In their sneak peek video last month, Compass Records revealed that one of the tracks featured on the upcoming Bankesters CD, Love Has Wheels, is what has become known as The Cups Song. The actual song title is When I’m Gone, a tune that made its way from A.P. Carter in the rural south in the 1930s, to Hollywood and a teen movie in 2012.
When I’m Gone found its way onto a number of recordings in the ’30s, including sides from The Carter Family, Wade Mainer, and Charlie Monroe. It may well have been recorded many more times, but for all practical purposes, it languished in obscurity until 2009 when UK folk-pop artist Luisa Gerstein took the basic song, added and revised the lyrics, and posted a video on YouTube performing it along with percussion provided by plastic cups and clapping.
It became a YouTube sensation, with well over 4 million views at this point. The song was released by Gerstein’s band, Lulu and the Lampshades, and was inescapable on pop radio after appearing on the soundtrack of Pitch Perfect in 2012.
And now it comes to bluegrass, courtesy on Emily Bankester, who sings it on the new CD. Papa Phil Bankester tells us that it was Compass’ Alison Brown who suggested they give the song a try, and everyone is so excited about it that it will be the first music video from the album.
Phil shot the video last week with his three singing daughters, several of their friends, and album guest artist Sierra Hull, and he sent along these still images from the shoot.
Looks like fun. Be on the lookout…
