In this week’s episode of BackStory, songstress Charlene Kaye tells us the story behind her song “Mad Tom of Bedlam.”

Mad Tom of Bedlam is the name of an anonymous English poem that was written in the 1600s about people who feigned mental illness as a guise to beg for money, such as Shakespeare’s King Lear. The word “bedlam” is derived from the mental hospital called Bethlem Royal Hospital in Britain, which was also called Bedlam. The story addresses the character “Mad Maudlin” (mentioned in the first verse) who searches for her beloved Tom, who has gone mad (or, is pretending to be mad) since visiting Bedlam.

I first heard Jolie Holland’s version about five years ago, which is simply her wistful, windy vocal over brushes on a snare. It’s a gorgeous cut – she’s singing her ass off and her voice is peaking on the recording and the whole thing sounds like it was done live in one take. As for the lyrics, at the time I didn’t know what any of it meant, but I loved the sounds of the words and the playful, nonsensical nature of it all. I started messing around with it on my guitar one day and put some simple bluesy chords to it, and after I worked it out with the band, it became a staple in our live show – people loved it! I tried to make it as spare as possible in the beginning and then gradually build and build until the song reaches a state of total chaos and intensity at the end – madness, if you will.

The video was an incredible experience to make as well. I probably did the least work out of anyone on set (“Can I help lift anything?” “No, don’t ruin your hair!!”) and I’m in total awe of our director, Saela Davis, and our producer, Lela Scott MacNeil, for taking the reins and making the whole project run so smoothly. We had a crew of over 30 people hustling and bustling their asses off for 3 straight days – everyone showed up on time, they had incredible work ethic, and above all they were just really fun and friendly people to be around. We went with a “modern 1920s” aesthetic for the video and tried to make it seem like it was a “traveling party,” with the band starting out in a dimly lit bar and then magically transporting to different locations around our beloved hometown of New York, with more and more people joining and dancing to the band until it becomes this crazy party scene at the Brooklyn Bridge. Sparklers are involved. And suspenders. Too many suspenders are never enough.

Mad Tom of Bedlam

To see Mad Tom of Bedlam,

Ten thousand miles I’ve traveled

Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes

To save her shoes from gravel

 

It’s well that we sing bonney boys

Bonney mad boys

Bedlam boys are bonney

For they all go bare, and they live in the air

And they want no drink nor money

 

I went down to Satan’s Kitchen

For to break my fast one morning

And there I got souls piping hot

All on the spits a-turning

 

It’s well that we sing bonney boys

Bonney mad boys

Bedlam boys are bonney

For they all go bare, and they live in the air

And they want no drink nor money

 

These spirits white as lightning

Did on that journey guide me

The sun did shake and the pale moon quake

Whenever they did spy me

 

It’s well that we sing bonney boys

Bonney mad boys

Bedlam boys are bonney

For they all go bare, and they live in the air

And they want no drink nor money

 

(guitar solo)

 

Tonight I’ll go a-murdering

The man in the moon to a powder

His staff I’ll break and his dog I’ll shake

And I’ll howl a wee bit louder

 

It’s well that we sing bonney boys

Bonney mad boys

Bedlam boys are bonney

For they all go bare, and they live in the air

And they want no!

 

To see Mad Tom of Bedlam,

Ten thousand miles I’ve traveled

Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes

To save her shoes from gravel

 

It’s well that we sing bonney boys

Bonney mad boys

Bedlam boys are bonney

For they all go bare, and they live in the air

And they want no drink nor money

 

Special Bonus! A “making of” video documenting the Mad Tom of Bedlam recording session!