The Old Cult Mixlist: Songs from and inspired by classic cult films
A few weeks back we ran a piece called "The Old Cult Canon" designed to bring readers up to speed on the roots of Scott Tobias' weekly New Cult Canon column while Scott took a week off. It occurred to me later that there are a lot of songs from and about these and other old cult movies. Enough to make a playlist? Indeed. Here's what I came up with, using mostly movies from the list, with a few others thrown in for good measure. I'm sure I'm missing a lot, so consider this side one and feel free to drop in your suggestions for side two.
1."You Can't Live In Isolation" (Dialogue from Carnival Of Souls)
We probably should have thrown one-film-wonder Herk Harvey's great low-budget horror movie Carnival Of Souls onto the list. The soundtrack album is a guaranteed room-clearer when the party's gone on too long, consisting almost entirely of spooky dialogue from the film and formless organ playing. Here's a bit of dialogue to kick things off.
2. "Chicken Grabber," Nite Hawks (from Pink Flamingo)
If you haven't seen Pink Flamingos this probably sounds like a suggestive, mostly instrumental rock tune. But if you have….
3. "Pinhead," Ramones (inspired by Freaks)
Before they came to hate one another, Joey and Johnny Ramone bonded over their love of old horror movies, a love that led to this song.
4. "Hell Of Prostituted Angels," Alejandro Jodorowsky (from El Topo)
El Topo's probably my least favorite movie on the list, but I have to give credit to Jodorowsky as a renaissance man. His talents even extended to EZ-listening cocktail jazz, the perfect soundtrack to psychedelic Westerns, right?
5. "Science Fiction Double Feature," Richard O'Brien (from The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
This is the one Rocky Horror song I never get tired of in any context.
6. "Lady In The Radiator Song," The Pixies (from Eraserhead, originally)
The Pixies were David Lynch fans, which you might have guessed even if they hadn't covered this Lynch original from Eraserhead.