Popol Vuh: Aguirre I (l’acrime di rei)

Continuing my focus on the music of 1975, today’s song is from my favorite movie soundtrack of the year. Great soundtracks are always amazing. The ability of an artist to create incidental music to fit perfectly with someone else’s cinematic vision is an art form like no other. Even more amazing is when you can’t imagine a film without the soundtrack. I’m not talking about collections of songs like the Footloose soundtrack. I’m talking about true incidental music that sets the mood without taking center stage. I would argue that there is no better example of this than the films of Werner Herzog with music by Popol Vuh. Unless you are a cinephile, you may not have ever seen a Herzog film. If that is the case, then I would suggest that you make a note to watch Werner Herzog’s Nosferatu this Halloween, with music by Popol Vuh. In the meantime, pick an evening to watch Herzog’s Aguirre, Wrath of God and prepare yourself to be mesmerized by the images and music within the film. I won’t attempt to describe my first encounter with this film and its music over 35 years ago, except to say that it was one of those moments that changes how one looks at art.  

If you are interested in other years, check out my Year in Review series.

To listen to all of the songs of the day, check out the Radio Faux Show Song of the Day playlist.

• Best of 1975
• Saturday Lost Classic