Dreamgirls [Original Broadway Cast Album] [Original recording remastered, Extra tracks, Special Edition]

Henry Krieger (Composer), Yolanda Segovia (Conductor), Dreamgirls Pit Orchestra (Orchestra), Jennifer Holliday (Performer), Candy Darling (Performer), Cleavant Derricks (Performer), Deborah Burrell (Performer), Loretta Devine (Performer), Obba Babatunde (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 1981
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered, Extra tracks, Special Edition
• Label: Decca Broadway
• ASIN: B000JJRWQC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,867 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All you have to do is dream..., November 26, 2006

By 

Alex Honda "onyx575" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dreamgirls [Original Broadway Cast Album] (Audio CD)

For all the fans of the original Broadway musical soundtrack of "Dreamgirls," their dreams have come true with this 25th-year anniversary special edition cd.

Included are all the original tracks from the Dreamgirls soundtrack and three previously unreleased recordings of "Driving Down the Strip" "It's All Over" and a reprise of the title track "Dreamgirls" for the finale.

A second cd has instrumental versions of some of the stand out tracks including "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "One Night Only."

The album has been remastered and it does sound louder with more bass than the original, but there are some instances where Jennifer Holliday's voice begins to blare. That's probably due to the fact that Holliday is such a powerful singer and the decibel levels went into the red when they were recording the original master tapes, so it can't be helped. However, the added tracks sound very crisp and clear.

Also included in this special edition cd is a booklet containing an intro by Henry Krieger(song writer for additional music in the motion picture Dreamgirls), the original liner notes with photos from the stage production, and lyrics to all the songs.

I would have given this set five stars but the song "Heavy" isn't on here, neither is the disco version of "One Night Only." From what I understand, we're lucky to get the three previously unreleased tracks! Legend has it that Geffen did not want to produce a double length album with three virtually unknown singers, which explains the omission of some songs and the remixing of two different versions of "One Night Only" down to one track. Also, he wanted the best possible sound quality for the original album.

The inlcusion of "It's All Over" is well worth the price of this cd. The climactic show-down between the three girls, the replacement, and the boss brings a new perspective to the show stopping song "And I'm Telling You..."

One more thing, there seems to be some confusion between this cd and the one coming out for the motion picture "Dreamgirls." This is the ORIGINAL BROADWAY RECORDING of the musical. Beyonce and Jenifer Hudson are not on this cd. But Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Loretta Devine shine as the original DREAMS.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Girls reignite my memories of youth, January 15, 2007

By 

Todd Menard (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dreamgirls [Original Broadway Cast Album] (Audio CD)

With all the hoopalah surrounding the VERY EXCELLENT movie with same title, I just HAD to purchase the original soundtrack and stroll down memory lane. This CD has been digitally remastered and sounds WONDERFUL! Crisp, clear and potent. And to hear Jennifer Holiday in all of her unabashed tonsil-tossing vocal glory brings tears to my eyes today - as it did over 20+ years ago. If you are digging the current movie's soundtrack you deserve to provide yourself the gift of hearing the original. You won't be disappointed. Todd in San Francisco

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dreamgirls with added tracks from the orginal stage version, February 26, 2007

By 

Martin A. Pifer (NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dreamgirls [Original Broadway Cast Album] (Audio CD)

I was surprized and felt very lucky when I saw this special version. YOu get three bonus tracks in this package, and it brings back great memories. The broadway original cast is far superior to the movie cast. In this cd you get that whole 15 minutes during the I'm telling you sequence starting with Jimmy's riding in singing "Driving Down the Strip" all the way through the fight sequence of "it's all over" straight into "And I am Telling YOU". You also get the finale where Effie joins the Dreams to sing Dreamgirls, which was left off the original cast album. One thing that is a joy is to get to hear Lorretta Devine sing "Ain't No Party" which was cut from the movie( Lorrell has no solo in the movie). Unlike the concert version where you get the whole score and show, but other than Lilias White the whole show is miscast, the original cast is the best by far for knowing what the show should sound like. There is a bonus cd with click tracks for singing with certain numbers for the show and a bonus disco version of Jennifer Holiday singing "And I Am Telling You" which was tremedously popular.