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
Thanks for this post Siva. Resonated with me on a number of different levels. Teaching Homer to my students of Ancient History, teaching the Great Depression (and the current economic crisis) to my students of 20th century history and then there is the music… The first album I ever imported was Highway Call by Richard Betts. I was 16 at the time. I heard two tracks on the radio and the album was not available in Australia. I ordered it via mail. I still possess it.
I would like to share a moving musician with you and your readers… Jeff Martin, formerly with the Tea Party. He now lives in Australia and the other night I saw him perform live in a nearby theatre-restaurant attached to an old Australian hotel ~ the Heritage Hotel at Bulli. He is the master of the acoustic guitar and his voice… amazing. You can catch him live here… http://www.moshcam.com/?#?page=player&type=gig&id=82
Two tracks, a cover of Daniel Lanois’ ‘I Love You’ and “The Kingdom” stand out. Enjoy.
Thanks John, I’m listening now…