Lujon
"Lujon" is a musical piece by Henry Mancini.
Background
Its name comes from the lujon percussion instrument heard on the recording.Henry Mancini recording
It appeared on his 1961 album Mr. Lucky Goes Latin, but was an original piece of music that had nothing to do with the Mr. Lucky television program. It was included in the soundtracks for the films The Big Lebowski, Sexy Beast, W.E., and Two Lovers. Mancini would later record a jazz/swing version of "Slow Hot Wind" and include it on his 1975 album Symphonic Soul. The song reached No. 38 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1976.Other versions
- With lyrics by Norman Gimbel, titled as "Slow Hot Wind", the song was recorded by Johnny Hartman, Sarah Vaughan, Sérgio Mendes & Brazil '66, Roseanna Vitro, Julee Cruise, and others.
- The song was remixed as "Ocean Beach" by Black Mighty Orchestra on the compilation album Chilled 1991–2008.
- "Lujon" is featured in the 1996 album Sacrebleu by Dimitri from Paris, Track 19, renamed "Epilogue".
- Belgian trip hop band Hooverphonic recorded a version of the song overlaid with vocals, "No More Sweet Music". from the 2005 eponymous album.
- "Lujon" was recorded by Les Deux Love Orchestra and appears on the album King Kong, featuring members of Mancini's original orchestra.
In popular culture
- "Lujon" appeared in the 1998 movie The Big Lebowski where lead character Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski was enticed by porn producer Jackie Treehorn to go after Bunny Lebowski for the money Treehorn loaned her. The song is played in Treehorn's bachelor pad while he drugs The Dude.
- It also appeared in the 2000 film Sexy Beast in a dream-like sequence involving Gal and his wife.
- "Lujon" appeared in the 2008 movie Two Lovers during a restaurant sequence.
- It is used in the 2004 film Never Die Alone, in a scene by the pool.
- The track appears on DJ Cam's 2001 downtempo album Honeymoon and in the 2011 film W.E. by Madonna.
- It is used in Ron Howard's 2016 documentary The Beatles: [Eight Days a Week] to introduce manager Brian Epstein.
- DJ and producer Nightmares on Wax sampled the song during his 2013 London Boiler Room set.
- R&B singer Amber Mark sampled "Lujon" on her 2020 single "Generous."
- American rapper Tyler, the Creator sampled "Slow Hot Wind" performed by Penny Goodwin on "Hot Wind Blows" from his 2021 album Call Me If You Get Lost.