Dreamgirls [Music from the Motion Picture]

by Beyoncé

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:	12/05/2006
Label:	Sony Music Distribution
UPC:	0828768895320
Rank:	203226

Tracks

1. Dreamgirls, musical~Move
2. Dreamgirls, musical~Fake Your Way To The Top
3. Dreamgirls, musical~Cadillac Car
4. Dreamgirls, musical~Steppin' To The Bad Side
5. Dreamgirls, musical~Love You I Do
6. Dreamgirls, musical~I Want You Baby
7. Dreamgirls, musical~Family
8. Dreamgirls, musical~Dreamgirls
9. Dreamgirls, musical~It's All Over
10. Dreamgirls, musical~And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
11. Dreamgirls, musical~When I First Saw You
12. Dreamgirls, musical~Patience
13. Dreamgirls, musical~I Am Changing
14. Dreamgirls, musical~I Meant You No Harm / Jimmy's Rap
15. Dreamgirls, musical~One Night Only
16. Dreamgirls, musical~One Night Only (Disco)
17. Dreamgirls, musical~Listen
18. Dreamgirls, musical~Hard To Say Goodbye
19. Dreamgirls, musical~Dreamgirls (Finale)
20. Dreamgirls, musical~When I First Saw You (Duet)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Michael-Leon Wooley   Primary Artist
Hinton Battle   Primary Artist,Vocals
Keith Robinson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Steve Russell   Primary Artist
Charlene Carmon   Primary Artist
Anika Noni Rose   Primary Artist,Vocals
Sharon Leal   Primary Artist,Vocals
Rory OMalley   Primary Artist,Vocals
Heely, Keisha   Primary Artist
Henry Krieger   Primary Artist
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
Durrell Babbs   Primary Artist
Maxi Anderson   Primary Artist
Beyonce Knowles   Primary Artist,Vocals
Laura Bell Bundy   Primary Artist,Vocals
Anne Warren   Primary Artist,Vocals
Richard Bowers   Vocals
Julian Hallmark   Violin
Daniel Smith   Cello,Cello
Camille Grigsby   Vocals
Cassandra Grigsby   Vocals
Anthony Moore   Drums
Kalia Rafa   Vocals
Sharon Jackson   Violin
Jen Kuhn   Cello
Robert L. Becker   Viola
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
John Beasley   Piano
Shalini Vijayan   Viola
Randy Spendlove   Guitar,Keyboards
Endre Granat   Violin
Annette Warren   Vocals
Sara Parkins   Violin
Gordon Campbell   Drums,Drums
Mario de Leon   Violin
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith   Cello
Erica King   Vocals
Raven Dillard   Vocals
Eric Griggs   Piano
Richy Lawson   Drums
Eric Jackson   Guitar
Michele Richards   Violin
Geraldo Hilera   Violin
Rory O'Malley   Vocals
Chara Hammond   Vocals
Camile Grigsby   Vocals
James Johnson   Bass,Bass
Josefena Vergera   Violin
Michael Thompson   Guitar
Dimitrie Leivici   Violin
Songa Lee   Violin
Alan Grunfeld   Violin
Ken Yerke   Violin
Michael Hart Thompson   Guitar
Erica L. King   Vocals
Greg Phillinganes   Piano
William Frank "Bill" Reichenbach Jr.   Trombone
Neel Hammond   Violin
Wayne Bergeron   Trumpet
Darrell Crooks   Guitar
Jerry Hey   Trumpet
Nathan East   Bass
Eric King   Vocals
Tereza Stanislav   Violin
Andrew Duckles   Viola
Denyse Buffum   Viola
Stephen Erdody   Cello
John Wittenberg   Violin
Nicole Thrash   Vocals
Damon Thomas   Keyboards
Melissa Bereal   Vocals
Natalie Leggett   Violin
Larry Corbett   Cello
Armen Garabedian   Violin
Kristin Wilkinson   Viola
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
David Stenske   Viola
Haim Shtrum   Violin
John Hayhurst   Viola
Kevin Shannon   Vocals
Robert Thrash   Vocals
Nicole Ganther   Vocals
Daphne Chen   Violin
Glendon Campbell   Drums
Dan Higgins   Saxophone
Harvey Mason, Jr.   Bass,Drums,Keyboards,Percussion
Frederick Fiddmont   Saxophone
Alyssa Park   Violin
Natalie Ganther   Vocals
Steven Holtman   Trombone
Kenneth Yerke   Violin

Technical Credits

Matt Sullivan   Arranger,Producer
David James Jr   Photography
Billy Condon   Executive Producer,Arranger
Bryan Smith   Assistant Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Matthew Sullivan   Arranger,Producer
David James   Photography
Riley Mackin   Assistant Engineer
Sheldon Yellowhair   Assistant Engineer
Paul Bogaev   Vocal Supervision
Paul Smith   Assistant Engineer
Beyonce   Producer
Tim Carmon   Arranger
Scott Campbell   Recording,Recording
Scott Cutler   Composer
Jess Sutcliffe   Recording
Richie Jones   Producer,Remixing
Randy Spendlove   Arranger,Producer
Aaron Walk   Assistant Engineer
Max Gousse   A&R
Fuko Chubachi   Design,Art Direction
Bryan Walk   Assistant Engineer
Bill Condon   Executive Producer,Arranger
Jack Morrissey   Assistant
Steven Jacobson   Package Coordinator
The Underdogs   Arranger,Producer
Aaron Renner   Mixing,Assistant Engineer
Dabling Harward   Recording
Henry Krieger   Arranger,Composer
Vlado Meller   Mastering
Paul "Scooby" Smith   Assistant Engineer
Ivy Skoff   Contractor
David Campbell   Arranger
Tom Choi   Package Coordinator
Jerry Hey   Arranger
Mathew Knowles   Executive Producer
Deborah Lurie   Arranger
Damon Thomas   Arranger,Producer
Troy Halderson   Recording
Paul Rabjohns   Music Editor
Siedah Garrett   Composer
Beyonce Knowles   Producer
Kevin Mills   Assistant Engineer
Chris Spilfogel   Recording,Mixing
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Glen Brunman   Executive Producer
Harvey Mason, Sr.   Producer
Andrew Ross   Business Consultant
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
Lenny Wohl   Executive in Charge of Music
Harvey Mason, Jr.   Arranger
Anne Preven   Composer
Jolie Levine   Contractor