The Soundtrack to The Sons Of Anarchy (or The Songs of Anarchy)
Sons of Anarchy is an American crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter, about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in California's Central Valley. The show centers on protagonist Jackson "Jax" Teller played by British actor, Charlie Hunnam, initially the vice president of the club, who begins questioning the club and himself. Each season involves two parallel plotlines that intertwine and overlap: the first centers on the personal life of "Jax" and his immediate family while the second deals with SAMCRO (Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original). SAMCRO is involved with gun-running throughout the western United States and deals with many rival gangs and local politicians and authorities. As Vice-President and then President of the motorcycle club, Jax struggles with the dealings of SAMCRO and the legacy of his father, the founder of the club.
Son's of Anarchy has since become one of my favourite TV series. I have watched Season's 1- 6 and i'm half way throufh season 7 at the moment. Apart from the gripping story telling, brilliant acting, sharp dialogue and brutal head-on high octane action, one of the things that I really love about the show is that many episodes feature montages with a superb soundtrack that complments the storyline.
Some of the songs include covers of "What a Wonderful World", "Forever Young", "John the Revelator" and "Gimme Shelter". The series even has it's own Emmy nominated theme song "This Life" performed by Curtis Stigers and the Forest Rangers. Actress Katey Sagal, who plays the matriach "Old Lady" Gemma Teller -Morrow in the show, also sings on some tracks and the writers were keen to mix old songs with new voices and different arrangements that are haunting and and evocative.
Well known Musicians who have recorded special versions of songs include Paul Brady, Richard Thompson , The Black Keys, Ed Sheeran, and Curtis Stigers. A Lot of lesser known artists like White Buffalo and Battleme were also featured doing superb cover versions of the Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" and Neil Young's Hey Hey My My"
Three EP soundtracks have been released by 20th Century Fox Records, on iTunes, featuring songs from each series. The first five-song EP, entitled Sons of Anarchy: North Country – EP, was released on September 8, 2009 and featured the full version of the Emmy Award nominated theme song "This Life". A second five-song EP, entitled Sons of Anarchy: Shelter – EP, was released on November 24, 2009 while a third six-song EP, entitled Sons of Anarchy: The King is Gone - EP, was released on November 23, 2010.
In November 2011, selected highlights from the EPs and new tracks were released in Songs of Anarchy: Music from Sons of Anarchy Seasons 1–4, followed up by Sons of Anarchy: Songs of Anarchy Vol. 2 released in November 2012 and Sons of Anarchy: Songs of Anarchy Vol. 3 released in December 2013. Sons of Anarchy: Songs of Anarchy Vol. 4 is scheduled to be released in February 2015.
Other notable songs featured in the series include:
David by Noah Gundersen
Writings on The Wall by The Album Leaf
"Ålesund" by Sun Kil Moon,
"Son of a Preacher Man" by Katey Sagal,
"Hard Row" by the Black Keys
"Plenty Strong and Plenty Wrong" by Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
"Can't Get Used to Losing You" by Andy Williams
a cover of "Forever Young" by Audra Mae
"Mongoose" by Fu Manchu,
"Burn This Town" by Battleme,
"Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya" by Dropkick Murphys
"Comin Home" by Murder by Death
"Hell" by The Upsidedown
"Power Player" by Clutch
"Railroad Cancellation" by Don Caballero
"Dolphin Center" by The Donkeys
"Stop" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
"Hands in the Sky" by Straylight Run
"People, Turn Around" by Delta Spirit
"Ashes to Ashes" by Tarbox Ramblers
"John the Revelator" by Curtis Stigers & The Forest Rangers.
Here are some of our personal favourites.....
PAUL BRADY - GIMME SHELTER
BATTLEME - HEY HEY MY MY
BLACK KEYS - KEEP ME
WHITE BUFFALO & THE FOREST RANGERS - HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
GREG HOLDEN - THE LOST BOY
CURTIS STIGERS - JOHN THE REVELATOR
RICHARD THOMPSON - DAD'S GONNA KILL ME (LIVE ON LATER....)
JACK SAVORETTI - SOLDIERS EYES
ED SHEERAN - MAKE IT RAIN
