True Grit (2010) - Iris Dement: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

[jamcrane3]

Did I ever mention that you may suck my dick?

[valsetz]

This angel singing with John Prine is heaven

[Doctordevinrussell]

^ No description available. Couldn't agree more!

[Caseymb2]

The first time I saw this movie I thought "where the hell did I hear this before?" and after some youtubing I remember NIGHT OF THE HUNTER!! another amazing movie...I personally liked that rendition better than this, however this is an awesome ending to the film.

[SimcoeAce]

@L1R3TT3  - good point.

[kumquatsta]

an incredible film

[GBeret83]

As a young kid, I grew up in a Church of Christ in southern Kentucky. Our congregation only sang songs without the use of any musical instruments. It was called "singing your praises to the lord". My grandfather passed when I was 15 in 1977, and he had requested our church members sing this song at his funeral. Still difficult today for me to hear this song without tearing up.

[L1R3TT3]

@SimcoAce the Coens also drew a lot from a movie called Night of the Hunter in which the antagonist of the movie sung this song and it sounded really eerie because he was a killer they used this song as somewhat of a tribute to it but instead made the song more touching than scary

[Bear1953kw]

A film and a voice of true magnificence. Iris's voice simpy 'tinkles the spine' and reaches deep into calloused hearts. A gift from God which she shares, ennabling us to trancend for a brief spell our short mortality. Thank you Iris!

[Broken63Arrow]

Song gives you goosebumps, excellant.

[mccurryburg]

@spmcfar87 i couldn't agree more. if all there was to religion was the music. i might have to reconsider. i'm an atheist too, however i believe Iris DeMent is a goddess

[sinclairservice]

apparently 3 people are deaf

[mcbigham]

I love to hear Iris sing, she has a truly inspiring and powerful voice.

[krisnnaabraham]

beautiful movie , one of the best ending ive never seen .

[dsdon175]

grich is an attention seeking shit who claims to dislike something and talk all superior, yet has made it some kind of mission to visit as many videos of artists he hates just to see his idiocy get noticed. but he is just a bigoted asshole wanting to be noticed

[Barragg]

Well, sPzB41 your a lawyer huh? What are a hundred lawyers chained together at the bottom of the ocean?

A good start.

[sPzB41]

@Barragg I am not a lawyer... I was a soldier. Your comment is meant for @thegrinch7..

No harm, no foul..

[Barragg]

@sPzB41

Sorry bout that, still funny tho aint it? I was a soldier also, field artillery. then a sailor, then a truck driver. Thanks for your service.

[sPzB41]

@Barragg It's all good, Brother.. thank YOU for yours.. I was Infantry. 13 years before I got tore up.. medically retired now.. got a nice farm and a solid family..

God bless you and you'rn.

[sPzB41]

Listen...

and Behold.. 

[neckronn99]

Reminds me of my grandmother and great-aunt, on a long car ride across western Oklahoma when I was a child, singing hymns. I was lucky to have them in my life.

[rafterman2409]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!

[SimcoeAce]

To try & explain what shouldn't need explaining: the Coens chose this song to close their movie - a traditional 19th century hymn, sung by a contemporary indie country artist who was raised a Pentecostalist, but is known for her agnostic views. Her style of singing IS startling: anachronistically old-fashioned & contemporary at the same time.

It is a perfect summation of the moral complexities & ambiguities present in the Coen's version of the traditional Western. 

[timhately09]

@lionsome Good old Jesus, the credit for everything and the blame for nothing.

[SimcoeAce]

You truly are an idiot thegrinch7.

[countofla]

There's no voice like Iris'.

[thegrinchl7]

Every time I put this song on, all the dogs in the neighborhood start howling! Dement's voice is like a fire engine siren! My neighbors finally asked me to stop playing Iris Dement music, lest wise them dawgs ill get themselves all rilde up!

[109gnm]

@thegrinchl7 Your'e a moron with no class.

[thegrinchl7]

@109gnm - Do YOU like her voice? And that THING she does with her face when she sings, have you noticed? Her eyes go white when they roll up into her head. Ewww!

