soundtrack

Whitney Houston | I Love the Lord

“We may never see the likes of a Richard Smallwood in gospel music again … Smallwood was an innovative songwriter and director who blended skillfully the majesty of classical choral music with the Black church writ large,” (Journal of Gospel Music). “His songs and arrangements possess an intensity that crosses denominational boundaries. Whether Pentecostal, Baptist, AME, or CME, congregants know the catalog of Richard Smallwood. It has its own brilliance, its own timbre. You recognize it when you hear it.

… His music even made the silver screen; Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir sang his arrangement of “I Love the Lord,” recorded originally in the late 1970s by the Union Temple Young Adult Choir, for the 1996 holiday film The Preacher’s Wife.”

Richard Smallwood reported that “[The music supervisor for The Preacher’s Wife] told me ‘I Love the Lord’ was one of Whitney’s favorite songs and one that she had grown up singing in church,” (Brooklyn White-Grier). “It also was a song that she wanted to do in the movie. When I found out — excited is an understatement! One of my songs in a major motion picture sung by one of the greatest singers ever, was a dream I never thought was possible.”

Beginning in C major with a solo section for Houston, the tune swells with the addition of choir and string section as the tonality climbs to Db major at 1:29. The texture continues to strengthen through the 4:00 mark, where the track ends with a softer-spoken string section.

Once Before I Go (from “The Boy from Oz”)

“(Thirty) years after he last had his name up in lights on Broadway, and a little over (25 years) after his death, Peter Allen lives again on stage (Theater Mania) … Allen’s life and music are celebrated the musical The Boy From Oz … (For the 2003 production), Allen was portrayed by a fellow Australian, Hugh Jackman, who achieved box-office stardom in the X-Men movies … the show’s librettist, Martin Sherman: ‘Everybody who encountered him adored him. He didn’t have the greatest voice, but he had that dynamic quality, his secret weapon.’ Jackman, for his part, has remarked that ‘Peter’s whole essence was very joyous. He was fearless, outrageous, and childlike, and he definitely lived life to the full.’

… The conceit of Sherman’s libretto is that we’re at a Peter Allen concert during which the performer recounts the story of his life. ‘When I saw him in concert, I remember thinking, These songs sound like they belong in the theater,’ says Sherman. Spinning a musical out of an existing collection of songs is not at all unusual these days: Mamma Mia! took the approach of brazenly allowing the audience into the joke of how and where the songs were placed. The Boy From Oz goes in the opposite direction, creating the illusion that Allen wrote the songs to punctuate his life story. Popular hits recorded by the likes of Melissa Manchester (‘Don’t Cry Out Loud’), Olivia Newton John (‘I Honestly Love You’), Ann-Margret (‘Once Before I Go’), and Frank Sinatra (‘You and Me’) reveal unexpectedly deep emotional layers in this new context.”

Jackman’s version of “Once Before I Go” begins in A major. The tune is full of cliché melodic shapes and chord progressions, but particularly in light of Allen’s biography, the lyric is undeniably affecting. 2:44 brings a shift to Bb major.

Neal Hefti + His Orchestra | Gotham City Municipal Swing Band

Let’s face it, most people know Neal Hefti’s music through his television theme songs. He wrote the theme for The Odd Couple and of course, the Batman theme song. Holy (if stately) Wayne Manor!

But before this television work, Hefti was a respected trumpeter and arranger for big bands dating back to the 1930s. He was a member of Woody Herman’s band, and wrote for Buddy Rich, Charlie Barnet, and Harry James. After moving to California in 1960, he wrote several film scores, including for the movie version of The Odd Couple. His film, television, and recordings earned him ten Grammy nominations, with two of those becoming awards. Besides the theme, he wrote a number of other songs for the Batman TV show, collected on a 1966 RCA release, Batman Theme & Other Bat Songs. The tune here comes from that album.

Admittedly, the tune is lightweight, if excellently played and recorded, as befits the associated subject matter — no complaints brooked. Upward modulations at 1:17 and 1:52.

