Today’s Song Lyric Sunday theme, as set out by Jim in his post Movies Need Music, is to play a song which was written for a movie, another great suggestion from Nancy. I’m playing you two from a movie I bought on DVD when it came out, and loved it. The movie is Crazy Heart, which starred Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, and Robert Duvall, among others. It won an Oscar for Jeff as Best Actor, Maggie was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, though she didn’t win, and the theme song – The Weary Kind – won the Oscar for Best Original Song. This is it, sung by Ryan Bingham, one of its co-writers, who also had a small role in the movie:
The lyrics are a great fit for the storyline:
Your heart’s on the looseYou rolled them sevens with nothing to loseAnd this ain’t no place for the weary kind
You called all your shotsShooting eight-ball at the corner truck stopSomehow this don’t feel like home anymore
And this ain’t no place for the weary kindThis ain’t no place to lose your mindThis ain’t no place to fall behindPick up your crazy heart and give it one more try
Your body achesPlaying your guitar, sweating out the hateThe days and the nights all feel the same
Whiskey has been a thorn in your sideIt doesn’t forgetThe highway that calls for your heart inside
And this ain’t no place for the weary kindThis ain’t no place to lose your mindThis ain’t no place to fall behindPick up your crazy heart and give it one more try
Your lover’s warm kissIt’s too damn far from your fingertipsYou are the man that ruined her world
Your heart’s on the looseYou rolled them sevens with nothing to loseThis ain’t no place for the weary kind
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Ryan Bingham / T Bone Burnett
The Weary Kind lyrics © Henry Burnett Music, Lost Bound Publishing, Bmg Bumblebee
The movie was based on a novel of the same name by Thomas Cobb. Its story was inspired by country singer Hank Thompson and follows an alcoholic country singer and songwriter (Jeff) who tries to turn his life around after beginning a relationship with a young journalist (Maggie). Although Ryan Bingham sang the theme tune Jeff, Colin and Robert also sang in the film. Crazy Heart opened in the US on December 16, 2009, and from its $7m budget, it amassed domestic earnings of $39.5m plus $7.9m internationally, for a worldwide total of $47.4m. If you’re interested and haven’t seen it, Wikipedia gives a plot synopsis, but I won’t share it as it is full of spoilers. If you really must see it, you can find it here. As I said, I loved the movie, which is beautifully acted by all concerned, and the music is great too.
Ryan Bingham is a US singer-songwriter who to date has released six studio albums and one live one. The Weary Kind was a bonus track on some issues of his third album, Junky Star, which came out in August 2010 and reached #19 on the US Albums chart, and #2 on their Country Albums listing. He was new to me when I saw the film, but I like his voice and he writes a good tune. Just for the record (ahem), as well as the Oscar The Weary Kind won him and T Bone Burnett gongs from the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, The Golden Globes, The Grammys, the Satellite Awards and the World Soundtrack Awards. Not a bad return!
I promised you a second song. Fallin’ & Flyin’ was written by Stephen Bruton and Gary Nicholson, and this is how it appeared in the movie:
That song comes at an important time in the plot, and it is such a joyous event after what has passed before. And a guy from Dublin does a very good job of sounding just like a real American country star!
That’s all for today, and I hope you enjoyed them. Happy Chocolate Day 😊
