Jay Rohr
Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted features a fellow anybody throwing a party hopes will arrive. It’s that individual with sensational stories able to switch from anecdotes to delivering notes better than any stereo. Several rough edges lend raw authenticity to this documentary, although there’s a loss of details in the delivery that’s hard to forgive. What transpires is almost more of a tease, a glimpse at a musical legend living in obscurity even as he burns bright with passion.
The documentary focuses on Jeremy “Swamp Dogg” Williams. In a career going back to the 1950s, he’s been at the heart of numerous musical successes. However, he remains more of a cult figure than a well-known icon. It’s amazing to consider since he’s written, arranged, and produced around two thousand songs. That’s five hundred albums with various renown artists and twenty-six records on his own. The documentary, though, isn’t so much about that part of his life. It aims to see where he is now, establishing a modest artist’s haven in the San Fernado Valley.
Maybe that’s being generous. It’s literally just his house. However, the amount of talent shown passing through is astounding.
Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted embraces a bit of artifice right from the get-go. Most of the interviewing centers around this idea of certain celebrities stopping by in a neighborly fashion. The audience is supposed to run with the premise that Johnny Knoxville happened to pop by. The Jackass star then sits around the empty pool chit-chatting with Swamp Dogg about his various musical adventures, while the swimming hole gets painted.
Occasionally, the documentary drifts to housemates Larry “Moogstar” Clemons and David “Guitar Shorty” Kearney. It’s an interesting juxtaposition. Moogstar is an effervescent, seemingly bottomless well of energy, willing to share every detail of his life. Guitar Shorty is the opposite, yet no less interesting given his obvious immense talent, lengthy career, and tendency to be sparse with details. One’s a mystery while the other is an open book that reads itself aloud. What all three have in common is an incredible amount of musical talent.
There’s a certain roughness to the documentary despite its more artificial segments. The film is almost intentionally unpolished. Swamp Dogg can sometimes seem disinterested in relating his own stories. Or perhaps he simply doesn’t want to play along. Oddly enough, it gives the impression of someone who achieved a certain degree of fame, lost it, but has no regrets. In that respect, Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted is about finding contentment within rather than through the trappings of celebrity.
His career is fascinating. Swamp Dogg and his housemates belong to a small bracket of master road warriors. They’ve never made enough money to stop working, yet a pure love of music keeps them busy, thanks in no small part to a sterling reputation. As such, they are sought after by those with the esoteric awareness of their talents.
Still, large chunks of the story feel missing. Certain sections come across like broad strokes rather than getting to know Swamp Dogg and company. We’re given an intriguing impression but not much else. Many of their anecdotes raise questions the documentary never explores, and though one could argue these omissions are for tactful reasons, preserving privacy, they leave the portraits frustratingly incomplete.
Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted then tries to keep the momentum going by speeding on to the next captivating anecdote. What’s refreshing is the sense that Swamp Dogg isn’t exactly a persona. He isn’t playing a part. He is who he is. Unfortunately, the documentary implies this more than explores his arrival at this authenticity. The same could be said for Moogstar.
Throughout the film several animated graphics alongside a plethora of fabulous photos bring the past to life. As recollections enter the modern era, snippets of home videos alongside social media moments keep scenes energetic. All the while a satisfying assortment of toe tapping tunes repeatedly proves why Swamp Dogg is a certified master.
His career has included work in R&B, soul, country, and all the psychedelic conceptions of the 60s — drugs, sex, and politics. Although he’s never directly had a hit, his influence is critical in other classics. What’s interesting is listening to him relate triumphs as casually as missteps. There’s no attempt to sugarcoat anything. Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted delivers the raw facts as Jeremy Williams remembers them.
Perhaps, in that respect, it is a little one-sided. However, the point of the documentary seems to be exploring someone at peace with their situation. Swamp Dogg doesn’t ever come across as a fellow wishing for a return to the glory days or regretting that albums didn’t top the charts. He’s an inspiring example of someone who made a living doing what they love and that has been more worthwhile than any kind of rockstar peak.
Of course, don’t be fooled. There are plenty of wild and wonderful road tales to be shared. Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted knows what the audience wants in that respect. While those are entertaining, it’s the human moments talking about his family and friends which are the most moving.
Anyone interested in music should take a minute to watch Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted. It’s a look at the business from the perspective of someone who’s done it all and found the real joy is simply making songs. Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted is all about an artist who succeeded in the rarest way possible: he spent his life making art on his terms alone.
In other words, living a life with zero f*cks given. The peace of mind that’s afforded him is priceless, although it was by no means a casual walk to contentment. Come for the musical anecdotes — wild road stories, combatting record companies, and the hollowness of fame — stay for the importance of soul mates, and finally, stick around to see why Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted.
