Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Bellylove

The song "Back to Freedom" is played on the Bronze stage by the group Bellylove in the Season Three opening episode called "Anne." While the song plays in the background, Xander says "Welcome to depressing night at the Bronze." Reason for his depression? Buffy has been forced to leave town after being wrongly accused of killing the alternate slayer Kendra, who was actually murdered by the vampire Drusilla at the end of Season Two. Left behind in Sunnydale, the Scooby Gang consisting of Xander, Oz, Willow and Cordelia are learning to kill vampires on their own, and they aren't too happy about it.

The song is somewhat prophetic because while Buffy is "free" in the sense of being on her own for the first time, she has discovered the tragic world of poverty-stricken runaways living on the edge of society. After she frees a group of homeless people being held forced to work as slaves by demons in the bowels of Los Angeles, she finds her way home again after having her name cleared, which means back to responsibility and school, but also the freedom of being a kid at home with Mom again.

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ I'll Remember You by Sophie Zelmani

Episode 7 of Season One - called "Angel" - revolves around the growing love between Buffy and Angelus and they have their first kiss! But then Angel turns into a Vamp and has to jump out the window. Truly a classic Beauty and the Beast moment.



Later Buffy thinks that Angel has bitten her mother, Joyce, when really he was saving her from the evil Darla, his sire, who has been helping The Master. This leads to a dilemma as Buffy vacilates between loving Angel and wanting to stake him. In the end, he explains that the Romany Gypsies have cursed him with a soul and while he wants to continue biting people and drinking their blood, he is so full of remorse that he never does.



The song "I'll remember you" by Sophie Zelmani, plays at the Bronze as Buffy and Angel say goodbye - but of course this is only the beginning of their long complicated relationship.

Sophie Zelmani Official Site

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Beer Bad

In "Beer Bad," episode 5 of Season 4, Buffy is depressed after breakup with boyfriend Parker, who has dumped her after a one-night-stand. Depressed, Buffy starts hanging out in the local bar where Xander works, and soon begins to drown her sorrows in beer with some philosophy students.



The beer is literally a "brew" called "Black Frost" that has been hexed by vampires to turn the local kids into Neanderthals. Thus, College Buffy turns into Cave Slayer, and is taken home to her dorm by Xander. Meanwhile, Willow decides to put glib Parker in his place by letting him believe she can be seduced, then criticizing his way with women. But they both get trapped after the Cave Boys rush in and start a fire in the coffee shop. Buffy rescues them, but later knocks Parker on the head with a stick, showing she has her mojo back and he can't make her feel bad anymore.



This is one of my favorite episodes of Buffy. It's a cautionary tale about boys and alcohol, capturing the archetypal college experience of getting dumped by a boyfriend, feeling alone, and seeking solace at a bar with strangers. Drugs and alcohol make everyone act differently, so this script takes that to a new level with the cave-dweller imagery. Some fans and critics have called it a preachy message, and resented that Buffy "caved" in to depression and self-doubt, but I think the episode works best for people with a sense of humor. Lighten up and be entertained! If this happened on Gilligan's Island, people would just laugh. Wait a minute, it did happen on Gilligan's Island!

The Buffy Guide has some cool insight:

There are traces of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in which Jekyll drank a potion which unleashed his monstrous dark side. The cave guys, which remind us of the apes in 2001: A Space Odyssey, are a pretty stereotypical depiction of the common-man's concept of cave men and Neanderthals.

From a BBC Interview with Producer Doug Petrie:

Doug Petrie: Beer Bad. Again, light and fluffy, as we say. It came from the brain of Tracy Forbes, a Canadian writer who was on our staff. We were just trying to mine the college experience as much as possible and what happens there. Well, very young people get unlimited access to alcohol and become horrible! We all do it - or most of us do it - and live to regret it, and we wanted to explore that. So the metaphor of college boys - intellectual college boys who drink and become Neanderthals - is pretty straight up. It's a metaphor.

BBC : At this point in the season we are seeing the fallout from the relationship between Buffy and Parker too.

Doug Petrie: We did want - and Joss wanted - a kind of harsh college experience. Of giving your heart and body to someone when you're not experienced in either, and having them use you and split, you know.

