Scarecrow (Melissa Etheridge song)

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“Scarecrow”
Single by Melissa Etheridge from the album Breakdown
Released	1999
Format	CD single
Recorded	Sunset Sound
Genre	Rock
Length	5:21
Label	Island Records
Writer(s)	Melissa Etheridge
Producer	Melissa Etheridge John Shanks
Melissa Etheridge singles chronology
Angels Would Fall (1999) Scarecrow Enough of Me (2000)
Audio sample
Info "Scarecrow" (help·info)

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

Contents 1 Content 2 Background 3 Charts 4 Credits and personnel 5 Literature

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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".

[edit] Charts

This single did not chart in any country.

[edit] 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

[edit] Literature

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

v • d • e Melissa Etheridge Albums Melissa Etheridge • Brave and Crazy • Never Enough • Yes I Am • Your Little Secret • Breakdown • Skin • Lucky • The Awakening Compilations Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled Notable singles Bring Me Some Water • Like the Way I Do • No Souvenirs • I'm the Only One • Come to My Window • Angels Would Fall • Scarecrow • I Need to Wake Up • Message to Myself Featured singles Cry Baby / Piece of My Heart (with Joss Stone)