Songs surprisingly left out of soundtracks

[elfkin477]

I taped Bunny Lake Is Missing in June, but I didn't get around to watching it until last night. I was surprised during the opening credits to see that The Zombies were in it as well. They're one of my favorite bands from the 60s so how cool is that?

So all through the movie I waited for them to play the song that would obviously fit into the movie perfectly. And waited...And they never did play " She's Not There"! That just stuck me as odd. The movie is from 1965, the song was out in 1964..."Just Out of Reach" was in the movie, and that was a single im 65' so it couldn't have been a case of it being left out because it was out after filming. :confused:

Then, there's The X-Files. There are two various artists soundtracks in addition to the orginal scores. Both the movie soundtrack and show soundtrack have songs on them that appear in neither the show nor the movie. I realize that the show soundtrack came out in 1996, but the movie soundtrack came out in 1998. So why leave out " Mulder and Scully" by Catatonia (1998) and "Extremis" by Hal feat Gillian Anderson (1997)?


So what other obvious or puzzling ommisions from sound tracks have you noticed?

[Loopydude]

I think they should have worked the Police's Friends into "Silence of the Lambs" someplace.

[zamboniracer]

I was rather upset that the Mel Gibson Maverick movie didn't include the great theme song from the original TV show. I'll bet this was due to some sort of copyright problem but I was pissed about it.

[Spoke]

Before the first Batman movie came out, I imagined it with an all-Cowboy Junkies soundtrack. "Misguided Angel" (http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/newbonham/6/misguide.htm) being a particularly appropriate song.

Also, I thought that songs by The Smiths and The Cure were conspicuously absent from Donnie Darko.

[Revtim]

The American 'Godzilla' flick from a few years ago should have had Blue Oyster Cult's 'Godzilla' in it somewhere; during the end credits if nowhere else.

[Marley23]

I realize that the show soundtrack came out in 1996, but the movie soundtrack came out in 1998. So why leave out " Mulder and Scully" by Catatonia (1998) and "Extremis" by Hal feat Gillian Anderson (1997)?
If "Mulder and Scully" is the song I think it is, it's really poppy and upbeat, so I don't think it would've fit in the movie, and doesn't really have anything to do with the show. Plus if you ask me it's very annoying.

[dry gear]

Also, I thought that songs by The Smiths and The Cure were conspicuously absent from Donnie Darko.
Oh man, I am so happy with it the way it is though. Off topic:
I first saw the movie a little over a year ago, and had just gotten into Echo and the Bunnymen. I think it was the day after my birthday, and I had gotten Ocean Rain as a present.
So when The Killing Moon started playing, I jumped up and down in excitement and said to my friend "This song is awesome!!!!!!!"
I tend to get excited about things like that...

[Equipoise]

Practically all of the songs from the film Moulin Rouge. Even though there are 2 soundtracks, nearly all of the songs are different versions. I still feel ripped off. If I buy a soundtrack, I want the music that was in the movie. I like different, alternate versions of songs, but as an extra, not a substitute. If the descriptions on the CDs had said the music wasn't the same and that the original music wasn't on them, I wouldn't have bought them, which I guess is why they kept it secret.



This is a different situation, but Kate Bush recorded a cover of the song "Brazil" that never made it into the Terry Gilliam movie of the same name, but is on the soundtrack.

[dry gear]

This probably doesn't count, but I was looking up the David Bowie song Velvet Goldmine on allmusic when I found out that there's a movie named after it.
I was surprised when the song wasn't on the soundtrack, but then I found out it was because David Bowie wouldn't let them use it.

[paulberserker]

For some reason. the Big Lebowski soundtrack doesn't include the Creedence Clearwater Revival tune 'Dude looking out my back porch' on it. But it does have the Gypsy Kings 'Hotel California'.

[yosemite]

Sometimes, people bitch about songs left out of a soundtrack, when indeed the soundtrack CD was really more about showcasing the score, not the pop songs that were fleetingly heard in the movie. I don't think I see anyone here complaining about that sort of thing, though.

Some films solve this problem by having two separate CDs: one with the film score, one with the songs. For instance, one soundtrack CD of LA Confidential had all the oldie songs played in the film, while the other soundtrack CD had the Oscar-nominated score by Jerry Goldsmith. I suppose there were a few people who bought the "wrong" CD and bitched about it, but really, it would be their own fault for not looking at the track list before buying.

