Top Five Movie Soundtracks

1. 

   Karl G. Siewert on October 21, 2018 5:54 am

   This episode hit home for me, because I love a good soundtrack album almost as much as I love a good album of cover songs. This is episode #212 of the podcast, and it’s unique, though there’s a bit of overlap with Episode 10: Musicals from way back in 2011!

   Here’s my list:
   5) The Big Chill – This was one of my parents’ favorite movies to rent when I was growing up, so I saw it several times, but I also owned the soundtrack on cassette. From one point of view, it’s pretty lazy, because the album (at least in the original release) is just a bunch of Motown hits. If you’ve not seen the movie, it features a group of people who were friends in college in the ’60s coming together for the funeral of one of them (an uncredited Kevin Costner who ended up on the cutting room floor and is therefore only seen in shots of his corpse being dressed at the beginning of the film). This album introduced me to some of my favorite songs of all time, including “Tracks of my Tears” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-big-chill-original-soundtrack-mw0000189147

   4) Good Morning Vietnam – In a lot of ways, this is similar to my #5, because it’s a lot of popular period tunes, but interspersed with those are some of Robin Williams’ crazy ad lib work as Armed Forces Radio DJ Adrian Cronauer. It’s kind of like two albums in one. https://www.allmusic.com/album/good-morning-vietnam-original-soundtrack-mw0001985790

   3) Heavy Metal – I was shocked that Matthew didn’t list this one, as he and I spent many hours cruising around Western Kansas listening to it on cassette, and the Riggs tune “Radar Rider” was his college DJ intro tune. https://www.allmusic.com/album/heavy-metal-mw0000691227

   2) American Werewolf In Paris – This choice was nearly my #1, but dropped down a peg because there are a couple of clunkers that ruin the flow a bit, but it’s one of my favorite albums of all time based on the Bush and Cake tracks alone. https://www.allmusic.com/album/an-american-werewolf-in-paris-mw0000595702

   1) Garden State – I honestly have no idea how I got hold of this album, but I know I listened to it long before I ever saw the movie, and it’s full of amazing tracks. It fits in with Rodrigo’s #1 entry in the genre of “Let’s rope in a bunch of current hitmakers and some other randos and have them make us songs.” And it succeeds beautifully. Also notable for having one of the first solo outings of Men At Work frontman Colin Hay. https://www.allmusic.com/album/garden-state-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000209721

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2. 

   Dan on October 22, 2018 9:05 am

   Rodrigo brought some damn memories back for me. despite the fact that he didn’t officially list the Matrix soundtrack, that was definitly a touchstone for folks who came of age in the late 90’s.

   off the top of my head, here’s my quick top 5:

   5) Raiders of the Lost Ark. the best John Williams score, and possibly the best hero theme of all time (comic or otherwise)

   4) Amelie. it’s maybe one of the most beautiful and utilitarian albums i’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to, and works as background music for almost every situation (except maybe working out, even though i’m sure it would work really well while you’re out for a leisurely jog/walk).

   3) it’s an unprecedented three-way tie between The first Matrix, The Crow and Spawn. again, it’s one of those “time and place” things where the nu-metal/industrial/EDM thing really congealed into that “this could only have come from 1998 and i’m suddenly back in high school wearing a trenchcoat and doc martens” sound. (an honorable mention to the Mallrats and Angus soundtracks for a slightly less goth-y alterna-teen experience)

   2) O Brother, Where Art Thou? one of my favorite movies, and it’s just a great comfort listen. the original soundtrack, and the follow-up companion album, introduced me to a lot of great alt-country, americana and bluegrass artists.

   1) Grosse Point Blank. possibly the movie that’s aged the best between my mildly enjoying it on VHS in high school, and rewatching it as an adult, about the same age that John Cusack would’ve been in that movie, and re-examining those weird, ambivalent feelings from high school. the soundtrack has also sort of served as a weird parallel to my musical tastes, listening to a lot of punk and (crappy 3rd wave) ska (your Rancid, your Less Than Jake, your Blink 182, etc) as a middle/high schooler, and coming back around to The Clash, The Specials, The Selecter, The English Beat, and all those first-wave british bands as an adult.

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   • 

     Karl G Siewert on October 22, 2018 11:30 pm

     Can’t believe I missed O Brother. Incredible album.

     Reply

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