Singled Out: Marlon Hoffman Band's When the Pope Comes to Town

Keavin Wiggins | 12-09-2021

promo photo courtesy Deutsch PR

Marlon Hoffman Band recently released their live album, "La Paix: Live at the Village, Vol. 2" and to celebrate Marlon tells us about the song "When the Pope Comes to Town". Here is the story:

I was working at South Miami Hospital. I was the admission counselor for the addiction treatment center wing. Everyone came in there. Family members of the cartel, doctors, lawyers, and Native American Tribal Leaders. At night I performed at clubs and events. These were Miami Vice days.

It was announced that the Pope was coming to town. Carmel who worked there also was getting everyone tickets to see the Pope. She didn't get me one. She assumed because i was Jewish that I didn't want one. She was wrong. I love the Pope. My mom had once converted to Catholicism and my first girlfriend was Catholic. And I love the Pope. I was hurt. Left out and forlorn. I lived in a studio apartment behind a house in Coral Gables and I did what I always do when I feel bad.

I wrote a song, When the Pope Comes to Town. On television was a ridiculous newsflash of the route the "Popemobile" would take to a hospital if there was an assassination attempt. I thought that was foolish to post. Especially because those were the days weapons were being used all the time by everyone in traffic.

It was the Wild- Wild West. I didn't have a ticket to see the Pope. And I was worried about his safety, so I wrote this song. It's got a Bo Diddley beat and I tell the story I just told you. Hope you like it. I think any pope would.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about the album here