Mr. Reindeer
White Lodge
- Apr 13, 2022
- 924
- 2,014
For years, I've had a David Lynch playlist of his film soundtracks as well as other songs he was involved in writing/producing. Recently, I undertook a task I have long been putting off: figuring out exactly where in his films various tracks occur, and reordering my playlist in film order as opposed to album order. There are some wonderful resources in this regard for the original series of Twin Peaks, which I link below, but I've never found a good resource for his movies online, so I finally had to bite the bullet and try to do it myself, even though this is not my forte. I figured I'd share a track list of my playlist with notations for anyone who might wish to follow my lead and enjoy a day and a half worth of Lynch-themed music and soundscapes! As I said, I don't necessarily have the greatest ear, so any corrections or additions are welcome.
THE GRANDMOTHER
Music and Music Effects by Tractor - unavailable/unreleased (we're off to a bad start! I will also be making note of pieces that are not in my playlist but which I hope to find one day in order to complete it, this being among them)
ERASERHEAD (Original Soundtrack)
Except where otherwise noted, composed and conducted by John Morris and performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra
Except where otherwise noted, all music written, composed and performed by Toto, and performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marty Paich & Allyn Ferguson, with the Concert Society Vienna Volksoperchoir; adaptation and additional music by Marty Paich
Releases: 1984 Polydor Original Soundtrack Recording; 1997 P.E.G. Original Motion Picture Score
THE GRANDMOTHER
Music and Music Effects by Tractor - unavailable/unreleased (we're off to a bad start! I will also be making note of pieces that are not in my playlist but which I hope to find one day in order to complete it, this being among them)
ERASERHEAD (Original Soundtrack)
- Side 1 (soundscape by David Lynch & Alan R. Splet) contains:
- Digah's Stomp (written and performed by "Fats" Waller) - plays in the distance as Henry walks home
- Lenox Avenue Blues (written and performed by "Fats" Waller) - Henry puts the record on in his apartment when he first gets home; plays again in the apartment over the beginning of the first scene with the baby
- Stompin' the Bug (written and performed by "Fats" Waller) - plays in the distance as Henry walks to the Xs' house
- Messin' Around with the Blues (written and performed by "Fats" Waller) - plays over the Lady in the Radiator's sperm-stomping dance; plays again over the end credits
- Side 2 (soundscape by David Lynch & Alan R. Splet) contains:
- In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) (composed and sung by Peter Ivers)
- In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) (composed and sung by Peter Ivers) - clean version released on 2012 Sacred Bones soundtrack rerelease
- Pete's Boogie (soundscape by David Lynch & Alan R. Splet) - released on 2012 Sacred Bones soundtrack rerelease
Except where otherwise noted, composed and conducted by John Morris and performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra
- Main Theme - the film's main titles begin the piece at 2:20 (the end credits use the same portion); the earlier "music box" portion of the piece is used at the start of the film for the shots of Merrick's mother, and again used later in the film over another shot of Merrick's mother
- Dr. Treves Visits the Freak Show and Elephant Man - the first section plays as ambient carnival music over the initial freak show sequence; the "Elephant Man" portion of this track is split over three different scenes: the suspense portion is used briefly when Merrick first enters the hospital hooded, the sad/sympathetic portion is used earlier when Treves first sees Merrick, and the sinister version of the main title theme plays over the first scene of the night porter making his rounds
- John Merrick and Psalm - Treves calls Carr Gomm back as Merrick recites part of the 23rd Psalm that Treves didn't teach him; reprised over the scenes as Merrick works on the church model and speaks to Treves, wishing that he could sleep like normal people and asking if Treves can cure him
- Mrs. Kendal's Theater and Poetry Reading - the first portion is the overture the pit band is playing as Mrs. Kendal reads about Merrick while in hair and makeup; the "Poetry Reading" portion is not in the film and was likely composed for a cut scene of Merrick and Treves reading the Tennyson poem "Nothing Will Die" (which features at the end of the film as recited by Merrick's mother)
- John Merrick and Mrs. Kendal - they read Romeo and Juliet
- The Nightmare - the first portion of the track was presumably intended for the nightmare/factory sequence, but the film uses ominous ambient noises instead; the second portion plays as the night porter parades spectators into Merrick's room
- Train Station - the famous "I am not an animal" scene
- Pantomime - the show Merrick attends at the theater on his last night alive
- Adagio for Strings (composed by Samuel Barber, played by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andre Previn) - the final scene of Merrick's death
- The Belgian Circus Episode - this track is in two parts, seemingly intended for the freak show exhibition in Belgium and the subsequent escape sequence
- Recapitulation - medley of "John Merrick and Psalm," "John Merrick and Mrs. Kendal" and "Main Title"
Except where otherwise noted, all music written, composed and performed by Toto, and performed by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marty Paich & Allyn Ferguson, with the Concert Society Vienna Volksoperchoir; adaptation and additional music by Marty Paich
Releases: 1984 Polydor Original Soundtrack Recording; 1997 P.E.G. Original Motion Picture Score
- Prologue/Main Title - Princess Irulan opening, main titles (clean version from the 1997 album)
