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“I’ll Fly Away” and the Prisoner

On October 9, 2013, the state of Arizona executed the 71-year-old Edward H. Schad, Jr. by lethal injection in Florence, Arizona. Schad, the oldest person on the state’s death row, had been convicted of killing a man during a robbery almost 35 years earlier.

The warden asked Schad if he had any last words. And the inmate responded, “Well, after 34 years, I’m free to fly away home. Thank you, warden. Those are my last words.”

The Song That Inspired the Last Words

Reverend Ronald Koplitz, who was Schad’s pastor and who met the prisoner in 1981 while serving as prison chaplain, explained that the last words were a reference to the hymn “I’ll Fly Away.” Rev. Koplitz had become friends with Schad and kept in touch with him after his time as prison chaplain.

Rev. Koplitz gave Schad the song “I’ll Fly Away” a few weeks before the execution. And apparently, Schad felt a connection to the song.

“I’ll Fly Away”

The song that gave some comfort to the prisoner in his final moments before being killed goes back to 1929. In that year, Albert E. Brumley wrote “I’ll Fly Away.” The wonderful hymn, about eternal life and flying away “to that home on God’s celestial shore,” is one of the most popular gospel songs of all time.

There are a number of great versions of “I’ll Fly Away.” The song has appeared in several movies, including in nice a version by Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). Doc Watson played an instrumental version of “I’ll Fly Away” in his last public performance. And the song appeared in The Waltons.

Here is a great live version by Gillian Welch.

“The Prisoner” Inspired the Song that Inspired a Prisoner

When Schad referenced the song on the death gurney in Arizona, he likely did not know that his invocation of the song inside prison walls sort of brought the hymn home. When Brumley began writing the song while picking cotton, he was inspired by a song called “The Prisoner’s Song.”

Brumley thought about that song regarding a prisoner thinking of leaving his love behind. And he used a brilliant analogy using prison to represent life on earth.

Brumley was inspired by specific lyrics in “The Prisoner’s Song.” The line “Now, if I had the wings of an angel,/Over these prison walls I would fly” led to Brumley’s theme about flying away.

In this video, Johnny Cash sings “The Prisoner’s Song” on a January 20, 1971 episode of his TV show.

During the introduction, Cash refers to the popularity of “The Prisoner’s Song.” Vernon Dalhart initially recorded the song in 1924 as a B-side to his version of “The Wreck of the Old 97.” “The Prisoner’s Song,” which likely was written by Dalhart’s cousin Guy Massey and/or Guy’s brother Robert Massey, became a big hit for Dalhart.

In “I’ll Fly Away,” Brumley also retained the prison theme, using it as representing life on earth: “Like a bird from these prison walls I’ll fly.” It is not hard to see how Brumley’s wonderful song might bring some comfort to someone like Schad, strapped down on the execution gurney facing certain death. Music soothes both saints and sinners.

What is your favorite version of “I’ll Fly Aawy”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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The End of Maryland’s Death Penalty and “Green, Green Grass of Home”

Connecticut’s Hangman and Johnny Cash’s Last Song

Oregon’s Death Penalty: 25 Minutes to Go

Rosanne Cash Takes a Stand With “Crawl Into the Promised Land”

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

This Week in Pop Culture Roundup (4 Dec. 2011 Edition)

In case you have been preoccupied having seizures from watching The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 — or you have been preparing to suspend you campaign for president — or if you were busy writing a speech for a governor apologizing to a teenager, here are some of the pop culture stories you might have missed.

—— Music ——

Don McLean revealed where he wrote and first performed “American Pie,” refuting a local legend.

In Grammy news, Adele, Kanye West, Bruno Mars, and Foo Fighters led the Grammy nominations. In other Grammy news, some pondered whether or not the Beach Boys will reunite at the Grammys. Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane was nominated for two Grammys and will compete with Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand. Finally, Sugarland joined Lady Gaga for a rousing performance of “You and I” at the Grammy Nominations Concert this week.

In another cool collaboration, Bruce Springsteen appeared on stage with Bob Seger last week for some old time rock and roll. Blogness has the story and video.

John Lennon’s to-do list went up for auction. All you need is . . . more marmalade.

Andrea True, singer of “More More More (How Do You Like It?),” passed away earlier this month.

You may listen to the new CD from the Roots, “undun,” on NPR’s website.

Hanson (i.e., The Hanson Brothers) are developing a beer named. . . “MMMHop.” I’m guessing the beer will stay with you for a long time in the same way the catchy song does.

The Los Angeles Times reviewed Willie Nelson’s new CD, “Remember Me, Vol. 1.”

In touring news, George Michael cancelled the remaining dates of his tour to recover from pneumonia. Meanwhile, The Red Hot Chili Peppers announced their first U.S. tour in nearly five years, starting Jan. 25.

It’s “either a misprint or a satire.” — Elvis Costello, commenting on $339.98 box set of a Costello performance.

The New York Times reviewed a new biography of Ahmet Ertegun, the great founder and president of Atlantic Records.

Watch the ten films for the ten songs on Bon Iver’s self-titled album, released this week in a deluxe edition.

