One from the Heart (1982 Film Soundtrack) [ENHANCED] [EXTRA TRACKS] [SOUNDTRACK]

Tom Waits, Crystal Gayle

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 27, 2004)
• Original Release Date: January 20, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Extra tracks, Soundtrack
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00016XO6A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #65,866 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Apocalypse Now is widely considered director Francis Ford Coppola's Waterloo, an ambitious personal vision that nearly wrecked his fabled career, health, and sanity. In fact, it was the director's equally Quixotic 1982 Vegas-themed musical One From the Heart that forever cast a pall over his Hollywood future, sounding a death knell for his once-promising American Zoetrope studios in the bargain. Hindsight being 20/20, it's now easy to see Heart's visual conceits as the glorious cinematic antecedent to Moulin Rouge, its smart, lounge-savvy score by musical odd couple Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle easily 15+ years ahead of the retro-hipster revival it preceded--and outclassed at every turn. Now brightened by a sparkling digital remastering, it remains the most accessibly mainstream--and ironically idiosyncratic--music of Waits' storied career. Constructed as a dialog between lovers in a fitful emotional spiral, Waits raspy growl is the perfect counterpoint to Gayle's own gutsy, surprisingly bluesy diva turns. Backed by the spare, deftly lugubrious production of Bones Howe and key contributions by jazz vets Greg Cohen on bass, saxist Teddy Edwards, and the key, mournfully lyrical trumpet of Jack Sheldon, Waits' score has long since taken its rightful place as a modern classic, a perfectly realized romantic daydream that never forgets the wistful, broken hearts stacking up beneath the Vegas neon. This edition features the previously unreleased Waits vocal outtake, "Candy Apple Red" as well as an early, discarded version of the opening montage "Once Upon A Town/Empty Pockets," rejects that only underscore the strength of Waits' musical hand. Enhanced CD also features a newly-edited video montage by Coppola's son, Gian-Carlo. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Piano Bar Martini, February 10, 2004

By	K. H. Orton (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

True, the pairing of Waits and Crystal Gayle sounds like the perfect recipe for disaster. But don't come here looking for his usual rusty tin cup of Blue Ruin. This album's more like $10 Martini in some high class caberet club.

Apparently, Waits had been going through a bit of a career crisis and was on the verge of leaving the business. Despite the grind of constant touring & masterpieces like, SMALL CHANGE, commercial success continued to elude him. Rather than go the way of Springsteen or at worse, Billy Joel, Waits took a sharp turn off "Heart Attack & Vine" into parts unknown.

But at the time, there was a sense in the industry that Waits was just a washed up novelty act, verging on a parody of what he drank so hard to forget. Then Francis Ford Coppola came knocking & locked him in a room with nothing but a Steinway and a dream.

When he finally woke up, Waits had a steady paycheck, a wife, and an Oscar bid for Best Original Score. Not to mention a head full of strange ideas. Though the movie may not be the lost masterpeice Coppola would have you believe, the soundtrack in terms of the genre it pays tribute to, pretty much is.

Hardcore fans of those rusty pipes may be put off by the presence of Loretta Lynn's little sister, but Crystal Gayle's a far cry from The Grand Old Opry here. In fact Waits takes more of a supporting role here, giving her the spotlight. Waits has provided the perfect torch song with " Old Boyfriends" which is perfectly matched by Gayle's jaded sultriness.

Waits & Gayle duet on "Picking Up After You" which for my money tops his turn with Bette Midler on FOREIGN AFFAIRS. In fact, Midler was 1st choice for the project. But Gayle's low key personality proves to be the perfect choice, especially on numbers like, "Take Me Home" & "Any Way Out Of This Dream?"

As for Waits' turn at the mic, "Broken Bicycles" is worth the price of admission alone. One of my favorite Waits tunes. A dark,haunting melody & full of stark imagry like, "all those playing cards tied to the spokes" . It's something he still dusts off for live shows.

Among the few the instrumentals, the "Tango/Circus" montage sounds as warped as anything off of RAIN DOGS. Overall, the remaster & packaging are a vast improvement & there a real gem in the bonus track of, "Purple Ave".

This seemed to signal the end of an era for Waits. After this, he shed the lounge lizard routine and has been dancing around in his bones ever since. But HEART offers a rare glimpse of Waits in a slick, commercial setting without compromising a rusty nickel of artistic integrity.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moody and lovely, June 21, 2004

By	"bobbi0" (Santa Monica, CA USA) - See all my reviews

The combination of Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle is inspired. Like one of those chocolate-covered pretzels, the salty and the sweet mingle in a way that makes you want more and more. These songs blend Waits' haunting, humorous and insightful lyrics with the lush vocals of Gayle, whose voice is stunningly versatile in this collection, from instrumentally coarse to achingly ethereal. It's one to listen to again and again, but especially on a rainy, gloomy day, with a scotch.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music to make you feel better, February 13, 2004

By A Customer

The first time I saw the movie I was swept into it. All alive with bright candy colors and goosebump music. The visions of the
Las Vegas night with flashing neon lights and fireworks can lift
me from the deepest doldrums. The music by Tom Waits is perfect,
and it doesn't get any better than this. I would say that it is
like dreaming when you are awake and I swear that I am there. The soundtrack is enchanting from start to finish, an unlikely pair that sounds like they are a match made in Las Vegas heaven.
Wow!