Song Sung Blue

The whole idea of a tribute act is odd to me. I understand that a singer may not have their own material, so they sing covers. But pretending to be, say, Beyonce or – the biggest cliche of all- Elvis for an hour or so? Strange-ish. But I get that everybody’s got to make a living.

I wonder if sometimes the performer’s own identity becomes subsumed and they enjoy being ‘Adele’ more than themselves. I also wonder about some of the people who go to tribute performances. I get that ABBA is no longer together.  Just accept that and stream their music. This seems like a better option than going to see a make-believe ABBA. And why see a Bruno Mars knock off when you can go to Vegas and see the real deal perform in one of his like, 20 sets weekly at the Bellagio?

The natural setting for a tribute act seems to be a place where the audience just happens on by, like at a county fair. The spectators probably watch for a bit as a novelty, as opposed to superfans who make a point of going to a venue with the express purpose of seeing the tribute act. I imagine some of the latter entering a sort of fugue state where they feel that they are actually in the presence of the real deal. Wanting that would be understandable for the Beatles. But if someone wants to be transported by a Drake impersonator? This person cannot be helped.

On to a movie about a tribute act…

Song Sung Blue is set in late 80’s Milwaukee, and Mike S. is sharing at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. The Vietnam veteran is twenty years sober. I would guess that people reflect on low points or current risks to their sobriety. Not Mike. Instead, he talks about his Lightning persona. Everyone sits quietly in a circle, thinking they should’ve made their exit before the-guy-with-a-guitar stands up to share. Mike has his captive audience, if not a captivated audience. He starts singing “Song Sung Blue” by Neil Diamond.

Someday, Mike will have to face up to what he has done and apologize to the other attendees as part of the AA’s 12 Steps program. Step #9 states that, as part of recovery, you must apologize to the people you have wronged. After all, the attendees were there for therapy, not to be  subjected to a one-man show.

Okay, who is Neil Diamond? N.D. is a singer-songwriter of Adult Contemporary hits from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. FYI, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. Judge for yourself; here are some lyrics from “Cherry Cherry”…

The girl’s outta sight, yeah/Hey, she got the way to move me, Cherry! She got the way to groove me

In 1966, the year the song was written, outta sight means that someone or something is fantastic or impressive. To groove means to intensely enjoy or to dance to music.

The song is from Neil Diamond’s debut album “The Feel of Neil Diamond.” Eeesh. This is the same year that the Beatles released “Revolver.” The 60’s is the beginning of N.D.’s career in uncool music.

Song Sung Blue is the story of Mike Sardina and Claire Stingl, who performed as Lightning and Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute act. Their story was first popularized in the 2008 documentary of the same name.

Mike meets Claire in 1987 at a state fair. They are both set to perform as singer impersonators. He’s set to go on as Don Ho, a Mid-Twentieth Century Hawaiian singer famous for a single song, “Tiny Bubbles.” The song is cringe. Mike wisely refuses to put on the Hawaiian shirt and perform. He’s missing a paycheck, but it’s not a great opportunity. For some reason the small stage is setup about ten feet from a big merry-go-round, so only about thirty people can actually fit onto the grass strip to see the performers. Well, the kids on the carousel have a good view though.

Mike’s grousing backstage to the other performers, saying that he wants to do music that means something to him. He catches the ear of Claire, who is about to go onstage as 1950’s country singer Patsy Cline. She sympathizes with his frustration, but she’s into getting paid. Before she heads onto stage in her cowgirl costume, she tosses a flirty look Mike’s way. That’s enough to get him to come back to the fair the next night to hear her sing. And she’s good.

Claire and Mike strike up a friendship. He tells her straight off that he’s a recovering alcoholic who makes music whenever he can. I think he works as a mechanic, but we only see him working on his own car. He tells Claire that he has a grown daughter, Angelina (King Princess), who lives in Florida with her mom. Several times she shows up for scenes as though she’s just materialized from the Sunshine State.

Claire also dreams of making a living as a singer. She works part-time as a hairdresser. Claire has a son who looks about ten years old whose name is Dana (Hudson Hensley). To mark the passage of time in the movie, we see the kid age from one hairstyle to another and the addition of braces. Not sure how living-week-to-week Claire affords orthodonture, but she does seem resourceful. There is also her teen daughter, Rachel (Ella Anderson) who understandably gets the ick when her mom enthuses to her about how cute Mike is.

Before long there are rehearsals of Neil Diamond music at her place. Mike is crazy about N.D. and says he doesn’t want to be an impersonator, so much as an interpreter. High on the cheesy music, they fall in love.

Who plays these soft rockin’ lovebirds? Mike is played by Hugh Jackman. Song Sung Blue is a chance for Hugh to do what he loves, a musical or musicalesque movie. H.J. was so good as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables that even Russell Crowe’s terrible singing as Javert couldn’t ruin the movie. So, yes, he has no problem singing or showing us his devotion to Claire, and his enthusiasm for their musical partnership.  The Aussie actor effectively downshifts to show the toll that money and family concerns take on him.

