American Beauty Soundtrack
“Bali Ha’i”(0:06:51)
Written by Oscar Hammerstein II & Richard Rodgers
Performed by Peggy Lee
Scene: The song begins while the Burnhams are walking into the house and continues through dinner.
“Open the Door”
“On Broadway” (0:15)
Written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weill, Jerry Leiber, & Mike Stoller
Performed by high school band
Scene: Basketball Half-Time Show “The Dancing Spartanettes”
“Use Me” (:20)
Written by Bill Withers
Performed by Bill Withers
Scene: Angela & Jane in the BMW smoking marijuana right after we watch Lester fantasize about
Angela
“All Along the Watchtower” (:50)
Written by Bob Dylan
Performed by Bob Dylan
Scene: Carolyn is out front gardening when she hears the music and discovers Lester working out and
smoking marijuana in the garage just before he “blackmails” his company.
“American Woman” (:55)
Written by Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, Jim Kale, and Gary Peterson (The Guess Who)
Performed by The Guess Who
Scene: The song begins with Carolyn & Buddy in bed then quickly moves to Lester smoking marijuana
and singing along in the Camry on the way to Mr. Smiley’s where he applies for a job.
“Call Me Irresponsible” / ”Where Love Has Gone” (1:05)
Written by Sammy Cahn & James Van Heusen
Performed by Bobby Darin
Scene: Lester being defiant at Carolyn’s dinner table after leaving his job
“Cancer for the Cure”
“Don’t Rain on My Parade” (1:13)
Written by Jule Styne & Bob Merrill
Performed by Bobby Darin
Scene: Carolyn shooting then singing along with the original song just before she gets home and
discovers Lester’s new Firebird
“The Seeker” (1:23)
Written by Pete Townshend (The Who)
Performed by The Who
Scene: Lester running down the street in work-out clothes immediately after reminding the viewer that
the last day of one’s life is not the first day of the rest of one’s life.
“As Long as I’m Singing”
Written by Bobby Darin
Performed by Bobby Darin
Scene:
“All Right Now”
Written by Andy Fraser & Paul Rodgers
Performed by Free
Scene:
“Don’t Let it Bring You Down”
Written by Neil Young
Performed by Annie Lennox
Scene: Angela and Lester in the living room after Colonel Fitts kisses Lester.
“Because”
Written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Performed by Elliott Smith
Scene: End Credits
Peggy Lee - Bali Ha'i
Most people live on a lonely island
Lost in the middle of a foggy sea
Most people long for another island
One where they know they would like to be
Bali Ha'i may call you, any night, any day
In your heart, you'll hear it call you,
come away...Come away
Bali Ha'i will whisper on the wind of the sea
Here am I your special island
Come to me...Come to me...
Your own special hopes, your own special dreams
Bloom on the hillside and shine in the streams
If you try, you'll find me
Where the sky meets the sea
Here am I your special island
Come to me...Come to me...
Bali Ha'i...Bali Ha'i...Bali Ha'i
Someday you'll see me floating in the sunshine
My head sticking out from a low-lying cloud
You hear me call you, singing through the sunshine
Sweet and clear as can be,
Come to me...Here am I...Come to me...
If you try, you'll find me,
Where the sky meets the sea,
Here am I your special island
Come to me...Come to me...
Bali Ha'i...Bali Ha'i...Bali Ha'i...
Betty Carter - Open the Door
Open the door, dear.
I must get in your heart!
You're making it hard
to be true
So please, come open the door, dear
And then, perhaps, you'll find
you've had me on your mind.
No matter
how you tried to avoid me,
you can't get away so easy
If you will not come to me I'll come
to you
Open the door, please.
Why make me beg and beg?
Why torture me
like this?
Can't you see,
I've got love,
plenty love to give you.
I've got love,
lots of
love to give to you.
I've got love...
The Folk Implosion - Free to Go
Catching butterflies, line drives, watching TV
I had seven good years 'til they noticed they were looking at me
I didn't like what they see
Trapped in the back seat, stay on your side
My hand out the window feeling the air rush by
While my parents fight
Where did you go? Did I make you leave?
