Trainspotting: the best of its legendary soundtrack

Twenty years on, Danny Boyle is finally unleashing his fervently-awaited sequel to Trainspotting on an eager Planet Earth, on January 27th. Of course, just as iconic as Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle’s masterful performances in the original was the incendiary soundtrack. Here, Music Crowns runs through some of the best cuts…  you’re *very* welcome.

George Bizet – Carmen Habanera Instrumental 

Providing a gloriously evocative ambient complement to the moment Renton decides to quit heroin, Bizet’s famous aria was a magnificent addition to the Trainspotting soundtrack. Listen to it here:

 

Lou Reed – Perfect Day

Reed’s classic 1972 opus appears when Renton overdoses and ends up being revived in hospital. A “You’re gonna reap just what you sow” refrain is sung over a gasping Renton suddenly regaining consciousness before being sheepishly shipped back home in a taxi with his parents.

 

Sleeper – Atomic 

After kicking heroin and spending time locked in a cheap hotel room to get through the withdrawal, Renton hits a club with his friends and meets Diane, who he spends the night with before finding out she’s a 15-year-old schoolgirl. Playing on the club’s sound system when the two spot each other is Britpoppers Sleeper’s cover of the Blondie new-wave classic.

 

Iggy Pop – Lust For Life

Opening the movie, accompanying Renton and friends on the run after shoplifting, and also soundtracking its promotional trailer, Iggy’s bombastic Lust For Life has become synonymous with the imagery of Trainspotting. The Prodigy have remixed the track for inclusion on the sequel’s soundtrack because – let’s face it – it just wouldn’t be the same without it.

 

Underworld – Born Slippy .NUXX 

Often mistaken for its sister single Born Slippy, Underworld’s rapturous techno classic owes its huge commercial success to its inclusion in Trainspotting, during the club scene. The Guardian called it the “most experimental and sonically extreme hit of the 90s.” An updated version, entitled Slow Slippy, has been created for T2 Trainspotting.