Good film scores (almost) ruined by shitty tie-in pop singles.

[Quintus 5,399]

Just been listening to Michael Kamen's brilliant score to Prince Of Thieves, but during nearly every other cue I keep subconsiously hearing Bryan Adams' husky warbling spoiling a perfectly nice love theme. It almost makes the rest score seem like an afterthought dammit! Yes, Mr Adams input is that much of an interference.

JH's Titanic suffers from the same problem for obvious reasons. Thankfully there is enough superb action music, amongst other cues, to allow for the distancing of Celine Dion. Nearly.

It makes one glad that JW has never unluckily been in the position to go down that horrible pop score music road. Don't even mention Margot Kidder

It would be like having Barbara Streisand sing along to Across The Stars. As if the tune isn't cheesy enough.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Well, there was "For Always," which I don't mind but a lot of people do. And "Can You Read My Mind" is rather distracting in the film.

Ray Barnsbury

[Jeshopk 8]

Michael Kamen's Three Musketeers

Goldsmith's Sum of All Fears

Too lazy to reburn cds without pop

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Well, there was "For Always," which I don't mind but a lot of people do.

I was going to mention that one.

"Fooooor aaaaalwaaaaayyysss, fooooor eeeeeveeeerrrr..."

What were they thinking?

[Morlock 11]

I hate For Always.....but I like both Kamen/Brian Adams songs (and their place in the score), as well as Horner's song (I think it work very organically with the score) and Goldsmith's (sure, it's not as good as the actualy main titles, but it's not bad, and certainly doesn't detract from that main title, one of the best cues from Goldsmith's last few scores).

[Henry B 50]

I immediately thought of Kamen's Robin Hood when I saw this thread title.

[robthehand 3]

Not sure if this counts really, but whenever I hear the "Captain's Log" cues from TMP, I immediately think of Jack Black's performance of the vocal version of the TV theme, with those awful lyrics ("Beyond the rim of the starlight..."). None of the other versions of Courage's theme make me think of that, just those ones.

[Guest macrea]

I always skip over the dumb Enya song on "Far and Away" but used to know someone who listened only to that track and not the Williams score.

[Henry B 50]

Oh, and almost every film score of Alan Menken. The end credits pop singles are bad, but you haven't heard terrible music until you've strolled past the TV during your sister's daily Disney Channel spree at the wrong time. Ashley Tisdale performs "Kiss the Girl"? What a joke.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

The film versions of Menken's songs are always far superior.

[Red 75]

"Can You Read My Mind" is the first I thought of.

[Marian Schedenig 8,212]

The Adams song is good, and well incorporated into the score. I also kinda like the Enya song on F&A. Now Williams' own songs, they're a different matter...

[Elmo Lewis 6]

The film versions of Menken's songs are always far superior.

Indeed. There is a Tim Rice compilation album out there -I forget the name and I don't have the CD with me right now-, and all of his Disney input consists of the film versions. He politely explains in the liner notes that he "has always liked them better" than the end credits tracks.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Oh, and almost every film score of Alan Menken. The end credits pop singles are bad, but you haven't heard terrible music until you've strolled past the TV during your sister's daily Disney Channel spree at the wrong time. Ashley Tisdale performs "Kiss the Girl"? What a joke.

Oh, I know. It's shocking to hear pop-techno beats and electronically-altered Disney Channel girls' voices "singing" classics like "The Second Star to the Right," etc. They sometimes play those on the resort transportation boats at Disney World. Makes me want to jump out. They also did a shitty R&B version of the theme from "Wishes," the current fireworks show at Magic Kingdom.

And yeah, those end credits singles are usually atrocious too. Christina Aguilara singing "Reflection" actually causes physical pain. And then that cheesy 90s keyboard opening the pop version of "Colors of the Wind"...

Ray Barnsbury

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Christina Aguilara has a damn good voice!

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

She does, but I simply cannot stand the way she sings. It sounds like she's being hurt, all that yelling.

Ray Barnsbury

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

She's been hurt.

It's not easy being a pop-goddess, you know.

[Red 75]

The 98 Degrees song from Mulan is a lot worse.

[MrScratch 294]

The disco singles of Star Wars and Close Encounters have completely ruined those scores for me.

