Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns - Original Soundtrack Recording [Soundtrack]

Various Artists (Artist), Jaqueline Schwab (Performer), Harvey Hindermyer (Performer), Dodworth Saxhorn Band (Performer), Bobby Horton (Performer), Lester Young (Performer), Les Brown & His Orchestra (Performer), Duke Ellington (Performer), Natalie Cole (Performer), Mabel Scott (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 6, 1994)
• Original Release Date: September 6, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000005J2P
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,226 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #33 in Music > Miscellaneous > Nostalgia

Track Listings

1. Walt Whitman [Quote]

2. Take Me Out to the Ball Game

3. The Star Spangled Banner

4. Hurrah for Our National Game

5. Take Me Out to the Ball Game

6. Gee, It's a Wonderful Game

7. Sol White /Dark Was ... [Quote from History of Colored Baseball, 1907]

8. Steal Away

9. Clubhouse Stomp

10. If You Can't Make a Hit at the Ballgame, You Can't Make a Hit With Me

11. Pound Cake

12. The Minstrel Boy

13. Joltin' Joe Dimaggio

14. Kansas City Call

15. The Star Spangled Banner

16. The New Black and Tan Fantasy

17. Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?

18. Baseball Boogie

19. Bobby Thompson's Shot Heard 'Round the World

20. Take Me Out to the Ball Game

See all 28 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Hailed as perhaps the greatest filmed document in the history of the sport, Ken Burns's epic series chronicled more than a century's worth of baseball lore. The producers paid nearly as much attention to the audio as the stunning visuals, but this soundtrack is slightly uneven. Baseball errs on the side of good taste a bit too often, what with contributions from Bruce Hornsby, Carly Simon, and Natalie Cole peppered amid classics by the likes of Duke Ellington and Count Basie. The well-chosen historical material--including calls spanning five full decades--should interest die-hard fans, though. --David Sprague

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the Baseball lover's heart and soul, February 20, 2003

By 

Ken (Cliffwood Beach, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns - Original Soundtrack Recording (Audio CD)

This is a simplistically beautiful CD. The cuts range from the joyous to the deeply moving. From Garison Keillor's opening reading of Walt Whitman's thoughts on baseball to the closing quiet of the Star Spangled Banner, the listener is taken on a musical and aural journey through the history of Our National Pastime. Even though the game of today can be a pale imitation in some ways of what it once was, baseball still has a strong emotional hold on millions of Americans.
While I love listening to the entire CD, my favorite track above all is the moving"Steal Away". I always think of Jackie Robinson when I hear this song. The song has the feel of quiet dignity and a life lived in simple strength.
If you love baseball like I do, buy this CD.....you'll be so glad you did.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Companion Piece to An Excellent Documentary!, November 17, 2004

By 

Yendor "sknayfan" (Gilroy, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns - Original Soundtrack Recording (Audio CD)

Great album to accompany a great multi-chapter mega-documentary; Ken Burns' BASEBALL. Hands down, the best song on the CD is Carly Simon's rousing rendition of TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME. One could only wish they would play this version during the seventh-inning stretch at ball parks around the country because it's such a fun and upbeat version. The other song that comes close is Natalie Cole's cover of DID YOU SEE JACKIE ROBINSON HIT THAT BALL? which is equally rousing and upbeat. These two songs alone are worth their weight in gold on the album.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A HOME RUN FOR ANY BASEBALL FAN!, September 4, 2005

By 

Matt Lemoine (Merrimack, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns - Original Soundtrack Recording (Audio CD)

While this soundtrack does not contain every song from the movie, it has the COMPLETE songs (not the snippets played in the movie) and the ones they picked are great! You will find yourself listening to this CD over and over again! The CD contains not only musical pieces but also radio calls (including Russ Hodges's famous "The Giants Win The Pennant!" call) and quotes. There is something for everyone on this CD, even if you are not a huge fan of any given team. (I ordered it used but if no used copies are available the music is well worth the new price.)