ER FAQ 5.00, Section 7: The Music Of "ER" (7/8)
Rose 'BamBam' Cooper
Archive-name: tv/er-series/music
Posting-Frequency: monthly
URL: http://www.digiserve.com/er/erdex.html
ER FAQ 5.00: The Music Of "ER"
Asterisks (*) below denotes information updated or added since the last
version of the FAQ.
MeMiceElfAnI Productions Copyright 1997-99 by Rose Cooper; content cannot
be used without expressed written permission of the author.
Last Updated: 11/27/98 by Rose "MotherFAQer" Cooper
SECTION SEVEN: THE MUSIC OF "ER"
[aka "What was that song playing...?"]
7.1 Can I buy a soundtrack of "ER" music?
[*May* I buy a soundtrack...]
Yes. Atlantic Records has released an "ER" soundtrack composed mainly
of instrumental music from the show. It includes the ever-popular theme by
James Newton Howard, and two original songs. It does NOT include any of the
pop music standards heard on the show such as "Twist And Shout", "Take A
Letter Maria" or the often-asked-about "If You Want Me To Stay" by Sly and
the Family Stone (see section 7.3 below).
Here`s a track list, taken from Atlantic Records' web site for the
soundtrack. (For more information, check out the soundtrack web site at
<http://feature.atlantic-records.com/er/Disc.HTML>; for a review of the CD,
check out "LINER NOTES: A FAQer's view of the ER Soundtrack" at
<http://www.digiserve.com/er/erliner.html>.
1. Theme From ER" - performed by James Newton Howard
2. "Dr. Lewis and Renee" from The Birthday Party
3. "Canine Blues" from Make Of Two Hearts
4. "Goodbye Baby Susie" from Fever Of Unknown Origin
5. "Doug And Carol" from The Gift
6. "Healing Hands" - performed by Marc Cohn
7. "The Hero" from Hell And High Water
8. "Carter, See You Next Fall" from Everything Old Is New Again
9. "Reasons For Living" - performed by Duncan Sheik
10. "Dr. Greene And A Mother`s Death" from Loves Labor Lost
11. "Raul Dies" from The Healers
12. "Hell And High Water" from Hell And High Water
13. "Hold On" from Hell And High Water
14. "Shep Arrives" from The Healers
15. "Shattered Glass" from Hell And High Water
16. "Theme From ER (TV Version)" - performed by James Newton Howard
17. "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" - performed by Mike Finnigan
7.11 Can, uh, *may* I HEAR some "ER" music?
[Yes, you may.]
There are a few web pages listed on the ER Links page
<http://www.digiserve.com/er/erlinks.html> that include some
soundbites from various ER episodes; of those pages, Katy Lindemann's
"The Music Of ER" [hmmm...where have I heard *that* before?] page,
located at <http://members.xoom.com/ermusic/>, stands out. Katy's
page, a companion piece of sorts to this ER FAQ section, includes a
number of .midi, .wav, and RealAudio snippets from not only the ER
Soundtrack, but also most of the musical interludes that are noted
in Section 7 of the FAQ. Bammer Sez this is a Must See Site...
7.2 Who wrote the theme music for "ER"?
The "ER" theme was composed by James Newton Howard. Mr. Howard has
composed the original scores to many prominent motion pictures; my
favorite is Grand Canyon, of which I own the CD. -(Information courtesy
Scott Hollifield).
*7.3 "Third-party" songs used in "ER"
[What was that song playing at the beginning of...?]
- The beginning of the episode "John Carter M.D." [222]
featured a pretty sizable chunk of a song called "If You Want Me To
Stay" by Sly and the Family Stone, the seminal pop/funk band from the
late 1960s and '70s. If you want to buy a CD that has this song on
it, buy Sly & the Family Stone's "Anthology" or the soundtrack to the
motion picture "Dead Presidents". (Warning: there's now a companion
album to the latter called "Dead Presidents Volume 2" which does not
feature this song, so be sure you get the right one. Heck, get both
of them just to be safe.)
{Personal note: along with teasing the serious alt.tv.er "MALIK DID IT!!!"
crowd, and questioners on the name of the brilliant actress CCH Pounder
(who, by the way, has been perennially robbed in not having been nominated
by The Powers That Be for the dual role of doctor *and* hospital!), this
question is my favorite one to address. If my strange idea of humor comes
across as being snide, it's not meant to be; it's just that those three
truly Frequently Asked Questions are the most fun for me to play with...}
- At the beginning of "Fathers and Sons" [407], "Pony Boy" by the
Allman Brothers Band is played (info courtesy Eric Diebert). In the same
episode, not far past the beginning, Doug slides into his deceased father's
car and turns it on [yes, without a key. Apparently, Old Cars let you do that.
But I digress]; soon after, the sound of "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck fills the
air...
- The <snort> "jazz [song] playing on car radio" (quoted from
closed captioning) at the beginning of "Carter's Choice" [413],
"Walking On The Sun" by Smashmouth, contains the memorable lyric
"It ain't no joke/I'd like/to buy the world a toke/and teach the world/
to sing/in perfect harmony". Like I said in that episode's Cliff Notes,
I'm ready for A Coke And A Smile, Bobby Simone...
