No mom I’m not with child! I just liked the play on words…


Now that that is out of the way, I proudly introduce tonight’s topic, without further ado:


Must Listen Movie Soundtracks and Song Choices!


This doesn’t include musicals or Disney music in movies, as I covered those already this month here and here. I also am not using scores because although they can be incredible, they aren’t as much fun. 


First up:


Best overall soundtracks:


1. Garden State: The characters scream atop the incredible abyss to “Only Living Boy in New York” by Simon and Garfunkel. Natalie Portman meet-cutes Zach Braff while listening to “New Slang” by the Shins. And the end scene with “In the waiting line” by Zero 7 used to make me tear up, in my cheeseball days.


2. Empire Records: Renee Zellweger chasing her dreams screeching, “Sugarhigh” atop the rooftop with Coyote Shivers. Mark trips out to Gwar. Life is beautiful as they set up the store to “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. Something maudlin plays while Deb has her fake funeral. Mark tries to woo a ballerina to Dire Straits’ “Romeo and Juliet, ” and Rex Manning performs his gyrating mayonnaise of a single. My personal favorite, though, is the Flying Lizards’ “Money.”

“Lucas wants money…. lots and lots of money… JOE’S money…”

You know you love it.


3. The Royal Tenenbaums: From the opening sequence to an instrumental, “Hey Jude,” to the Margot Tenenbaum montage showcasing her many indiscretions set to “Judy is a punk” by the Ramones, this soundtracks bests all of the other Wes Anderson films (yes, even the Life Aquatic with its Seu Jorge David Bowie covers, which are admittedly awesome). “Police and Thieves” by the Clash adds a soundtrack to Eli driving down the road in his cowboy hat. “Needle in the Hay”by Elliot Smith plays in one of the movie’s darker moments, but the mood is lifted by “Me and Julie down by the Schoolyard” by S and G as Gene Hackman rides a garbage truck with his grandsons, Ari and Uzi. My favorite song in the whole movie, though, might be “Wigwam” by Bobbie D, as it is one of the odder songs of his I’ve ever heard, instrumental, and I’d never heard it before this movie.


And now for some “stand alone movie scene songs.”


1. “Moon River,” Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s This one just wins for me. Maybe I’m the most cliched ordinary person for loving this, but I don’t care.


2. “Let’s go Crazy,” Prince, Purple Rain Awesome. I can’t see this scene without wanting to get up and dance.


3. “My Sharona,”- The Knack, Reality Bites Cheesy, but it’s a dance song isn’t it 🙂

“oooh my little pretty one, my pretty one…”

4. “Talk Show Host” Radiohead, Romeo and Juliet Oh the crush I had on Leo DiCaprio. This song is really well played though, in a very pretty boy self pitying Romeo scene. I own this soundtrack, and it’s maybe just a hair shy of being on the “Best Soundtrack” list up top.


5. “Oh La La”- The Faces, Rushmore I like that this has sort of a happy ending here, despite the fax that Max doesn’t get the girl. Plus, Bill Murray.


6. “Don’t Let me be Misunderstood”- Santa Esmerelda, Kill Bill vol. 2 (I think?) Although I can’t remember which installment this song is in, I do know that I liked it so much that I immediately downloaded it after I saw the movie, and it was on heavy rotation for a good year or so. Just another weird Tarantino song choice, I guess.


7. “What condition my condition was in”- Mickey Newbury, The Big Lebowski This scene makes me laugh out loud every single time. From the pyramid of bowling balls to Julianne Moore’s Legs being the bowling lane, it’s so cheesetastic, I want to make musical cheese curds out of it.

“that’s just, like… your opinion, man…”

8. “Perfect Day,” Velvet Underground, Trainspotting Restraint and creativity must have been used here to choose “perfect day” over “heroin,” but this movie got me to like “perfect day,” which I previously couldn’t stand, so its nominated.




So there you go, my friends. These are my humble nominees. What are your favorite movie soundtracks? Did you ever hear a song in a movie and immediately go try to figure out what it was?


Meri