"SHAPE OF MY HEART" STING (1993)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Leon: The Professional

By the release of Ten Summoner’s Tales, Sting had veered from his rock roots with The Police and toward a softer, quieter musical expression. His previous record. Soul Cages was highly introspective. I much prefer the demeanor of The Dream of the Blue Turtles and Nothing Like the Sun to Soul Cages and Ten Summoner’s Tales. But there are some real treasures on the latter. In the wake of the grunge era, Sting turned to jazz and blues for inspiration – and even flamenco, as he did on my favorite track off the album.

If songs like “Shape of My Heart” prove anything, it’s that, no matter how slow or quiet the music gets, Sting’s exploration of different genres continues to inform his own approach. While The Police found inspiration from reggae and punk, “Shape of My Heart” dabbled in flamenco. It’s a beautiful, classical guitar-driven track with some of the artist’s finest lyrics ever written. Sting used the metaphor of a card player to describe life and love, which gave Leon: The Professional more gravitas as the song unraveled over the end credits.

“I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier. I know that the clubs are weapons of war. I know that diamonds mean money for this art. But that's not the shape of my heart.”

"ONE HEADLIGHT" THE WALLFLOWERS (1997)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Excess Baggage

I’m bringing back my favorite Wallflowers track on the heels of featuring my favorite Dylan song the day before. Truth is, my impression of The Wallflowers was really low at first. I saw them in ‘92 as the opening act for a band that literally exploded overnight: The Spin Doctors. I think we all had unfair, yet high expectations for the band, which seems to come with the territory when you’re the son of a legend. Jakob’s band just wasn’t quite together. But that all changed for me five years later. That’s when Bringing Down The Horse was released, a pub rock record that seemed right at home in smoke-filled rooms in the wee hours. The standout track was “One Headlight”.

The tinny, yet emphatic snare hits drew me in quickly. And the guitar work is exceptional and underrated, in my opinion. Its bluesy demeanor seemed to thrive in space, creating these incredible intermittent moments before going full force at the 4:15 mark. Then, there’s Jakob, of course, whose voice is much less nasal and much more raspier than his father’s. “One Headlight” has a fantastic vocal performance. The heartbeat of the song, however, is that steady, insistent and unforgettable bass line, which carries the song along in this groove from beginning to end. I remember one night dancing to “One Headlight” at a house party on repeat until nearly dawn. There just aren’t many songs out there that can grab us like that.

“Me and Cinderella, we put it all together. We can drive it home with one headlight.”

"HURRICANE" BOB DYLAN (1975)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: The Hurricane

Dylan’s songwriting prowess has always been his strongest suit. Say what you will about his voice. But it’s hard to argue that there’s a lyricist as profound, prolific and poetic as Dylan. On the instrumental side, most of his music is characterized by his acoustic guitar playing – and quite a few songs are graced with his harmonica. That’s why a song like “Hurricane”, as core to Dylan’s catalog as it is, is a bit of an anomaly.

This brilliantly composed protest song isn’t just about a boxer, it’s about racism and injustice. “Hurricane” is my favorite Dylan song for two reasons. Vocally, it’s one of his more palatable recordings. The forward thrust of his vocals from the verses to the chorus keep Dylan’s natural nasal intonations to a minimum. And then there’s the violin. Played by Scarlet Rivera, it’s hardly a secondary instrument. On “Hurricane”, Rivera’s violin is pushed to the spotlight, behaving like a guitar — an electric one at that.

“Here's the story of the Hurricane. The man the authorities came to blame for something that he never done. Put in a prison cell but one time he could-a been the champion of the world.”

"WHERE'D YOU GO" THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES (1992)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Clueless

For many of us, college is where we experienced some of our fondest encounters with music. When I first headed off to university for my freshman year, the alt rock landscape was going through a monumental shift known as the grunge era. Everyone was listening to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and the like. But, because I was in Boston, I also got exposed to a thriving era for ska punk through the local outfit The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. My best friend from college – who later became one of my groomsmen – was a big-time Bosstones fan. The culmination of our experience with the band was a concert at Boston’s The Middle East, a basement club that seemed to only book excessively loud, hard rocking bands. I had my first experience in the mosh pit there, but there were also plenty of afternoons in our dorms where we’d crank up the Bosstones on our stereos – and “Where’d You Go” was one of our go-tos.

