DISGRACELAND: Presenting Our New Video Podcast "This Film Should Be Played Loud"

Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Jake Brennan & Seth Lundy
Theme: The intersection of music and film, with a deep dive into the music of “Goodfellas.”

Episode Overview

This special episode of DISGRACELAND introduces the new video podcast, This Film Should Be Played Loud. Hosted by Jake Brennan (of DISGRACELAND) and Seth Lundy (of Hollywoodland), the new series focuses on the convergence of music and movies. Each month, Jake and Seth dig into one film and its soundtrack/needle drops, with a lively, fan-first tone. The episode featured here is a preview, diving into the legendary music of Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, its impact on pop culture, and the art and alchemy of soundtracking.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why “This Film Should Be Played Loud”? (06:55 – 07:44)

• Purpose: Celebrate and unpack how music shapes film, with an emphasis on soundtracks, needle drops, and the stories behind those editorial decisions.
• Target Audience: Music fans who want “the rest of the story”—the context, deep cuts, and impact not covered in standard making-of docs or biopics.
• Format: Monthly episodes, exclusive to Patreon (Disgraceland All Access), blending irreverence (“not a journalistic podcast”) with genuine appreciation.

2. Personal Connections to “Goodfellas” (07:44 – 09:36)

• Jake’s Memory: First saw Goodfellas at 16—had no idea who Scorsese or De Niro was:
  “But what I did know about was the Rolling Stones, and oh my God, what this movie did for the Rolling Stones.” (07:44)
• Seth’s Memory: Came to Goodfellas later—early Scorsese exposure was via “Raging Bull” and “Taxi Driver,” but the Goodfellas soundtrack illuminated musical icons he’d not previously discovered.

3. Pre-Internet Discovery, Music & Movie Connection (09:36 – 11:17)

• Music Discovery in the ’80s/’90s:
  “We just didn’t have access to music… CDs weren’t even a thing yet. It was cassettes for us.” (10:06 – 10:20)
• The nostalgia and ‘word-of-mouth’ sharing that made movie soundtracks a true gateway.

4. Dissecting the Helicopter Scene Mixtape (11:16 – 12:58)

• The Scene: Cited as “the best mixtape inside of a movie.”
• Song-by-song Walkthrough:
  • “Jump Into the Fire” (Harry Nilsson)
  • “Memo From Turner” (Mick Jagger)
  • Live “Magic Bus” (The Who)
  • “Monkey Man” (Rolling Stones)
  • “What Is Life” (George Harrison)
  • “Mannish Boy” (Muddy Waters)
• On Musical Counterpoint:
  “The best part is… just the briefest clip of Muddy Waters… ‘Yes everything, yes everything is gonna be all right this morning.’ And then it cuts right into What Is Life, and you’re like, what the f--- is going on here?” – Seth (12:51)

5. Scorsese’s Approach: Rock as Emotional Score (13:01 – 15:14)

• Planned & Specific: Scorsese had picked specific songs for scenes years in advance.
  • “He [Scorsese] was putting it in the script… not ‘Sunshine of Your Love,’ just ‘add Cream.’”
• Comparison to Other Directors:
  “A lot of directors just say: I don’t know sh-- about music, you figure it out. Scorsese is not that dude.” – Jake

6. How Soundtracking Frames the Film’s World (15:14 – 17:05)

• Immersion: Movie feels like a constant, era-specific radio—music is part of the physical and emotional landscape.
• Authenticity:
  “It’s what he would have heard growing up in New York… that jukebox system he was living in.” – Jake (16:35)

7. Deep Dives: Obscure Song Choices and Cultural Impact (17:05 – 20:24)

• Obscurities Turned Iconic:
  “I had never heard Monkey Man… or Harry Nilsson’s Jump Into the Fire until I saw them in Goodfellas.” – Seth (17:05)
• Reviving Acts:
  “This movie does a lot for Eric Clapton, who I have a real rough relationship with.” – Jake (17:20)
  • On Clapton’s “Layla” & “Sunshine of Your Love”—Scorsese’s use made these feel vital again after a ‘lame’ era for the artists.

8. Music as Narrative Device—And the Absence of Score (26:20 – 27:27)

• No Traditional Score:
  “There’s no score in Goodfellas—zero, right, none, zilch. This has become my new favorite thing… I’ve had it with modern scoring and television.” – Jake (26:21)
• Comparison to Other Soundtrack-Focused Films:
  “There’s a best score and music supervision category at the Oscars. There is no best soundtrack award, and there should be!” – Jake (27:01)

9. Building a 1990 Soundtrack Oscar (27:51 – 34:21)

• Fantasy Nominations (1990):
  • Goodfellas
  • Pretty Woman
  • Pump Up the Volume
  • House Party
  • Ghost
• Deep Dive Into “Pump Up the Volume” and its Pixies/Concrete Blonde/MC5 mix, “Wild at Heart,” and “House Party”
• “Goodfellas might be the greatest soundtrack ever, so nothing is going to come close to it in 1990.” – Jake (34:10)

10. Soundtrack Arc & Intentional Musical Choices (34:26 – 39:21)

• Era Spanning, Narratively Driven:
  “It just seems to span the genesis of rock and roll… doo-wop, girl-group, British Invasion, drug rock.” – Seth (34:26)
• Scorsese’s Unused List:
  Songs considered but left out—e.g., “With a Little Help From My Friends” (Joe Cocker), “Gasoline Alley” (Rod Stewart), “Only the Good Die Young” (Billy Joel).