—— Movies ——

The Sound of Music has found a new life in movie theaters as a sing-a-long event.

This week, Retraunaut posted some cool behind-the-scenes photos from Planet of the Apes (1967) of the “apes” hanging out.

Firstshowing.net reviewed Cameron Crowe’s new movie We Bought a Zoo.

In honor of the director’s latest film, Salon featured a slide show of Martin Scorsese’s greatest films.

A new book recounts how actress Hedy Lamarr contributed to the cell phone technology we use today.

The New York Times reviewed the new DVD and Blu-ray of the classic and controversial film, Birth of a Nation.

Ken Russell, the director of Tommy, The Devils, and Altered States passed away. Watching each of those films in the movie theater were memorable events for me. RIP Mr. Russell.

New pictures were released of the fictional Mars in the upcoming John Carter.

Fans discussed how the possible Before Sunrise/Before Sunset sequel should go.

I was sorry to hear that Roger Ebert’s recent incarnation of At the Movies is going on hiatus. I enjoyed the show.

—— Other Pop Culture News ——

The Waltons reunited on The Today Show for their 40th Anniversary.

In The Office news, now you may buy Dunder Mifflin copy paper. Also, Stanley from The Office (Leslie David Baker) made a music video. In sadder Office-related news, comedian Patrice O’Neal, who also appeared periodically on The Office, passed away last week from complications of a stroke. RIP.

The Fantastic Four are turning 50.

The inventor of the Jenos pizza roll and Chun King canned Chinese food, Jeno Paulucci, died on Thanksgiving. Chun King was the only time I encountered Chinese food as a kid, and, well, I have enjoyed several meals of nothing but pizza rolls. RIP Mr. Paulucci.

What were your thoughts on the pop culture stories of the week? Leave your two cents in the comments.

This Week in Pop Culture Roundup (Nov. 12, 2011)

Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson Put Johnny Cash’s Poetry to Music

Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen “Shout” In Their Third Performance Together

Weird Al Summarizes “The Phantom Menace”

The First Song Loretta Lynn Ever Wrote

Jennifer Nettles Covers Springsteen: “I’m On Fire”

(Some Related Chimesfreedom Posts)

Jimmy Stewart’s Movie Mom

Jimmy Stewart's Movie Mom

Happy Mother’s Day this weekend! One famous movie mom was Beulah Bondi’s portrayal of Ma Baily in It’s a Wonderful Life. It was a great performance, including a touching scene with her son George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, as she sends him off to court Mary Hatch, played by Donna Reed. At the other extreme, in an alternate reality in the same movie, Bondi plays a bitter and angry version of the character who does not recognize her son.

Did you know that Beulah Bondi played Jimmy Stewart’s mother in a total of four movies? She also was his mother in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Vivacious Lady (1938 ), and Of Human Hearts (1938).

I did recently catch her as Stewart’s mom in Of Human Hearts on the Turner Classic Movies Channel. In that movie, she plays a faithful mother to Jimmy Stewart’s ungrateful son, resulting in Bondi’s second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. I learned of the persistent Stewart-Bondi connection from Robert Osborne on TCM when the movie ended. This “Top Ten Facts About It’s a Wonderful Life” also notes the connection.

I have not seen Vivacious Lady, which finally became available on DVD after this original post was written. Bondi makes a brief appearance in this trailer for Vivacious Lady at around the 2:35 mark.

Beulah Bondi gave memorable performances in other movies, including Make Way for Tomorrow (1937), where she played an abandoned mother, and Our Town (1940), where again she played a mother but not to Stewart. Her other Oscar nomination resulted from The Gorgeous Hussy (1936), where she did not play Jimmy Stewart’s mom. Bondi regretted not playing the role of Ma Joad in Grapes of Wrath (1940), where she missed portraying the mother of Stewart’s good friend, Henry Fonda.

Bondi appeared on several television shows, winning an Emmy for a performance as Aunt Martha Corinne Walton on a 1976 episode of The Waltons. Her TV work also occasionally reunited her with Stewart. IMDb notes that Bondi played Stewart’s mother in one episode of The Jimmy Stewart Television Show (1971). Earlier, she appeared in one 1957 episode of G.E. True Theater, called “A Town with a Past,” with Stewart, although apparently not as his mother.

In movies today, producers’ obsession with an actress’s age sometimes lead them to cast a mother who is in reality too young to be the mother of the actor son. For example, in The Fighter (2010), Melissa Leo played Mark Wahlberg’s mother while being only 11 years older than him. But in Bondi’s case, she was a more realistic age to play Stewart’s mother. She was born May 3, 1888 and Stewart was born May 20, 1908, which would have made her 20 years old when she gave birth to the fictional James Stewart.

In real life, one of the movies’ greatest moms never married and never became a mother herself, passing away in 1981. But Bondi’s warm portrayal of movie mothers gives her a special place in the hearts of anyone who loves old movies or moms. So Happy Mother’s Day to Beulah Bondi, to my mom, to the other mothers out there, and to all those who were born by mothers.