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Please send your replies to VegaNet@AOL.COM
Date: Tue, 2 Jan 1996 10:55:08 -0800 (PST)
Hi Everyone!
Just wanted to wish you all a happy new year--I'm going to see Dead Man
Walking tonight--anyone seen it yet?
I can't wait I love Tim Robbins and Susan Surandon and Sean Penn (as an
actor) and I have heard good things about the movie.
I'll give my review and let you all know what the song is like.
Wendy!
Date: Tue, 02 Jan 1996 21:15:13 +0100
Hi Wendy and others,
Yes, yes, let us Europeans know what the movie Dead Man Walking
is about. Last week I read a short article in the paper about
the movie but we can expect is not before Fall 1996.
So I would love it to hear some opions about it.
something else:
LANGUAGE is out now!! Later this week you can expect
the contents of the December 1995 issue.
If you like to buy a copy you can contact me.
Internet is great, especially "our" website, but
a Vega-magazine should be more valuable.
Ciao
Karien
smeding@sara.nl
Date: Tue, 2 Jan 1996 23:58:41 -0500
Hi Everyone -
I understand that Suzanne's song, "Woman On The Tier" isn't going to be in
the movie, nor will it be released as a single, as previously reported on the
website. Don't know why exactly, just one of those things, I guess.
The song *will* appear on the soundtrack album, a description of which
follows - from Entertainment Weekly.... I believe the album is due to be
released on Columbia Records on January 19th. I haven't gotten a soundclip
up as "my soundclip person" only has the song on DAT and doesn't have the
right hardware (yet) to create a sound file for the website from DAT.
Anyhow, here's the info from EW:
ON THE RIGHT SOUNDTRACK
When is a movie soundtrack not a soundtrack? When it's a "companion piece."
That's how Shawshank Redemption star Tim Robbins describes the album that
will follow the year-end release of his latest directing effort, Dead Man
Walking, a taut drama about a death-row inmate and a nun starring Sean Penn
and Susan Sarandon.
But what a companion piece it is. Due in early January from Columbia Records,
the title track is being penned and performed by Robbins' pal Bruce
Springsteen. In addition, the album will feature Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder
(performing two duets with Pakistani recording artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan),
as well as Johnny Cash, Steve Earle, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Suzanne Vega,
Patti Smith, Michelle Shocked, and Tom Waits, all of whom contributed
original material.
What makes the record so unusual, says Robbins, is that only a few of the
songs on it will end up in the final cut of the movie. Those that won't, he
says, were "inspired" by the script and can be heard only on the companion
album. "I sent a rough cut of the film last summer to several songwriters I
admire and asked if they felt inspired to write something," says Robbins.
"Almost everyone I talked to did."
And what about the legal headaches of bringing together various artists from
various labels? Oddly, it's been almost a snap. "In this particular project
it's gone really well," says Maureen Crowe, vice president of soundtracks at
Columbia Records. "Tim's direct involvement was very important -- it became
an intimate relationship between everyone, and the various labels,
publishers, and attorneys made it happen." Attesting to the album's
uniqueness, Crowe adds that many of the performers have asked if the songs
could be used on their own future albums. "We have no problem with that," she
says. "I've never worked on anything in which the artists felt so attached."
--Richard Natale
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
I believe there could be a slight error in Eric's note. According to
NEW AND UPCOMING CD RELEASES (a mailing list available by subscribing to
new-releases-request@arastar.com) the Dead Man Walking soundtrack is due
January 9 rather than the 19th (releases in the United States are genereally
on Tuesdays.)
Bruce
Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 10:46:51 -0500
In a message dated 96-01-03 07:06:22 EST, you write:
Oops! My mistake - Thanks for the correction!
Eric
Date: Fri, 5 Jan 1996 10:44:19 -0800 (PST)
Karien,
Sorry I didn't get that article written--I was right in the middle of
finals when the deadline came around and it was too hectic--perhaps I can
get a shot at next issue.
Dead Man Walking was really good--I think there were some really good
arguements against the death penalty here in this country and it showed
not only the political side of the death penalty but also the personal
side of the death penalty.
I think Penn's final speech was a bit didactic and unecessary when he
says killing is wrong whether he does it or the government does it--but
it had some great moments and important issues that one should think
about--ie: Death Penalty as a political tool, the American class system
with respect to the death penalty, as well as religious arguements for
and against the death penalty. It's a very diverse and deep issue that
one cannot simpley assign a slogan like: An eye for an eye--etc. to. One
must think about all aspects of the death penalty--who's dying by gas,
electricity, or lethal injection, and why.
The movie also dealt with the victims families in great detail which I
thought was very good of the film not to get caught up in its bias
against the death penalty. It created in the audiance the conflict that
the death penalty arises--for those families, you want to be for it--but
then you aren't sure.
