Elf: Music From The Major Motion Picture [Soundtrack]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 4, 2003)
• Original Release Date: November 7, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Watertower Music
• ASIN: B0000DIZT4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (111 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,434 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It takes a pretty deft touch to make us believe towering Will Ferrell as a displaced human cum Santa's elf, Ed Asner as St. Nick and make a Christmas movie that's as loopy/sassy as it is seasonally sentimental. Yet that's what director Jon Favreau has done with this unlikely little holiday gem, and his hand-picked song score underscores its warm heart and comedic smarts with charm to burn. Suffused with a New York sense of traditional cool, Favreau turns his soundtrack into an upbeat secular Christmas classic, a sort of Swingers-Meet-Santa collection that convinces us that performances as diverse as Louis Prima's rousing take on "Pennies From Heaven" and the pumping soul of Billy Preston's "Nothing From Nothing" are as season-friendly as the performances of more traditional Christmas pop fare by Ella Fitzgerald, Jim Reeves, Eartha Kitt and Eddy Arnold they bookend. The edited Ferrante & Teicher/Les Baxter medley is a lounge-y inspiration, while a trio of laconic Leon Redbone crooners anchor the film's dizzy, if often bittersweet emotional foundations. Co-star Zooey Deschanel duets with Redbone on "Baby It's Cold Outside," her bluesy performance a welcome surprise that recalls nothing less than a young Peggy Lee. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Songs Include : 1. Louis Prima - Pennies From Heaven / 2. Ella Fitzgerald - Sleigh Ride / 3. Lena Home - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow / 4. Ferrante And Teicher / Les Baxter - Sleigh Ride / Santa Claus Party / 5. Zooey Deschanel And Leon Redbone - Baby It's Cold Outside / 6. Jim Reeves - Jingle Bells /7. Brian Setzer - Nutcracker Suite / 8. Leon Redbone - Christmas Island / 9. Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby / 10. Leon Redbone - Winter Wonderland / 11. Eddy Arnold - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town / 12. Billy Preston - Nothing From Nothing

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Voice! November 10, 2003

By Richard Fox

Format:Audio CD

Who knew about the best kept secret in Hollywood? Zooey Deschanel has an amazing voice and it's worth getting just for the duet of Baby, It's Cold Outside. Like a young Judy Garland/Ella. Here is to hearing more from this untapped talent. Why they just didn't use her and Will Ferrell's duet from the movie I don't know. By the way the movie is FANTASTIC!!!! I'm going to see it again. An instant Christmas Classic.

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Price Just for Zooey Deschanel December 28, 2005

By Joshua Miller VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Zooey Deschanel, the gorgeous actress from movies like well..."Elf" "Almost Famous" "The Good Girl" and "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" is easily worth the price of this CD alone. Why she doesn't cut an entire album is beyond me, judging from the reviews of this CD a lot of people would buy it. She has a very sexy, kind of classic voice. This CD isn't that bad, as far as the other songs on it; Christmas classics you know. But, it wouldn't be the same without her.

1. Louis Prima "Pennies from Heaven"-5/5-A very jazzy/swingy song. It's really catchy though.

2. Ella Fitzgerald "Sleigh Ride"-5/5-I love this song and I love the way Ella Fitzgerald sings it.

3. Lena Home "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow"-4/5-I like this song but I'm not a big fan of how Home sings the song.

4. Ferrante and Teicher/Les Baxter "Sleigh Ride/Santa Claus Party"-5/5-The first part is an instrumental version of "Sleigh Ride". The second part is

"Santa Claus Party" which is a funny christmas song which is damn cool.

5. Zooey Deschanel & Leon Redbone "Baby It's Cold Outside"-5/5-This is a really cool song and Zooey Deschanel has a gorgeous voice. It was for Deschanel that I bought this album. Her voice is flawless and she sings this beautifully. I wish she would get into the studio and cut an album.

