Holy Moses M Mamajamba what just happened? One minute I was on my eternal quest to find the Holy Grail filled with Tigerblood (which should explain so much) and next thing I know I wake up and I'm in an airplane with a bunch of my fellow critics. After some angry stares I push through everyone to get to the front and see who the pilot is and lo and behold it is Castor of Anomalous Materials. He looks at me, hands me a laptop which has my entire iTunes library on it, and says I have five minutes to make a 12 track CD with all my favorite songs. There are two catches though: They all have to be from film soundtracks (because otherwise this would be way too easy) and the plane is about to crash on a desert island so we will be stuck with these tracks for a long time.
After soiling myself in fear I compose myself and quickly make a playlist. He pops out the CD, hands me an indestructible walkman (aka any walkman because those things are DURABLE) and tells me to sit down. In a matter of seconds after I sit we crash into the side of a mountain and hit the beach.
(Sorry if that was overly long but I wanted to have fun with this)
1. I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow-Soggy Bottom Boys (O Brother Where Art Thou)
Up until about 6 months ago I had never actually seen the entire film "O Brother Where Art Thou." Before you tar and feather me I had seen parts of it but be it I was tired, busy ect I never got around to finishing it. But one part of the movie always stuck with me: the scene in the recording studio where they performed this song for the first time. It's such a powerful song but sung in such a subtle way. He doesn't have to oversing his pain for you to feel it. It's also one of those songs I could listen to for hours on end without stop and not get bored. That's worth something in my book.
2. Dueling Banjos-Arthur Smith (Deliverance)
It's easy to laugh at this one I know, but this song is really quite something brilliant at it's core. A banjo vs a guitar in an eternal game of oneupmanship (or at least five minutes). But why have it as a desert island song? Well for one I'm a sucker for banjos but also it's one of those songs that can provide comedic gold when necessary. Just turn up the walkman to a very high volume and blast the first few chords of this song whenever something backwoods or rednecky happens around camp and it's always usually good for a laugh. And since I'm gonna be stuck here for a while, humor is definitely important.
3. Lux Aeterna-Clint Mansell (Requiem for A Dream)
Probably one of the most recognizable pieces of film score (at least in my opinion), Lux Aeterna is probably going to be on a few people's lists. But for me I picked it not because of its fame but because it really hits me hard on a much deeper level then I had first thought. When I watched it in context with the film I was very moved by the piece but by itself Lux Aeterna really got to me. I hate to sound cheesy here but it invoked emotions I didn't think I had. I also picked it for the simple reason that I wanted a mix of song songs and long instrumental pieces so I'd have plenty of material.
4. Blade Runner Blues-Vangelis (Blade Runner)
Any excuse to put Blade Runner in...oh wait you need more? Well I figure if I were to be on an island for a long time, there would be times where I stare thoughtfully out in the distance. And what better song to stare out in the distance to then this? It's very transcendental and calming while at the same time captivating. Vangelis did such a great job with Blade Runner that I could have picked any song from the soundtrack, but this one always stuck out to me. That and when I'm thinking I like to play this song.
5. Piano Concerto #22 In E Flat K482 3. Finale-Mozart (Amadeus)
Every mixtape that has to carry longevity (aka being on an island) needs classical music. Be it Bach, Beethoven, Strauss or Mozart, if you are going to be stuck somewhere you need some class. I doubt I'm the only Amadeus enthusiast in the bunch so plan on seeing a ton of Mozart music in these lists but this one has always been my favorite piece. Why? It was my Grandma's favorite piece. Every time I hear it I think of her. And those warm memories are enough to keep me sane for however long I'll be stuck on an island (DAAWWWWWWWWWW)
6. Back to the Future Theme-The Outtatime Orchestra (Back to the Future)
Do I really need to explain? I mean honestly. I refuse to show it because it would shame me to no end but I have a picture of me with my head replacing Michael J Fox's head on the Back to the Future Movie Poster. On top of that I used to wear a orange vest and ride my big wheel saying I needed to get to 88 MPH and when I got fast enough I went "Great Scott!" So needless to say I'm a fanboy of BTTF. But why the theme and not Power of Love or other songs like that? Well the theme invokes so many memories and events in my life that I would be an idiot not to put it in. That and it is a damn catchy theme. I'm humming it right now and have been since I started writing this.