I’ve never seen the movie Clueless, and I likely never will. But I’ll tip my hat to whoever was in charge of the music. There are some gems on that soundtrack. “Where’d You Go”, even at its peak, was a bit of a minor alt rock hit. But for those who knew it, it has become an endearing song. Repetitive as hell, you can’t help but sing along to it. “Where’d You Go” doesn’t do anything unusual for the ska punk genre – but everything it does it does extremely well. Dicky Barrett’s vocals are practically swimming in gravel. The dueling saxophones and trumpet fly high, while the unforgettable trombone takes nosedive after nosedive.

“Any minute you will show and I'm wondering where did ya go?”

"SOUL TO SQUEEZE" RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS (1993)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Coneheads

As a casual fan of the Chili Peppers, I’ve witnessed a band that was never uncertain of who they are, even as their sound evolved. Their roots were steeped in a funk rock that allowed everyone in the band to rock out hard. Flea’s frenetic and funky bass work on those pre-Mother’s Milk albums are impressive. By Mother’s Milk, the band lineup changed and things got a little more melodic with staples like the Stevie Wonder cover “Higher Ground” and the alt rock anthems “Taste the Pain” and “Knock Me Down”. By the time Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Californication rolled out, the funk elements were diminished considerably. But the band’s sound was still somehow 100% Chili Peppers. A critical part of the band’s evolution was the slowed down number “Soul To Squeeze”.

It’s significant that “Soul to Squeeze” has no ounce of funk in it from beginning to end. It’s bluesy and melodic. Its strength isn’t its rhythm, but its flow. Everyone in the band shines on this one, but the key word here is subtlety. Kiedis’ vocals flow freely and smoothly. Flea’s bass lines are understated, but beautifully melodic. Frusciante’s guitar ushers us into the fold in those first 20 seconds, then becomes an exercise in restraint. And Smith, he’s just keeping time. Subtlety is more than enough here.

"ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER" JIMI HENDRIX (1968)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Forrest Gump

As legendary as Bob Dylan is, I understand that he’s not for everyone. Some people just can’t listen past Dylan’s nasal-infused vocal delivery. Jimi Hendrix wasn’t exactly the most vocally gifted musician either. But whatever he lacked as a singer he more than made up for as a guitar player. The thing about his rendition of the Dylan classic “All Along the Watchtower” is he lit every strand of folk and Americana roots from the song on fire, burned those elements to the ground and then made the fire rise even higher with an electric reboot.

Throughout my middle and high school years, I lived next door to a Jimi Hendrix fanatic. My brother introduced me to Jimi’s impressive catalog, which was incredibly prolific given his short life span. The thing that immediately drew me in to his music was a guitar playing style that almost sounded otherworldly. It wasn’t rock. It wasn’t blues. But it was this crazy blend of the two that seemed to be so effortless to Jimi but impossible for others to emulate. You can’t simply play the same notes that Jimi played and expect it sound the same. It was the way in which he navigated back and forth between those two genres so easily that makes “All Along the Watchtower” one of the greatest cover songs of all time.

“No reason to get excited. The thief, he kindly spoke. There are many here among us. Who feel that life is but a joke.”

"DEAD MAN WALKING" DAVID BOWIE (1997)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: The Saint

Few soundtracks have the cohesion felt and heard on The Saint. It took very different artists — Bowie, Moby, Duran Duran, Duncan Sheik, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, Luscious Jackson, among others — and somehow miraculously put them all together on the same sonic wavelength. There are a ton of great tracks on the album. But my favorite is still Bowie’s “Dead Man Walking”. Fans have often commented that the eighties were not Bowie’s best years. But it appears that in the nineties, the famed artist had regained his form.

