[gtranslate]
News

Licorice Pizza soundtrack is full of 70’s gold and new Jonny Greenwood

We may have to wait a few more weeks to see Licorice Pizza, but in the meantime, we can delight in the soundtrack.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, Licorice Pizza, was released in select theatres in the US last week, and while we have to wait until boxing day here in Aus to lay our eyes on his latest feat – we can lay our ears on the 70’s California day-dream of a soundtrack.

Drenched in the groovy sounds emblematic of the early 1970s in which the film is set, the soundtrack sees the likes of David Bowie, The Doors, Aretha Franklin, and Sonny & Cher, alongside a new original piece from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.

Jonny Greenwood
Photo: Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Greenwood is renowned for his film benefactions – from scoring PTA’s previous works There Will Be Blood, The Master, and Inherent Vice, to the upcoming Princess Diana Biopic, Spencer. 

He even starred in one of the Harry Potter movies. Remember the glamorously wizard-rock band at the ball in The Goblet of Fire? Yep, that’s Greenwood on guitar.

Greenwood’s new tune for the film, titled Licorice Pizza itself, is an orchestral number as intriguing as it is elegant.

The HAIM and PTA universe

Licorice Pizza stars Alana Haim, the baby third of the sisterly rock trio HAIM, in her acting debut.

HAIM and PTA have collaborated on numerous projects together in the past, including several of the music videos from the Women in Music Part III era.

Danielle and Alana Haim with Paul Thomas Anderson
Photo: Photo: Presley Ann/Getty Images

Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age dramedy that follows aspiring teen actors, played by Haim, and Cooper Hoffman, son of the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, on their rambunctious activities throughout the San Fernando valley in 1973.

The trailer, featuring Bowie’s Life on Mars? blaring over increasingly exuberant clips from the film looks amazing – and early reception of PTA’s newest achievement has been overwhelmingly affirming.

Licorice Pizza looks like the giddy 70’s dream of aspiration, admiration, and lasting adolescence, that tugs on nostalgia even those of us who weren’t born yet, feel a longing for.

Here’s the full soundtrack:

1. Nina Simone – July Tree
2. Chris Norman / Suzi Quatro – Stumblin’ In
3. Johnny Guarnieri – Sometimes I’m Happy
4. Bing Crosby / The Andrews Sisters – Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive (Single Version) [ft. Vic Schoen and His Orchestra]
5. Chico Hamilton Quintet – Blue Sands [ft. Buddy Collette]
6. Sonny & Cher – But You’re Mine
7. Chuck Berry – My Ding-a-Ling (Live at Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA/1967) [ft. Steve Miller Band]
8. The Doors – Peace Frog
9. Paul McCartney / Wings – Let Me Roll It
10. David Bowie – Life on Mars?
11. Clarence Carter – Slip Away
12. Seals & Crofts – Diamond Girl
13. Mason Williams – Greensleeves
14. Donovan – Barabajagal
15. Congregation – Softly Whispering I Love You
16. Jonny Greenwood – Licorice Pizza
17. Gordon Lightfoot – If You Could Read My Mind
18. James Gang – Walk Away
19. Blood, Sweat & Tears – Lisa, Listen to Me
20. Taj Mahal – Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day