MOVIE SOUNDS

It has been over thirty-five years since Tom Cruise appeared in the action-drama, "Top Gun" which helped turn him into a major movie-star. Now there is a very long awaited sequel on the horizon with "Top Gun: Maverick" finally due to reach theaters on May 27th after the pandemic delayed the release by two years. And an unlikely artist has contributed a love ballad for the soundtrack of the film: Lady Gaga. "Hold My Hand" (co-written and produced by Gaga and Bloodpop along with additional production assistance by Benjamin Rice) is a rock driven track that initially brings to mind a classic power ballad of the '80s yet this is undeniably an offbeat, emotionally powerful Lady Gaga song. The video drives the nostalgic vibe even further home with Gaga, in her version of military drag, performing the song while clips from the upcoming movie that show us the now-Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell today, are played.

Baz Luhrmann, the filmmaker behind the colorfully vibrant works, "Romeo + Juliet", "The Great Gatsby" and "Moulin Rouge!", is delivering a movie based on the life of the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Presley with "Elvis" which is due in theaters on June 24th. The movie doesn't appear to be your typical bio-pic and much like what he did with the soundtracks for his previous films, there will be contemporary artists performing classic songs by Presley and music inspired by the musician. One of the songs recently released is "Vegas" by Doja Cat. Using a sample of Big Mama Thornton's 1952 hit song, "Hound Dog" (which Presley would later cover in 1956 and make even more popular), Doja Cat delivers a rap/hip-hop flavored track that has her taking down a lover who proves not to be worth her time. This great tune makes me curious to hear what else that will be on this soundtrack.

2017 NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY

Judy Garland's classic ballad from "The Wizard of Oz", Barbra Streisand's classic ballad from "Funny Girl",  the original version of "Hound Dog", a collection of the greatest hits by the Eagles and the debut album from N.W.A.  are just some of the recordings that have just been inducted in to the National Recording Registry.

Since 2002, the Library of Congress have selected sound recordings that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important that informs or reflect life in the United States. The twenty-five selected this year feature a wide range of music, commentaries, radio programs, comedy albums and speeches. To date, there have been 475 recordings placed in the National Recording Registry.

Here is the complete list of the twenty-five recordings being inducted in the 2017 National Recording Registry:

The London cylinder recordings of Col. George Gouraud (1888)

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” (singles) - Manhattan Harmony Four (1923) and Melba Moore & Friends (1990)



“Puttin’ on the Ritz” (single) - Harry Richman (1929)

“Over the Rainbow” (single) - Judy Garland (1939)



“I’ll Fly Away” (single) - The Chuck Wagon Gang (1948)

“Hound Dog” (single) - Big Mama Thornton (1953)



“Saxophone Colossus” - Sonny Rollins (1956)

"The Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds", announced by Vin Scully (September 8, 1957)

“Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs” - Marty Robbins (1959)

“The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery” - Wes Montgomery (1960)

“People” (single) - Barbra Streisand (1964)



“In the Midnight Hour” (single) - Wilson Pickett (1965)



“Amazing Grace” (single) - Judy Collins (1970)



“American Pie” (single) - Don McLean (1971)

“All Things Considered” - first broadcast (May 3, 1971)

“The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” - David Bowie (1972)



“The Wiz: Original Broadway Cast Album” - (1975)



“Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)” - Eagles (1976)

“Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha” - (Gunter Schuller, arranger) (1976)

“Wanted: Live in Concert” - Richard Pryor (1978)

“We Are Family” (single) - Sister Sledge (1979)



“Remain in Light” - Talking Heads (1980)

“Straight Outta Compton” - N.W.A (1988)



“Rachmaninoff’s Vespers (All-Night Vigil)” - Robert Shaw Festival Singers (1990)

“Signatures” - Renée Fleming (1997)