Sometimes I read customer reviews on Amazon.com, where customers bitch about a soundtrack, give it only one star, not because it wasn't a good CD, but because it was a score-only soundtrack, instead of a compilation CD of pop songs. I really feel no sympathy for this. I mean, on one hand, I'm sure it's a disappointment that their favorite song wasn't on there, but on the other hand, Amazon.com lists all the tracks and usually gives RealAudio samples of the first few.

It vexes me to see these clueless dolts (who obviously didn't look at the track list, but blithely assumed that their favorite song must be on there) will trash a soundtrack—not because it was bad, but because it wasn't what they stupidly assumed it was going to be. The fact is, not all soundtracks are going to be pop song compilations. Some movies have scores written by "cult favorites" in the film music business. Like, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Ennio Morricone, Thomas Newman, John Debney, Hans Zimmer, and so on. I usually expect that when a film has a score written by one of these guys, the CD will have a lot of their music, perhaps only their music. And usually, I'm right.

I don't think there's anything wrong with this. The record labels (like Varese Sarabande or Intrada) who produce many soundtrack CDs know that many of the soundtrack collectors are interested in one of the "cult favorite" composers, not in the random pop songs in the movie. So the score is often what's on the soundtrack—not the songs. Not all the time, but often.

I realize that this is not wholly what is being discussed here, however. It does suck when a soundtrack is mostly song-driven (instead of score-driven) and then they leave off a vital song or use a different version in the soundtrack CD. That is irritating.

[Ethilrist]

Near Dark has an amazing piece that they play during the bar fight scene that doesn't show up on the album. I was very disappointed, since that was the one song I bought the CD for.

[monstro]

It's not much of a "surprise", but Prince's Purple Rain did not include the great dance songs of Morris Day and the Times. Nor did it include Vanity's "Sex Shooter" or the sweet piano version of "Purple Rain" supposedly written by the Kid's dad.

Bend it For Beckham did not include Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up" in its soundtrack.

[CalMeacham]

A number of critics observed/complained that John Landis' film An American Werewolf in London conspicuously lacked "Werewolves of London" (although it had a zillion versions of "Blue Moon".


My biggest disappointment about ten years ago was seeing that Rick Wakeman was doing the score for a release of the 1925 silent version of The Phantom of the Opera. I'd been wanting to do my own sound-dub for TPOTO, because every commercially available version had a terrible score (this has since been fixed -- pick up the Criterion DVD version for a wonderful treatment). In any event, one of the pieces I'd wanted to use was Wakeman's "Judas Iscariot" from "Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record". It sounds like the work of a psychotic organist. So he would've been the ideal choice to do TPOTO.

I went to see the film and the score was awful!!! Not up to his standards at all. And nothing remotely like Judas Iscariot in the whole thing.

[elfkin477]

If "Mulder and Scully" is the song I think it is, it's really poppy and upbeat, so I don't think it would've fit in the movie, and doesn't really have anything to do with the show. Plus if you ask me it's very annoying.

And what, pray tell does " Star [fuck] Me Kitten" by William S. Burroughs have to do with the show? Given that one made the cut...

[MovieMogul]

Although Terence Blanchard's score for 25th Hour is beautiful and haunting, I wish the soundtrack also had Bruce Springsteen's "The Fuse", which memorably plays over the closing credits.

And I hate "Inspired by..." soundtracks, that features music not actually appearing in the movie. I think Stewart Copeland's score for Fresh is absolutely remarkable, but the only "soundtrack" that exists is of an assortment of interchangeable rap-crap, none of which appears in the film.

[depocali]

Well, as being the entire basis for the Movie is the lyrics of the songs, it is incredible that Pink Floyd's The Wall does not include a hauntingly beautiful track (When the Tiger's Broke Free), and one not so memorable track (What Shall we do Now?); although they included a great replacement (Hey You) to be found nowhere in the movie.

[Mississippienne]

I was ticked off when I purchased the soundtrack to Daredevil and discovered they had omitted the House of Pain song, "Top O the Morning To Ya". I finally just bought their album instead. Why oh why isn't it on the DD soundtrack, though? It's Bullseye's theme song, and the background music to the best 5 minutes in the movie. *grumble*

[Max Torque]

And I was ticked when I bought the soundtrack to Pump Up The Volume and the first track was "Everybody Knows," not by Leonard Cohen, but by Concrete Blonde. Gimmie the song he actually played in the movie, dammit!

