Perhaps Orson Welles’ most unusual foray into popular music was his appearance on two recordings by the heavy metal band Manowar.
Welles provided the narration on a six-minute track, Dark Avenger, which appeared on the New York band’s 1982 debut album Battle Hymns. A second song, Defender, was released two year after Welles’ death on the album Fighting the World in 1987.
Songwriter-producer Ross ‘The Boss” Friedman recalled the recording session in a recent Vintage Vinyl News podcast.
“I had written Dark Avenger. It was an epic song,” Friedman recalled. “We needed a narration. We needed a voice – but we needed a REAL voice. Who could we have?”
James Earl Jones and Vincent Price were among the actors mentioned before someone suggested Welles.
“That’s the guy! We got to get him!”
Executive producer Bob Currie reached out to Welles’ management, who was receptive.
“We sent him the text. He loved it and the next thing you know we are at Media Sounds on 57th Street recording Dark Avenger and Defender…. We did two at once,” Friedman said. “It was amazing.”
He was met at the gate of Hades
By the Guardian of the Lost Souls,
The Keeper of the Unavenged
And He did say to him:
“Let you not pass
Abandon
Return to the world
From whence you came…”
Welles made quite an impact – and not only on Friedman.
“Let me tell you something, this man was a big man, Orson Welles, a huge guy in latter days,” Friedman recalled. “When he got out of the limousine … on 57th Street in Manhattan by the Carnegie – y’know, that neighborhood has some hot shit over there. When he stepped out into that neighborhood, women in mink coats were throwing themselves on him. It was just like ‘Oh, Orson, oh.’ It was like Frank Sinatra in the 40s. Seriously, I saw it with my own eyes. People were in awe of this man because he was so incredible.”
“He was a legendary guy, legendary maverick.”
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