EP 4:The story behind the song | Long Tall Man
In SONGBIRD's latest "behind the song" episode, we tackle the story behind Long Tall Man (track four from Heaven Get behind Me). Inspired by Ry Cooder's score for Paris, Texas (by way of a Blind Willie Johnson cover) and a documentary about Townes Van Zandt - this song is pure minimalism.
We talk through the obstacles in the songwriting process, listen to the demo version, examine the technical choices, then we hear the final mastered version of the track
LYRICS:
Long Tall Man
20% wine all of the time
Three months in a hospital
Burning his mind
Until he can’t remember
What he forgot
Don’t know if I’m good or bad
Just nothing but what you tell me
She had a gift for taking things away
So please tell me some precious things
Like when I was a boy,
And I was the new kid
I drink my fill in the morning
Bring me a little mercy
Long tall man
Can’t go home that a-way
burning nothing but bad gasoline
Suzanne, I don’t know you so well
But if he loves you, I love you too
You can’t go home today, girl
You ain’t going home
You can’t go home today, girl
You ain’t going home
RY COODER/Paris, Texas OST
PARIS, TEXAS/Directed by Wim Wenders
Townes Van Zandt
BE HERE TO LOVE ME/Directed by Margaret Brown
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423853/reference
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON/Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground
SON HOUSE/ Levee Camp Moan
THE INNOCENCE MISSION/Rain (Setting out in the leaf Boat)
Brenda Cullerton (author)
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