7. One More Time-Daft Punk (Interstella 5555)
Is this a bit of a cop out? Yeah...and I know full well I'm playing fast and loose with the rules but I had to get this song on here somehow and Discovery is technically the soundtrack to Interstella 5555 so...yeah. And before you say "Well what about Tron Legacy or other songs on Discovery?" Well simply put they don't live up to the awesomeness of this song. Every time I hear this song I'm always rocking out and singing at the top of my lungs like a crazed fanboy. And along with Man of Constant Sorrow, it's one of those songs I've listened to for hours on end without stop. No matter what happens on that island I will celebrate and dance so free because the music has got me feeling so free, I'm gonna celebrate.
8. Sympathy for the Devil-The Rolling Stones (Alien Nation...among others)
I've always loved the Rolling Stones. They may be as old as dirt but Jagger and crew sure know how to put on one helluva show. And when I think of my favorite Stones songs it's hard to just choose one. But I don't want any repeats on here so I had to narrow it down to one, which took me a few days honestly. In the end though I chose Sympathy because it has great ambiance. Anyone who has played Call of Duty Black Ops knows what I mean. When I listen to Sympathy it just makes me feel like part of my environment and that everything around me is moving. It's calming but chaotic at the same time. Jagger is cool the whole time but Richards is intense and when it breaks down into the guitar solo with the woo woo's it's hard to not get into it. A great song and one I would definitely need on a desert island.
9. Sweet Home Chicago-Blues Brothers (The Blues Brothers)
Up until I saw Shaun of the Dead, Blues Brothers was my favorite film of all time. I watched it at a young age and it really had an impact on me. For one, it introduced me to some great musical talent that were alive and well at the time. Second, it gave me plenty of lines that would be stuck in my head for the rest of my life. Third, it gave me John Belushi, a big guy who has made it in the world and doesn't let anything keep him down. That was inspiring to someone like me. On top of all that it had great music. It would have been easy to pick Jailhouse Rock or Everybody Needs Somebody but I wanted to pick a lesser known song that showed off all the funk that made the Blues Brothers the Blues Brothers and the fun they could have on stage. It's funky, it's fresh and it's entertaining...therefore it needs to be on this list.
10. Wake Up-Rage Against the Machine (The Matrix)
Rage Against the Machine is one of my favorite bands. The Matrix is my favorite film trilogy ever. Are you surprised this made it? Granted I almost put Clubbed to Death (another awesome song from the Matrix) or the song they played during the final Smith/Neo fight, but I have plenty of instrumental music on this mixtape already and needed something a little more upbeat, in your face and something you could listen to in the morning to get you going. Wake Up is actually my alarm sound on my phone so it makes sense that this would be the song to beat for that spot. That and I needed a song I could headbang to.
11. Freebird-Lynyrd Skynyrd (The Devil's Rejects)
FREEBIRD!!!!!!!!!
On top of being the greatest rock song of all time (as well as having the best guitar solo of all time) Freebird is one of those songs that needs to be on everyone's playlist. The first half is this calming reassuring song about how death isn't that bad and then halfway through it turns into this bad-ass piece of musical genius that needs to be heard to believe. I have listened to this song plenty of times over the years and if I were to be on an island, stuck for God knows how long, this would be second on my list of songs that need to be on there. This song is a sign of hope and hope is all you got in this situation sometimes.
So what's the number one song then?
1. Afternoon Delight-Will Ferrel and Co. (Anchorman)
Oh yeah...this would be the first song chosen on any mixtape let alone one I'd be stuck with for years. Why? Well it's the only song I know all the parts to (I can play all the parts as well as sing all the parts) and it's one of those songs that tells you that nothing possibly can go wrong, if you get a little afternoon delight. It's an expression of love and in the words of Burgandy himself "If you don't think this is the best song ever...I will fight you." And if I happen to be in a scenario where more than me lives, I will start an A Capella group. And what's the first song we would learn? That's right...this.
I included the video with this one because...well, it's just as awesome as the song.
Well there you have it...my desert island mixtape. Now if you don't mind I have to go put a bloody handprint on a volleyball and develop an emotional attachment to it.
To Read the other entries and to see what this whole thing is about...go here
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