Gustavo Santaolalla: "De Usuahia a la Quiaca" (Literally "From Usuahia to Quiaca")

"De Usuahia a la Quiaca" was written for the film "The Motorcycle Diaries."  The music is played as the main characters are sweeping along mountain roads on their journey through South America on a motorcycle.  Since watching the film, this piece of music has become one of my favorites for traveling.  Not just because of the film in which I first heard it played,  but because of how it is written.  Somehow the composer created a piece of music that makes you feel that you should be on a journey, or that you already are on one.   A journey that begins slowly, filled with uncertainty.  A journey that grows as new sights, sounds and people come across our path.  A journey that ultimately becomes an adventure. 

De Usuahia a la Quiaca

Seu Jorge: Covering David Bowie - "Life on Mars", "Changes"

Cover songs often just get a bad wrap. Cover bands, for example, are often considered to be the Diet Pepsi version of the real thing. Often they fall short of expectations. However, from time to time, someone comes along and covers another's music and something magical happens. 

Case in point, Seu Jorge, a Brazlian musician, covered a number of David Bowie songs for the film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (which just happens to be an amazing picture). The outcome - some amazing songs. The cool thing about these songs is that everyone - fans, embarrassed closet David Bowie fans like myself, and those who simply can't stand his music can find something special in these songs. 

Here are some of my favorites. By the way, if you are interested, click on the titles above the videos to go to the David Bowie versions of these songs on YouTube - just as awesome in my opinion. 

"Life on Mars"

"Changes"