January 9, 2008

2007 in Music: The Soundtrack That Wasn't

I'm going to break my own rule here and bring an outside interest into the realm of movies.

When you're listening to music, do you ever imagine how it would perfectly frame a specific scene from a specific movie, even one that only exists in your mind? Sometimes I do. Here are the new songs from 2007 that made me think, "This would have been great in (movie) or a scene where (something) is happening." In other words, here are the best songs (and albums) of 2007.


Song: "Drivin' Me Wild" by Common feat. Lily Allen from Finding Forever
Scene: Opening Credits - Boom! Cue track for studio & production company logo/intros. Cut to black screen with white text, title. At 0:38, wipe left to close-ups of boots in stride, jewelry, back of head, purse, zoom out to young woman strutting through urban streets.
2007 Movie: N/A

Song: "Mango Pickle Down River" by M.I.A. feat. Wilcannia Mob from Kala
Scene: Nerdy friends or posse walking toward the camera in slow motion.
2007 Movie: Superbad, Ocean's Thirteen, Hot Fuzz

Song: "No Cars Go" by Arcade Fire from Neon Bible
Scene: Road trip montage.
2007 Movie: N/A

Song: "Creo" by Ozomatli from Don't Mess With the Dragon
Scene: Latino house party or any nightclub scene, preferably with a group dancing montage.
2007 Movie: Knocked Up

Song: "Malemolência" by CéU from CéU
Scene: Aerial panning of exotic location.
2007 Movie: Manda Bala, The Bourne Ultimatum

Song 1: "Intruder Alert" by Lupe Fiasco feat. Sarah Green from The Cool
Song 2: "The People" by Common from Finding Forever
Scene: Urban ghetto montage, single subject (Song #1) or multiple subjects (Song #2).
2007 Movie: American Gangster (starring Common!), I Am Legend, Southland Tales

Song: "Lesson Learned" by Alicia Keys feat. John Mayer from As I Am
Scene: Depressing end of a relationship.
2007 Movie: Things We Lost in the Fire; Reign Over Me; Gone Baby Gone

Song 1: "Flashing Lights" by Kanye West feat. Dwele from Graduation
Song 2: "Superstar" by Lupe Fiasco feat. Matthew Santos from The Cool
Scene: Glamorous nightclub scene in Times Square, Las Vegas, L.A. or South Beach.
2007 Movie: N/A

Song 1: "Me Llaman Calle" by Manu Chao from La Radiolina
Song 2: "Hoy Me Voy" by Juanes from La Vida es un Ratico
Scene: Young teenage boy sets off at sunrise for journey through Latin America, either for opportunity (to the U.S) or soul-searching. Montage of clips riding bus through Mexico City or other urban landscape, coastal road, desert road, etc.
2007 Movie: Into the Wild

Song 1: "Betterman" by Musiq Soulchild from Luvanmusiq
Song 2: "Because of You" by Ne-Yo from Because of You

Song 3: "Someday Soon" by KT Tunstall from Drastic Fantastic
Scene: Subtly sweet montage of young couple experiencing new love or sheepishly making up.
2007 Movie: Lars and the Real Girl; Juno; Into the Wild; 2 Days in Paris; Eagle vs. Shark; Rocket Science

Song 1: "Iron Bars" by Stephen Marley from Mind Control
Song 2: "Inner City" by Arrested Development from Since the Last Time (arguably my favorite album of the year)
Scene: Urban chaos and/or riots.
2007 Movie: Freedom Writers, American Gangster

Song: "We Got Love" by Ryan Shaw from This is Ryan Shaw
Scene: Celebratory party.
2007 Movie: Pride; The Great Debaters; Talk To Me

Song: "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. from Kala
Scene: Closing Credits - Cue music early. Long zoom out from two friends traveling in different directions after finishing some adventure with a witty line. Fade song up to full volume and cut to black at 0:56. This is simply the best closing credits song I've ever heard, topping Van Morrison's "Tupelo Honey."
2007 Movie: N/A


In reality, the best musical scenes in 2007 came from Across the Universe ("I Want You"), Sweeney Todd ("A Little Priest")
, I'm Not There ("Pressing On"), and of course...

Song: "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard And Marketa Irglova
Scene: Aspiring Irish songwriter and innocent Czech pianist fall in love during jam session in a Dublin music shop.
2007 Movie: Once

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