4 Folk Rock Songs That Sound Like They Could Be in a Wes Anderson Film

Wes Anderson has been known to incorporate a variety of musical genres in his films, from classical arrangements to 70s rock. Here are some folk rock tunes that I think could fit into one of the popular director’s dramadies.

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“Second Hand News” by Fleetwood Mac

First up is “Second Hand News” by Fleetwood Mac. There’s a silly sense of positivity in this song, even though the lyrics are a little pessimistic. This track sets the tone for the Rumours album, singing about being replaced by a new lover.

This song, much like the other tracks on Rumours, definitely drew inspiration from the series of breakups that occurred among Fleetwood Mac’s band members during this era.

“Quicksand” by David Bowie

In writing this track, glam rock icon David Bowie was feeling particularly inspired by his own spiritual awakenings. During the 60s and the 70s, Bowie became interested in the occult and Buddhism, and started questioning the unknown. This song feels a little bit like a descent into madness, so it’s perfect for an Anderson film.

“‘Quicksand’ was the chain reaction of moving around through America, through yesterday, through New York and Hollywood,” Bowie once explained of the song. “The song started in London and ended in Hollywood, and it produced confusion, and ‘Quicksand’ was that confusion. But I could have written it in Dulwich, it doesn’t really matter—I would have produced something like that anywhere, being confused.”

“Come Together” by The Beatles

Anderson has used Beatles tracks in his projects before. In 2001, a recording (not the original) of “Hey Jude” was featured in The Royal Tenenbaums. Ironic as it is, the characters in the film deal with the aftermath of their own parents’ divorce, as Anderson opens the film with a song inspired by John Lennon’s divorce. Genius.

“Come Together” is kind of singing about everything and nothing at the same time. It could work well as the soundtrack to a crucial plot twist or even just as background music.

“Paranoia Blues” by Paul Simon

Simon gets a little quirky with “Paranoia Blues”, which sings about the anxieties that come with having fake friends and living that big-city life. There’s something about the bottleneck slide guitar and brass section in this track that’s kind of epic, in a funny way.

Photo by: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic