It should come as no surprise that, with the exceptions of sex, alcohol, and stabbing Rob Schneider, I spend most of my time thinking about movies and music. Obsessively so, in fact, and one of the things that I’m constantly thinking about is how music is chosen for film soundtracks. I was once fascinated by soundtracks, though I think it’s becoming something of a lost art. The days of truly brilliant soundtracks (I’m talking songs, not scores) are fading, but that doesn’t stop me from constantly listening to music and thinking about whether or not I’d use that song in a movie, and if I did, what scene would I use it for?
I think we can all agree that the “Hotel California” scene in The Big Lebowski may well be the greatest soundtrack moment in the history of film. This is the model I’d choose to emulate. How to perfectly capture that cinematic moment with the right song. Personally, if I ever got hired to work on licensing and choosing songs for movie soundtracks, it might be my dream job. Better than this fucking salt mine, anyway.
So, with that said, here is today’s Seriously Random List. Because I had a billion ideas rattling around the ol’ brainspace, I’ll be breaking this into a couple of posts. Here is part one:
Choose Your Own Soundtrack, Part I: Romance And Drama Edition:
Lovelorn remembrance: “Somersault,” Zero 7
Looking for your love and finding the apartment empty: “Meet Me In The City,” The Black Keys
The fucking montage (comedy version): “Portions For Foxes,” Rilo Kiley
Walking Purposefully Through The Streets: “Manic Depression,” Jimi Hendrix
The happy lovers montage: “Wait For Me,” Jamie Lidell
The tearful proclamation of love (requited): “Sometime Around Midnight,” The Airborne Toxic Event
The tearful proclamation of love (unrequited): “Twilight Galaxy (acoustic version),” Metric
Sexy time: “Sumthin’, Sumthin,” Maxwell
The break-up, sad: “Dry Your Eyes,” The Streets
Finally leaving: “Get Gone,” Fiona Apple
The break-up, relieved: “Since U Been Gone,” A Day To Remember
The death of the lover: “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over,” Jeff Buckley (R.I.P.)
The death of the lover, aftermath montage: “Gone,” Built To Spill
Running to the new life: “The Story,” Brandi Carlile
Check back next week for Choose Your Own Soundtrack, Part II: Action and Adventure Edition.