As silent film stars go, Louise Brooks is something of a musical icon. Tributes have been paid to the actress in rock and pop music, as well as in jazz, classical and country music. There have also been a couple of original soundtracks, a musical, experimental music, and a song cycle. Besides being the subject of a handful of songs and other musical compositions, Brooks has also appeared on the cover of various releases (see “Louise Brooks – Contemporary Album Covers “), and appeared in a musical videos. This page surveys a few music firsts, including covers and videos, all related to the one and only Louise Brooks.
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FIRST ALBUM COVER |
FIRST ROCK COVER (45 rpm single) The Freeze Celebration A1 records, 1980 rock | Scotland |
FIRST SOUNDTRACK Robert Viger & Alain Bernaud Diary of a Lost Girl PSI records, 1981 soundtrack | France |
FIRST SONG ABOUT BROOKS Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark Pandora’s Box (It’s a long, long way) Virgin, 1991 rock | UK |
There are stories behind a few of these firsts…. In 2024, I emailed Karsten Vogel asking why Louise Brooks appears on the cover of his debut album. Vogel wrote back, stating “I am a great admirer of Louise Brooks and still find that she is one of the most beautiful women in the world as well as great actor. I had no designer for the cover and the choice was all mine. I got the photo at the Danish Movie Academy (and the right to use it – it was quite cheap!). Since the title of the album was Birds of Beauty (as well as the title for one of the songs) it was obvious for me to have Louise Brooks on the cover if possible. And it was. I got hold of Louise Brooks private address and send her a copy of the album with a few words but it was returned without comments.” Flash forward four years … The first rock music nod to Brooks — at least in the form of a cover — may be from The Freeze, a punk/new wave band from Scotland. In 1980, they released a 45rpm single featuring “Celebration”, which the back sleeve notes is “dedicated to Louise Brooks who inspired this song.” Like Karsten Vogel, composer Gordon Sharp of The Freeze also reportedly sent his recording to the actress. (Gordon Sharp, now known as Cinder, later formed the group Cindytalk.) The story behind “Pandora’s Box (It’s a long, long way),” the first rock/pop song about Brooks, can be found on the LBS page OMD and Louise Brooks.
And here are a few music video firsts.
| FIRST MUSIC VIDEO APPEARANCE (1985) The Lotus Eaters – “It Hurts” |
The earliest rock music video which includes footage of Brooks is likely “It Hurts” by the Lotus Eaters, from 1985. The video was once shown on television during an American episode of Max Headroom, sometime circa 1986.
| FIRST COUNTRY MUSIC VIDEO TRIBUTE (1997) Lorrie Morgan – “Go Away” |
In this 1997 video, country superstar Lori Morgan is made up to look like various cinema legends, including Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Elizabeth Taylor and Louise Brooks (at the 57 second mark). Reportedly, Morgan also appeared as Brooks in a calendar from the time.
| FIRST JAZZ VIDEO TRIBUTE (2013) Caro Emerald – “Tangled Up” |
Carol Emerald is a popular Dutch pop and jazz singer who mainly performs in English. This swell song comes from her 2013 album The Shocking Miss Emerald. Images of Louise Brooks appear on the walls of the club in which Emerald sings. Remarkably, this video has received more than 11 million views!