I used to be for the death penalty because my aunt was murdered execution
style because some 16 year old girl asked her boyfriend to do it because
she wanted to see my aunt die. But, I'm not so sure about that anymore
as I look at the issues that surround it and know more about it now. I
was 10 when I made up my mind about the death penalty. Really, it's an
ideal solution--for the victims and their families--but it certainly
isn't dealt with in a fair way--the more money you have---blah blah
blah. I think this is a great film regarding this issue.
Wendy!
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 1996 19:11:31 -0500
Re: Darcy's note....
There's a review of it in today's Rolling Stone - The bit on SV was something
about incomprehensible lyrics, industrial sounding, detached vocals...
something like that - Anyone have the text?
Eric
Date: Wed, 10 Jan 1996 23:24:10 -0500
This soundtrack album was actually the lead review in RS. SV's section goes
like this:
"The dark and minimal 'Walkin' Blind,' by Patti Smith, features pained moans
that sound as though they're coming from a damp dungeon or even a shallow
grave, while Suzanne Vega's industrial and grinding 'Woman on the Tier (I'll
See You Through)' bristles with cold intensity. Vega deadpans her words with
an intentional lack of compassion, and like Smith's, Vega's lyrics are
indecipherable, yet their tone is haunting."
That's all, folks.
Jeremy
From: pmurf@ix.netcom.com (Paul Murphy)
Hi all,
Picked up the "Dead Man Walking" soundtrack today and thought
I'd share some observations with you.
There are twelve cuts on the CD, as follows:
Suzanne's contribution starts very dissonantly with a swash of elec-
tronically-altered drums and the words spoken/sung by Suzanne:
"Too hot in here...." It's difficult to make out the words through
the drums and, so, can be disconcerting. However, the effect is to
portray a very hot, electrically-charged atmosphere (death-row) and I
think it's effective in that regard. The production carrys forward
and beyond the "industrial/folk" experiment of "99.5 F." Not an
easy song to embrace, but neither is the subject. Accompaniment
on this cut as follows:
Jerry Marotta - Drums & Percussion
Not having had time to *really* digest the album totally (just put
it in the player tonight), some quick thoughts on other songs:
Johnny Cash performs one of the best songs I've heard by him in
some time.
Eddie Vedder acquits himself well in a somewhat alien context in
duets with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The two cuts are recorded in
an Eastern motif and come across quite well. The first, "The Face
of Love," is co-written by Tim and David Robbins. The second is
already among my favorites, but then there's few really weak ones.
Among the players on these and several other cuts is Ry Cooder,
a legendary American "roots" guitarist and soundtrack composer.
Tom Waits records a ballad and one of his crazy "uptempo" tunes;
if you like him, you'll like these.
Steve Earle records a chilling ballad, with only his guitar in
support, about life on death row.
Patti Smith has a strong effort with spare instrumentation, notably
the guitar of Tom Verlaine, who some may remember as a founder of
the group "Television."
Songs by Sprinsgsteen, Shocked, Lovett, Chapin Carpenter et al vary
in mood and instrumentation and are all interesting and valid on their
own or within the overall context.
The liner notes by Tim Robbins are interesting. Here's an edited ver-
sion:
The music on this soundtrack is as good in provoking a mood and
atmosphere as any I've heard since a similarly effective one from
"Until The End of the World" a few years back. I'll be interested
in hearing what others on this list think, both of Suzanne's effort
and the album as a whole. For myself, I think I'll be listening to it
a lot in the coming weeks.
Bye for now.....
Paul
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 09:48:13 -0500
>The production carrys forward and beyond the "industrial/folk" experiment
You're right, not easy. This track has made me wonder whether "Slice of
Life" will also be a continuation of the ""industrial/folk" experiment of
"99.9 F"". I liked "99.9 F" and the experimentation was interesting, but I
would love Suzanne to move on. I personally prefer the sound and
arrangements of "Solitude Standing", which make Suzanne shine, and "Days of
Open Hand". I do, however, give her credit for taking a risk in "99.9 F".
Alex Torrubia
From: Judy Neuwirth
Hi folks,
This is an AMAZING album -- run, do not walk, to your local purveyor of CDs
and get it. Out of 12 cuts, all but one (M-C Carpenter) are superb (and
that one is OK, just out of place with the rest of them). The
collaborations between Eddie Vedder and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan have to be
heard to be believed. Caution -- this album is not to be approached
lightly, nor in a foul mood.
As for SV's contribution, Rolling Stone is wrong -- they said the words are
hard to understand. As usual, the diction on "Woman on the Tier (I'll See
You Through)" is flawless. The song is one of SV's rap/schoolyard rhyme
variety, which is pretty much what I was expecting after reading the
lyrics. The track is very rhythmic and industrial, and the only one on the
album which conveys the nervous tension and claustrophobia of the setting.
