First off, if you haven’t seen Shutter Island, go see it! Good movie!

Composer Max Ritcher composed a mesmerizing piece of music available on the film’s soundtrack which he combines with the timeless voice of blues, jazz & R&B singer, Dinah Washington (1924 – 1963). The song is very haunting and pairs well with the theme of the movie which is just as haunting. Washington originally recorded This Bitter Earth in 1960 and it was later covered by artists like Aretha Franklin, Deborah Cox and The Satisfactions, before Ritcher used the vocals for this soundtrack.

A couple notes on Dinah. She married eight times, divorced seven times and was rumored to have had an affair with Quincy Jones. Dinah passed away at the age of 39 due to ingesting a mix of prescription drugs. Dinah is well known for her version of the timeless song, Unforgettable. In her 13…