zwolanerd

I have been introduced to a lot of great music via movie soundtracks. Sometimes it’ll be one song that gets me to buy the whole soundtrack, but since I’m a person who will buy an album for one song (I’m always assuming there will be other songs I like on the album), that’s not a big deal to me. Sometimes that one song will lead me to buy other albums by that artist, and I’m pretty sure that’s what the artist is hoping for.

For this list I’ve left off musicals, so Little Shop of Horrors and The Muppet Movie don’t make the cut, sorry. Furthermore, I’m presenting the list in alphabetical order as opposed to ranking order. I can’t compare them well enough in my brain because some are overall pleasant, some are one-song greats, and some are great as a separate songs. I’m sure this seems like a cop-out, but I tried and tried and couldn’t manage it.

Garden State – If I had to choose a favorite overall, this would probably be the one. However, it works best as a whole album for me. I don’t generally listen to the individual songs on their own.
Highlight: “Let Go” by Frou Frou

Grosse Pointe Blank – Another “whole album” one for me, though there are a couple of songs I like on their own (and one I skip every single time because “Blister in the Sun” did not need a 2000 update).
Highlights:  “Let My Love Open The Door (E. Cola Mix)” by Pete Townshend; “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash;

High Fidelity – There’s two songs off this one that I absolutely love.
Highlights: “Most of the Time” by Bob Dylan; “Dry the Rain” by The Beta Band

Juno – There are a few zuneworthy songs off this one, but the last 1:05 of The Velvet Underground’s “I’m Sticking with You” is one of my favorite musical minutes of all time.
Highlights: “All I Want Is You” by Barry Louis Polisar; “Sea of Love” by Cat Power; and the aforementioned minute by The Velvet Underground

The Last Kiss – This one wins the award for “best music for a movie I didn’t like.” It’s another Zach Braff-curated soundtrack, which makes me think I should tell you two things: 1) The Scrubs soundtrack only doesn’t show up on this list because I decided it had to be a movie list, and 2) I didn’t like the soundtrack for Wish I Was Here the way I wanted to :/
Highlight – “Paperweight” by Schuyler Fisk and Joshua Radin

Music and Lyrics – Listen, I know it’s ridiculous, but I have a soft spot in my heart for this movie, and therefore for its soundtrack. Besides, “Love Autopsy” and “Entering Bootytown” are hilarious.
Highlights: “PoP! Goes My Heart” by PoP! (Hugh Grant); “Don’t Write Me Off” by Hugh Grant; “Way back Into Love” by Hugh Grant and Haley Bennett

O Brother, Where Art Thou – I like to think that Mumford and Sons (and its ilk) have this movie to thank for their popularity. This one’s kind of a “whole album” for me, as it’s weird to listen to them out of context, I think.
Highlights: “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” by The Soggy Bottom Boys

Once – There are other good songs on this album, but “Falling Slowly” puts it on the list all on its own.
Highlight – I could copy/paste it, but I’d rather you just go read the previous line again.

Pulp Fiction – Come for the “Misirlou,” stay for the “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon.”
Highlights – Add “Flowers on the Wall” by The Statler Brothers and “You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry to that mix, too.

Rushmore – This album’s a mix of instrumental/score-type music and pre-existing songs. I don’t listen to the instrumental parts much.
Highlights – The last 2:20 of The Who’s “A Quick One While He’s Away” is my favorite part of the whole soundtrack; “Oh Yoko!” by John Lennon; “Ooh La La” by The Faces

Shrek/Shrek 2 – I wasn’t expecting there to be so many great songs in a movie about an ogre.
Highlights (Shrek) – “My Beloved Monster” by The Eels; “Hallelujah” by Rufus Wainwright; “I’m on My Way” by The Proclaimers
Highlight (Shrek 2) – “People Ain’t No Good” by Nick Cave

That Thing You Do – This soundtrack does such a great job of capturing the feel of the era without using any actual songs from the era, and there are several good songs on it, not just the title track.
Highlights – But, yeah, the title track is great.

The Wedding Singer (2 Volumes) – Throw a bunch of 80s music on a CD and you’re bound to have some fun stuff, right?
Highlights – “Hold Me Now” by The Thompson Twins; “Somebody Kill Me” by Adam Sandler; “Rappers Delight” by Sugarhill Gang with Ellen Dow; “Just Can’t Get Enough” by Depeche Mode; “Grow Old With You” by Adam Sandler;

Tags: Tuesday10, zuneworthy