Blue Velvet (soundtrack)

Blue Velvet was the soundtrack of the film of the same name. It included original music by composer and conductor, Angelo Badalamenti. It was released in 1986 on Varèse Sarabande.

Blue Velvet (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Angelo Badalamenti
Released1986
GenreSoundtrack
Length43:03
LabelVarèse Sarabande
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The soundtrack is a dark combination of classic composition and vintage/modern pop songs, which mirrors the film's un-stated timeless setting envisioned by director David Lynch and unsettling neo-noir atmosphere.

Thus, the film has become noted for its diverse musical selections. Seen as a prominent stylistic feature in the film is also the unconventional use of vintage pop songs, such as Bobby Vinton’s "Blue Velvet" and Roy Orbison’s "In Dreams", juxtaposed with an orchestral score.[2]

Badalamenti's score alludes to Shostakovich's 15th Symphony, which Lynch had been listening to regularly while writing the screenplay.[2]

Background and music

Lynch worked with Badalamenti for the first time in this film and asked him to write a score that had to be “like Shostakovich, be very Russian, but make it the most beautiful thing but make it dark and a little bit scary.”[3] Badalamenti would later go on to contribute to all of Lynch's future full-length films except for Inland Empire (2006).

Inspired by This Mortal Coil's recent cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren", Lynch had wanted Isabella Rossellini to sing her own version, but was unable to secure the rights. In its place, Badalamenti composed a music for "Mysteries of Love" with lyrics by Lynch and Julee Cruise sang it.[4]

Bobby Vinton's cover of The Clovers' 1950s song "Blue Velvet" served as inspiration for the film and heavily incorporated it.[5][6]

Legacy

Entertainment Weekly ranked Blue Velvet at #100 on their list of the 100 Greatest Film Soundtracks: "The haunting soundtrack accompanies the title credits, then weaves through the narrative, accentuating the noir mood of the film." — Critic John Alexander[7]

Track listing
  1. "Main Title" 1:27
  2. "Night Streets/Sandy and Jeffrey" 3:42
  3. "Frank" 3:34
  4. "Jeffrey's Dark Side" 1:48
  5. "Mysteries of Love" 2:10
  6. "Frank Returns" 4:39
  7. "Mysteries of Love" [Instrumental] 4:41
  8. "Blue Velvet/Blue Star" 3:14
  9. "Lumberton U.S.A./Going Down to Lincoln" 2:13
  10. "Akron Meets the Blues" 2:40
  11. Bill Doggett - "Honky Tonk, Pt. 1" 3:09
  12. Roy Orbison - "In Dreams" 2:48
  13. Ketty Lester - "Love Letters" 2:36
  14. Julee Cruise - "Mysteries of Love" 4:22

Personnel
  • Angelo Badalamenti – Composer, Conductor, Contractor
  • Julee Cruise – Performer
  • Carmine d'Amico – Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Contractor
  • Chris d'Amico – Bass (Electric)
  • Bill Doggett – Organ, Performer
  • Dan Hersch – Digital Editing, Digital Transfers
  • Richard Kraft – Executive Producer
  • Ketty Lester – Performer
  • David Lynch – Conductor
  • Roy Markowitz – Drums
  • Tom Null – Executive Producer
  • Roy Orbison – Performer
  • Wayne Sabella – Piano
  • Jiri Sobac – Engineer

Releases

The first official release (on LP, tape and CD) was released in late 1986. The following release was on an audio CD on October 15, 1990, by Varèse Sarabande. It, however, did not feature the original rendition title song as many times as it was used in the movie.

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Lynch on Lynch. ISBN 0-571-22018-5. Pages 132, 135.
  3. Chion, Michael (1995). British Film Institute, London: 89. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. Garvey, Meaghan (September 15, 2017). "Blue Velvet (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  5. Lizzie, Borden (September 23, 1986). "The World According to Lynch". Village Voice.
  6. Mysteries of Love: The Making of Blue Velvet, Blue Velvet Special Edition DVD documentary, [2002]
  7. The Films of David Lynch: 50 Percent Sound; last accessed July 10, 2007.
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