[TheLilylou22]

@thegrinchl7 I find it strange that every time I listen to a song by Iris that you post how much you hate her voice,why do you listen if you don't like it?

[thegrinchl7]

@TheLilylou22 - After Iris Dement single handedly

ruined one of the finest movies ever made (True Grit)

I went about looking up her videos. It was like watching

a car accident. Few performers have ever caused such

a visceral reaction. In my entire musical career I've

known anybody who got paid to "sing" through their

noses (except maybe Alfalfa from the Our Gang series).

My logic is this: if she can ruin a movie with her shrill

Hillbilly honk, I can ruin her videos!

[TheLilylou22]

@thegrinchl7 Wow you must have a lot of free time :)

[thegrinchl7]

@TheLilylou22 - Not really. Iris Dement is a minor talent...thus, she has FEW videos! :)

[bloodstains1971]

@thegrinchl7 I am sure your so called musical career has been a grammy after grammy.The odd thing is that you are critisizing someone who had one of their recordings picked to be in the remake of one of the greatest westerns ever filmed.I am sure that you can boast that your made up career has been equally productive.And I am sure you have absolutely no talent or class.

[thegrinchl7]

@bloodstains1971 - I can't sing at all. I would never presume to be good enough to sing for "True Grit". Apparently, that didn't stop Miss Dement. She'll HONK for anybody!

[sPzB41]

@thegrinchl7 As a self-admitted Hillbilly (actually, I have a degree, so I 'spose I would be considered a HillWilliam), I can appreciate this song.. Her voice is unique, and I like it..

Reminds me of home..

That you can't speak Hick don't make the singer bad... just means your ear hasn't been tuned yet..

Go down to Eastern Kentucky and go to a service now and again... you'll hear this sang almost EXACTLY like it's sang here..

[thegrinchl7]

@sPzB41 - I am actually a big fan of Bluegrass music...

Bill Monroe, Earl Skrugs, Ralph Stanley and so on. Iris

Dement's shrill honk has nothing to do with STYLE but

rather a kind of tonal dissonance...like a fire engine siren.

This isn't something you're ever supposed to get "used to".

With all due respect, in spite of your "degree" Hillbilly is a

pejorative term that has its origins in incest, toothless

bestiality and cruel Appalachian ignorance. Nothing to brag

about, Opie.

[sPzB41]

@thegrinchl7 LOLOL!

Being self depreciating is a quality of mine... so is humor. Hence, the HillWilliam remark. And I don't much care what people call me... never have... Hick, Hayseed, shoeless, toothless, hillbilly, redneck, white trash, etc, etc.. just slides offa me.

I spose it all boils down to personal taste.. there are musicians I don't like neither. Just something "off" about their voice that strikes me the wrong way..

Agree to disagree?

[thegrinchl7]

@sPzB41 - There was a time I defended your kind

(I'm an attorney). I'm now convinced that stupid people

need to be eliminated. Especially those who think Hip

Hop, Rap, Abba and Iris Dement is "music"! When the

next shoe drops expect anarchy (likely a nuclear event).

All Krispy Kreme and Kentucky Fried Chicken will shut

down! Your kind will slowly starve . The good thing is

that you are SO overweight you'll probably last a week

longer than the others! You'll have time to rape your sister!

[sPzB41]

@thegrinchl7 Now that there? That was just uncalled for..

I tried to be nice to you, Mr. Bigshot Attorney.. and look what it got me.

Go eat a bag of dicks, motherfucker.

[Brad3894]

@thegrinchl7 - As far as I can tell you and 2 other people are the only ones who don't care for this song or singer. That makes you..............insignificant­. I know that may be hard for a narcissist like you to hear, but it's a fact. Deal with it and move along.

[jamcrane3]

@thegrinchl7 There is an extreme conflict between your posts and your channel, Boris. Here you use the English language in a competent fashion, while on your channel bio you can barely make yourself understood, although I've got to admit that I enjoyed the bit about"parking on your driveway and driving on the parkway".