It's also one of the more instantly memorable songs here. The production
is vintage M. Froom, with that unmistakable percussive atmosphere.
Any other opinions out there?
Judy
To: Undertow@law.emory.edu
Tryin' hard to get me one :-), but first (taking a deep breath and switching
shout mode on):
WHEN WILL THE ALBUM BE RELEASED IN EUROPE/ THE NETHERLANDS? ? ?
(Shout mode off)
Sorry, I don't normally do this kind of thing but am just curious, very
curious...
Huub.
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 1996 08:15:47 -0800 (PST)
On Mon, 15 Jan 1996, Judy Neuwirth wrote:
I agree fully that Suzanne's song on the album stands out and conveys a
very different *mood* then the rest. For me it was an 'easy song to
embrace' (to borrow a phrase), not because it was what I expected her to
do, or even wanted her to do, but because I think it's a great song.
But then, I was happily surprised on 99.9F.
And I'm so happy that Soul Coughing is gonna be on the album!! I think
the combo of their jazzy dance element will be really nice with her
lyrics and voice.
Darcy
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 1996 18:26:53 +0100
Hi Huub,
Last weekend I heard that the album of the movie
will come out in the Netherlands quite soon.
I do not know when exactly. It was just information
of a friend (you know him).
We should have some patience.
Karien
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 1996 15:19:55 -0800 (PST)
I don't have the text, but I have heard the song and it stands out from
the rest of the cd that's for sure. It's very short and goes a bit
further than anything on 99.9. What does everyone else think?
Wendy!
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 14:25:18 +0100
Hi all,
(and especially Karien and Huub and other Dutch listmembers),
I just noticed the "Dead Man Walking" soundtrack CD in a local
(national chain) record shop (that's Dordrecht, The
Netherlands). They were playing the CD in the shop. I don't
know whether this means that it has been released in the
Netherlands, or that they have it as import, but they had
several copies. So it might be available in Germany as well,
BTW.
I didn't have time to listen to it much, and I didn't get to
hear Suzanne's track, but I heard some Tom Waits and Patti
Smith. Very dark and depressing stuff, what I heard...
Best wishes,
Marion
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 17:06:54 -0800 (PST)
I love that sound...that rattling sheet metal sound that prevades through
most of the song. This and the cadence feel in the song seem to convey a
real feeling of confinement. I think she's captured the setting
perfectly. I also think that the lack of sappy sentimentality fits with
what I've read of the character.
I certainly wouldn't want a whole album of the same, but I don't think
Suzanne would put out a one demensional album anyway. I agree that 99.9F
had a good mix of styles. In listening to DOOH today, I was thinking
that it was a nice transition between the first two and 99.9F.
I probably won't see the movie until video release, so I'll have to wait
and see if her song fits Susan S.'s portrayal of Sister Prejean.
I've never heard Michelle Shocked before. Wow! If there are any fans on
here, I'd like to know what you recommend I try of hers (is that *her* name).
Darcy
From: pmurf@ix.netcom.com (Paul Murphy)
On Thu, 8 Feb 1996 01:20:58 -0500, Eric wrote:
>The more I listen to "Woman On The Tier" the more I like it....you guys? The
I agree. At first I admired it from "afar" for its ability to help me
imagine the scene. Now I find I can't keep turning the phrase "Too
hot, no air" around in my head. It's a pity the song was not part of
the movie. Though I have yet to see the film I think the song por-
trays well the hot, charged atmosphere on death row (or any prison
environment for that matter). I can picture Susan Sarandon striding
among the leering prison inmates and wonder if that in fact is how it
appears in the film.
VH1, btw, is doing a show on the "Dead Man Walking" film and sound-
track Sunday, 2/11, at 9:00. Suzanne is featured prominently in their
ads. Could be a "must see" as I think they may be showing videos.
Did Suzanne make one for "Woman On The Tier," I wonder?
One last tidbit: Nickelodeon is playing ads for the old TV series "I
Dream of Jeannie." On a backdrop of scenes from the series are
new words to "Tom's Diner," the DNA version. Anyone else see
this? It's a hoot.....
Paul
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 17:43:31 -0500 (EST)
has the track from dead man walking already been discused on the list?
i have been back on undertow only for a short while, but have heard nothing!
did anyone see the vh1 special on dead man walking? suzanne looked great.
was articulate. as always. . .
DINA
Subj: Interview: Sister Helen Prejean (w/comments on SV)
Hi Everyone -
I recently received this interview of Sister Helen Prejean from the interviewer, Alan Moroney.
