Eric and I, A Love Story

Listening to: Various Artists - 'Moulin Rouge' Soundtrack

I listened to this soundtrack before I ever saw the movie, because my friend Eric was singing it around school for some time, and I said, "Yo, Eric (it was the early 00's, we still had some 90's slang kickin' around), bro', what're those gnarly tunes you're bopping out 'round these hallowed halls?" He answered by taking me out to his car and playing the soundtrack for me. Well, I mean, he verbally answered me by saying something like, "Oh, dude, it's this real wicked picture show called 'Moulin Rouge', I could pop the ol' 8-track into my Model-T for ya, whaddya say?" (Some of our speech was severely outdated.) He didn't just silently direct me out to his car.

Anyway, after several months of listening to the soundtrack (not straight, but intermittently over a period of several months) I was finally going to watch the movie at Jonny's house out in Sherwood Park. It was to happen at one of those weird after-camp parties, where everyone who was at camp as staff was there and most people were either getting out all their pent-up flirtations or simply continuing the flirtations they had started at camp. Those parties are always super-weird, like, it can sometimes be a pretty weird combination of people that would otherwise never hang out. I suppose that's part of the beauty of a place like camp, but it also gets pretty hilarious when people try to keep the whole camp-thing going forever. Eventually you've got to realize that camp is over. No more. So, there was this kinda random group of people out at the Fairbridge homestead and the plan was to watch that movie at some point. I remember Rob Campbell was there, and I think his girlfriend showed up, but we didn't really know her. Bobbi was there, I think Dani, and then a bunch of those Neerlandians, and a smattering of other, more unlikely additions.

I guess I was pretty excited to watch the movie, because I already knew all of the songs and was intrigued to see what the visuals were like. Unfortunately, the movie was to be watched in a room meant for probably 12 people max, on an approximately 18-inch computer screen with matching small-time computer speakers. Now, I'm not saying this with any anger or resentment (frickin' Jonny), I'm just outlining the abject conditions in which I was almost tempted to lose my Moulin-Rouge-inity. I guess the "True Love Waits" crew that came and danced at my high school really made an impact, because I decided to wait. That bedroom was my back-seat, that computer screen was my half-drunk, and the decision to wait, to hold off, made all the difference. Eventually, I experienced the film in a room I loved, with the right screen, at the right time, and most importantly, I was married.

As far as the soundtrack goes, I really have fond memories of singing with Eric in the halls of the school, but we only sang the good ones. Some of this album is vaguely irritating (read: Fatboy Slim) and some of it is super irritating (read: Christina Aquilera/Pink/Mya/Lil' Kim), but the rest of it does pretty well. Of course, I love Ewan MacGregor and Nicole Kidman's songs, but it does feel a little weird having them in here with David-Fuckin'-Bowie, Bo-Fuckin'-No, and Be-Fuckin'-ck. I mean, come on. (Sorry for the language.)



Various Artists - 'Moulin Rouge' Soundtrack ★★★★★★✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Nature Boy, Your Song, Diamond Dogs, Elephant Love Medley, Come What May
Least Favorite Tracks: Lady Marmalade, Because We Can, Rhythm of the Night

1. Nature Boy
2. Lady Marmalade
3. Because We Can
4. Sparkling Diamonds
5. Rhythm of the Night
6. Your Song
7. Children of the Revolution
8. One Day I'll Fly Away
9. Diamond Dogs
10. Elephant Love Medley
11. Come What May
12. El Tango De Roxanne
13. Compliante De La Butte
14. Hindi Sad Diamonds
15. Nature Boy ft. Massive Attack