On this “Extended Play” 45RPM episode of the show, our good friend Chris White, writer and director of the romantic comedy/road picture Electric Jesus, takes us to the set where he recently directed a short film for the song “Come And Save Me” starring actor and musician Fred Armisen (SNL, Portlandia) and our favorite outsider folk-pop band, Danielson. The song started as an unpublished lyric originally composed by the late Jesus Rock icon Larry Norman. It was then set to music, with the blessing of Larry’s estate, by Daniel Smith (of Danielson.) The resulting song is a complete departure from the tongue-in-cheek hair-metal Smith composed for the fictional metal band 316 in Electric Jesus. While “Come and Save Me” was not used in the film, it did appear on the soundtrack. Now, however, White has written and directed a special short film for the song, with Fred Armisen as the starring actor.

So, come with us to a film studio in Greenville, South Carolina, and hear from Chris White, Daniel Smith, Fred Armisen, and Mike Norman (Larry Norman’s son) about how this fantastic project came together and how each of them approaches and interprets the meaning of “Come And Save Me.”

If you missed these previous episodes, be sure to go back and find our conversation with Daniel Smith on the topic of outsider art, join us on the set of Electric Jesus (which includes our conversation with actor Brian Baumgartner of The Office), and find our conversation with Chris White and Andy Erwin about the different ways faith is approached in film. We also released a very special “From The Vault” episode that included a previously unheard conversation with Larry Norman and a then-recent conversation with Michael about their complicated relationship. And if you would like more info on the Electric Jesus story, seek out and devour BOTH seasons of their excellent podcast. (You’ll find us all over them.)

We could not have presented this episode to you without the help of Chris and Emily White. Electric Jesus is available to stream now. If you have not seen it – please do!

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SONG LIST:

Phil Keaggy & Rex Paul – Full Circle (Unplugged) and Full Circle (All the Vibes, rmx by Chris Taylor)

Familyre Friends – Do The Barabbas

Danielson – Come and Save Me (Electric Jesus Soundtrack version)

Danielson – Headz in the Cloudz

Danielson – Did I Step on Your Trumpet?

316 – Commando for Christ

Danielson – Come and Save Me (Nine-Fruit Edition)

Washed Out – Feel It All Around (“Portlandia” Opening Sequence)

Danielson – Hosanna in the Forest

Danielson – Walk With Me (“Come and Save Me” B-side)

Larry Norman – Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus

Kevin Max – Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music

People – I Love You