Its called, "A LIVE NUN TALKING, ABOUT DEAD MAN WALKING"... It'll be on the website in a day
or two, along with the last **5 months** worth of messages, all nicely organized for your cyberreading
pleasure on the Message Board area. (Sorry for the delay, it's not one of my favorite tasks.)
The interview contains Sister Helen's comments on SV and "Woman On The Tier (I'll See you Through)"
- very cool.
Thanks to Alan for the interview, and for the nice words about the website!
I really enjoy your web-site. I'm a trainee reporter/freelancer and I
recently interviewed Sister Helen Prejean. Among a load of other stuff she
discussed Suzanne's song "Woman on the Tier". Anyway it was a pretty long
interview so I'm sending you the transcripts - the tape was actually
broadcast on KPFT/Radio Pacifica in Houston, Texas on Good Friday as a one
hour special interspersed with Springsteen's, Cash's, Steve Earle's, Eddie
Vedder's and of course Suzanne's songs from the Dead Man Walking album -
please fell free to use any extracts on your news sheet. And please get a
copy to Suzanne.
Best Alan Moroney
"A LIVE NUN TALKING, ABOUT DEAD MAN WALKING"
By Alan Moroney: An interview with Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ
Sister Helen Prejean became a nun in 1957. After Vatican Council II she was
sent out of her convent to work amongst the poor of New Orleans. In 1982 she
was asked to write to Patrick Sonnier, a French speaking Cajun on
Louisiana's death row. Two years later she witnessed his death in the
electric chair. She has also written to and witnessed the execution of Lee
Willie, a white supremacist. The character Sean Penn plays in the film is a
composite of Sonnier and Willie.
Alan Moroney [AM] How come Tim Robbins got involved?
Helen Prejean [HP] He got involved because of his wife Susan Sarandon. She
was in Memphis filming "The Client" and someone gave her a copy of my book.
She had to come to New Or leans to for two days of filming, so she called me
and said "I'm reading your book and I'm always interested in substance of
character so I'd like to meet you." So I met her in a restaurant and then we
began to talk and I really liked her because I knew I had to find really
trustworthy people to do a film of my book. You know I wasn't real anxious
for Hollywood to do it. "Well", she said, "I really think Tim would be
interested in producing, directing and making this film, let me bring him
the book", which she did. He read it and called me. I travelled up to New
York, met both of them and we talked about how the film could be shaped and
I liked everything he said. He was, you know, not going to pull any
gimmicks, not throw in any Hollywood sensationalism. I knew then that he
would tell the story straight and true, so I said "go to it Tim".
[AM] Wasn't he in another film where Julia Roberts got dragged from the Gas
Chamber?
[HP] He did 'The Player', which had a similar theme, though yes that did
have a Hollywood happy ending.
[AM] Well it's your life and events that have happened in it and now it has
been sceenplayed. What do you think of their interpretation?
[HP] I think what's wonderful about is that we bring people very close to
the reality of what it means to say that you will allow the State to kill
people. It brings people close to the whole process and takes it out of the
realm of abstraction and rhetoric. The other thing is that it brings in all
the dimensions, the death row inmate and his family, the prison officials
involved, the suffering of the murder victim's family - and it's complex,
it's not simplistic. It shows you one murder victim's family who are all for
revenge and because of their loss you can understand that. But then you see
another murder victim's father in the movie kind of making his way out from
under that because he does not want the hate overtake him. The reason I like
it most is because it also has redemption in it, and the call for
unconditional love. This is not just a horror story about an execution and a
terrible crime, but it has and is a story of redemption. And you know, I
love the way he pushed all the moral issues in this film. He took away the
electric chair and said we need to use lethal injection because we don't
want to give people the moral out whereby people could say "oh well, we used
to do electrocution but that's too barbaric so now we are humane and inject
them". And people in the United States are flocking to the movie theatres to
see it.
[AM] In the book a lot of events happened around St. Martinville.
[HP] Yes in Arcadia.
[AM] Cajun country. It's like a beautiful French village, not the concreted out
of town shopping mall America many towns seem to be.
[HP] No, definitely not.
[AM] I find the area very like Catholic Europe. It's not bible-belt or
puritan but rather has an exciting 'joie de vivre' with great food, no hang
ups about alcohol or having fun. Also like most Catholic states and
countries it is very strongly family orientated which also tends to allow
full scale corruption. However these other states do not allow or like
executions, so how come Louisiana does?
[HP] It is very much like you say, but it is also a part of the southern
states. I mean it is part of the southern mentality. over 70% 0f all
executions occur in southern states and Catholics fall into that mentality
just like other peopledo. You know when you hear of these terrible crimes,
the instinct for revenge is very strong. Here the government says we haveto
teach peoplea lesson and we have to give the most severe example of
punishment we can so that it will curtail crime.
