In Heaven, Everything Is Fine: A Soundtrack for a David Lynch Kind of Day
By Dave Swanson, Summit Now Contributor
We recently lost one of the greatest filmmakers ever with the passing of David Lynch. His ability to create this surreal world that meshed priceless beauty, and fearless terror was utterly unique. Lynch could transform the most serene, traditional setting into the creepiest evil ever known. He was able to do so without cliches and without fanfare. A quiet stroll in the park could turn into a twisted nightmare in the blink of a surrealist eye. He was always very aware of setting the mood and then bending it to fit the narrative. One of his favorite tools was the use of music.
From his 1977 debut film, 'Eraserhead,’ throughout his entire library, he always placed the music in equal billing with the action on screen. So many of his films have those moments viewers recall that are tied to the music playing in the scene, be it the use of Roy Orbison's 'In Dreams' in 'Blue Velvet' or the dream pop of Julie Cruise throughout 'Twin Peaks.' 'Eraserhead' used vintage tunes from jazz pioneer Fats Waller to great effect and the sweet and innocent 'I've Told Every Little Star' by Linda Scott from Mulholland Drive. He was the master of marrying these harmless melodies with dark dreams.
He was also a songwriter himself. His early stab produced the now classic 'In Heaven, Everything Is Fine,' the unofficial theme song from 'Eraserhead' that no one who ever saw the film can forget. It was covered years later by the Pixies as well as Devo. His work with composer Angelo Badalamenti is legendary. He made albums that featured guests such as Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and one of his last projects was the incredible song he produced, the audio and video, for his longtime friend Donovan. He and the folk-rock icon were linked by their mutual interest and dedication to transcendental meditation. Lynch produced Donovan's 2021 single 'I Am The Shaman,' which is simply stunning, with Lynch's fingerprints all over it. I wished they had done more music together.
In an interview about seeing the Beatles and his own love for rock and roll, he made the perfect statement about music. "Music is one of the most fantastic things! Almost like fire and water and air, it's like a thing," he said while recalling his initial love for Elvis Presley, then seeing the Beatles early on at a boxing ring in Virginia. "It does so much. It does a thing for the intellect, it does a thing for the emotions, and a certain kind of music can swell the heart till it almost bursts! Tears of happiness flow out of your eyes. You can't believe the beauty that comes!"
So let's flip on our David Lynch Jukebox and let it play a variety of songs used in his cinematic adventures that we are lucky enough to have been witness to.
Peter Ivers –‘In Heaven, Everything Is Fine’
Co-written by Lynch and Peter Ivers, Los Angeles artist and personality, who also sang the song. A haunting piece of all that is Eraserhead.
Roy Orbison - In Dreams
Lynch pulled this Top 10 hit from 1963 out of the ether and put it front and center in the spotlight in the 1986 film, 'Blue Velvet.'
While Orbison initially had no knowledge of the song having been green lighted for use in the film, once seeing the movie, he gave the use the thumbs up. It was a turning point for Orbison, putting him back on the map and leading to the end of life resurgence of a rock and roll giant.
Julee Cruise – ‘Falling’
Twin Peaks was a television phenomenon unlike any other. Prime time surrealism at it's finest. Water cooler conversations would ensue about the intricacies and odd happening in this little town in the pacific Northwest.
The show’s theme was an instrumental written by Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch simply called 'Twin Peaks Theme,' but the same track with vocals from singer Julie Cruise was a song called 'Falling,' that featured on her debut album, 'Floating Into The Night.'
With or without vocals, it is a truly haunting slice of dream pop.
Jimmy Scott – ‘Under The Sycamore Tree’
Another modern day classic from Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch, 'Sycamore Trees' is as close to a jazz standard as you could want to create.
It features the distinctly chilling vocals of singer Jimmy Scott. Scott was born in 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio and had a moderately successful career as a jazz singer, recording for such labels as Savoy and Atlantic from the mid 1950s through into the early 70s. Time moved on and Scott returned to Cleveland and a normal life, holding down mundane employment until making an appearance singing at the funeral service for songwriter Doc Pomus.
Soon after, Sire Records head Seymour Stein came calling, offering him a record deal, followed by contact from David Lynch who asked him to record a song he had written for the second season of Twin Peaks. All this led to a late in life career boost for the unique vocalist.
David Lynch w/ Karen O - 'Pinky's Dream'
In 2001, Lynch released his first proper solo album of self-penned material titled 'BlueBOB,' al album he referred to as "industrial blues.' It would be another ten years before he issued a follow-up with 'Crazy Clown Time,' All songs co-written with songwriter Dean Hurly, someone he had worked with during the Twin Peaks years. Lynch called the music "modern blues" as it mixed blues, rock, pop, avant garde and noise into one Lynchian stew.
Though David would handle most of the vocal tracks, he invited Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for guest on the lead track, 'Pinkey's Dream,' making it a highlight of the batch.
David Bowie - 'I'm Deranged'
David Bowie was a Lynch fan, even appearing in the film Fire Walk With Me, so it's no surprise his music would find a home in Lynchland. Written by David Bowie and Brian Eno, 'I'm Deranged' initially appeared on the 1995 album 'Outside' but was later remixed for inclusion on the soundtrack for 'Lost Highway.'
Julee Cruise - 'Rockin' Back Inside My Heart'
Another key track from the Julie Cruise 'Floating Into The Night' album, it also featured significantly in Twin Peaks as another example of her take on innocent 50s pop.
Linda Scott - 'I've Told Every Little Star'
Featured in the film 'Mulholland Drive,' 'I've Told Every Little Star' was a major pop hit for Linda Scott back in 1961, reaching number 3 on the Billboard charts. The song was written in 1932, with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Angelo Badalamenti - 'Audrey's Dance'
Aside from the actual theme song of the show, 'Audrey’s Dance' is probably the most identifiable piece of music from the Twin Peaks soundtrack.
The Audrey in question –one Audrey Horner– was the daughter of Benjamin Horne, owner of Horne's department store, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the world of Twin Peaks, played perfectly by Richard Beymer, previously best known for his role in the film 'West Side Story.'
Meanwhile, daughter Audrey had quickly become one of the show's lost loved characters, played by the beautiful Sherilyn Fenn who managed to embody all the innocence as well as heat the character called for. She would, on occasion, dance. This was her theme.
Donovan - 'I Am The Shaman'
Rock/folk icon Donovan and David Lynch shared a deep love for transcendental meditation. They worked together on many projects revolving around the David Lynch Foundation, a home for all things TM.
Donovan occasionally performed and or spoke at Lynch events, and the two grew very close over the years. In 2021, Lynch worked with Donovan on a new song he had written titled 'I Am The Shaman.' The song featured simply Donovan on vocal and guitar, with Lynch producing the video and the music. It is a match made in heaven. Lynch's prints are all over the recording and should have signaled a return of the great Donovan, as it was his finest moment in ages.
Fats Waller –‘Stompin The Bug’
Fats Waller's 1927 'swing pipe organ' tune 'Stompin’ the Bug' was an unassuming yet significant addition to the 'Eraserhead' soundtrack, adding a surreal glaze to an already surreal world.