- Not quite at the beginning, I know, but Jeanie and Scott sang a
short duet to Green Day's "Time Of Your Life" in "Gut Reaction" [418].
Jeanie also sung it at Scott's memorial service in "Shades of Gray" [419],
instead of the song she was going to sing, "Simple Gifts", the lyrics to
which can be found at
<http://calcserver.mathlab.mtu.edu/~sjlee/opoems/simple_gifts>.
[What was that song playing at the end of...?]
- That Olde Ne...uh, that great old party song, "Tequila", was a
strange consolation for Carol after her aborted wedding in "Everything Old is
New Again" [125].
- Katy Lindemann reminded me that the song "It Came upon a Midnight
Clear", which is on the ER Soundtrack CD, is featured at the end of "A
Miracle Happens Here" [210]
- "Blackbird", by The Beatles, was used rather well in "Motherhood"
[124]. As Scott Hollified said in his review, "The lyric 'You were only
waiting for this moment to arrive' achieved a special significance with
the newborn infant at hand". And as Emiliano Severoni recently reminded
me, Susan also sang it to baby Suzie in "Take These Broken Wings" [221].
- "Calling Dr. Hathaway" [319], elicited another Bandstand [if you
don't catch that reference, you're probably too young to be reading this
anyway...] pick by Scott Hollifield: "Once again, the 'ER' producers show
off an unerringly impecable taste in pop music, by ending this week's show
with Elvis Costello's 'Every Day I Write the Book'"
- From Eric Methot: "I finally found the song used in 'Mark and
Cynthia's love scene' in 'Freak Show' [408]. It's 'At Last' from Etta James
(Vol 1 The Best of Etta James-Chess Records). Very good album and vol 2 is as
good."
- The end of the Christmas episode "Do You See What I See" [410]
featured the wonderful version of the Christmas classic "Do You Hear What
I Hear" by Gladys Knight and The Pips (to which I owe Jeanne
[jea...@401kforum.com] a nod of humility for her hippin me to the true
title). [But it shoulda been "Do you see what I see", eh? :-]
- In "A Bloody Mess" [417], Elizabeth, Anna, and Carol's Slumber
Party And Cosmopolitan Taste Test was accompanied by Tori Amos' "Crucify",
from the disc "Little Earthquakes".
- Aretha Franklin exercised her chops all too briefly, singing
"The Night Life" in Corday's apartment during "Shades of Gray" [419].
- Multiple readers (chief among them Martin-Guy Richard) directed us
to Carlos Santana's webpage <http://www.santana.com/Channel/> to have a listen
to "Samba Pa Ti" (from his "Abraxas" album), the song that filled the halls at
the end of "Day For Knight" [501].
- We're still looking for both the name and artist of the music Peter
played for Reese [*not* "Reece" yet at that point] at the end of "Split Second"
[502] (I'm thinking it was something by Miles Davis).
- *Though there were any number of responses given to this one on a.t.e,
Jacqueline (no last name given) left this note, regarding the name and
title of the Jimmy Smith jazz organ tune that Carter danced with Roxanne
to at the end of "They Treat Horses, Don't They?" [503]: "Found a little
more info for you from Amazon.com: Album title: Standards...Audio CD
(February 10, 1998); Number of Discs: 1...Emd/Blue Note; ASIN:
B000005GVH...[title]: 'Ruby'."
- In a fit of pique [no, not really. I just like that partic'lar turn
of phrase. She said, digressing ever so much.], Carol and Doug lamented their
not-child at the end of "Vanishing Act" [504] to the sounds of--get this--"The
Oogum Boogum Song" (aka "Doug & Carol On Crack") by Brenton Wood, available on
the web at <http://www.duckydood.com/oldies/soul.htm>.
- *"Masquerade" [505].
Issac Hayes.
"Theme From Shaft".
He's a baaaad mutha [shut yo' mouf].
But ah'm talkin bout Shaft! [can you diggit?].
- *[Some of these only go in the FAQ because they've been frequently
asked--not necessarily because they're truly FAQable. I mean, c'mon, now;
should every *hint* of a tune be included here? No, wait, don't answer that;
it's a hysterical^H^H^H rhetorical question]. In "Stuck On You" [506], Kerry
gets Comfortable with a glass of her Favorite Beverage [mayhap Corday
introduced her to Cosmopolitans? Yes, I'm digressing yet again.] whilst
listening to "the late Betty Carter...The song was on her 'I Can't Help It'
(GRP) CD, a reissue of the 'Modern Sound of Betty Carter'." (Song information
provided by Ron Hearn).
- *Episode [507] saw a Confused Carter breaking through the Haze [I
crack myself up sometimes.] left behind by Funky Kerry's early morning blaring
of the equally Funky Grace Jones' rendition of "Ring Of Fire". Johnny Cash
never sang it so irie as she...
[More musical notes. Pun intended.]
Katy continues to lend me her musical ear:
- In "24 Hours" (the pilot) [101] Annie Lennox's "Precious" was
played after Carter witnesses a birth.