[AM] What does the prison warden (governor in UK) think about executions?
[HP] The new warden, Burl Cain, is very conflicted about the death penalty.
In fact he let Prime Time Live film the inside of the execution chamber. He
is letting the media get very close. We just had a man executed in Louisiana
- Antonio James - and he let them put a camera on the bar of his cell and
film the last seven days of his life. He even let the TV crew come with the
strap down team while they practised ready to bring to the execution
chamber. He wants to get it out of the realm of the abstract.
[AM] He is the one that has to do it.
[HP] Exactly. He's the first trigger. They don't start the execution until
he nods his head.
[AM] He is there to run a prison.
[HP] Right and that is precisely what he would like to be left to get on with.
[AM] How come Sean Penn got the part?
[HP] Tim absolutely knew that there was one person who could really make the
film and that was Sean Penn, but he had a challenge because Sean had
announced that he had given up acting and was only going to direct. So he
sent Sean the screenplay and asked him to read it and within two weeks he
responded and said 'when you read a script and your tears have fallen on a
page, then you know it's something you have to do'.
[AM] He has a bad boy image.
[HP] Yeah, yeah he does. (in a motherly voice)
[AM] But he's made some good films.
[HP] He has. In fact his own film 'The Crossing Guard' had one of the same
themes as 'Dead Man Walking' about wanting revenge and satisfying it.
[AM] I haven't seen that one yet though I saw his first attempt at
directing, which was a film called 'The Indian Runner', which he based on a
Sprngsteen song called 'Highway Patrolman'. I was impressed. It is all very
different to his public image of Mr Madonna.
[HP] I know, he lives under that shadow all the time. You know Alan, I never
mentioned Madonna once during filming, though he did say to me laughing
'Helen, my momma said to tell you that she's glad I'm in a movie with a
nun'. (laughing)
[AM] Well what do you think of the soundtrack? This is something different.
[HP] Well listen, the way that came about was that Tim Robbins asked Bruce
Springsteen to do a song for the film 'cos Bruce is a friend of his and he
seemed like the natural choice. Ten he thought 'I know a lot of other
musicians so I'll send them a copy of the film and if they are moved ask the
to do a song - from different characters and different perspectives'. He
invited Tom Waits, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Michelle Shocked, Lyle Lovett etc.
Tim said one of the biggest thrills of his life was when he got a call from
a hero of his - Johnny Cash - saying he wanted to be a part of it and he
did a great song 'It all goes down in your mind'. Anyway that is how the
album came about - it's no longer a soundtrack but rather a companion album.
[AM] I specifically wanted to ask you about the Suzanne Vega song because
that is THE song on the album that is specifically about you.
[HP] You know, the first time I heard it I did not like it. It seemed so=
harsh.
[AM] It's the industrial sound.
[HP] That's it, clangs and all that. But as I listened to it some more I
went, 'my God, she's got it, she's got that experience'.
[AM] I've been to a death row, and prisons are not quiet.
[HP] There are no soft sounds in prison, nothing is soft. People,
politicians and talk show hosts call them these plush places. They are not.
No soft experiences either.
[AM] It is the song with the fewest words, yet it seems to be pretty evocative.
[HP] 'I'll see you thru' God she really got this. 'You're new to me, I'm new
to you. I'll see you thru' and 'they've come to get your man'. It was so
strange to me, the first time I went. It was terrifying to go into that
place of death, you know, mechanised, premeditated death.
[AM] How did you react first time?
[HP] Terrified. i was very, very afraid. My fingertips were cold. There was
an icy band around my stomach and my breathing and heartbeat. they had
locked me into this chamber when they brought out Patrick Sonnier who was
the first person I ever visited and I was walking up and down going 'oh my
god I'm in a place of death'. It was very stressful.
[AM] Was it different witnessing an injection to an electrocution?
[HP] I never witnessed an injection, unless you count seeing Sean Penn get
killed all week long during filming. You now know the terror and the torture
of the death penalty, this conscious human being preparing, anticipating and
dying a thousand times before they really die. Does it matter that it is
going to be poison that killed you instead of electricity?
[AM] On the album you've got an ex-offender who takes a different angle.
[HP] Wasn't that a great song by Steve Earle! Written from the prison
guard's point of view. 'Went to the army to be all I could be, came back
without a clue, worked on at the prison as I knew I always would, like my
daddy and both my uncles did, things were going good until they transferred
me to Ellis Unit One'. (Ellis Unit One in Huntsville is the death row for
Texas). And then he mentions dragging prisoners 'who couldn't stand' to the
death house, 'their momma's crying when that big door stands' and he brings
in the pain and the sorrow of the 'victim's family holding hands'. What a song.
