T-Bone Burnett On 10 Years Of 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' : All Songs ConsideredThe super-producer discusses the success and influence of the soundtrack album for O Brother, Where Art Thou? — and plays cuts from the newly released deluxe edition.
When the soundtrack to the Coen Brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou? hit American ears 10 years ago, the impact was as massive as it was unexpected. Led by producer T-Bone Burnett, the album paired contemporary artists with the folk, blues, country and gospel of the movie's Depression-era setting. It became a runaway hit, selling roughly nine million copies and scoring a Grammy for Album of the Year. More importantly, it kick-started an Americana music revival that is still going strong.
A 10th-anniversary reissue of the soundtrack came out this week, featuring a second disc of material not included on the original release. On this episode of All Songs Considered, Burnett speaks with Bob Boilen about the significance of the album a decade later, and plays selections from the new deluxe edition.
T-Bone Burnett On 10 Years Of 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?'
'In The Jailhouse Now' performed by Harley Allen
from O Brother, Where Art Thou? [10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition]
This song does not appear on the soundtrack, but is discussed on the show as an example of the sound Burnett strived to achieve during recording. As he puts it: "You feel like you're right there in the room with the people ... You hear the room, you hear the resonance, you hear the reflections."
![Cover for O Brother, Where Art Thou? [10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition]](https://media.npr.org/assets/music/programs/asc/2011/08/obrother10_cvr-456e07083cc72c7672e454dfacc383ebc25c9ce3-s200-c15.webp)
