Classic Albums: Trainspotting by Various Artists

So here’s a little 90’s heroin to taken with your Sunday morning blog reading. Maybe just the wrong one for today but oh well. I did read this, I think it was William S. Burroughs thing where he was saying injecting into your eye bulb is the best way to get the ultimate fix because it’s closest to your brain and that’s where the drug going anyway but if you do it too much it will make you go blind.

Anyway after that handly injecting tips I’ve been told there’s a new movie out this year which is the sequel but I don’t think there is any point for that because the original was one of the greatest and if not the most perfect 90’s film ever so why are they fuckin’ it up now? Maybe it’s the actor’s and director’s failing career’s now but as Sickboy theory in the movie proves right.

Anyway I’m doing the soundtrack or I’ll call it the album today, I was thinking about writing about some of my fave movies here on my blog too but almost will have a soundtrack joined at the hip. So I’ll do them first and maybe the movies itself later. Each scene in this film is so iconic and music was so important to it but I’ve listen to this soundtrack album away for the movie so much more over the years it’s become itself own thing too.

Trainspotting was released in 1996, it’s just the right mix of old rock numbers or cover, new numbers including the few techno, rave music or whatever you wanna call it? With Eno and New Order of the older electronic artists too.

It’s all the English Britpop bands you want, the film is set in Scotland but none of the various artists are Scottish, which kind-of funny after the out in the countryside speech in the film. I did my fave Irish album on Friday so I’ll have do my fave Scottish album sometime soon.

I did read earlier this year somewhere Oasis was asked for a song but didn’t want to be on a soundtrack about trains, it’s good no one told them it’s not about trains. Pulp was always my fave of all those bands but Blur and Elastica are cool too, sorry Oasis fans.

So it’s the second soundtrack and the third comp album I’ve included in my own set of junkies called Classic Albums. I would say it’s nicked the very best songs from those 70’s and 80’s albums from Pop, Eno, New Order and Reed. I think when I get around to going these artists album here in that list, only Brain’s one will show up here again but pretend you didn’t see that just now and acted surprised when it does pops up. Anyway because I have other fave albums by those artists but it’s great these killer tracks made it into it anyway by way of this.

I haven’t really got any techno music on this list which is all wrong but I guess this could be a great intro to a few mixed in with pop and rock tracks. I’ll have to now very soon pick out the greatest techno dance music album in my opinion and included here, OK? Maybe then the sub-categories too. I remember going to raves and/or nightclubs back in the day and dancing like dropkick but because you couldn’t see anything expert flashing lights it didn’t matter at all and off course your were drinking like a fish or off your face on something, like everyone else. I feel sad and sorry for kids these days, when to this latest hip and happening one it was so well lit, it like the living room on Friends TV series or something really.

A volume two of the soundtrack came out the following year with the green cover which was ok, so it did include some tracks not on the first one but also a lot not in the movie at all, they did say something like these other songs inspired the film or something at the time? The opening track was the choose life speech set to a dance beat, which was cool.

The following is a complete list of songs that appear in the movie Trainspotting in order of appearance, if you wanna know?

“Lust for Life” – Iggy Pop
“Carmen Suite No.2” – Georges Bizet
“Deep Blue Day” – Brian Eno
“Trainspotting” – Primal Scream
“Temptation” – Heaven 17
“Atomic” – Sleeper
“Temptation” – New Order
“Nightclubbing” – Iggy Pop
“Sing” – Blur
“Perfect Day” – Lou Reed
“Dark and Long (Dark Train)” – Underworld
“Think About the Way” – Ice MC
“Mile End” – Pulp
“For What You Dream Of” (Full On Renaissance Mix) – Bedrock featuring KYO
“2:1” – Elastica
“Herzlich Tut Mich Verlangen” – Gábor Lehotka
“A Final Hit” – Leftfield
“Statuesque” – Sleeper
“Born Slippy .NUXX” – Underworld
“Closet Romantic” – Damon Albarn

Off course it’s based on an Irvine Welsh‘s novel of the same name which I have to say was pretty brilliant, I read it a few years after without seeing the film for awhile. The whole thing is written in a Scottish accent which once you get into the swing of things it’s pretty great reading.  I remember some did say they toned down the accent for hollywood producers. The novel is most likely better but I don’t know really about Welsh writing the sequel and prequel novels too.

