willy deville | Dave's Strange World

“Storybook Love” – WIlly DeVille (with Mark Knopfler) … from “The Princess Bride” (1987)

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Here is one of the best … and admittedly, most bizarre … couplings of the mainstream and the underground. This is the lovely ballad composed for Rob Reiner’s classic 1987 film “The Princess Bride,” written and soulfully sung by punk legend Willy DeVille of the band Mink DeVille. The song was later nominated for an Oscar and seeing Willy on stage crooning this in front of a billion plus viewers during the Academy Awards in 1988 was a very cool kick in the head indeed.

“Spanish Stroll” – Mink DeVille

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An extremely cool hybrid of punk and soul. And what I mean by this is that it’s a soul song played with energy and some slicing electric guitar. But the spirit is pure early 1960s NYC cool. A great song to play while driving a convertible on a nice sunny day.

“Little Girl” – Mink DeVille

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A terrific cover of the Crystals’ early 1960s classic “Little Boy” with the genders reversed. One of Mink DeVille’s finest.

“It’s So Easy” – Willy DeVille

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqDwnT_HSXg

Seriously, aside from Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino has the best taste in pop music of any living director. Who else but QT would remember (and use) this stellar rocker that was first heard in director William Friedkin’s notorious (and underrated) gay slasher film “Cruising”? Anyway, the song was impossible to find for years, but is now easily available on the “Death Proof” soundtrack. Thanks, Quentin for not only your great taste in music, but for making so much of it available on your soundtracks.