- "Twist and Shout" was played in "Full Moon, Saturday Night" [120]
("Carter requested it on the radio for Susan, and the ER did the twist at
the admit desk!").
- In "Who's Appy Now" [314], "Mack the Knife" played during
Carter's unforgettable surgery on Benton.
- And here's Katy's picks for "Unofficial Music of ER" album:
1) Walkin' on the Sun
2) If you want me to stay
3) Blackbird
4) Tequila
5) Twist and Shout
6) Take Five
7) Take a letter, Maria
8) Do you hear what I hear?
9) Mack the Knife
["Sometimes you feel like a nut..."]
I would be remiss if I didn't let The Frootloop Formerly Known As Phyl
have the last word here. As I promised her lo those many weeks ago, when I got
around to adding this to the FAQ, I'd put it in verbatim. So y'all can see
just what I have to deal with with her. Take it away, loon...uh, I mean,
Phyl:
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 09:46:07
From: "P. A. Behrer" <beh...@flash.net>
To: er...@digiserve.com
Subject: ER_FAQ Moosic
To the keeper of the FAQ:
Yes, hello, I am writing to voice my displeasure at one of the most
poignant musical moments in ER history NOT being included here, and
thus, will spread more cow dung on you and this email than is to be
found in a mushroom farm.
Henceforth and forthwith and knives and forks, "Have Yourself a Merry
Little Christmas" was used ad nauseum and for an unbelievably long
time/stretch during the end of the most favorite of favorite episodes of
this writer, THE GIFT, to display a variety of emotions, including but
not limited to, Doug Ross getting his ass handed to him by his one and
only true love Carol "Stay out of my life, Doug" Hathaway and therefore
and finally, getting his face in the way of the fist of her fiance, one
John "Tag" what's he doin' here? [why is he ALWAYS AROUND, CAROL -- Gee,
should I have read the writing on the wall???] TagliERI. Additionally,
also, and finally, Peter Benton once again uses some guy, dead or alive
don't forget about Gant to further his reckless amibition, only to be
save and thus save other lives by the charity of the dead man's wife.
And lest you think I am being more than a little passionate about this
song, kindly point your mouse and thusly click on this link to find out
why this song is so aptly used for this application:
<http://www.sinatralist.com/songs/hyamlc.html>
Thank you. And it is only 9:50 a.m. Imagine how bad I'll be after ER
tonight.
I rest my case.
7.4 Is there any musical talent on "ER"?
[Does a bear sh--]Why, yes, there sure is!
- Haleh (Yvette Freeman), Chloe (Kathleen Wilholte), Carla (Lisa Nicole
Carson), and Jeanie (Gloria Reuben), have all sang to some extent on the show.
- In addition, Wilholte has recorded and released her debut album,
"Pitch Like A Girl". I'll let Greg Smith, from V2 Records, tell you about
it:
I am writing on behalf of V2 Records to let you know about Kathleen
Wilhoite! As she played Susan's drug addicted sister on "ER", I are
sure her music will be of interest to Alt.TV.ER Page's visitors and
we would like for you to invite them to hear her debut album, "Pitch
Like a Girl," in its entirety for FREE on Broadcast.com. Simply link
to <http://www.broadcast.com/jukebox/Albums/P/PitchLikeaGirl_1967.stm>
[Note: requires RealAudio <http://www.real.com>].
About Kathleen:
On her striking V2 debut album "Pitch Like a Girl", gifted
singer-songwriter Kathleen Wihoite unveils an intensely personal, but
instantly accessible, set of tunes that capture love and loss with
honesty and wit. From the breezy "No One Can Touch Me" to the thumping
"Dumb Old Girl" to the heart-rending "Wish We Never Met," Wilhoite's
soulful performances have a ring of truth, the kind that can't be
faked.
Wilhoite is perhaps better known for her acting; recurring tv roles on
"L.A. Law" and "ER," as well as films like "Lorenzo's Oil" and
"Crossing Delancey," but with the soulful, undeniably catchy tunes
found on "Pitch Like A Girl", one can rest assured that all that
will change!
"'Pitch Like A Girl', the debut CD release from Kathleen Wilhoite, is a
collection of beautiful songs by an incredible newcomer. Kathleen
Wilhoite demonstrates her strength as both a singer and songwriter, and
is clearly off to an excellent start as a recording artist. Upon first
listen, one cannot help but become completely addicted to Kathleen's
sound..." - Female FYI Magazine
I hope you decide to link, it's a great album!
Greg Smith
C Notes Music
<http://www.cnotes.com>
<http://www.live-online.com>
<http://www.coolsiteoftheday.com>
<gr...@cnotes.com>
-(Information courtesy Greg Smith, V2 Records)
------------
If you have a question (or answer) on other music used in "ER", please
email it to me <mailto:er...@digiserve.com> for inclusion in the ER FAQ.
--
Rose "MotherFAQer" Cooper,
Keeper Of The Mostly New And Somewhat Improved ER FAQ
EMAIL: er...@digiserve.com ICQ: 7760005
http://www.digiserve.com/er/
http://manetheren.cl.msu.edu/~bambam/