You are not an attorney. No attorney is going to spend their spare time being a YouTube troll. You are just some pathetic miserable bastard with no life. Fuck you.

[thegrinchl7]

@jamcrane3 -My goodness, aren't you clever!

You just figured out my channel is a parody of a

Russian tire factory worker! Never mind that most

teenagers figure that out in about 3 minutes. Of

course I'm not an attorney. Although, let's not kid

ourselves. While most of the attorneys I have met

have impressive degrees...very few of them have

WISDOM. Much like YOU...with your fat round face

with that ridiculous beard. Let me guess, you eat

Viagra like they're M&Ms?

[jamcrane3]

@thegrinchl7

Much like you with your long pointy nose, and your beady little eyes, and your whiskers and your sharp little teeth?!?

At least I post a picture and biographical information, I don't talk a bunch of shit to people from behind a veil of anonymity like you you cowardly little rat turd.

And I do pop a Levitra every time I go do your mommas poop chute.

[thegrinchl7]

@jamcrane3 - Only your generation is still puzzled as to

why it's not a good idea to post personal information on

the internet. Only when your accounts have been drained

and you've given away your paltry savings to some urban

negro in Nigeria do you suddenly take precautions. My god,

you aging clod. I can just see your garage.. a little jar for

EVERY FUCKING NAIL. Your thinking being that your long

dead father would be proud. And here you are, on the internet

threatening sodomy. Ugh!

[Spacemonkeymojo]

Coen Brothers <3

[Jimbaud1]

Iris DeMent's voice just frickin' slays me with its unbelievable beauty! And this old hymn was perfectly placed in this wonderful movie!

[GregariousGorilla]

I want this song sung at my funeral

[ORYGUNLADY]

I noted as soon as the film began that the dominant score was this amazing hymn...........it simply amazed me

Thank you for posting it here

[werewolf1986]

We need more movies like this!

[wizardmig]

Beautifully sung.

[tophatbill]

it seems like everyone here is agreed it was a wonderful movie- i think it was one of the best movies i have ever seen- the music was snubbed from the oscars because it was not ORIGINAL! but it brings a whole new generation of people back to the roots of our musical heritage. So Carter Burwell did not get an oscar but he gets all our love...did you ever hear a sound track that told the story as well as the pictures you were seeing?

[1234Colt]

this is music that soothes the soul. Did she write that song or is this a traditional?

[kcole1203]

@1234Colt It is an evangelical song from the 19th century. Iris recorded it for the album

"Lifeline" released in 2004.

[cards8086]

Maybe the greatest voice in music today. Watched the movie yesterday and when this started I said to my wife, "this is Iris Dement, right" (we named our daughter Iris, in part after Iris Dement) and then we both knew we'd like the movie even more because of it.

[ReijiNakashi]

Mattie: he is running away

Rooster: who is running away child??

Mattie: Chaney

I don't know why, but when she said that, I kinda tear

[6alvarado]

this song should also be dedicated to blackie

[DiphallicTerata]

'time just gets away from us.'

[millvalleyrn]

Mattie walking from the grave.. "Time just gets away from us."

[clumpnugget123]

i cried when little blackie got shot during the movie :( great song great movie

[ilovesushii94]

I'm about to cry! It's so beautiful!

[PotatoChipLover]

The Coen Brothers made me love Westerns even more now :)

[Xxjonnoh8sJuicexX]

I cried at the end of True Grit when this sing began to play as Mattie was walking from the marshal's grave, it's sad that she was not able to speak with him after their journey together, alas a truly spectacular movie, one that will live on in history forever.

[PrettyTigerlilly]

@Xxjonnoh8sJuicexX Me too. OMG the movie was so amazing.

[JohnnyAwesome420]

@Xxjonnoh8sJuicexX I started crying when this song came on too.

[koteeoz]

Breath-taking. Thank you Lord for loving us all. Flaws and all.

[davstill]

Iris Dement an angel! Saw her live at Cats Cradle in Carrboro, NC, where I live, proudly! And I loved the movie as well. Thanks for posting!!!

