Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers At RKO: Motion Picture Soundtrack Anthology [Live] [Soundtrack]

Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 1 (Top Hat / Swing Time / Follow the Fleet / Shall We Dance / The Barkleys of Broadway)
The Essential Fred Astaire
Steppin' Out: Astaire Sings
Lullaby Of Broadway: The Best Of Busby Berkeley At Warner Bros.: Motion Picture Soundtrack Anthology
Astaire & Rogers Collection, Vol. 2 (Flying Down to Rio / The Gay Divorcee / Roberta / Carefree / The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle)

ASIN: B00000346B
Release Date: 1998-02-17

Tracks:

Flying Down To Rio: Flying Down To Rio
The Gay Divorce: A Needle In A Haystack
The Gay Divorce: Night And Day
The Gay Divorce: The Continental
Top Hat: No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)
Top Hat: Isn't This A Lovely Day (To Be Caught In The Rain)
Top Hat: Top Hat, White Tie And Tails
Top Hat: Cheek To Cheek
Roberta: Let's Begin
Roberta: I'll Be Hard To Handle
Roberta: I Won't Dance
Follow The Fleet: I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
Follow The Fleet: Let's Face The Music And Dance
Follow The Fleet: I'd Rather Lead A Band
Follow The Fleet: Let Yourself Go

Tracks:

Swing Time: Pick Yourself Up
Swing Time: The Way You Look Tonight
Swing Time: Waltz In Swing Time
Swing Time: A Fine Romance
Swing Time: Bojangles Of Harlem
Swing Time: Never Gonna Dance
A Damsel In Distress: I Can't Be Bothered Now
A Damsel In Distress: A Foggy Day
A Damsel In Distress: Nice Work If You Can Get It
A Damsel In Distress: Things Are Looking Up
Shall We Dance: Slap That Bass
Shall We Dance: (I've Got) Begginer's Luck
Shall We Dance: They All Laughed
Shall We Dance: Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
Shall We Dance: They Can't Take That Away From Me
Shall We Dance: Shall We Dance
Carefree: I Used To Be Color-Blind
Carefree: The Yam
Carefree: Change Partners
The Sky's The Limit: One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

Amazon.com

During the "talkies'" first decade, Hollywood quickly rivalled Broadway as a major platform for the best pop music, and no franchise underlined this potential better than the Astaire/Rogers musicals released by RKO Pictures. Ironically, that golden age of musicals preceded the introduction of LPs, so it's been left until now for the release of this comprehensive two-CD anthology, which extracts classic vocal performances of classics from Irving Berlin and the Gershwins, among others, slighter but no less charming novelty songs, and brief dialogue excerpts. For fans, it's the mother lode, but even more casual listeners will be reminded of Astaire's deceptively plain yet indelible voice, and Rogers' own warm, engaging style. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

American standards sung by the best.......2007-01-10

This 2-cd set is the best I've ever bought--I'm so glad someone decided to put songs from the Astaire/Rogers movies together. All the songs from their movies are included, and the quality of the sound is excellent. The best thing though, to my mind, is that the songs are exactly the same as they are in the movies -- that means the phrasing and movement of the songs are the same, dialogue is included, the taps are included, its great! Thank you!

An Exellent 2 CD Set Of Original FRED AND GINGER MUSIC!.......2006-05-07

Well, yes, I was one of those kids who took tap dancing and ballroom dancing lessons mostly due to Fred and Ginger movies along with keeping my twin brother and I out of mischief. But now to this extraordinary double CD set!

First, there is a lot of charming music in this collection which has excellent sound quality. The songs include not just the singing parts but also the dancing parts. So, you can visualize the duo dancing while your eyes are closed just listening. Plenty of excellent music is included. All of the big hits. There is also a nice booklet included with plenty of info about the songs, movies and Fred and Ginger. There are also plentiful "Behind the scenes" pictures. So OK, the song "The Piccolino" is not included in this set. It's just that Rhino Records could not buy the rights to the song for a "Fair" price (in Rhino's opinion). But, since the overall double CD set is just so wonderfully put together, you don't even really notice it, folks.

This is a real treasure of song, dance and memories taking you back to a time when the only things that seemed "dirty" were your knees as you were trying to dance like Fred Astaire. OVERALL RATING: A-

This is wonderful.......2005-05-12

I've kept thid for threeyears.It was my first cd I ever got.Fred dose a beautiful job.On they cant take that away from me.But in the booklet they talk mostly about ginger.And they even say that some of Fred's dances are silly!Also how unfair that Fred was given top billing not Ginger.Outside of the way they talk in the book.This is a wonderful cd.