BBC : Do you think it was very cut and dried who was right and who was wrong, or do you think Parker to a certain extent had a point: that Buffy shouldn't have got so emotionally involved?

Doug Petrie: I think in reality the right and wrong of it is very fuzzy. I think that on our show Parker was portrayed as a little more... I think that those things do happen and I think that Parker had a little bit of a responsibility to listen to Buffy and he owed her at least a good solid conversation, and I think he just kind of blew her off. Also, the fans had a very strong response to it. We were surprised. I'm pretty sure from the internet and from what I've heard, the fans just hated it.

BBC : Hated what?

Doug Petrie: That Buffy was jumping into a relationship and that this guy would treat her so callously. But also we were getting a lot of stuff from the first half dozen or so episodes of the first quarter of the season where people were saying, "We're tired of Buffy being abused and Buffy being wimpy and Buffy being battered about by the forces of college." There was a pretty strong fan response. They felt that she was being kicked around by Spike, by Sunday, and by Parker, Not at all the strong character that people love to see.

This was a very conscious choice - we had to ride that out because we didn't want her to find her strength immediately in this new setting. But fans were pretty outspoken about how to find her sea legs now and eventually she did.

Episode Clips - notice Buffy's hair, which earned the stylist an Emmy nomination!





Music:

Kim Ferron ~ Nothing but You
Xander plays this on the Jukebox



Luscious Jackson ~ Ladyfingers
This is the Video Buffy watches on TV
"I want pretty people."



THC ~ Overfire
Oz's werewolf friend Veruca plays this with her fake TV band "Shy"

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Trespasser's William

Where did the California band Trespasser's William get their name? From Winnie-the-Pooh of course.

CHAPTER III

IN WHICH POOH AND PIGLET GO HUNTING AND NEARLY CATCH A WOOZLE

THE Piglet lived in a very grand house in the middle of a beech-tree, and the beech-tree was in the middle of the forest, and the Piglet lived in the middle of the house. Next to his house was a piece of broken board which had: "TRESPASSERS W" on it.



When Christopher Robin asked the Piglet what it meant, he said it was his grandfather's name, and had been in the family for a long time. Christopher Robin said you couldn't be called Trespassers W, and Piglet said yes, you could, because his grandfather was, and it was short for Trespassers Will, which was short for Trespassers William. And his grandfather had had two names in case he lost one--Trespassers after an uncle, and William after Trespassers.

"I've got two names," said Christopher Robin carelessly.

"Well, there you are, that proves it," said Piglet.

Piglet and Christopher Robin are too innocent to understand that the entire sign should read "Trespassers Will Be Shot." So there's a hint of danger in this name.

And that fits well with the Buffy theme of various characters named "William." Spike's human name was "William Pratt" - known as "William the Bloody" to others in upper class circles thanks to his "bloody awful poetry." Angel was also originally named "Liam" which is the Irish equivalent of William. Then there are many characters named "Billy" or "Will" in the Buffy series, as listed by SlayerWorld.net

• Billy Fordham: (Buffy’s friend from LA who sold her out to Spike)
• Billy Palmer: (the little boy in the coma who caused nightmares to come to life)
• Billy Crandal: (chained himself to a snack machine in I Only Have Eyes For You)
• Billy (an unclassified demon in Angel, who brought out the worst in men with a touch)
• Willy the Snitch (demon bar tender)
• Wil or Will: the name sometimes given to Willow (yeah, this was a bit of a stretch)

Trespasser's William had two songs in Season Six of Buffy. "I Know" is from the episode "Gone," and "Washes Away" is from "As You Were."

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Heather Nova in "Touched"

Heather Nova is a singer-songwriter born in Bermuda and raised in New England.
More background on Nova Here



The song "It's Only Love" is in Episode 20 of Season Seven, as Buffy loses leadership of the Potential Slayers to Faith and leaves the house feeling betrayed, even by the Scooby Gang and Giles. Thinking no one will stand by her, a defeated Buffy has to be convinced to come home by her most loyal and true friend, Spike. I get a little sappy and sentimental over this song! Maybe because Spike gives such a great homage to Buffy out of his love and respect for her - they went so far as a couple before the end of the series! *wipes away tear*

Spike - "You listen to me. I've been alive a bit longer than you, and dead a lot longer than that. I've seen things you couldn't imagine, and done things I'd prefer you didn't. Don't exactly have a reputation for being a thinker. I follow my blood, which doesn't exactly rush in the direction of my brain. I've made a lot of mistakes. A lot of wrong bloody calls. A hundred plus years, and there's only one thing I've ever been sure of: you ... Here, look at me. I'm not asking you for anything. When I say "I love you", it's not because I want you, or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are. What you do, how you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of you. And I understand, with perfect clarity, exactly what you are. You're a hell of a woman. You're the One, Buffy."

