Samson in popular culture

Film

The most detailed film version of the Biblical Samson was the 1949 Cecil B. deMille film "Samson and Delilah (1949 film)", starring Victor Mature as Samson. Two made for TV films, one in 1984 and later in 1996, retold the story of "Samson and Delilah".

The Samson character was later featured in a series of 5 sword-and-sandal adventure films made in Italy in the 1960s, as follows:

* Samson (1961 Italian film) portrayed by Brad Harris

*"Samson vs. The Pirates" (1963) a/k/a "Samson and the Sea Beast"

*"Samson Challenges Hercules" (1963) a/k/a "Hercules, Samson and Ulysses"

*"Samson vs. the Black Pirate" (1963) a/k/a "Hercules and the Black Pirate"

*"Samson and the Mighty Challenge" (1965) a semi comedy/satire co-starring Hercules, Ursus & Maciste

Music

The Grateful Dead played the song "Samson & Delilah" from the mid-1970s and throughout their career. The song is a traditional song, cataloged by Alan Lomax in his encyclopedic "Folk Songs of North America" which Bob Weir learned from Reverend Gary Davis [cite web
title=Grateful Dead Lyric & Song Finder
publisher=Lyrics for the traditional song "Samson & Delilah"
url=http://www3.clearlight.com/~acsa/songfile/SAMSON.HTM#note1] . Dave Van Ronk also sings the song on his "Folksinger" album. The lyrics cover some parts of the history around Samson, notably his fight with the lion. Shirley Manson of Garbage (band) fame recently recorded a cover of "Samson & Delilah" for the TV show "" Season Two premier episode which is also called "Samson & Delilah".

The album Birds of Prey by Godley and Creme features a song "Samson" with references to Delilah.

In the song My Defenses Are Down from the musical Annie Get Your Gun says, "Like Samson, Without his hair".

The Pixies' song "Gouge Away" is based on Samson's story.

Leonard Cohen wrote the song "Hallelujah" which makes references to Samson and Delilah.

The Cranberries have a song called "Delilah" written from the perspective of a woman fighting off a conniving temptress.

Mandy Moore and Jonathon Foreman (from Switchfoot) have a song called "Someday We'll Know" for the movie A Walk To Remember with references to Samson and Delilah in the chorus.

Bishop Allen released a song called "Empire City" that references Samson with the lines: "Samson suffered the same fame fate, powerless and losing his hair."

New Radicals made a song called "Someday we'll know" which referenced Samson and Delilah.

Eric "Monty" Morris, vocalist of The Skatalites, made a song called "Strongman Samson" with clear references to the biblical story. Samson is hereby portrayed as "the strongest of men" hero, although all his strength is taken from a woman. Saying that "it's so clear to understand", Morris suggests that women always had such a power over men.

Regina Spektor has a song called "Samson" based on Samson and Delilah. The song tells of Delilah's love for Samson and how their love for each other was never mentioned in the Bible and in history books.

Drone/Experimental band Earth (band) released an album in 2008 entitled The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull, a reference to Samson's riddle. Although instrumental, the album explores the theme of beauty arising from rot and decay.

Indie-rock band mewithoutYou references the story of Samson twice in the song "In a Market Dimly Lit" from the album Brother, Sister. In the first chorus, the lyrics read, "I'm a donkey's jaw," referencing the weapon used by Samson to slay a thousand Philistines. In the second chorus, singer Aaron Weiss proclaims, "If I was Samson, I'd have found that harlot's blade and cut my own hair short."

Enter Samson a parody by Apologetix is about Samson. The song is a parody of Enter Sandman by Metallica

Deathwish Of Samson is a new metalcore band hailing from the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada.

Michael Hurd's pop cantata "Swingin' Samson" (1973) is a toned-down children's musical version of the story.

Theatrical Stage

Candlewick Productions wrote a script based on the events of Samson & Delilah and performed it in La Riviere, Manitoba, Canada in 2007 at the Oak Valley outdoor theatre.

Television

The television series The Simpsons make reference to Samson and Delilah in episode #7F02, "Simpson and Delilah". Homer gets a high powered executive job at the power plant after growing a luscious head of hair. Sadly, when Homer loses his hair, the job and prestige go with it.

ee also

*Samson
*Cultural references to Samson

References