[AM] I have been in Huntsville, Texas when there has been an execution.
Earle mentions the college kids coming to cheer (there is a university next
door to the death house) and 'they'd bring there beer an' all' which I
actually experienced.
(HP) Have you. Yeah it's really sad, though I think they are more honest in
Texas. They are not embarrassed about what they are doing or why. They are
honest and explicit about the fact that it is purely for revenge. Other
states tend to mask it as if they are not really killing a human being but
rather putting him to sleep, which is dangerous because it hides the truth.
it is this euphemism of justice being done.
(AM] Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Bruce Springsteen. Couldn't people accuse
you of assembling a bunch bleeding heart liberals?
[HP] I don't know that I picked them at all, they just seemed to make their
own way towards the film. But the film is not bleeding heart. When they show
the execution they simultaneously show the murders, which opens up all the
rage all over again. It is a film full of heart though, and it leads you to
places in your heart that i don't know that people realise that they have.
[AM] Now your book has just been reissued over here. What was the difference
between when the book first came out in America and after the film was released?
[HP] I could not believe it. A tidal wave of difference. The book has been
on the New York Times' best_seller list for weeks. Before the cover had a
quote from a critic saying 'it's the most powerful statement against the
death penalty since Albert Camus' "Reflections on the Guillotine" and so
people would see it and think 'ugh, one of those books about capital
punishment, I'm not buying that'. The film has "mainstreamed it" so people
pick up the book because they're interested in the story that's being told.
[AM] Tell us about the St. Thomas Projects.
[HP] The story opens here because that's where I got involved with poor and
struggling people which is what lead me to death row. It does not take long
for an intelligent person to see that there is a greased track between being
poor in Louisiana (and especially being black) and going to prison or death row.
[AM] It is pretty dangerous there, right?
[HP] It is like a war zone in St. Thomas. It is typical of an all black
project where people are condemned to live because they cannot afford rent
elsewhere. Where people try to raise their children in a decent way. Where
drugs are very open and always have been and the police tolerate it because
as one of them explained to one of the sisters, every city has its problems
with drugs and least we know where they are. In other words, the lives of
young black kids on drugs are not a problem to them, because these people
are considered disposable. But let the drugs spill over into one of the
"nice neighbourhoods" and boy they'll be on them like gravy on rice, to use
a Louisiana expression. And so it is tolerated, as are killings, poor public
(state) schools are accepted because it is where the poor go. The St. Thomas
Housing Project is a place where people have to surmount insurmountable odds
to try to lead decent human lives. If you have a leak in a pipe in the
projects you wait six months to have it fixed, and in every way you are
treated with shabbiness and lack of dignity. People cannot get health care.
if you need open heart surgery you die, because the health care system does
not provide for poor people.
[AM] You said that drug dealers are the only true equal opportunities
employers in America.
[HP] Yes dead right. A study done a few years ago shows that people with
minimum wage jobs who works full time are still at the poverty level, so
drugs are a sub economy. If people are just out of prison or unemployed and
go looking for a decent job, guess where they can get decent pay - the
neighbourhood drug dealers.
[AM] What about people buying themselves out of prison? In your book you
said that used to happen.
[HP] It still goes on. I don't quite know how it will work under our new
Governor, but it happens. Basically buying your way out of prison happens
because it's about influence and money. Money and influence decide who is
considered for a parole hearing, what their decision is likely to be and
what the Governor's decision is likely to be. It is that, not your behaviour
in prison, that decides your release. It also has to do with the victim's
colour. If you are a person of colour and you have killed a white person you
not going to get out of prison or off death row for any amount of money.
Money also influences who gets to go to prison or death row. If you can
afford a good lawyer you will not go to prison for so long. Also if you are
white and kill a black person you will not go to death row, but if you are
black and kill a white the jury are very likely to sentence you to death.
[AM] met a lady, Martha Anderson Glass, maybe you know her?
[HP] Yes, I know Martha.
[AM] Now she told me that $25,000 could have got someone she knew who was
executed off death row. Is this true?
[HP] Yes, I think that sounds right. You have to have some of the other
combinations too. Again, you cannot be a black person who has killed a white
person - the public would not tolerate that. But yes, this is the way things
happen down here.
[AM] How is it, knowing that even after things quieten down, thanks to the
book, the album, the film (and future video release) and especially now that
Susan Sarandon won an Oscar for portraying you, in a certain way you are
going to be a celebrity for ever more?
