The American Psycho Playlist
As I remarked last week, I have been rereading Bret Ellis’s novel American Psycho. I am about a hundred and fifty pages into the book, not quite half through.
In reading this novel again, one of the things that strikes me is how if one is familiar with eighties pop music, this novel has a soundtrack. This weekend, I went back chapter by chapter through what I have read so far and made a note of songs mentioned.
I am going to make a list of the songs I’ve found so far, with the chapter title in parentheses preceding each grouping of songs. Clicking hyperlinks in the names of songs will open iTunes and take you to the song preview, where possible.
(Epigram)
(Nothing But) Flowers, by the Talking Heads (from the Album “Naked”)
(April Fools)
“Be My Baby”, by the Crystals
The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens
(Tunnel)
I Feel Free, Belinda Carlyle
New Sensation (long version), INXS
Devil Inside, INXS
Pump Up The Volume, Fiesta di Afro
Party All the Time, Eddie Murphy
(Elevator)
Sympathy for the Devil (elevator muzak), The Rolling Stones
(Health Club)
Bateman listens to a Christopher Cross compilation tape in his Walkman while working out.
(Date)
Cherish, Lovin’ Spoonful (?).
(Genesis)
Follow You, Follow Me, Genesis
Misunderstanding, Genesis
Turn It On Again, Genesis
Man on the Corner, Genesis
Illegal Alien, Genesis
Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, by Genesis
Home by the Sea, Genesis.
Invisible Touch, Genesis
Land of Confusion, Genesis
In Too Deep, Genesis
Sussudio, Phil Collins
(Lunch)
Somewhere, soundtrack to West Side Story
(Concert)
Where the Streets Have No Name, U2
(A Glimpse of a Thursday Afternoon)
The Return of Bruno, Bruce Willis
(Killing Dog)
The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens
Wanted Dead or Alive, Bon Jovi
Hip to Be Square, Huey Lewis and the News
I will add more songs to the playlist as I read through the book. Below are some interesting things to note about the “soundtrack” to American Psycho:
1. The epigram to the novel is from the song “Blind” by the Talking Heads. “And as things fell apart / Nobody paid much attention.” Perhaps we are also meant to think of another Talking Heads tune (my personal favorite), “Psycho Killer.”
2. Bateman may be wrong about the song “Cherish” being by the Lovin’ Spoonful. I can’t find any evidence Lovin’ Spoonful ever did a cover of “Cherish.” The Association did the most famous version of this song, which may be the one Bateman hears. I link to that version above.
3. Bateman is wrong about the title to the Genesis song “Home by the Sea.” He renders it as “House by the Sea,” perhaps a reference to his own family home, which we later learn is a house by the sea.
4. The Tunnel is a nightclub Bateman and his friends go to. It’s located in an abandoned subway tunnel, down which his best friend Price disappears for much of the remainder of the novel. Bateman does not begin describing his brutal torture killings until after Price disappears from the novel. In the Tunnel, one of the songs playing is “Party all the time” by Eddie Murphy. However, I can’t find any evidence of Murphy ever having recorded a song, or any song being made from one of his eighties comedy routines. Bateman may have this wrong as well. Also significant (maybe) is that when Bateman returns to the Tunnel a day or two after Price disappears, the same songs are playing as when he last visited.
5. At the U2 concert in the chapter “Concert,” the only song specifically mentioned is “Where the streets have no name,” but Bateman hears this song as “Where the beat sounds the same.” Later, he renders a U2 lyric as “A hero is an insect in this world.” I can’t figure out what song he is referring to there.
Interestingly, Bateman has never heard of U2, whom he simply refers to as “an Irish band who were on the cover of Time Magazine last week.” This fairly precisely dates the novel to May 1987. Elsewhere, when Bateman sees the Gay Pride parade that disgusts him (the gay paraders are singing “Somewhere”), Bateman remarks that he thought the month was May, not October (Halloween).
The irony of Bateman’s dislike for U2 is that they are the only decent pop band that Bateman listens to in this book. Much of what Bateman listens to is ear candy: Belinda Carlyle and INXS come to mind. Genesis and Phil Collins lovers can disagree with me on them being ear candy; I won’t necessarily argue.
Also ironic is that even though he dislikes the music, Bateman imagines some connection between himself and Bono. The connection is reminiscent of the Son of Sam killer. Bateman hears a secret message from Bono, whom Bateman imagines is looking right at him during the concert: “I am the devil and I am just like you.”
