This is the second in a series of guides to one of the greatest movies ever made and inspiration behind this space, High Fidelity. Vol. 1 involved the Top 5 lists. In Vol. II, I'll be detailing the songs featured on the film's soundtrack.
"You're Gonna Miss Me"
Performed by The Thirteenth Floor Elevators
Scene: Opening Credits. This song can be found on the original Nuggets compilation.
"I Want Candy"
Performed by Bow Wow Wow
Scene: First flashback about his break-up with Alison Ashmore. The song was written and first performed by The Strangeloves, another Nuggets featured band.
"Crocodile Rock"
Performed by Elton John
Scene: The flashback with Penny Hardwick. Elton John is one of Penny's Top 5 recording artists.
"Crimson and Clover"
Performed by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Scene: Same flashback with Penny Hardwick. This is played during the makeout scene. "Sometimes I got so bored of trying to touch her breast that I would try to touch her between her legs. It was like trying to borrow a dollar, getting turned down, and asking for 50 grand instead."
"Seymour Stein"
Performed by Belle & Sebastian
Scene: Played in the store when Barry first arrives. "What the fuck is this?" The real Seymour Stein was the president of Sire Records, when they signed The Ramones, Talking Heads and Madonna.
"Jacob's Ladder"
Performed by Jack Black
Scene: This is the Rush song that Barry was singing when he enters. This film put Black on the map.
"Walking On Sunshine"
Performed by Katrina And The Waves
Scene: Barry plays this special Monday morning song instead of "Seymour Stein." Oh, Katrina Leskanich, where are you now? Try here.
"Baby Got Going"
Performed by Liz Phair
Scene: Charlie Nicholson flashback. "She was dramatic. She was exotic." The song came out in 1998, so the flashback isn't timed correctly, but the song title is appropriate for Charlie.
"Little Did I Know"
Performed by Brother JT3
Scene: Same flashback. Charlie dumps Rob and he ends up working in a record store where this songs plays. Little he know that he would own his own record store.
"I'm Wrong About Everything"
Performed by John Wesley Harding
Scene: Rob talks to the camera about Charlie and his favorite books. "I'm Wrong About Everything" is played later on. The song is kind of the theme to Rob's life.
"I Can't Stand The Rain"
Performed by Ann Peebles
Scene: Barry berates a customer for asking about Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You." "It's sentimental tacky crap."
"The River"
Performed by Bruce Springsteen
Scene: Rob starts to reorganize his record collection autobiographically, which then leads into the Sarah (Lili Taylor) flashback.
"Baby, I Love Your Way"
Performed by Lisa Bonet
Scene: Frampton comes alive through a Cosby kid! Rob: "I always hated that song, but now I kind of like it."
"Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam"
Performed by The Vaselines
Scene: When the guys first meet Marie De Salle. The Vaselines are the little Known Scottish act that was a huge influence on Kurt Cobain. They were on Chicago's Drag City record label. Drag City is responsible for starting Pavement's career.
"Cold Blooded Old Times"
Performed by Smog
Scene: Back at the store, the guys debate Top 5 favorite song side ones, tracks ones. Smog is also a Drag City band.
"On Hold"
Performed by Edith Frost
Scene: Rob complains about the store and calls his friend, Liz (Joan Cusack). Frost is also on Drag City. Edith Frost is singing on this song, not Lisa Bonet. The filmmaker's pass the song off as her's. The guys freak out because they are playing her CD.
"Hyena 1"
Performed by Goldie
Scene: "What fucking Ian guy?!?" Rob looses it when he finds out Laura is seeing/living with Ian (Tim Robbins)
"I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Babe"
Performed by Barry White
Scene: Rob imagines Laura and Ian making hot, passionate monkey love. "Oh, baby. Give it up."
"Always See Your Face"
Performed by Love
Scene: The next scene, Rob feels down and a customer asks, "Do you have Soul?" He responds, "That all depends."
"Soaring and Boring"
Performed by Plush
Scene: Liam Hayes performs the song in the movie at a piano bar while Rob sulks. Hayes is also a Drag City artist. It comes back at the end of the flashback.
"Leave Home"
Performed by The Chemical Brothers
Scene: Flashback when Laura and Rob first met. He's DJing and she comes up to chat with him.
"Four to the Floor"
Performed by John Etkin-Bell
Scene: Same flashback, it's outside of the club where Rob waits for Laura. Etkin-Bell is now in a band called Ox.
"Loopfest"
Performed by Toby Bricneno and Jay Cryka
Scene: More flashback with Laura and Rob in happier times.
"Who Loves The Sun"
Performed by The Velvet Underground
Scene: Ron returns to his apartment to start his mission of calling his old girlfriends, starting with Alison Ashmore. "Alison married Kevin!" As you know, Who Loves the Sun is also the title of the latest Portastatic album.
"Robbin's Nest"
Performed by Illinois Jacquet
Scene: When Rob meets Penny Hardwick. They are in a restaurant when she storms out for dumping her back in high school.
"Rock Steady"
Performed by Aretha Franklin
Scene: Back at Championship Vinyl, Barry convinces a customer to buy Jesus & Mary Chain and Blonde on Blonde.
"Suspect Device"
Performed by Stiff Little Fingers
Scene: Dick talks to Anaugh (Sara Gilbert) about how Green Day is influenced by The Clash and Ireland's Stiff Little Fingers. He then plays this track.
