Scarecrow (Melissa Etheridge song)

Infobox Single
Name = Scarecrow


Artist = Melissa Etheridge
from Album = Breakdown
B-side =
Released = 1999
Format = CD single
Recorded = Sunset Sound
Genre = Rock
Length = 5:21
Label = Island Records
Writer = Melissa Etheridge
Producer = Melissa Etheridge John Shanks
Certification =
Chart position =
Last single = Angels Would Fall (1999)
This single = Scarecrow
Next single = Enough of Me (2000)
Misc = Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Name = Scarecrow
Audio file= scarecrow.ogg

"Scarecrow" is a single from Melissa Etheridge's 1999 album, "Breakdown".

Content

This ballad tells the story of the kidnapping, torture, and homicide of 21-year-old University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard in a hate crime motivated by anti-gay sentiment. The image of a scarecrow was chosen because the bicyclist who found Matthew Shepard's body first thought that it was scarecrow lying in the fields. The song criticizes hypocritical and deprecatory attitudes towards gay people in media and society.

Background

Etheridge was actually supposed to write a theme song for the US women's soccer team when the news about Matthew Shepard reached the headlines. In her autobiography "The Truth Is..." she tells that it was "Like somebody just dropped a huge brick in her kitchen" as she realized that being a big gay rock star did not help her changing the world. This led her to supporting some of her friends including Ellen DeGeneres who organized a trip to the Denver hospital. Etheridge also states that Shepherd's death made her especially sad since he looked like a gay friend of hers in high school which made her "cry uncontrollably".

Charts

This single did not chart in any country.

Credits and personnel

*vocals, acoustic, fuzz guitar by Melissa Etheridge
*guitars by John Shanks
*Bass by Mark Browne
*keyboards by Patrick Warren
*drums and Shaker by Kenny Aronoff
*Mixed by Chris Lord-Alge
*Engineer - Neal Avron
*Assistant engineer - Geoff Walcha

Literature

*Melissa Etheridge and Laura Morton: "The truth is..."', Random House 2002