Another thing I didn't know
Nobody ever believes. They just leave, they just leave
And they'll see you on their own sweet time
They just leave
I didn't leave my room 'til I learned how to drive
I was sweet seventeen, fighting with the back of my mind
'Til the wheel was all mine
Free to go, but still to young to leave
Old enough to think I know
That nobody ever believes, they just leave, they just leave
My plane landed, I'm alive
I'm not fighting with the things
I never thought I'd do to survive
Now we've finally arrived
Now I know, more than I've ever believed
You could never let me know
You were just as young as me
You had to leave, you had to leave
All Along the Watchtower
Written by Bob Dylan
"There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief,
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth."
"No reason to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke,
"There are many here among us who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I, we've been through that, and this is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late."
All along the watchtower, princes kept the view
While all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too.
Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
Two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.
The Who - The Seeker
Written by Pete Townsend
I've looked under chairs
I've looked under tables
I've tried to find the key
To fifty million fables
[chorus:]
They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
I asked Bobby Dylan
I asked The Beatles
I asked Timothy Leary
But he couldn't help me either
[chorus]
People tend to hate me
'Cause I never smile
As I ransack their homes
They want to shake my hand
Focusing on nowhere
Investigating miles
I'm a seeker
I'm a really desperate man
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die
I learned how to raise my voice in anger
Yeah, but look at my face, ain't this a smile?
I'm happy when life's good
And when it's bad I cry
I've got values but I don't know how or why
I'm looking for me
You're looking for you
We're looking in at other
And we don't know what to do
[chorus]
Eels - Cancer For the Cure
The kids are diggin' up a brand new hole
Where to put deadbeat mom
Grandpa's happy watching video porn
With the closed-caption on
And father knows best
About suicide and smack
Well, hee hee hee
Cancer for the cure
Cancer for the cure
Buckle-up and endure now baby
Cancer for the cure
'Ol blue eyes is back again
But he was never here in the first place
A heart attack may be something to fear
But take a look out back
'Cause Courtney needs love
And so do I
Well, hee hee hee
Cancer for the cure
Cancer for the
Cure my baby
Buckle-up and endure now sweet thing
The cancer for the cure
Free - All Right Now
There she stood in the street
Smiling from her head to her feet
I said "Hey, what is this"
Now baby, maybe she's in need of a kiss
I said " Hey, what's your name baby"
maybe we can see things the same
Now don't you wait or hesitate
Let's move before they raise the parking rent
All right now baby, it's all right now
All right now baby, it's all right now
I took her home to my place
Watching ev'ry move on her face
She said " Look, what's your game baby
are you tryin' to put me in shame?"
I said " slow don't go so fast,
don't you think that love can last?"
She said " Love, Lord above,
now you're tryin' to trick me in love"
All right now baby, it's all right now
all right now baby, it's all right now
That's all for now, take care and I'll
be back with more in a few days
Don't Rain On My Parade
written by Bob Merrill and Jule Styne
performed by Barbra Streisand in the movie/musical "Funny Girl"
also recorded by Michael Ball, Bobby Darin, Debbie Gibson etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter,
Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter.
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade.
Don't tell me not to fly-- I've simply got to.
If someone takes a spill, it's me and not you.
Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade!
I'll march my band out, I'll beat my drum,
And if I'm fanned out, Your turn at bat, sir.
At least I didn't fake it.
Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it!
But whether I'm the rose of sheer perfection,
Or freckle on the nose of life's complexion,
The cinder or the shiny apple of its eye,
I gotta fly once, I gotta try once,
Only can die once, right, sir?
Ooh, love is juicy, juicy, and you see
I gotta have my bite, sir!
Get ready for me, love, 'cause I'm a "comer"
I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer.
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!
I'm gonna live and live now,
Get what I want--I know how,
One roll for the whole shebang,
One throw, that bell will go clang,
Eye on the target--and wham-One shot, one gun shot, and bam-Hey, Mister Arnstein, here I am!
I'll march my band out, I will beat my drum,
And if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir,
At least I didn't fake it.
Hat, sir, I guess I didn't make it.
Get ready for me, love, 'cause I'm a "comer"
I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer.
Nobody, no, nobody
Is gonna rain on my parade!
Elliot Smith - Because
Written By Lennon and McCartney
Ah, because the world is round
it turns me on
Because the world is round
Ah, because the wind is high
it blows my mind
Because the wind is high
Ah, love is old, love is new
Love is all, love is you
Because the sky is blue
it makes me cry
Because the sky is blue
Ah, ah, ah, ah