Customer Reviews

The Fabulous Baker Boys: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I just watched my own copy of this film again for about the fifteenth time, but I was glad to watch it with my mother, who had never seen the movie. Given the current deplorable state of standard Hollywood output we were both delighted: she that she had discovered a great new movie, and me that the one I love has aged beautifully given its timeless themes, superb acting, and absolutely crackling dialogue. On top of all this is one of the most rich and evocative scores of any movie I've ever seen -just a few of Grusin's lonely piano chords and I'm back in Seattle, where I was living when the film was released (another reviewer said it was filmed in L.A. and perhaps the interior scenes were, but the Pike Place Market, the Smith Tower and the final scene on Capitol Hill are all genuine Seattle, trust me). Back to the CD of the score, however: here I am in agreement with most of the other reviewers - Michelle Pfeiffer shocked us all with her great and quite haunting voice, and we need more of this on the album and less of the incidental background music, which is nevertheless quite an essential part of the mood of the film. The omission of her version of "More Than You Know" that she sings at the audition is nothing less than a crime - I can only assume they had some copyright problems. The opposite problem, of course, is the inclusion of her unbelievably great version of "My Funny Valentine" (which owes a lot to the pure and very restrained piano accompaniment of Grusin to her gorgeous singing) which only appears in the movie over the final credits - if I had been the movie's director I would have insisted on an entire scene devoted to this masterpiece - perhaps even replacing the excellent "Making Whoopee" if I couldn't work it in to the story any other way. Everyone of us has heard at least a hundred covers of "My Funny Valentine", and we all agree that most of them, even by some famous singers, completely suck. If the subject ever comes up, I always bet people that the best version they will ever have heard is by Michelle Pfeiffer. They invariably take me up on the wager, thinking that they'll prefer Chet Baker or Linda Ronstadt or Robert Goulet or Andy Williams (aye caramba) and invariably they end up agreeing with me once I've played the end of the movie to them. I'm sure you'll all agree too!

It's been a long time since I purchased this Soundtrack(?)Album and since then I've p##sed-off about the lack of what's so good about the movie not being on this album. Where's all the tricky piano interludes including the jazz club gigs and Jeff's(of course it's not really his)solo stuff and the brothers singing Sweet Sixteen. But the worst of all is the total lack of Michelle's singing. From her audition and that incredible More Than You Know to her debut and Ten Cents a Dance to the montage of Can't Take My Eyes Off of You to the big time and The Look of Love. Where are they?

For that matter where's Michelle's album. Singers always want to be actors and actors be singers. This has got to be the first case of an actor who didn't want to be a singer and the real irony is this one's got a voice, one of soul and character.

So anyway, soundtrack albums usually are from the movie and rather than shorten the numbers they extended full versions and seldom leave you longing for what's not there. This is a very big exception. There appears to be material that's not from the original soundtrack. If I'm mistaken, shoot me, but I don't remember some of this stuff and it certainly wasn't what I was buying this CD to hear. It's sorta like the photo on the album, nice picture but it's not in the movie.

The two star rating isn't for the quality of the material on the album, it's for not filling the standard requirements of a soundtrack album. It leaves much to be desired.

I bought this soundtrack on tape and wore it out so that I had to buy it on compact disc. I simply cannot get enough of this soundtrack.

Grusin does an excellent job of arranging the score. He knows how to create a mood with the music he plays. In fact, when you listen to the second track, Welcome to the Road, it takes you to where Suzie, Frank & Jack are hitting the road to play a gig over New Year's Eve. Grusin has wonderful way of conveying a moment through music whether it is a very serious pivotal moment as in track 8, The Moment of Truth, or a frantic moment as in track 4, Shop Till You Drop. Grusin is awesome.

Michelle Pfeiffer's vocals add another wonderful dimension to this soundtrack. Her voice is crystal clear and smooth. If anyone else sings Makin' Whoopee or My Funny Valentien, it will never be the same for me. I definitely wish that she would sing more.

It is also great to hear the following:

Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me by the Duke Ellington Orchestra on track 7

Moonglow by the Benny Goodman Quartet on track 9

Lullaby of Birdland by the Earl Palmer Trio on track 10

All the featured musicians from Ernie Watts to Lee Ritenour on this soundtrack were great.

Dave Grusin should have won the Oscar for this soundtrack. I don't remember who won that year, but it didn't have as much of an impact on me. This soundtrack is definitely worth the money.

I loved the movie. All actors are fabulous and the soundtrack is also perfect. I just regret that Michelle isn't more present. Only two tracks, it's ridiculous compared to the story of the movie. She has a wonderfull voice. She sings with her soul and touchs everybody's heart. Why didn't she sing more?

Only two Michelle tracks? Her voice was the heart of the movie. Pretty darn ridiculous. I'm getting it purely to have her voice around whenever I want it because it truly is remarkable.

I just happened to catch the movie on cable a couple of weeks ago and really liked the piano solos. When I ordered this CD, I was expecting to hear a lot of this type of music. What this one contains is more orchastra/quartet music. If this is your interest, you may rate this one 5 stars.

I thought Michelle Pfeiffer's "My Funny Valentine" was the best song on CD.

I agree with some of the other reviewers who were disappointed that ALL the music was not on the soundtrack. Actually, this soundtrack in any of its three versions (CD/Album/Cassette) does not meet the definition of "soundtrack." To fulfill that requirement it would have to contain EVERY SINGLE SONG - both those with vocal accompaniment and those without (i.e. instrumental). And, as noted by other reviewers, it fails totally in that regard.

This egregiously incomplete product should not have been allowed to be placed on the market without the disclaimer "WARNING! This Is Not What You Think It Is!" clearly displayed on the cover. To my way of thinking, doing so was nothing less than criminal fraud.

Anyway - now that I've vented - I also agree with other reviewers in wishing that Ms. Pfeiffer would pursue a career as a singer in addition to that as an actress. She has a wonderful voice, and knows how to employ it in the way that most fits the mood of any given song she is performing. And, I'm in agreement with the reviewers who said she does some of (if not THE) best performances of these songs, EVER heard!

Hopefully, sometime in the near future, the incompetent person responsible for this travesty will see the error of his/her ways and take remedial action. They should also give a free copy to everyone who bought this defective edition. But that would be the ethically and morally correct thing to do...and we ARE dealing with a recording/publishing company, so that's pretty much a pipe dream.

Finally - like I read in another review - my rating does not reflect the quality of the music/singing, but rather the problems I've already mentioned. It is also aimed at the publisher, and his/her miserable failure at providing us, the fans, with the product we SHOULD have received.

At this point, I'd just be grateful if they'd give us a chance to buy the REAL "Goods."

Grusin's a fine musician, sure, and the soundtrack does contain a couple of Michelle's numbers (and for that reason it gets two stars), but as Mr. Lundy noted, a lot of the musical numbers that were the real soundtrack to the film are not here. I didn't need every vocal, certainly, but the "Ten Cents A Dance" number where the Bakers have to temporarily cover the vocals, with Michelle Pfeiffer coming in when she recovers, was a must, as was some of the late-night piano noodling of Jeff Bridges' character. A couple of other vocals, already noted elsewhere by other reviewers, should also have been included. This needs to be redone. This movie is still enjoyed by many, and in large measure for the unique presentation of the music, since on repeated viewing the plot is certainly familiar. A shame, and a letdown for the fans.

I was expecting a lot more vocal numbers and not so many instrumentals.

It is a very strange selection of songs from the movie.

If you liked the movie, don't buy the soundtrack, because what you liked about the movie isn't on the soundtrack! Listening to the soundtrack left us frustrated and wondering where all the good music was!