I love Quentin Tarantino. I love his stories, his scripts, his characters, his enthusiasm for films and of course…his soundtracks. Which I will be concentrating on today as I try to put each of his eight original soundtracks into the order of their brilliance. Now, as QT fans will know, his soundtracks are just as impressive and exciting as his movies and to be honest, I found it pretty darn tricky. I adore all of them and so this wasn’t the easiest of tasks. Though I didn’t include From Dusk till Dawn, Natural Born Killers or True Romance – because he didn’t direct those movies or create the soundtrack.
Quentin Tarantino – The Soundtracks
8. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
This was Quentin’s first ever soundtrack (funnily enough) and it’s a mix of eclectic pop songs from the 1970s. Reservoir Dogs is his only soundtrack not to have one instrumental piece on it – and not as much dialogue as he likes to include now. But of course we have each song introduction by the grim voiced Steve Wright.
My favourite track: Stuck in the Middle With You – Stealer’s Wheel
7. Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004)
Wu-Tang Clan and Robert Rodriguez collaborated to produce this album and it’s probably the slightly more typical sounding soundtrack between both Kill Bill efforts, featuring some classic songs and old movie scores which – if you remember the films well – goes hand-in-hand with the plot and style.
My favourite track – L’arena by Ennio Morricone
6. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
This is a wonderful collection of scores and old music. The only pop song on here is David Bowie’s Cat People – which is rather marvellous and hilarious (putting out a fire with gasoline?). It’s very different, to say, Reservoir Dogs, but still has his very distinct style all over it.
My favourite track – Un Amico by Ennio Morricone
5. Jackie Brown (1997)
Back to a more old school QT now – no scores and loads of songs. The opening scene is true Tarantino form as we follow the eponymous Jackie Brown strutting her stuff to Bobby Womack’s Across 110th Street. The rest of the album follows suit with a lot of funk and soul. Interestingly its full name is actually Jackie Brown – Music From The Miramax Motion Picture. Why? I have no bloody clue.
My favourite track – Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time by The Delfonics
4. Death Proof (2007)
The juke box featured in the bar in Death Proof is actually Quentin’s own personal juke box – and contains 45 hand-picked songs. If you look carefully, you can see Misirlou listed! I’d love to hang out with QT and have a few beers and go through every track. The Death Proof soundtrack is definitely closest to the type of music I listen to generally and out of all of his film ideas, this one has the most central connection to music. There’s a lotta music in it.
My favourite track – Down in Mexico by The Coasters
3. Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003)
There are some incredibly big tunes on this album and a brilliant, eclectic mix of music – from an old Japanese movie score to music orchestrated by Quincy Jones and then sung by Wu-Tang Clan. Kill Bill Volume 1 has been one of Quentin’s most commercially successful soundtracks and apart from Misirlou (Pulp Fiction) I think it contains one of the most recognisable Tarantino movie tracks – Battle Without Honor Or Humanity.
My favourite track – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood by Santa Esmeralda
2. Django Unchained (2012)
I actually bought this before the film was released. It pissed me off it came in a cardboard sleeve but that’s my only complaint. I was moving house at the time and so most tracks remind me of driving up and down the A130 with my Fiesta full to the brim with bin bags and boxes. Two people have asked me to copy this for them and neither are massively into Tarantino. It was also nominated recently for a Grammy – speaks for itself man.
My favourite track – The Payback / Untouchable – James Brown / 2Pac
1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Not only is Pulp Fiction my favourite Tarantino soundtrack, it’s one of my all time favourite movie soundtracks as well. And I guess I’m not alone as Pulp Fiction has been Quentin’s most successful, talked about and complimented OST of all. Most of the album is pop music, with some rock and roll and American surf music and fantastic dialogue extracts. It’s a classic CD, a true masterpiece and one I have never, ever tired of.
My favourite track – Surf Rider by The Lively Ones
emmakwall (explains it all) 
ALL HAIL THE KING THAT IS TARANTINO. ALL HAIL! He’s ma main mannnn. Great post – his soundtracks are fucking always spot on. Django Unchained is so so good. I also love that he features Wu Tang Clan so much!
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Omg, I think I love you. Seriously, this post is how I feel about Tarantino’s soundtracks. His ear, his choices and his tastes just SING to me. “Chick Habit” and “Down in Mexico” are my Death Proof favs. “Grindhouse Blues” from Planet Terror? It’s an eargasm. And everything from Jackie Brown is gold. Feck it, I love them all.
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Actually Planet Terror is Rodriguez! I love him too, lol! 😀
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Omg I think I love you too! Shall we elope?!!!
The way you worded that – so perfect and so true!!! SING to me!!!!!
I LOVE Down in Mexico, so cool and sexy! I’m glad it was on the CD as that sultry scene was cut from the original movie.
I’ve seen your other post, yeah that was Rodriguez but both movies were for Grindhouse so TECHNICALLY the same movie!!!! I LOVE the Planet Terror soundtrack too, you have awesome taste (still open to that offer on eloping!!) just that intro song, the one Rose McGowan dances too – WOW! I love it.
