Sing slow, sweet chariot: Buddy Wasisname's Wayne Chaulk rerecords song for woman planning her own funeral
Eleanor Parrott of Petley wanted slower version of song Carry Me to play — and she got it
A Random Island woman had the ultimate song request filled when Wayne Chaulk of Buddy Wasisname and the Other Fellers personally rerecorded a song to be played at her funeral.
We did it exactly the way Eleanor wanted it.- Wayne Chaulk
Eleanor Parrott, 80, contacted the band's manager in March to see if it was possible to rerecord one of her favourite songs, Carry Me. The manager then called Wayne Chaulk, who wrote the tune.
"She was making all the arrangements for her funeral because she didn't want pressure and stress on her family," Chaulk told the St. John's Morning Show.
"She said she had everything done except one thing. She wanted the music that would be played when she was leaving the church."
Chaulk said it turns out Parrott loved the original version of Carry Me, but had one problem with a tempo change halfway through, where the song gets faster.
At first the band's manager wasn't sure it was possible, but Chaulk knew he had to do it.
"I just immediately envisioned this lovely elderly lady who knew who she is and what she wanted and she was so kind and compassionate," he said.
I said, 'Wow, this is just one of those things that you have to do.'"
Solo recording
The rest of the band was unable to get together so Chaulk rerecorded the song in a slower tempo in his son's home recording studio.
Finally Chaulk and his wife drove to Parrott's home in the town of Petley on Saturday and personally delivered a CD to her with the new version of the song.
"There she was in this little cove with all her family. She's got nine children, 25 grandchildren and she's a very happy, loving well-balanced 80-year-old lady who's turning 81 in July," Chaulk said.
For Eleanor only
Chaulk said Parrott, who is a big fan of the band, immediately recognized him and thanked him for recording the song. In fact, she even offered to pay him for it, which he declined. However, she did insist on giving him a present, and a little golden horse and carriage figurine now sits on his shelf at home as a reminder of her gratitude.
Chaulk said the band has no plan to release the new recording, as it is only for Eleanor and those who go to the funeral — whenever that may be.
"We did it exactly the way Eleanor wanted it," he said. "That song is for Eleanor only."
With files from the St. John's Morning Show