Alan Ball’s Celebrity Music Playlist

Alan E. Ball was born May 13, 1957 and is an American writer, director, actor and producer for film, theatre and television. He is noted for writing the films American Beauty and Towelhead, and creating and producing the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and True Blood. For his work in television and film, Ball has received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including an Academy Award, an Emmy and a Golden Globe.

Celebrity Tunes presents Alan Ball’s music playlist.

"Round the Bend" (Track 1): “Once after knee surgery, I took a vicodin the doctor had prescribed and chased it with a glass of red wine, and about half an hour later I felt all sensation draining out of my body. This song, aside from being gorgeous, reminds me of that feeling.”
"Mezzanine" (Track 2): “Hypnotic, dark, and unsettling. Who doesn’t love that?”
"O Magnum Mysterium" (Track 3): “I play this when I’m really stressed, and it always helps me to calm down and to put whatever is stressing me out into perspective. Plus it makes me feel all, like, tragic and redeemed, and heroic.”
"I Will Follow (2005 Live from Milan)" (Track 4): “I used to play this on my Walkman when I ran, and now I have knee issues. Thanks a lot, U2!”
"New Coat of Paint" (Track 5): “How great is Tom Waits? A genius songwriter, with one of the most expressive voices ever.”
"Over the Rainbow" (Track 6): “This song is a melodic masterpiece – yes, I am gay – and this is a profoundly emotional interpretation that never ceases to move me.”
"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)[One World Remix]" (Track 7): “This song reminds me of summer night parties in back yards in Brooklyn, back before I moved to Hollywood and sold my soul.”
"The Very Thought of You" (Track 8): “Everything about this recording is lush – the melody, his voice, the arrangement. It’s like taking a hot bath in a fur bathtub. With vicodin and red wine.”
"Save It For Later" (Track 9): “This song still makes me want to dance, even with my bad knees. Thanks, English Beat!”
"Parrel Life" (Track 10): “You know that music they play in upscale boutiques, hotels, restaurants, etc., to make you feel really hip and good about yourself so you’ll spend money? This is one of my favorite examples of that kind of music.”
"Don't Dream It's Over" (Track 11): “When I moved from Florida to New York in 1986, I drove for two days in someone else’s car. This song was a big hit at the time, and every radio station played it around the clock, so it always reminds me of that trip, which included a stop at the world famous Natural Bridge in Virgina.”
"Conservative, Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males" (Track 12): “I discovered Todd Snider while trolling iTunes for songs to put in a

Download Alan Ball’s Music Playlist from iTunes

	Song	Album	Artist
1	Round the Bend	Sea Change	Beck
2	Mezzanine	Mezzanine	Massive Attack
3	O Magnum Mysterium	A Robert Shaw Christmas: Angels on High	Robert Shaw & Robert Shaw Chamber Singers
4	I Will Follow (2005 Live from Milan)	U218 Singles (Deluxe Version)	U2
5	New Coat of Paint	The Heart of Saturday Night	Tom Waits
6	Over the Rainbow	La Scala (Live)	Keith Jarrett
7	Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)[One World Remix]	Club Classics, Vol. 1 – 10th Anniversary Edition	Soul II Soul
8	The Very Thought of You	Love Songs	Nat “King” Cole
9	Save It For Later	Beat This! The Best of the English Beat	The English Beat
10	Parrel Life	Parallel Life	The Starseeds
11	Don’t Dream It’s Over	Crowded House	Crowded House
12	Conservative, Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males	East Nashville Skyline	Todd Snider