Listen to the playlist that convinced Matt Damon to star in We Bought a Zoo

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Director Cameron Crowe is famous for his use of music in his films. Whether it’s “In Your Eyes” from SAY ANYTHING, “Tiny Dancer” from ALMOST FAMOUS or “Secret Garden” from JERRY MAGUIRE, the man has created some of film’s most iconic scenes with the help of rock music. But Crowe doesn’t just use music to inspire his movies, also to inspire his actors.

To help convince Matt Damon to star in his upcoming film WE BOUGHT A ZOO, Crowe visited Damon on the set of TRUE GRIT and brought with him a script, a mixtape and a copy of the 1983 film LOCAL HERO. While back in NYC, Damon took a jog around Central Park and listened to the playlist. Says Damon, “I kind of finished that run and went, ‘That’s a really good feeling.'”

Normally, the Crowe mixtapes don’t make their way online, but the director gave permission to post and I’ve trolled through YouTube to find as many of the songs as possible. There’s some great stuff in here including classic Neil Young, an oft-forgotten Cat Stevens track, Wilco, My Morning Jacket and much more. Because so many were rare concert tracks that Crowe had private audio of, there are a few missing, but this should give you a good idea of what it’s like to work with Cameron Crowe…

Pete Townshend, “Save It For Later”

Eddie Vedder, “I’m Open” (Live)

Neil Young, “War of Man” (Live)

The Blue Nile, “Soul Boy”

Jackson Browne, “Mohammed’s Radio”

Shugo Tokumaru, “Sanganichi”

Billy Bragg and Wilco, “Airline to Heaven”

Bob Dylan, “Buckets of Rain”

Don Henley, “Heart of the Matter” (Live)

My Morning Jacket, “I Will Be There When You Die”

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Live)

The Rolling Stones, “Child of the Moon”

Ryan Adams, “If I Am a Stranger”

Beth Orton, “Concrete Sky”

Neil Young, “Helpless” (Live)

Cat Stevens, “Don’t Be Shy”

Mark Olson And The Creekdippers, “Nerstrand Woods”