[Red 75]

Really?

[John Crichton 4]

As if listening to GoF isn't bad enough, if you don't stop the CD in time you get blasted out of your chair by Jarvis Cocker...

Robin Hood was my first thought too, but I enjoy the love theme enough in the score not to think about the song (which could be much, much worse).

[Marian Schedenig 8,212]

As if listening to GoF isn't bad enough,

It isn't.

if you don't stop the CD in time you get blasted out of your chair by Jarvis Cocker...

Now that's true. That scream perfectly expresses the feelings I have when hearing it.

[Henry B 50]

As if listening to GoF isn't bad enough, if you don't stop the CD in time you get blasted out of your chair by Jarvis Cocker...

Yep. I usually try to incorporate diagetic music when I make playlists, but these songs are an exception. They're fucking horrible in every way.

Period.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I am utterly speechless when it comes to "Do the Hippogriff," which, besides the title conveying a rather startling image, sounds like it was written by a three-year-old:

Move your body like a hairy troll

Learning to rock and roll

Spin around like a crazy 'elf

A' Dancin' by himself

I boogie down like a unicorn

No stoppin' till the break of dawn

Put your hands up in the air

Like a dog, or just don't care

(Chorus)

Can you dance the hipogriff?

Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma

Flyin' off from a cliff

Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma

Swooping down, to the ground

Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma

Wheel around and around and around and around

Ma ma ma, ma ma ma, ma ma ma

Move around like a scary ghost

Spooking himself the most

Shake your booty like a boggart in pain

Again and again and again

Get it on like an angry specter

Who's definitely out to get ya'

Stamp your feet like a leprechaun

Gettin' it on, gettin' it on

WTF?

Ray Barnsbury

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's Harry Potter, what do you expect?

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Which is apparently what Cocker was thinking too.

Ray Barnsbury

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

And the producers and the director.

The song is completely suitable for the film it was written for. Does it work on it's own?

No.

Was it ment to?

Probably not.

[Red 75]

You could say the same thing about "We Don't Wanna Grow Up" from Hook.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Great example.

It's perfect for the scene it was written for.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

The song is completely suitable for the film it was written for.

True, I guess that's why it sucks.

Ray Barnsbury

[John Crichton 4]

I am utterly speechless when it comes to "Do the Hippogriff," which, besides the title conveying a rather startling image, sounds like it was written by a three-year-old:

Looks to me like he was trying to throw every creature from the Potter universe into one song. Or randomly pulling them out of a hat.

[Romão 2,274]

Love Song for a Vampire....

[Red 75]

Great example.

It's perfect for the scene it was written for.

Granted, it is better than "Do the Hippogriff".

[skyy38 21]

I'm surprised none of you have mentioned "We May Never Love Like This Again" and "The Morning After".

Not that those songs have "ruined" anything for me,mind you.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Titanic. Good score but annoying song!

[artyjeffrey 20]

The disco singles of Star Wars and Close Encounters have completely ruined those scores for me.

There's that inexplicable goofy instrumental track at the end of The Search for Spock soundtrack that always threw me for a loop.

And let us not forget,..... from The Shadow.... Jerry Goldsmith's music having to share cd space with....Taylor Dayne.....

[Henry B 50]

I love the Star Wars disco single. How much did Meco produce, anyway? I have an MP3 of the original, fifteen-minute Star Wars track, but I've heard other stuff crop up in odd places like Star Wars video games.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

I always skip over the dumb Enya song on "Far and Away" but used to know someone who listened only to that track and not the Williams score.

I think it actually fit quite well into the the overall feel of the score. If there was one minor complaint I have about it is that I would have liked it to be the last track (instead the penultimate one). But still, IIRC, the way it is on the album its in film order.

I immediately think of Jack Black's performance of the vocal version of the TV theme, with those awful lyrics ("Beyond the rim of the starlight...").

Now where can i get that?

[scissorhands 16]

"The Man Who Knew Too Much", such great opening and cantata, eclipsed by that silly song "Qué será, será".

[nicholas 1]

"When you're all alone" from Hook. Vomit inducing.