[HP] Well (laughing) all that celebrity means to me is hard work. No, this
celebrity business means more people come to hear me. I went to give a talk
in Memphis, Tennessee last week and normally maybe we would have had a
hundred people coming to listen. Well, we had a thousand people, just
because of the film and because they are now familiar with the story, which
means that my ability to reach people has been greatly enhanced. it means
that people seek me out for interviews so I can get to tell the story, which
is what I have been trying to do for the last twelve years. I think of it
like an amplifier for a song, only now the song is louder and more people
can hear it. Otherwise it just means more work.
[AM] What about Pat Buchanan? I don't like what he says, but he articulates
his views very intelligently.
[HP] He is a sham, but yes he is very clever. He is saying a lot of the same
things that David Duke (a white supremacist who nearly got elected to
represent Louisiana) was saying. It's all this meanness, mean spiritedness
towards the poor, the immigrants, people of colour. The fact is that e are
never going to be as prosperous economically as we were. We have some major
problems and some major transformations going on with the loss of
manufacturing jobs and with the general lack of opportunity. for the first
time ever people are in the economic crunch where their children will
probably do less well than their parents, and so under that stress they are
easily subject to manipulation. Those on welfare, well the whole welfare and
aid to children programme is 1% of the federal US budget, whereas
corporations get 12%. The argument goes that we have to cut down to the
bone, that the poor are really the problem eating up those tax dollars. It's
the same mentality that feeds the death penalty.
[AM] What about US politicians? I have heard that some of them run around
boasting about how many death warrants they have signed, yet they are
actually rumoured to be opposed to the death penalty.
[HP] Moral weakness and cowardice. They are afraid to lose votes.
[AM] What about the Governor of Louisiana, Edwin Edwards? You did not seem
to be sure where he stood.
[HP] Not at all, I know where he stands. I know he is absolutely opposed to
the death penalty, but he said it is the law and the will of the people and
e must uphold it. He wanted to be Governor of Louisiana more than he wanted
anything else. He pushed aside his moral convictions and one of the side
effects was that he had ordered the Board of Pardons & Paroles not to let
this issue get near him. Their marching orders were to simply uphold the
death penalty and not give him any cases to consider. In my book I tell the
story of Howard Marsellus, who was chair of the Board. Later Howard was
weeping, saying 'I did that. I was a coward. I probably even let an innocent
man be executed.'
[AM] How does it feel as Catholic nun? This must be a strange area for you.
[HP] Nuns have begun to get involved in social justice for the past twenty
years and so there is nothing incongruous about being involved in social
justice and human rights and being a nun. We left that behind that image of
only doing certain things like teaching children and nursing the sick a long
time ago. In fact nuns from all over the country have been writing to me
saying at last a film that does not portray us as flying nuns, flaky nuns or
nuns on roller skates, but really shows our lives for what they are.
[AM] What is to come of having this film, book and album?
[HP] I hope an awakening of consciousness, which is how things change. First
you have to change people's perception of things and finally when there is
enough consciousness then people will realise that they are being duped into
supporting the death penalty.
[AM] Finally, I heard some rumour about Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam's lead singer?
[HP] It's true! Eddie is a friend of Tim Robbins, so he asked Eddie if he
would do a song for the film. Eddie said 'man, I'm for the death penalty,
that's why I stopped belonging to Amnesty International'. Anyway, Tim
persuaded Eddie to see the film and he was completely changed by it. He
jumped in and featured on two songs with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and later did
his own song 'Dead Man Walking'. Unfortunately it was not ready in time for
the album, but at his concerts he tells the story and sings his song.
[AM] Thanks very much Helen, we seem to have overrun our time.
[HP] Yes, everything is so hectic, but we sure covered some ground.
Alan Moroney
VegaNet@aol.com
From: Wendy Chapman
To: Undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Happy New Year
From: smeding@sara.nl (Karien Smeding)
Subject: movie
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
From: EricS10332@aol.com
Message-Id: <960102235838_82910876@mail02.mail.aol.com
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Dead Man Walking
From: finkel@ssnet.com (Bruce L. Finkelstein)
Subject: Re: Dead Man Walking
>Hi Everyone -
>
>I understand that Suzanne's song, "Woman On The Tier" isn't going to be in
>the movie, nor will it be released as a single, as previously reported on the
>website. Don't know why exactly, just one of those things, I guess.
>
>The song *will* appear on the soundtrack album, a description of which
>follows - from Entertainment Weekly.... I believe the album is due to be
>released on Columbia Records on January 19th.
Bruce L. Finkelstein
finkel@marlin.ssnet.com
Newark, DE USA
From: EricS10332@aol.com
To: finkel@ssnet.com, undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Re: Dead Man Walking
>I believe there could be a slight error in Eric's note. According to
>NEW AND UPCOMING CD RELEASES (a mailing list available by subscribing to
>new-releases-request@arastar.com) the Dead Man Walking soundtrack is due
>January 9 rather than the 19th (releases in the United States are genereally
>on Tuesdays.)