- Guild Report - the Navigator exits the throne room, Mohiam tells her sisters they must have a look at Paul Atreides (only on 1997 album)
- House Atreides - introduction of Caladan and Paul (only on 1997 album)
- Paul Atreides - Paul asks Yueh about the sandworms and Fremen (only on 1997 album)
- Robot Fight - Paul trains against the attack robot (the film version is only on the 1984 album)
- Leto's Theme - Leto and Paul on the balcony
- The Box - Paul is tested
- The Floating Fat Man (The Baron) - Baron Harkonnen vows that Duke Leto will die before his eyes, and floats upwards, killing his lackey (clean version from the 1997 album)
- Departure - The Atreideses board the ship (only on 1997 album)
- The Trip to Arrakis - the Navigator folds space; plays again briefly when Paul takes the Water of Life and sees into the place that women cannot see (where the Navigator is)
- Prophecy Theme (performed by Brian Eno; composed by Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Roger Eno) - plays over the arrival on Arrakis and Reverend Mother Ramallo's prophecy; briefly plays over Paul's second-moon-inspired "waking dream" in the desert; plays as Jessica takes the Water of Life; again over montage of Paul and Chani beginning their romance; and once more as Paul takes the Water of Life (only on 1984 album)
- Sandworm Attack - Paul, Leto and Kynes save spice harvesters from a sandworm (only on 1997 album)
- The Betrayal/Shields Down - the Harkonnen fleet approaches Arrakis, Leto finds Shadout Mapes dead and is drugged by Yueh, the shields are down (only on 1997 album)
- First Attack - the film scenes of the "first attack" use a version of the main title theme instead of this track; a short portion of this track is used when Gurney and the troops attack back; more of the track is used as Feyd tortures Leto and Piter mocks Jessica then tells Nefud to take them to the desert, and then over the end of the battle as Duncan dies and the Atreides troops lose
- The Fremen - this track has nothing to do with the Fremen in the film; instead, it is used in edited form over the scenes of Leto biting the tooth and poisoning Piter, Jessica psychically realizing that Leto is dead, the Baron realizing that he is alive, and Paul landing/crashing the ship (only on 1997 album)
- Destiny - very briefly appears in the film when Paul says he feels for no one and notices the second moon; mostly replaced by Eno's "Prophecy Theme" (only on 1997 album)
- The Duke's Death - after his "waking dream" in the desert, Paul tells Jessica about it and promises Leto that the sleeper will awaken (only on 1997 album)
- Sandworm Chase - Paul and Jessica flee from a sandworm (only on 1997 album)
- Secrets of the Fremen - plays over Paul and Jessica's first encounter with the Fremen, beginning midway through the track with the suspense portion, through to the end, with the ending recitation of the main Fremen theme playing as Paul first sees Chani (my placement of this track is a little bit of a cheat: technically, it first appears in the film much earlier when Paul has his dream about Chani, but that appearance is essentially a quick "teaser," and it fits much better here) (only on 1997 album)
- Paul Meets Chani - Chani leads Paul down the cliff, and Paul chooses his name Muad'Dib, then Paul and Jessica accompany the Fremen back to the sietch and see the water; the opening portion plays again when Paul tells Chani he needs to take the Water of Life and they head out to the desert
- The Sleeper Has Awakened! - mostly replaced by Eno's "Prophecy Theme" in the film, but the crescendo portion at 2:15 is briefly used twice in the film: during the shot of Alia's birth during Jessica's Water of Life sequence, and during Paul's Water of Life sequence (which it was intended for) during the closeup on his eye, before transitioning back to the "Prophecy Theme" (only on 1997 album)
- Reunion with Gurney - montage of two standard years passing, Paul and the Fremen attacking spice harvesters, and Paul meeting Gurney again (only on 1997 album)
- Paul Takes the Water of Life - mostly replaced by Eno's "Prophecy Theme" in the film, but plays briefly as an inverted-negative version of Paul floats towards the place that women cannot see, segueing quickly into the Navigator/"Trip to Arrakis" theme, then the main title theme, before returning to the "Prophecy Theme"
- Big Battle - used in very chopped-up/reedited form in the film throughout the final battle, combined with various other versions of the main title theme, the "time passing" theme from "Reunion with Gurney," and other tracks
- Take My Hand - end credits; the version on the soundtracks is missing the orchestral overdub added for the film
- Prologue (1984 album version) - OK, this technically is in the film; the 1984 album version has Princess Irulan's narration dubbed over it as in the film mix, as opposed to the clean version of the soundtrack cue featured on the 1997 album
- Main Title (1984 album version) - alternate take not used in the film
- Robot Fight (1997 album version) - alternate take not used in the film
- The Floating Fat Man (The Baron) (1984 album version) - has Baron Harkonnen's dialogue dubbed over it as in the film mix
- Riding the Sandworm - replaced by a more orchestral piece heavily using the main title theme (only on 1997 album)
- Prelude (Take My Hand) - possibly intended for the scene where Paul tells Chani he needs to take the Water of Life, based on its placement on the 1997 soundtrack album
- Paul Kills Feyd - the Paul-Feyd fight is played without music in the film
- Final Dream - presumably replaced because the ending was changed to be more upbeat; replaced by yet more versions of the main title theme, and the climactic theme from "Big Battle"
- Dune (Desert Theme) - originally intended for the end credits, but replaced by "Take My Hand"; was featured in an early trailer
- Dune Main Title (Demo Version) (only on 1997 album)
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