[Salacius 7]

For me there has never been a track that I physically wanted to cut out of a soundtrack more than that damn song by Guns and Roses in the end of the Interview with a Vampire score!!

[Quintus 5,399]

Just a thought, The Neverending Story is a movie which probably benefits from its No.1 hit single. Not only did it help to sell an otherwise lost fantasy gem, but its 80s' swirling musical style is actually quite charming.

[John Crichton 4]

"When you're all alone" from Hook. Vomit inducing.

I just removed both the songs from my complete Hook set. Keeps me from having to hit the skip track button every time.

[Martyprod 86]

hello,

just to add my two cents ...

i LOVE, yes, it's the right word, LOVE the end titles pop songs of menken works , most of them have been made by walter afanasieff (ex-mariah carey composer and arranger).... i think (please, don't send me bombs) that the pop version of Go the distance sung by michael bolton on Hercules is simply the Best pop song ever made .... for me , of course...keyboards by afanasieff, guitars by Mike landau, drums by john robinson, and the orchestra in the background !! WOW, i love both the composition (i love the orchestral version too of course) and the pop arrangement. that's, i'm afraid, my pop side. i love as well all these 90s keyboards we can listen in songs like colors of the wind (not arranged by afanasieff but Keith Thomas, a kind of david foster copy guy).in pocahontas too, the both Pop songs are terrific , and it's by far the best song that vanessa williams did.same keyboards sound can be listened on Aladdin end credits (a whole new world), beauty and the beast, hunback of notre dame , etc ....

ok, now you can send the bombs

[gkgyver 1,646]

What about John Barry's "If There Was A Man" from The Living Daylights?

[Breakfast Jim 0]

WhenI bought Alladin, I didn't think anything would be on there but songs. I guess they thought that they needed to put in pop inbetween the songs to make it morelike the movie Oh well, I guess it adds a feeling from the movie. I mainly bought it for "Proud to be your boy" bonus track.

[Red 75]

"When you're all alone" from Hook. Vomit inducing.

I just removed both the songs from my complete Hook set. Keeps me from having to hit the skip track button every time.

The piano solo at the beginning of "We Don't Wanna Grow Up" is quite good, as is the music only version of "When You're Alone".

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

hello,

just to add my two cents ...

i LOVE, yes, it's the right word, LOVE the end titles pop songs of menken works , most of them have been made by walter afanasieff (ex-mariah carey composer and arranger).... i think (please, don't send me bombs) that the pop version of Go the distance sung by michael bolton on Hercules is simply the Best pop song ever made .... for me , of course...keyboards by afanasieff, guitars by Mike landau, drums by john robinson, and the orchestra in the background !! WOW, i love both the composition (i love the orchestral version too of course) and the pop arrangement. that's, i'm afraid, my pop side. i love as well all these 90s keyboards we can listen in songs like colors of the wind (not arranged by afanasieff but Keith Thomas, a kind of david foster copy guy).in pocahontas too, the both Pop songs are terrific , and it's by far the best song that vanessa williams did.same keyboards sound can be listened on Aladdin end credits (a whole new world), beauty and the beast, hunback of notre dame , etc ....

ok, now you can send the bombs

Haha, no bombs, just weird glances.

Welcome to the board!

Ray Barnsbury

[Jacob 0]

Just been listening to Michael Kamen's brilliant score to Prince Of Thieves, but during nearly every other cue I keep subconsiously hearing Bryan Adams' husky warbling spoiling a perfectly nice love theme. It almost makes the rest score seem like an afterthought dammit! Yes, Mr Adams input is that much of an interference.

Hah, hah. Just saw that the other day. Ugh. I hate that type of vocalizing. All these pop singers sound like they're terribly constipated. BTW, is the film version the same as the album? He sounded less constipated on the album.

Although I have to admit, actually seeing the movie did much more to ruin the score for me than the pop song. Now whenever I listen to Marian at the Waterfall I'm going to be flashed with blinding images of Keven Kostner's pale white bum.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

WhenI bought Alladin, I didn't think anything would be on there but songs. I guess they thought that they needed to put in pop inbetween the songs to make it morelike the movie Oh well, I guess it adds a feeling from the movie. I mainly bought it for "Proud to be your boy" bonus track.

I'm... not following you.