A Love Song For Bobby Long

There's a scene in A Love ...

• Jan 12, 2006 03:00 AM ET
• by Maitland McDonagh

Question: There's a scene in A Love Song for Bobby Long in which Bobby (John Travolta) sings a song to his friends about Barbara Allen. Do you know what song it is, and whether it was written for the movie or it really is an old folk song?

Answer: It's a traditional Scottish folk ballad called "Barbara Allen," and it's so old that references to it have been found as far back as the 17th century, when the diarist Samuel Pepys alluded to it in his journals. In America it's associated with the Ozark Mountain region and exists — like all folk songs — in many variations. It's also been recorded repeatedly, notably by Joan Baez.

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A while back, I saw a preview ...

• Oct 20, 2005 04:00 AM ET
• by Maitland McDonagh

Question: A while back, I saw a preview for a movie with Johnny Knoxville in which he's confessing to a priest and his confessions are so bad the priest kicks him out of the church. I haven't heard about it since, but would love to know the title.

Answer: I haven't seen the trailer to which you're referring, but Johnny Knoxville has two completed movies kicking around, one awaiting a belated release and the other playing theaters on a regional basis. The Ringer, a broad comedy directed by Barry Blaustein and executive produced by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, stars Knoxville as an all-around failure who comes up with read more