Mix Tape Friday: Let's Go to the Movies

I’ve spent this week obsessively listening to the I’m Not Here soundtrack. It takes a spectacular album to draw me away from a new R.E.M. disc (that live album is to die for, kiddies!) — something like this soundtrack. Between this disc and catching Help! over the weekend, my mind has been a darkened movie theater.

I love soundtracks. I’m one of those who stays until the very end of the credits to check the list of songs. If I rent a movie, I freeze those final credit frames so I can jot down the songs I liked. I enjoy a good cover tune, especially from an unexpected artist. I’ve discovered now-favorite bands (Clem Snide, for one) while watching films.

Song selection can make or break a scene. Would we love Lloyd Dobler — even remember the character’s name — if he hadn’t lifted that boom box and blared “In Your Eyes”? Zack Braff did well with Garden State — probably helped greatly by the hip soundtrack. Angelo Badalamenti and Julee Cruise set the feel for Twin Peaks. (None of these films are represented in today’s mix tape; figured you have them.)

One of my fantasy jobs, not surprisingly, is music editor for films. Can you imagine all the play R.E.M. would get? I developed this tape in three acts. Act One — the first twelve songs — sets the tone. Act Two is filled with the angst and conflict that drives the plot, while Act Three ramps it up again with rafter-blasters and more than a hint o' Bond.

Isaac Hayes: Theme from Shaft
Shaft, 1971

Curtis Mayfield: Superfly
Superfly, 1972

Snoop Dogg feat. Mr. Kane + Bootsy Collins: Undercova Funk
Undercover Brother, 2002

The Beatles: Help!
Help!, 1965

The Plimsouls: A Million Miles Away
Valley Girl, 1983

Cat Power: Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again
I’m Not There, 2007

Joe Jackson: Memphis
Mike’s Murder, 1983

Tim Curry: Sweet Transvestite
Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975

Cat Stevens: I Think I See the Light
Harold and Maude, 1971

R.E.M.: The Great Beyond
Man on the Moon, 1999

eels: Mr. E's Beautiful Blues
Road Trip, 2000

Grant Lee Buffalo: The Whole Shebang
Velvet Goldmine, 1998

David Bowie + The Pat Metheny Group: This Is Not America
The Falcon and the Snowman, 1985

Concrete Blonde: Everybody Knows
Pump up the Volume, 1990

Badly Drawn Boy: Something to Talk About
About a Boy, 2002

Jeff Tweedy: Simple Twist of Fate
I’m Not There, 2007

Beck: Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004

Kate Bush: This Woman's Work
She’s Having a Baby, 1988

Neil Young: Philadephia
Philadelphia, 1994

Gary Jules: Mad World
Donnie Darko, 2004

Elliott Smith: Miss Misery
Good Will Hunting, 1997

Seu Jorge: Rebel Rebel
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 2004

Stephen Trask: Wicked Little Town (Tommy Gnosis Version)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch, 2001

Angie Stone: Holding Back the Years
Love and Basketball, 1999

Rufus Wainwright: He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
Zoolander, 2001

Michael Stipe + Rain Phoenix
Happiness, 1998

Paul Westerberg: Dyslexic Heart
Singles, 1992

Urge Overkill: Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon
Pulp Fiction, 1994

Stephen Malkmus + The Million Dollar Bashers: Ballad of a Thin Man
I’m Not There, 2007

Geto Boys: Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta
Office Space, 1999

Paul McCartney & Wings: Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die, 1973

Prince: Let’s Go Crazy
Purple Rain, 1984

White Zombie: I’m Your Boogie Man
The Crow: City of Angels, 1996

Green Day: Espionage
The Spy Who Shagged Me, 1999

Shirley Bassey: Goldfinger
Goldfinger, 1965

Is there any original song better than "Goldfinger"? Forty-two years old, and it's still one freakin' cool song. I always have to sing along, throwing my arms out dramatically. Don't we all?

Speaking of the dramatic in film, I cannot listen to Neil Young's "Philadelphia" without sobbing. Its use in the closing collage is heartbreaking. I think it's one of the five loveliest songs Neil has ever recorded.

Several of today's tracks reduce always make me cry. When Beck's cover of "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes" played at the end of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (one of the Cup 25, by the way), I sobbed my last breakup tears over the Beloved Ex. Kate Bush's "Woman's Work" works beautifully in that scene with Kevin Bacon as he's pushed out of the delivery room, and I get choked up whenever I hear those opening notes.

eels' "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" is becoming this generation's "Someone Like You." I think its first soundtrack appearance was in "Road Trip," and it's since been heard in Along Came Polly, A Guy Thing and (my favorite) Jump Tomorrow. Great song. eels is becoming a regular on the soundtrack track — deservedly so. His unique tunes work well in films.

As I wrote last October, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is one of the best original soundtracks in years, maybe a decade or more. You don’t need to see the movie (although you should) to enjoy the album. It’s great rock, fab glam, kids.

When I was with our campus radio station in 1981, "Sweet Transvestite" was consistently one of the five most requested tunes. Pretty impressive that a song then six years old was still hot on college radio.

What interests me most as I look back over today's songs is how some of these are as fabulous as the movie — yet in several instances the soundtrack was WAY better than the movie (see: Concrete Blonde's Leonard Cohen cover) — and, in a couple of instances, I love the tracks but have never seen the flicks.

Okay, kids, you must do one thing for me before you're allowed to download a single tune: Crank up "Let's Go Crazy" and chair-dance your office a** off. And keep that boogie goin' for White Zombie; you gotta love Rob taking on KC.

Too busy to download each track? Grab the zip file.

BONUS TRACKS!

Here are two great not-quite-soundtracks by my boys.

While the movie Batman Returns was in production, producers asked rock bands to submit potential themes for the movie. R.E.M. recorded Winged Mammal Theme," but it was rejected (no counting for taste in Hollywood). My beloveds later released it with the “Drive” CD single. It’s a fun theme; love Michael’s distorted vocals.

R.E.M. plays great, unexpected covers. Mike Mills and Peter Buck performed "The Ballad of Cat Ballou" during a 1988 Rockline appearance.

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