Coonskin’s Scatman
Before production on Heavy Traffic began, Ralph began writing poems — lots and lots of poems. They helped him convey the mood of the pictures he was about to direct. It’s highly personal work that he’s never really shared before, but we’ll be publishing select poems in the book for the first time ever.
For Coonskin, Ralph’s third and possibly finest film, he turned one of those poems into a fast, rhythmic tune as sung by none other than Scatman Crothers. Ralph wrote it, Scatman performs it — and man, is it a match made in filmmaking history.
As an interesting bit of trivia, when Coonskin was shown at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles during Ralph’s 3-day career tribute in 2005, Scatman’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was positioned in the middle of the sidewalk, right outside the theater’s entrance. Coincidence? Maybe. But that event is also where Chris and I formed a friendship that ultimately culminated in the very book you’ll be reading in 2008.
Some may see “Ahm a Niggerman” as controversial, but we see it as nothing but a great song. Enjoy!
2 comments June 28th, 2007