Fun stuff from Hollywood's golden era.......2005-02-08

After years of success on the Broadway stage, Fred & Ginger started off their movie careers in 1933 with the frothy comedy, "Flying Down To Rio," and went on to make ten films for the RKO studio, each of which, naturally, included plenty of high-class hoofing and Tin Pan Alley songsmithing. This generous 2-CD set gathers nearly all the musical numbers from these films -- "Top Hat," "Gay Divorcee" and others -- along with some incidental dialogue and even extended passages with the ratatatat-tarrrump!! of Astaire's tapdancing. It's classic material, with lively versions of some of the biggest standards of the 'Thirties (Astaire's films were often used as vehicles to introduce pop hits to a mass audience...) There's also a roughness and informality to these recordings that many folks might find appealing, as the music is lifted straight from the actual films, and that's part of the charm... Okay, so maybe we have to admit that Ginger Rogers was a terrible singer, but Astaire's gentle crooning more than makes up for it, and all of these old tracks are tremendously entertaining, as well as historically rich. Recommended!

Excellent Choice for Fans of the Astaire/Rogers Films.......2002-10-04

I was thrilled to discover this CD set. Previously, I had been looking for Fred Astaire albums that included the songs from his films with Ginger Rogers, but they were all slightly different from their film versions (some people may not have noticed, but it really bothered me). Then, I found this at my local library and loved it so much I had to buy my own copy. These are, obviously, the songs exactly as they are heard in the films, as they are all taken directly from the film source. I know that some have put down the audio quality as "poor". Granted, the quality is not up to par with the audio on recordings currently being produced. However, it's important to remember these recordings are from the 1930s. It's only natural that they won't have the same kind of audio quality and crispness we're used to now. With that in mind, I was satisfied with the recordings.

One of the great things about this set is the dialogue from the movies that is included with some of the songs. I was pleasantly surprised by it and, as someone else mentioned, it really does conjure up the movie scenes again in your mind. I also think it should be mentioned that the "liner notes" included here are much more than a simple song list. It is a 39 page booklet with pictures, a history of both Astaire and Rogers lives and careers (including a history of their real-life romance), as well as information on the movies and their creation. For a fan, having this booklet included is a wonderful, added bonus.

I rated this CD package 4 stars because 4 1/2 wasn't available. The reason I demoted it that 1/2 a star is because there are a few songs from the films that were not included, namely "The Piccolino" from TOP HAT, the reprise of "A Fine Romance/The Way You Look Tonight" from the finale of SWING TIME, and "Since They Turned Loch Lomand Into Swing" from CAREFREE. Still, because of what is included, I think this is well worth purchasing for any Astaire/Rogers fans. [I also recommend the 2-disk CD set "Fred Astaire at MGM", if you'd like to own the songs from "THE BARKELYS OF BROADWAY", his final film with Ginger Rogers.]

Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire

Average customer rating:

upbeat Fred & Ginger
Homage to Blossom
Simply A Must-Have in Your Collection !
Soft and smooth
Fitting tribute to Fred's music

Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire
Stacey Kent
Manufacturer: Candid Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Boy Next Door
In Love Again - The Music of Richard Rodgers
Love Is...The Tender Trap
Close Your Eyes
Dreamsville

ASIN: B000035QA9
Release Date: 2000-08-12

Tracks:

Let Yourself Go (Irving Berlin)
They Can't Take That Away From Me (George/Ira Gerswhin)
I Won't Dance (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh)
Isn't This A Lovely Day? (Irving Berlin)
They All Laughed (George/Ira Gershwin)
He Loves And She Loves (George/Ira Gershwin)
Shall We Dance? (George/Ira Gershwin)
One For My Baby (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer)
S'Wonderful (George/Ira Gershwin)
A Fine Romance (Jerome Kern/Dorothy Fields)
I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan (Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz)
I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket (Irving Berlin)
By Myself (Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz)

