- Move
- Fake Your Way to the Top
- Cadillac Car
- Steppin' to the Bad Side
- Love You I Do
- I Want You Baby
- Family
- Dreamgirls
- It's All Over
- And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
- When I First Saw You
- Patience
- I Am Changing
- I Meant You No Harm/Jimmy's Rap
- One Night Only
- One Night Only [Disco Version]
- Listen
- Hard To Say Goodbye
- Dreamgirls [Finale]
- When I First Saw You
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0886970410229
CD(German Import)
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Overview
When Dreamgirls became the most successful musical of the 1981-1982 Broadway season, composer Henry Krieger and lyricist Tom Eyen's score was not the primary reason most observers pointed to, opting instead first for director/choreographer Michael Bennett's imaginative, non-stop staging and second for the talented cast, led by Jennifer Hudson in the role of Effie Melody White. (In the plot's fictionalized retelling of the story of Motown Records and the rise of the Supremes, Effie is the Florence Ballard character, shunted aside by manipulative record company president Curtis Taylor, Jr. (read: Berry Gordy, Jr.) in favor of the bland Deena Jones (read: Diana Ross), who he thinks is more likely to reach a crossover audience.) Krieger and Eyen did succeed in providing a showcase for Holliday in the volcanic torch song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," which topped the R&B charts and made the original Broadway cast album a gold record (a rarity for show music LPs by 1982), but on the whole their score struggled to achieve its twin goals of shadowing actual Motown and other pop music of the '60s and early '70s, while also expressing plot and character points.
Twenty-five years later, the score has been reshaped for a movie version of Dreamgirls. On this 20-track soundtrack album (there is also a 36-track deluxe edition), even less of an attempt has been made at fidelity to the sounds of the '60s; in these new arrangements, the songs, which always had elements of early '80s Adult Contemporary styles, lean even more toward American Idol power ballad territory. Ironically, Dreamgirls, which on-stage was sort of an anti-star vehicle driven by the injustice against Effie and her subsequent revenge, has been partially transformed into a star vehicle for other characters. One of those characters is Deena, here played, even more ironically, by Beyonce Knowles who is, arguably, the Diana Ross of her times in more ways than one. (Destiny's Child, her former group, also had its share of controversy and personnel changes, with attendant lawsuits.) Not surprisingly, Deena Jones is softened in the movie and given a new solo song, "Listen," co-written by Knowles. That the song is out of character for Deena and defies the logic of the plot doesn't seem to matter; Knowles must have a showcase, and this is it. Similarly, Eddie Murphy, as James Thunder Early, a James Brown-like singer unable to smooth his rough edges sufficiently to cross over, also gets an out-of-character number, "Patience," which improbably bids to transform Early into a kind of Marvin Gaye figure. Again, the plot suffers, but a star is accommodated. (The one other major star in the film, Jamie Foxx, having already won an Academy Award for Ray, doesn't seem to have felt the need to turn Curtis into a good guy with a big solo number. Instead, he revels in his villainy, all but twirling a mustache on occasion.)
Neither "Listen" nor "Patience" is really a bad song, however, and both are competently sung. Both were composed by Krieger with new lyricists, along with a third new song, "Love You I Do." (Eyen has died in the interim.) The real problem is that they take some focus away from the show and film's real star, Effie, here played by Jennifer Hudson. Hudson is an American Idol runner-up, but that should not be held against her. In fact, she's a major talent, and she dominates the musical and dramatic proceedings exactly the way Effie is supposed to, not only on "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," but throughout, from the opening song, "Move," to "Dreamgirls (Finale)," with convincing performances of "Love You I Do," "I Am Changing," and "One Night Only" in between. It is striking that, while Holliday won the Tony Award for Best Actress for Dreamgirls the stage musical, Hudson entered the 2006-2007 movie awards season being touted for Best Supporting Actress nominations for the same part in the film version. But on the soundtrack album, at least, the added attention given to her co-stars is a minor complaint. To work, Dreamgirls requires one major talent, and Jennifer Hudson is it for the screen version, just as Jennifer Holliday was on-stage. (Theater music fans should note that, to make room for the new songs, "Ain't No Party" and "I Miss You Old Friend," which appeared on the cast album, have been deleted, although "I Miss You Old Friend" was in the film and is on the deluxe edition of the soundtrack. On the other hand, "I Want You Baby," which was in the stage production but not on the cast album, is heard here, as is "It's All Over," which is essentially the recitative scene preceding "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.") ~ William Ruhlmann