As we’ve seen throughout his career, Bowie evolved with each recording — always changing, but always distinctly Bowie. With “Dead Man Walking”, his music went into hyperdrive. There are a ton of delicious electronic layers to this thing. And while it works marvelously as an electronic symphony, something in me wants to pick out and isolate each individual layer. Each one captures the mood and frenetic pace of the film in its own unique way. One of those layers is a guitar riff that Jimmy Page handed over to Bowie on a platter. Page said: “I've got this riff and I can't do anything with it. Do you want it?” Bowie answered the call.

“And I'm gone through a crack in the past like a dead man walking.”

"IRIS" THE GOO GOO DOLLS (1998)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: City of Angels

I once read that if a guitar and a banjo were to have a baby, that baby would be a mandolin. Sounds about right. You can hear hints of both in this instrument that seems to be saved only for the right occasion rather than used as a regular instrument. Of course, the mandolin was always around – even hard rockers Led Zeppelin found a way to incorporate it on their slower, softer classics in the seventies like “Going to California” and “The Battle of Evermore”. In the eighties, the instrument fell by the wayside as synthesizers and loud, power chord-driven guitar hooks took over. Then, in the nineties, it returned, most famously with the R.E.M. hit “Losing My Religion” at the beginning of the decade – and then again with The Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” toward the end of the decade.

While the mandolin plays a prominent role and serves as the entry point for the song, what’s great about “Iris” is that it’s joined later in the song by a full string arrangement and the electric guitar through these sweeping, soaring hooks. Written specifically for the movie City of Angels, “Iris” was one of the most memorable anthems of late nineties alternative rock. The tide had already turned abruptly away from grunge and splintered off into dozens of directions, including the guitar-driven angst of early Radiohead, the indie musings of Yo La Tengo and Belle & Sebastian, and the accessible, mid-tempo recordings of The Goo Goo Dolls.

“When everything feels like the movies, you bleed just to know you're alive.”

"GANGSTA'S PARADISE" COOLIO (1995)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Dangerous Minds

The very reasons why people love hip hop and gangsta rap are the same reasons why I’m not crazy about these genres. Many of their most well-known tracks rely on samples from existing tracks for their riffs – and even for their melodies and lyrics. I just prefer originality when it comes to these core music elements. But I understand the significance of a samples-heavy approach. It’s a reminder that the artists themselves are fans just like us. Samples also serve as an ode to the past and to key musical influences. And if you’re going to sample someone else’s music, you may as well use the best, like Coolio did in “Gangsta’s Paradise”.

Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life is a great listen. But I have to admit, I heard “Gangsta’s Paradise” before I even knew about “Pastime Paradise”. Hearing the songs in this order allowed me to appreciate the latter that much more. Coolio had the groove and his finger on the pulse of the new reality. But Stevie had the vision and musical creativity, being one of the first to use a synthesizer to create string sounds. “Gangsta’s Paradise” made the groove and rhythm more palatable for everyone – from black kids in the hood to white suburban kids to parody kingpin “Weird Al” Yankovic. “Gangsta’s Paradise” is that rare track that is both a cultural statement and a cultural phenomenon.

“As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left.”

"WICKED GAME" CHRIS ISAAK (1989)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Wild At Heart

In 1989, a lot of girls wanted Chris Isaak. And a lot of boys wanted to be like Chris Isaak – to be able to seduce a girl the way he was able to through a song. Things is, before “Wicked Game”, a lot of boys and girls never even knew who Chris Isaak was. Most of his never heard his music – and many of us didn’t even recognize his name. But then, just like that, he was almost larger than life. A lot of it has to do with the movie Wild At Heart – and the fact that “Wicked Game” is just a really, really good song.

“Wicked Game” delivered a single punch in the gut to all the other love songs. In under five minutes, Isaak raised the standards for ballads and seduced half of the song’s listeners in the process. Pushing his rockabilly agenda into the mainstream radio consciousness, the track grips you with these lingering, hanging sliding guitar notes. “Wicked Game” also benefits from one of the greatest male vocal performances ever – bearing striking resemblances to Elvis and Roy Orbison. Quietly delicate, yet strangely powerful.

