VA - The (Very) Big Lebowski (A Hervé Guilleminot Special) [2024] (3 x CDs)

HERVE SPECIAL

VA - The (Very) Big Lebowski (A Hervé Guilleminot Special) [2024] (3 x CDs)

The Big Lebowski is a 1998 independent crime comedy film directed and co-written by Joel Coen, with producer brother Ethan Coen serving as co-writer. It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted as a result of mistaken identity, then learns that a millionaire, also named Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), was the intended victim. The millionaire Lebowski's trophy wife is supposedly kidnapped, and millionaire Lebowski commissions The Dude to deliver the ransom to secure her release. The plan goes awry when the Dude's friend, Walter Sobchak (John Goodman), schemes to keep the ransom money for the Dude and himself. Sam Elliott, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Jon Polito, and Ben Gazzara also appear in supporting roles.

The film is loosely inspired by the work of Raymond Chandler. Joel Coen stated, "We wanted to do a Chandler kind of story – how it moves episodically, and deals with the characters trying to unravel a mystery, as well as having a hopelessly complex plot that's ultimately unimportant". The original score was composed by Carter Burwell, a longtime collaborator of the Coen brothers.

The Big Lebowski received mixed reviews at the time of its release. Reviews have since become largely positive, and the film has become a cult favorite, noted for its eccentric characters, comedic dream sequences, idiosyncratic dialogue, and eclectic soundtrack. In 2014, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The original score was composed by Carter Burwell, a veteran of all the Coen Brothers' films. While the Coens were writing the screenplay they had Kenny Rogers' "Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was in)", the Gipsy Kings' cover of "Hotel California", and several Creedence Clearwater Revival songs in mind. They asked T-Bone Burnett (who would later work with the Coens on O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Inside Llewyn Davis) to pick songs for the soundtrack of the film. They knew that they wanted different genres of music from different times but, as Joel remembers, "T-Bone even came up with some far-out Henry Mancini and Yma Sumac."  Burnett was able to secure songs by Kenny Rogers and the Gipsy Kings and also added tracks by Captain Beefheart, Moondog and Bob Dylan's "The Man in Me". However, he had a tough time securing the rights to Townes Van Zandt's cover of the Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers", which plays over the film's closing credits. Former Stones manager Allen Klein owned the rights to the song and wanted $150,000 for it. Burnett convinced Klein to watch an early cut of the film and remembers, "It got to the part where the Dude says, 'I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man!' Klein stands up and says, 'That's it, you can have the song!' That was beautiful." Burnett was going to be credited on the film as "Music Supervisor", but asked his credit to be "Music Archivist" because he "hated the notion of being a supervisor; I wouldn't want anyone to think of me as management".

For Joel, "the original music, as with other elements of the movie, had to echo the retro sounds of the Sixties and early Seventies". Music defines each character. For example, "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" by Bob Nolan was chosen for the Stranger at the time the Coens wrote the screenplay, as was "Lujon" by Henry Mancini for Jackie Treehorn. "The German nihilists are accompanied by techno-pop and Jeff Bridges by Creedence. So there's a musical signature for each of them", remarked Ethan in an interview. The character Uli Kunkel was in the German electronic band Autobahn, an homage to the band Kraftwerk. The album cover of their record Nagelbett (bed of nails) is a parody of the Kraftwerk album cover for The Man-Machine and the group name Autobahn shares the name of a Kraftwerk song and album. In the lyrics the phrase "We believe in nothing" is repeated with electronic distortion. This is a reference to Autobahn's nihilism in the film. (Wikipedia)

It took a few years for the Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski to earn the reputation it has as a cult comedy classic, with an enormous cadre of loyal fans, and even a few festivals inspired by the film.  What makes every Coen Brothers film stand out is their sense of complete disregard for the 'studio system', an eschewing of the formulaic while giving us something unique and fresh to observe. Sometimes this works exceptionally well, like with Fargo, O Brother Where Art Thou?, and True Grit, but other times it doesn't quite work the way they had hoped, not finding an audience (like with The Hudsucker Proxy and The Ladykillers).  The Big Lebowski might have ended up in the latter category - in fact, it seemed destined for it - until the slow pace of word-of-mouth turned it into a phenomenon that is a blast to watch, especially with groups of friends.

