Jason Isbell has shared his new interpretation of the John Prine song, “Hello In There”, from the singer-songwriter’s self-titled 1971 album. The studio session was part of an ongoing awareness campaign from the Alzheimer’s Association entitled Music Moments, in which artists perform stripped-down versions of songs that they connect to on an emotional level.
The song’s audio on Soundcloud is also accompanied by a YouTube video of Isbell in the studio tracking the song and discussing why it means so much to him. Growing up in Alabama in the 1980s, Isbell said he didn’t find deeper connections to music from The Rolling Stones or other popular hitmakers of the day—which makes total sense if you listen to one second of his music.
Related: Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit Share New Single, “What I’ve Done To Help” [Listen]
“I felt like I was in a different place in a very, very different time.” Isbell said. “I know a lot of people listen to songs for certain connections in their life. I think ‘Hello In There’ is pretty perfect as far as songs go. John Prine is one of my favorite songwriters in the world. John wrote [‘Hello In There’] when he was in his early twenties which to me is unthinkable because the song has so much wisdom.”
Listening to the melancholy ballad about the lonely lives so many people lead, one can’t help but immediately identify with that wisdom Isbell talked about. Jason still makes the song his own, however, as he incorporates a full band with a piano, fiddle, light percussion, bass, accordion, and an overdubbed slide guitar on top of his own acoustic, fingerpicking style.
Watch Jason Isbell’s video explaining his fondness for “Hello In There”, as well as listen to the actual audio of the song, all as a part of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Music Moments.
Jason Isbell – “Hellp In There” (John Prine cover)
[Video: actionalz]
Jason Isbell – “Hellp In There” (John Prine cover)
Other contributors to the Music Moments series have included Sting, Joan Jett, Nile Rodgers, Sharon Van Etten, Band of Horses, and more.
As someone with personal connections to Alzheimer’s through knowing people with the disease, Isbell finds the song’s innate power is in its simplicity.
“I think that’s the beauty of the song, more than anything else. It motivates the listener to be a better human. Ultimately, that’s all we can ask of each other.”
Visit the Alzheimer’s Association’s website to find out how you can help.