http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJxjljZTZt0
The version of “Madame George” included on Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” album is beautiful and heartbreaking. The earlier version recorded for Bang Records is a nasty, raunchy, raucous, foot-stomping blast of drunken blues. I’ll let you guess which version I prefer.
“He Needs Me” was originally composed for Robert Altman’s 1980 musical version of “Popeye.” The film is hit or miss, but the scene where Duvall’s Olive Oyl sings this lovely song to Robin Williams’s Popeye is definitely the highlight of the film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzGt9CZplyE
The opening track of Nico’s “Chelsea Girl” album from 1967, written by Jackson Browne. It also underscored the moving finale of Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums,” specifically the final scene between Ben Stiller’s and Gene Hackman’s characters, a scene that always gets me.
One of the most beautiful songs of the last 25 years. Immensely powerful and heartfelt. Nick Cave is an amazing performer/songwriter, but this will be the song he’ll be remembered for after he dies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kBbnozv-Lg
The “Use Your Illusion I & II” CDs were quite the unwieldy spectacle. The equivalent of 4 old-fashioned LPs of material composed over a 2-3 year period, it’s a journey through highs and lows. And yes, most everyone agrees the best stuff should have just been put on one CD and be done with it. “Breakdown” is one of those tracks, if not, the BEST track from the whole shebang.
X’s cover of the Jerry Lee Lewis classic, recorded for the much underrated 1983 Richard Gere-starring remake of Jean-Luc Godard’s film of the same name. If you’re skeptical, give it a shot. I think you’ll see where Tarantino got a lot of ideas.
My favorite Van Morrison song. I first heard it nearly 30 years ago over the end credits of Martin Scorsese’s “The King of Comedy.” Until it appeared on Van’s mega-selling “Best Of” album from 1990, the only place you could find it was “The King of Comedy” soundtrack which went out of print almost as soon as it was released. Since the song was nearly impossible to find and I loved “King,” I would always watch the film through the end credits to listen to it.
Sagittarius … and my name is Dave … and I love a woman who smells like Key Lime pie … and baby, if you think that … Oh I give up … This is “Float On” by The Floaters, a song that made it all the way to … I’m SOOOO not making this up …. NUMBER 2!!!!! on the Billboard charts back in 1977.
The Stones do a stellar version of this 1968 Stevie Wonder classic. It was recorded in 1969, but not released as a single until 1975, when it appeared on the odds and ends album “Metamorphosis.” It’s also included on the Stones box set “The Singles Collection.” Wonder’s original version appeared on his album “For Once in My Life” and was the B-side of his single “My Cherie Amour.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hre4V52H1qs
From the 1980 album “Crazy Rhythms” (and if that’s not an accurate title, I don’t know what is). The Feelies play faster than almost anyone (including hardcore and speedcore bands), but with very little distortion. Very clean guitar lines, muted but still powerful percussion. The experience of this song is a lot like that “friend” who used to stand in front of you, put their hands together, tell you are travelling down a road at night, pulling their hands apart more and more rapidly, and then knocking you in the head and saying “Tree!” The difference with the Feelies is that there is no tree. A lot of insane buildup and perversely, no climax, or a very muted climax at best.
Dave's Strange World 