We revealed the tracklist of Judd Apatow’s “Funny People” soundtrack a few short weeks ago. Some are calling it “dad rock,” which makes us chuckle, but honestly it’s more interesting than the incredibly predictable NPR best albums of the year so far which basically reads as the best indie rock albums for Caucasian yuppies of the year so far…
We digress… A few musical notes on “Funny People,” that people should know. The score, as you know, has been promoted (by folks like us), as written by co-star Jason Schwartzman. This is how the trailer and poster credits read. However, we saw the film recently, and actually, both Schwartzman and Michael Andrews, who composed the score to Apatow’s “Walk Hard,” are credited with providing the score (and it looks like more recent versions of promotion, including the soundtrack disc credit both of them as well). Andrews also wrote the wonderful soft-pad keyboard score to Miranda July’s “Me & You & Everyone We Know” which is like all-time decade good).
We also noted that super-producer Jon Brion (scores for ‘Eternal Sunshine,’ “Punch Drunk Love,” etc.) was spotted in the trailer a few months back, but we weren’t really sure what his participation was in the film other than briefly jamming with Adam Sandler in the film (which he does, we believe they play John Lennon’s “Real Love,” but it’s honestly difficult to remember as the film is two and a half hours and jam packed with all kinds of little memorable bits).
It turns out Brion produced and played on all the tracks that Sandler sings in the movie and in the soundtrack (bonus cuts, see below). It’s not his first Apatow-related project either as he wrote and produced some score music for “Step Brothers” last summer with members of Wilco and Deerhoof.
To recap the soundtrack disc which arrived in stores yesterday. The star-studded lineup includes John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, James Taylor, Warren Zevon and two cuts from Adam Sandler. But if two just isn’t enough, head over to the ITunes store where you can grab four exclusive bonus tracks, including Adam Sandler’s take on Neil Young’s “Everybody Knows This is Nowhere.”
Tracklist:
1. Paul McCartney – Great Day
2. Coconut Records – Wires
3. Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation – All The King’s Horses
4. James Taylor – Carolina In My Mind (Live)
5. Warren Zevon – Keep Me In Your Heart
6. Adam Sandler – Real Love
7. Neil Diamond – We (Early Take)
8. Andrew Bird & Wilco – Jesus, Etc. (Live Summer ’08)
9. Adam Sandler – George Simmons Soon Will Be Gone
10. Coconut Records – I Am Young
11. Larry Goldings & Maude Apatow – Memory (from “Cats”)
12. Warren Zevon – Numb As A Statue
13. Ringo Starr – Photograph
14. John Lennon – Watching The Wheels
ITUNES BONUS TRACKS
15. James Taylor – Secret O’ Life (Live)
16. Adam Sandler – Photograph (Live)
17. Adam Sandler – Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Live)
18. Coconut Records – Nighttiming
“Funny People” opens nationwide this Friday, and is Judd Aptaow’s most mature work to date, capping a trilogy that will be regarded as his “boys becoming men” films. Long interested in examining the tenuous nature of relationships between genders and the awkward phases of young adult life, it will be interesting to see where Apatow heads next. Will he continue the move to more dramatic territory or stick with his stock trade in high concept low brow comedy? We’re guessing the latter (particularly as talk of a Raaaaaaaandy standalone picture are rumored) but here’s hoping he keeps going with the former. There is a reason why “Freaks & Geeks” still remains his finest accomplishment. – additional reporting by Kevin Jagernauth, who is doing a kick-ass job assisting with our music coverage of late.
Here’s three clips from the “Funny People” soundtrack including Adam Sandler’s live version of Ringo Starr’s “Photograph,” Lennon’s unreleased, demo version of “Watching The Wheels,” and James Taylor’s live version of “Carolina In My Mind,” the same version he plays in the film. The wistful nature of all the songs do a really good job of capturing the spirit and tone of the film. Furthering that bittersweet end, you should listen to the Warren Zevon tracks we posted a few weeks back. They’ve very much of the spirit as well.
