Hair: Original Soundtrack Recording - Special Anniversary Edition [Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Cast Recording, Soundtrack]

Gerome Ragni, James Rado, Charlotte Rae, John Savage, Beverly D'Angelo, Nell Carter, Treat Williams, Hair (Related Recordings), Galt MacDermot, Melba Moore | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Cast Recording, Soundtrack
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00000JYU8
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,860 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Rereleased two decades after the motion picture debuted, the soundtrack to the movie version of America's first "tribal love-rock musical," Hair, holds up amazingly well. Performances by Treat Williams ("I Got Life"), Beverly D'Angelo ("Good Morning Starshine"), and Nell Carter ("Abie Baby" and "White Boys") are as uproarious as ever, while Cheryl Barnes's "Easy to Be Hard" remains a paralyzing gospel number. The timing could not have been better, as many trends in late-'90s music retread the musical's funk bass and evangelical vocal arrangements. But beyond a lucky coincidence, the rerelease of the music comes at a time when the spoiled offspring of the original Woodstock generation returns to the farm rioting, destroying property, and filling arrest dockets with names. If nothing else, the CD is a glorious reminder of a time when social awareness, brotherly love, and mind expansion were mantras, not marketing rhetoric on the sides of soda bottles. --Beth Massa

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Run, do not walk, December 21, 1999

By 

Helpful Reviewer (Virginia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hair: Original Soundtrack Recording - Special Anniversary Edition (Audio CD)

If you have never seen the musical or the movie or heard the soundtrack in its entirety, you have missed one of the great musical and theatrical experiences. Hair is the the greatest of all American musicals. The quality of the music and the vibrant originality of the concept are as startling today as they were when the show debuted more than 30 years ago.

Hair is often imitated (see Rent) but its indescribable magic has never been duplicated. There is not a single bad song in the set. "Aquarius," "Black Boys," "Easy to be Hard," "Walking in Space" and so many other of the show's songs are absolute masterpieces. The overwhelming impact of the title track approaches that of the Hallelujah Chorus.

I have owned the Broadway soundtrack for years, and I have seen the stage version and the movie. However, I had never heard the movie soundtrack. It is an extraordinary effort, arguably superior to the exceptionally fine Original Broadway Cast recording. The song treatments depart significantly from those of the stage and movie productions. The performers are the same, but the soundtrack powers the songs with a gloriously funky, driving, quasi-disco beat that isn't as pronounced in the movie.

Nell Carter is at her finest, as are Treat Williams, Cheryl Barnes, Melba Moore, Charlayne Woodard, and host of other musical stars. Indeed, with only a couple of minor exceptions, the voices are excellent. And I simply cannot overstate the effect of the penetrating beat. Groovy, man.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Rendition, October 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hair: Original Soundtrack Recording - Special Anniversary Edition (Audio CD)

If anyone is at all familiar with the show, you will realize that this version of the soundtrack takes the original songs and funks them up! I love their versions of Aquarius and Let The Sunshine in - especially if you've seen the movie, it makes the songs all more powerful. I have both the play soundtrack and this one, if you've got some extra do-re-mi it's a very good addition to your collection! One thing I'm not too impressed with is their version of "Colored Spade" - it's slower than the play version and the singer (don't know his name) doesn't have the right voice for it - it works though.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hair Original Soundtrack Recording, February 1, 2001

By 

Ramon Grupe Cacho "oligodermie" (Makati, Metro Manila, The Philippines) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hair: Original Soundtrack Recording - Special Anniversary Edition (Audio CD)

A stellar cast

Although the movie was nothing compared to the stage production, this recording stands out as the quintessential recording of this musical production. Cheryl Barnes' rendition of "Easy to be Hard" as the jilted fiancee of Hud, puts all the ones who have attempted to belt this song out to shame. It is because of her rendition that this song remains one of my all-time Broadway favorite tunes. I love this version so much that I bought the original release in 2CDs and this one which was compressed into one CD. There's really no difference between the 2 and 1 CD version, just that this one is easier to carry around and store. Fact is, this recording goes far beyond the five star maximum rating!