Slayer Sountrack Sunday ~ "The Sun Keeps Shining" By Fonda

Fonda appeared in the Buffy episode "All the Way" from Season 6. The title is an obvious reference to teen sexual activity, and Dawn thinks she is ready for that . . . until her date turns out to be a vampire! And Dawn gets her first kiss on Halloween, which seems totally appropriate for a rather supernatural girl.

Also in this episode, Tara is getting fed up with Willow's magicks, and Xander announces his engagement to Anya while wearing a pirate costume and eye-patch - foreshadowing his "accident" in Season 7.

Although the action takes place on Halloween night, this is actually a breezy summer song.



From YouTube

Los Angeles based indie-pop band, Fonda perform "The Sun Keeps Shining On Me" live. The song was originally released on Fonda's 2001 CD, "The Strange and the Familiar" and is now available on the original motion picture soundtrack for "Remember Me."

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Alison Krauss

Bluegrass singer Alison Krauss of Union Station sang two songs in different Buffy episodes.

"It Doesn't Matter" appears in the opening episode of Season Two, "When She was Bad" as Buffy's mother drives her to school. Buffy is acting badly towards everyone, but maybe it's because the Master is haunting her dreams.






"That Kind of Love" was included in the episode "Entropy" in Season 6. As the title implies, things "fall apart" once again for Xander and Anya, as well as Buffy and Spike when a hidden camera reveals Spike and Anya doing the hanky panky. But Willow and Tara get back together as this song plays.

Who would sell their soul for love?
Or waste one tear on compromise
Should be easy enough
To know a heartache in disguise
But the heart rules the mind
And the going gets rough
Pride takes the fall
When you find that kind of love

I can't help feeling like a fool
Since I lost that place inside
Where my heart knew its way
And my soul was ever wise
Once innocence was lost
There was not faith enough
Still my heart held on
When it found that kind of love



Though beauty is rare enough
Still we trust
Somehow we'll find it there
With no guarantee
It seems to me
At least it should be fair

But if it's only tears and pain
Isn't it still worth the cost
Like some sweet saving grace
Or a river we must cross
If we don't understand
What this life is made of
We learn the truth
When we find that kind of love
Cause when innocence is lost
There is not faith enough
We learn the truth
When we find that kind of love



"That Kind of Love" appears on Radio Sunnydale UK and "It Doesn't Matter" appears on Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Album (1999 Television Series)

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Band Candy

The episode "Band Candy," season 3, episode 6, has some hilarious moments as Buffy's Mother Joyce and Mr. Giles eat some magical chocolate candy and revert back to their teenage years, creating a Freaky Friday role-reversal situation for Buffy. Giles channels his inner-Spike as he seeks to impress the bad-boy crazed Joyce, and they make out (and more) while listening to old records. Soon they are joined by Principal Snyder, turned back into a teenage Geek by the candy, and he also wants to woo Joyce by doing some rockin' Tae Kwan Do maneuvers. It's all quite a bit of fun until they realize there are several small babies stolen from the local hospital by the Mayor and the Mr. Trick gang of vampires.

All the role reversals are great fun, and Buffy has to be the adult voice of reason for once.




Cream "Tales of Brave Ulysses"
One sad note - Giles listens to this song again in Season 5 "Forever" when Joyce dies.







Four Star Mary (Dingoes Ate My Baby) ~ Violent



The Kingsmen "Louie, Louie"



Christophe Beck (Soundtrack) "Sugar High"

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Nickel on "School Hard"

Nickel plays two songs at the Bronze in the Season Two episode "School Hard," which introduces Spike and Drusilla as new villains who come to town to get rid of Buffy, and meet up again with their old pal Angel.



