NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� of singular talent and visionary filmmaker is not only felt in the world of cinema, but music, where he had inextricable influence on multiple generations of artists.
Lynch, whose death was announced Thursday, composed music for many of his films, collaborated with others, directed music videos, released albums and inspired legions of creatives.
You know his films, now, learn about his musical legacy. (You can hear all of the tracks on
鈥淚n Heaven鈥� from 鈥淓raserhead鈥�
Lynch composed much of the soundtrack to the clangorous 鈥淓raserhead,鈥� his 1978 debut movie. It foreshadows both a long career in film and an enduring interest in using music to establish a surrealist ambience in his work. holds particular resonance in the film. It's performed by a woman who lives in protagonist Henry Spencer's radiator, for one thing. It has been embraced by legions of indie rock fans. and it is interpolated into Modest Mouse鈥檚 "Workin鈥� on Leavin鈥� the Livin鈥�."
Chris Isaak, 鈥淲icked Game鈥�
Chris Isaak鈥檚 1989 desert ballad did not become a hit until it was included in Lynch鈥檚 1990 romantic crime drama 鈥淲ild at Heart" starring and And that, my friends, is Lynch's musical power.
Angelo Badalamenti, 鈥淭win Peaks鈥� theme
It would be a challenge to name a music and film collaboration stronger and more ideal than the one They first worked together on 1986's 鈥淏lue Velvet," leading to a long partnership (and, no doubt, armies of new fans, given his placement in the film). But it's Badalamenti's theme for that when their names appear.
The singer Julee Cruise had a hit in the song, titled 鈥淔alling." It is the perfect distillation of the show's beauty, mystery and violence 鈥� and that of its setting, the foggy Pacific Northwest.
Moby, 鈥淕o鈥�
Moby sampled the 鈥淭win Peaks鈥� theme in his 1991 single, transforming the song into a career-making rave.
Later, in 2009, Lynch would direct a music video for Moby's "Shot in the Back of the Head.鈥� He had quite the run as a music video director, working with everyone from and Donovan to the German nu-metal band Rammstein.
David Lynch, 鈥淭hank You Judge鈥�
In 2001, Lynch released his debut album, 鈥淏lueBOB,鈥� a sometimes industrial, goth-y (no surprise there) blues rock full-length. At times, it recalls the avant-garde no-wave of a cult classic band like Pere Ubu 鈥� particularly on the track It is very distorted, very reverb heavy, and very much not for the faint of heart.
David Lynch and Karen O, 鈥淧inky鈥檚 Dream鈥�
In 2011, Lynch released the album 鈥淐razy Clown Time," producing the standout electro-pop opener It features the great singer Karen O, frontwoman of the '00s New York rock band
David Lynch and Lykke Li, 鈥淚鈥檓 Waiting Here鈥�
On his third album, 鈥淭he Big Dream,鈥� Lynch teamed up with Swedish singer Lykke Li for the dreamy a breathy, depressed doo-wop anti-hit that sounds like it was recorded in the spot where a sunset horizon hits an open road.
Chromatics, 鈥淪hadow鈥�
In 2017, 26 years after the end of the second season of 鈥淭win Peaks," the show returned for a limited series, 鈥淭win Peaks: The Return.鈥� It featured tons of performances from Lynch-approved acts 鈥� Nine Inch Nails, Sharon Van Etten and of course Julee Cruise among them. But a performance by the Portland, Oregon synthpop band Chromatics in episode two stands out. The song is and it is so undeniably perfect for the show, the band appears as if they were made for it.
Flying Lotus, 鈥淔ire Is Coming鈥�
Lynch is the first voice heard on 鈥� a distinctive orator and storyteller, and a curious choice to open to a beat-heavy track from the inventive DJ. But looping Lynch saying the title track over and over again? That's an inspired decision.
Chrystabell & David Lynch, 鈥淪ublime Eternal Love鈥�
In her review, The Associated Press' Krysta Fauria describes Lynch's last album, a collaboration with the artist Chrystabell, as 鈥渟urrealist鈥� and 鈥渄ifficult to categorize within a genre.鈥� She argues it can only be defined by its 鈥渁ustere lyrics and ambient soundscapes carried by Chrystabell鈥檚 hypnotic, reverbed vocals.鈥� Now that it has become Lynch's final album, it doubles as a fitting coda 鈥� as does its closing track, It's a haunting, romantic vocal performance atop modulating synthetic production, the kind sound long associated with Lynch.
Maria Sherman, The Associated Press
