These are the songs that were the heart and soul of film noir music of the 50s. Often haunting and romantic, the music and the way the score worked together with the dramatic action, is a huge part of the enjoyment and lasting power of these films.
The mp3 links will allow you to sample some of the songs, but the singer won't necessarily be the same one from the movie, and that version may or may not be from the 50's. Nevertheless, they all exude the ambience of film noir music from that era. You may even enjoy one or two enough to buy the full download (through Amazon.)
1950
DARK CITY
"If I Didn't Have You" -- Jack Elliott & Harold Spina "That Old Black Magic" -- Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer
"I Wish I didn't Love You So" -- Frank Loesser "I'm In The Mood For Love" -- Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
"Letter From A Lady In Love"
SOUTHSIDE 1-1000 "Je T'Aime" -- Fritz Rotter & Harold Stern Sung by Kippee Valez
SUNSET BOULEVARD "The Paramount Don't Want Me Blues" -- Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
1951
THE BIG CARNIVAL/ACE IN THE HOLE "We're Coming Leo" -- Ray Evans & Jay Livingston
CRY DANGER "Cry Danger" -- lyric by Leon Pober, music by Hugo Friedhofer
THE PROWLER "Baby" -- Lyn Murray
THE RACKET "A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening" -- lyric by Harold Adamson, music by Jimmy McHugh, sung by Lizabeth Scott
1952
CLASH BY NIGHT "I Hear A Rhapsody" -- Joe Gasparre, Jack Baker, George Fragos Sung by Tony Martin
MACAO "One For My Baby" -- Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen
"You Kill Me" -- Julie Styne & Leo Robin "Ocean Breeze" -- Lerios-Jenkins Sung by Jane Russell (who also has an album full of what could be called film noir music)
SUDDEN FEAR "Afraid" -- Elmer Bernstein & Jack Brooke "Sudden Fear" -- Irving Taylor & Arthur Altman
1953
THE BLUE GARDENIA "The Blue Gardenia" -- by Bob Russell & Lester Lee, arranged by Nelson Riddle Sung by Nat King Cole (who also plays himself in the film)
VICKI "Vicki" -- Ken Darby & Max Showalter
1954
THE LONG WAIT "Once" -- Harold Spina & Bob Russell
PRIVATE HELL 36 "Didn't You Know?" -- John Franco Sung by Ida Lupino
WORLD FOR RANSOM "Too Soon" -- Walter Samuels
1955
KISS ME DEADLY "Rather Have The Blues" --- lyrics and music by Frank DeVol Sung by Nat King Cole
NIAGARA "Kiss" -- Lionel Newman & Haven Gillespie Sung by Marilyn Monroe
1956
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT "Beyond A Reasonable Doubt" -- lyric by Alfred Perry, music by Herschel Burke Gilbert Sung by The Hi-Lo's
NIGHTMARE "What's Your Sad Story?" -- Dick Sherman "The Last I Ever Saw Of My Heart" -- lyric by Doris Houck, music by Herschel Burke Gilbert(side note: this movie is a great study of the use of film noir music, which itself plays a major role in the plot.)
1957
THE BURGLAR "You Are Mine" -- Bob Marucchi & Pete Deangelo Sung by Vince Carson
NIGHTFALL "Nightfall" -- lyric by Sam M. Lewis, music by Peter deRose & Charles Harold Sung by Al Hibbler
1958
PARTY GIRL "Party Girl" -- Nicholas Brodszky & Sammy Cahn Sung by Tony Martin
1959
THE BEAT GENERATION "Someday You'll Be Sorry" -- Louis Armstrong
"The Beat Generation" -- Tom Walter & Walter Kent (Louis Armstrong and His Allstars is in the cast)
