Theme song from The Wire, season 4?
November 17, 2006 9:45 PM Subscribe
Anyone know who does the theme song on this season's (season 4) The Wire? Damn it's good.
ah and from an interview:
Specifically, our theme was arranged and produced by Doreen Vail, Maurette Brown-Clark and J.B. Wilkins. The young voices featured are those of Ivan Ashford, Markel Steele, Cameron Brown, Tariq Al-Sabir and Avery Bargasse. The musicians are Ronald Lindsey and Thomas Crosson. Mike Potter engineered the session.
All of the boys are from Baltimore and Tony Small, who directs a boys choir locally, found them for us.
posted by bonesy at 10:07 PM on November 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
Specifically, our theme was arranged and produced by Doreen Vail, Maurette Brown-Clark and J.B. Wilkins. The young voices featured are those of Ivan Ashford, Markel Steele, Cameron Brown, Tariq Al-Sabir and Avery Bargasse. The musicians are Ronald Lindsey and Thomas Crosson. Mike Potter engineered the session.
All of the boys are from Baltimore and Tony Small, who directs a boys choir locally, found them for us.
posted by bonesy at 10:07 PM on November 17, 2006 [1 favorite]
Really? I thought this season's cover the weakest. The way it's a slave to the beat is just alien to me.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:52 PM on November 17, 2006
posted by robocop is bleeding at 10:52 PM on November 17, 2006
I also thought it was easily the weakest. At the same time it's excellent they got kids to do it as they're the focus of the season.
posted by dobbs at 11:11 PM on November 17, 2006
posted by dobbs at 11:11 PM on November 17, 2006
I'm no stranger to being a slave to the beat, but I still think that this is the weakest version.
And, despite their efforts, and unlike that conversation that Chris and Snoop had, there's nothing particularly B'more-music-specific about it. Which is a shame, especially since, largely thanks to Hollertronix and Spank Rock, B'more music is relatively high-profile these days. And all those spoken bits, the "Keep him down in the hole, yo"? Cheesy.
The Blind Boys of Alabama version is my favorite.
Oh, and here's a link where Blake Leyh, who works on the show, talks about the end-credits music, and about the possibility of a The Wire soundtrack. Favorite quote: Some labels have shown interest in an "inspired by" soundtrack release, which would really be a way of using The Wire brand to promote something else. We aren't interested in doing that.
And a well-done soundtrack, with that Young Leek song, and 'You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly,' and the Nighthawks version of 'Sixteen Tons'? That would be very, very good.
posted by box at 7:29 AM on November 18, 2006
And, despite their efforts, and unlike that conversation that Chris and Snoop had, there's nothing particularly B'more-music-specific about it. Which is a shame, especially since, largely thanks to Hollertronix and Spank Rock, B'more music is relatively high-profile these days. And all those spoken bits, the "Keep him down in the hole, yo"? Cheesy.
The Blind Boys of Alabama version is my favorite.
Oh, and here's a link where Blake Leyh, who works on the show, talks about the end-credits music, and about the possibility of a The Wire soundtrack. Favorite quote: Some labels have shown interest in an "inspired by" soundtrack release, which would really be a way of using The Wire brand to promote something else. We aren't interested in doing that.
And a well-done soundtrack, with that Young Leek song, and 'You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly,' and the Nighthawks version of 'Sixteen Tons'? That would be very, very good.
posted by box at 7:29 AM on November 18, 2006
I laughed when I saw this question because my wife is absolutely enamoured of this season's rendition. I prefer the first season personally.
posted by saladpants at 8:20 AM on November 18, 2006
posted by saladpants at 8:20 AM on November 18, 2006
The way it's a slave to the beat is just alien to me.
Intentional or not, that kind of fits into one of the show's themes, IMHO....that people are captive to the system.
posted by dhammond at 12:25 PM on November 18, 2006
Intentional or not, that kind of fits into one of the show's themes, IMHO....that people are captive to the system.
posted by dhammond at 12:25 PM on November 18, 2006
I LOVE this season's version. I found this question from a Google search. Thanks!
posted by letitrain at 12:44 AM on November 27, 2006
posted by letitrain at 12:44 AM on November 27, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
The name of The Wire's theme song is "Way Down in the Hole." There are actually 4 versions, one for each season.
Season 1 - recorded by The Blind Boys of Alabama
Season 2 - recorded by Tom Waits (he actually wrote the song.)
Season 3 - recorded by The Neville Brothers
Season 4 - arranged by Doreen Vail and recorded by members of a Baltimore Boys Choir.
posted by bonesy at 9:58 PM on November 17, 2006 [1 favorite]