Mario Monterosso first heard Bobby Darin’s 1969 song “Simple Song of Freedom” in the 2004 movie, Beyond the Sea, which is about Darin’s life. “I said, ‘Wow. This is quite a thing. Quite a song.’”
“Bobby Darin is known to be a crooner of hits from the ’50s like ‘Splish Splash,’” says Monterosso, 51, a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer living in Memphis. “I didn’t know he had that kind of hippie phase of life in the mid-’60s. And he wrote beautiful songs. Completely different. And very intense lyrics.”
The song was so impressive, Monterosso recorded his own version that’s available online now and produced a video that features more than 50 mostly Memphis artists. Priscilla Presley also appears. Monterosso’s “Memphis Freedom Band” video will be unveiled December 20th, 6 p.m., at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
The song’s lyrics interested Monterosso more than the music. “The music is the typical folk song from the late ’60s. There was a moment in which many artists were writing songs more or less the same way: ‘Everybody’s Talkin’’ or ‘Gentle on My Mind’ are pretty similar.”
“Simple Song of Freedom” was “written for the War in Vietnam because it was 1969. When I discovered the song, the war in Ukraine hadn’t started yet.”
After the war in Ukraine began, Monterosso thought, “I think that song might really be something special coming from Memphis. Still today, people around the world see Memphis as the capital of music.”
He equates “Simple Song of Freedom” to the 1985 song, “We Are the World.” “The purpose of the song is exactly the same: Send a message. Because I strongly believe music, more than any other form of art, is the vehicle that goes straight to the people’s heart.”
Born in Catania, Italy, Monterosso says, “My family gave me the roots, but rock-and-roll gave me the wings. It’s really something that changed my life.
“Rock-and-roll put together the Black and white culture,” he continues. “It was a huge revolution.”
Monterosso, who moved to Memphis eight years ago, is an active part of the music scene. He envisioned using Memphis performers in a video similar to “We Are the World.” He wanted his video to also send a message of peace and freedom. “Because that song is a beautiful prayer.”
The video includes Stax Music Academy choirs, the First Baptist Church gospel choir with Rev. Keith Norman, and a host of performers that includes Carla Thomas, Kallen Esperian, Larry Dodson, Amy LaVere, Will Sexton, Gary Beard, Benton Parker, Max Kaplan, Rachel Maxann, and Amy P. Nabors. Also performing are British singer-songwriter Pete Molinari and two members of the Coasters, Joe Lance Williams and Primo Candelaria.
The song ends with Priscilla Presley quoting words of Mother Teresa. “It perfectly fits with the message of the song,” Monterosso says. “We don’t need bombs to bring peace. We need love and compassion.”
Monterosso got help on the project from his Memphis friends, including Memphis Flyer music editor Alex Greene, Dabney Coors, and Marie Pizano. Pizano’s MVP3 Foundation and MVP3 Records is releasing the project, which includes the song and the video. Dorothy Kirsch underwrote the project.
Scott Bomar was engineer, Billie Worley filmed the video, and photographer Jamie Harmon is the official session photographer. Distribution is by Select-O-Hits, which is owned and operated by Sam W. Phillips and Johnny Phillips, sons of the late Sam Phillips. “It made sense because I recorded it at Sam Phillips Recording Studio.”
A portion of the income from downloading the song will go to the Novick Cardiac Alliance.
But Monterosso’s “Memphis Freedom Band” will be much more than just the song and the video. “I have the entire footage of the session and the interviews of each and every single artist. So, I will put out a documentary. … We’ll put it out, hopefully, in the spring.”
Monterosso wants “Memphis Freedom Band” to hit home. “This song has a goal. Which is to bring a message around the world and let people dream for at least six minutes. Dream about peace for at least six minutes, which is the length of the song.”