The Big Lebowski does not refer to the main character, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), but rather to the millionaire Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston).  It's a simple case of mistaken identity that thrusts The Dude - a pot-smoking, unemployed slacker - into a world of kidnapping, high-art, nihilist gangs, and the porn industry.  Apparently Bunny Lebowski (Tara Reed), the millionaire Lebowski's young trophy wife, owes a lot of money around town - and when two thugs come to extort Lebowski for money, they end up at The Dude's bungalow - and piss on his rug.  Realizing the mistake, The Dude goes to the Big Lebowski to get his rug back, is rebuked, but takes a rug anyways. We soon find out that The Dude is in a bowling league with his friend Walter (John Goodman), a paranoid Vietnam veteran, and Donny (Steve Buscemi), who is not the brightest person.  When The Dude learns that Bunny has been kidnapped, the Big Lebowski entrusts him to deliver the money in exchange for her freedom - but Walter has other plans, figuring they could keep the money themselves.  This sets off a slew of adventures that introduces The Dude to Lebowski's daughter (Julianne Moore), a sexually expressive artist, who gives him a counteroffer since she's convinced that Bunny is behind her own kidnapping scheme.  But in the end, all The Dude wants is his rug back, because it really tied the room together. (soundtrack.net, Dan Goldwasser)

The Big Lebowski is easily in my personal Top 5. I think I've seen it 5 or 6 times already, and this film is so rich that each time I see it, I discover new "clues" that I hadn't understood during previous viewings. The film is also a treat from a musical point of view, with real dynamics, real background work that evokes the best original soundtracks of this era (I'm thinking of the work done on Martin Scorcese's Casino in 1995). 

I hope you will discover this “expanded” soundtrack with as much pleasure as I had putting it together. The path to follow is very simple: the first part brings together the official and unofficial soundtracks of the film, enhanced with extracts of dialogue. The second part is an imaginary playlist that we can guess is buried in the Dude's Sony. Finally, for the third part, I tried to collect music with a more or less distant link with the film. There are 158 tracks over 3 Track Lists. If you want further details, do not hesitate to write to me (herve.guilleminot@gmail.com). 

Many thanks to Butterboy for hosting this compilation. (Hervé Guilleminot)

As a special treat The Big Lebowski movie is included.

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Track lists

CD1

01 Sons Of The Pioneers - Tumbling Tumbleweeds 3:10

02 (Film Quote) - Aggression 0:08

03 (Film Quote) - Where's The Money Lebowski 1:43

04 Bob Dylan - The Man In Me 3:10

05 (Film Quote) - The Rug 2:11

06 (Film Quote) - The Dude 0:21

07 (Film Quote) - Tattoo It On Your Forehead 0:39

08 Esquivel! - Mucha Muchacha 2:19

09 Monks - I Hate You 3:35

10 (Film Quote) - Over The Line 1:19

11 (Film Quote) - Calmer Than You Are 1:10

12 Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles 2:57

13 Wolfganng Amadeus Mozart - Lacrimosa (Chorus) 4:11

14 (Film Quote) - Well Dude, We Just Don't Know 0:23

15 Gipsy Kings - Hotel California (Spanish Mix) 5:48

16 (Film Quote) - Nobody Fucks With The Jesus 0:49

17 Erich Wolfgang Korngold - Glück, Das Mir Verblieb 4:54

18 (Film Quote) - Dude, The Bagman, Man 1:28

19 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Run Through The Jungle 3:04

20 (Film Quote) - Let's Go Bowling 0:03

21 Booker T & The Mgs - Behave Yourself 3:55

22 Meredith Monk - Walking Song 2:58

23 (Film Quote) - Coitus 0:51

24 Piero Piccioni - Traffic Boom 4:35

25 Dean Martin - Standing On The Corner 2:47

26 (Film Quote) - Beverage Here 1:12

27 Debbie Reynolds - Tammy 3:04

28 (Film Quote) - I Got Buddies Who Died 0:06

29 Dr. Roger Payne - Tower Whales 3:22

30 (Film Quote) - We Cut Off Your Johnson!! 1:49

31 (Film Quote) - Leads 1:14

32 The Rustavi Choir - We Venerate Thy Cross 2:03

33 Elvis Costello - My Mood Swings 2:10

34 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Lookin' Out My Back Door 2:32

