Tied to a tree and ruminating, Bill Callahan sings his cover of Mickey Newbury’s “Heaven Help The Child,” preparing to gently soothe the audience to sleep as he does so. Callahan’s voice is loud yet deep, treacly yet agile—no doubt filled with talent. The video, on the other hand, plays to the same minimalism, echoing a Joyce Carol Oates story. Though the image may not change until the crescendo, it really doesn’t matter; Callahan remains engaging in his folky retelling of Newbury’s classic. Watch “Heaven Help The Child” below, and check out the original and Callahan’s cover on a new split seven-inch, out now via Drag City.
