Another list? Darn tooting! This time it’s about two great things that go great together: movies and music. CNN’s Screening Room has named its Top Ten Songs in Movies. Not soundtracks, not scores, but singles used during a particular scene. As expected, the list is heavy on the male-dominated scenes and, somewhat less expectedly, fairly violent.

10. Trainspotting, “Lust for Life” by Iggy Pop (opening scene)
9. Dr Strangelove, “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn (atomic ending)
8. The Royal Tenenbaums, “Needle in the Hay” by Elliot Smith (Richie’s suicide attempt)
7. Say Anything, “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel (Lloyd’s boom box serenade)
6. Almost Famous, “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John (bus sing-along)
5. Muriel's Wedding, “Waterloo” by ABBA (talent show triumph)
4. Apocalypse Now, “The End” by The Doors (awaiting orders in Saigon)
3. Goodfellas, “Layla” by Eric Clapton (Jimmy’’s murder spree)
2. Reservoir Dogs, “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel (ear slicing)
1. Easy Rider, “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf (opening scene)

Now, I love Nos. 7–5. I had a poster of Lloyd’s grand romantic gesture from Say Anything on my dorm room wall. And I dare you not to feel unbridled joy as Muriel and Rhonda come out in their white ABBA outfits in Muriel's Wedding. This movie made me forever love Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths. Heck, let’s watch it again, just because we can.

As for the other selections on CNN’s list, I would have picked a scene from Wes Anderson’s film Rushmore instead of Tenenbaums. And I would have gone for the “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” Uma scene from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction instead of the unfortunate Van Goghing of a victim’s ear in Reservoir Dogs. Also, no mention of The Graduate anywhere on this list? Didn’t that film practically pioneer the use of popular music in movies?

To balance out the bloody and the manly, I thought I’d add some gay, girly and (whenever possible) gay girly selections to the list. Since CNN’s list makers seemed impressed by showy outer death and destruction, how about some quiet inner devastation? In Love Actually, Emma Thompson realizing her husband is being unfaithful — set to Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” — will break your heart, guaranteed. … continue reading

"Tell Me Something Good." Well, OK! Next month, Chaka Khan will release Funk This, her first studio album in 10 years. "Tell me that you like it, yeah." Oh, I'm sure I will, because the album is being promoted as a return to Ms. Khan's earlier funk-infused days — or is that daze? The thing about Chaka Khan is that "Once You Get Started It's Hard to Stop" digging her funk and soulful flow. I mean, really, when you listen to Chaka Khan back in the Rufus era or some of her earlier solo albums, "Do You Love What You Feel"? I know I sure do.

Funk This is scheduled for a Sept. 25 release. The album is in the hands of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, producers who know how to bring both the funk and the hits. The album will consist of original songs and a few covers — done Chaka-style, of course. She offers her version of Prince's "Sign 'O' the Times," and the last time she Chaka-tized a Prince song, "I Feel for You," she earned a Grammy for her efforts. She also sings a duet with Michael McDonald (his classic "You Belong to Me"), covers Joni Mitchell's "Ladies' Man" and Jimi Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand," and even does a little Rufus medley.

Of the original songs on the album, the one generating a buzz is “Disrespectful,” sung with Mary J. Blige. Khan's MySpace page also has the first single, "Angel." The more I hear and the more I read, the more I am anticipating the release of the album. … continue reading

Renaissance woman Joni Mitchell has signed with Starbucks label Hear Music to release her first album of new work since 1998. Shine, slated for September 25, follows on the successful heels of Hear's first creative release (Paul McCartney's Memory Almost Full), and the news has created more buzz than a $9 super extra giant fancy-pants espresso.

Mitchell can claim a myriad of titles: folk icon, guitar genius (or heroine), songwriter extraordinaire, painter, feminist, environmentalist, proud Canadian, inspiration to generations of singer-songwriters, source of many an excellent cover song and all-around beautiful person.

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Among the titles Mitchell will not or cannot claim: the "female Bob Dylan" (she smartly retorts, "no one would say that Dylan is the 'male Joni Mitchell'"), nonsmoker or indie queen.