Most television shows don’t have music guides for each episode on their websites. Finding the music you happen to hear, on your favorite show, usually involves a trip to Google and a prayer you don’t get an STD from a lyrics website. Then again, most television shows aren’t even playing the same game as Sons of Anarchy. The best show on TV is redefining the music soundtrack and it struck again last night.

Over the past few months, I have heard three songs while watching Sons of Anarchy that absolutely stopped me in my tracks. Each was that rare combination of lyrics, sound and in the perfect moment. I went out to my usual places to see if I could find them and listen to them. I found one of the songs on an artists Myspace page, one of the songs was recorded straight from someone’s TV on youtube and the third one was absolutely nowhere to be found. I had pretty much given up on the first two songs by the time I started looking for the third one. I happened to head to Itunes looking for it and low and behold there was a five song Sons of Anarchy soundtrack for sale. The most amazing part of that discovery? The soundtrack had five songs and yes, the three I wanted were there.

I am not sure if this is a brilliant marketing strategy on the part of the person in charge of music for Sons of Anarchy or just a case of wow we have the exact same taste in music. Either way the sound track has some amazing songs on it.

The first song I was looking for is “John The Revelator” by Curtis Stigers & The Forest Rangers, the same group that performs the Sons of Anarchy theme song “This Life”. “John The Revelator” is the song that was playing at the end of season 1 during Donna’s funeral. It is a bluesy track shrouded in religion and darkness. Originally recorded in 1930 by Blind Willie Johnson the song underwent a transformation in 1965 by Son House. House’s version is the one used in Son’s of Anarchy.

The second song was “Forever Young” by Audra Mae. It is a Bob Dylan cover and I can’t listen to Mae’s version without getting choked up. I have a one year old daughter and the lyrics to “Forever Young” say everything I feel as a dad when I look at her.

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young. – Bob Dylan “Forever Young”

The third song is also a Bob Dylan cover. I mean, if you are gonna cover the same person multiple times, you could do a lot worse than Bob Dylan. “Girl From the North Country” by the Lions is just another amazing song. Dylan’s lyrics always paint such amazing pictures and this tribute to a former girlfriend is no exception.

Remember me to one who lives there
she once was a true love of mine – Bob Dylan “Girl From the North Country”

They really are three amazing songs and I highly encourage you to check them out or buy it on Itunes like I did. Sometimes something is just so good, you have to spend some money. This soundtrack was definitely worth a few bucks. You can bet I will be buying the next one and I will go ahead and tell you now. The next Sons of Anarchy soundtrack will have “Mary” by Patty Griffin on it. Mark my words.

Purchase Sons of Anarchy: North Country Soundtrack