Leading lady Kirsten Dunst made her mark as Mary Jane Watson - the object of Spider Man’s affection - in the hugely successful trilogy and is currently drawing acclaim for her role in the indie film “All Good Things.” She reveals her romantic side in a list of songs about love and loss, from the simple pop of The Zombies to the epic orchestration of Guns n Roses’ November Rain.”
For More: http://www.magpictures.com/allgoodthings/
Tracks
1 – Girl Of The North Country - Johnny Cash w/ Joni Mitchell
2 – She Smiled Sweetly - The Rolling Stones
3 – November Rain - Guns N' Roses
4 – This Will Be Our Year - The Zombies
5 – Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush
Transcript
Raul Campos: Hey it’s Raul Campos from KCRW and I’m here with Kirsten Dunst. From the commercial success of the Spiderman movies to her critically acclaimed performance in the drama “All Good Things,” she’s had a varied career as an actress. Today, we’re here to talk about songs that have inspired her over the years as part of KCRW’s Guest DJ Project. Kirsten, welcome. How are you?
Kirsten Dunst: Thanks Raul, I’m great! I’m happy to be here, thank you.
RC: We’re going to talk music, so let’s get right into this first tune.
KD: I chose “North Country Girl” but it’s the version Johnny Cash does with Joni Mitchell. The first time I’d heard it was not that long ago actually. I was on a road trip across the United States and I was in Mississippi. My girlfriends had it on a playlist of theirs and it just made me cry.
RC: Now this is the version that was on his TV show, right?
KD: Yeah, it was on the Johnny Cash show, which is great. I have that whole album, but this song just sticks out to me.
RC: The way they work together is just amazing, the way both of their voices come together, it’s just perfect.
KD: Yeah, it’s just beautiful. His deep voice and her sweet songbird voice. The marriage is beautiful and I can’t believe it’s live too, it’s so perfect.
Song: Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell – North Country Girl
RC: So that was Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell, a very cool version of the tune North Country Girl. Our Guest DJ today is Kirsten Dunst, selecting tunes for the Guest DJ Project. What’s the next song that we’re going to get into?
KD: “She Smiled Sweetly” by the Rolling Stones. This song was…when I was going through this heartbreak with someone that I was never with – ever -- I played this song over and over and over again. I love when Mick Jagger sings a softer song, and this was a really romantic song to me. Song: The Rolling Stones - She Smiled Sweetly
KD: It’s romantic, but to me it’s so heartbreaking and it’s definitely a very private song. It’s one you listen to by yourself so it’s almost weird to play it on the radio. It’s definitely an alone in your car song. It feels like someone you can’t be with.
RC: Yeah, more like a breakup song.
KC: Yeah maybe, or a “never was” song.
RC: So…Mick or Keith?
KD: Oh. Come on! I’m definitely a Mick Jagger girl.
RC: That was the Rolling Stones “She Smiled Sweetly” right here at KCRW.com. So the next song we’re going to get into, we’re going to stay with the rock and roll but with something a little newer.
KD: I listened to a lot of Guns n’ Roses when I was little and I would dress up as Axl and my girl friend, who lived across the street from me, Lindsay, would dress up as Slash. She had long dark curly hair and I had long blonde hair, and we would rock out to November Rain. It’s just one of the epic rock ballads and it’s still one of my number one karaoke songs and I also thought it would be great to play it on KCRW!
Song: Guns n’ Roses – November Rain
RC: You were talking about the video, I know I’ve seen the video but I can’t remember it…
KD: It’s Stephanie Seymour and it’s like a wedding, and Slash is rocking out in front of a church in the desert. And I remember there was a sequel to the video too. It was like waiting for your favorite TV show to be continued. I remember, whenever it was on MTV, I would just stop and watch it in awe. It’s definitely one of my favorite videos of all time.
RC: It’s actually kind of like a movie. I guess I can see a relationship between the music video and the movies right?
KD: Yeah, I wish music videos were still around on TV more often. It bums me out, because it almost helps you like a song better or helps you get into certain songs more. And that one is just the perfect marriage of their relationship and rock and roll and being with a model and it was all just so dreamy to me.
RC: That was November Rain by Guns n’ Roses here at KCRW.com. So what’s this next song that we’re going to get into?
KD: “This Will be Our Year” by The Zombies. And I figure, since it’s the new year -- and I remember this song from last year too, playing it, and I think it’s a good beginning of the year song.
And it’s The Zombies, I just love them. It’s one of those albums I’d listen to over and over again and this song always just stuck out to me. It’s a classic.
RC: It’s so short and sweet. It’s like a two minute song.
KD: Yeah, but it’s so beautiful though! It doesn’t need to be more than that.
Song: The Zombies – This Will Be Our Year
RC: That was The Zombies with “This Will Be Our Year” right here at KCRW.com. Our guest DJ is Kirsten Dunst. What is this final tune we’re going to check out?
KD: It’s Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush. It’s one of my mom’s favorite songs too, actually, and I didn’t know that when I started to get into Kate Bush. But I love this other worldly quality. Her interpretive dance, she’s so wild and fantastical! I mean there is not anyone really like her, you know?
Song: Kate Bush -- Wuthering Heights
KD: She’s like an actress when she sings. I think a lot of the best singers are, you know? You have to be very emotionally connected to what you’re saying and singing.
RC: I think all of these artists you picked are very character, very flamboyant on stage. With the exception maybe of Johnny Cash. Do you gravitate towards that? To artists that when they’re on stage they have a presence, a persona up there?
KD: Yeah, I guess all the best do.
RC: That was Kate Bush doing Wuthering Heights here on KCRW.com. Our guest DJ has been Kirsten Dunst. Thank you so much for coming through, this has been such a blast!
KD: Thanks for having me, I hope everyone enjoyed it.
RC: For a complete track listing or to find these songs online go to kcrw.com/guestdjproject.