Amazon.com

Grateful singers know that Fred Astaire virtually defined the Great American Songbook, beginning in the '30s with his legendary film collaborations with George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Jerome Kern. Stacey Kent pays tribute to Astaire in Let Yourself Go, the third stellar album for the London-based, New York-bred vocalist whose voice resembles a lighter version of Dinah Washington's. Kent shines on both gorgeous ballads ("They Can't Take That Away from Me") and solid swingers ("Shall We Dance"), and adds an easy bossa nova beat to "'S Wonderful." Trading lines with her is Kent's saxophonist-husband Jim Tomlinson, who fronts the solid band. Flexible with the rhythms yet never straying far from the melodies, Kent also pays perhaps the ultimate compliment to many of these songs by including the oft-neglected verses. Tony Bennett's 1993 Fred Astaire tribute was his breakthrough to the mainstream music scene. Perhaps Let Yourself Go will be the U.S. breakthrough for Stacey Kent. --David Horiuchi

Album Details

A Tribute to One of her Idols Fred Astaire. Interpretations of 'fine Romance', 'they all Laughed', 'i Won't Dance'etc.

Customer Reviews:

upbeat Fred & Ginger.......2006-08-04

This is the my most recent Stacey purchase and I like the song selection more than I thought I would before I got it. More up beat and happy than her more ballad albums.

A recent Washington Post article before Stacey Kent's appearance at Blues Alley said she had an "adult sexuality". I had to find out. Having listened, she has a coy, kittenish sexuality that come through most all her songs. A kittenish, cat-and-mouse quality. I have since seen her at Blues Alley and she does a great live show. Both her and Jim seem less pretentious than a lot of stars.

She has a small voice - she rarely, if ever, sings loud or with much dynamics. But the mix is always consistent and pleasant.

The fav song here is the sad "One for my Baby", but I really like the cheerful title track. You can imagine Fred and Ginger dancing across the screen. Jim Tomlinson on Sax sounds like Stan Getz back from the grave, yet again.

Stacey & Jim have made a number of albums. The differences between each are the songs, whether the selection is to your taste, the arrangements are pretty similar from album to album.

Homage to Blossom.......2006-04-06

Stacey Kent has a tiny, girlish voice, similar in some ways to the wonderful Blossom Dearie, but without, as far as I can tell, an iota of Dearie's transcendent wit and humor. Kent's album covers, with their glamour girl sheen, reinforce the idea that she takes herself very seriously. This album makes pleasant background music, but it's not a sit down and listen kind of album. The songs don't feel lived in, and she doesn't feel as if she has enough life experience to invest them with the requisite meaning. Still, pleasant sounds are better than unpleasant ones, and for that reason I give it two stars.

Simply A Must-Have in Your Collection !.......2005-05-01

Few contemporary vocalists interpret standards with new delight while keeping the original glory in tact. Stacey's voice is clear and warm; and unlike many recordings, the instrumentals accent the vocals instead of compete against them. Between Noah Jones, Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, and Stacey Kent, I enjoy Stacey Kent the most.

Soft and smooth.......2004-06-12

I don't know just where Stacey Kent came from, but the first time I heard her voice I thought it was an old recording of Joanie Sommers. But Stacey has a certain knack for great phrasing as well, and she hits all the right notes.

Fitting tribute to Fred's music.......2004-01-10

According to the liner notes written by Stacey, as a child she used to imagine herself in place of Ginger Rogers. Stacey shows her obvious enthusiasm for, and familiarity with, Fred's music in this, her third album. It is unusual for a singer to pay tribute to an artist from the thirties and forties, as tribute albums devoted to that era usually focus on the composer, but this is a brilliant album.

Stacey chose mostly well-known songs including such classics as Let yourself go, They can't take that away from me, Isn't this a lovely day, S'wonderful and A fine romance. Of course, Fred had many more classic songs that Stacey didn't include (such as Putting on the Ritz, The continental, Cheek to cheek, Fascinating rhythm, Nice work if you can get it, Night and day), but the thirteen songs chosen offer a good representation. Irving Berlin composed three of the songs here, while there are five by George and Ira Gershwin. Between them, those three men were responsible for the majority of Fred's classics so it is no surprise to find they have the majority here. All the songs here suit Stacey's style perfectly, and all are suitably updated for modern listeners while respecting tradition.

