In honor of Isabella Rossellini‘s birthday, enjoy the full, unabridged version of her poignant cover of Bobby Vinton’s “Blue Velvet,” which was only partially featured in David Lynch’s 1986 film inspired by and named after the song.
When her character, Dorothy Vallens, performs “Blue Velvet” on stage at The Slow Club (accompanied by Isabella Rossellini’s vocal coach and the song’s musical arranger, Angelo Badalamenti, on piano), the audience doesn’t get to hear the song in its entirety. About a minute into the performance, the song fades naturally into “Blue Star” (also included in full below) to signify the passage of time, as Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) and Sandy Williams (Laura Dern) prepare to leave the club. Later in the film, Jeffrey observes Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper) reacting to a different section of the song.
In this unique edit, SpaceHunterM combines the recording on the 1990 re-issue of the Blue Velvet soundtrack, rehearsal footage of Isabella Rossellini on stage as well as the second half of the song from Peter Braatz’s Blue Velvet Revisited documentary, VHS footage from the Karl-Lorimar Home Video release, and the film’s audio for the last portion. Although it’s entirely mono for aural consistency, the result is magical and the most complete version you’ll hear unless they cut a new soundtrack using the master.
Isabella Rossellini sings “Blue Velvet” in its entirety
Isabella Rossellini sings “Blue Star” by Angelo Badalamenti & David Lynch
Lyrics to Blue Star by Angelo Badalamenti & David Lynch:
As lonely as a blue star
Moonlight alone
So lonely without you
Tears lit by a blue star since you’ve been untrue
Shadow, oh so blue
Lit by a blue star
Which once burned so brightly
Like our love, now so dim, so far away
Like you are from me
So blue
As lonely as a blue, blue star
Fire walk with 
