Friday, July 21, 2006

Remember the fate of cats and curiosity

Play it: Carnivale - Music from the HBO Series

The second (and last) season of HBO's Carnivale made it to DVD this week, so I thought I'd compile and profile music from both seasons of the show. It's a fascinating mix of early American gospel, blues, folk, jazz and old timey country music.

The orginal music was composed by Emmy-winner Jeff Beal, and captures the mood of good vs. evil in the great dustbowl of mid-America. But the theme song used in the title sequence, believe it or not, was written and performed by former Prince & The Revolution bandbmates Wendy & Lisa. The title sequence is quite dense and intricate - much deserving of this amazing look under the hood. (Or, why not youtube it.)

The visually stunning series featured some award-worthy performances and interesting cameos (John Doe, for one) and left the viewer curious as to where in the world they were going with the plot. It reached a sort-of (rushed?) conclusion by the end of season two, but still left a few questions unanswered.

The language of the show (much like it's former time-slot follower, Deadwood) sometime required interpretation, and HBO's (Webby award winning) website for the show was happy to translate.

More:
A Carnivale montage to Mars Volta's "The Widow" (YouTube)

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1 comment:

Shawn Anderson said...

Carnivale - Music from the HBO series

* "Nearer My God to Thee" - Studio Musicians
* "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" - Mahalia Jackson
* "Six Or Seven Times" - Cab Calloway
* "Under The Bamboo Tree [from Meet Me In St. Louis]" - Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien
* "You Wouldn't Fool Me, Would You?" - Annette Hanshaw
* "Peacherine Rag" - Scott Joplin
* "Creole Love Call - Adelaide Hall" - Duke Ellington Vocalists
* "Love Me Or Leave Me" - Ruth Etting
* "The Old Rugged Cross" - The Mills Brothers
* "That's My Baby" - Eddy Clearwater
* "Yes, Sir, That's My Baby" - Sara Martin
* "Blue Danube" - Johann Strauss, Jr.
* "Casatchok" - I Combos
* "After The Ball" - Gunnar Sønstevold
* "That Old Time Religion (Take 1)" - Paramount Jubilee Singers
* "Shall We Gather At The River" - The Chuck Wagon Gang
* "When The Saints Go Marching In" - The Weavers
* "Waltzing Matilda" - Slim Dusty
* "Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl" - Bessie Smith
* "It's Only A Paper Moon" - Benny Goodman
* "If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)" - Eddie Cantor
* "I Want To Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" - Patsy Montana
* "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me" - Guy Lombardo
* "Shine On, Harvest Moon" - Count Basie
* "Working Man's Blues" - King Oliver And His Creole Jazz Band
* "Down In The Valley" - Artist unknown
* "Blue Yodel Number 4 (California Blues)" - Jimmie Rodgers
* "La Adelita" - Roberto Rodriguez y Clemente Mendoza
* "Las Mananitas" - Mariachi Vargas De Tecalitlan
* "Egyptian Ella" - Ted Lewis & His Orchestra
* "My Melancholy Baby" - The Dorsey Brothers
* "On The Rock Where Moses Stood" - The Carter Family
* "Simple Gifts" - The New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein
* "Mon Homme" - Mistinguett
* "Wild Cat Blues" - Clarence William's Blue Five
* "Me And My Shadow" - Judy Garland
* "Tabu" - Lecuona Cuban Boys
* "Creatures of Prometheus - Overture" - Beethoven
* "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)" - Bing Crosby
* "Abide With Me" - Mahalia Jackson
* "Paradise" - Bing Crosby
* "You're The Only One For Me" - Floyd Dixon
* "Old Comrades" - Regimental Army Band
* "Hot And Anxious" - Various Artists - Memoir Records
* "At the Seaside" - Charlie Byrd
* "Pagliacci: Vesti La Guibba" - Mario Lanza
* "Charlie Two-Step" - Boswell Sisters
* "Sing, Sing, Sing" - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
* "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" - London Philharmonic Choir
* "Swingin' The Jinx Away (from Born To Dance)" - Frances Langford
* "Come On Mama, Do That Dance" - Tampa Red
* "Blues Of The Vagabond" - Duke Ellington
* "Lazybones" - The Mills Brothers
* "King Cotton" - United States Marine Band
* "Annen Polka Op. 137" - Johann Strauss, Jr.
* "Cheek To Cheek" - Irving Berlin
* "Arkansas Traveller" - Various Artists
* "Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight" - Various Artists - Tomato Records
* "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" - Various Artists
* "Big City Blues" - Annette Hanshaw
* "I Only Have Eyes For You" - Eddy Duchin
* "Go 'Long Mule" - Fletcher Henderson
* "Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves from Nabucco" - Giuseppe Verdi
* "She'll be Comin' Around the Mountain" - Studio Musicians