Tracks:

Steppin` Out With My Baby
Let`s Call The Whole Thing Off
Top Hat, White Tie, And Tails
They Can`t Take That Away From Me
Dancing In The Dark
`S Wonderful
The Way You Look Tonight
They All Laughed
I Concentrate On You
Night And Day
A Fine Romance
Nice Work If You Can Get It
The Continental
I Won`t Dance
You`re Easy To Dance With
Change Partners
Cheek To Cheek

Amazon.com

In 1952 Fred Astaire joined Oscar Peterson and some of Verve's best sidemen to lay down jazzy, laid-back versions of songs he had made famous in his Broadway and film career. Those 38 tracks, released as The Astaire Story, have been condensed into this collection, Steppin' Out: Fred Astaire Sings. While Astaire was not blessed with great vocal chops, the best American songwriters including George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter loved him for his unerring sense of rhythm and sympathetic treatment of lyrics, qualities that are well displayed here. Tony Bennett hit the pop mainstream with his 1994 album of jazzy Astaire standards. Here's the original. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Fred and Oscar.......2007-06-27

This disc gives a good sample of the 4 LP set called "The Fred Astaire Story". Fred is in fine fettle with the small group of Jazz at the Philharmonic musicians, and the recording is of such quality that you can really hear his style. Also, Oscar Peterson's accompaniment gives the lie to those who say that he plays too many notes or that he doesn't swing. All is understated, in aid of putting Fred into the best light. Of course, you have a selection of some of the great popular songs associated with Fred's career.

Dancer AND Singer.......2006-11-12

Beyond the nostalgia of an eighty year old, "Steppin' Out: Astaire Sings" teamed with some of the great jazz players reveals a fine, gentle singer whose dancing overshadowed his singing in the original movies.

Fresh.......2006-09-05

For something recorded in 1952, this is some of the freshest music today. These songs from stage and movies are given new life by putting show tunes to the take-your-time, more sensitive, less hackneyed rhythms of jazz. Lacking the necessity to carry a movie, Astaire's phrasing and intonations have a very different quality than the original versions.

A certain subtlety comes through and the lyrics are freed from sentimentality, as Astaire masterfully burnishes a deeper and more heartfelt thoughtfulness. "Steppin' Out With My Baby" and "I Won't Dance" have a simpler, carefree quality, and the accompaniement by greats such as Oscar Peterson on piano and Charlie Shavers, Flip Phillips, Barney Kessel, Ray Brown and Alvin Stoller are first rate. This is a must have for not only Fred Astaire afficionados, but also for anyone who really wants to hear how to take an old hit, change it around and come out with something totally fresh.

Fans will like his interview on the final track, "Cheek to Cheek." As it says in the cover note, Tony Bennett proclaimed Fred Astaire our national treasure. Fred Astaire's versatility and willingness to risk putting these standards to a new rhythm should stand as both proof and inspiration.

A Bridge Between the 1930's and 1950's.......2005-09-09

The Great American Song Book reached its highest point in the 1950's with Verve's Jazz recordings of the classic American music of the 1930's. All the Jazz greats stepped back twenty years and breathed new life into the works of Irving Berlin, Rogers and Hart and Cole Porter.

"Steppin' Out" is brilliant because it serves as a link between the Broadway and Hollywood Music of the 1930's and the new Jazz interpretations of the 1950's. Many of the songs covered in this album were written for and first performed by Fred Astaire.

Verve had a first rate idea in asking Fred Astaire to work with Oscar Peterson. The arrangements show all the brilliance that Peterson was capable of achieving and Astaire stepped up to the musical challange. The jazz pace and phrasing worked perfectly for Astaire. His voice and delivery had only improved with time. In my opinion, his voice in the 1930's had a tinny quality to it. But by the 1950's he had matured and there is deepness to his voice that works well in a jazz setting.

There can be little argument that Fred Astaire was one of the great dancers of the Twentieth Century. Although not as well respected as a vocalist, this album quite clearly shows that Astaire could do it all.

A brilliant collaboration.......2004-11-07

If you like Astaire, Jazz or the American songbook you will love this. The understated virtuoso arrangements let the songs shine and Astaire is the real thing.

Easter Parade: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Average customer rating:

if you love the movie, you'll love this.
top Judy Garland soundtrack
Great
The great American musical
Perfect for any season

Easter Parade: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000033JD
Release Date: 1995-05-23

Tracks:

