Jesus' Son: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1999 Film) [Soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Leave it to someone as cool as Joe Henry to kick off a movie soundtrack with country pianist Floyd Cramer's instrumental "Last Date," wind it down with the Louvin Brothers' gospel gem "The Family Who Prays," and plop the late, great Doug Sahm smack dab in between ("Is Anybody Going to San Antone?"). Working with a film set in the early 1970s drug subculture, coproducer Henry handpicks a few of the obvious ("Ballad of the Green Berets" and "Indian Reservation") choices, but he offsets them with a pair of his own works--the clever title track original and a cover of the Ray Charles classic "Unchain My Heart"--and two from the always available Wilco. Add a pinch of Texas soul (Joe Tex) and a spoonful of Mississippi R&B (Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson,) and Henry delivers a recipe that's rare for movie soundtracks: one that tastes as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. --Scott Holter

Tracks:

Last Date - Floyd Cramer
The Love You Save (May Be Your Own) - Joe Tex
Yes, I'm Ready - Barbara Mason
Unchain My Heart - Joe Henry
Lover's Holiday - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson
Sweet Pea - Tommy Roe
Jesus' Son - Joe Henry
She's A Jar - Wilco
(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone? - Doug Sahm
Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian) - Raiders
The Ballad Of The Green Berets - SSgt. Barry Sadler
The Family Who Prays - The Louvin Brothers
Airline To Heaven - Wilco

Amazon.com

Leave it to someone as cool as Joe Henry to kick off a movie soundtrack with country pianist Floyd Cramer's instrumental "Last Date," wind it down with the Louvin Brothers' gospel gem "The Family Who Prays," and plop the late, great Doug Sahm smack dab in between ("Is Anybody Going to San Antone?"). Working with a film set in the early 1970s drug subculture, coproducer Henry handpicks a few of the obvious ("Ballad of the Green Berets" and "Indian Reservation") choices, but he offsets them with a pair of his own works--the clever title track original and a cover of the Ray Charles classic "Unchain My Heart"--and two from the always available Wilco. Add a pinch of Texas soul (Joe Tex) and a spoonful of Mississippi R&B (Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson,) and Henry delivers a recipe that's rare for movie soundtracks: one that tastes as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. --Scott Holter

Customer Reviews:

undeserving of the movie.......2002-12-20

i'm bothered by the absence of heroin by velvet underground. it doesn't shine in the same quiet way as the movie.

DOES ANYONE KNOW THAT SONG???.......2002-03-29

When the two are at that dance and then a slow song comes on and they both start dancing to it... does anyone know that song that they slow dance too??????

Great original music too!.......2000-11-20

In addition to the tunes that found their way onto this CD, this film had some great original music, including the absolutely beautiful title piece written by Joe Henry. I'm usually not much on soundtracks that just collections of other people's songs, but this unusual collection combined with the original music make this a gem.

Yes........2000-07-14

This is good. And not just good in spots, but good overall. So good it's Good. It's got a nice feel to it, you know? It feels like the movie. It flows.

After seeing "Jesus' Son," I walked around for days with Barbara Mason's "Yes, I'm Ready" in my head until finally I couldn't take it anymore and I went to check out the soundtrack. It seemed promising, so I bought it.

The Mason track, the Joe Tex track, the Wilco songs....everything is fantastic. This ranks up there with the "Rushmore" soundtrack as one of the best compilations of film songs I own. Within the context of this CD, I even like "Sweet Pea." And I used to hate that song with a white-hot passion.

I'm happy. Go buy this and be happy, too.

Who's got ears, let them hear........2000-06-28

The soundtrack to "Jesus' Son" is a superb collection of songs that wonderfully serves the film's grim yet hopeful tale of a junkie's odyssey through despair into redemption. Many of the tracks are period pieces from the era in which the story is based, accurately evoking the awkward transition from the free-thinking 60s into the less-assured 70s.

Floyd Cramer's piano on "Last Date" opens the disc on a suitably melancholy note, reflecting the heartache present throughout the film. That mood never dissipates. Even an upbeat tune like Tommy Roe's bubblegum classic "Sweet Pea" sounds sad, having heard it within the context of Alison Mclean's film (despite the fact it is used during a pretty hot dance of seduction by Samantha Morton).

Joe Henry's cover of "Unchain My Heart", and the two songs by Wilco will interest the alternative country fan base, as will Doug Sahm's brilliant "(Is Anybody Going To) San Antone?" - after all, he influenced legions of country and roots-rock acts.

But for my money, the real bounty here is the inclusion of SSgt. Barry Sadler's "The Ballad of the Green Berets", Barbara Mason's "Yes I'm Ready", Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Indian Reservation", and the aforementioned "Sweet Pea". What a joy to have these great songs close at hand without having to scrounge through the old, scratchy 45 collection. These tunes are too good to be relegated to a K-Tel "Baby Boomer Hits" compilation.

Music:

Music

Music