Truly, any of the songs from The Commitments could be chosen for the monthly musical moment, as they are all exceptional. There’s the triumphant build of Try a Little Tenderness, the riotous Mr Pitiful (which is presented in a very different light in the West End musical), the feel-good Take Me to the River, and the classic Mustang Sally, to name but a few. So due to there being so many amazing songs in this film, and the fact that none of the scenes are on Youtube save for bonus track Treat Her Right, it only seems fitting that we honour the whole of The Commitments as a Monthly Musical Moment.
What this film shows is that music is about feeling, passion, politics, and soul. That some kids in a run-down pub in Dublin can take inspiration from a music and an experience so far removed from their lives, and connect with it in new ways. It also shows that Andrew Strong is a bloody good singer, and that Roddy Doyle has written a hilarious story with a party spirit. The ramshackle arrangement of the band, and the story, only adds to the charm of the whole experience, and has no doubt inspired many a viewer to take up music for the sheer fun of it. There can be no better way to spend St Patrick’s Day than in the company of The Commitments.