Soundtrack

Here are some songs that belong on the soundtrack of my biopic. I’ve refrained from simply picking favorites, attaching another criterion: that they conjure up the ghosts of my life at various key points—and my particular life, not only an era I lived through.

I’ve tried to use each artist only once (even though some of the artists, of course, are favorites and have been over several decades).

I’ve also refrained from simply picking songs that will make me look hip (or, more accurately, make me look like I’m trying hard to look hip).


SIDE ONE

The Cowboy Church Sunday School—Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In
Shelley Fabares—Johnny Angel
Ray Charles—Busted
Petula Clark—Downtown
The Supremes—Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart
Lulu—To Sir With Love

SIDE TWO

Dusty Springfield—Son of a Preacher Man
The Rolling Stones—Gimme Shelter
Mary Hopkin—Goodbye
Peggy Lee—Is That All There Is?
Louis Armstrong—We Have All the Time in the World
Melanie—Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)

SIDE THREE

T.Rex—Get It On
Lou Reed—Walk on the Wild Side
Elton John—Daniel
John Lennon—Whatever Gets You Thru the Night
David Bowie—Golden Years
Paul Simon and Phoebe Snow—Gone at Last

SIDE FOUR

The Bee Gees—Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)
Emmylou Harris—One of These Days
ABBA—Dancing Queen
Gerry Rafferty—Baker Street
Talking Heads—Heaven
Queen—Another One Bites the Dust

SIDE FIVE

Peter Gabriel—Shock the Monkey
Frankie Goes to Hollywood—Relax
The The—This Is the Day
Bronksi Beat—Smalltown Boy
The Smiths—Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
The Style Council—Promised Land

SIDE SIX

White Town—Your Woman
Eels—Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues
The Dandy Warhols—Bohemian Like You
Tilly and the Wall—Bottoms of Barrels
Amy Winehouse—Back to Black
Grizzly Bear—Knife