Music for The Color Purple

[charmax]

I am never usually stuck for song choices when it comes to vidding but recently after re-watching “The Color Purple” I decided I really want to vid this film and the song? - nowhere to be seen. Finding the right music that does the movie some justice is proving to be difficult. I don’t know how many of you on my flist have seen the film? It’s set

Comments

[halcyon_shift]

something Nina Simone?

[charmax]

My partner suggested Nina Simone as well, she is a possibilty. Do you have a certain track in mind?

[halcyon_shift]

Sort of depends on the themes &/or tone you're going for really. "Feeling Good" ... "Four Women", "I Shall Be Released" ... "Sinnerman" would probably be a bit much ...

[charmax]

"Feeling good" is a bit too well know for what I was wanting but I will check out those others songs. Cheers!

[oceana_]

I can't think of any song in particular now, but if you are looking for musicians who were around in the 1920s/1930, I can come up with a few: Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Dizzie Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Sydney Bechet,Paul Whiteman, Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzgerald, for example.

Not exactly the time but still some of my favourite singers, who could probably fit the mood of the movie, is Nina Simone.

Or you could simply take a look at Gershwin's songs and see if you find one that would make a good vid, and then look for a fitting version later, since all the great singers of the time have sung his songs.

[charmax]

Thank you!

I was wanting female singers. I had wondered about Bessie Smith or Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holliday but the quality of the audios I have are not great. I will look into the Gershwin idea. I am looking again at Nina Simone in the hope of finding digitally remastered versions.

[messyjessie58]

hmmm ive seen the movie and read the book, but thats one genre of music i havent a clue about... i hope you find something good!

[charmax]

Both the movie and the book are inspiring. Very moving. When I watched the film again it brought me to tears, it's so very powerful. As for music - I'll keep searching.

[thedothatgirl]

I'd look at Billie Holliday or Ella Fitzgerald - no particular track in mind though. I do have an Ella F album somewhere but I think its 'songbook' Cole Porter or Gershwin. I'll look it out and see if anything hits me.

[charmax]

I've looked at Ella and Billie (my dad-in-law is a big jazz fan). The problem I found was that they weren't really "gospel" enough. Perhaps this will be the vid that got away.

Thanks Andrea!

[thedothatgirl]

Yes I know what you mean - I re-listened to my Ella album last night and it was all very 'produced' sound, lots of brass - so not gospel like at all.

You may have to put it on a back burner until something pops up.

[tallulah71]

If you're looking for gospel, you might try Mahalia Jackson or Marion Williams, although Marion wouldn't be period.

I've only ever seen one vid for The Color Purple and it was to Mariah Carey. Although I'm not a fan of Mariah, the song worked really well.

Somewhere I have a copy of the Itzhak Perlman performance of the main titles, which today remains one of my favorite pieces of music.

I hope you find a song, as I know you would make a beautiful vid with this film as source.

[charmax]

I don't know Mahalia Jackson or Marion Williams but I will definitely be checking them out! Thank you for the suggestions Katheryn.

I haven't seen that video you mentioned, Mariah Carey sounds like a very odd choice in music (to me) but then I haven't seen the vid so what do I know? Do you still have the link? I would love to see what the vidder has done with it.

I hope I do find the right song, I am still on the quest. If I don't find it then maybe it wasn't meant to be. It's not a video I want to go rushing into anyway.

[tallulah71]

Mariah Carey sounds like a very odd choice in music (to me)

Exactly what I thought when downloading the vid, but it works. I still have that vid and the end credits include a link to the site http://elena.cjb.net . I checked out the link, but the site only contains a link to the live journal of cheesejoose. The email addy in the user info matches the one in the vid credits, so I think it's safe to assume this is the vidder.

[charmax]

Cheers for the link. I think I know some of cheesejooses vids... I had a quick browse through her journal but can't find any of her vids at all. Hmmm I wonder where she keeps them now. What I'll do is email her or something.