[Stark Raven Mad]

So in Love, from the De-Lovely soundtrack. The version in the film alternated between Kevin Kline singing, lachrymose, to piano accompaniment, and a significantly more upbeat stage premiere (in the film) of the song. I guess it wouldn't have made much sense for them to put the mixed one in the soundtrack, but I am at a loss as to why they picked the stage premiere one over Kevin Kline's rendition.

[Eats_Crayons]

I was ticked off when I purchased the soundtrack to Daredevil and discovered they had omitted the House of Pain song, "Top O the Morning To Ya". I finally just bought their album instead. Why oh why isn't it on the DD soundtrack, though? It's Bullseye's theme song, and the background music to the best 5 minutes in the movie. *grumble*Because a movie's music budget can get blown to pieces if the licencing fees are too high. For a song to appear in a feature film, it can cost the production anywhere from $10,000 to $500,000. The fees largely depend onthe demand of the music (like if it's from an insanely popular band) or if there are contract negotiations that include the music ending up on the soundtrack album. If it's also going to be in the album, it gets a LOT more expensive.

If it doesn't appear on the soundtrack album it often because the production simply couldn't afford the asking price (or because the artist's label refused to prevent the soundtrack album from competing with album sales).

[Sean Factotum]

And I was ticked when I bought the soundtrack to Pump Up The Volume and the first track was "Everybody Knows," not by Leonard Cohen, but by Concrete Blonde. Gimmie the song he actually played in the movie, dammit!
Was Cohen's version in the film? I don't remember hearing it. I do remember Concrete Blonde playing it, though.

And for missing songs, The Plimsoul's "Million Miles Away" wasn't on the Valley Girl soundtrack for years and years.

[Mississippienne]

Eats_Crayons: That's very interesting data, I never knew how much it cost for a movie to use a song. All things being equal however, I do wish House of Pain had made it onto the soundtrack instead of the oh-so-craptastic Moby song.

or because the artist's label refused to prevent the soundtrack album from competing with album sales

House of Pain was defunct and their relevent album was ten years old at the time Daredevil was released. I can only assume they asked for some ungodly amount of money for "Top O the Morning".

[fiddlesticks]

On a reverse note, I was very disappointed that the soundtrack to the miniseries From the Earth to the Moon chose to include mostly generic pop oldies rather than the excellent orchestral theme music, other than the opening and closing theme.

[The Chao Goes Mu]

I was certainly expecting to hear Your Cheatin' Heart on the Fatal Attraction soundtrack

[Push You Down]

Was Cohen's version in the film? I don't remember hearing it. I do remember Concrete Blonde playing it, though.



I believe Cohen's version opens the film.


Doesn't the Rocky Horrow Picture Show soundtrack omit "Sword of Damocles"? But it does include "Superheroes" a song cut from most prints of the film. It's been awhile since I've listened to it.

[sqweels]

...one not so memorable track (What Shall we do Now?); although they included a great replacement (Hey You) to be found nowhere in the movie.

The former was cut from the album because it wouldn't fit in the LP (the lyrics are still there) and the latter was cut from the movie but included in the DVD.

---

The Stones' "Satisfaction" wasn't on the Apocalypse Now soundtrack.

[BurnMeUp]

Was Cohen's version in the film? I don't remember hearing it. I do remember Concrete Blonde playing it, though.

It was the opening song. he also used it to open each broadcast of the radio station so it was on (in a clipped form) many times in the film.

The COncrete blonde version appeared at the end when he had the jeep/mobile station.

[chukhung]

And I was ticked when I bought the soundtrack to Pump Up The Volume and the first track was "Everybody Knows," not by Leonard Cohen, but by Concrete Blonde. Gimmie the song he actually played in the movie, dammit!Disappointingly, the soundtrack album for Exotica (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109759/) doesn't include Everybody Knows either.

Perhaps Mr. Cohen has a policy of not allowing that song on soundtrack albums?

[Odinoneeye]

I know a few people who were disappointed that the Steve Martin movie Roxanne didn't include the Sting song.

Personally, I would have been disappointed if it was there. :D

[koeeoaddi]

I was really disappointed that the Concert for George soundtrack CD left off the best song of the evening -- Lead a Horse to Water performed by Sam Brown.

