The Groove is in the Heart
Last week I talked about action adventure films and somewhere in there I mentioned that The Last of the Mohicans had a great soundtrack, especially for writers. See, I have many writer friends who only write with iPods in their ears. They play any music and just write away. I can’t do that. I love songs and the meaning of lyrics too much to listen to music while I write. Ha, I’d be zoning out of writing so fast, too caught up in the lyrics to keep typing. What I’ve found I can write with are instrumental soundtracks (well, so long as I don’t start day dreaming about the scene in the movie where that song was played. LOL!)
Here are some of my favorite movie soundtracks:
The Last of the Mohicans
Far and Away
The Secret of Roan Inish (love, love, LOVE this soundtrack. If you like traditional Irish music, this is an awesome CD. The movie is wonderful, one the entire family can enjoy. If you’ve ever wanted to watch a movie about the Selkie legend, this one is fantastic. It was filmed in Ireland so the scenery is breathtaking!
A favorite music CD: (Irish music)
The Best of Altan: The Songs - Half the songs are in Irish and half are in English.
What about you? Care to share some great soundtracks (instrumental or otherwise) you just had to buy after watching a movie? (We bought the Juno soundtrack after seeing the movie. It’s wonderful too, but I can’t write to it). I’m hoping I’ll be able to add more instrumental soundtracks to my collection after this discussion. 
I adore movie soundtracks!
Favorites:
Notting Hill
The Commitments
Love Actually
Instrumental: The music from 2005′s Pride and Prejudice is sublime, as is the soundtrack from Shakespeare in Love.
LOVE The Commitments! Haven’t thought about that movie in awhile. Need to go home now and watch it.
P&P…oh, I so loved that movie. Will have to check out the soundtrack.
Love Actually was such an awesome movie!
I think hubby has The Commitments CD. Must go find it!
When I need music without lyrics I always go for any soundtrack by John Williams. I LOVE his stuff, probably because I’m a big Star Wars geek. The Star Wars and first 3 Harry Potter soundtracks are the ones I tend to listen to first, but they are all good!
I really enjoyed the HP movies. Maybe part of the reason was the music which I didn’t think about since I was too busy watching the show.
I’m a lurker, but oh music! One of my favorite topics!
I also find lyrics distracting when I try to write. In college, I realized the key was listening to lyrics I don’t understand. So, I’d listen to lots of choral music–requiems (though not Verdi–the “Dies Irae” is too jolting…) and operas in languages I was unfamiliar with. That way I could still enjoy vocal music, but I wasn’t thinking about the lyrics.
For instrumental movie soundtracks:
The Red Violin (Joshua Bell plays the solos, and the music is incredible)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (with Yo-yo Ma playing the solos)
Also, I *love* Altan. Might I make a recommendation you’ve probably heard before? Grainne Hambly is an AMAZING trad Irish harpist. She has a couple of albums out–all harp–and they’re fantastic! If you’re looking for good instrumental trad music, I would definitely put her on the list!
The Red Violin is new to me, but ooh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (with Yo-yo Ma playing the solos)…wasn’t the cinematography in that movie fantastic?!?! Will go back and listen to some clips of the soundtrack now.
Yey, more trad Irish recommendations! I’ll check out Grainne Hambly.
I have to agree with you on The secret of Roan Inish. Saw it first when i was like 10 and is still one of my favorite and the music for it is amazing!!!!!
I recommend this movie all the time. I think it’s one of those movies that really sticks with you.
I really love the music composer James Horner… He’s written some beautiful stuff, most notably.. James Cameron’s works.. Titanic and Avatar.
I was only a kid when last of the Mohicans came out in the theaters… but man, oh man.. the soundtrack is absolutely stunning. Nary a song I don’t like or couldn’t listen to on that album.
I like the feel of the Lord of the Rings. Epic movies for me, tend to have sweeping soundtracks.. (for better or worse) and I usually end up loving/hating the music in the film.
I mean.. who doesn’t know the opening intro to Jurassic Park? (I used to figure skate as a teenager, it was a piece that Tanya Harding (snicker away folks) used in the olympics.. very common.. and very hated)
Nary a song I don’t like or couldn’t listen to on that album.
Exactly how I feel about this CD!
Titanic was a great movie,but I haven’t seen Avatar yet. I know, I know…but I’m waiting for the DVD to release so I can watch it with my family.
LOL, all I had to do was read the title of this post and now that song is stuck in my head. Aaack!
I love The Last of the Mohicans soundtrack. I may even own it. I admit nothing.
LOL! I have the Just Dance Wii game that has this song on it. Heh.
Hmm –
Shrek
Love, Actually
Michael (movie with John Travolta)
The Natural
Shrek?
The Natural. I never saw that movie. Can you believe it?
Shrek is really good for songs, rather than music. It’s fun.
I’m not very musical. Almost all classical music puts me to sleep.
I do really like the Harry Potter soundtracks and the one from The Saint (w/ Val Kilmer).
Val was so hot in the The Saint!
I have the same issue, I can’t do real work of any kind to music with lyrics. I’m not a big soundtrack fan, though. My solution has been to listen to music in other languages (mostly bossanova and tango) or to just go classical. Sometimes I can listen to songs with lyrics that aren’t really that interesting (sorry Moby and Beyonce, but you’re my go-to artists for that).
However, I do love the soundtrack to “A Man and A Woman” – a French movie from the seventies. I have a friend that’s really, really into Danny Elfman soundtracks, but I just don’t get it.
can’t concentrate to write with music on – except that certain songs/tunes can and have inspired scenes or story arcs that I have later had to write, but music listening happens in the car. This is mostly world music, often with lyrics I couldn’t even guess at the language beyond pointing at a continent (maybe).
But you said soundracks…
Last of the Mohicans, of course.
Man on Fire (the 2003 version)
LOTR (which I’ve seen so many times I can tell you what’s happening just listening to the soundtrack)
Pirates of the Caribean
The Chieftains has an album of movie soundtracks – I especially like the ones from Treasure Island (and I sure wish they’d get THAT one released on DVD!)
Ooh, I forgot about Pirates of the Caribbean.
The Kingdom of Heaven
The Village – beautiful violin solos by Hilary Hahn
The Last Samuri
A Beautiful Mind
House of Flying Daggers
High Road to China – I don’t know if you can find this one anymore. I bought the cd used a long time ago but the music is fantastic.
I’ll bet The Village has some beautiful haunting songs.
And House of Flying Daggers…another film with awe inspiring cinematography.
What great suggestions! I was going to mention LOTR, and Braveheart was cool too. I LOVE the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack, and the movie itself. I need to get out my DVD and watch it again.
I was just talking about Roan Inish today. I have huge issues with The last of the Mohicans because the sound on the film is awful! The music is great but you miss half the dialog. The sound editor should be shot! ( Did I mention I’m a film buff?) My Mohican rant is legend in my circle.
My fav soundtrack is 2005 Pride and Prejudice. It’s light and wonderful and just makes me happy. I am also in love with the Emma soundtrack and of course “Once more with feeling” from Buffy. I use to blast it and sign along to keep myself awake while I drove home from college.
Side note: I have over 400 DVDs and in all my years Pride and Prejudice is the only one I have watched so many times I wore it out. It was a proud day in my life.
I don’t have Mohicans on DVD, just my old VHS. All the reviews of the DVD ranted about how they messed up the soundtrack. I need to check again to see if they’ve released a better version.
I didn’t notice the sound quality. Ahem…might have been that Daniel Day Lewis was distracting me:) Just saying…
He is super yummy.
I can only agree, the soundtrack to Last of the Mohicans is probably the best. ever.
I also like the soundtrack to
Shakespeare in Love
I also like the ER soundtrack (Emergency Room, the show). I bought that CD many years ago and I really like it.
And – a very different kind of soundtrack – Buffe The Vampire Slayer – The Album. *nods*
High Fives to Buffy!
Love Last of the Mohicans and Pride & Prejudice soundtracks!
You should try The Chieftains’ Film Cuts album.
I love soundtracks. I have a feeling this thread is going to cost me a lot of iTunes $$!
Some faves:
Hero
Gladiator
Interview With The Vampire
A friend of mine recently showed me dig.ccmixter.org, which is original, cc-licensed music. From what I’ve heard so far, a lot of it is meant for soundtracks, so it’s very nice work music.
The Disney movie “Spirit” actually is really good. The vocals are great, and the music just picks you up and goes. There is really no kiddie cartoon songs at all. Try it, you might like it.