Donnie Darko (soundtrack)
Encyclopedia
The Donnie Darko
soundtrack was created by Michael Andrews
and released in 2002. It consisted of 16 instrumental tracks and two covers of "Mad World
" by Tears for Fears
.
commissioned Michael Andrews
, a San Diego musician and television and film composer who had worked as a member of a range of bands, including The Origin with Gary Jules
, whose two solo albums he had produced, and The Greyboy Allstars
. Kelly said that he was confident that Michael Andrews could do the job: "I met with Michael and I just knew right away that he was really, really talented and that he could come up with a really original score. He would allow me to be in there and be really kind of editorial with how I wanted the score to be." http://www.everloving.com/dd-bio.html
Michael Andrews relocated to Los Angeles to work on the film between October and December 2000. As Michael Andrews states, the low budget for the project encouraged him to play a diverse range of instruments for the soundtrack:
Like many of his role models for soundtrack composing such as John Barry
and Ennio Morricone
, Michael Andrews wanted to put a song on his otherwise instrumental score. He eventually chose "Mad World" (1982) by Tears for Fears
, who were one of his and childhood friend Gary Jules
' favourite bands while growing up. Andrews enlisted Jules to sing the song, while Andrews himself played the piano. Other songs from the film include "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen
(another of Andrews' and Jules' favourite bands), Joy Division
's "Love Will Tear Us Apart
", The Church
's shimmering "Under the Milky Way" in the cathartic party scene, and "Proud to Be Loud" by the '80s incarnation of the metal band Pantera
.
Michael Andrews's derivative style of composing owes much to the ground-breaking Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs)
by Henryk Górecki
, to which Cherita mimes on stage. An excerpt of For Whom the Bell Tolls as composed by Steve Baker and Carmen Daye starts the credit sequence at the end of the film. This music was however not included in the album-version of the soundtrack.
In the subsequent director's cut, a number of musical choices are changed. In the film's opening, "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen
is replaced by "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS
. "The Killing Moon" later replaces "Under The Milky Way" by The Church
during the party scene. "Under The Milky Way" can be heard in the car scene with Donnie and his father, played on the radio. Many of these tracks were originally meant to be on the soundtrack, but could not be obtained for licencing reasons.
This sparked interest in the soundtrack and in the song "Mad World," taken from the original soundtrack, which was a 2003 Christmas Number One
in the UK singles chart. It has also made the charts in a number of other countries including Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia in 2003 and 2004.
Superstar Madonna
sampled the song "Manipulated Living" for the video introduction on her 2008/2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour
.
except "Mad World" (written by Roland Orzabal
; performed by Gary Jules
and Michael Andrews).
and alternative rock
songs from the theatrical edition and the director's cut.
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko is a 2001 American psychological thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Noah Wyle, Jena Malone, and Mary McDonnell...
soundtrack was created by Michael Andrews
Michael Andrews (musician)
Michael Andrews is an American musician and film score composer. He is best known for a cover version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World", which he recorded with Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack, and which became a number one single in the UK in Christmas 2003.-Soundtrack...
and released in 2002. It consisted of 16 instrumental tracks and two covers of "Mad World
Mad World
"Mad World" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up...
" by Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
.
Production
Richard Kelly (director)Richard Kelly (director)
James Richard Kelly is an American film director and writer, best known for writing and directing the cult classic Donnie Darko in 2001.-Early life:...
commissioned Michael Andrews
Michael Andrews (musician)
Michael Andrews is an American musician and film score composer. He is best known for a cover version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World", which he recorded with Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack, and which became a number one single in the UK in Christmas 2003.-Soundtrack...
, a San Diego musician and television and film composer who had worked as a member of a range of bands, including The Origin with Gary Jules
Gary Jules
Gary Jules is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his cover of Tears for Fears' third single "Mad World", which he recorded together with friend Michael Andrews for the film Donnie Darko. It became the UK Christmas Number One single of 2003...
, whose two solo albums he had produced, and The Greyboy Allstars
The Greyboy Allstars
The Greyboy Allstars are a San Diego funk and jazz group created in the early 1990s. The group began as collaboration of DJ Greyboy with Karl Denson during weekly shows at the Green Circle Bar in San Diego and on the DJ Greyboy albums Home Cooking and Freestylin’...
