“No bank managers were harmed in the making of this song.” The Santos Connection release ‘Bonnie & Clyde’
OUT today from The Santos Connection – the solo project from ex-Brasil frontman and multi-instrumentalist Kenny Harkis – ‘Bonnie and Clyde,’ a tale of underdogs, of hopes, dreams and aspirations, a single sent soaring to the highest of highs by the addition of a string quartet from heaven, a sound reminiscent of the very best of The Wrecking Crew, ‘Wichita Lineman’ era.
“In a nutshell it’s a song about people that are not content to be happy with their lot and decide to take control of their own fate,” explains Harkis, “And the Bonnie and Clyde story is a good example of that, if a tad extreme, and rather violent.
“In the song, my take on their tale is a rose tinted one. They have the determination not to remain in their crap situation with crippling poverty, boredom, with no opportunity available to ever get out of it. They certainly weren’t going to accept it without a fight.
“And there’s a line that kind of sets everything up, “I hate that things are ordinary, nothing special, unremarkable – and we plan to change it all today.”
“In real life what they did was awful, they did whatever they could to get the cash, regardless of what got in the way, and I’ve always been slightly fascinated by folks of that type, but not necessarily in admiration.
“There is a more positive ending in the song than in the real-life version of events, which is fine, and it gives it an inspirational twist I suppose, and the end of the song lays out their plan of action for their future, which when you hear it isn’t really anything that extreme. In fact, it’s actually ‘nothing special, unremarkable.’ They basically just want a simple, happy life. Something that was impossible for the real life for my pals, Bonnie and Clyde.
“Anyway, they do their final bank job, “while the boss was asleep,” they walk away from it all and no bank managers were harmed in the making of this song.”
Harkis returns to the studio early in the New Year to record the follow up single and looks set for a busy 2024.
“I’m also hoping to put out something collaboratively with songwriter/producer Andy Zuk,” he added. We have already started working on that, very early days but I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes of it. I’m hoping it’s going to be something really weird, a far cry from what I would normally put out, and there’s also something really ace lined up for next year too, but at the moment I can’t say more than that!”
THE SANTOS CONNECTION online: The Santos Connection (recordunion.com)