If you can be a huge fan of somebody without owning a single one of his original albums, then that’s exactly what I am when it comes to Jon Brion. Over the years, Brion has put his distinctive stamp on so many things I adore.
As a producer, he has been the guiding force behind some of the best work ever recorded by Rufus Wainwright, Fiona Apple and Aimee Mann (not to mention Kanye West and Elliott Smith). And as a composer, he has scored such wonderful films as Magnolia, I Heart Huckabees and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
He also released a solo album called Meaningless in 2001 that I’ve always wanted to own. All the songs I’ve heard from it are great, but it’s difficult to track down. Amazon has a copy on sale for $20 that takes several months to ship… that doesn’t seem right.
The only Brion song I own is this tune from the Punch-Drunk Love soundtrack. Punch-Drunk Love is another lovely film he’s scored and, though this song doesn’t play in the film itself (maybe over the end credits?) it perfectly captures the mood and theme. And that little melody that kicks in after the chorus was a major element of the score… it’s the film’s signature sound.
Punch-Drunk Love is far from a perfect film, but so much of it is so effective that, even though it’s probably Paul Thomas Anderson’s “worst” film, it still perfectly captures everything that makes him one of my very favorite film makers. His use of color and sound to symbolize emotions in this film is fascinating.
Brion’s theme song is less abstract — it would be hard to get much more obvious than these lyrics. But it’s the perfect companion to a film about the beauty of an unexpected connection between two lonely people.
[Note: This clip finishes with a short piano tune from Brion’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack… also well worth your time.]
As strange as you are
Who can cope with the things that you do
Without trying too hard
Because you can bend the truth
Until it’s suiting you
These things that you’re wrapping all around you
You never know what they will amount to
And your life is just going on without you
It’s the end of the things you know
Here we go
You’ve gotta know that there’s more to this world
Than what you have seen
Because we all have a limited view
Of what we can be
As we move along with our blinders on
Each one of us feels a little stranded
And you can’t explain or understand it
Each one of us on a different planet
And amidst all the to and fro
Someone can say hello
Here we go
The feeling that someone really gets you
It’s something that no one should object to
It could happen today
So I suggest you skip your habit of laying low
It’s the end of the things you know
Here we go
Because someone can say “Hello,
You old so and so, here we go”
Meet Me In Montauk 
On a completely unrelated note (which makes perfect sense for what I’m about to say), I love the “Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)” that accompany each of your blogs. Today’s “Michael Gondry is More Man Than All of Us” and “Playlist: Blood-Curdling Songs From Vampire Movies” particularly amuse me.
Anyway, I was with today’s song for the first couple of minutes, but just around the 3:00 minute mark I found it becoming increasingly monotonous. I do love this film, though, and really should see it again. It might be his “worst” film (in your estimation, I’m assuming?). but it’s likely my favorite of his films.
Ah, the ADD generation. 🙂
I’m surprised that you can’t make it through 3 minutes of this song but you can make it through 90 minutes of the movie… I find them to be remarkably similar in tone and impact. In fact, of all the songs I featured this week this is the one I feel most captures its film.
Perfectly nice song, and you always have been a sucker for a waltz like carnival sound 9though this one has the carnival instrumentation stripped out):)
Since you have now presumably completed your soundtrack theme week, I feel that at least two other soundtracks should be mentioned. First, I would hold up the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack as a standout, featuring some of Harry Connick’s finest work. A more recent standout that comes to mind is the soundtrack to Once, containing some of the most wonderful original music I have heard in quite awhile.
And, on behalf of my kids (particularly Maddie), the Brother Bear soundtrack “bears” mentioning.:)
I’m not familiar with the Brother Bear soundtrack, but Disney has certainly put out its share of great movie music.
I have to second Dana’s suggestions and add O Brother, Where Art Thou? as another soundtrack worth featuring. Each of these albums perfectly suited their films and contain songs that are wonderful to listen to even when the film is over.
And I am not part of the ADD generation I’ll have you know. I am simply a discerning person capable of making a decision regarding a song after listening to 3/4 of it. It’s fascinating to explore whether a tone is more bearable in a film than in a song (or vice versa). I do tend to have more patience when a filmmaker in experimenting on me than for when a singer/songwriter is doing so.
Yes, O Brother is a great example of a soundtrack that captures its film (and contains some lovely material in its own right).
Why not own his solo album? There is only one, unless you count I Heart HUckabees (which perhaps, we should):
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jonbrion
Thanks for the link.