Trigger warning: This music video deals with the death of a child.
Aimee Mann picks up her pencil to illustrate Freedy Johnston’s new video for ‘Darlin’’. To make the song even sweeter, she adds backing vocals too. Mann’s poignant drawings bring the story in Johnstons’ lyrics to life. A heartbreaking tale of addiction and untimely death unfolds in a series of subdued black and white images.
Of the video, Johnston states, “Aimee Mann is just awesome. First, she sang with me on ‘Darlin’’, and then she did a series of drawings interpreting the sad little song, which were edited into a video and greatly added to the story. The beautiful video they made is too much for me to watch without shedding tears. The drawings are beautiful. They’re what I imagine when I think about the song now. Aimee is a great artist, and I love her.” And Mann stated, “I’ve always loved Freedy’s voice and songwriting. There’s something so matter-of-fact yet plaintive about his records, and that combination is incredibly compelling. I’m happy he has a new record and am even more delighted to be singing on it.”
‘Darlin’’ is the lead off track from Johnston’s ninth studio album ‘Back on the Road to You’, produced by Eric Corne and released on 40 Below Records. In addition to Aimee Mann joining Johnston in the studio were Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, and long-time collaborator, Susan Cowsill, along with an all-star roots music band, including Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams), Dusty Wakeman (Jim Lauderdale), Dave Raven (Shelby Lynn) and Sasha Smith (Priscilla Ahn).
