In Dreams

Nina Simone - Sinnerman
Sonny Boy Williamson - Bring It on Home
Jimmy Scott - Sycamore Trees
Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps - Be-Bop-A-Lula
Ketty Lester - Love Letters

The other week I was lucky enough to catch a preview screening of the latest, and perhaps most twisted, David Lynch flick, Inland Empire, with the man himself talking and taking questions afterwards. As always, I enjoyed the film and can't wait to see it again to unravel it's mysteries further. It's almost a Lynchian hallmark to include scenes where a specific song comes to the fore and his soundtracks are always excellent. For this post I'm highlighting some of those scene making songs and other Lynch soundtrack selections.

The final scene of Inland Empire, as the credits roll, is a joyous occasion for Lynch fans. Nina Simone's ten minute rapturous rhythmic version of the traditional 'Sinnerman' is heard during a room scene of choreographed dancing and spirited attempts at lip syncing. Also in the room are characters from, or allusions to, some of his other films. 'Sinnerman' was originally a part of the 'Pastel Blues' album, recorded in New York and released in the mid sixties.

Sonny Boy Williamson aka Rice Miller is a Mississippi blues mystery man. No one is quite sure of his real name or date of birth, but it's widely accepted that despite his claims to the contrary, he was not the original Sonny Boy Williamson. The original John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson was a well known harmonica player and recording star before the Interstate Grocery Company appropriated his name. They placed it alongside an image of Miller, also a harmonica player and radio personage, in order to sell more sacks of King Biscuit Flour. Having already played with many of the delta blues greats, including Robert Johnson and Elmore James, Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II) would outlive his chosen namesake and go on to record with some of the rising stars of the British blues his death in 1965. 'Bring It On Home', a song Willie Dixon wrote, features in the Mulholland Drive scene that sees Billy Ray Cyrus get punched out by a large mobster.

Jimmy Scott was born in 1925 with Kallmann's syndrome. This syndrome prevents the onset of puberty, explaining his soprano voice and why he's less than five feet tall. He used to be known as 'Little' Jimmy Scott, a nickname coined by Lionel Hampton, the bandleader with whom Scott began his recording career. To say his voice is unique, although true, doesn't fairly emphasis the tremendous ability he, like Nina Simone, has to interpret songs and extract every last drop of real emotion from them. He has what Ray Charles called "soul". Other famous fans include Billie Holiday, Lou Reed and Madonna. After a long absence from recording music, in the early nineties Scott returned. In 1991 he was in the final episode of Twin Peaks, singing 'Sycamore Trees', a song with lyrics by David Lynch and music by regular collaborator, Angelo Badalamenti. It's a bewilderingly unnerving and emotionally intense performance. You can find it on the soundtrack to Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

Like 'Bring It On Home', Lynch uses 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' in Wild At Heart to lyrically emphasis an idea. This literal approach helps in movies that contain so much figurative symbolism. 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' is used in a passionate lovemaking scene between Laura Dern's character 'Lula' and Nic Cage's 'Sailor' that is arguably even more viscerally pleasurable than watching Mr. Achy Breaky Heart getting whacked. A rock'n'roll and rockabilly classic, it was Gene Vincent's first and biggest hit in 1956.

When 'Love Letters' is played in 'Blue Velvet' the lyrics definitely reverberate. Earlier in the film Dennis Hopper's manic, sadistic and sociopathic character 'Frank Booth' has explained to Kyle MacLachlan's 'Jeffrey Beaumont', "You know what a love letter is? It's a bullet from a fucking gun, fucker! You receive a love letter from me, and you're fucked forever!" It's played towards the end of the movie as Jeffrey is discovering a couple of folk who have recently received love letters from Frank. Ketty Lester's sweet and soulful cover of Dick Haymes' 'Lover Letters' was also her biggest smash. The year was 1962.

David Lynch interview