Zachariah (1971) is a film starring John Rubinstein as Zachariah and Don Johnson as his best friend Matthew. The film is loosely based on Herman Hesse's novel Siddhartha, surrealistically adapted as a musical Western by Joe Massot and the members of the comedy troupe The Firesign Theatre. The band Country Joe and the Fish perform as an inept gang of robbers (more adept as musicians) called "the Crackers," who are always "looking for people who like to draw." In the same vein, Zachariah boasts: "I can think, I can wait, and I'm fast on the draw." This is a parody of Siddhartha's famous line: "I can think, I can wait, I can fast." This film is defined as being part of the Acid Western genre. More precisely, in its own publicity releases, it was called, "The first electric western." This was, in no small part, due to the fact that this film featured several appearances and music supplied by successful rock bands from the era, including the James Gang and Country Joe and the Fish. Fiddler Doug Kershaw has a musical cameo that advances the plot of the film. The movie also features former John Coltrane sideman Elvin Jones as a gunslinging drummer named "Job Cain." Cream's drummer Ginger Baker was originally going to play the part of Zachariah. The Minneapolis group White Lightnin' (an off-shoot of the band The Litter) performs their rock and roll version of the William Tell Overture on the soundtrack. The New York Rock and Roll Ensemble perform Grave Digger on the soundtrack. The soundtrack features songs by the James Gang, Joe Walsh, and Country Joe and the Fish which are not available elsewhere. 01 - Jimmy Haskell - Zachariah Main Title 02 - The James Gang - Laguna Salada 03 - Counrty Joe & The Fish - We're The Crackers 04 - Jimmy Haskell - William Tell Overture 05 - Country Joe & The Fish - All I Need 06 - Doug Kershaw - The Ballad Of John Cain 07 - The James Gang - Country Fever 08 - Jimmy Haskell - The Lonely Ride 09 - Jimmy Haskell - Camino-Used Horse Salesman 10 - Jimmy Haskell - Camino Waltz 11 - New York Rock & Roll Ensemble - Grave Digger 12 - White Lightnin' - Shy Ann 13 - Jimmy Haskell - Mathew 14 - Jimmy Haskell - Zachariah End Title LINK
