Leaving Las Vegas [Original recording reissued, Soundtrack]

Various Artists - Soundtracks - 1995 | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 21, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 27, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Soundtrack
• Label: Ark 21
• ASIN: B00004S960
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,535 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro Dialogue

2. Angel Eyes

3. Are You Desirable?

4. Ben and Bill

5. Leaving las Vegas

6. Sera's Dark Side

7. Mara

8. Burlesque

9. On the Street

10. Bossa Vega

11. Ben Pawns His Rolex/Sera Talks to Her Shrink

12. My One and Only Love

13. Sera Invites Ben to Stay

14. Come Rain or Come Shine

15. Ben and Sera - Theme

16. Ridiculous

17. Biker Bar

18. Ben's Hell

19. It's a Lonesome Old Town

20. Blues for Ben

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Out of print in the U.S.! Original soundtrack to director Mike Figgis' critically acclaimed 1995 drama that Nicolas Cage won the Best Actor Oscar for. The album scored by Figgis (a keyboardist & trumpeter as well), topped Billboard's Jazz chart at the time. Included are covers of five standards, three of which feature vocals by Sting, one by Don Henley and one performed by the Palladinos. While not as dark as the subject matter of the film, the 25 tracks have a distinctive somber sound that no fan of soundtracks or Sting will want left out of their collection.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Flawed, yet Lush with tried and true jazz ballads, September 24, 2000

By 

D. Shin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leaving Las Vegas (Audio CD)

There's some dissenting viewpoints on the idea of putting dialogue into soundtrack albums, and unfortunately, Leaving Las Vegas won't be winning over any of those critics. Unlike the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, which has a comedic flavor to it and weaves the dialogue perfectly between the music, with an emotional score like the one used in Leaving Las Vegas, words can only detract, and too many words only spoil. Some of the dialogue, while interesting and bringing us back to scenes from the movie, is more often than not superfluous, and doesn't add a great deal to the musical experience. It's almost a cross between watching the movie and listening to the music *from* the movie. But that's what the producers felt was right, and I'm not going to say it's unlistenable (unlike one professional review I read which gave this soundtrack 1 star because of this). There's just too much great music on this album to give it anything less than 4 stars. I secretly wanted some dialogue to be on this soundtrack, as the events in the film are tightly woven into the musical flow, but just not as much, so let's just leave it at that.

As for the music itself, it's an emotionally aching experience, intercepted by periods of nostalgia and joy--just like the movie itself. Mike Figgis, who produced, directed, and wrote the original score for the film, is obviously a real jazz hound, as he put some real gems into his movie. Having 2 great singers to re-interpret old jazz standards was another ingenious idea. All the songs performed by Sting and Don Henly were written by some greats:

Angel Eyes (written by Matt Dennis and Earl Brent)
My One and Only Love (written by Robert Mellin and Guy Wood)
Come Rain or Come Shine (written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen)
It's A Lonesome Old Town (written by Harry Tobias and Charles Kisco)

This soundtrack is a great introduction to good jazz. So if you liked these songs, I suggest you search out more by these artists. But as for how how this soundtrack stands up on its own, I have to say I couldn't afford NOT to get this CD. It truly is music that transcends mere soundtrack status and can become an anthem for those days when not everything is going well, when not everything you do gets a stamp of approval from those around you, when the world seems to be an empty place and you feel all alone, yet you can still smile wickedly like Nicholas Cage's character and say, "Maybe I shouldn't breathe so much..? Ah-haaaa!" (the soundtrack would not have been complete *without* this dialogue segment--track 8, "Burlesque")

If you connected with the film at any level more than as mere movie entertainment, if you could connect with either characters at a deeper poetic level, then you will connect with this music as well. And if you look at this for more than a mere CD, a mere soundtrack album, but as an experience, an experience in itself, an equal to watching the movie itself, then a little dialogue is very welcome. So you have to bring a bit of yourself to the listening experience. I gave the objective viewpoint in the beginning of this review, and now I end with a very subjective analysis of my own experience with this music. As for me, nothing less than 5 stars will do this album justice.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Blues Album* A Cinematic Masterpiece!, July 13, 2000

By 

Go Bulldogs (Fresno State University, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leaving Las Vegas (Audio CD)

I love how this soundtrack brings nastalgia back into the classic hollywood cinema. Not since Blade Runner has there been a soundtrack as dramatic and emotional as the film itself. Classic movies are usually those that include a classic musical score. And it is true with this score. Sting shines at his best singing three songs that aren't found in any of his albums. My One And Only Love is the most beautiful song you'll ever hear from Sting and was well chosen as the love theme for this beautiful film. What makes this soundtrack truly special though is the jazz/blues music in between tracks which captures the essence of the film and the backdrop of Las Vegas. All the music from the movie is here including great dialogue. The only thing that is missing is the song Lonely Teardrops. It would have been nice if this lovely song was included in the soundtrack and i was dissapointed at first like others that it was not but as i think about it maybe it was a good idea that Mike Figgis didn't want the mood of the music to change from blues to rock n roll. I think it would have been a great song to end the album with, but the song I Won't Being Going South For A While is just as great. This is a great album to have for any blues collector, or music lover. Its a fantastic play for those rainy days, lonely nights and special moments with that special someone.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best song you'll ever hear, January 24, 2002

By 

jonathanb - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leaving Las Vegas (Audio CD)

Nothin will give you emotions like that of Stings' my one and only love. It'll make you fly away. It's sad really but never sadness has been so inspiring of joy as this one.
You're alone with your girlfriend, outside a cold winter, leaves falling down from the trees, you put this song on and then embrace your lover..