I Believe (from “Book of Mormon”)

“The Book of Mormon was developed by Matt Stone, Trey Parker, and Robert Lopez,” (Broadway World). “Trey and Matt infamously created the South Park animated series, and Robert Lopez helped conceive the puppet comedy Avenue Q. They took eight years to develop this one (small workshops that progressively grew larger), which finally opened on Broadway in 2011, launching the careers of Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad. These sublimely brilliant guys crafted an insanely fast-paced book that whips out impressive songs bordering on Sondheim in their narrative complexity and density of words.

But the twist is the lyrics and plot points are peppered with F-Bombs and jokes about Africa, AIDS, gays, Mormons, Christians, and pedophilia. The combination of well-sung songs about inappropriate observations is the genius of the show. And much like their other ventures, the material has smart things to say in an ultimately heartfelt way. That is why we are talking about this show as a ‘legacy musical’ today: at the core, it is a wonderful friendship that is incredible to watch.”

“I Believe,” one of the show’s best known tunes, states a laundry list of tenets of the Mormon faith with even more earnestness than you’d expect — and varying levels of sarcasm. The tonality shifts up from F major to F# major at 3:33.

Reflection (from “Mulan”)

” … (Mulan tells) the classic story of a Chinese peasant girl who disguises herself as a man so that she can take her ailing father’s place as a soldier in the emperor’s war against the Huns,” (TheaterMania). “After years of successfully concealing her true identity, her secret is ultimately revealed and Mulan is worshipped for her courage and loyalty. This legendary story finds even more relevance among audiences today with its message of bravery, leadership and the importance of family.”

Alan Menken wrote “Reflection” for the 1998 Disney release of Mulan; an off-Broadway live theatre production also ran from from 2012-2013. “Menken has collaborated with such lyricists as Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, Glenn Slater, Stephen Schwartz and David Zippel,” (Mulan Wiki). “With eight Academy Award wins (four each for Best Score and Best Song), Menken is the second most prolific Oscar winner in the music categories after Alfred Newman, who has nine Oscars. He has also won eleven Grammy Awards, a Tony Award and other honors.”

Starting in F major, shifting to Ab major at 0:41. At 1:45, F major returns, but not for long: 1:55 brings a return to Ab, along with a quickening tempo and a burgeoning instrumentation. This performance features Lea Salonga, who sang the title role for the film.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (from “Mary Poppins”)

“The tongue-twisting term ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,’ sung by magical nanny Mary Poppins, is like much of Robert B. Sherman’s work — both complex and instantly memorable, for child and adult alike,” (Today.com). “Once heard, it was never forgotten. Sherman, an American who died in London at age 86 (in 2012), was half of a sibling partnership that put songs into the mouths of nannies and Cockney chimney sweeps, jungle animals and Parisian felines.

Robert Sherman and his (lyricist) brother Richard composed scores for films including The Jungle Book, The Aristocats, Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They also wrote the most-played tune on Earth, ‘It’s a Small World (After All).’ … Son Jeffrey Sherman paid tribute to his father on Facebook, saying he ‘wanted to bring happiness to the world and, unquestionably, he succeeded.’ Jeffrey Sherman told The Associated Press that his father had learned the craft of songwriting from his own father, Tin Pan Alley composer Al Sherman. ‘His rule in writing songs was keep it singable, simple and sincere,’ Jeffrey Sherman said. ‘In the simplest things you find something universal.'”

The half step key changes in “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (1964) certainly take a back seat to the wall-to-wall lyrics and exquisite dancing of Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke, but nonetheless take place at 0:48 and 1:16. Many thanks to our contributor Scott R. for this submission — his third!

One Day (from “Groundhog Day”)

“In the role that won him the 2017 Olivier, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Award for Best Actor, Andy Karl plays Phil Connors—a disgruntled big-city weatherman mysteriously stuck in small-town America reliving the same day over and over and over again—with no consequences, no regrets, no tomorrows, and no hangovers,” (Broadway.com). “But once he starts getting to know associate TV producer Rita Hanson, he discovers it’s a day of second, third, and fourth chances.

