By – Jackie Lo

Wes Anderson films are filled with some of my favorite songs. With his film “Asteroid City” hitting theaters today (grab your tickets at Sidewalk Cinema) I thought I’d take a look back at some of my favorite songs from Wes Anderson films. These are my top 10 at the moment.

 

Number 10

“Le Temps De L’amour” Francoise Hardy

(Moonrise Kingdom)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riO_F5D1LBc

There have been so many beautiful French songs in Wes Anderson films including Jarvis Cocker’s “Aline” in The French Dispatch and Yves Montand “Rue St. Vincent” in Rushmore, but this Francoise Hardy song is my favorite of hers and the wonderfully awkward and lovely scene of the kids dancing on the beach in their underwear with their record player blasting this song is by far my favorite song from this film.

Number 9

“Heroes and Villains” The Beach Boys

(Fantastic Mr. Fox)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NcGazmI3ns

You can never go wrong with The Beach Boys and this beautiful action scene of Mr. and Mrs. Fox sneaking and working together just makes me smile at this perfectly synced song.

Number 8

“Play With Fire” The Rolling Stones

(Darjeeling Limited)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0YJcheqtzQ

To say I want to be Angelica Houston when I grow up is an understatement. This scene lives constantly in my brain. The close up shots of her eyes rimmed in thick eyeliner while she looks like she’s burning a hole through your sole is my favorite scene in this film…and one of my favorite scenes in any Wes Anderson film and I couldn’t think of a better song for this moment.

 

Number 7

“Oh Yoko!” John Lennon

(Rushmore)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRdhZM2CUSc

Rushmore was the first Wes Anderson film I saw and was instantly hooked. Bill Murray and Jason Schwartman scheming, planning, and making it happen is so precious and fun and perfectly pairs with one of my favorite John Lennon songs.

 

Number 6

“The Way I Feel Inside” The Zombies

(The Life Aquatic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne_MDZG3tJE

The heart wrenching funeral of Ned is perfectly summed up with one of the greatest Zombies songs of all time. I’m choked up just thinking about it.

 

Number 5

“Alone Again Or” Love

(Bottle Rocket)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbJKbl4P1m8

You must include a song from Bottle Rocket if we’re talking about Wes Anderson soundtracks. His first film is Owen Wilson at his finest, has a Frank Lloyd Wright house in it, and contains a beautiful love story. All things that I’ll gladly take.

 

Number 4

“Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” Paul Simon

(The Royal Tenenbaums)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVZGhCulb58

This scene with Royal taking Ari and Uzi out for a day of adventure will bring a smile to anyone’s face. I laugh thinking of them hanging off the garbage truck and throwing water balloons at taxis. It’s childhood debauchery at its finest and one of my favorite scenes in all of Wes Anderson’s movies. Now I want to listen to Paul Simon and ride go carts.

 

Number 3

“Needle in the Hay” Elliott Smith

(The Royal Tenenbaums)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pyBB7y8fDU

This scene destroys me every time. As a long time fan of Elliott Smith, this one hits harder after his own suicide two years after this film released. Hands down, this song is on my top 5 Elliott Smith songs of all time and this scene makes my top 5 favorite Wes Anderson scenes as well.

 

Number 2

“Search and Destroy” The Stooges

(The Life Aquatic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-UorGLoa3A

I’m pretty sure I laugh in delight and pump my fist in the air every time this scene hits. Bill Murray with a gun, pirates, an intern getting chopped with a giant blade, The Stooges…it has everything you could want and more.

 

Number 1

“These Days” Nico

(The Royal Tenenbaums)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvhEpzZZFDs

Margot Tennenbaum remains my favorite Wes Anderson character and her introduction is nothing short of superb. Nico, the bus station, Margot walking in slow motion. I could watch this scene and listen to this song over and over again.

 

Stream The Jackie Lo Show Wes Anderson installment HERE !