Product Details
Release Date: | 02/20/2007 |
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Label: | Smi Records |
UPC: | 0886970410229 |
Rank: | 132002 |
Tracks
Album Credits
Performance Credits
Keith Robinson Primary Artist,VocalsSharon Leal Primary Artist,Vocals
Anne Warren Primary Artist,Vocals
Charlene Carmon Primary Artist
Anika Noni Rose Primary Artist,Vocals
Rory OMalley Primary Artist,Vocals
Heely, Keisha Primary Artist
Henry Krieger Primary Artist
Laura Bell Bundy Primary Artist,Vocals
Eddie Murphy Primary Artist,Vocals
Eric Dawkins Primary Artist
Jamie Foxx Primary Artist,Vocals
Loretta Devine Primary Artist
Jennifer Hudson Primary Artist,Vocals
Luke Boyd Primary Artist
Michael-Leon Wooley Primary Artist
Beyonce Knowles Primary Artist,Vocals
Durrell Babbs Primary Artist
Maxi Anderson Primary Artist
Hinton Battle Primary Artist,Vocals
Steve Russell Primary Artist
Mario de Leon Violin
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith Cello
Erica King Vocals
Raven Dillard Vocals
Eric Griggs Piano
Richy Lawson Drums
Eric Jackson Guitar
Michael Thompson Guitar
Melissa Bereal Vocals
Sharon Jackson Violin
Daniel Smith Cello,Cello
Jen Kuhn Cello
Robert L. Becker Viola
Steven Holtman Trombone
Kenneth Yerke Violin
Geraldo Hilera Violin
Rory O'Malley Vocals
Chara Hammond Vocals
Camile Grigsby Vocals
James Johnson Bass,Bass
Josefena Vergera Violin
David Stenske Viola
Haim Shtrum Violin
Anatoly Rosinsky Violin
Cynthia Moussas Violin
Roberto Cani Violin
Suzie Katayama Cello
Peter Kent Violin
Beyonce Vocals
Kevin Randolph Piano,Keyboards
Tim Carmon Piano
Larry Greene Vocals
Gayle Levant Harp
Robert Thrash Vocals
Nicole Ganther Vocals
Erica L. King Vocals
Annette Warren Vocals
Sara Parkins Violin
Gordon Campbell Drums,Drums
Dimitrie Leivici Violin
Songa Lee Violin
Alan Grunfeld Violin
Ken Yerke Violin
Michael Hart Thompson Guitar
John Hayhurst Viola
Kevin Shannon Vocals
Armen Garabedian Violin
Kristin Wilkinson Viola
Daphne Chen Violin
Glendon Campbell Drums
Greg Phillinganes Piano
William Frank "Bill" Reichenbach Jr. Trombone
Neel Hammond Violin
Wayne Bergeron Trumpet
Darrell Crooks Guitar
Jerry Hey Trumpet
Nathan East Bass
Michele Richards Violin
Richard Bowers Vocals
Julian Hallmark Violin
Camille Grigsby Vocals
Cassandra Grigsby Vocals
Anthony Moore Drums
Kalia Rafa Vocals
Natalie Leggett Violin
Larry Corbett Cello
Eric King Vocals
Tereza Stanislav Violin
Andrew Duckles Viola
Denyse Buffum Viola
Stephen Erdody Cello
John Wittenberg Violin
Nicole Thrash Vocals
Damon Thomas Keyboards
Dan Higgins Saxophone
Harvey Mason, Jr. Bass,Drums,Keyboards,Percussion
Frederick Fiddmont Saxophone
Alyssa Park Violin
Natalie Ganther Vocals
Josefina Vergara Violin
Darius Campo Violin
Berj Garabedian Violin
Robert Becker Viola
Susan Chatman Violin
Rudy Stein Cello
Gary Grant Trumpet
Harvey Mason, Sr. Drums,Percussion
Eric D. Jackson Guitar
John Beasley Piano
Shalini Vijayan Viola
Randy Spendlove Guitar,Keyboards
Endre Granat Violin
Technical Credits
Bryan Smith Assistant Engineer,Assistant EngineerThe Underdogs Arranger,Producer
David James Photography
Billy Condon Arranger,Executive Producer
Matthew Sullivan Arranger,Producer
Jolie Levine Contractor
Bill Condon Arranger,Executive Producer
Jack Morrissey Assistant
Steven Jacobson Package Coordinator
Scott Campbell Recording,Recording
Andrew Ross Business Consultant
Aaron Renner Mixing,Assistant Engineer
Riley Mackin Assistant Engineer
Sheldon Yellowhair Assistant Engineer
Paul Bogaev Vocal Supervision
Paul Smith Assistant Engineer
Beyonce Producer
Tim Carmon Arranger
Lenny Wohl Executive in Charge of Music
Tom Choi Package Coordinator
Max Gousse A&R
Fuko Chubachi Design,Art Direction
Aaron Walk Assistant Engineer
Dabling Harward Recording
Henry Krieger Arranger,Composer
Vlado Meller Mastering
Paul "Scooby" Smith Assistant Engineer
Ivy Skoff Contractor
David Campbell Arranger
Jolie Jones Levine Contractor
Damon Intrabartolo Arranger
Erwin Gorostiza Art Direction
Debbie Reinberg Business Consultant
Tom Eyen Composer
Mark Graham Copyist
Quincy Jackson Marketing
Fusako Chubachi Design,Art Direction
Kevin Mills Assistant Engineer
Jerry Hey Arranger
Bryan Walk Assistant Engineer
Matt Sullivan Arranger,Producer
David James Jr Photography
Troy Halderson Recording
Paul Rabjohns Music Editor
Siedah Garrett Composer
Beyonce Knowles Producer
Mathew Knowles Executive Producer
Deborah Lurie Arranger
Damon Thomas Arranger,Producer
Harvey Mason, Jr. Arranger
Anne Preven Composer
Chris Spilfogel Mixing,Recording
Manny Marroquin Mixing
Glen Brunman Executive Producer
Harvey Mason, Sr. Producer
Scott Cutler Composer
Jess Sutcliffe Recording
Richie Jones Producer,Remixing
Randy Spendlove Arranger,Producer
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