[Singsonggirl]

songs like these almost make me doubt my agnosticism. (yes, there's a joke somewhere in there)

[zappadead13]

bobby mitchum has good version also 

[timhately09]

@zappadead13 I knew this, and I am pleased that at least one other knows this also. "The Night of the Hunter", a vastly underrated movie.

[glassylum]

Stop for a moment. Listen to the words of this song. I dont know anyone else on here. I dont know your personal beliefs. I dont know your backgrounds, or where you were born. What I do know is this song offers something to those who believe. This song offers comfort, just like it has offered me comfort at times in my life, when I have lost those I care about. Times when mistakes I had made put me in a position that all I had left was those everlasting arms of God. So stop, and listen.

[thegrinchl7]

@glassylum - I DID try to "listen" to the words.

I CAN'T MAKE THEM OUT. What on earth is

she saying?

"What a Vo Shilp, What a Joe Divine, Lain-ing

on the Haver Hasting Harms. What a ves es id

ess, what a pieces mine. Linging hon the Haver

Hasting FARMS?" I gave up after that.

[preacherswife1220]

@thegrinchl7 I understand you dont appreciate the music, and I know you are just trolling, but let me help you understand. What a fellowship, what a joy devine, leaning on the everlasting arms. You can be cruel, and mean, and think everything is a joke your entire life, but in the end you will have nothing but cruelty to hang onto. Try kindness love and faith in not just God, but in your fellow man. It will leave you with much more when your time comes to face your maker, or oblivion.

[BleckingSoda85]

@glassylum Amen, kid. The same thing happens to me all the time, like when my granddaddy passed away back in 07 fom cancer. It was a horrible time for my family and I, and I didn't even know about this beautiful song yet, but now when I look back I realize that i was leaning on the Everlasting Arms.

[GrissomLovesSara]

I cried like a baby at the end of this movie. That doesn't happen very often to me anymore

[janus1351]

As a swede I had never heard this hymn before hearing it at the end of "True Grit" which I just saw on DVD. Iris's beautiful and fragile yet strong voice, singing this extraordinary sweet old melody while seeing Mattie walking away from the grave of the man that literally saved her life but then never saw again just brought tears to my eyes. While sitting there wiping my tears I thought I HAVE to know who is singing this. That brought me here. Now I'm shopping for Iris deMent albums.

[lorenzogerardo1]

this song beatiful, thanks



[lorenzogerardo1]

this song beatiful, thanks

[jggal66]

Jeff Bridges - you done good! (I just know your dad Lloyd is looking down from heaven...and smiling)!!

[cannuck210]

This song and Iris's voice is pure magic. Touches my soul.

[fossildude1066]

Great film and i love this song.

[railroadqueen]

Iris has such an awesome and unique voice, I sawher last night in Sioux City Iowa and she totally owned her audiance!

[railroadqueen]

Iris has such a awesome voice. I just saw her last night in Sioux City Iowa and she completely owned the audiance!

[jamesojld]

My Father used to sing this song when I was young some 60 years ago, I love the voice of Iris Dement. ...Iris DeMent singing Pretty Saro from Songcatcher is very good as well

[hawkbit13]

I should not relate to this song at all really. Im a 25 year old Englishman, with no experience in country music, its not even part of my culture...So...Why is this so awesome? I cant stop listening to it! Movie was amazing too.

[jhofmann33]

@hawkbit13 Because beauty, art and faith are universal. Indeed; great movie, great music. Although, if I may, I would classify Elisha Hoffman's piece as bluegrass or folk, not country.

[KyBoy2999]

I love this song...I love this woman and I loved this movie....I. miss you mother looking into your eyes and most of all your touch..........

[jimmer99]

The fact that the entire show features old hymns was very unique. This song in particular, was a good closing for the movie!

[jhofmann33]

@jimmer99 A movie with old hymns is not new to the Coen Brothers. Have you seen 'Oh Brother Where Art Thou'?

