Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona

23 Feb 98 - 09:40 PM (#22087)
Subject: Benson, Arizona, or Dark Star Theme
From: [e-mail]

I am looking for the words to Benson, Arizona, the song from the beginning of the movie Dark Star. I've heard it once on a folk album by Clam Chowder.

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23 Mar 99 - 03:54 PM (#65397)
Subject: Lyr Add: BENSON ARIZONA
From: [e-mail]

From: maytg-jedi
To: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 11:57:00 -0500
Subject: Bensona, Arizona Lyrics
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

R,

I was surfing around and found your post on the Mudcat Cafe. "Dark Star" is one of my favorite movies. I have a page on my web site about it. The URL is below.

I typed most of the lyrics in from memory, and checked the video last night to be certain. In fact, I went a bit overboard, checking an audio recording of a different version of the film. Details are below. If I get the opportunity, I'll post them to your thread on Mudcat.

Can you give me any information on the band "Clam Chowder"? I might have more to add to my page. I didn't know that "Benson, Arizona" was ever performed as a folk song or (perhaps) recorded on anything other than the "Dark Star" soundtrack.

Thanks and best wishes,

Michael A. Hendershot
[e-mail]
http://members.tripod.com/~maytg_jedi/index.html

Strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff....


(Lyrics follow....)


BENSON, ARIZONA

from the film "Dark Star"


The rays of sun shine down,
But I see only one.
Try to think I'm over you,
I find I've just begun.

The years move faster than the days.
There's no warmth in the light.
And how I miss those desert skies,
Your cool touch in the night.

Benson Arizona, blew warm wind through your hair,
My body flies the galaxy, my heart longs to be there.
Benson Arizona, the same stars in the sky,
The days seemed so much kinder,
When we watched them,
You and I.

Benson Arizona, blew warm wind through your hair,
My body flies the galaxy, my heart longs to be there.
Benson Arizona, the same stars in the sky,
The days seemed so much kinder,
When we watched them,
You and I.

Now the years pull us apart,
I'm young and now you're old.
But you're still in my heart
And the memory won't go cold.

I dream of times and spaces
I left far behind
Where we spent our last few days
Benson's on my mind.

Benson Arizona, blew warm wind through your hair,
My body flies the galaxy, my heart longs to be there.
Benson Arizona, the same stars in the sky,
The days seemed so much kinder,
When we watched them,
You and I.

(This following verse is used as the ending of the film before the 1983 director's cut.)

Benson Arizona, blew warm wind through your hair,
My body flies the galaxy, my heart longs to be there.
Benson Arizona, the same stars in the sky,
The days seem so much kinder,
When we watched them,
You and I.

(The above verse and the and following three are used as the ending for the 1983 diector's cut.)

Now the years pull us apart,
I'm young and now you're old.
But you're still in my heart
And the memory won't go cold.

I dream of times and spaces
I left far behind
Where we spent our last few days
Benson's on my mind.

Benson Arizona, blew warm wind through your hair,
My body flies the galaxies, my heart longs to be there.
Benson Arizona, the same stars in the sky,
The days seemed so much kinder,
When we watched them,
You and I.

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23 Mar 99 - 03:58 PM (#65400)
Subject: RE: Benson, Arizona, or Dark Star Theme
From: [e-mail]

Well, nuts! I didn't think that formatting would be a problem with these.

In fact, I'm quite surprised that I could still reply to a message that's more than one year old. I hope that this doesn't disturb the message base.

Oh well, it's easy enough to see the capitalization, commas and periods to figure out the correct line spacing.

Enjoy. I hope this is of use to someone.

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01 Dec 99 - 01:15 PM (#143231)
Subject: RE: Benson, Arizona, or Dark Star Theme
From: [e-mail]

How can I get a sound file with at least some of the song "Benson Arizona"? Also, who was it that actually performed the song?

Thanks, John

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21 Dec 00 - 06:51 PM (#361405)
Subject: RE: Benson, Arizona, or Dark Star Theme
From: GUEST,[e-mail]

Yes, Who did perform the song "Benson Arizona" in the Dark Star movie?

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12 Feb 01 - 08:31 PM (#396756)
Subject: RE: Benson, Arizona, or Dark Star Theme
From: GUEST

Bill Taylor performed the song as heard in the movie.

Best Erik Larson [e-mail]

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13 Feb 01 - 06:44 AM (#396941)
Subject: RE: Benson, Arizona, or Dark Star Theme
From: cetmst

Judy Collins has recorded this song. I have taped it from a radio program but do not know the source.

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08 Aug 07 - 02:06 PM (#2121849)
Subject: RE: Benson, Arizona, or Dark Star Theme
From: GUEST,Karl Johanson

I think the first line is, "A million suns shine down, But I see only one. When I think I'm over you, I find I've just begun."

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18 Sep 07 - 07:04 PM (#2152241)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST

Also, slight correction in the chorus. Should be "But they seemed so much kinder, when we watched them, you and I".

Cheers, Dave

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07 Nov 07 - 07:36 PM (#2188660)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST

Actually the song was performed by John Yager

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08 Nov 07 - 11:12 AM (#2189011)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: Peace

Info here.

And links to darned near any question one might have about it.

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09 Nov 07 - 03:16 PM (#2190048)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST

I messed up a bit in creating a link in my previous post. Sorry.

Click here for Clam chowder's website.

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16 Nov 07 - 03:01 AM (#2195087)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST

Clam Chowder sang a third verse to the song. Their version was on one of their early albums - "Special Order", and it is out of print. Unfortunately, the song has not been included on their recent CDs that were compilations from their earliest albums. A real pity.