Main Title - M-G-M Studio Orchestra And Studio Chorus
Happy Easter - Fred Astaire And The Mel-Tones
Drum Crazy - Fred Astaire
It Only Happens When I Dance With You - Fred Astaire
Happy Easter - The Mel-Tones
Everybody's Doin' It Now - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
I Want To Go Back To Michigan (Down On The Farm) - Judy Garland
Happy Easter - M-G-M Studio Orchestra And Studio Chorus
Making Faces - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
Beautiful Faces Need Beautiful Clothes - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
This Is The Life (Dog Act) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
Along Came Ruth - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
Call Me Up Some Rainy Afternoon - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
A Fella With An Umbrella - Judy Garland And Peter Lawford
Vaudeville Montage: I Love A Piano - Judy Garland
Vaudeville Montage: Snookey Ookums - Judy Garland And Fred Astaire
Vaudeville Montage: The Ragtime Violin - Fred Astaire
Vaudeville Montage: When The Midnight Choo-Choo... - Judy Garland And Fred Astaire
Mixed Greens - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
That International Rag (Fanfare And Montage-Zieg.. - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
Shakin' The Blues Away - Ann Miller With The Mel-Tones And The Lyttle Sis..
It Only Happens When I Dance With You - Judy Garland
Fanfare And Montage - Globe Theatre - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
Steppin' Out With My Baby - Fred Astaire With The Mel-Tones And The Lyttle Sis
Mr. Monotony - Judy Garland
A Coulpe Of Swells - Judy Garland And Fred Astaire
Roof Garden (Drum Crazy - Reprise) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
The Girl On The Magazine Cover - Dick Beavers And Chorus
New Amsterdam Roof (It Only Happens When I Dance.. - M-G-M Studio Orchestra
Better Luck Next Time - Judy Garland
Easter Parade (End Title) - Judy Garland And Chorus

Customer Reviews:

if you love the movie, you'll love this........2005-09-03

i love the movie so naturally i love the soundtrack. all the music is on here as well as the songs. i'd reccomend buying the movie first and if you like that, definitely purchase the soundtrack.

top Judy Garland soundtrack.......2004-07-24

EASTER PARADE was one of the biggest-grossing musicals ever made at M-G-M, with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in their only big-screen pairing. Ann Miller also puts in a fabulous performance.

Irving Berlin's score includes the classic Title Song as well as the infectious "Drum Crazy", wistful "I Want to Go Back to Michigan", the romantic plea "It Only Happens When I Dance with You" and the showstopping "Shakin' the Blues Away".

Judy Garland, at the zenith of her film career, is luminous and Fred Astaire is charmingly comedic. Ann Miller belts out "Shakin' the Blues Away" in the film's tapdancing showstopper. Peter Lawford also gets to sing a fine little ditty called "A Fella with an Umbrella".

Sound quality is very impressive for a soundtrack of late-40's vintage. Another winner from TCM/Rhino soundtracks!

Great.......2001-10-18

Made me want to see the video again for the up-teenth time.

The great American musical.......2001-02-01

Reservations about the recording quality are inevitable, and of course when Astaire was involved the songs are always better when you can watch him dance and hear his tapping, but that said, there is no greater American musical in my opinion than this one. The title song, simple as it is, is so evocative of New York and the 40s and the hope of a new season that I almost cry every time I hear it. To me, it is the best song Berlin ever wrote and one of the very few best American songs ever written. The rest of the disc is one great number after another, with Judy Garland in top form and Fred Astaire constantly revealing that it is phrasing and timing more than a great voice that make a great singer, which he undoubtedly is. Indispensible music.

Perfect for any season.......2000-12-13

This is one of the first MGM films to receive the full soundtrack treatment from Turner/Rhino. All of the songs and underscoring are included, plus two outtakes and an extended version of one track. The results are wonderful and with the exception of a couple of tracks the sound is very good. Unfortunately the original multi-miked recordings did not survive, resulting in the inablility to mix the music to true stereo as has been done with so many of the subsequent MGM soundtrack releases. The only surviving recordings are the monaural mix down tracks of the orchestral parts and a separate vocal track. Fortunately these tracks do not include the dialogue, tapping, and foley of the final film soundtrack elements. There is a noticable lack of fidelity on "A Couple of Swells" due to the fact that a recording disc was all that survived. No version of "I Want to Go Back to Michigan" could be found, so the version heard here is straight from the film soundtrack and includes the applause at the end of the song. No dialogue or other distractions were used in the sequence, thank goodness, so the result is fine. "Mr. Monotony" and the extended "Better Luck Next Time" will thrill the Garland fans out there.

Average customer rating:

Music that brings back the Joyfull Memories of this Unforgettable Woman
Mancini at His Best
Well-intentioned but a disappointment
Awesome!!!!
In loving Memory of Audrey Hepburn...

