Midnight Cowboy: Original Motion Picture Score [Soundtrack]

Harry Nilsson, John Barry

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1969
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B00000DQWS
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,284 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Soundtracks > By Decade > 1960s

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

Though perhaps overshadowed by the pop success of Harry Nilsson's rendition of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" (and overwhelmed on the album by songs from B.J. Thomas, Elephant's Memory, and even early Warren Zevon), John Barry's elegant title track and handful of cues here still rate as some of his best. Their melodies frequently carried by a mournful solo harmonica, Barry's coolly detached music ironically undercuts the grit and grime of John Schlesinger's Oscar-winning classic. Melodically irresistible, Barry's Midnight Cowboy music further cemented Barry's reputation as one of modern film's greatest composers. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic and Enduring Mix of Original Score and Rock Tunes, May 14, 2001

By	L. S. Slaughter "silvanus" (Chapel Hill, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Barry worked as "Musical Supervisor" on this classic gem of a movie to integrate found pop with his original themes.

Many of the "pop tunes" were culled from fledgling United Artists acts of the late sixties such as The Groop ("Tears and Joys" and the Mamas and Papas-sounding "A Famous Myth" are included herein), and someone had the great sense to steer him to the avant garde New York group Elephant's Memory (whose influential work - see Stereolab and Komeda - on Buddah records remains sadly out of print)to patch together a soundscape for the film's psychedelic Warholesque party scene where Joe Buck gets high and Ratso steals all the salami. Of course, it was the inclusion and reorchestration of Fred Neil's folk tune, "Everybody's Talkin'", as sung by Nilsson, that made the soundtrack a hit in 69 and has kept it in print all these decades.

The lasting impression that this time capsule of a soundtrack leaves is the abundance of vocal energy and inventive harmonizing that proliferated in the late sixties, and how styles were changing from cool lounge and orchestral scoring to topical pop music placement to reflect the moment. Modern day soundtrack producers would do well to study this package and the film from which it was borne.

Barry's themes - "Midnight Cowboy", "Fun City" "Science Fiction" "Joe Buck Rides Again" and "Florida Fantasy" reflect and refract pieces of the pop tunes while draping pivotal scenes in a lovely sadness. Outstanding is Toots Theilman's wailing harmonica on the Main Theme; the piece is a wee bit overproduced for the soundtrack edition and I wish the version used in the film - just harmonica and stummed guitar - had been included here.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Midnight Cowboy, August 3, 2005

By	G. Bullard (Blandon, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've had this soundtrack in its original LP form as well as cassette, and now the CD. This disc would be a welcome addition to any serious soundtrack collector's set. The CD works on many levels. Besides Nilsson's famous "Everybody's Talkin," there are hauntingly mellow tracks by British composer John Barry which, on their own, convey the loneliness and vastness of a big city. These tracks blended in seamlessly to the gritty New York City landscape of the film and reinforced the onscreen images. They also make for great listening by themselves. "The Florida Fantasy" segment has a nice comedic calypso beat to it. Rounding out Barry's compositions is the also famous soulful harmonica track, "Midnight Cowboy." Finally, we also get some energetic rock club music of the late 60's psychedelic era by groups such as The Groop, and The Elephants Memory. All in all, this is a highly recommended recording. One of Barry's best.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Toots Thielemans Correction, July 7, 2006

By	Fredrick W. Armstrong (Victor, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though I agree with most of the previous reviews, I was disappointed to see (hear) that Toots Thielemans is not to be found on this recording. He is also not mentioned anywhere on the albums credits.
He was used in the original score for the film, but according to his manager "Toots" was not included on this album.
I would not have purchased this CD if I had known this in advance.