ghost of miles Posted January 11, 2006 Report Posted January 11, 2006 So--did Hollywood execs bring in Bacharach & David to write a title theme because they were unhappy w/Sonny's? Or was the "two different themes" the plan all along? Quote
ghost of miles Posted January 12, 2006 Author Report Posted January 12, 2006 Yes. Thanks mu--hey, wait a sec! Quote
MartyJazz Posted January 12, 2006 Report Posted January 12, 2006 Anyone who has seen this film knows that after hearing some wonderful Rollins playing original music throughout, the film inexplicably ends with the Bacharach version of "Alfie" sung by Cher over the closing credits. However, an interesting discovery I made a few years ago is that the VHS copy of "Alfie" ends with Rollins wailing his "Alfie" theme beautifully during the closing credits. This convinced me that the conception of the director, Lewis Gilbert, was that Rollins' music would be present throughout the film and that the imposition of the Bacharach theme at the end had to be a commercial decision. Unfortunately, the DVD reinforces this impression as it contains the Bacharach ending, a fact I discovered when I borrowed a DVD copy from the local library. Obviously, I'll keep that VHS copy. Quote
Alexander Posted January 12, 2006 Report Posted January 12, 2006 I love Sonny's score for the film, but I also happen to love Bachrach/David's tune. Joss Stone recorded a killer version for the film with Jude Law. Brad Mehldau does nice things with that tune as well... Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 12, 2006 Report Posted January 12, 2006 I love Sonny's score for the film, but I also happen to love Bachrach/David's tune. Joss Stone recorded a killer version for the film with Jude Law. Brad Mehldau does nice things with that tune as well... Pucho & the Latin Soul Brothers, too. MG Quote
medjuck Posted January 12, 2006 Report Posted January 12, 2006 Anyone who has seen this film knows that after hearing some wonderful Rollins playing original music throughout, the film inexplicably ends with the Bacharach version of "Alfie" sung by Cher over the closing credits. However, an interesting discovery I made a few years ago is that the VHS copy of "Alfie" ends with Rollins wailing his "Alfie" theme beautifully during the closing credits. This convinced me that the conception of the director, Lewis Gilbert, was that Rollins' music would be present throughout the film and that the imposition of the Bacharach theme at the end had to be a commercial decision. Unfortunately, the DVD reinforces this impression as it contains the Bacharach ending, a fact I discovered when I borrowed a DVD copy from the local library. Obviously, I'll keep that VHS copy. It's also possible that at the timeof the VHS release the stsudio hadn't cleared the rights to the pop song for home video. That happened a lot with films made befoer about 1982. We had a film held from video release for nearly 20 years because the contract for the many songs in it hadn't been specific about home video. This still happens with tv series: i.e. when they're released on home video they don't always have the original songs in them. Quote
fent99 Posted January 13, 2006 Report Posted January 13, 2006 Did Cilla Black sing this in the UK release? Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 13, 2006 Report Posted January 13, 2006 i DON'T THINK SO. i THINK dIONNE HAD THE HIT OVER HERE. MG Quote
brownie Posted January 13, 2006 Report Posted January 13, 2006 Did Cilla Black sing this in the UK release? Yes, Britain got the Cilla Black version. The US got the Cher version! Quote
fent99 Posted January 13, 2006 Report Posted January 13, 2006 Did Cilla Black sing this in the UK release? Yes, Britain got the Cilla Black version. The US got the Cher version! Horrible singer, Cilla. Her voice grates every time I hear it... Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 13, 2006 Report Posted January 13, 2006 Did Cilla Black sing this in the UK release? Yes, Britain got the Cilla Black version. The US got the Cher version! Horrible singer, Cilla. Her voice grates every time I hear it... That must be why I can only remember Dionne singing it; mind blocks Cilla out. MG Quote
MartyJazz Posted January 13, 2006 Report Posted January 13, 2006 Hey, Bacharach wrote a nice tune of which there are many nice versions - a vocal rendition I particularly like is that done by Carmen McRae on an old Mainstream LP I have - but for soundtrack consistency and all around musical excellence, Sonny playing his version of "Alfie" over the closing credits cannot be topped. Quote
Guest Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 Some good versions of "Alfie": • Alfie (Burt Bacharch-Hal David) Carmen McRae Mainstream 650 (1966) Sonny Rollins Impulse 247 (1966) Dionne Warwick Scepter 12187 (1967) Dee Dee Warwick Mercury 72710 (1967) Rednow Eivets Gordy 7076 (1968) (above artist is Stevie Wonder) Jerry Butler from Mercury LP 61146 (1968) Willis Jackson from Prestige LP 7551 (1968) The Delfonics Philly Groove 152 (1968) (above version was re-issued in: 1973 as Philly Groove 177) Quote