“What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you.”

"BRIGHT AS YELLOW" THE INNOCENCE MISSION (1995)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Empire Records

It goes without saying that a movie about music should have really great music. And the Empire Records soundtrack is truly a great album. Stacked top to bottom. Made to listen from beginning to end. But “Bright as Yellow” is the one song that I’ll listen to solo, detached from its soundtrack counterparts. It’s a song easily overlooked by the mid-tempo contributions from The Cranberries and Gin Blossoms as well as the louder, brasher tracks from Edwyn Collins, Cracker and Ape Hangers, among others. But it must not be overlooked. “Bright As Yellow” is a quiet beauty.

It’s a song that creates an immediate warmth and a mood that extends far beyond the reaches of the movie scenes. The kind of song that feels right at home on a warm summer evening or a cold winter night. “Bright As Yellow” can move you with its quiet, understated power whether it’s blasting from your speakers or you’re playing it quietly on your ear buds. Karen Peris’ vocals are inviting and unusual, yet eerily similar to The Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler. Next to her, her husband Don Peris wields his guitar to merge moody with melodic.

“And you live your life with your arms stretched out. Eye to eye when speaking. Enter rooms with great joy shouts. Happy to be meeting.”

"ALL I WANT IS YOU" U2 (1988)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Reality Bites

When you think of the Reality Bites soundtrack, the first song that probably comes to mind is “Stay (I Missed You”, the song that launched Lisa Loeb’s career. Ethan Hawke first heard Loeb playing her guitar in his apartment building – and evidently thought she was talented enough for more people to hear her music beyond their building. He played her music for director Ben Stiller – and the rest is history. The soundtrack is also supported by classics from The Knack, Squeeze and New Order, and lesser known treasures from Dinosaur Jr. and Arrested Development. And right smack in the middle of the track list is U2’s “All I Want Is You”, which is my favorite song from the soundtrack.

One of the gems from Rattle and Hum, I was always drawn to this track since the moment I heard it. I didn’t have to warm up to it. And, more notably, I never got sick of it. The song had never lost its edge for me (no pun intended). “All I Want You” isn’t one of the band’s greatest instrumental efforts by any means, but there’s room for an Edge guitar solo in there and an unexpected string arrangement. The best thing about the song is that it takes you somewhere and then brings you back home. It starts off quiet, builds up to a crescendo, and then dies down to a near whisper.

“But all the promises we make from the cradle to the grave, when all I want is you.”

"SWEET JANE" COWBOY JUNKIES (1988)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Natural Born Killers

Cowboy Junkies and The Velvet Underground could not be more different from each other. Margo Timmins’ voice is highly melodic and delicate, while Lou Reed’s is much more rock & roll, brash and often more speaking than actual singing. The early Cowboy Junkies work was a place you could turn to for solace., while the VU canon is characterized by rants and occasional moments of cacophony. The differences between the original “Sweet Jane” and the Cowboy Junkies cover reflect these divergent musical approaches to a T.

VU famously opens the song with a shimmery cacophony. It jolts you. But Cowboy Junkies omit the opening and lull us into a placid space by jumping straight into the main chord progressions. VU made the song sound like the start of a party, while Cowboy Junkies made it feel like the end of the night. They definitely played it their way with no intention to sound like VU. This is probably the cover version’s best trait. It’s almost a completely different song that we’re hearing. Aside from the chords, everything else is different: the pacing, the vocals, the instrumentation and the aura.

“But anyone who ever had a heart, they wouldn't turn around and break it. And anyone who ever played a part, they wouldn't turn around and hate it.”

"WHERE IS MY MIND?" PIXIES (1988)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Fight Club

While it may not be in the upper echelon of my personal Pixies favorites, “Where Is My Mind?” has cultural implications that far outweigh the rest of this great band’s catalog. That’s, of course, because of Fight Club, which was not just a terrific film, it was a cultural phenomenon. Controversial and influential, Fight Club ended with this song — and then continued on in public discourse and in private fight clubs across the U.S.

