Popular Songs To Make You Squirm In Tarantino Classic

Ellie Thomas
Jul 28, 2017 · 6 min read
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Quentin Tarantino’s debut as director and writer was in 1992 with his film Reservoir Dogs (“Reservoir Dogs”). The film is about a group of criminals brought together to carry out a diamond heist for boss Joe Cabot. The men are given colorful code names: Mr. Blonde, Mr. Brown, Mr. Orange, Mr. Pink, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Blue. Nice Guy Eddie is the son and hands for Joe Cabot when it comes to the heist. The film includes flashbacks of the characters to give background and explain how the crew came together. The heist goes awry and Mr. Orange is shot. Mr. White drives him to the rendezvous where they meet Mr. Pink. Mr. Pink hypothesizes that someone in the crew is a cop and blew their cover. Mr. Blonde shot several civilians during the heist and shows up to the rendezvous with a cop as hostage. The rest of the film consists of flashbacks, and the men waiting for further instruction in the rendezvous spot. At the end of the film, all the characters end up dead in a Mexican standoff except Mr. Pink who escapes with the diamonds. It is revealed to Mr. White after the standoff that Mr. Orange is the cop, and Mr. White feels betrayed for helping him stay alive this whole time.

Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 crime thriller is set to the soundtrack of K-Billy’s Super Sound of the 70s Weekend with comedian Steven Wright as radio host (K-Billy DJ). The radio station exists within the world of the film, but the songs are diegetic and nondiegetic at times. The use of the radio special is a perfect counterpoint for the film’s dark and violent themes. The “pop bubble gum favorites”, as K-Billy refers to them, create a feeling of nostalgia for happier times amidst the stressful and violent themes the characters are dealing with in the film. The use of these popular songs evokes memories and feelings of nostalgia for viewers. Not only do the songs act as counterpoint, but most of their lyrics foreshadow and emphasize the theme of betrayal that is dealt with throughout the film. Most of the film is not accompanied by any background music, so the songs that we do hear are handpicked by Tarantino to aid the action or meaning of a scene. The five songs that prominently play at different times are “Little Green Bag”, “I Gotcha”, “Stuck In The Middle With You”, “Hooked On A Feeling” and “Fool For Love”.

“Little Green Bag” by George Baker Selection released in 1960 plays during the opening credits as the characters walk in slow motion down the street. The pop rock song is fused with jazz and blues elements. The song is about trying to find happiness from money which is fitting for these characters who are about to pull a dangerous job for money.

“Lookin’ for happiness but there is only loneliness to find”

If you look at the lyrics, they foreshadow the end as all of the characters experience betrayal and do not end up with the diamonds except for Mr. Pink. “I Gotcha” by Joe Tex released in 1972 is a funky rhythm and blues song infused with rock elements that is a celebration/lament of the singer catching his woman cheating. “Stuck In The Middle With You” by Wheel Stealers was released in 1973 and is about Gerry Rafferty’s uneasy feelings of being around music industry professionals who he describes as “jokers” and “clowns”. “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Suede released in 1974 is about possible unrequited love.

“I’m high on believin’ you’re in love with me”

The lyrics imply he may not believe she’s really in love with him. “Fool For Love” is a pop country song by Sandy Rogers released in 1986 that tells a story of a boy who believed his whole life a woman loved him until her wedding day to another man. Tarantino is able to use the poppy nostalgic sound of these songs to counterpoint the action and make the audience feel a little uneasy while using the lyrics to express the theme and actions.

A scene where music plays the biggest role is the memorable torture scene involving Mr. Blonde played by Michael Meadson and policeman Marvin Nash played by Kirk Baltz. Mr. Blonde had taken the policeman hostage during the heist, and when left alone with him and unconscious Mr. Orange, his sadistic tendencies are exposed.

Before the action takes place, Mr. Blonde turns to K-Billy’s on a radio where the song “Stuck In The Middle With You” is playing. The audience relates to Mr. Blonde in this very normal human moment as he tunes the radio from obscure Mexican songs to find his station. The audience does not want to relate to such a sadistic character, so they already begin to experience discomfort. The song tells a story in verse-chorus form. The intro is played with just an acoustic guitar, then bass, electric guitar, hand clapping, and other percussive elements are added to the verse and chorus. It is played in duple meter and has a stress on the second beat. The addition of the hand clapping and prominent bass line gives the song a relaxed happy feel. The timbre is bright and warm with the twangy slide on the guitar heard throughout. It is the perfect contrast to the violence the audience is about to witness and causes them to feel uncomfortable as the music is telling them to enjoy the scene. Tarantino knew this song would make audience’s squirm and the director of A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Hills Have Eyes, Wes Cravens, even walked out of it’s showing at Sundance during this scene (Chapman).

Tarantino appears to have choreographed the scene to the song. The musical elements and lyrics emphasize his sadistic actions. The upbeat music also exemplifies how Mr. Blonde feels about his actions: cheerful and apathetic to his victim. The acoustic intro begins to play as Mr. Blonde checks on Mr. Orange’s body. The bass begins as Tarantino cuts to a close up of the bloodied and duct taped face of the officer. He then quickly cuts to a shot of Mr. Blonde dancing with his razor as the clapping begins.

As the lyrics “I got the feelin’ that somethin’ ain’t right, I’m so scared in case I fall of my chair” are heard, Tarantino cuts to a close up of the policeman awaiting his torture duct taped to a chair. The audience’s unease continues to rise as Mr. Blonde dances to the familiar tune. Mr. Blonde finally strikes the man, and then as he pulls the blade closer to the officer’s face. The lyric “It’s hard to keep this smile from my face” is heard. Mr. Blonde is smiling throughout the torture scene. The camera pans away during the violence, and Mr. Blonde reenters the shot looking at the cut off ear of the policeman as the chorus begins, signaling the height of the audience’s discomfort.

At this point, Mr. Blonde leaves the warehouse, and as he does, the music fades and we hear diegetic noises like children laughing and his keys jingling. He gets a gas can from his trunk, and we hear the children’s laughs turn to screams and then a siren as Mr. Blonde reenters the warehouse. The music fades back in with a simple cowbell and bass line playing as the lyrics now sound like a plea crying out “please, please.” The camera circles around the officer as Mr. Blonde splashes gasoline on his face and we hear: “Here I am, stuck in the middle with you”. Mr. Blonde rips off the duct tape and the officer cries for him to stop. The music fades as he continues to yell stop. The end of the song signals the end of the torture. Mr. Blonde makes a trail of the gasoline towards the door but is shot by Mr. Orange before he can light a match.

The movie ends with everyone dead except Mr. Pink who escapes with the diamonds. Tarantino ironically (like most of his choices) chooses the song “Coconut” by Harry Nilsson released in 1971 to end the film. People drink lime and coconuts to feel better and maybe this is Tarantino’s advice to an audience left in discomfort from watching something that treats death and torture so apathetically.

Although the music was sparse, it was full of meaning. It played a large role in the film by developing the theme and emotionally connecting the audience to the film with familiar songs. The music had a great effect on the film and that influence goes both ways. One cannot listen to “Stuck In The Middle With You” the same again.

Sources:

“Reservoir Dogs.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 July 2017. Web. 27 July 2017.

Chapman, Tom. “I’ll Reserve-oir Judgement.” Wes Craven Once Walked Out Of ‘Reservoir Dogs’. Movie Pilot, 2 May 2017. Web. 27 July 2017.

“K-Billy DJ (Character).” IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 27 July 2017.

Fortune, Ed. “The Lime In the Coconut.” Ed Fortune. Word Press, 11 Mar. 2014. Web. 27 July 2017.

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