[emekthian]

I for one was appalled that The Lord of the Rings soundtrack was completely absent of Leonard Nimoy's "The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins"!

[yoyodyne]

I was pissed that the Fifth Element soundtrack didn't have the song that played during the taxi-cab chase scene. It was Alech Taadi, by Khaled.

[Loopydude]

You know "Having My Baby" would have been perfect for one of the "Alien" films. Tragic oversight, that.

[Ranchoth]

The soundtrack to "Monkeybone" didn't have Lisa Zane's Fall Away, which played during the credits, and was one of two good things about that movie. (Three things, if you give the movie credit for not actually burning the viewers' eyes out of their sockets.)

[Princess Mombi]

The Garden State soundtrack is one of the best soundtracks ever made but it doesn't include a few songs featured in the movie. The song "Orange Sky" by Alexi Murdoch is not on the soundtrack. It is the song that Natalie Portman's character starts playing on her record player and is played as they walk towards the pet cemetary in her yard. It was on the OC soundtrack, so that is probably why it wasn't included here.

[KGS]

"Hell Isn't Good" by Metallica is in the film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (the scene were Kenny goes to hell) but does not appear on the soundtrack. Ironically, the only way to obtain that song is to download it. :)

What's more vexing is when songs get changed or removed from movies when they appear on VHS or DVD. For example, the "girl in Corvette" scene from National Lampoon's Vacation had the song "Little Boy Sweet" replaced by the excrable "I'm So Excited" in many home versions.

Well, as being the entire basis for the Movie is the lyrics of the songs, it is incredible that Pink Floyd's The Wall does not include a hauntingly beautiful track (When the Tiger's Broke Free), and one not so memorable track (What Shall we do Now?); although they included a great replacement (Hey You) to be found nowhere in the movie.
You do know the album's not really a soundtrack, as it came out three years before the movie, right? "When The Tigers Broke Free" wasn't even written until 1982, and "What Shall We Do Now?" was recorded but cut from the album at the last minute. (More info here (http://www.rock.co.za/files/thewall.html).) It's more logical to ask why "Hey You" doesn't appear in the film at all (answer: cut for time.)

[Promethea]

I don't think the Pixies' fantastic "Where is my mind?" made it onto the soundtrack of Fight Club, despite its prominence in the film's conclusion.

[Made in Macau]

Never having seen it through - does 'Things To Do in Denver When Your Dead' have the Zevon song over the end titles?

MiM

[Loopydude]

Now that I think of it, "(Once, Twice,) Three Times a Lady" would have worked fabulously well in the Psycho remake. What are they paying these music directors for, anyway?

[WilhelmGefallen]

And what, pray tell does " Star [fuck] Me Kitten" by William S. Burroughs have to do with the show? Given that one made the cut...

The fact that Chris Carter would've been excited to have REM agree to having their song on an Album for a then 2 (3?) year old show?

I cant find my CD case at the moment, but Im pretty sure that on the liner notes Carter explains that the music on the original s/track (Songs in the Key of X) are the ones that were either influential in the the tone of the series and/or ones that the writers enjoyed listening to, most of them eventually ended up in the series or movie (ie Red Right Hand for Duane Barry/Ascension, Hands of Death for the episode with Jack Black/Giovanni Ribsani(sp?)).

Catatonias Mulder and Scully fits in with neither IMO, * Me Kitten probably should've been one of the 3 hidden tracks rather than #5, and move one of the Nick Cave ones to 5.

[Frank #2]

I was disappointed that Payback by James Brown wasn't included in Payback ("http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120784/soundtrack) starring Mel Gibson.

[BurnMeUp]

I was disappointed that Payback by James Brown wasn't included in Payback ("http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120784/soundtrack) starring Mel Gibson.

It would also work for a mpovie version of Alice. Since it sounds like he's singing "It's the Vic Tayback".

I don't know Karate but I know Ca-razy.

[Lisa-go-Blind]

Why does the soundtrack for Shrek have Rufus Wainwright singing "Hallelujah" instead of the John Cale version that actually appeared in the movie?

[MovieMogul]

On a reverse note, I was very disappointed that the soundtrack to the miniseries From the Earth to the Moon chose to include mostly generic pop oldies rather than the excellent orchestral theme music, other than the opening and closing theme.I second this, though the fact that you have a mix of composers (Fiedel, Howard, Isham, Kamen, Mancina, Shaiman, etc.) may have had something to do with it...