Song of the Day 9/11: Shawn Colvin, “Viva Las Vegas”

Today marks a memorable anniversary. I speak, of course, of Sept. 11, 1991, the date The Dude writes a 69-cent check to pay for a quart of half-and-half at Ralph’s in “The Big Lewbowski.”

Music is integral to many of the Coen brothers’ films, especially “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “Inside Llewyn Davis,” but “Lebowski” has what’s probably the most eclectic soundtrack of their entire oeuvre. It starts out with “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” by the Sons of the Pioneers and moves on to Captain Beefheart, Bob Dylan, Santana, Booker T. & the MGs, Dean Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Mozart and Mussorgsky and, of course, Creedence.

Three of the songs are covers of more famous originals: “Hotel California” by Gipsy Kings (not the Eagles), Townes Van Zandt singing the Stones’ “Dead Flowers,” and two versions of “Viva Las Vegas.” A snippet credited to “Big Johnson” plays on the car radio when Bunny Lewbowski, all 10 toes intact, is shown driving back to her mansion. The second, by Shawn Colvin, plays over the end credits. Colvin recorded the song for a 1995 tribute album to songwriter Doc Pomus, who wrote it with Mort Shuman for the 1964 Elvis Presley film.