“Where Is My Mind?” is an introduction to the irresistible, jarring world of the Pixies. It’s a coming out party of quiet-loud-quiet dynamics that mimicked the cinematic rhythms of the movie and that would define the Pixies imprint on the music world. They weren’t Nirvana. Or Radiohead. Or Smashing Pumpkins. But they were the ones that influenced all three. We may not have any of those bands without this song. What I’m drawn to on this track: Black Francis going from tentative to full-blown insane. I also think the simple, pervasive guitar riff trumps the mini guitar solo.

“With your feet on the air and your head on the ground, try this trick and spin it, yeah.”

"SAX AND VIOLINS" TALKING HEADS (1991)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Until The End Of The World

This was the last Talking Heads song ever written. In the context of modern rock history, it had a lot riding on it. And the band truly delivered. When they were asked to contribute a song for the movie Until The End Of The World, they were advised to create something that sounded like the near-future. Something that could fly for the year 2000. This was actually an ask for all the soundtrack contributors. But Talking Heads managed to accomplish the task, while staying true to their sound and to who they are.

“Sax and Violins” has Talking Heads written all over it. It has plenty of worldbeat undertones, with its complex rhythms and nuanced instrumentation that evolves throughout the song. It’s also cheeky as hell. Even with the song title. It’s. a twist of the phrase “sex and violence”. Every time I hear the song, I feel this sense of urgency to the experience. I wait with bated breath – with an anticipation that I’ll discover something new from it. Something that Byrne, Weymouth, Harrison and Frantz perhaps wanted to pass along to their fans. The last time I heard it, my ears were more attuned to the samples that appear throughout the song. I can’t even make out what they are. Shrieks? Machinery? Feedback? Maybe all of the above.

“Love keeps us together. And love will drive us insane.”

"STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU" STEALERS WHEEL (1973)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Reservoir Dogs

The torture scene in Reservoir Dogs wouldn’t be the same without this song. Torture scenes don’t often start with the question “Ever listen to K-Billy’s Super Sounds of the 70s?” and end with a policeman’s right ear cut off. But in the world of Tarantino, that’s just how it has to be. The director has a knack for finding the right track to enhance his scenes, and “Stuck in the Middle With You” was one his finest selections. The scene might make you cringe, but the music brings you into the fold.

The track’s melody is so addictive that it wasn’t completely absurd that Mr. Blonde shuffled his feet to it right before wielding his knife. Gerry Rafferty’s vocals are almost Dylan-esque with his nasal undertone. And that famous guitar slide and cowbell carried us into the song. Twenty years later, we would hear these sounds again mimicked on Sheryl Crow’s debut record. “Stuck in the Middle With You” became a one-hit wonder with two lives—an unforgettable birth in 1973 and then an equally unforgettable rebirth 20 years later.

“Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right. Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.”

"CIRCLE OF LIFE" ELTON JOHN (1994)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: The Lion King

What makes Disney, Disney? Plenty, it turns out. Disney movies have their own unique style of animation. They use only the best voiceovers. They feature really good, sometimes even phenomenal original music. And, above all, they tell great stories. Those last two points are inextricably linked. In a Disney movie, what makes the songs so great is their connection to the story. And vice versa. This is definitely the case with The Lion King – a soundtrack with almost all great originals, including this one by Elton John and Tim Rice.

I’m not the biggest Elton John fan. I’m not even a casual fan, to be honest. Great voice. Great piano player. Great composer. And definitely a great performer. But Elton just isn’t my cup of tea. That said, his collaboration with Tim Rice in “Circle of Life” is nearly flawless. The song is perfect for the movie. The melody starts off in a pedestrian manner in the verses, but things soar and shine in the chorus. The best part is the lyrics. It’s a manifesto for the movie. As the story goes, Tim Rice wrote these brilliant words and handed them over to the Rocket Man to turn into music. He pumped out a spectacular demo in an hour and a half. Now, that’s talent. Maybe I should listen to more Elton John.