. Kelly said that he was confident that Michael Andrews could do the job: "I met with Michael and I just knew right away that he was really, really talented and that he could come up with a really original score. He would allow me to be in there and be really kind of editorial with how I wanted the score to be." http://www.everloving.com/dd-bio.html
Michael Andrews relocated to Los Angeles to work on the film between October and December 2000. As Michael Andrews states, the low budget for the project encouraged him to play a diverse range of instruments for the soundtrack:
"The film was pretty low budget so my portion of the money was pretty thin. I couldn't hire anyone, it was just me. I played everything; pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, mini marimbaMarimbaThe marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, xylophoneXylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
. I also brought in two female vocalists Sam Shelton and Tori Haberman. But no guitar because Richard said no guitar or drums; he just wasn't into it. I was down with that - I've played guitar my whole life."http://www.everloving.com/dd-bio.html
Like many of his role models for soundtrack composing such as John Barry
John Barry (composer)
John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
and Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
, Michael Andrews wanted to put a song on his otherwise instrumental score. He eventually chose "Mad World" (1982) by Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
, who were one of his and childhood friend Gary Jules
Gary Jules
Gary Jules is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his cover of Tears for Fears' third single "Mad World", which he recorded together with friend Michael Andrews for the film Donnie Darko. It became the UK Christmas Number One single of 2003...
' favourite bands while growing up. Andrews enlisted Jules to sing the song, while Andrews himself played the piano. Other songs from the film include "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
(another of Andrews' and Jules' favourite bands), Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
's "Love Will Tear Us Apart
Love Will Tear Us Apart
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a song by the British post-punk band Joy Division. It was written in August and September 1979, and debuted when the band supported Buzzcocks on their UK tour in September and October 1979. It is one of the few songs in which singer Ian Curtis played guitar...
", The Church
The Church (band)
The Church is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980. Initially associated with new wave and the neo-psychedelic sound of the mid 1980s, their music later became more reminiscent of progressive rock, featuring long instrumental jams and complex guitar interplay...
's shimmering "Under the Milky Way" in the cathartic party scene, and "Proud to Be Loud" by the '80s incarnation of the metal band Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
.
Michael Andrews's derivative style of composing owes much to the ground-breaking Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs)
Symphony No. 3 (Górecki)
The Symphony No. 3, Op. 36, also known as the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs , is a symphony in three movements composed by Henryk Górecki in Katowice, Poland, between October and December 1976. The work is indicative of the transition between Górecki's dissonant earlier manner and his more tonal...
by Henryk Górecki
Henryk Górecki
Henryk Mikołaj Górecki was a composer of contemporary classical music. He studied at the State Higher School of Music in Katowice between 1955 and 1960. In 1968, he joined the faculty and rose to provost before resigning in 1979. Górecki became a leading figure of the Polish avant-garde during...
, to which Cherita mimes on stage. An excerpt of For Whom the Bell Tolls as composed by Steve Baker and Carmen Daye starts the credit sequence at the end of the film. This music was however not included in the album-version of the soundtrack.
In the subsequent director's cut, a number of musical choices are changed. In the film's opening, "The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
is replaced by "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
. "The Killing Moon" later replaces "Under The Milky Way" by The Church
The Church (band)
The Church is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980. Initially associated with new wave and the neo-psychedelic sound of the mid 1980s, their music later became more reminiscent of progressive rock, featuring long instrumental jams and complex guitar interplay...
during the party scene. "Under The Milky Way" can be heard in the car scene with Donnie and his father, played on the radio. Many of these tracks were originally meant to be on the soundtrack, but could not be obtained for licencing reasons.
Release
The score was not put on a soundtrack album until Andy Factor, a friend of Michael Andrews, released it on his Everloving Records independent label in 2002. As Donnie Darko was not a hit at first, there was little interest in the soundtrack in the United States. However, the film enjoyed more popularity in Europe especially in the UK where its total box office was greater than for the whole of the U.S., and so the Donnie Darko soundtrack album was released.This sparked interest in the soundtrack and in the song "Mad World," taken from the original soundtrack, which was a 2003 Christmas Number One
Christmas number one single
The Christmas number one single is a single that reaches number one on the national pop music charts in the week immediately prior to Christmas. It is primarily a pop culture phenomenon in the United Kingdom and in the neighboring Republic of Ireland....
in the UK singles chart. It has also made the charts in a number of other countries including Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Australia in 2003 and 2004.
Superstar Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
sampled the song "Manipulated Living" for the video introduction on her 2008/2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour
Sticky & Sweet Tour
The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation. The tour was announced in February 2008, with...
.
Track listing
All songs were written and performed by Michael AndrewsMichael Andrews (musician)
Michael Andrews is an American musician and film score composer. He is best known for a cover version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World", which he recorded with Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack, and which became a number one single in the UK in Christmas 2003.-Soundtrack...
except "Mad World" (written by Roland Orzabal
Roland Orzabal
Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana is an English musician, songwriter and record producer. He is known mainly as a co-founding member of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and joint vocalist, but he has also achieved success as a producer of other artists.- Early career :Orzabal...