From: Wendy Chapman
To: pKarien Smeding
Cc: Undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Re: movie
From: EricS10332@aol.com
Message-Id: <960110191129_37810224@emout05.mail.aol.com>
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Dead Man Walking
From: Jeremy513@aol.com
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Dead Man Walking - RS blip
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: "Dead Man Walking" CD mini-review
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 05:04:43 GMT
1. "Dead Man Walking:" Bruce Springsteen
2. "In Your Mind:" Johnny Cash
3. "Woman On The Tier (I'll See You Through):" Suzanne Vega
4. "Promises:" Lyle Lovett
5. "The Face of Love:" Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with Eddie Vedder
6. "The Fall of Troy:" Tom Waits
7. "Quality of Mercy:" Michelle Schocked
8. "Dead Man Walking (A Dream Like This):" Mary Chapin Carpenter
9. "Walk Away:" Tom Waits
10. "Ellis Unit One:" Steve Earle
11. "Walkin Blind:" Patti Smith
12. "The Long Road:" Eddie Vedder with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Pete Thomas - Drum Loop
Tchad Blake - Bass
Mitchell Froom - Keyboards
Production - Mitchell & Suzanne
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I sent the film in its rough form along with a file of newspaper
articles my office had been collecting. I sent them to songwriters
whose music tells stories, artists that do not write songs with hooks
or tricks. All of these songwriters come from a base of honesty and
have inspired me in my own work. Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits,
Patti Smith, Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, and Eddie Vedder have intro-
duced me to concepts and characters in their songs that have found
their way into my acting and have given life to characters I've writ-
ten. Michelle Schocked, Nusrat Fateh Ali khan, Mary Chapin Carpen-
ter and Suzanne Vega, all have inspired me with their compassion and
unique strength. And Johnny Cash....well, are there any words? I'll
try. Johnny Cash has been there. He knows the world of this film.
In his music and in his life, he stands up-front for the dispossessed,
the poor, the prisoner. Like all the great songwriters on this album,
he reminds us that we have hearts, that we can have compassion even
for those that have fallen, that have hit bottom."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
pmurf@ix.netcom.com
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
From: alexito@interport.net (Alex Torrubia)
Subject: Re: "Dead Man Walking" CD mini-review
>of >"99.5 F." Not an easy song to embrace, but neither is the subject.
alexito@interport.net
Date: Mon, 15 Jan 1996 23:38:20 -0500
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Dead Man Walking, esp. Woman on the Tier
From: H.R.Ritzema@ptt-telecom.nl
Subject: Re: Dead Man Walking, esp. Woman on the Tier
>Hi folks,
> (...)
>Any other opinions out there?
>
>Judy
From: Darcy Van Patten
To: Judy Neuwirth
Cc: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Re: Dead Man Walking, esp. Woman on the Tier
> As for SV's contribution, Rolling Stone is wrong -- they said the words are
> hard to understand. As usual, the diction on "Woman on the Tier (I'll See
> You Through)" is flawless. The song is one of SV's rap/schoolyard rhyme
> variety, which is pretty much what I was expecting after reading the
> lyrics. The track is very rhythmic and industrial, and the only one on the
> album which conveys the nervous tension and claustrophobia of the setting.
> It's also one of the more instantly memorable songs here. The production
> is vintage M. Froom, with that unmistakable percussive atmosphere.
From: smeding@sara.nl (Karien Smeding)
Subject: Re: Dead Man Walking, esp. Woman on the Tier
From: Wendy Chapman
To: EricS10332@aol.com
Cc: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Re: Dead Man Walking
From: Marion Kippers
Subject: 'Dead Man Walking' in the Netherlands
From: Darcy Van Patten
Subject: Re: Dead Man Walking
On Tue, 16 Jan 1996, Wendy Chapman wrote:
> I don't have the text, but I have heard the song and it stands out from
> the rest of the cd that's for sure. It's very short and goes a bit
> further than anything on 99.9. What does everyone else think?
>
> Wendy!
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
Subject: Re: "Woman On Tier" (was Suze News / Album Delay)
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 1996 16:01:48 GMT
>clip's on the website..as are the lyrics.
pmurf@ix.netcom.com
From: TiLTeD
To: suzanne vega list
Subject: dead man walking
Date: 96-05-06 01:39:12 EDT
From: EricS10332
To: undertow@law.emory.edu
============================================================
Dear Eric,
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact: Alan MoroneyF5, 14 St. Michael's Place
Brighton BN1 3FT England
Telephone: +44(0) 1273-202298
Or in North America
call or fax: +1-713-4866657
E-Mail: alanmoroney@interquest.compulink.co.uk
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