
Final: they came in second!
“I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow”
Movie trailer of the Coen Borther's movie, "O Brother Where Art Thou," set to the Soggy Bottom Boys singing "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" that is heard twice in the movie. The 2000 movie was loosely based on Homer's Odyssey but set in Mississippi during the great depression.
According to IMDB trivia, George Clooney practised his singing for weeks, but for the movie his singing voice was dubbed by country blues singer Dan Tyminski. He did his job at the microphone though and turned in a hilarious performance!
Story-telling at its best, the movie was just about eclipsed by the soundtrack composed of American folk music of the time, featuring bluegrass, gospel, blues and country music [link].
“The film's soundtrack became an unlikely blockbuster, even surpassing the success of the film. By early 2001, it had sold five million copies, spawned a documentary film, three follow-up albums ("O Sister" and "O Sister 2"), two concert tours, and won Country Music Awards for Album of the Year and Single of the Year (for "Man of Constant Sorrow"). It also won five Grammys, including Album of the Year, and hit #1 on the Billboard album charts the week of March 15, 2002, 63 weeks after its release and over a year after the release of the film."”
– IMDB
Here’s Dan Tyminski with Ron Block at the Crossroads Festival:
Lyrics to the song from songmeanings.net:
(chorus) In constant sorrow through his days
I am a man of constant sorrow
I’ve seen trouble all my day.
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
The place where I was born and raised.
(chorus) The place where he was born and raised
For six long years I’ve been in trouble
No pleasures here on earth I found
For in this world I’m bound to ramble
I have no friends to help me now.
(chorus) He has no friends to help him now
It’s fare thee well my old lover
I never expect to see you again
For I’m bound to ride that northern railroad
Perhaps I’ll die upon this train.
(chorus) Perhaps he’ll die upon this train.
You can bury me in some deep valley
For many years where I may lay
Then you may learn to love another
While I am sleeping in my grave.
(chorus) While he is sleeping in his grave.
Maybe your friends think I’m just a stranger
My face you’ll never see no more.
But there is one promise that is given
I’ll meet you on God’s golden shore.
(chorus) He’ll meet you on God’s golden shore
Otterman speaks... 