Viva la Tristeza!

• Artist: Pedro Almodovar
• Rating:
• Release Date: May 13, 2003
• Type: Collection (various artists)
• Genre: Soundtrack

Review

Apart from being an exceptional collection of music, Viva la Tristeza! comes wrapped in a rather novel concept. These songs accompanied revered Oscar-winning director and screenwriter Pedro Almodovar as he conceived the script for 2002's Talk to Her, and provide an additional dimension and a unique insight through his liner notes, which also function as a lulling yet emotionally powerful listen that would have significant impact free of context. There is little overlap between this disc and the official soundtrack; only Caetano Veloso' s "Cucurrucucú Paloma" is reprised. The selections, ranging from the torchy pop/noir of Goldfrapp's "Paper Bag," to Jimmy Scott's spare, wrenching, version of "Nothing Compares 2 U," to Ana D's disarmingly hypnotic "Me Quedo Contigo," have significant ties to the film, whether there are lyrical connections or complementary instrumental tones. Despite the fact that the majority of these songs are not featured in Talk to Her, this disc is, in many ways, a more valuable accessory than the official soundtrack. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Once I Loved	Vinícius de Moraes, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ray Gilbert	Shirley Horn	(7:00)
Nothing Compares 2 U	Prince	Little Jimmy Scott	(6:18)
Paper Bag (Lyrics)	Will Gregory	Goldfrapp	(4:04)
Dark Soul		Michael Brook, Djivan Gasparyan	(5:27)
Qualsevol Nit Pot Sortir el Sol			(7:33)
Me Quedo Contigo		Ana D.	(4:21)
La Llorona	Traditional	Chavela Vargas	(6:00)
Maitia Num Zira?	Traditional	Kepa Junkera	(5:13)
Cucurrucucu Paloma [Live]	Tomas Mendez	Caetano Veloso	(4:00)
My Funny Valentine (Lyrics)	Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart	Chet Baker	(2:20)
My Way	Paul Anka, Jacques Revaux, Claude François, Gilles Thibault	Nina Simone	(5:08)
House of the Rising Sun		Gregory Isaacs	(5:06)
I Woke Up	Nicolette, Shut Up & Dance	Nicolette	(4:50)

Credits

Dale Ashby (Producer), Emmanuel Chamboredon (Executive Producer), Nicolette (Arranger), Shut Up & Dance (Arranger), Pedro Almodóvar (Liner Notes), G. Himelfarb (Arranger), Gerry McCarthy (Producer), Chab (Engineer), Didier Abidjaoudi (Executive Producer)