11. Soundtrack as Morality/Plot Marker (38:32 – 39:21)

• Musical Shift with Plot:
  “When the corruption comes in, when the vice comes in… we jump from doo wop to rock and roll.”
  – Seth (38:32)

• Notable Detail:
  “After Henry is arrested, the rest of the movie… has no music at all.” – Seth (39:21)
  “It’s the aftermath… it’s Heinz ketchup on egg noodles. Dead.” – Jake (39:25)

12. Life Imitates Art: Real Cameos and Meta-Music Moments (40:08 – 42:09)

• Henny Youngman’s Scene: Real-life comedian performing “Take my wife, please!”—the soundtrack as both onscreen and off, bridging clubs and crimes.
• EDITING INSIGHT:
  Scorsese fought to make sure “Rags to Riches” hit on the trunk’s downbeat, not the obvious one (41:23).

13. Soundtrack Counterpoint, Subversion, and Influence (43:14 – 44:43)

• Love Affair with Donovan’s “Atlantis”:
  “It took like 20 years of Goodfellas for me to finally be like, I love Donovan. Because of Atlantis… the counterpoint between that song, hippie dippy, and the violence.” – Jake (43:14)
• Counterpoint Examples: How Goodfellas paved the way for scenes like “Baker Street” over violence in “Good Will Hunting.”
• On Scorsese’s Bravery:
  “If you were in a bar and a fight broke out, the jukebox doesn’t care what song’s playing. That’s how life works… most creative people think we have to match the emotion, but Scorsese’s creative bravery is just… ‘No, this is how it is.’” – Jake (44:43)

14. Soundtrack as Character Arc (47:45 – 48:48)

• Rock & Roll as Corruption and Reckoning:
  “Rock and roll equals corruption. Rock and roll equals reckoning… The seduction of the lifestyle is all doo wop and girl groups. As soon as we get into the nitty gritty… it’s about rape and murder—Mick Jagger literally puking into the microphone on Monkey Man.” – Seth (47:45)

15. Soundtrack Trivia & Closing Thoughts (49:10 – End)

• Soundtrack Physical Release: Some key songs were omitted due to space—e.g., “Jump Into the Fire.”
• Closing Credits Song: Sinatra’s “My Way” was initially planned, replaced by Sid Vicious—“So much better.” (49:47)
• Setting Up the Series: Teasing future episodes on Boogie Nights, Trainspotting, and others. Inviting listeners to suggest films.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "I didn't know anything about Martin Scorsese, but what I did know was the Rolling Stones, and oh my God, what this movie did for the Rolling Stones."
  — Jake (07:44)

• "It's the best mixtape inside of a movie that I've ever come across."
  — Jake (11:45)

• "He's so fearless with his music choices...I know we all love Memo from Turner and Monkey Man, but no one knew those songs except Stones heads."
  — Jake (16:35)

• "This movie does a lot for Eric Clapton, who I have a real rough relationship with."
  — Jake (17:20)

• "There's no score in Goodfellas—zero, right, nine. Zilch."
  — Jake (26:00)

• "Goodfellas might be the greatest soundtrack ever, so nothing is going to come close to it in 1990."
  — Jake (34:10)

• "As soon as we get into the nitty gritty of Henry Hill doing cocaine... it's about rape and murder, Mick Jagger literally, like, puking into the microphone on Monkey Man."
  — Seth (48:10)

• "If you were in a bar and a fight broke out, the jukebox doesn’t care what song’s playing... most creative people think we have to match the emotion, but Scorsese’s creative bravery is just: No, this is how it is."
  — Jake (44:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro to “This Film Should Be Played Loud” – 06:55
• Jake & Seth’s Personal Introductions to “Goodfellas” – 07:44
• Music Discovery in the Pre-Internet Era – 09:36
• Dissecting the Helicopter Scene Music Mix – 11:16
• Scorsese’s Song Choices & Filmmaking Process – 13:01
• Movie as Radio/Playlist – 16:09
• Impact on The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, & Obscurities – 17:05
• The Absence of Traditional Score – 26:20
• Best Soundtrack Fantasy Oscar for 1990 – 27:51
• Soundtrack’s Role in Marking Plot & Moral Descent – 38:32
• Henny Youngman—Music/Comedy/Soundtrack as World-building – 40:08
• Counterpoint (Donovan, “Atlantis,” Violence in Film) – 43:14
• Closing Thoughts, Future Episodes, Listener Suggestions – 51:00

Future of the Series

• Upcoming Episode Previews:
  Boogie Nights, Trainspotting, Rachel Getting Married, “maybe seventeen different Scorsese ones,” and possible deep dives on the intentional use (or absence) of music in film (e.g., “No Country for Old Men”).
• Listener Engagement: Solicitation for movie suggestions via Patreon.

Tone & Language Recap

The conversation is loose, passionate, and effusive, brimming with authenticity. It flows as a genuine exchange—fan-to-fan and music-nerd-to-movie-nerd—rather than as a rigid interview or research lecture. Both hosts blend personal anecdotes, deep cuts, and spirited tangents, creating a sense of fun and expertise in equal measure.

Summary for New Listeners

Even if you’ve never seen Goodfellas, this episode brings to life how a film’s music not only colors its scenes but can fundamentally alter the cultural perception of specific artists, resurrect obscure tracks, and even define how “cool” a genre or artist seems to new generations. Jake and Seth’s chat demystifies the crafting of a truly great movie soundtrack—less about trending hits, more about emotional depth, narrative precision, and creative risk. The episode is a celebration of film, music, and the moments where they collide to become something iconic.

For more: This Film Should Be Played Loud is available monthly to Patreon subscribers of Disgraceland All Access.
To join and suggest future films, visit disgracelandpod.com.