Now here’s a song that takes me back.
When I worked in a movie theater during college, we used to play these MovieTunes CDs on repeat all day. They still use them today, at least until ‘The Twenty’ starts. The CDs are about 45 minutes long and feature a dozen or so songs from new and upcoming releases, as well as some promotional banter between tracks.
They are harmless enough for patrons of the theater, who likely hear each song once, if that. But working an 8 hour shift means hearing each of those songs about a dozen times per day, four or five days per week. Lots of potential for hair-pulling.
But the mixes were actually pretty good. I remember when Lyle Lovett’s ‘You’ve Been So Good Up to Now’ turned up on one of them, a co-worker of mine would always sing along to the “one bad move” line and turn his broom into a guitar.
Neneh Cherry’s ‘Buddy X’ was one of those Movie Tune songs I really liked. I wound up buying the album, Homebrew, and really enjoyed that, too (Movie Tunes would be thrilled!). It had the same sort of hip hop, pop and R&B blend that worked for Lauryn Hill and Arrested Development.
Cherry pretty much fell off the face of the earth after Homebrew ran its course, though her brother, Eagle Eye, had a short window of fame himself.
Talking ’bout the families plan
To bring the sweet talk deep and down
Works better than an average pick up line
You put your woman out to pasture
On the promises you gave her last year
Peace and love is on your head
And the grass is greener playing ’round
Your family seed is what you spread
Buddy my friend
Who you think you fooling?
Buddy my friend
And what about your woman?
Buddy my friend
Who you think you fooling?
Buddy my friend
I don’t care what you do
But there’s a hypocrite that lives in you
Cause if your woman gave her love
In the same way that you do
You’d feel a-way
You know you would
Buddy my friend
Treat her that way
And you’ll be exed soon
Buddy exed soon
Meet Me In Montauk 
You could do a whole theme week on songs such as these. I was just glancing at EW’s gallery on movies you watch again and again. The first one they feature is The Princess Bride, and I was instantly back at Erol’s, where we played it non-stop. At least we had some control over what was in the background while we worked, but the effect is probably the same.
I can imagine sweeping to this tune 🙂 (while I cursed the patron’s inability to throw away his own cup and candy box! 😉 I’ve heard Cherry’s name before, but I’m not sure I ever before heard a song of hers. Thanks for rectifying that.
I feel like I’m in an AMC theater right now, looking at a slide asking me which movie first teamed up Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt:)
I had a similar theater experience (though as a patron, not an employee) with Tori Amos’ “Cornflake Girl.” That song was repeated a few times before movies and I found myself completely hooked on it. I ended up buying the album, which is good, though no song was quite as good as “Cornflake Girl.”
I too have heard of Cherry, but didn’t know much of her music. This song is pretty decent.