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I don’t know if you are questioning whether Eddie Murphy had a song, “Party all the Time”, or you are questioning whether it came from one of his comedy routines. But he did have a “hit” song in 1985 with “Party All the Time” on an R&B album he did. I was a Junior in high school at the time. Oh it sparks fine 80’s memories of film/TV stars making music those days….oh the glory years. My high school had a party in the parking lot one friday night thrown by a local radio station. And guess who was there to sing live? David Hasselhoff!!!! This was ‘86 if memory serves me correctly, which it may not. Don Johnson was also making a stab at a music career with Heartbeat. Now that’s some fine music there…..I’m being sarcastic. I was thoroughly emersed in my Pretty in Pink Soundtrack and Bono’s new wave mullet at the time. I still have a weakness for that man.
Comment by Kaysea — Monday, 13 June 2005 @ 3:30 pm
I couldn’t find that Eddie Murphy song, though it did sound familiar. Guess I didn’t look hard enough! I have added a link to a site that discusses the Eddie Murphy song.
American Psycho has brought back some strong eighties memories. There was a movie of the novel made a few years ago which also had an eighties-era soundtrack, but unfortunately, I don’t think many (if any) of the songs on the real soundtrack come from the novel. So I am making my own soundtrack.
I’m listening to Billy Idol (”Don’t You Forget About Me”) on my iPod right now.
Comment by Matthew — Monday, 13 June 2005 @ 3:37 pm
I think you’re missing Ellis’ intentions. Bateman is *supposed* to have bad taste in music and get lots of facts wrong. The fact that he loves Whitney Houston but only has a passing knowledge of U2 is meant to signify something about his empty soul.
Comment by Kaysea — Monday, 13 June 2005 @ 7:55 pm
Sorry, I’m not Kaysea. Just her husband.
Comment by Kaysea — Monday, 13 June 2005 @ 8:00 pm
I haven’t read the novel, but Kaysea’s hubby provides a pretty good reading from what I do know of the narrative. One of these days, I’m at least going to watch the film. A good pal of mine has written extensively in her diss on the film and Matt as well has whetted my appetite.
Comment by Todd — Monday, 13 June 2005 @ 10:02 pm
I understand why Ellis has Bateman listen to bad music (though Genesis isn’t that bad). I still think it’s ironic that Bateman doesn’t get U2, that in fact he mistakes someone like Bono, who might be considered a Christian singer, for the devil. And when you consider that Bateman engages in extended, almost academic monologues on the music of Genesis and Whitney houston, his factual errors become even more ironic.
I don’t know if the movie is worth watching. I saw it when it first came out, and if I recall correctly, the director Hollywood-izes the film and turns it into a more typical crime drama. I want to see the film again, however, to make sure my impression is correct.
Comment by Matthew — Tuesday, 14 June 2005 @ 6:52 am
Cherish was done by the Association whose lead singer Jim Yester is the brother of Spoonful guitarist Jerry Yester
Comment by Steve Boone — Tuesday, 17 July 2007 @ 12:26 pm
Thanks for the info. Maybe that explains Bateman’s confusion about the origin of the song.
Comment by greypilgrim — Tuesday, 17 July 2007 @ 12:45 pm
What is the name playing in the background when he is talking about Whitney Houston and has the 2 girls in has apartment?
Comment by Nikki — Thursday, 16 August 2007 @ 8:35 pm
That song is “Greatest Love of All”, which is the same song that he is giving a monologue about in the scene. Tho I think that it is just part of the score and not the Whitney Houston version.
By the way, this is great! I love music and American Psycho and have made up my own soundtrack using the songs mentioned in the book, used in the film, ect…
There’s also at least two songs written about the book/character by more alternative-minded artists. There is “American Psycho” by The Misfits and also “Patrick Bateman” by Manic Street Preachers… does anyone know of any others?
The film soundtrack is decent and features monologues from the film and music by The Cure, David Bowie and New Order to name a few.
I could go on about this subject, but I will stop.
PS: I also recommend the Blind Melon song “Skinned” which is about Ed Gein… one of Patrick’s idols.
Comment by Raymond — Saturday, 8 December 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Eddie Murphy sang that song with Rick James.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5LX16zia2k
Comment by Zapp — Thursday, 24 January 2008 @ 4:52 pm
The Talking Heads song that says “and as things fell apart, nobody paid much attention” is called Nothing But Flowers. It’s a song describing a world sacrificing modern technology for nature. The song is meant to make us question if industrialization and modern technology really make our lives better.
Comment by jorge — Sunday, 15 June 2008 @ 3:24 am
Thanks for that about the Talking Heads; I made the correction. I can’t remember how I came up with “Blind” as the song where those lyrics appear. I do remember having trouble finding the lines, since Ellis doesn’t indicate the song title.
Comment by greypilgrim — Sunday, 15 June 2008 @ 8:35 am