Ever heard Eddie Vedder sing Neil Diamond? That alone is reason to check out Song Sung Blue, an alternately hilarious and heartwrenching documentary that screened at IFF Boston. The movie follows the ups and downs of a husband-and-wife Neil Diamond cover band called Lightning and Thunder. Vedder joined the "America's Singing Sweethearts" on stage at Milwaukee's Summerfest in 1995 for a rousing rendition of "Forever In Blue Jeans," a Diamond classic that Vedder needed a cheat sheet to sing. The performance was certainly a highlight of Lightning and Thunder's career, but there's much more to the duo than their on-stage personas. Song Sung Blue traces the pair's dramatic tale from the duo's beginning to the present, infusing the experience with plenty of Diamond tunes and some flashes back to the past.
Tragedy struck Lightning (no pun intended) early on in life, long before he adopted his stage name and Diamond persona. Mike Saldina grew up with an alcoholic musician father and eventually turned to the bottle--and even the needle--after a devastating stint in Vietnam. He completed a treatment program and dove into music to stay sober, playing with the famed Milwaukee R&B group The Esquires ("Get On Up"). He first met Claire (Thunder) when she auditioned for a spot in his band. She didn't make it that time, but he thought of her when forming his Diamond tribute act. The pairing was perfect--musically and romantically--and the two soon married. Their Lightning and Thunder act focused on Neil Diamond but also incorporated Thunder's renditions of Patsy Cline classics--not to mention plenty of sequins.
Lightning and Thunder built up a big following in the greater Milwaukee area and all the way down to Chicago, playing large venues like the Wisconsin State Fair and the aforementioned Summerfest. Their fans engaged intimately with their performances, singing along, clapping to the beat, and dancing wildly. Wisconsin may not be the most stylish state in the union, but its residents can still have a good time. Things were looking up for Lightning and Thunder--until a freak accident turned everything upside down.
Thunder was gardening in the front yard of the duo's home in 1999 when a car barreled into their lawn, hitting the house and pinning Claire beneath the car. She survived the accident, but lost a leg. The recovery process was long and difficult, and the painkillers Thunder was prescribed made her confused and irritable. She grew so distraught at one point that she filed for divorce from Lightning, who took the blow hard. The couple eventually reconciled, but the process was draining for everyone involved, including Claire's children (Rachel and Dana) from her previous marriage.
Thunder gained weight after the accident, in part because of the drugs she took to help her feel comfortable. She was fitted with a prosthetic leg and eventually began performing with Lightning again, but they struggled to attract audiences after a lengthy hiatus. The duo struggled with significant health and financial problems. Rachel became pregnant, and gave the baby up for adoption. Claire and Mike both started smoking, which adversely affected their health. Lightning in particular had heart issues. The family filed for bankruptcy (money talks). The family had trouble keeping food in the fridge, and headed out to Denny's for dinner. In a particularly poignant scene at the Denny's dining table, Lightning chain-smokes, Rachel sucks down a milkshake, and Thunder proclaims that they could probably still make it to Vegas.
Song Sung Blue is a touching portrait of a hopeful-in-the-face-of-hopelessness family in the all-too-familiar state of feeling like they're on the brink of something big. Lightning and Thunder are half normal people, half vibrant performers, and Lightning in particular brings a sense of self-confidence to the stage that many singers lack. The documentary recognizes the hilarity of a Neil Diamond cover band without completely giving itself over to mockery; it respects Claire and Mike as real people even as it marvels at their unrelenting obsession with performing. Milwaukee area music figures comment on the duo's serious career, and family members (especially Thunder's mom and Lightning's brother) provide perspective on the duo's background and future. The documentation of Claire's accident and the family's financial troubles never feels exploitative, just painfully honest. We don't want to give away the ending of Lightning and Thunder's story, but suffice to say that the tale is a must-see--for the music and the drama.
Image of Eddie Vedder with Lightning and Thunder from http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/fanscene/1995/milw708a.html
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