35 Mussorgsky, Modest - Gnomus 2:25

36 (Film Quote) - Is This Your Homework Larry- 1:44

37 Santana - Oye Como Va 4:19

38 (Film Quote) - Pin Yer Diapers On Lebowski 0:14

39 Yma Sumac - Ataypura! (High Andes !) 3:01

40 (Film Quote) - The Brain Is The Biggest Erogenous Zone 0:24

41 Henry Mancini - Lujon 2:40

42 Kenny Rogers & The First Edition - Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) 3:18

43 Teo Usuelli - Piacere Sequence 5:27

44 Dominic Frontiere & Alan Alch - Branded Theme Song 0:52

45 (Film Quote) - Stay Outta Malibu Lebowski 1:26

46 Eagles - Peaceful Easy Feeling 4:21

47 (Film Quote) - I Hate The Eagles 0:46

48 Big Johnson (Carter Burwell & T. Bone Burnett) - Big Johnson - Viva Las Vegas (+ Quote) 0:56

49 Nina Simone - I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) 4:07

50 Carter Burwell - Dick On A Case 2:37

51 Moondog - Stamping Ground 2:39

52 (Film Quote) - Spinal 1:44

53 (Film Quote) - Jesus Tirade 1:26

54 Carter Burwell - Wie Glauben 3:21

55 (Film Quote) - Donny, Who Loved Bowling 2:15

56 Townes Van Zandt - Dead Flowers 2:57

57 (Film Quote) - The Dude Abides 0:01

58 Shawn Colvin - Viva Las Vegas 4:51

59 (Film Quote) - Bonus - The Big Lebowski In 8 Minutes 7:58

CD2

01 Can - Vitamin C 3:34

02 Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride 4:31

03 Pause: Forest sound - Forest Sound (320 Kbps) 0:58

04 Tom Waits - Way Down In The Hole 3:30

05 Judee Sill - Crayon Angels 2:40

06 Pause: Night ambiance - Night Ambience (320 Kbps) 1:05

07 Bob Dylan - Wigwam 3:09

08 The Rolling Stones - Moonlight Mile 5:56

09 Pause: Rain sound - Rain Sound (320 Kbps) 1:03

10 Kris Kristofferson - Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down 4:34

11 Pause: Wind chime - Wind Chime (320 Kbps) 1:00

12 Jimmie Spheeris - Monte Luna 3:04

13 Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit 2:33

14 Pause: Ocean sounds - Ocean Sounds (320 Kbps) 0:56

15 Jim Sullivan - U.F.O. 2:49

16 The 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me 2:31

17 Pause: Nature backgound sound - Nature Background Sound (320 Kbps) 1:01

18 Frank Zappa - Willie The Pimp 9:17

19 Pause: Night time - Night Time (320 Kbps) 1:39

20 Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) 2:59

21 Henry Mancini - Siesta 2:50

22 Pause: Wind chimes - Wind Chimes (320 Kbps) 0:52

23 Glen Campbell - Southern Nights 3:00

24 Mickey Newbury - The Future's Not What It Used To Be 4:15

25 Pause: Rain and thunderstorm - Rain And Thunderstorm (320 Kbps) 0:59

26 Johnny Cash - You've Got A New Light Shining In Your Eyes 2:07

27 Pause: Water sounds - Water Sounds (320 Kbps) 1:12

28 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Soul To Squeeze 4:49

29 Ivie Anderson With Duke Ellington And His Orchestra - I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good 3:21

30 Pause: Wind sound - Wind Sound (320 Kbps) 1:01

31 Grateful Dead - Sugar Magnolia 3:18

32 Neil Young + Promise Of The Real - Mother Earth 5:40

33 Pause: Wind chime sound - Wind Chime Sound (320 Kbps) 0:55

34 Big Brother & The Holding Company - Piece Of My Heart 4:15

35 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Love Or Confusion 3:12

36 Pause: Flowing river - Flowing River (320 Kbps) 0:54

37 The Beatles - Across The Universe 3:49

38 Pause: Nature sounds - Nature Sounds (320 Kbps) 1:21

