Hey Music Lovers,
Just last weekend, I had the pleasure of experiencing the magnificent new film, One Battle After Another. It’s the latest masterpiece from Paul Thomas Anderson, and honestly, it makes me so incredibly thankful that he’s still creating films. Anderson is truly one-of-a-kind, possessing the audacious vision to tackle an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s unique work (One Battle draws inspiration from a segment of Pynchon’s 1990 novel, Vineland). He’s one of the most consistently captivating directors working today, no matter the genre. I never know what cinematic journey he’ll embark on next, but I always know I’ll be there to watch it — and there’s a fantastic chance it will feature some truly incredible music.
So, in celebration of One Battle After Another (and don’t worry, no big spoilers here if you haven’t seen it yet!), I’ve put together a playlist of some of the absolute best pop songs featured in Anderson’s films. Get ready for some emotional moments from Magnolia, a dreamy ballad from Punch-Drunk Love, and a couple of iconic tunes from his earlier Pynchon adaptation, Inherent Vice, plus many more!
When filmmakers choose music for their movies, some hunt down obscure, forgotten gems. But Paul Thomas Anderson often takes a different path. Many of the songs he uses are incredibly well-known, maybe even a little overplayed. Yet, by cleverly placing these familiar tracks into fresh, often surprising or even irreverent situations – imagine a feel-good disco hit underscoring a porn star’s sudden wealth, or an ’80s rock anthem playing during a tense drug deal – Anderson completely recontextualizes them. He reshapes our perception of these songs, making them feel wonderfully new and strange all over again.
This collection showcases just one facet of the director’s profound connection to music. I’m not even touching on his extensive and fruitful collaboration with the brilliant composer Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead (whose beautiful score forms the backbone of One Battle After Another), nor the numerous captivating music videos Anderson has directed for artists like Haim and Fiona Apple. His musical impact runs deep!
This is also the newest addition to our popular “needle drop” series. If you’re looking for more cinematic musical journeys, be sure to explore the playlists I’ve previously put together, highlighting the fantastic music from films by Sofia Coppola, Wes Anderson, and Luca Guadagnino.
But for now, grab your favorite snacks (maybe some Healthy Choice pudding?), keep an eye out for any unexpected frog showers, and hit play on this epic Paul Thomas Anderson playlist!
Enjoy the sonic journey,
Lindsay
🎧 Listen along as you dive in!
1. KC and the Sunshine Band: “Boogie Shoes”
Choosing just one song from Anderson’s incredible 1997 hit, Boogie Nights, is nearly impossible! The film is packed with so much fantastic music that it inspired a multivolume soundtrack. However, I have a soft spot for the feel-good montage early in the movie, perfectly set to this mid-’70s smash. It’s where Mark Wahlberg’s legendary character, Dirk Diggler, celebrates his newfound fame with a shopping spree, complete with a snazzy new pair of platform shoes. When John C. Reilly’s Reed Rothchild asks, “Those are really cool. Are they lizard?” Diggler coolly replies, “No, they’re Italian.” Pure cinematic gold!
2. The Shirelles: “Soldier Boy”
This captivating 1962 chart-topper makes an unsettling appearance in One Battle After Another, subtly hinting at a complex and dark romantic dynamic at the heart of the story. Turn it up!
3. Paul McCartney and Wings: “Let Me Roll It”
Paul McCartney’s magnificent 1973 endeavor to craft a John Lennon-esque tune (he has always maintained it was unconscious, noting, “although my use of tape echo did sound more like John than me”) beautifully complements a standout scene in Anderson’s 2021 film, Licorice Pizza. It’s a poignant moment of emotional discovery that unfolds on a swirling water bed.
4. Can: “Vitamin C”
The opening scene of Anderson’s 2014 wild ride, Inherent Vice (his initial foray into adapting a Pynchon novel), features the groovy 1972 track “Vitamin C” by the German krautrock band Can. We’ve just seen Shasta Fay Hepworth (Katherine Waterston) visit her ex-boyfriend, Doc Sportello (a Joaquin Phoenix sporting impressive werewolf-like sideburns), to draw him into a perplexing mystery. This song instantly plunges us into Doc’s often-stoned and always-paranoid headspace.