“Tim Minchin, with too many credits to mention, perfects the music and lyrics for Groundhog Day,” (New York Theatre Guide). “Minchin’s score makes a joyful noise, to be sure, but it is not unalloyed hoopla. As one of the shows recurring lines underscores — for all the toe tapping mania — ‘there’s a sense of sadness’ (and, I would argue, of substance). While there is a nod to Leonard Cohen and another to Jerome Kern … this is an original score that will endure. The sometimes dense lyrics, by turns funny and poignant — in the mode of Sondheim — leave you stretching to sort it all out at times. It’s more than worth the effort.”

Starting in Eb major, the piece shifts to G major after the solos and as the chorus enters at 1:52. The footage is from the rehearsals for the 2023 return of the show at London’s Old Vic Theatre.

Dentist! (from “Little Shop of Horrors”)

“… Even if you aren’t a fan of musicals, please don’t instantly dismiss Little Shop. There’s so much more to it than people describing the minutia of their lives through song,” (The Guardian). “With nods to sci-fi and B-movies, as well as its effective self-mockery, it’s an easy way to get acquainted with the musical comedy genre. Directed by Frank Oz, the 1986 film is based on the 1982 off-Broadway stage show of the same name, which in turn is based on a 1960 Roger Corman film, which it largely honours in terms of story.

… Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are to be thanked for the lyrics and music respectively, with Ashman also writing the screenplay – though their names are probably more associated with late 80s and early 90s Disney films such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin … (the show) draws on 60s rock’n’roll, doo-wop and swing, and I think there might even be a bit of calypso in there. Little Shop is a love story. It’s also a story about conquering your demons and discovering the best you can be – even if it takes a blood-guzzling talking plant to get you there.”

The uptempo tune “Dentist!” is immortalized in the film version of the musical by comedian Steve Martin, whose strong musicality has never gotten enough notice — perhaps because his comedic skills are even better. A textbook whole-step key change hits exactly where you’re hoping to hear it — about 60% of the way through the tune (1:34).

Whitney Houston | Joy to the World

As always, we kick off the holiday season with Whitney Houston‘s inimitable cover of “Joy To The World,” originally recorded for the 1996 film The Preacher’s Wife. This arrangement hits the mark in every way — there are key changes at 0:43, 1:48, 2:22, 3:00 and 3:12, as well as a false ending at 3:37.

Mama Cass | Different (from “PufNStuff”)

“Cass Elliot didn’t just sing on a kids’ show,” (Kendall LeJeune). “She turned a children’s puppet fantasy into pure camp gospel. The way she sings ‘Different’ as a spell, equal parts lullaby and incantation. That’s presence. That’s control … she transforms a TV cameo into a cultural artifact. Witch hat, velvet cape, full vocal power. She knew the audience would remember. And we do.”

“‘Different’ is the sixth song in the soundtrack of the movie Pufnstuf (1970) and is the first of two songs which are sung the antagonists of the movie,” (Fandom.com). “During the Witch’s Council, after the Boss Witch’s assistant starts the record player, Witch Hazel sings about how she discovered from a very young age that she was different from other people and how she used her difference to her advantage before meeting the other witches. During the course of the song, Hazel is joined by the other witches in refrains of certain words in the verses and for three quarters of the song’s chorus. After the song is finished, while the other witches applaud Hazel, Witchiepoo acts unamused, since Hazel is also up for Witch of the Year.”

The track begins in F major, shifting to G major for a second verse at 0:23. The chorus, starting at 0:38, leads up to a melodically surprising ending. 0:58 brings a G major interlude which connects us to another verse which reverts back to F major (1:01). The pattern continues from there.

Below is a video with high audio quality, but also check out the second posted video of the actual footage from Pufnstuf. For a synopsis and review of the film, check out the 366 Weird Movies site — it was too dense with detailed descriptions to choose an excerpt!

Many thanks to Maureen BZ for calling our attention to this one-of-a-kind track.