39 Gram Parsons - Brass Buttons 3:30

40 The Association - Along Comes Mary 2:53

41 Pause: Rain - Rain (320 Kbps) 1:00

42 Ralph Carter - Extra, Extra (Read All About It) 5:07

43 Fleetwood Mac - Dreams (Remastered) 4:17

44 Pause: Wind chimes and willows - Wind Chimes And Willows (320 Kbps) 1:00

45 The Byrds - Mr. Spaceman 2:12

46 Pause: Rainforest sounds, waterfall and rain - Rainforest Sounds, Waterfall And Rain (320 Kbps) 1:26

47 Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra - Space Aura 5:24

48 Pause: Night ambient - Night Ambient (320 Kbps) 1:20

49 John Coltrane - Aisha 7:38

50 Donovan - Season Of The Witch 4:58

51 Pause: Wave sounds - Wave Sounds (320 Kbps) 1:01

52 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Long As I Can See The Light 3:30

CD3

01 National Philharmonic Orchestra - The Big Sleep 7:12

02 Quincy Jones - The Dude 5:37

03 Transition: - 1987_Venice Beach League Bowling Playoffs 1:31

04 Cake - Comfort Eagle 3:40

05 Jeff Bridges - Buddah And Christ At Large 7:20

06 Gun Barrel - We Believe In Nothing 4:34

07 Yma Sumac - Tree Of Life 2:55

08 Freestyle Fellowship - Mary 3:44

09 Transition: - 1982_Chrysler Le Baron Series With Ricardo Montalban (320 Kbps) 0:30

10 Jackie Treehorn - Mesopotamia 5:41

11 Jesús David Quintana - Yo Te Amo Mi Amor Yo Te Amo 4:04

12 Beyoncé - Partition 3:47

13 Los Chikos Del Maiz - Valerie Solanas (Stop Making Stupid People Famous) 4:06

14 Yoko Ono With The Flaming Lips - Cambridge 1969-2007 5:36

15 Transition: - 1986_Miller Genuine Draft Beer Commercial 0:30

16 Tennis Bafra - Knox Harrington (For Knox Harrington) 4:59

17 Yuri Wong - Dudeness (I'm The Dude) 4:07

18 Walter Donaldson - The Song Of The Setting Sun (1930) 4:38

19 Steely Dan - Any Major Dude Will Tell You 3:08

20 Wolf The Rabbit - It's A League Game, Smokey 5:40

21 Transition: - Kahlua Gasp Starring Salma Hayek 0:15

22 Chris King & The Gutterballs - Mama Gaia 3:47

23 Jackie And The Treehorns - Voyage 4:47

24 Sierra Norteña - Jesus Quintana 3:47

25 Aimee Mann - You're With Stupid Now 3:30

26 Kraftwerk - Autobahn 22:46

27 Transition: - In-N-Out Burger Theme - Thats What A Hamburgers All About 0:19

28 Cream - World Of Pain 3:04

29 The Beatles - I Am The Walrus 4:35

30 The Doodles - You're Being Very Undude 3:41

31 David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes 4:27

32 Marillion - White Russian_(2018_Andy_Bradfield_And_Avril_Mackintosh_Re-Mix) 6:25

33 Transition: - Malibu Beach Cafe-Millionaires (320 Kbps) 0:29

34 Cee Gee Incorporated ft. Frigid Giant - The Big Lebowski (Feat. Frigid Giant) 4:01

35 Ramases - Jesus Come Back 4:06

36 Diana Krall & Steve Buscemi - When The Curtain Comes Down {with Steve Buscemi} 5:03

37 Gutterball (Steve Wynn) - When You Make Up Your Mind 4:52

38 Karl Hungus - Concrete Jungle 3:33

39 The Funeral - Knox Harrington 2:00

40 Transition: - 1996_Folgers Coffee Commercial  - The Best Part Of Waking Up 0:27

41 My Chemical Romance - Everybody Hates The Eagles 2:07

42 Uun - We Believe In Nothing 6:17

43 Nihilists - I Am The White Stripes 3:35

44 Pascow - Wir Glauben An Gar Nichts Und Sind Nur Hier Wegen Der Gewalt 1:17

45 Sam Elliott - I Won't Back Down 2:17

46 T Bone Burnett - It's Not Too Late 4:26

47 Seaweed - Go Your Own Way 3:50

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