July 28, 2012 by A.S. Van Dorston

The London Olympic committee had faith that they were choosing one of Britain’s most accomplished directors in Danny Boyle, who’s done Slumdog Millionaire (2008), 127 Hours (2010) and Sunshine (2007). But he’s also the director of some of my favorites, Millions (2004), Shallow Grave (1994) and of course Trainspotting (1996). If there wasn’t any acid wit and strange surrealism in evidence, I would have been disappointed. Getting the Queen of England to act out a James Bond scene and simulate parachuting from a helicopter was brilliant, of course. Celebrating the National Health Care System and children’s literature complete with nightmare monsters and Mary Poppins clones was pretty inspired and cheeky too. But the excess of children’s choirs in the beginning had me worried. Would he dare allow the Sex Pistols’ “God Save The Queen” into a program? A guy who had put much thought into music with his other projects certainly had to pay tribute to his country’s musical history with something better than the same old patriotic crap.

It turns out he played it safe by including pretty much the entire history of British music, with “Land Of Hope And Glory,” “Jerusalem,” the “Dambusters March,” The Jam’s “Going Underground,” The Clash’s “London Calling,” and yes, The Sex Pistols, with snips from both “God Save The Queen” and “Pretty Vacant.” He even included Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Relax,” though he did skip the part where the sound effects simulate the sound of semen splashing on another man’s face and/or backside. You can’t have everything.

I’m sure anyone under 40 might complain about the relative lack of music from the past 5-8 years. Dizzee Rascal was an interesting compromise, someone who definitely represented future-music in the UK back in 2003 but whose profile has steadily receded ever since, despite the fact that I liked him more and more over the years. The same goes for the Arctic Monkeys, whose cover of “Come Together” was too close to the original, but I imagine there’d be far more bitter whining if they didn’t. The only glaring omissions I could think of would be T. Rex and Buzzcocks, who are just as much national treasures as Beatles and Bowie. Of course if it were up to me there would also be Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Budgie, Brian Eno, Pink Fairies, Thin Lizzy, Sweet, Cockney Rebel, Electric Light Orchestra, Judas Priest, Motörhead , Iron Maiden, Saxon, Diamond Head, Venom, Angel Witch, Def Leppard, X-Ray Spex, Wire, The Damned, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Elvis Costello, The Police, Public Image Ltd., Joy Division, Gang of Four, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, The Soft Boys, English Beat, Comsat Angels, The Ruts, Squeeze, and maybe even freakin’ Billy Idol. But the Olympic Committee was probably better off in not consulting Dr. Fester and Fast ‘n’ Bulbous.

Despite the distinct feeling that it would never, ever end, it was pretty cool.

PART ONE (Click the ‘next’ button to skip track)

Captain Algernon Drummond, William Johnson Cory – Eton Boating Song
Elgar, AC Benson – Land of Hope and Glory
The Jam – Going Underground
Muse – Map of the Problematique
Big Ben Chimes
Sex Pistols – God Save the Queen
The Clash – London Calling
Simon May – EastEnders Theme
The Shipping Forecast
Sir Hubert Parry, William Blake – Jerusalem
Elgar – Nimrod
Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Eric Coates – Dambusters March
Handel – Music for the Royal Fireworks
Monty Norman – James Bond Theme
Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells
Mike Oldfield – In Dulci Jubilo
Vangelis – Chariots of Fire
BBC News 1954
Arthur Wood – The Archers Theme
Winifred Atwell – Black and White Rag

PART TWO

Sugababes – Push the Button
OMD – Enola Gay
David Rose – The Stripper
Lionel Bart – Food Glorious Food
Irwin Kostal, Richard Sherman, Robert Sherman – Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Rizzle Kicks – When I Was a Youngster
Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
Colin Tully – Gregorys Girl Theme
William Pitt – City Lights
The Who – My Generation
The Rolling Stones – Satisfaction
Millie Small – My Boy Lollipop
The Kinks – All Day and All of the Night
The Beatles – She Loves You
Mud – Tiger Feet
Led Zeppelin – Trampled Under Foot
The Specials – A Message to You Rudy
David Bowie – Starman
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
Duran Duran – The Reflex
New Order – Blue Monday

PART THREE

Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Relax
Soul II Soul – Back To Life
Happy Mondays – Step On
Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
The Verve – Bittersweet Symphony
Prodigy – Firestarter
Underworld – Born Slippy
Jaan Kenbrovin, John William Kellette – Im Forever Blowing Bubbles
Blur – Song 2
Dizzee Rascal – Bonkers
Tigerstyle – Nacnha Onda Nei (contains Michael Jackson – Billie Jean, Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure and Ilaiyaraaja – Naanthaan Ungappanda)
Arctic Monkeys – I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor
Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse – Valerie
Radiohead – Creep
Muse – Uprising
Kano & Mikey J – Random Antics
Tinie Tempah – Pass Out
MIA – Paper Planes
Coldplay – Viva La Vida
The Chemical Brothers – Galvanize

PART FOUR

Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict a Riot
Roll Deep – Shake a Leg
Adele – Rolling in the Deep
Oasis – The Hindu Times
Oasis – Wonderwall
Emeli Sande – Heaven
William Monk/Henry Francis – Abide With Me
Pink Floyd – Eclipse
The Beatles – The End
The Beatles – Hey Jude
David Bowie – Heroes
Eric Spear – Coronation Street Theme
Ron Grainer – Doctor Who Theme
John Philip Sousa – Monty Python Theme/The Liberty Bell
David Bowie – Absolute Beginners