- The Long Riders,
- Alamo Bay,
- Paris, Texas,
- Blue City,
- Crossroads,
- Johnny Handsome
- Trespass.
The set contains a number of soundtracks for director Walter Hill (1980′s The Long Riders being one) and a handful produced in a productive two year period with Alamo Bay, Blue City, Crossroads and Paris, Texas all issued in 1985-6.
When Harry Dean Stanton wanders across the bleached southwestern wasteland in the opening to Wim Winders' masterful film Paris, Texas, this laconic and haunting scene is set to the perfect music: Ry Cooder's bottleneck guitar adaptation of a Blind Willie Johnson blues song.
Wenders later said that he had the feeling the film was shot with a camera and a guitar, and that Cooder had created "sacred music".
The Paris, Texas album from 1985 is one of the finest film soundtracks, and is one of seven scores included in a new box set collection Ry Cooder: Soundtracks that also includes The Long Riders’ (1980), Music From Alamo Bay (1985), Blue City (1986), Crossroads (1986), Johnny Handsome (1989) and Trespass (1993).
The pairing with Wenders worked so well. There is a terrific version of Johnson's Dark Was The Night (Cold Was The Ground), and a memorable six-minute instrumental called She's Leaving the Bank, co-written by Cooder with Jim Dickinson. Cooder's incredibly atmospheric music helps make the film special but is also a treat to listen to just as an album of music.
Much of Cooder's best film score work has been done with director Walter Hill, especially on Hill’s re-invention of the Jesse James legend. Cooder said musician and director simply "understood one another", and it shows in the way Cooder provided a historically authentic score – using polkas, square dances, waltzes and other traditional tunes played by a small band that includes the peerless David Lindley on guitars and violin – to move away from the bombastic style that sometimes accompanies westerns. The soundtrack to The Long Riders is brief (36 minutes) but contains one of the most joyful tunes in Cooder's vast and distinguished repertoire: Seneca Square Dance.
Cooder's career has been incredibly varied and has included playing with rock bands such as The Rolling Stones as well as revitalising Thirties folk, adapting Tex Mex and celebrating Cuban music. One of his finest blues albums came when he worked again with Hill on Crossroads, which is a musical tribute to Robert Johnson, and includes a contribution from the great Sonny Terry. There are fine guests, too, on Alamo Bay, including John Hiatt, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas.
Of course, some of the individual tracks on the various albums seem incongruous separated from the original film but there is plenty to enjoy on all seven records, whether with gentle instrumental tracks such as Billie and Annie from Blue City, or in the offbeat music of tracks such as Goose and Lucky from Trespass. It is a shame that Southern Comfort and The Border are not included in the choice of album.
Cooder has done 18 soundtracks in all but the 67-year-old said recently that he won't be doing any more film work. "Films make me sick now and if something makes me sick I back off," he said.
This set is a fine reminder of his magnificent legacy of film work.
CD1 The Long Riders:
01 - The Long Riders
02 - I'm a Good Old Rebel
03 - Seneca Square Dance
04 - Archie's Funeral (Hold to God's Unchanging Hand)
05 - I Always Knew That You Were the One
06 - Rally 'Round The Flag
07 - Wildwood Boys
08 - Better Things to Think About
09 - Jesse James
10 - Cole Younger Polka
11 - Escape From Northfield
12 - Leaving Missouri
13 - Jesse James
CD2 Paris, Texas:
01 - Paris, Texas
02 - Brothers
03 - Nothing Out There
04 - Canci¢n Mixteca
05 - No Safety Zone
06 - Houston in Two Seconds
07 - She's Leaving the Bank
08 - On the Couch
09 - I Knew These People
10 - Dark Was the Night
CD3 Alamo Bay:
01 - Theme From Alamo Bay
02 - Gooks On Main Street
03 - Too Close
04 - Klan Meeting
05 - Sailfish Evening
06 - The Last Stand
07 - Quatro vicios
08 - Search & Destroy
09 - Glory
CD4 Crossroads:
01 - Crossroads
02 - Down In Mississippi
03 - Cotton Needs Pickin'
04 - Viola Lee Blues
05 - See You In Hell, Blind Boy
06 - Nitty Gritty Mississippi
07 - He Made A Woman Out Of Me
08 - Feelin' Bad Blues
09 - Somebody's Callin' My Name
10 - Willie Brown Blues
11 - Walkin' Away Blues
CD5 Blue City:
01 - Blue City Down
02 - Elevation 13 ft.
03 - True Believers (Marianne)
04 - Nice Bike
05 - Greenhouse
06 - Billy and Annie
07 - Pops and Timer (Tell Me Something Slick)
08 - Blue City
09 - Dont Take Your Guns to Town
10 - A Leader of Men
11 - Not Even Key West
CD6 Johnny Handsome:
01 - Main Theme
02 - I Can't Walk This Time
03 - Angola
04 - Clip Joint Rhumba
05 - Sad Story
06 - Fountain Walk
07 - Cajun Metal
08 - First Week At Work
09 - Greasy Oysters
10 - Smells Like Money
11 - Sunny's Tune
12 - I Like Your Eyes
13 - Adios Donna
14 - Cruising With Rafe
15 - How's My Face
16 - End Theme
CD7 Trespass:
01 - Video Drive-By
02 - Trespass (Main Title)
03 - East St. Louis
04 - Orgill Bros.
05 - Goose And Lucky
06 - You Think It's On Now
07 - Solid Gold
08 - Heroin
09 - Totally Boxed In
10 - Give 'Em Cops
11 - Lucy In The Trunk
12 - We're Rich
13 - King Of The Street
14 - Party Lights
