Near the end of the movie when Gary was placed in the van to go to the execution, there was a song playing on the car radio, does anyone know the name of the song and/or the artist?
I was wondering the same thing. I have looked all over for the name of this song. PLEASE, if anyone knows...tell us. Thanks.
share"Defying Gravity" by Waylon Jennings on the CD "Hang'n (or Hanging) Tough"
shareIf it's the song I'm thinking of, it's "(Una) Paloma Blanca" by George Baker Selection. That's what's playing when they put Gary in the van and start it up. They go to turn off the radio (this upbeat song is hardly appropriate for one going to one's execution), but Gary tells them to "leave it on".
Late reply, but I hope this helps.
"(Una) Paloma Blanca" by George Baker Selection
Has anyone found this track anywhere. Please let me know
ummm... no actually the version in the movie is by Slim Whitman.
shareYes, it's Whitman's version. It's really hard to find a free version of it on the Web, but here's a brief sample of another Whitman performance of the song where he gets a bit more "yodely" than he did in the movie version (if you know Whitman, then you know what I mean).
The first link is for the Windows Media Player version of the sound clip:
http://mfile3.akamai.com/14123/wm2/muze.download.akamai.com/2890/us/uswm2/_!/748/138748_1_20.asx?auth=daEc7bUcJdkbCaCaoaCbbdSdldybbcUbTdi-bgDKDN-Ci-jegdh&aifp=1234&obj=v20624
The second link is for the RealPlayer version of the sound clip:
http://mfile3.akamai.com/14122/rm/muze.download.akamai.com/2890/us/usrm/_!/748/138748_1_20.ram?auth=daEd5bdalcna5cscfaMbTbZdgbodTcYdzbK-bgDJ5D-Ci-hedbc&aifp=1234&obj=v20625
If these links wrap and cause problems in your browser, here's the page where those two links are found:
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1109174/a/24+Greatest+Hits+Of+All+Time.htm
On that page, go down to song number 20 and click on one of the two musical note icons at the left. The lefthand one is for Windows Media Player file format, and the right one is for RealPlayer file format.
Again, please note that this short sample clip is *not* taken from the song on the movie soundtrack. This sample clip is a slightly different Whitman version where he is a bit more “yodely” than he was in the movie.
FYI, here’s the original version of the song, by its composer (George Baker), at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R36CixkIaIc
If you're interested, you can buy either version at various places on the Web, such as Amazon.
BTW, IMHO I think Whitman's version sounds better and more appropriate for the movie (more plaintive). Interestingly, his voice sounds somewhat like Tommy Lee Jones, who played Gary Gilmore in the film.
The Baker version and the Whitman version are available on Grooveshark.com
"Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death."
try Waylon Jennings song Defying Gravity. Think that's the one you're looking for. GL2U
shareThere seems to be some confusion concerning the song that is being played on the van radio as Gilmore takes his last car ride to his place-of-execution.
In the uncensored movie release, the song is "Defying Gravity" by Waylon Jennings. In the censored television version, the song is “Una Paloma Blanca.” I don’t know who sings it but my downloaded version (which can’t be trusted) claims Demis Roussos and Nancy Boyd.
Perhaps the tune is written by George Baker yet covered by Roussos.
That's why I love IMDb - even when I think I know what I'm talking about, there's always someone who has more complete information!
Thanks, psywarops - I had no idea that there were different songs playing depending on the version.
Erin
Wonder if there's a connection between Una Paloma Blance and the fact that Gary ofen calls Nicole his "little white bird" in the book?
shareAccording to Mailer's book the song "Una Paloma Blanca" (a big hit at the time) actually came on the car radio as they were driving Gary to the Death Barrack, just like that. The guards asked Gilmore if he wanted it turned off, probably because teh song has a cheerful and romantic ring and might seem to be in a bad fit with the moment, but Gary said no, it's ok. I'm sure Mailer is not making this up.
Of course Gary may have connected the song with Nicole, or with his own ideas of reincarnation.
I've got the extended TV version and it's Una Paloma Blanca.
shareIn real life Slim Whitman's version of Una Paloma Blanca was playing. The irony of a song about freedom playing at a moment when a man was about to be executed was not lost on those present. That is why the van driver started to turn off the song. Gilmore asked that it be left on. In his mind he was about to get his freedom. Mailer captured the moment in the book. The original TV miniseries contained the song. It was historically accurate and made the ending fo the movie more powerful. Waylon Jennings was hired to score the European theatrical version. They removed the song and replaced it with his Defying Gravity. The irony of the moment was lost in this version. Now the scene makes no sense. Why would the van driver ask Gilmore to turn off the song. Maybe because it sucked! I don't know. The upcoming director's cut DVD contains (unfortunately) the Waylon Jennings song rather than the song that played in real life. Oh well.
share
I don't recall who sang it in the version used in the movie. However it is a song composed and sang by George Baker (artist name for the Dutchman Hans Bouwens) He is probabely the singer of the movie version as well.
Willem Groenewegen
The lyrics state they can chain me but not take my freedom away. He was in control of his destiny when he insisted on his own execution while the State was trying to deny him of it. Freedom is a state of mind.
shareThe song I had in mind is by Waylon and has the words, "We don't even know where we're going...." I listed to Defying Gravity and Una Paloma Blanca and thats not the one I had in mind. Anyone else recognize the song/words that I just listed above?
share[deleted]
In the book the actual song was Uno Paloma Blanco by Slim Whitman and always wondered why they didn't use it in the moving it would have been sized up the momment better.
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Just so folks know, Waylon Jennings only SINGS "Defying Gravity, AKA The Executioner's Song" in the uncut version. That song was written and made famous by Folk Musician, Jesse Winchester. You can download it for free using your Library card at Freeegalmusic.com Emmylou Harris also recorded the song and most people identify the song with her. Jesse Winchester is the singer/songwriter who wrote it and it was intended to be the meditation of a man about to be hung. They got the title for the film from the song's alternate title. Search on the full lyrics and you'll see what I mean.