March 16, 2007
If You Had One Song
In the process of cruising cable channels this week, I happened upon the movie, “Walk The Line”, the biography of the late Johnny Cash. (yes, I’m late seeing it—not a country music fan, so I didn’t think I’d care for it, but it was really pretty good!).
In between all the drama and homespun dialogue, one short bit jumped out at me from the film. I’m going to post a little of the dialogue here, which won’t have the same impact, but may offer a little food for thought, whether you’re a singer, artist, parent, or nine-to-fiver. And if this doesn’t hit home for you writers out there, I’m even stranger than I thought.
In the middle of trying to impress a recording agent with an a pretty monotonous hymn, the young Johnny Cash is stopped and politely turned down…
“I don’t record material that doesn’t sell, Mr. Cash—and gospel like that doesn’t sell.”
“Well…is it the gospel, or the way I sing it?”
“Both.”
(Johnny, becoming angry…) “What’s wrong with the way I sing it?”
(Agent pauses, gives frank stare…) “I don’t believe you.”
“You’re saying I don’t believe in God?”
“You know exactly what I’m tellin’ you. We’ve already heard that song a hundred times…just-like-that, just-like-how-you-sang-it.”
“Well, you didn’t let us bring it home!”
“Bring—bring it home?! Alright. Let’s bring it home. If you was hit by a truck, and you were lyin’ out in that gutter dyin’, and you had time to sing One Song. One Song people would remember before you’re dirt. One Song that would let God know what you felt about your time here on Earth. One Song that would sum you up—you’re tellin’ me that’s the song you’d sing? About your peace within, and how it’s real, and how you’re gonna shout it? Or…would you sing somethin’ different. Something real. Something you felt. ‘Coz I’m tellin’ you right now—that’s the kinda song people wanna hear. That’s the kinda song that truly saves people. It ain’t got nothin’ to do with believin’ in God, Mr. Cash. It has to do with believin’ in yourself.”
Preach it, sister! I haven’t seen the movie yet, either — keep forgetting to record it — but that. . . That’s a powerful statement, Raine. Thanks for sharing.
So if you had one thing to write that people would remember you by, what would it be?
Sela–a pretty decent movie.
And of course, I kept imagining myself sitting in front of an agent who’s going, “I don’t believe you.”
Yes, I loved that statement.
So if you had one thing to write that people would remember you by, what would it be?
Honestly, Ames? I don’t know.
It would be amusing and sad and brassy and wistful and loving and terrible–and different.
And I don’t think I’ve written it yet.
There are bits of it in everything I write, I think.
And I think that’s the important thing–that it’s YOUR song, and not just something you think might sell, or copying somebody else, or just doing what’s expected of you.
It should have a sense of your experiences, feelings, of who you are and what you’d like to express.
I think you can tell the songs, books, poems, etc. that were written that way. They don’t JUST entertain…they TOUCH you on some level.
(The song Cash chose was one he’d written himself about Folsom prison. He’d never BEEN in prison at that time–but he knew what it was like to feel imprisoned, like he was being punished for something…)
I get exactly what you are saying!
I’ve never seen the movie–but that is an outstanding scene for what you’re getting at! But dammit…now I have to think and figure that out (could be career changing……..or rather genre changing, hmm……)
Yes!
YOUR voice. No one else’s.
Dennie, it could be…
Or it could just be doing what you’re doing–just making it your OWN.
Yes! YOUR voice. No one else’s.
Bernita—EXACTLY.