My Favorite Soundtracks

I already wrote about my favorite scores in "My Top Ten Film Composers" post (9/16/08), so this post doesn't include any of my favorite soundtracks with largely instrumental music, written specifically for a movie. No, this post is just about one of my favorite places to discover new music: soundtracks with a grab-bag assortment of pop/rock songs that may or may not be by the original artist. I think the first cassette I ever bought with my own money was the 1986 collection of covers pictured to the right. It was like $5 at K-Mart. As far as I knew, The Beat Street Band was responsible for all the songs and they were a very successful group. Here's a track listing with the actual artists:

1. "Danger Zone" - Kenny Loggin
2. "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin
3. "Crazy for You" - Madonna
4. "Glory of Love" - Peter Cetera
5. "Modern Woman" - Billy Joel
6. "Love Touch" - Rod Stewart
7. "Who's Johnny" - DeBarge
8."When The Going Gets Tough" - Billy Joel

I know what you're thinking, that this has gotta be the best '80s pop compilation never officially released. I couldn't agree with you more. But unfortunately, licensing issues prevent coverless soundtracks, even when original versions are played in the movie. Such is probably the case for the above eight songs, and why they'll never appear on a single release in original form. Anyway, the alternative to settling for covers of popular hits is featuring lesser-known/up-and-coming artists, a practice for which I'm truly grateful. That's what 27 Dresses did a little bit, although no soundtrack of these songs was ever released, just a CD with the original score music (not all are available on iTunes but I may I recommend the titles in bold):

1. "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" - Michael Jackson
2. "Call Me Irresponsible" - Michael Buble
3. "Cow" - Gene Loves Jezebel
4. "Valerie" - Amy Winehouse
5. "Cherry Coloured Funk" - Cocteau Twins
6. "Who Knows" - Natasha Bedingfield
7. "Unfair" - Josh Kelley
8. "Hips Don't Lie" - Wyclef Jean feat. Shakira
9. "Lady West" - Jimmy Scott & The Twon
10. "Sky is Crying" - Albert King
11. "Freckle Song" - Chuck Prophet
12. "Anna" - Bad Company
13. "Under the Influence" - James Morrison
14. "Happy Together" - The Turtles
15. "Be Here Now" - Ray LaMontagne
16. "So Here We Are" - Bloc Party
17. "Big Bounce" - 5 Alarm Music
18. "Love Has Fallen on Me" - Chaka Khan
19. "Like a Star" - Bailey Rae

Finally, here are my favorite available soundtracks:

1. Marie Antoinette (2006) for putting The Strokes, New Order, The Cure, and Aphex Twin together with opera, but also for reintroducing me to Siouxsie & The Banshees, Bow Wow Wow, and Squarepusher

2. Jerry Maguire (1996) for helping me overcome my disdain for the '70s with my now-favorite Bob Dylan song, two Who songs, and one Neil Young, but also for reintroducing me to Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul McCartney

3. City of Angels (1998) includes one of my favorite non-album U2 songs, Paula Cole doing one of the sexiest songs ever, blues by Jimi Hendrix and John Lee Hooker, and beautiful score music by Gabriel Yared

4. Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) my favorite John Hughes movie soundtrack (not including Ferris Bueller's Day Off; see my post here); I didn't put all its tracks on my iPod but I could relisten to any of them now

5. Dirty Dancing (1987) I want to say I could relisten to all of the songs right now, but truth be told, it's not 100% gold; it is however the best oldies compilation ever played on the big screen

6. Singles (1992) with Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Smashing Pumpkins, it's almost the soundtrack for the '90s too; I could do without The Lovemongers, Soundgarden, and Screaming Trees, but they're not intolerable

7. She's Having a Baby (1988) my next favorite John Hughes movie soundtrack for the Carmel song alone; it does feature Dave Wakeling from The (English) Beat/General Public, Love and Rockets, Gene Loves Jezebel (classic goth), Everything but the Girl, and Kate Bush, but I'm not crazy about XTC, Bryan Ferry, or Dr. Calculus

8. Career Opportunities (1991) I've never heard of any of the artists and they each represent totally different music styles but they're all memorable

9. Cocktail (1988) Starship, Bobby McFerrin, The Beach Boys, John Cougar Mellencamp, and Little Richard; awesome

10. Pretty in Pink (1986) I feel kinda obligated to include this, not because I don't like OMD, INXS, New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen, and The Smiths; they are some of my favorites, it's just that I never played this soundtrack like I did the albums from each of those groups

Honorable Mentions: 24 Hour Party People (2002), Bulletproof (1996), The Chase (1994), Clueless (1995), Countryman (1982; Jamaica's biggest movie and reggae's best-selling soundtrack), Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002), Dream a Little Dream (1989), Empire Records (1995), Sliver (1993), Wicker Park (2004)

OUT ON DVD TODAY: SWING VOTE