Redford

Album: undun (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the closing track of American Hip-Hop/Neo Soul band, The Roots' eleventh long player, Undun. It is the group's first ever concept album and is essentially a biographical narrative about a fictional character called Redford Stephens who died in 1999 at the age of 25. It tells Stephens' story backwards from his death to his birth. Drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson explained to Spin magazine: "We named the character after the Sufjan Stevens song 'Redford' from his Michigan record. We imagined Redford as being like Avon Barksdale from The Wire. He's a good guy who could have just gone to college and been a great engineer or something. But he makes a bad decision and pays for it. We tell that story in 10 songs, under 44 minutes."
  • This song is essentially an extended cover of Sufjan Stevens' 2003 track, which he wrote about Redford Township, a western suburb of Detroit. Questlove explained to Spin magazine how they stretched it out into a four-part movement. "Part 1 is Sufjan at the piano performing it. And then Part 2 is a string quartet that we had interpret it. Part 3 is myself and D.D. Jackson, who is an avant-garde piano player. He's probably one of the most dangerous pianists — I don't know how he doesn't have carpal tunnel now. But he just destroys, literally, destroys the piano. The final movement, which ends the record, is essentially the beginning of the story. But it's the last thing you hear. It's a very powerful piece of work."
  • Questlove told Spin magazine Redford is "definitely compiled of five or six people that we've known from Philadelphia." He added that Rapper Tariq 'Black Thought' Trotter's entire family, "have literally all been this guy. Tariq is the only one that has escaped the fate that most of his family have encountered. The narrative definitely hits home with him more than any other member of the band."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Sam Phillips

Sam PhillipsSongwriter Interviews

Collaborating with T Bone Burnett, Leslie Phillips changed her name and left her Christian label behind - Robert Plant, who recorded one of her songs on Raising Sand, is a fan.

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The Devil

Five Rockers Who Rolled With The DevilSong Writing

Just how much did these monsters of rock dabble in the occult?

Dr. John

Dr. JohnSongwriter Interviews

The good doctor shares some candid insights on recording with Phil Spector and The Black Keys.

The Real Nick Drake

The Real Nick DrakeSong Writing

The head of Drake's estate shares his insights on the late folk singer's life and music.