5. Shelley Duvall: “He Needs Me”
Robert Altman, a monumental influence on Anderson’s directing style, receives a direct homage in 2002’s whimsical romantic comedy, Punch-Drunk Love. Anderson incorporated “He Needs Me” from Altman’s surreal 1980 film, Popeye. Composer Jon Brion masterfully remixed the original track, penned by Harry Nilsson and sung unforgettably by Shelley Duvall, weaving it seamlessly into his own ethereal and quirky score.
6. Ella Fitzgerald: “Get Thee Behind Me Satan”
Ella Fitzgerald’s iconic 1958 take on this Irving Berlin classic is featured in an early sequence of The Master. Here, Joaquin Phoenix’s troubled character, Freddie Quell, tries his hand at being a department store photographer. The song, with its elegant sound tinged with a dark unease, cleverly hints at the unfortunate fate awaiting his new endeavor.
7. Supertramp: “Goodbye Stranger”
In Anderson’s 1999 ensemble drama, Magnolia, Supertramp’s 1979 Wurlitzer-infused track “Goodbye Stranger” soundtracks a truly poignant bar scene. William H. Macy’s character, Quiz Kid Donnie Smith, stares across the room at his hidden crush, his braces glinting under the lights. The song’s heartfelt and melancholic beauty perfectly articulates the unspoken emotions Donnie struggles to convey.
8. Aimee Mann: “Wise Up”
This is one of those songs that can, without fail, bring a lump to my throat in mere seconds. The unforgettable “Wise Up” montage in Magnolia, where the film’s main characters vulnerably sing along to this Aimee Mann masterpiece during their darkest moments, stands as one of the most daring and brilliant sequences in all of Anderson’s work. It even sparked a passionate debate with one of my best friends in film school (and with all due respect, he was still wrong: the scene is absolutely perfect!).
9. Neil Young: “Journey Through the Past”
In Inherent Vice, Anderson uses this rare Neil Young track to highlight a whimsical, yet tender flashback. In the scene, Doc and Shasta are using an Ouija board, hoping it will guide them to some much-needed weed. While the more common live version might have been too melancholic, this studio recording from the Neil Young archives, captured during his “Harvest” sessions with the Stray Gators, perfectly captures the scene’s charmingly wistful tone.
10. Steely Dan: “Dirty Work”
And here’s another fantastic track from One Battle After Another, which marks the film’s abrupt leap forward in time, plunging us into the emotional stasis of Bob Ferguson’s current life. It also cleverly sets up a truly amusing piece of dialogue later on when Bob—spoiler alert!—confesses his love for Steely Dan. Of course.
11. Night Ranger: “Sister Christian”
Alright, alright – I couldn’t resist picking two songs from Boogie Nights. This track is arguably the perfect illustration of how Anderson masterfully redefines a popular (and, in this instance, quite dramatic) song by placing it in an entirely unexpected setting. To this day, I can’t hear “Sister Christian” without conjuring the image of a wildly high, mustachioed Alfred Molina brandishing a gun, clad only in a silk robe and a Speedo. It’s a vivid memory I’m sure many of you share!
The Amplifier Playlist
“11 Essential Paul Thomas Anderson Needle Drops” Track List
Track 1: KC and the Sunshine Band, “Boogie Shoes”
Track 2: The Shirelles, “Soldier Boy”
Track 3: Paul McCartney and Wings, “Let Me Roll It”
Track 4: Can, “Vitamin C”
Track 5: Shelley Duvall, “He Needs Me”
Track 6: Ella Fitzgerald, “Get Thee Behind Me Satan”
Track 7: Supertramp, “Goodbye Stranger”
Track 8: Aimee Mann, “Wise Up”
Track 9: Neil Young, “Journey Through the Past”
Track 10: Steely Dan, “Dirty Work”
Track 11: Night Ranger, “Sister Christian”
Bonus Tracks
“It’s one for the ages,” raves our chief film critic, Manohla Dargis, in her enthusiastic review of One Battle After Another. I absolutely love it when Manohla raves!
Additionally, Kyle Buchanan sat down with six of the film’s main cast members to discuss the creation of One Battle After Another in an engaging feature. During their chat, Sean Penn offered what might be the perfect description of Anderson: “Paul is this very genteel prince of the San Fernando Valley who understands really wicked things and can write about them beautifully.” I couldn’t agree more!