"Dry The Rain"
Performed by the Beta Band
Scene: Probably the best scene in the movie that perfectly merges the soundtrack and the scene. "I am now going to sell five copies of Three EPs by the Beta Band." Those in music snobbery nation didn't have to have that album because we had the original EP, Championship Versions. Interesting how they began the song towards the end of the track.
"We Are The Champions"
Performed by Queen
Scene: Rob finds out that Laura hasn't slept with Ian. I think this song can only be used for comical purposes now.
"I'm Glad You're Mine"
Performed by Al Green
Scene: Rob meets up with Marie De Salle, who's hanging with Barry and Dick.
"Your Friend and Mine"
Performed by Love
Scene: Same setting, this time they're talking about the TV show, The Prisoner.
"Shipbuilding"
Performed by Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Scene: Same setting, Rob and Marie chat while Rob narrates.
"Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You"
Performed by Bob Dylan
Scene: Ron and Marie in foreplay at her apartment. The title of the song tells it all.
"Get It Together"
Performed by Grand Funk Railroad
Scene: Back at the store, "I haven't seen Evil Dead II yet." That whole debate. The Beastie Boys and Q-Tip also sampled this song on Ill Communication.
"Fallen For You"
Performed by Sheila Nicholls
Scene: Rob and Laura meet for a drink where he quizzes Laura about Ian and her sleeping together. It then goes into the "I'm Wrong About Everything."
"Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"
Performed by The Velvet Underground
Scene: Rob leaves Laura at the bar, he runs homes in the rain. They talk on the phone about how she's sleeping with another guy.
"This India"
Performed by Harbhajhn Singh and Navinder Pal Singh
Scene: Laura and Ian are eating dinner while Rob keeps on calling. Ian almost looses it.
"Tread Water"
Performed by De La Soul
Scene: Back at the store, Charlie returns Rob's call. "Are you in or out, Rob?"
"The Moonbeam Song"
Performed by Harry Nilsson
Scene: Ian visits Rob at the store to try and resolve their conflict. The song is a hippe-style song, which fits the Ian character.
"Juice (Know the Ledge)"
Performed by Eric B. and Rakim
Scene: "So, shall we leave it at that then?" The guys restrain Rob from beating up on Ian.
"Doing It Anyway"
Performed by Apartment 26
Scene: "So, shall we leave it at that then?" This time, the guys beat the shit out of Ian. When I first saw this movie in theater, I was in tears because it was so funny.
"What's On Your Mind"
Performed by Eric B. and Rakim
Scene: Charlie Nicholson's party when Rob enters late. "Why isn't my life like this?"
"Where Did You Get Those Pants"
Performed by Fishbone
Scene: Still at Charlie's party.
"Good and Strong"
Performed by Sy Smith
Scene: Still at Charlie's party.
"Mendocino"
Performed by Sir Douglas Quintet
Scene: At the store, a customer talks to Barry about forming a band. This song was also on the soundtrack to Easy Rider.
"The Inside Game"
Performed by Royal Trux
Scene: The filmmaker's pass off the song and band off as the band (Kinky Wizards) from those skate fuckers in the movie. Royal Trux is a Chicago band, also on Drag City. It's also played at the record release party in the final scene of the movie.
"The Night Chicago Died"
Performed by Jack Black
Scene: Rob finds out that Laura's dad died, so Barry riffs on the song as "The Night Laura's Daddy Died."
"Most of the Time"
Performed by Bob Dylan
Scene: Rob leaves Laura's house after her dad's funeral. He walks in the rain, she eventually finds him and they have sex in her car so that she can forget her dad's death.
"I Get The Sweetest Feeling"
Performed by Jackie Wilson
Scene: Montage scene of Laura and Rob getting back to together. For some reason, I think of that montage scene in The Naked Gun when Priscilla Presley and Leslie Nielson get together to "Something Tells Me I'm Into Something New".
"Lo Boob Oscillator"
Performed by Stereolab
Scene: In the store, Caroline Fortis, the reporter from the local paper, asks, "Is this Stereolab? I haven't hear this one, it's really good." If some hot chick asked me that, I would say, "Marry me!"
"The Anti-Circle"
Performed by The Roots
Scene: Nice choice from The Roots first album, Organix. Ron storms into the store after finding a flier saying that he's DJing the Double Door. The Double Door is a real venue in Chicago.
"Everybody's Gonna Be Happy"
Performed by The Kinks
Scene: Rob tries to convince Barry not to play the Double Door for the record release party for Rob's label. Sonic Death Monkey is the name of the band. In the book, Barrytown was a possibility -- after the town where the Roddy Doyle novels (The Commitments, The Snapper, The Van) were set. The song's title underscores the ending of the film
"Homespin Rerun" (Cornelius Remix)
Performed by High Llamas
Scene: Caroline interviews Rob on the phone. She asks him about his top 5 favorite records. You can find this song on High Llamas rarities CD.
"Let's Get It On"
Performed by Jack Black
Scene: Performed at the end of the movie by Barry's band. Barry Jive and the Uptown Five. A little hint of the Tenacious D to come, aye.
"I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)"
Performed by Stevie Wonder
Scene: Closing credits. Ironically, the screenplay rants about the music put out by Wonder in the 80s.
"My Little Red Book"
Performed by Love
Scene: Closing Credits
