This week we are taking an opportunity to explore some songs which would normally be outside our time frame by following the soundtrack to the movie “Goodfellas.”  This Martin Scorsese film is a mafia story told from the view of Henry Hill in his book “Wiseguy:  Life In a Mafia Family.”

The movie follows Henry Hill as he looks back on his life beginning during a time when he looked up to the Wise Guys and gangsters who ran his neighborhood.  Hill starts his narrative as a child in 1955 and continues until 1980 when Hill becomes an FBI informant on the Luccese crime family and enters the witness protection program.

The songs from that film provide the backdrop of different times in Hill's life.  Rat Pack hits reflect scenes with the gangsters, while songs from the Who and Cream reflect more disjointed times.

Hill was paid $480,000 for his contribution to the movie.  Hill passed away in 2012.

Wayne takes us through this time spanning soundtrack this week on our podcast, because this gives us the opportunity to cover some songs which are not normally in our album "window," while still giving us a window into a popular film and into the happenings of the early 90's.

Rags to Riches by Tony Bennett
This crooner song is used as the backdrop when Henry Hill reflects on his childhood and states, "As far as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster - being a ganster is better than being the President of the US."  This sets the table for the remainder of the film.

Then He Kissed Me by The Crystals
Phil Spector co-wrote this song and was instrumental in increasing the popularity of the Crystals before he moved on to work with The Ronnettes.  This track is used as the backdrop of a long take where Hill and his date go to the Copacabana restaurant through the back door to a table set on the dance floor for them.

Ain't That a Kick In the Head by Dean Martin
Rat Pack member and ultra-cool crooner known for his roasts and singing with a martini glass, Martin's song is the perfect fit to a montage of mob life.  Henry's wife Karen narrarates this montage.  The inspiration for the song may have been a film starring Martin and Frank Sinatra, in which Sinatra's character says, "ain't that a kick in the head." during a poker game.

Magic Bus by the Who
This Who song is used in the movie during a scene of frantic, intoxicated driving where Hill believes that he is being tracked by the Feds.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture “Troll 2”
This film may be one of the best "worst" movies made, but it was in the theaters at the time, so we thought we'd brush off the theme and trot it out this week.

STAFF PICKS:

Cradle of Love by Billy Idol
Rob kicks off our staff picks this week with a single off Idol's fourth studio album "Charmed Life."  Idol was in a near-fatal motorcycle accident earlier in the year, and his appearances in the David Fincher video include head shots and close-ups from the waist up, obscuring the fact that he was still recovering from his leg injuries. 

Praying for Time by George Michael
Lynch features the lead single from Michael's second solo album, "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1."  This somber, contemplative tone is a departure from his more pop-oriented hits.  Michael addresses poverty, injustice, and the human condition, concluding that some things can only be healed with time.

Tick Tock by The Vaughan Brothers
Bruce's staff pick is off "Family Style," the only studio album featuring brother Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan.  The song lyrics about the need to recognize that time is short are more poignant, given that the album was released a month after Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash.

Waiting for the Angels by The Darkside
Wayne brings us one of his Manchester sound groups.  The Darkside is out of central England and have a neo-psychedelia sound with heavily distorted guitar and synthesizers.  The song lyrics are about a guy seeing lots of women in life, but not making a connection.  He's waiting for angels to bring the right one his way.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Guitar Voodoo by The Darkside
We finish up this week's podcast by double-dipping on the Manchester sound with this instrumental.  

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” 

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**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.