Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969 Film) [SOUNDTRACK]

Burt Bacharach

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: October 24, 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B000002GAB
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #67,917 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Exclusive Japanese limited edition digitally remastered reissue of this 1969 soundtrack by Burt Bacharach, packaged in a miniature LP sleeve. A&M. 2006. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marks the end of an era magnificently, July 11, 2001

By	Gavin Wilson - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

For many, 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' is the quintessential 60s movie, portraying a couple of lovable, free-spirited rogues whose lives end in glorious defeat. (It was immensely popular in England, perhaps because we try so hard to be good losers!)

It's virtually impossible to divorce the soundtrack from the movie. In the space of a little less than 28 minutes, you get three versions of the theme from 'Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head' and six other tracks. (And fortunately none of the versions is the lamentable single recorded by Sacha Distel!)

Composers didn't write scores in the 1960s the way they write them now. No attempt is made here to include ethnic instruments or musical styles from Latin America. This is (North) American popular music through and through, and it is hugely enjoyable.

The stand-out track, to my ears, is 'South American Getaway', a slightly elongated version of the music that accompanies the pair's many bank raids in Bolivia, hotly pursued by growing numbers of mounted police or soldiers. But this is music that stands on its own and would grace any Bacharach album, movie or no movie. Its upbeat wordless vocals are so optimistic, and it would be a joy to see this piece performed live.

The movie marked the end of the 60s. It was perhaps appropriate that the heroes get killed, but that we the cinema-goer, like Sundance's teacher girlfriend, did not quite see the pair die. And the soundtrack also marked the end of Bacharach's compositional brilliance. Bacharach's genius dominated the 60s, but he was only occasionally to regain his form in the 70s and 80s. I believe that his mantle -- for writing optimistic, sophisticated popular music with underlying Latin rhythms -- has been inherited by guitarist Pat Metheny. (For example, 'Au Lait' from the 'Offramp' album is similar in mood to 'South American Getaway' here.)

'Butch Cassidy' is a movie I can watch again and again. Given the ending, it is remarkable that this movie can be so uplifting.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Film Score, May 5, 2003

By	Phillip B. Tursky "lakephillip" (Lucerne, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This sountrack is just as fresh today in 2003 as when it was released on L.P. so many years ago. Some of Burt Bacharach's Best Work. You'll notice "South American Getaway" has been recently been used on SBC commercials.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Burt Bacharach is a genius!!!, June 8, 1999

By A Customer

This album is great. It is very sad thing not that many people know this album.