[Puppyluver711]

I can't stop watching this movie I love it s0:00 much

[mdb0890]

beautiful song. The perfect song for the final scene in True Grit

[plowhand247]

This song brings great comfort to me. She has a beautiful voice, well suited for the song and film. At first, I was angered by some of the negative comments made about the song being too "christy", but now I feel sorry for those who do not have the peace of God.

[acousticapothecary]

@plowhand247 well put, very well put.

[Odysseus500]

This song, and Iris DeMent singing it, were perfect for this film. I don't mind admitting that I cried uncontrollably upon hearing it. And I'm not a hillbilly or country music fan. However, some people, my wife included, cannot relate to the sound of Ms DeMent's voice, which, you have to admit, is somewhat gravelly. There's no accounting for taste, so they say. Thank you Coen Brothers for producing an excellent adaptation from the book.

[zodiacchiller]

@Odysseus500 I completely agree

[MegaSkyeWalker]

Pretty good for a small town girl from Paragould, Arkansas!

[lsullboy]

I agree with acousticapothecary's sentiment. I want this played @ Ol' man McGillicuddy's funeral.

[TexasGonzo10]

@lsullboy same here, already have it written down as one of the songs for me when it is my time, even have an mp3 on cd, great song

[acousticapothecary]

 - the kind of voice that only blesses you once in a lifetime, utterly angelic. greg brown sure knows how to pick a wife...

[Adamguy2003]

This hymn makes the perfect theme for Mattie. Its lyrics can show how Mattie finds her courage and avenges her father's death by leaning on both her faith in God and her trust in her new companions.

Wonderful movie.

[lupinus1]

this song is sung so well, shame its so christy!

[bilkoz01]

Iris DeMent is literally a national treasure.  Grateful.

[denisedenise]

Could we keep comments for the literate and the intelligent please. If you must comment than learn to spell and get to know what you are talking about. Or just stick to being a red-neck. This is a style of singing and this is a great singer of the style.

[jdsol1938]

the number of hits on this and the other presentations would seem to indicate an entirely different responce from a farily large number of of peaple.

[karolkubicki]

coś pięknego!!!! rewelacja z resztą sam film również

[panheadannie]

Absolutely a wonderful song, I have heard it all of my life. The movie was as great as the original. And the song fit the movie .Great!!

[rooster1113]

This is a Christian song.About faith and knowing that no matter how bad things may seem...knowing that God dwells within and is always there if we but discover his presence in us.These are the everlasting arms that Mattie Ross knows she can always lean on.....listen to the words...The song was written in 1887 by a preacher for a friend who had lost his family......

[thegrinchl7]

@rooster1113 - Oh, so you think that being a "religious" song makes listening to this voice from hell more PLEASANT?

[protecterofwolves]

@thegrinchl7

I, myself, listen to rock/metal music, I even believe this is a beautfiul song, she has an amazing voice and it was perfect for True Grit.

[thegrinchl7]

@protecterofwolves - Even a rock-singer or a heavy metal singer...knows better than to just sing from the NOSE! Very few of your favorite bands would be successful if they just HONKED. This woman's SHRILL and DISCORDANT voice would startle any audience.

[howdidienduphere]

@thegrinchl7 Maybe you should just not come here and listen to this song, since you find it so offensive.

[thegrinchl7]

@howdidienduphere - This is not an ECHO CHAMBER. Perhaps it is you that should start up his own narrow-minded Iris Dement Club and restrict members to Hillbillies.

[doglr1]

@rooster1113 It is one of my favourite Gospel Songs. Anthony Showalter and Elisha Hoffman were the composers. Very well done and glad they put this in the movie.

[TwoUselessLegs]

I just played this song on my computer. Now, all the dogs in the neighborhood are HOWLING!

[AndiH666]

Super WESTERN und gute Musik HAMMER100 Pun........

[jecsa88]

amazing voice !

[thegrinchl7]

Musically, this was the only poor choice in the film. Strangely discordant and shrill, coming at the quiet end of the story, most audience members flinched at the awkward timing and the disturbing quality of her voice. Being a Cohen brother film, one first suspected it to be a joke. One couple above me burst out laughing, while later, another couple commented on this song "what the hell was that all about"?

