This week on American Idol, Haley Reinhart sang Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” She did a good job, and it may have been the best song choice of the night. Her performance helped her avoid being the second person in three weeks to go home after singing a song with the word “deep” in the title.
Adele’s version of “Rolling in the Deep” is hard to beat, as her voice perfectly balances the song’s heartbreak pain (“The scars of your love, they leave me breathless”) and kiss-off anger (“Think of me in the depths of your despair”). But there are some excellent covers of the song. John Legend does a great acappella cover of the song. While looking for a video of Legend singing the song, I ran across an abbreviated cover of John Legend’s version by a new rising artist named Jason Ray. [April 2014 Update: Unfortunately, Ray no longer has the “Rolling in the Deep” video on YouTube, but you should check out some of his other songs at his website, linked below.]
Jason Ray, whose real name is Jason Raymond Garrett, is a classically trained pianist and singer-songwriter from Houston with influences ranging from Prince to Led Zeppelin. He started off with a successful YouTube page, and his website states that his first album will be released soon. The website appears relatively new, so it seems like he is just starting out. Check him out, as you likely will hear more of him soon.
For those looking for the American Idol version of the song, here is the link to Haley Reinhart’s version. There is not an official video of John Legend’s acappella cover, but you may hear his excellent version here. Finally here is a link to Adele’s official video of “Rolling in the Deep” and a live version from a performance on Ellen.
What do you think of the various versions of “Rolling in the Deep”? Leave a comment.
On April 17 in 1865, Mary Surratt was arrested for conspiracy to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln. In 2011 on that date, the American Film Company released its first film, The Conspirator. The movie is about Mary Surratt and directed by Robert Redford and starring Robin Wright, James McAvoy, Evan Rachel Wood, Kevin Kline, Danny Huston, and Tom Wilkinson.
From a young age, we learn the name of John Wilkes Booth. We know he is the man who shot Abraham Lincoln. His chase and capture are recounted in the recent book, Manhunt (2006), by James L. Swanson.
But the names of the others who allegedly conspired with Booth are less heard: Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, David Herold, John Surratt, and Mary Surratt. A number of additional people were also arrested and convicted of crimes, including Dr. Samuel Mudd.
Mary Surratt: “The Conspirator”
The Conspirator centers exclusively on one of the more interesting accused conspirators, Mary Surratt. In doing so, Redford maintains focus in what might otherwise be an unwieldy long story.
We may be curious to know more about the other conspirators and to spend a few minutes with Lincoln before he is killed. But Redford keeps the story tight and aimed on the stoic Surratt (Wright) and her passionate lawyer Frederick Aiken (McAvoy), following Aiken as he struggles with his responsibility to defend Surratt.
Currently on the Rotten Tomatoes website, the critics rating for The Conspirator is 56% and the audience rating is a much-higher 71%, which makes sense. The movie is not an exciting historical romp like The King’s Speech (2010), and the story is told somewhat conventionally. But it is an interesting story that audience members may appreciate more than critics, who might want a film that is more daring.
Still, the fine acting and look of the film make it well above a History Channel special. All of the principal actors do a very good job (although Justin Long seems out of his time period even with the goofy mustache). And, as in Redford’s A River Runs Through It (1992), the lighting effects seem like another character, making for numerous scenes bathed in beautiful clean natural sunlight.
Overall, the movie is engaging and addresses a lesser known aspect of the Lincoln assassination. I will not reveal how everything comes out, but during the prosecution of Mary Surratt and even until today, there are still questions about whether or not she had any involvement in the conspiracy of which she was accused.
Parallels With Modern Issues
Others have noticed that the movie has some parallels to the modern debate about military tribunals. Kevin Kline’s Secretary of War Edwin Stanton spouts concerns that echo in our Age of Terrorism. Anthony Lane at The New Yorker believes that Redford belabored the parallels with today’s debates about military trials for accused terrorists a little too much.
By contrast, I did not think the parallels were overdone. Instead, the movie would have been much more topical and challenging for viewers had it been released several years ago instead of in 2011. Just as more people spoke up on Mary Surratt’s behalf years after her trial, this aspect of the movie seems a little late too. Yet, the issue is still topical.
Another contemporary issue underlying The Conspirator is how innocent persons accused of outrageous crimes may be convicted or almost convicted of crimes they did not do. The Death Penalty Information Center website notes that since 1973, there have been more than one hundred people released from death row because of evidence of their innocence.
Additionally, there are a number of people who have been executed with genuine questions remaining about whether they were innocent. One may debate the extent of the problem and the exact number of condemned innocent who spent years on death row, but the clear risk is certainly troubling. Even in civilian trials with our current constitutional protections, the innocent still may be convicted and condemned, and this realization has contributed to several states eliminating capital punishment in recent years.
Conclusion
Conclusion? Conspirator is a well-made straightforward drama about an important event in American history. Although it may not be one of the top few movies of the year, it is a period courtroom drama in a league with Amistad (1997) as less than awe-inspiring but nonetheless engaging, educational, entertaining, and worth your time.
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What did you think of The Conspirator? Leave a comment.
The eagle looked down on the river below, And he wrapped his wings round him and he fell like a stone. And the big salmon fought but the talons held true, And he shuddered as the world turned from silver to blue. I stood there in awe though I’d seen it before, I was born in these mountains and I’ll die here for sure
“Me and the Eagle”
The lyrics above are to Steve Earle’s song, “Me and the Eagle,” which is from the soundtrack of songs from and inspired by The Horse Whisperer. This song perfectly captures the horse whisperer character that Robert Redford plays in the movie. The movie is pretty good, and the the soundtrack album is excellent, including songs by Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, and Dwight Yoakam.