Brad Posted January 16, 2006 Report Posted January 16, 2006 I'm surprised that the DVD wouldn't have the Sonny version. Must have been a rights problem. Quote
Daniel A Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 It's also possible that at the timeof the VHS release the stsudio hadn't cleared the rights to the pop song for home video. That happened a lot with films made befoer about 1982. We had a film held from video release for nearly 20 years because the contract for the many songs in it hadn't been specific about home video. This still happens with tv series: i.e. when they're released on home video they don't always have the original songs in them. The rights to the music in films continues to be a problem. I know that an enrire scene from "Billion Dollar Brain" (semi-classic 60s cold war thriller, also featuring Michael Cane) was cut from the recent DVD release because it prominently featured a Beatles tune, and it couldn't be re-scored as someone is seen playing a Beatles LP and even showing the record cover. Quote
DMP Posted January 23, 2006 Report Posted January 23, 2006 Roland Kirk. (And he works in the Rollins tune at the end.) Quote
mgraham333 Posted January 26, 2006 Report Posted January 26, 2006 The Rollins version of the soundtrack turns 40 today (Jan 26, 2006) Quote
king ubu Posted January 30, 2006 Report Posted January 30, 2006 It's also possible that at the timeof the VHS release the stsudio hadn't cleared the rights to the pop song for home video. That happened a lot with films made befoer about 1982. We had a film held from video release for nearly 20 years because the contract for the many songs in it hadn't been specific about home video. This still happens with tv series: i.e. when they're released on home video they don't always have the original songs in them. The rights to the music in films continues to be a problem. I know that an enrire scene from "Billion Dollar Brain" (semi-classic 60s cold war thriller, also featuring Michael Cane) was cut from the recent DVD release because it prominently featured a Beatles tune, and it couldn't be re-scored as someone is seen playing a Beatles LP and even showing the record cover. This is so stupid. Why not just consider it product placement and make the Beatles' estate pay for that? Quote
Claude Posted December 26, 2009 Report Posted December 26, 2009 Yesterday, I watched the "Alfie" movie (on a 2002 UK DVD) and noticed that the movie soundtrack and the Impulse! album seem to be entirely different recordings of the same themes. Little music has been used in the film, only a couple of cues which last barely more than a minute. But it would be great to have a complete CD release featuring the tracks from the album and the takes recorded for the film (unedited). Quote
Stereojack Posted December 26, 2009 Report Posted December 26, 2009 I believe that the music in the film was recorded by Sonny in England with English musicians, and that the US "soundtrack" contains new arrangements and performances of Sonny's music, specifically tailored for the LP. Btw, this is one of my favorite Sonny Rollins albums - everybody plays great on it! Quote
JSngry Posted December 26, 2009 Report Posted December 26, 2009 Jack is correct on all counts. Not just great playing here, but alos fine original writing by Rollins & scoring by Nelson. This might be the 60s Rollins album for me, all things considered, at least among "official" releases. Note the phrase "original music from the score" as opposed to "original soundtrack recording". One does have to wonder of all that was recorded for the soundtrack was just the themes & cues, or if some "blowing" was also recorded for possible use.Oh, fwiw, when I first saw the movie, it was on a local channels "late show". This was...late 70s iirc. The ending credits then had the Cher version of the Bacharach tune. Quote
J.A.W. Posted December 26, 2009 Report Posted December 26, 2009 Did Cilla Black sing this in the UK release? Yes, Britain got the Cilla Black version. The US got the Cher version! Horrible singer, Cilla. Her voice grates every time I hear it... I couldn't agree more. She murdered several great songs... Quote
MartyJazz Posted December 27, 2009 Report Posted December 27, 2009 I believe that the music in the film was recorded by Sonny in England with English musicians, and that the US "soundtrack" contains new arrangements and performances of Sonny's music, specifically tailored for the LP. Btw, this is one of my favorite Sonny Rollins albums - everybody plays great on it! It is definitely one of my proverbial "desert island" discs. I play this session several times a year. "Street Runner with Child" is definitive '60s Newk, a fantastic track! And "Alfie's Theme Differently", the way Sonny takes it "out".......! Quote
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