Reporting For Duty
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Categories
In this Discussion
James Bond and Garth Brooks?
For those not well versed in American country music, recording superstar Garth Brooks had a smash hit in 1990 called "Friends in Low Places." It's a cute inversion of the old warning, "I've got friends in high places!" and it made Brooks' name, in addition to a massive fortune. The song was written by a certain Dewayne Blackwell, born 1939.
But did Blackwell come up with this inversion all on his lonesome?
Most readers probably know where I'm going. In Moonraker (1979), 007 has a conversation with Holly Goodhead, bowling her out as a CIA agent. The following is part of the exchange:
BOND: "Standard CIA equipment and the CIA placed you with Drax, correct?
HOLLY: "Very astute of you, James."
BOND: "Oh, not really. I've got friends in low places."
Obviously, correlation is not causation, but it is entirely possible that Blackwell, 40 years old when Moonraker was released, overheard this line, filed it away mentally for safekeeping, and that it floated back to the surface in '89 or '90 when he was writing his soon-to-be mega hit.
But did Blackwell come up with this inversion all on his lonesome?
Most readers probably know where I'm going. In Moonraker (1979), 007 has a conversation with Holly Goodhead, bowling her out as a CIA agent. The following is part of the exchange:
BOND: "Standard CIA equipment and the CIA placed you with Drax, correct?
HOLLY: "Very astute of you, James."
BOND: "Oh, not really. I've got friends in low places."
Obviously, correlation is not causation, but it is entirely possible that Blackwell, 40 years old when Moonraker was released, overheard this line, filed it away mentally for safekeeping, and that it floated back to the surface in '89 or '90 when he was writing his soon-to-be mega hit.
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
As in 1977 there was a comedy series by Charles Wood with that very title ! Made by the
BBC.
As Connery delivers the line with perfect comedy timing, I'm certain this would have
Influenced the young Charles Wood, to create his comic masterpiece.
When several other mice arrived to make a beautiful gown for Madeline, was sadly cut
From the final print.
"Blame it all on my roots
I showed up in boots
And ruined your black tie affair"
The black tie affair is obvious, and the boots mentioned are an amazing poignant
Reminder of Bond's parents death in a climbing accident, in the use of the term
"Boots" ( climbing boots )
"The last one to know
The last one to show
I was the last one
You thought you'd see there"
These lines are addressing the femme fatale, who thinks that she has killed Bond earlier.
And didn't think she'd see him again .
"And I saw the surprise
And the fear in his eyes
When I took his glass of champagne
And I toasted you
Said, honey, we may be through....... "
This is primarily addressed to the lady's henchman, who also believed Bond to be
Dead, and is "fearful" at once again seeing Bond, who nonchalantly takes his glass of
Champagne.
" ...... But you'll never hear me complain !"
This closing line is reminiscent of Bond's line about "I'm motivated by my duty "
If it IS a common phrase--and I have my doubts--it has become so since the song was released, I'm sorry to say.
Well OK, I'm not an etymologist or whatever so you might have a point here after all, but where is the hard evidence for it and I'm not talking about supposition here?
In any case, you might find this article of mine (that in wrote in 2010) interesting as I discuss this scene from Moonraker (1979) and its oblique meaning:
http://thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/oblique-reference-to-felix-leiter-in_5824.html
That reminds me the SPECTRE reference to Felix...
Where did I say this was iron-clad truth rather than supposition? Of course it's supposition, and you can take it or leave it.
No, I just wanted to say I see what you meant in the OP. At first, like the others, I thought it was just a bit of a piss-take.
As for what this thread is really about. I have to agree with Kahn I don't recall "Friends in Low Places" being in the common vernacular. However I was merely 10 when MR came out so it may be lost in the cobwebs of my mind.