Best TV Moments Involving Music

[stina]

Twin Peaks owns this thread for me.

Especially the scene with all of them at the roadhouse and Julee Cruise singing while the killer strikes again.


I also love Friends' (shut up) use of U2's With Or Without You. It might be hard to imagine now, but at that point Ross and Rachel was still a really big deal.

[india7]

dguzpy said:

starskin said:

It seems like tv shows use Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" a LOT. Or is that just my imagination? Come on, people, he had other, equally amazing songs!

And there are many, many equally amazing covers of that song, as well as Leonard Cohen's original. Why Buckley is the default version is beyond me.

I have to agree with you. One of the best and saddest uses of that song on TV was in the first couple days after 9/11. VH1 showed a slo-mo montage of NYC in the aftermath of the towers, people helping each other to safety, people covered with ash holding each other and crying, a huge wide shot of the walls of the missing posters, and ending with the various candlelight vigils around the city and the world - all with Rufus Wainright's version of "Hallelujah" playing. It was probably one of the times in my life I cried the hardest, naturally, but that lovely tribute with his version of the song just made me cry harder.

[dwanollah]

pearlysweetcake said:

About ten years ago, Pavarotti did a last-minute bow out (sore throat) at the Grammys, and with 20 minutes notice, Aretha Franklin stepped in and sang "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot and blew the frickin' house away. The classical purists were like "meh" afterwards, but damn I thought she was great.

That was one of the most amazing things EVER! I get goosebumps just thinking about it!

Of course, I hate opera, and REALLY hate Pavarotti, so the critics can suck it.

Brenda and Dylan breaking up to "Losing My Religion."

What?

Ditto. Especially when Dylan goes. "No! No!" all hurt and pleading.

Did I say all that out loud? I'll deny! I will!

[grumpygirl]

eataknobatnight said:

I second Sia's "Breathe Me" over the end of Six Feet Under. If I tried to explain to you just how hard I cried at that finale, you would have me declared certifiable.

Me, too. It was definitely a pass the Kleenex moment. I loved the whole end sequence and cried harder when each one of the Fishers, et. al. died. I loved that show.

I also thought that "Joan of Arcadia" and "Buffy" made excellent use of music. I can't think of a specific episode, but they knew how to select the best stuff. Of course, there's the musical Buffy episode which is excellent and I love Spike's song from that.

[Deleted]

Of course, there's the musical Buffy episode which is excellent and I love Spike's song from that.

"I died, so many years agoooo..."

There was a great bit at the end of season 2 when Buffy's just killed Angel and is leaving Sunnydale, and there's a heartrendingly sad song by Sarah McLachlan playing.

I also like Homer's little songs on the Simpsons. "I drink a whiskey drink, I drink a lager drink, and when I have to pee, I use the kitchen sink!"

[WitchyPoo]

One of my favorites is from My So-Called Life when Jordan Catalano holds Angela Chase's hand in the hallway at school while Buffalo Tom's "Late At Night" plays.

[Deleted]

I can only think of two that really stand out. One was Moby's "My Weakness" in the X-files episode "Closure" where Mulder finds out his sister has been dead all along and sees her 'spirit' and they're reunited briefly. The other was Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" during the episode of The West Wing where Mrs. Landingham dies and they go to her funeral. Both scenes sort of gave me chills and made me cry at the same time.

But I think using popular music has become way too popular with recent hit shows and it's really starting to grate on me. Ex: Grey's Anatomy and that stupid song by The Fray.

[Deleted]

Oh, I forgot Planet of the Apes: The Musical on "The Simpsons".

"I hate every ape I see,
from chimpan A
to chimpan Z,
you'll never make a monkey out of meee!

Oh look, I was wrong,
it was Earth all along!
Well, you finally made a monkey
(Yes, we finally made a monkey...)
You/we fi na lee made a mon key out of meee!
I LOVE YOU, DR. ZAIUS!!!"

That is brilliant stuff. In 60 seconds, they made a Planet of the Apes that was 20 times more entertaining than what Tim Burton came up with.

[Deleted]

I thought "See My Vest" was fabulous on The Simpsons. I particularly like "See my loafers? Former gophers - it was that or skin my chauffeurs."

[Deleted]

stina said:

I also love Friends' (shut up) use of U2's With Or Without You.

Oh, definitely. It was a great choice to convey Ross' desperation.

I also enjoyed the use of "Wicked Game" in the gettin'-it-on-at-the-museum episode - the combination of the music and the stars in the planetarium definitely enhanced that particular scene.

(Apparently Bono and Chris Isaak stifled my usual desire to whack Ross with a rolled-up newspaper. Bad whiny guy! Bad!)

Ooh, and it's nice to see "Brothers in Arms" mentioned - the song fit the mood of that part of the episode perfectly.

Right after September 11th, I saw footage of a small concert Sting performed (for a CD/DVD taping, I believe) on the day itself. After he learned what had happened, he considered cancelling the concert but finally decided to go on with an altered list of songs. The first song he chose to play was "Fragile" - it was a gentle and respectful performance which conveyed sadness, weariness, and hope all at once.

On a happier note, I loved Weird Al's live "White and Nerdy" performance on VH1's "Big in '06" awards show.