“In the circle of life, it's the wheel of fortune. It's the leap of faith. It's the band of hope. 'Til we find our place on the path unwinding, in the circle, the circle of life.”

"I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT" INDIGO GIRLS (1993)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Philadelphia

Indigo Girls was one of the first concerts I went to. It was 1991, and the duo was riding high on the strength of their debut album. While other folk artists like Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman helped pave the way, Indigo Girls took things to another level with their emphasis on harmonies and dual acoustic guitar parts to their songs. In high school, I had plenty of bangers to rock out to and hook-laden tracks to move to. But there was something about Indigo Girls that was different. Their songs came from these deep places in their hearts that made them instantly attractive to me. Songs like “Love’s Recovery", “Secure Yourself” and “Closer To Fine” are a part of my high school soundtrack. A few years later, they contributed a beautiful cover of “I Don’t Want To Talk About It”.

While not a Rod Stewart original, the song is certainly most attributed to him. Everything But The Girl also covered it. But my favorite version is the Indigo Girls recording. Somehow it sounds like an original Indigo Girls song even though it isn’t. It feels like it was made for their harmonies with Amy Ray on alto and Emily Saliers on soprano. It’s sung from a place of vulnerability and brokenness, held together by gorgeous acoustic guitar and piano elements that linger in your head long after you listened to it.

“If I stay here just a little bit longer, if I stay here, won't you listen to my heart?”

"LOW RIDER" WAR (1975)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Dazed and Confused

Ever notice how some songs’ riffs instantly make people break out into whistling and humming? There’s magic in their notes and the way those notes are strung together that bring out the endorphins. They’re also instantly recognizable by everyone else around you – for better or for worse. Clapton’s guitar riff on Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love”. The bass line in Queen’s “We Will Rock You”. And then, of course, there’s the alto sax hook in War’s “Low Rider”. But, look. There’s so much more to the song than just that one riff that we all hum along to.

Charles Miller’s alto sax riff is the defining element of the song. The element that probably contributes the most to the catchiness. But to ignore everything else would be like only talking about Michael Jordan – and discarding the rest of his team. The Scottie Pippen of the song is the impossibly low bass vocals – also handled by Charles Miller. They’re all-star vocals. The Rodman factor is handled by B.B. Dickerson’s stalwart bass line. Steady and strong. The Steve Kerr role is played by the percussion, featuring cow bells, congas and timbales. Each percussion element is like that occasional three-pointer, assist or hustle play that keeps the team in the game. A team is rarely successful because of a single player. Same goes for the hero element of a song. People might think of Charles Miller’s alto sax first, but they would be remiss to ignore the other parts of this song.

“Take a little trip with me.”

"DEAD SOULS" NINE INCH NAILS (1994)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: The Crow

The Crow’s dark underworld found the right musical counterparts in its soundtrack from top to bottom. With contributions from dark, edgy bands, the songs spanned the musical spectrum — from The Cure to Henry Rollins to Rage Against the Machine. The track list reads like a college radio playlist. And one of my favorites is the Nine Inch Nails’ cover of Joy Division’s “Dead Souls”. It’s pretty ballsy to cover Joy Division. If you’re gonna do it, you better sure as hell nail it. And nail it NIN sure did.

The Crow comic books have been known to find inspiration from Joy Division, making the inclusion of “Dead Souls” that much more powerful. Just as the movie brought a new element to the original stories and images, Nine Inch Nails found a way to reinvent the Joy Division song with its own unique musical sensibilities. While Joy Division took to the upper registers with Hooky’s bass lines high up on the fretboards and Ian Curtis’ spastic vocal tremors, NIN found a home in the lower registers, with cyclical bass drum beats, grating electric guitar riffs and Trent Reznor’s tormented chants. It’s a thing of beauty in its own dark way rather than try to be Ian Curtis 2.0.

“Someone take these dreams away that point me to another day.”