Nellie McKay has rushed out a song and video on behalf of Troy Davis, the Georgia death row inmate who is scheduled to be executed Sept. 21, whose case has garnered international attention and calls for clemency from Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former FBI head William Sessions, former President Jimmy Carter and many others.
"Song For Troy Davis" is a somber but tuneful song about being stuck in a room "tripping in a world of doubt--won't you let me out?" with McKay singing, accompanied solely by the stark jazz saxophone play of Tivon Pennicott.
The video, directed by Gasland documentary filmmaker Josh Fox, edits togehter photos of Davis and a taped message from him, an Amy Goodman newscast recap of his case, and McKay and Pennicott performing the song in her apartment as she writes and holds up messages like "No Physical Evidence" and other pertinent facts supporting Davis.
At the end, the clip displays the websites for Amnesty International and Color of Change--key groups in the effort to stop Davis's execution.
"I'm on their mailing lists," says McKay. "I'd been hearing about Troy for awhile and when I heard the latest date for his execution I thought I should record a song--and Josh offered to do a video around it. And I'm so glad Devon played on it! It's one more thing to help it get out there, to raise awareness."
Himself a Georgia native, Pennicott, was also part of McKay's band during her acclaimed I Want To Live! cabaret piece, which she introduced last March at Feinstein's at Loews Regency and took to the West Coast in July. The show was inspired by Susan Hayward's Oscar-winning portrayal of convicted and executed prostitute-junkie murderess Barbara Graham in the 1958 film noir of the same name, I Want To Live!
"Killing people is wrong," says of the Davis case. "Why is the state killing people? Look at the people calling for clemency: It's quite an illustrious list--and such a movement because there's so much doubt in Troy's case."
"Song For Troy Davis" was written quickly, McKay continues.
"It mostly came out in one spiel," she says, "but the pressure was on once we got to the studio: I ddn't want to record a bad song for him!"
She succeeded in getting the video up in less than a week from the song's conception.
"The urgency comes from his case," McKay explains. "He's about to die. If people can sign the online petitions to those two groups [Amnesty International and Color of Change] particularly, and if they live in Georgia and can somehow make contact or put pressure on the state…."
Troy Davis has been on death row for 20 years for the 1989 murder of a Savannah police officer. He was convicted on the basis of witness testimony, though seven of the nine original witnesses have since recanted or changed their testimony, many alleging police coercion.
Davis has survived three previous execuition dates. His fate will be decided by the Georgia Board of Pardons & Paroles, which will hold a clemency hearing tomorrow.
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