Anyway, here is the third verse, transcribed from Clam Chowder's version:

Now the seasons spin on by
Like seconds on this ship
And I'll take another pull
From the flask that's at my hip
The might-have-beens and the never-weres
Can drive a man insane
So I think I'll stay out in the void
'Cause Benson's not the same

(Chorus)

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04 Mar 08 - 11:12 PM (#2279853)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: SeaCanary

That last verse was written by the lovely and talented Terry Sheehan.

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13 Jun 08 - 09:40 PM (#2365553)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST,SimoN from Poland

excuse me do you can send me this wonderful song, my email is: [e-mail]   Im from Poland   
thx

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22 Jul 08 - 01:29 AM (#2394788)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST,alaskagoldman

This thread deserves to go on and on and on... after all, they have probably only aged 9 years since they shot the movie.

The song has Special meaning to those of us that have actually been to Benson, Arizona in the early evening after the Sun goes down and the stars come out and the air temperature finally drops down into the double digits.

Especially while drinking a Root Beer Float from the A & W drive Inn.

AWESOME! sure brings back some old memories.

A DESERT RAT in the Arctic

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11 Sep 08 - 07:13 AM (#2437181)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: SeaCanary

To: maytg-jedi et al

My name is Don, and I am one of the founding members of Clam Chowder (The group, not the soup).

>>> Can you give me any information on the band "Clam Chowder"? I might have more to add to my page. I didn't know that "Benson, Arizona" was ever performed as a folk song or (perhaps) recorded on anything other than the "Dark Star" soundtrack.

Sure. What would you like to know?

(I am having just the best of times messing around with HTML !!)

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14 Sep 08 - 07:33 PM (#2440420)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: Jim Dixon

IMDb.com says:

BENSON ARIZONA
Music by John Carpenter
Lyrics by Bill Taylor

John Carpenter was also director and co-writer of "Dark Star" (1974).

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16 Sep 08 - 04:58 PM (#2442443)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: SeaCanary

Jim --

>>> Lyrics by Bill Taylor

And that is absolutely correct.

But Clam Chowder recorded an extra verse that never appeared in the movie or anywhere else (to the best of my knowledge) except our album, "Special Order."

And that verse ...

Now the seasons spin on by / Like seconds on this ship
And I'll take another pull / From the flask that's at my hip
The might-have-beens and the never-weres / Can drive a man insane
So I think I'll stay out in the void / 'Cause Benson's not the same

... was most assuredly NOT written by Bill Taylor. This verse was written by Terry Sheehan.

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16 Sep 08 - 07:00 PM (#2442564)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego

I spent a couple of weeks in Benson one afternoon in 1978. I had been there in the late 1950's and it had grown due to the constructiion of Interstate 10. It is still not a particularly noteworthy spot. It is NEAR a lot of tourist sites; Tombstone, Jerome, Cochise Stronghold and other frontier relics. In and of itself, I am amazed that someone found inspiration for the song. God bless 'em; we find our muse where we may.

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14 Oct 09 - 02:58 PM (#2745808)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST,Guest in Benson Arizona

Does anyone know why Bill Taylor picked Benson Arizona? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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20 Jul 10 - 04:19 PM (#2948536)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST,Belgaer

Hey, I hate to be the person to ask for this, but does anyone have any chords for this song?

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20 Jul 10 - 07:15 PM (#2948619)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: Dave MacKenzie

sheet music for Benson, Arizona

Hope this does

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07 Aug 10 - 07:32 AM (#2960006)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: SeaCanary

(consarn it)
***Does anyone know why Bill Taylor picked Benson Arizona? Any help would be greatly appreciated.***

No idea. That's one I'd like to know the answer to as well.

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16 Aug 10 - 12:08 PM (#2966412)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: Jim Dixon

SeaCanary: Don't use angle brackets (also known as "greater than" and "less than" symbols) as punctuation. Anything inside angle brackets will be interpreted as HTML, and won't be visible. If you want to learn more, see the "Mudcat FAQ – Newcomer's Guide." There is a link at the top of the main forum page. You can also click the "preview" box next to the "submit message" button to preview your message before it is posted.

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22 Aug 10 - 09:20 PM (#2970750)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST,Seanearlyaug

Benson Arizona has a wiki page.
In it it mentions both dark star and this other:
Media references

    * "Benson, Arizona" is the name of the theme song to the movie Dark Star.
    * In a tip of the hat to Dark Star, the Avengers crossover story Operation: Galactic Storm, which is about a war between alien races, commences in Benson.
    * "Benton, Arizona" is the fictitious Arizona town that Humphrey Bogart's character, Vincent Parry, transits by bus on his way to Peru through Mexico in the 1947 Bogart & Bacall film Dark Passage. In reality, this would have been "Benson, Arizona".

        Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Benson, Arizona

This might or might not have some bearing on it being mentioned in a somg, It might have just scanned right. Or someone might have been from this town. I have passed thru it, and talked to a young clerk who was surprised that that his town was famous.
Sean

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14 Apr 12 - 06:36 PM (#3338398)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: GUEST

Bill Taylor broke down in Benson on his way to Las Cruces to see his girlfriend on Christmas Day 1962. Two total strangers helped him fix his car and left him with fond memories of the place. The girlfriend later became his wife. He was looking for the most unlikely place he could think of for the Dark Star crew to long for and thought of Benson.

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14 Apr 12 - 08:45 PM (#3338434)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: SeaCanary

I believe one of the founding members of Clam Chowder, Kathy (or maybe her husband), have been to Benson, AZ. It really is a great song.

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15 Apr 12 - 04:13 AM (#3338531)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Benson, Arizona
From: SeaCanary

BTW here's a link to Bill Taylor -- at least I think it's Bill Taylor -- performing this song.

http://grooveshark.com/s/Benson+Arizona/3wTLc0?src=5

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