Kate Hudson really shines as Claire. She’s a resilient single mom who hasn’t lost her joy in living. Early on she tells Mike that she wants it all: songs, romance, the picket fence and a cat. A cat? Now I was hoping I’d see Claire head to the local cat shelter. But then the cat would have to listen to Lightning and Thunder practicing. And we know they’re loud because their across the street neighbor gives them the stink eye from her front lawn when they roll-up the garage door and get their instruments placed.

Like Claire, Kate has also been a single mom. Yes, she’s from Hollywood royalty, but she knows how to take on extra work to provide for the family, like when she did that Fabletics athleisure wear.

Claire & Mike start to have success lining up gigs at bars and other small venues when fate intervenes. Well, you know that every good story has some heartache, right?

Claire has a debilitating freak accident. Nothing so dramatic as a rollercoaster car gone rogue at a fair, but it’s scary nonetheless. This was very unfortunate for real life Claire, but it’s a boon for actor Kate Hudson. She gets to act the eff out of Claire’s ensuing anger and depression. At one point she’s actually screaming on the front lawn and wrestling Mike. Wow… the neighbors will never stop talking about that.

Mike has his own challenges. I’m telling you to brace yourself because he has periodic heart attacks, or at least cardiac events. One time we see him get struck while trying to start his lawn mower. But it’s okay. The moment passes, Mike starts up the mower and does the lawn like nothing happened. Another time, he’s stricken while visiting someone at the hospital. He manages to ask a family member to use a nearby defibrillator on him because he can’t afford a hospital stay. The guy is nothing if not practical.

If Mike has to take work at a Thai restaurant, hosting karaoke and announcing buffet specials, he will do it with no complaints because he loves Claire. He’s not as invested in N.D. for awhile, or at least not as much as when he leapt off stage at a bar to fight a guy who yelled that Neil Diamond sucks.

There are bright spots to sustain the blended family’s hopes, like when Lightning and Thunder opened for Pearl Jam. Nope, I’m not kidding. You’ll have to see the movie to find out how that happened.

And what of Neil Diamond? Does his music suck? I will have to agree with the motorcyclist who disparaged him; his music does indeed suck.

Does Song Sung Blue suck? No, it’s okay. It’s nice to see Claire and Mike living their dream. Of course, it is schmaltzy, but that fits the movie in a good way.

P.S. Are you wondering if there were any good songwriters from the 70’s named Neil? Yes! A Canadian singer-songwriter named Neil Young. I couldn’t resist comparing some lyrics from Neil D. and Neil Y.

Here we go…

Neil Y “Cinnamon Girl”    Ten silver saxes/A bass with a bow/The drummer relaxes/And waits between shows/for his Cinnamon Girl

The Cinnamon Girl represents an idealized woman. While the musician moves from place to place on tour, the cinnamon girl occupies a warm and intoxicating dream of intimacy and rest.

Neil D “I Am I Said”   LA’s a place where rents are low…I am I said to no one there/And no one heard/Not even the chair

First, he tells a blatant lie, claiming that rents are low in LA. Really? When? In 1890? As for his declaration that the chair didn’t hear him, chairs do not have good hearing. He should have crouched beside the chair to speak to it.

Neil Y “Ohio”   Tin soldiers and Nixon coming/We’re finally on our own/This summer I hear drumming/Four dead in Ohio

“Ohio” is a condemnation of Nixon’s campaign against protestors of the Vietnam War. On May 4, 1970, Kent State students were protesting against the expansion of the war into Cambodia. National Guardsmen were deployed to the campus and opened fire on the crowd of unarmed students, killing four.

Neil D “Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon”  I’ll die for you girl/And all they say is ‘He’s not your kind…Girl, you’ll be a woman soon/Please come take my hand/Girl, you’ll be a woman soon/Soon you’ll need a man

Ick, this sounds like a creeper anthem. The man is complaining that ‘they’ (presumably the girl’s parents) are saying he’s not her kind. They are right, you are not her kind because she is a minor. And the line about needing a man? Total patriarchal bulls**t.

Neil Y “Heart of Gold”  I wanna live/I wanna give/I’ve been a miner for a heart of gold/It’s these expressions I never give/that keep me searching for a heart of gold.

“Heart of Gold” confides a sincere desire to find his person. Over the years, he’s searched and yearned, but fears he will run out of time. His need is unquenched, leaving his life poorer.

Neil D  “Soolaimon” Bring home my name on the wings of a flea…God leading him on to the woman/She drank for the sun

The title is gibberish. N.D. reported that he was inspired by the word salaam. The lyrics are gibberish too. Bringing your name, or anything, on a flea’s wings? What is wrong with you?

And so concludes my analysis of Neil Young vs Neil Diamond songs. Disclaimer: Neil Diamond may be a fine person, I just don’t like his music.

Movie Loon’s Movie Review Shortcut:

Grade:  C+

Cut to the Chase: Light & uplifting, with two good leads. The music is no fun unless you get off on shouting Bom Bom Bom during “Sweet Caroline.”

Humor Highlight:  The mix-up booking a gig for what their manager thought was for motor home enthusiasts; it’s for motorcyclists.