Music from critically acclaimed cult HBO crime drama The Wire is to get a UK release through Nonesuch records on January 21.
‘The Wire: “…and all the pieces matter.” – Five Years Of Music From The Wire’ includes all versions of the show’s opening theme song – Tom Waits’ ‘Way Down in the Hole’ – performed by The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Neville Brothers, and DoMaJe, a group of Baltimore teenagers, as well as the Waits original.
It also includes season closing tracks like Steve Earle‘s ‘I Feel Alright’ (Season two) and Paul Weller‘s ‘I walk On Gilded Splinters’ (Season four).
The deluxe collection from The Wire also includes several tracks of dialogue from the show. The CD booklet also includes essays by writer George Pelecanos and hip-hop journalist Jeff Chang.
Released simultaneously, another CD ‘Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Tracks From The Wire’, of just the tracks by Baltimore musicians plus two extra tracks is being released.
Track listings for both are below.
The fifth and final series of the David Simon-created show is getting it’s UK premiere on the FX channel later this Spring, with Season Four being released on DVD on March 10.
The full track listing for ‘The Wire: “…and all the pieces matter.” Music From Five Years Of The Wire’ is:
1. “This America, man.” (0:24)
2. WAY DOWN IN THE HOLE – The Blind Boys of Alabama (2:54)
3. “Why would anyone ever wanna leave Baltimore?” (0:21)
4. OH MY GOD – Michael Franti & Spearhead (5:05)
5. DANCE MY PAIN AWAY – Rod Lee (2:07)
6. MY LIFE EXTRA – DJ Technics (1:17)
7. “The king stay the king.” (0:48)
8. WAY DOWN IN THE HOLE – The Neville Brothers (1:36)
9. “We used to make shit in this country.” (0:15)
10. SIXTEEN TONS – The Nighthawks (3:36)
11. ASSUME THE POSITION – Lafayette Gilchrist (2:42)
12. “What the fuck did I do?” (0:12)
13. STEP BY STEP – Jesse Winchester (2:56)
14. I WALK ON GILDED SPLINTERS – Paul Weller (4:58)
15. FAST TRAIN – Solomon Burke (5:37)
16. THE BODY OF AN AMERICAN – The Pogues (4:45)
17. “All the pieces matter.” (0:08)
18. EFUGE EFUGE – Stelios Kazantzidis (3:32)
19. “Omar comin’!” (0:40)
20. WAY DOWN IN THE HOLE – DoMaJe (1:43)
21. “If it’s a lie, then we fight on that lie” (0:22)
22. PROJECTS – Tyree Colion (3:26)
23. “Later for that gangsta bullshit.” (0:38)
24. AYO – Bossman (3:20)
25. ANALYZE – Sharpshooters (2:44)
26. “Wars end.” (0:20)
27. UNFRIENDLY GAME – Masta Ace Feat. Stricklin (3:52)
28. WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT BALTIMORE – Ogun Feat. Phathead (3:16)
29. JAIL FLICK – Diablo (3:38)
30. THE LIFE, THE HOOD, THE STREETZ – Mullyman (3:47)
31. “An act of daily journalism.” (0:07)
32. I FEEL ALRIGHT – Steve Earle (2:58)
33. WAY DOWN IN THE HOLE – Tom Waits (1:45)
34. “You remember that one day summer past?” (0:41)
35. THE FALL – Blake Leyh (1:24)
Beyond Hamsterdam: Baltimore Tracks From The Wire:
1. WAY DOWN IN THE HOLE – DoMaJe (1:46)
2. PROJECTS – Tyree Colion (4:33)
3. DANCE MY PAIN AWAY – Rod Lee (2:52)
4. MY LIFE EXTRA – DJ Technics (2:39)
5. WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT BALTIMORE – Ogun feat. Phathead (3:59)
6. JAIL FLICK – Diablo (4:07)
7. WHEN YOU SEE US – The Get ‘em Mamis feat. L. Cash (4:06)
8. THAT’S DA SOUND – Dirty Hartz feat. Verb (3:56)
9. AYO – Bossman (3:52)
10. THE LIFE, THE HOOD, THE STREETZ – Mullyman (4:44)
11. ASSUME THE POSITION – Lafayette Gilchrist (6:32)
Check out the official website of The Wire www.hbo.com/thewire, by clicking here.