17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
fine soundtrack loaded with classic pop vocals and oldies, April 14, 2008
The soundtrack to the movie Forrest Gump gives us an excellent assortment of American hits that cannot be ignored; they're all THAT good. The quality of the sound is excellent; and the artwork is very tastefully done.
The track set starts off with none other than Elvis Presley singing and belting out his famous number, "Hound Dog." The guitar work and drums work well; but Elvis' voice carries this number and the backup vocalists are great! "(I Don't Know Why) But I Do" by Clarence 'Frogman' Henry registers huge on this scale; this gets the royal treatment and it fits perfectly with so much of the other music on this album. Similarly "Walk Right In" by The Rooftop Singers has an infectiously happy melody to it; and this is an excellent example of 1960s folk music. Moreover, "Blowin' In The Wind" by Joan Baez sparkles as if it were still fresh and new today--it's that much of a classic. Excellent!
"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" features The Four Tops singing their hearts out; and it all works very well. "Respect by Aretha Franklin is easily one of my favorites on this two CD set; it's awesome and it's easily a major highlight of this two CD set.
"California Dreamin'," of course, features The Mamas and The Papas; this song inspired so many young people in the 1960s to journey to California in search of inner peace and a better quality of life. "Mrs. Robinson" is equally bright when Simon & Garfunkel sing it; they harmonize perfectly and their guitar work is mighty fine!
"San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)" by Scott Mackenzie really sounds great as it ever did; Scott's melody is really very pretty and I enjoy this number very much. "Aquarius" and "Let The Sun Shine In" by The Fifth Dimension are hauntingly beautiful and instantly memorable, too.
"Joy To The World" is a number by Three Dog Night that really strikes me as very passionate; and listen for "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head." B. J. Thomas sings this passionately with great sensitivity; and it's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard! What a great soundtrack this is! "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd really rocks well with a fine country twist; Lynyrd Skynyrd could really rock out a tune!
"I've Got To Use My Imagination" is a fiery ballad by Gladys Knight & the Pips that really tugs at my heartstrings whenever I hear it; and there's also "On The Road Again" by Willie Nelson.
Overall, the soundtrack to Forrest Gump gives us so much Americana music it's hard to ignore this two CD set. I recommend this CD set for fans of the movie Forrest Gump and people who enjoy some oldies mixed in with classic pop vocals.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This CD is like a box of chocolates., July 16, 2003
This is a good selection of rock and roll, but I don't think it's essential, unless "Forrest Gump" is your favorite movie of all time. There's no point in complaining about what's not here since that would take weeks. But what was selected, was done so because I think it said something about the times, the way people were feeling, and about what was going on. I don't think anything was included just because it rocked. "Elvis" of course because he's the king. "CCR" probably because of wartimes. "The Doors" and "Beach Boys" might represent that California vibe. "Dylan" and "Baez" for the folk and beatnik scenes. I'm sure many of these artists mean different things to different people. The song I connect to the most is Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin'". For some reason it made me quit the military and move to New England. Of course all these songs can just be enjoyed without getting too deep about them. If you're looking for an eclectic mix of music from the 50's to the 80's, you should get your hands on "Forrest Gump".
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT ALBUM PERIOD!!!!, January 2, 2005
This album is HUGE and great. Lots of great music by different
singers/bands. The album follows the time period thoughout
this movie starting in the 50's and 60's. You have "Sweet
Home Alabama" which is considered by many to be one if not
the greatest southern rock songs ever. I'm not a huge fan
of the band, but there is no denying the greatness of some of their work.
You have some great MoTown cuts like "I Can't Help Myself"
by The Four Tops is one of my favorite Motown classics. We
also have Frankins "Respect" that is a classic that you
just have to love. This is arguably the best soundtrack
ever put together. If you love 50-70's music there has to
be some stuff here for you. Jackson Browne classic
"Running On Empty" is another track not to miss aswell as
CCR's classic"Fortunate Son" another outstanding track. If
you were to put together a classic album spanding 4 decades
this 2 disk set would be close to being perfect.
This is a must have for lovers of classic music that has
stood the test of time. The Doors, CCR, The Four Tops, The
Byrds,Jackson Browne, Doobie Brothers, Aretha Franklin,
Pickett, Bob Dylan, Youngbloods, Elvis Presley just to
name some... Just a superb collection of music.
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