A Love Song for Bobby Long [Import, Soundtrack]

This is an incredible soundtrack not to mention a great little independent film. Don't listen to the critics on this one because the majority of them are flat out wrong. There should be more movies like this with compelling stories, strong acting and sweet music. Much better than the blockbuster trash that's so prevalant today. Anyhow, check out the soundtrack if only for the great New Orleans singer/songwriter Grayson Capps -- who's a little known gem from that historic music town. The rest of the soundtrack is worthy too...with tracks by Thalia Zedek, Trespassers William (another little known band that is pretty incredible), Los Lobos, Nada Surf, lots of rare blues and two sweet little songs by John Travolta. I couldn't have made a better mix of music myself!

I did not notice until I was looking over this soundtrack for "A Love Song for Bobby Long" that I figured out that Grayson Capps, who writes the songs attributed to the character of Lorraine, whose death sets the story into motion, is the son of Evertt Capps, who wrote the novel "Off Magazine Street" on which the 2005 film directed by Shainee Gabel was based. There are only three songs on the soundtrack that Capps wrote and sang for the film on the soundtrack, "Washboard Lisa," "Love Song for Bobby Long," and a lovely duet with Theresa Andersson on "Lorraine's Song (My Heart Was a Lonely Hunter)." But they are three of the most important songs since they are essentially the missing character speaking to the living from beyond the grave. All three of those and another nine songs are available on Capps album, "If You Knew My Mind" (which comes out in two days as I write this), so those of us who are disappointed there are only the three songs will have someplace to go to find what will hopefully be more of the same (there are definitely a couple of more tracks Capps does in the film on that album).

John Travolta, who plays the character of Bobby Long, sings a brief cover of "I Really Don't Want to Know" and a short version of the traditional song "Barbara Allen" to the simple accompaniment of a guitar, which underscores that most of the songs in this movie and on this soundtrack were sung in the film and not simply being played on the radio or layered under the dialogue or being substituted for same. There are a few that fit into this last category, "Bobby" and "Daughter Like Mother." But mostly there are some songs hauntingly sung, such as "Bone" by Thalia Zedek and "Different Stars" by Trespassers William. The common denominator is that these songs are integral parts of the film and help make it work despite some melodramatic elements. If it were not for "Barbara Allen" I would not have recognized a single song on this album, but I would have to go back to "Eddie and the Cruisers" to name a movie where I was pretty much totally unfamiliar with the

"Someday" by Los Lobos makes sense as the first track because it sets the mood for the story, although so does Lonnie Pitchford's "Lonesome Blues." But even when we talk the blues they are not all in the same key, as evidenced by "Early Every Morning" by Magic Slim and the Teardrops, "Rising Son" by Big Bill Morganfield, and "Praying Ground Blues" by Lightin' Hopkins. A lot of these are old school blues, which is what you should be expecting since the movie's story does not really lend itself to Dixieland Jazz. Then the soundtrack throws in "This Isn't It" by Giant Drag to make it clear there is still alternative rock out there and represent the world on which Scarlett Johansson's character is turning her back. But besides Nada Surf's poignant "Blonde on Blonde," you will keep coming back to those songs of Grayson Capps as being the heart and soul of this album. You wait pretty much the entire movie for the title song to show up, and when it does it is perfectly on point. Seeing the movie "Love Song for Bobby Long" will make you like this soundtrack even more, but that is even more true in reverse.

I bought this cd after watching the movie and noticed how perfectly cast the music was to the overall feeling of the movie thus enhancing the story (loved the movie, by the way). This is music that pulls you in...and, I just wish John Travolta would put out an entire project with his heart-rending and tender ballads - this musical style suits him very well - I was sure left wanting much more! The diverse artist contributors weave beautiful music together. My first exposure to Grayson Capps, bought his CD as well...love him! I get asked A LOT what I'm listening to at work!

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