Easy Rider is a 1969 American independent road drama film written by
Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda,
and directed by Hopper. Released by Columbia Pictures on 14 July 1969,
the critics praised the performances, directing, writing, soundtrack,
and visuals. A landmark counterculture film, and a "touchstone for a
generation", Easy Rider explores the societal landscape, issues, and
tensions towards adolescents in the US during the 1960s, such as the
rise of the hippie movement, drug use, and communal lifestyle. It
received two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay
and Best Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson). In 1998, the film was
selected for preservation in the United States National Film
Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally,
historically, or aesthetically significant".
"The Weight", as originally recorded by The Band for their 1968 debut
album Music From Big Pink, was used in the film but could not be
licensed for the soundtrack. To deal with this, ABC-Dunhill
commissioned Smith, who recorded for the label at the time, to
record a cover version of the song for the soundtrack album.
Easy Rider is the soundtrack album to the cult classic 1969 film Easy
Rider. The songs that make up the soundtrack were carefully selected to
form a "musical commentary" within the film. The album of the soundtrack
was released by ABC-Dunhill Records in August 1969. It peaked at #6 on
the Billboard 200 Albums chart in September of that year.
A Playlist of all HT Class of '73 Songs of the Day is available by clicking below:
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