After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.
Movie: The Big Chill
I’ve yet to see this movie. It was about another generation, not mine. It must’ve created a sense of relevancy and solace for the older generation as we were all swimming inside the world of John Hughes. I was a little on the young side for these Brat Pack flicks, but I looked up at Jake, looked down on Bender, and probably fantasized about some weird combination of Claire, Allison and Watts. But I digress. This post is about The Big Chill, a movie whose soundtrack didn’t hold back. It boasts some of the 60s’ and 70s’ most iconic songs: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, “The Weight”, “Bad Moon Rising"", “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, and today’s Mental Jukebox pick: “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”.
I still remember the day my brother introduced me to this song. He did it knowing full well it was far more than just a great song, it’s a timeless treasure. An absolute grand slam of a song from a band that had maybe two other songs that are somewhat known in classic rock circles. – and that’s being a bit generous. There are two elements of the track that make it the achingly beautiful song that it is. Of course, there’s the voice of Gary Brooker, an underrated, soulful delivery that has been overshadowed by the Van Morrisons and the Eric Burdons of his era. And then there’s the Hammond organ, with a simple, unforgettable, melody-defining riff. That sound melts my heart to a pile of mush every time I hear it.
“And although my eyes were open, they might just as well have been closed.”