; performed by Gary Jules
Gary Jules
Gary Jules is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his cover of Tears for Fears' third single "Mad World", which he recorded together with friend Michael Andrews for the film Donnie Darko. It became the UK Christmas Number One single of 2003...
and Michael Andrews).
- "Carpathian Ridge" – 1:35
- "The Tangent Universe" – 1:50
- "The Artifact and Living" – 2:30
- "Middlesex Times" – 1:41
- "Manipulated Living" – 2:08
- "Philosophy of Time Travel" – 2:02
- "Liquid Spear Waltz" – 1:32
- "Gretchen Ross" – 0:51
- "Burn It to the Ground" – 1:58
- "Slipping Away" – 1:17
- "Rosie Darko" – 1:25
- "Cellar Door" – 1:03
- "Ensurance Trap" – 3:11
- "Waltz in the 4th Dimension" – 2:46
- "Time Travel" – 3:01
- "Did You Know Him?" – 1:46
- "Mad WorldMad World"Mad World" is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up...
" – 3:08 - "Mad World" (Alternate Mix) – 3:37
2004 British re-release
Coinciding with the release of the film's director's cut, an expanded two-disc edition of the album was released in the United Kingdom in 2004. This edition included the 1980s popPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
songs from the theatrical edition and the director's cut.
- "Never Tear Us ApartNever Tear Us Apart"Never Tear Us Apart" is a single released by Australian rock group INXS in August 1988. It was also included on the band's sixth studio album, Kick. The music was written by Andrew Farriss, who recorded a blues-style demo and gave it to Michael Hutchence...
" by INXSINXSINXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
– 3:04 - "Head Over HeelsHead over Heels (Tears for Fears song)"Head over Heels" is a song by the British New Wave band Tears for Fears.It was the band's tenth single release in the United Kingdom and eighth UK Top 40 hit, peaking at #12 in July 1985...
" by Tears for FearsTears for FearsTears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
– 4:16 - "Under the Milky WayUnder the Milky Way"Under the Milky Way" is a single by Australian alternative rock band The Church released in February 1988 with their album, Starfish. The song was written by bass guitarist and vocalist Steve Kilbey and his then-girlfriend, Karin Jansson...
" by The ChurchThe Church (band)The Church is an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980. Initially associated with new wave and the neo-psychedelic sound of the mid 1980s, their music later became more reminiscent of progressive rock, featuring long instrumental jams and complex guitar interplay...
– 4:58 - "Lucid Memory" by Sam Bauer and Gerard Bauer – 0:46
- "Lucid Assembly" by Gerard Bauer and Mike BauerMike BauerMike Bauer is a retired American tour professional tennis player. Bauer won three singles and nine top-tier doubles titles during his career. He reached a career high singles ranking of World No. 29 in November 1984....
– 0:52 - "Ave MariaAve Maria (Giulio Caccini)"Ave Maria" is a popular and much recorded aria composed by Baroque composer Giulio Caccini. It is a musical hoax generally misattributed to Vladimir Vavilov. Vavilov himself published and recorded it on the Melodiya label with the ascription to "Anonymous" in 1970...
" by Vladimir Vavilov and Paul Pritchard – 2:57 - "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Steve Baker and Carmen Daye – 3:12
- "Show Me (Part 1)" by Quito Colayco and Tony Hertz – 2:05
- "NotoriousNotorious (song)"Notorious" is the 14th single by Duran Duran. It was released internationally by EMI on 20 October 1986. "Notorious" was the first single issued from the album Notorious, and the first released by Duran Duran as a 3-piece band after the departure of Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor...
" by Duran DuranDuran DuranDuran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
– 4:00 - "Stay" by Oingo BoingoOingo BoingoOingo Boingo was an American new wave band. They are best known for their influence on other musicians, their soundtrack contributions and their high energy Halloween concerts. The band was founded in 1972 as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, a performance art group...
– 3:38 - "Love Will Tear Us ApartLove Will Tear Us Apart"Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a song by the British post-punk band Joy Division. It was written in August and September 1979, and debuted when the band supported Buzzcocks on their UK tour in September and October 1979. It is one of the few songs in which singer Ian Curtis played guitar...
" by Joy DivisionJoy DivisionJoy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
– 3:23 - "The Killing MoonThe Killing MoonThe Killing Moon is a single by the band Echo & the Bunnymen. It was released on their 1984 album, Ocean Rain. It is one of the band's highest-charting hits, reaching number nine in the UK Singles Chart.-Lyrics:...
" by Echo & the BunnymenEcho & the BunnymenEcho & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
– 5:55
Personnel
- Michael Andrews – performer
- Todd Burke – engineer, mixing
- Shannon Erbe – music editor
- Gary Jules – vocals
- Richard Kelly – liner notes
- Mike King – package design
- Roger Seibel – mastering
- Sam Shelton – backing vocals