As Heard at Sundance

Since the most important film festival in the world -- Sundance Film Festival-- is going on right now, we’re dedicating this week’s Musica Obscura to songs which have appeared in films at Sundance.

Gretchen – Melo do Piripiri
I was watching a selection of short films at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival on Sunday when this really great song came on during the Brasillian short film "Desejo." I had no idea what the song was and the credits didn't include the song title. I scoured Google searching the few words of the song -- "Je suis la femme" -- that I remembered, with no luck. Eventually, I found the director's email address and asked her. The version in the film is a newer remix, which I have been unable to find so far (but I have a friend in Brasil searching for it). For now, here's the original version of the song, which is good, but not quite as good as the newer remix. Gretchen was popular in Brasil back in the '80s, but released a remix album of her classic hits last year.
Other Gretchen Songs to Check Out: Conga la Conga, Freak Le Boom Boom, Me Gusta El Cha Cha, Mambo Venga

Anneli Drecker – Until I'm In You
A friend of mine called me up several years ago excited that he'd just heard this song while watching a film at Sundance and he recognized the voice as none other than Anneli Drecker, lead singer of Bel Canto, of whose music he knew I was a fan. So, we found the album for the film "Angel Baby" from Australia and bought it. This song is especially fun with Anneli's unique, expressive voice and her demonic shrieks. No one can sing quite like Anneli. "Until I’m In You" was written by Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer.

Other Anneli Drecker Songs to Check Out: Becoming More Like God, Morning Glory, Sparks, Sexy Love, Safe Now, Stop This

Lene Marlin – Where I'm Headed
I was working in the marketing department for the Sundance Film Festival and was nicely surprised to see that Lene Marlin had a song on the soundtrack of "Les Mauvaises frequentations," which played at Sundance in 2001. I was already a fan of her music by this time and "Where I'm Headed" is one of my favorites from her debut album, "Playing My Game."

Other Lene Marlin Songs to Check Out: Sitting Down Here, Unforgivable Sinner, Sorry, How Would It Be

Kirsty MacColl – In These Shoes
Could this song be any more gay? It perfectly fits the smash hit of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, Kinky Boots, a film about a Northampton shoe factory struggling to stay in business, which survives only after finding its niche manufacturing boots and shoes for drag queens. Chiwetel Ejiofor is amazing as drag queen "Lola" in the film. Who knew he could do such good drag when they saw him in "Dirty, Pretty Things"? We previously heard Kirsty MacColl in our Holiday 2005 edition of Musica Obscura singing with The Pogues on the classic "Fairtytale of New York."

Other Songs from the Kinky Boots Soundtrack to Check Out: I Want To Be Evil, Whatever Lola Wants, Yes Sir I Can Boogie, Together We Are Beautiful

Ani DiFranco – You Had Time
While Ani DiFranco isn't exactly obscure, she's far from top-40 / mainstream. This was one of those songs where you're sitting in a film and the most beautiful, touching, poignant song comes on just at the right moment in the film, and you race home searching to find out what that song was. "You Had Time" was on the soundtrack of "Lost and Delirious," which Roger Ebert said was the best film of the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Thinking back on it, "Lost and Delirious" was a bit of "Brokeback Mountain" before Brokeback, but not quite as good. Lost and Delirious featured a lesbian love story, but unrequited like Brokeback and featuring fairly well-known young actresses.

Other Ani DiFranco Songs to Check Out: Untouchable Face, Little Plastic Castle, Swan Dive, As Is