So I’ve gone well over my word limit, sorry if it’s way too long for anyone/everyone.

So who the hell else put shit up their arms in the 90’s? Oh no, I mean who else loves this album or soundtrack, the film, the book?

Trainspotting track listing, artists and times:

1. Lust For Life – Iggy Pop 5:15
2. Deep Blue Day – Brian Eno 3:58
3. Trainspotting – Primal Scream 10:36
4. Atomic – Sleeper 5:11
5. Temptation (1987 Version) – New Order 6:59
6. Nightclubbing – Iggy Pop 4:15
7. Sing – Blur 6:03
8. Perfect Day – Lou Reed 3:46
9. Mile End – Pulp 4:33
10. For What You Dream Of (Full On Renaissance Mix) – Bedrock featuting KYO 6:30
11. 2:1 – Elastica 2:35
12. A Final Hit – Leftfield 3:17
13. Born Slippy .NUXX – Underworld 9:46
14. Closet Romantic – Damon Albarn 3:09

All my Classic Albums posts are in that link or they’re all linked below too!

• Tales From The Australian Underground – Volume 1 & 2 by Various Artists
• Station To Station by David Bowie
• Unplugged In New York by Nirvana
• Rust In Peace by Megadeth
• Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs by Marty Robbins
• Henry’s Dream by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
• Whatever You Love, You Are by Dirty Three
• Gala Mill by The Drones
• Black Monk Time by The Monks
• Ex Tropical by Lost Animal
• Work (Work, Work) by HTRK
• In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra
• The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn by Pink Floyd
• Songs Of Love And Hate by Leonard Cohen
• Warm Leatherette by Grace Jones
• The White House by The Dead C
• Silence Is Sexy by Einstürzende Neubauten
• Lulu by Lou Reed & Metallica
• Kaira by Toumani Diabaté
• Kings Of The Wild Frontier by Adam And The Ants
• Drowning In The Fountain Of Youth by Dan Kelly And The Alpha Males
• Aerial by Kate Bush
• The Future by Leonard Cohen
• Rock For Light by Bad Brains
• Last Splash by The Breeders
• Sex by The Necks
• Emergency Ward by Nina Simone
• Paradise by My Disco
• Batman by Prince
• Sings Christmas Carols by Mark Kozelek
• What Are Rock Stars Doing Today by Magic Dirt
• Love Of Life by Swans
• Big Name, No Blankets by Warumpi Band
• Blue Valentine by Tom Waits
• In The Pines by The Triffids
• Where Joy Kills Sorrow by Various Artists
• TV Sky by The Young Gods
• King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime by Faith No More
• Jean Lee And The Yellow Dog by Ed Kuepper
• Law Of Nature by Laughing Clowns
• (I’m) Stranded by The Saints
• Super Ape by Lee “Scratch” Perry & The Upsetters
• The Soft ‘N’ Sexy Sound by Dave Graney ‘N’ The Coral Snakes
• Mutiny/The Bad Seed by The Birthday Party
• Bahdeni Nami by Omar Souleyman
• Ascension by John Coltrane
• The Definitive by Blind Willie McTell
• Rid Of Me by PJ Harvey
• Horses by Patti Smith
• Vespertine by Björk
• Hex Enduction Hour by The Fall
• Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood by DMX
• I’m New Here by Gil Scott-Heron
• Charcoal Lane by Archie Roach
• In My Own Time by Karen Dalton
• Stay Sick! by The Cramps
• Primary Colours by Eddy Current Suppression Ring
• Veedon Fleece by Van Morrison

So the idea here is simply for me to write a post about each of my favorite albums that I consider total stone cold classics!

Please do leave a reply below and tell me what you think about this album and/or artist or whatever you’d like to say about it?

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