Notablog

Song of the Day: Spartacus (“Soundtrack Suite”), composed by Alex North, is an integrated collage of the many themes from this Oscar-nominated score to the 1960 epic film, directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Kirk Douglas in the title role, as well as Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Laurence Olivier, and…

Song of the Day: The Shining (“Midnight, The Stars, and You”), words and music by Harry M. Woods, Jimmy Campbell and Reginald Connelly, is heard twice in this Stanley Kubrick-directed 1980 horror film, starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. However much this adaptation differs from the Stephen King novel, it’s…

Song of the Day: Bridge of Spies (“Standing Man”) [YouTube link], composed by Thomas Newman, is from the Oscar-nominated score to this 2015 historical drama, directed by Steven Spielberg. Son of the great Golden Era film score composer, Alfred Newman, and part of the Newman family’s musical dynasty, Thomas has…

Song of the Day: Night Moves (“End Credits”) [YouTube link], composed by Michael Small, provides a jazzy coda to this 1975 neo noir, directed by Arthur Penn and starring Gene Hackman, James Woods, and Melanie Griffith in her film debut. The film was a bit of a commercial flop upon…

Song of the Day: One Battle After Another (“Guitar for Willa”) [YouTube link], composed by Jonny Greenwood, is a delicate, intimate, and melodic respite from an otherwise tense Oscar-nominated score to this 2025 film, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. At once comedic, suspenseful, and action-packed, the film stars the Oscar-nominated…

Song of the Day: Glengarry Glenn Ross (“Blue Skies”) features the words and music of the legendary Irving Berlin. Part of the Great American Songbook, this song was a late addition to the 1926 Rodgers and Hart musical, “Betsy”, sung by Belle Baker. It was also one of the first…