6. Jim Reeves "Jingle Bells"-4/5-It's Jingle Bells. Nothing more to say really.

7. Brian Setzer "Nutcracker Suite"-5/5-Very well done instrumental. Too long though.

8. Leon Redbone "Christmas Island"-5/5-I had never heard this song before, but it's pretty interesting.

9. Eartha Kitt "Santa Baby"-5/5-This song cracks me up. I've heard this song countless times, but I never bothered to check out the lyrics.... Good song.

10. Leon Redbone "Winter Wonderland"-5/5-Awesome song. Redbone's voice sounds different on this song.

11. Eddy Arnold "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"-5/5-Arnold does a great cover of this song. I would've been happier if they would've put the cast of "Elf's version of it on here" (mostly due to Zooey Deschanel's voice featured on it.)

12. Billy Preston "Nothing From Nothing"-5/5-I had never heard this song before and this is not a Christmas song, per se. But, this guy Billy Preston has an interesting voice so it all works out.

A+ Read more ›

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A review of the CD, not Zooey November 30, 2003

By Anthony Ambrose Bullard

Format:Audio CD

This seems to be pretty much just reviews of Zooey's voice, I'll put down my two cents on the actual CD...not just one track.

If you're into jazz/swing style music, and you're looking for a good Christmas album, this is it. Reall good strong songs all the way through. They aren't all christmas songs, but it's still one darn good CD.

I'd suggest it to anyone who wnats a little swing in their Christmas step.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm cuttin' out snowflakes. December 3, 2005

By Becca

Format:Audio CD

I'm not one who goes all out at Christmas, I think it's so exploited these days that I tend to hold out on the Christmas spirit as long as possible. So last Tuesday I got THIS CD and decided I'd listen to it before work. In fact, I listened to the CD twice so by the time I was at work I was gone. Let's just say the next day a lot of people in my office questioned who cut out and pasted all the snowflakes. I haven't made paper snowflakes in like 14 years. Coincidence? I don't think so. I just recommend you have some Christmas decorations or at least a lot of white paper and scissors around before you start listening to this CD, that's all I'm sayin'!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Song Missing. December 6, 2005

By chandler35

Format:Audio CD

This album is great and keeps the christmas spirit alive. The song that is playing when they run into Gimble's and jump on the bed, is "What Christmas Means To Me" - Stevie Wonder. Just letting anyone else know what it is so they don't go crazy looking Like I did.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Holiday Favorites December 17, 2004

By S. Brockmeier

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love Christmas music and this collection is especially fun and charming! Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne's voices are so true that the old classics sound "fresh". Zooey Deschanel performs an appealing and sultry rendition of "Baby, It's Cold Outside".

It's a wonderfully upbeat holiday CD!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Christmas is back. November 23, 2003

By "gooner3"

Format:Audio CD

This soundtrack showcases some great singers of past eras belting out holiday classics.
It is a great soundtrack that will instantly put you into the Christmas spirit.
I agree that they should have just put in the duet from the movie with Zooey and Will, but then again you can't argue with Leon Redbone.
This is a Christmas cd that people from any generation can appreciate and will be appreciated for many Christmas' to come.
And the movie is hilarious, I could not stop laughing, Will Ferrell is a comedic genious and James Caan does a great job as usual.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Where's Zooey and Will Ferrell? November 21, 2005

By J. Gilmore

Format:Audio CD

I wanted the movie version of the song, "Baby, It's Cold Outside", but was sadly disappointed to find out that Will's voice is replaced by Leon. I agree with the poster that said that the voices don't mix well, he definitely sounds like he's old enough to be her Grandfather. If they ever release another version with Zooey and Will/someone, I'll be sure to buy it!I listened to Holly Cole's version, but I think it's just not the same (she's too breathy at the parts where Zooey voice is strong). Still searching for a Zooey version of this song. If anyone wants to recommend me one, I'll all ears!