I’ll listen to Grindhouse Blues, I do have it on the CD but I can’t pin point it in my head.
Thanks so much for your comment – REALLY made me smile!!!!!!!
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YES! LET US ELOPE! The music at the reception after our elopement (we’ll have to have a small, private get-together to invite some of our celebrity friends) will be inspirational. All Tarantino soundtracks played will either inspire everyone to get freaky, or adversely, kill each other. Either way, it’ll be a party to remember.
We do have awesome taste. 😀 And thanks for your response too, it made me cheesy-smile. 😀
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Ditto on yours!! I’m sitting here grinning like the Cheshire Cat 😀
YES LET’S DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!! But no hit men killers after the wedding yeah? 🙂
Of course, of course, we don’t want too many “no-bodies” there, only the A List! Shall I ask George (Clooney) to be an usher? He said we could use his yacht for the honeymoon anyway BUT Bruce Willis might have to come too (he just gets lonely sometimes)
I’m loving the soundtrack idea! And what should we choose for our first dance?!!!!
I’m interested to see how many people will get freaky and how many people will kill each other! Gonna be fun!!!! ❤
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It seems we’re both on a Tarantino’s state of mind. Great post, Pulp Fiction is my favorite soundtrack too. “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman” plays while Mia dances and snorts drugs…priceless.
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Definitely! I love it!!!!! 🙂
I’m glad we agree (yet again!!) it’s such a brilliant soundtrack. And what a fabulous song choice from yourself – that would be my second favourite I think. BRILLIANT!!!!! It’s a fantastic scene!
Thank you!
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So, you love Tarantino? Shocking!! Next you’ll be telling me there’s gambling at Rick’s Cafe. 😉 Glad you had Pulp Fiction at numero uno. We agree (again)! And I see you’re up for an interview yourself. As my father used to say, superior skill will evince itself. Or was that Dirty Harry who said that? 🙂
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Dear Tom! Haven’t see you for a while 🙂 how are you?
I just looked up Rick’s Café on Trip Advisor – looks pretty darn lovely! And…er..is there gambling then? 🙂
We always agree!!!
I’m not sure, who did say that? Was it you….Clint? 🙂 🙂
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from “Casablanca”
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Thank you Tom! I will watch it when I’m away from work, you are always so kind to me with your clips! 🙂
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Casablanca is one of my favorite old movies. Claude Rains is great as the corrupt, but lovable rogue police captain. When Bogie suggests a wager of 20,000 francs, Rains replies, “Let’s make it 10,000. I’m only a poor corrupt policeman.”
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Great post, my dear Clam!!! YOU ROCK!!!
Love Pen!!
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Nooooo YOU rock!!! But thank you dear Pen 🙂 🙂
Love Clam!
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPE
#you
Love Pen!
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Great article Ems! I love Tarantino’s soundtracks as well. Each one is so good and every song just flows perfectly together no matter the style. Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill’s are up at the top for me.
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Thank you dear Geoff! That really means a lot 🙂
They’re so brilliant aren’t they, I’ve really learned to appreciate them over the years. As you can see I agree wholeheartedly with your choices!!
What’s your favourite from the albums?
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I’ve always been an Ennio Morricone fan, so those tracks are great, Nancy Sinatra is always good, really, I enjoy them from start to finish. I never find them dull and they never fail to entertain me.
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Me too Geoff! I love him!!!! He played a concert at the O2 in London last year and I wanted to go so badly (I would have cried with joy if I was there) but tickets were so expensive and no-one would go with me! 😦
Great choices! My boyfriend loves the Nancy Sinatra one too. It’s a very entertaining CD, never a dull moment!
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Uber awesome post Emmy. On Kill Bill Vol 2 I loved Goodbye Moon by Sherise(I think). Inglorious Bastards ,it was The man with the Big Sombrero.Kill Bill Vol 1 every song by the 5678’s Death Proof is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time.I love every song on that one.
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Thank you sweet Verny!!!! 🙂
I’m so glad you liked this, it has made my day!
Great choices there! Goodbye Moon is bloody brilliant. I did keep umm-ing and ahhh-ing over whether to put Inglourious Basterds higher, it is a pretty classic album!
Isn’t Death Proof just divine!!! I’ve been listening to it a lot recently (this morning in the car for example!!) and I think it’s so bloody brilliant!
Thank you again dear Verny (Jason!)
🙂
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Excellent piece. He really has had such a massive influence on cinema over the past few decades. I await the soundtracks to his new stuff almost as much as I do the films themselves.
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Thanks Gareth I appreciate that so much.
Yes I wholeheartedly agree with you and I’m the same, I buy each one of his soundtracks without hesitation – sometimes before the film has even been released like in the case of Django!
So we can be excited for two things this year – The Hateful Eight. And The Hateful Eight soundtrack!
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Reblogged this on emmakwall (explains it all) and commented:
I’ve made some changes to this old Quentin Tarantino soundtrack post – hope you enjoy (again!)
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Hey, I’m Ebon Talifarro, my class (8th grade) wants to interview you, would you have time to answer a few questions?
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Yeah sure!
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