The film also featured the song “A Soft Place to Fall,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song (and should have won). “A Soft Place to Fall” was co-written by and performed by an outstanding new artist who many years later would marry Steve Earle, Allison Moorer.
I like that people post their own versions of songs on YouTube because there is something especially democratic about it. And occasionally you find nice gems. Below is John Fullbright’s rendition of Steve Earle’s “Me and the Eagle.” I had not heard of the guy until seeing his videos on YouTube, and he does a moving cover of this song. Check out the young Oklahoman’s website. I am going to have to listen to more of his music.
Some mornings will find me up above the timberline, Lonesome don’t seem like much once you’re this high. When it’s all said and done I usually find, Me and the eagle are of the same mind.
This post continues the Chimesfreedom discussion of Best Gospel Songs by Pop Singers. In this series, we consider some great recording of gospel songs that were made by popular singers. This post includes songs recorded by Patty Griffin, Aretha Franklin, and George Harrison.
House of Gold, Patty Griffin (& Hank Williams)
I finally got around to buying Patty Griffin’s CD of gospel music, Downtown Church. She has one of the best singing voices, and it shows on my favorite song off this CD.
“House of Gold” was originally written and performed by Hank Williams. The song works here because her voice echos above the restrained instrumentation. And the song has some of the best gospel lyrics ever:
I’d rather be in a deep, dark grave And know that my poor soul was saved Than to live in this world in a house of gold And deny my God and doom my soul
Blessed Assurance, Aretha Franklin
Like Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin has many great Gospel recordings, including the album, Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings. She has recorded some excellent versions of “Amazing Grace,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “How I Got Over,” but here is a beautifully restrained version of “Blessed Assurance.”
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My Sweet Lord, George Harrison
“My Sweet Lord” may not technically qualify as a gospel song (and some Christians have objected to the “Hare Krishna” chants). But it is a beautiful song about one’s relationship with God, so it qualifies for me.
George Harrison originally wrote the song for Billy Preston but ended up having a big hit with it on his own as part of his first post-Beatles album, All Things Must Pass. Unfortunately, he lost a lawsuit for subconsciously copying the Chiffons’ hit, “He’s So Fine.” Under today’s laws that are more lenient toward sampling, etc., though, he likely would have won.
In 2011, the U.S. Post Office used the wrong “Statute of Liberty” on a stamp, while many on the Internet quote the wrong Walt Whitman quote about liberty, courtesy of the Grateful Dead.
They used the correct flag.
In 2011, the U.S. Post Office issued a new Statue of Liberty stamp honoring the 125th Anniversary of the American symbol, which was dedicated on October 28, 1886. But the Post Office used the wrong statue for its stamp!
The stamp’s image was not of the landmark in New York harbor. Instead, the stamp mistakenly featured a replica statue from the New York-New York Casino, which opened a little more recently in 1997 in Las Vegas.
The Statue Mix-Up
The real Statue of Liberty and the casino statue are similar. But there are some small differences between the two, including the eyes.
The Post Office subsequently reevaluated its stamp selection process, but it stuck with the Las Vegas statue. One representative said they like the stamp. The rep claimed they still would have selected this picture even if they knew it was not the real statue. Somehow, I doubt that is true. The Post Office would look worse if it intentionally selected the wrong statue for the tribute.
I was not too upset about the mix-up. It still is a nice looking stamp and nice tribute, although the error is funny. We do wish to assure Chimesfreedom readers, though, that the statue we sometimes use to promote this website is the real deal. Our new motto: “Chimesfreedom: More Authentic than the U.S. Post Office.”
The Grateful Dead’s “Liberty”
Below is something else that is the real deal. The Grateful Dead singing “Liberty,” with words by Robert Hunter and music by Jerry Garcia. “Ooo, freedom / Ooo, liberty / Ooo, leave me alone / To find my own way home.”
Like the U.S. Post Office stamp, the Grateful Dead song also indirectly raises some questions about authenticity. There is nothing wrong with the song, but such questions come up in relation to a quote connected to the song regarding a quote in the band’s original liner notes . . . .
Walt Whitman in the Liner Notes
In David Dodd’s Annotated Grateful Dead, he wrote that in the original release of the song “Liberty,” Robert Hunter included the following alleged quote from Walt Whitman in the liner notes: “We must all be foolish at times. / It is one of the conditions of liberty.”
The Whitman quote pops up in several places around the Internet. But nobody lists the original source.
From what I can find, the quote appears in an April 21, 1888 letter from Whitman, which is included in With Walt Whitman in Camden, Volume 1, by Horace Traubel, Sculley Bradley, and Gertrude Traubel. In that letter, Whitman used the words in a parenthetical discussing another person.
Future Post Office plans include a tribute to this NYC gift shop statue.
Whitman’s actual language differs slightly from the Dead liner notes version, making foolishness “the one” condition instead of “one of” the conditions. Whitman really wrote, “[W]e must all be foolish at times — it is the one condition of liberty.”
Interestingly, it seems the incorrect Grateful Dead version of the quote has spread more than the correct Whitman version, with the incorrect version appearing in various valedictorian speeches posted online. Even the best of us make mistakes.
I am sure that somewhere Old Walt is smiling at the foolish mistake made by the Post Office. Me too. Have a good day.
Do you think it is a problem that the Post Office used the wrong Lady Liberty? Leave a comment.
(2006), by James L. Swanson.
. This song perfectly captures the horse whisperer character that Robert Redford plays in the movie. The movie is pretty good, and the the soundtrack album is excellent, including songs by Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, and Dwight Yoakam.
. She has one of the best singing voices, and it shows on my favorite song off this CD.
. She has recorded some excellent versions of “Amazing Grace,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and “How I Got Over,” but here is a beautifully restrained version of “Blessed Assurance.”
. Unfortunately, he lost a 
