Description
Paris, Texas – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Music by Ry Cooder, Warner Bros., 1985) CD
UPC: 7599252702
MPN: 7599-25270-2
Brand Name: Warner Bros. Records
Overview
Paris, Texas – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features the haunting, minimalist score by Ry Cooder, written for Wim Wenders’ Palme d’Or–winning 1984 film Paris, Texas. Released by Warner Bros. Records, this soundtrack is a timeless example of how sparse, emotionally charged music can shape a cinematic experience.
Using the mournful voice of his slide guitar, Cooder evokes the vast loneliness and redemptive yearning of the American desert. The score’s atmosphere is spare yet deeply affecting, mirroring the film’s story of love, loss, and the long road home. The inclusion of traditional pieces such as “Canción Mixteca” and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night” roots the album in American and Mexican folk traditions, connecting the landscape’s melancholy to its people’s music.
Product Features
- Format: Audio CD (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Genre: Americana / Blues / Film Score
- Composer & Producer: Ry Cooder
- Director: Wim Wenders
- Label: Warner Bros. Records
- Year of Release: 1985 (Reissue © 1988)
- Country of Manufacture: Germany (Record Service GmbH, Alsdorf)
- Total Running Time: Approx. 33 minutes
- Packaging: Standard jewel case with film stills and credits
Interesting Facts
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Cannes Film Festival Triumph: Paris, Texas won the Palme d’Or at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, with critics praising Cooder’s music as integral to its emotional power.
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Iconic Slide Guitar Sound: Cooder’s improvisational slide guitar themes, inspired by Blind Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night,” became synonymous with cinematic Americana.
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Cross-Cultural Musical Blend: The soundtrack combines traditional blues, folk, and Mexican influences, reflecting the film’s borderland settings and human themes.
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Influence on Modern Filmmakers: The Paris, Texas score has influenced countless directors and composers, from David Lynch to Gustavo Santaolalla, for its raw emotional realism.
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Timeless Soundscape: Its minimal instrumentation—often just Cooder’s guitar and ambient desert sounds—creates an atmosphere of profound solitude and reflection.
Track Listing
- Paris, Texas – 2:56
- Brothers – 2:06
- Nothing Out There – 1:30
- Canción Mixteca – 4:17
- No Safety Zone – 1:55
- Houston in Two Seconds – 2:00
- She’s Leaving the Bank – 5:56
- On the Couch – 1:28
- I Knew These People – 8:38
- Dark Was the Night – 2:50
Publishers
© 1985, ℗ 1988 Warner Bros. Records Inc. A Warner Communications Company. Manufactured in Germany by Record Service GmbH, Alsdorf. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication, rental, or public performance prohibited.
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Hashtags
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