[00bit]

@thegrinchl7 Probably they were just too insensitive :). It's impossible to make everyone happy with a script like this.

[boshankers12]

@thegrinchl7 Its a western movie and she is a country singer, it fits just fine.

[thegrinchl7]

@boshankers12 - Nobody I know likes this song. They love the film...they DO NOT like this song. Western or not.

[expos73]

@thegrinchl7 Not a Poor choice at all since themes of the song were used throughout the film. As far as some people laughing,the explanation is very simple. They were ignorant cretins ! The world is full of them and if you didn't appreciate this beautiful song you may include yourself into their unfortunate company.

[jland3622]

@thegrinchl7 This is the dumbest comment i think i have ever read in my life and that is saying alot.....how the hell do you know or speak for the millions of people who watched this movie or heard this song and can say that?? You sir or lady are a shining example of being as ignorant or stupid as one can be.

[thegrinchl7]

@jland3622 - I loved this film. Hollywood seldom

makes good movies anymore and so I was more

than happy that this remake turned out to be superior

to the John Wayne version. However, being jolted out

of my seat with Dement's bizarre nasal intonation left

me more than stunned, I was angry. At first, that shrill,

ear piercing TWANG of Dement made me wonder if it

wasn't more of the Coen brothers bizarre brand of

humor. What on earth must they have been thinking?

[mccurryburg]

@thegrinchl7 as always, i'm sure, they were thinking of getting the VERY best music for their movie. in this case as in almost all cases, they've hit the bull's eye. i know nothing about your taste in music, but from you've posted here, i feel blessed by that fact.

[thegrinchl7]

@mccurryburg - Well, I suppose we need people with your taste. Otherwise, who would buy Bud Lite, get tattoos or make babies for soldiers for our future wars?

[timhately09]

@thegrinchl7 A pathetically obvious troll, but unfortunately people who are deceived by deliberately dishonest comments will reply, and therefore fuel your immature ego.

[thegrinchl7]

@timhately09 - LOL If my post was all that "immature", you would not have responded. You responded because I HIT A NERVE. Some of us don't like Iris Dement. That she attracts such a hillbilly fan base is just ONE of the reasons.

[timhately09]

@thegrinchl7 I stand by my troll comment. Proven by the increasingly nasty comments posted here by you. Of course you hit a nerve, surely that is the point of trolling. Is it Iris you dislike, or her fan base? Are they a bit common for your discerning palate? A tip: don't type in capital letters, it's like shouting during an argument, and it certainly marks you as immature..

[thegrinchl7]

@timhately09 -WRONG! A "troll" is only interested

in getting a rise. I honestly HATE Iris Dement and

her shrieking voice whether or not you object. In the

same way you might post over sentimental, meaning-

less praise over this crooning Banshee, I am here to

remind people that all is not as it seems. Your little

Hobbit kingdom does NOT exist in a vacuum. If Iris

Demented can single handedly ruin one of my favorite

films. you will kindly shut up while I ruin her video! You

dumb housewife!

[timhately09]

@thegrinchl7 From your first troll to this one, you are obviously only interested in getting a rise. If a single song over the credits of a movie can ruin your enjoyment, I suggest you take up reading novels (that is, if you can read without moving your lips). By the way, you didn't ruin the video, and you are still bloody well typing in capital letters, as basically uneducated people do for emphasis.

[sillyg900]

I have no idea why they didn't include this song on the soundtrack, I would have bought the soundtrack just for this song, but I did fing the song on a cd called, Lifeline, by Iris DeMent

[stimpy510]

I bought the True Grit soundtrack and her version of this song is NOT on it....beware. I intend to return it!

[jamesstafforduk]

@stimpy510

Didn't think to check the song list before buying?

[cael512]

Beautiful song, amazing movie!

[discuschampm]

I love this song!! True Grit really made this song come back in its popularity!

[ratax53]

Wow, what a voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!