Customer Reviews

Basquiat: Original Soundtrack - Music From The Miramax Film

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A good rock soundtrack that could be better with a few missing pieces restored. Whatever kept the songs off this album originally, an expanded reissue would have to include the credits-opening "Fairytale of New York." The song sets the tone for the rest of the movie, and it's really missing here. Kirsty MacColl's duet featuring Shane MacGowan is available on an import best-of album called "Galore," for those who want to track it down. I don't think anyone expects the Stones to give away "Waiting on a Friend" to a soundtrack (that would have been a nice gesture) but Keith Richards's bootleg version of "Nearness of You" should now be included, as he's doing the song with the Stones these days putting it into the "official release" category. Finally, "Red House" by Tom Waits needs to be here as well, to bookend "Tom Traubert's Blues." Island Records should think about remastering this compilation and give fans of the movie a complete, essential soundtrack. On the plus side, it's worth every cent to have John Cale's version of "Hallelujah" here, and another reviewer noted Bowie's remarkable remake of "Small Plot of Land." Almost worth a five star rating, but just not quite. Yet.

The first song from the movie is "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues. I imagine that this is the song being confused with "If I Should Fall From Grace With God." The first song also changes significantly after the intro portion that is played in the movie - somewhat of a letdown but still a good tune. This soundtrack collects many of the best songs from the movie but not nearly enough of them.

Many people have asked what the opening title track is in the film, Basquiat. The name of the song is "Fairy Tale of New York" by the Pogues. Viewers of the movie may recall an excerpt of the song playing while young Basquiat and his mother are strolling through the museum during the opening credits.

Alas, this song is not included in the soundtrack, although the soundtrack is quite an excellent collection of works that fits wonderfully with the film.

This is a great soundtrack! Fans of the movie should be aware, however, that the most requested song from the film, the title track "Fairy Tale of New York" by the Pogues is not included in this CD.

(To provide some recollection, this is the quiet melody played during the emotional title sequence in which young Basquiat accompanies his mother at the museum. The actual song is actually quite fractured, with the soft "drunk-tank" description at the beginning and a celebratory, quick paced Irish-style anthem in the second part.)

This is one of the most significant soundtracks of my life, and along with the soundtrack from Dead Man Walking introduced me to many artists that I have come to admire and follow.
There are many highlights here, particularly Van Morrison and John Cale's covers of (Leonard Cohen's) Hallelujah and (Bob Dylan's) It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, respectively. The hip-hop classic White Lines, evoking the burgeoning medium and the cocaine high 80's in which Basquiat takes place, PJ Harvey's somber Is That All There Is? and the great Tom Waits' Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen) retain their music powers whether scored under the film or alone, no matter the repetition.
If you are unfamiliar with the musicians mentioned or featured here, this soundtrack is a MUST, successfully presenting the early 80's era, the New Wave, post punk, post funk New York City/America of Ronald Reagan/Keith Haring/The Last Days of Warhol.
Poetic and potent.

This is an extraordinary soundtrack for an extraordinary movie. Quite a diverse selection of music - the soulful entrees by Van Morrison, PJ Harvey, Tom Waits and the Pogues really evoke the doomed and melancholy air of the movie and of Basquiat's life. As an album it doesn't really hand together, yet all the individual songs are quite arresting and memorable.

what is the very first song of the movie??
it is not on the cd.
anyone!?
thanks....

I place this soundtrack in the upper echelon of film soundtracks. It has had such a profound impact on my musical taste, as the film had on my taste for visual art. "Tom Traubert's blues" was my introduction to Tom Waits and I've devoured everything else since then, and long to play his songs on the keyboards. Brian Kelly's " and Keith Richards' "The Nearness of you" (which was in the film but unfortunately not on this soundtrack probably because it was a studio session)are also incredible. Need I mention "It's all over now, baby blue" by Van Morrison? One of his finest songs... A must have!!!

Um, Kelly Bone...what do you mean "Basquiat himself was a selector of the music"? He's dead and has been since the mid-1980s. His friend and contemporary Julian Schnabel made the film, but unless some sort of channeling is involved, I think Basquiat remains dead.

yeah, thats Waits, its called "Red House", off of Bone Machine i think (without looking at an album listing). cool movie, artsy sound track, David Bowie was the best thing in this movie