Music for The Color Purple

[charmax]

I am never usually stuck for song choices when it comes to vidding but recently after re-watching “The Color Purple” I decided I really want to vid this film and the song? - nowhere to be seen. Finding the right music that does the movie some justice is proving to be difficult. I don’t know how many of you on my flist have seen the film? It’s set early 20th century. What would you do? Do you have any suggestions? What I am looking for is either gospel, jazz/blues or a mix. I have looked at various artists both black and white singers but nothing has clicked yet.

Anyway if you think you might be able to help please comment. Throw some artist names my way. :D

ETA: I am open to instrumentals as well.

Comments

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

something Nina Simone?

[http://users.livejournal.com/oceana_/]

I can't think of any song in particular now, but if you are looking for musicians who were around in the 1920s/1930, I can come up with a few: Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Dizzie Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Sydney Bechet,Paul Whiteman, Bessie Smith and Ella Fitzgerald, for example.

Not exactly the time but still some of my favourite singers, who could probably fit the mood of the movie, is Nina Simone.

Or you could simply take a look at Gershwin's songs and see if you find one that would make a good vid, and then look for a fitting version later, since all the great singers of the time have sung his songs.

[messyjessie58.livejournal.com]

hmmm ive seen the movie and read the book, but thats one genre of music i havent a clue about... i hope you find something good!

[thedothatgirl.livejournal.com]

I'd look at Billie Holliday or Ella Fitzgerald - no particular track in mind though. I do have an Ella F album somewhere but I think its 'songbook' Cole Porter or Gershwin. I'll look it out and see if anything hits me.

[tallulah71.livejournal.com]

If you're looking for gospel, you might try Mahalia Jackson or Marion Williams, although Marion wouldn't be period.

I've only ever seen one vid for The Color Purple and it was to Mariah Carey. Although I'm not a fan of Mariah, the song worked really well.

Somewhere I have a copy of the Itzhak Perlman performance of the main titles, which today remains one of my favorite pieces of music.

I hope you find a song, as I know you would make a beautiful vid with this film as source.

Color Purple vid music

[taverymate.livejournal.com]

I would dearly love to see a Color Purple vid by you. I've been reccing your vids for years, and you're one of the few vidders online that consistently combines lesbian and/or femslash themes (as well as other genres) with excellent technical skills.

I'd suggest a blues song rather than gospel for Color Purple, as I think that the blues would capture both the suffering, resilancy, and joy of Celie - and it's appropriate for Shug, too. So much would depend on the story that you are trying to tell: more of the early suffering, more emphasis on Celie's resilancy despite the odds, or on her eventual triumph? Of course, the book and movie's scope means that you could easily do a number of vids and still have ideas left to spare *g*.

One song that leapt to mind is I Don't Need No Man (Telling Me What to Do) by Big Time Sarah Streeter. It would work for all the men in Celie's life who tried to stomp her down, not just Mister. Sarah's contemporary, but her Chicago Blues sound wouldn't sound out of place at all. And the song is perfect for Celie's claiming of her own life with Shug.

Big Time Sarah - samples & more info
http://music.msn.com/artist/?artist=16077497

Etta James has a song called Born Under a Bad Sign that isn't as defiant as Don't Need No Man, but would work well for much of Celie's early life. Etta has a diverse body of work, from traditional blues to more contemporary styles. At Last would be an interesting choice for a Celie/Shug vid.

For a great overview of women blues singers - not comprehensive, but excellent nonetheless with many less well-known singers - you should absolutely buy the two disk collection called Men are Like Street Cars: Classic Women Blues Singers 1928-1969 (MCA 11788). Fantastic! I cannot recommend this too highly.

I don't recommend buying from Amazon, since they are killing off small independent bookstores and music shops, but you can listen to some samples from the collection here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000I0S9/002-4971881-6218429?v=glance&n=5174

Also, take a look at Down in Black Bottom: Barrelhouse Mamas. Raw, gritty, powerful. Again, you can sample the music here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000IIRW/ref=pd_sim_m_1/002-4971881-6218429?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=5174

These two collections are also good, with singers that aren't as well known today:
I Can't Be Satisfied: Early American Women Blues Singers, Vol. 1: Country and I Can't Be Satisfied: Early American Women Blues Singers, Vol. 2: Town.

Sample music can be heard linking off here:
http://www.amazon.com/I-Can%27t-Be-Satisfied%3A-Early-American-Women-Blues-%28Series%29/artist/B000AQ09AU/002-4971881-6218429

Among classic women blues singers, look at Big Mama Thornton, Ma Rainey, Sippie Wallace, Memphis Minnie, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Lucille Bogan aka Bessie Andersen, Alberta Hunter, Ruth Brown.

Some early Lucile Bogan finally got rereleased, though I think I'd use her music more for Sophia than Celie. Shave 'Em Dry: The Best of Lucille Bogan.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00021998Q/ref=pd_sim_m_3/002-4971881-6218429?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=5174

I adore Nina Simone, and her work is widely available in digital format now. Not early blues, but many of her songs might work.

For more contemporary women blues singers, Saffire-The Uppity Women Blues Band would be a great place to start (and it's fantastic music even if you weren't looking for a vid song). Also look at Marcia Ball, Deborah Coleman, Francine Reed.

Bonnie Raitt is one of the few white female blues singers who might work for the Color Puprple.

Hope I didn't overwhelm you with choices, but women blues singers deserve all the attention they can get - especially the early pioneers.