Welcome to Cowboy
Bebop Month on Top 5 Wednesday. This
year, one of Anime’s greatest legendary titles turns 20 freaking years old. Seeing as how both the series and the movie
we’re both titles I reviewed early on in this blog, I still wanted to do
something to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Hence a month of four special lists ive compiled pertaining to several
aspects of Cowboy Bebop. To kick things off,
Ive decided to look at one of Bebop’s most infamous aspects. Even if, for whatever reason, you don’t like
the story or the characters (if not then shame on you) everyone always
remembers Yoko Kanno’s brilliant soundtrack.
From film noir to rock to the series’ main bread and butter of Jazz and
Blues, Yoko Kanno gave us a soundtrack that can be enjoyed by everyone and
still withstands the test of time. In
hindsight, choosing 5 tracks that stand out in an epic list of dozens is one of
the toughest tasks ive undertaken for a Top 5 Wednesday. Nevertheless, the list has been made. I’ll include youtube links to the songs
themselves. However, much like in the
past, there’s no garuntee that the videos will be around for long…so just
search them again if you cant find them.
Anyway, onto my Top 5 Cowboy Bebop Tracks. Or as the single line of lyrics from the
infamous intro goes, “I think it’s time we blow this scene, get everybody and
their stuff together…ok 3, 2, 1 Let’s Jam.”
#5-Live From Baghdad
As I said above, Cowboy Bebop may be known for it’s Blues
and Jazz infused tunes but Yoko Kanno delves into all manner of music for this
universe. Live From Baghdad is one of
the few, if only, pure rock tunes in the whole saga (besides the one they use
in the Bebop Movie for the final battle) and it quickly caught my ear. So what I couldn’t understand the
lyrics. The guitar is epic and every
scene in Heavy Metal Queen the song is set to works perfectly. Best of all, the Jazz and Blues loving Spike
and Faye cant stand the music, which makes its predominant use in the episode
all the more fun.
#4-Too Good Too Bad
One thing that helps any song from Bebop is where it is
placed. In the fourth episode, Gateway
Shuffle, Spike and Faye have to stop a bio weapon from hitting Ganymede which
leads to a pretty cool chase scene through one of the hyperspace gateways. As soon as Spike launches and Too Good Too
Bad kicks off, the scene redefines awesome.
Everytime it gets underway and the drums build up to Spike entering the
gateway itself, I get pumped. It starts
big and it ends just as big, especially when youre cutting an escape from the
chase to the last second.
#3-Tank
The tune that started it all…well not quite (there is one
tune that plays in Episode 1’s prelude).
But still, I remember before Cowboy Bebop was even brought to Adult Swim. I was watching the previews on a Gundam Wing
VHS tape and when the Cowboy Bebop trailer played (my first discovery of the
title), the theme song played with it and it has never left my mind since. Mixing all parts adventure, crime drama, even
some seductive undertones, Tank is one of the greatest openings in Anime
history and a song that you cant ignore when discussing Bebop. Long before Attack on Titan or One Punch Man’s
theme songs, Tank was the definitive intro you NEVER SKIPPED whenever a new
episode of Bebop got started.
#2-Rush
The first time we hear this song is during Spike’s duel
with Asimov towards the end of Episode 1.
Spike shoots Asimovs vile of Red Eye out of the sky, twirls his gun
away, cue the drums and bing bang boom. There are a lot of tracks that can sum up Spike’s
character, especially Spokey Dokey’s harmonica driven sadness filled
vibes. But Rush is Spike’s battle theme,
for me anyway. Again, the way it’s mixed
into Episode 1, perfectly with every punch, kick, dodge, even Spike’s witty
quips, it makes me believe that Yoko Kanno was watching every scene intently
and mixing song to image on screen in her head and wouldn’t settle for less
than perfection.
#1-Rain
Speaking of no less than perfection, this song got me to
watch Ballad of Fallen Angels endlessly.
It is the perfect build up song.
An organ piano plays only a few small notes as Spike begins his walk to
the church where his duel with Vicious is to take place. The song is softly sung by Mai Yamane all the
way through and by the time the guitar plays and the organ goes nuts with its
keys, you know you are in for the most epic freaking battle scene you’ve ever
seen in your life. And as the song ends
with a long pause on one note of the organ, it’s basically the tumbleweed blown
across the field before Spike pulls the trigger and gets the party started.
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