The title refers to the fact that Spike attacks Sunnydale High on parent-teacher night after a long week for Buffy in which the Principal gives her a hard time. Ironically, the way Buffy saves lives during the ordeal impresses her mother more than any school work could have.




"1000 Nights"



"Stupid Thing"

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Laika's "Black Cat Bone"

"Laika" is the name of the first dog the Russians put into orbit around the earth, but ironically the band with that name may be best known for a song "Black Cat Bone" which is played in Season six, the episode called "Wrecked."

The song is included on Laika's album Good Looking Blues as well as the extended UK version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale Click links or pics to buy the albums.







Willow is going through a crisis due to magic, with the analogy to drug addiction - the meaning of the title. She follows her old pal Amy the ex-rat (Elizabeth Anne Allen) to a private "magicks den" where she trades some of her power to a sort of guru/junkie called "Rack" (Jeff Kober) for a psychedelic mystical experience.

The song "Black Cat Bone" by Laika plays during Willow's mind-trip, and captures the sinister illogic of it.

We know her experience isn't entirely pleasant because Willow has to take a shower afterwards to "sober up."


But Willow hasn't had enough, so she returns to Rack's house - rhymes with crackhouse - dragging along Buffy's teenage sister Dawn, who is creeped out but who can't leave. When Willow realizes she has accidentally conjured a demon during her bad trip, they have to steal a car to get away, ending in an accident which injures Dawn.

Buffy is ticked-off to say the least. But Willow is forgiven because Buffy isn't acting responsibly either, finally consumating her flirtation with Spike during which they literally "bring the house down" on themselves - another meaning of the title "Wrecked." At the end of the show, a contrite and sober Willow is alone and so is Buffy, surrounded by cloves of garlic to keep out the amorous Spike.

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ The Triangle

"The Triangle" is an episode from Season 5 in which a Troll who was once involved with Anya appears to wreak havoc on Sunnydale. The title of the episode applies not just to Xander-Anya and the Troll, but to Buffy mourning the absence of Riley while Spike is falling in love with her.

The Troll is mostly a humorous charactor, but the giant Troll Hammer which he leaves behind plays an important part later when Buffy fights the goddess Glory at the end of Season 5.

There are two songs played in this episode.

The first is "There's no Other Way" by Blur which plays at the Bronze. The song is included on the album Independent Stuff (CD Compilation, 20 Tracks, Various, Diverse Artists)




The second is The Dandy Warhols "Bohemian Like You" from their album Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia.
It's included on both the American and UK versions of Radio Sunnydale. Click the pictures to buy either album.

Slayer Soundtrack Sunday ~ Rasputina

Rasputina is an American band influenced by the Victorian Era and the Steampunk movement.

From their official website:

The Rasputina group has existed for more than 20(0) years. Melora Creager founded it to meet like-minded young women (excellent cellists that wanted to play rock music and wear historical costumery). Although often mistakenly lumped into passing fancies, Rasputina manages to survive and defy categorization by maintaining a child-like delight in music-making alongside a clear & true integrity.

The song "Transylvanian Concubine" is included on their album Thanks For The Ether. It was also included on Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Album (1999 Television Series)


The song plays in Episode 13 of Season 2 - "Surprise" - in which Buffy is having a rather dark 17th birthday haunted by bad dreams about the vampire Drusilla killing Angel. Meanwhile, in an ironic parallel, Drusilla and Spike are planning a party with "presents" arriving in the form of body parts from which they hope to construct an invincible demon to defeat the Slayer.

Transylvanian Concubine is really the perfect song for Drusilla and plays toward the end of the episode when she demands "more music" and unveils the demon.

In another ironic twist, it is Buffy who becomes the vampire's "concubine" when Angel gives her an Irish Claddagh ring to seal their love, and she sleeps with him. The moment of bliss created with Buffy lifts the gypsy curse from Angel, who suddenly loses his soul and goes back to being an ordinary evil vampire whom Buffy eventually has to kill in a following episode. So . . . happy birthday, Buffy! Not!






And alternate version of the song called "Manson Mix" (as in Marilyn Manson) is below. I prefer the original.