Music From The Films Of Audrey Hepburn
Henry Mancini , Fred Astaire , and Frederick Loewe
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Breakfast At Tiffany's: Music From The Motion Picture Score
Funny Face (1957 Film)
Two for the Road
Paris When It Sizzles
Funny Face

ASIN: B000002L1E
Release Date: 1993-07-13

Tracks:

Breakfast At Tiffany's: Moon River - Henry Mancini
Charade: Main Title - Henry Mancini
My Fair Lady: Overture - Frederick Loewe
Funny Face: He Loves, She Loves - Fred Austaire/George And Ira Gershwin
The Nun's Story: Main Title - Franz Waxman
Wait Until Dark: Theme For Three - Henry Mancini
How To Steal A Million: Main Title - John Williams
Robin And Marian: John Bursts In/The End - John Barry
Two For The Road: Main Title-Instrumental - Henry Mancini
Paris When It Sizzles: Gabrielle - Nelson Riddle
Moon River - Audrey Hepburn

Customer Reviews:

Music that brings back the Joyfull Memories of this Unforgettable Woman.......2007-01-27

Audrey Hepburn was a great actress and a wonderful person with a beautiful character. When you see one of her movies, the charm of Hepburn and her way of acting give the film a certain atmosphere. Next to Hepburn's acting and charm, there was another thing that helped the films creating a certain mood and feeling. Yes, the music.

In 1993, a few months after Hepburn's death, this lovely CD was released with great themes and music pieces from Hepburn's films. Although it is sad that none of her own singing from the film "Funny Face" is included, you still get the grand luxury of hearing Hepburn's voice on this music collection at the last track.
This music is connected to Hepburn. And when you listen to it, you can see her in front of you, bringing back the memories of those fine moments watching her on the screen.
Now let's see what every track brings:

1. Breakfast at Tiffany's: Moon River - Henry Mancini --- The perfect way to start this CD. This beautiful theme from the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is pure magic. When you hear the tones you can immediately see Hepburn standing on that empty New York street, wearing that lovely black dress while she is gazing into the windows of the jewellery store Tiffany & CO.
This theme gives shivers down my spine and remains one of the most beautiful themes ever written.
Length: (2:40)

2. Charade: Main title - Henry Mancini --- Charade is a movie that was introduced to people in previews and trailers back in 1963 as a mix of Suspense, Romance and Comedy. When you hear this great theme by Mancini you can hear those three ingredients clearly. The fear the main character has, the love she encounters and of course the fun.
Length: (2:07)

3. My Fair lady: Overture - Frederick Loewe --- My Fair Lady is one of the most enchanting and successful musicals ever made. And as we all know, music is very important in a musical. It is a character itself. This overture of the film is a mix of different songs and themes from the film and is heard at the very beginning. This overture includes music of the melody of the song "You did it", the melody of the romantic song "On the Street where you live" and the melody of the song "I could have danced all night".
Length: (3:23)

4. Funny Face: He loves, She loves - Sung by Fred Astaire --- Funny Face, released in 1956 was Audrey's first musical film. The weird thing is that this song is included on the CD and not a song where Audrey's own singing talent is heard (which is in a lot of songs in the film). Anyways, Fred Astaire is a great singer and gives this song a great fifties atmosphere. The atmosphere of the film is clearly present in this song.
Length: (4:59)

5. The Nun's Story: Main Title - Franz Waxman --- The Nun's Story was one of Hepburn's most serious films. A powerful story about a woman who becomes a nun but has difficulty following her obligations even though she tries very hard to do so. The film had a sad and sometimes even dark atmosphere because of the inner struggle the main character had. This title theme gives the atmosphere of the film, the difficulty the character has. You hear the sad atmosphere, but also the love the character has within her heart. A dramatic and powerful theme, beautiful to listen too. Gives me shivers down my spine
Length: (2:37)

6. Wait Until Dark: Theme for Three - Henry Mancini --- Now another one of Hepburn's most serious films. A kind of Horror Thriller where she plays a blind woman who gets terrorised by three men who are searching for a doll stuffed with heroin which they believe is hidden in her house somewhere. The film had a very creepy atmosphere and is considered the scariest film Hepburn has ever made. The character is completely alone in the dark while she has to find her way to safety and help. This creepy theme by Mancini reflects the atmosphere of the film and shows how frightened Hepburn's character was.
Length: (2:43)

7. How To Steal a Million: Main Title - John Williams --- One of my personal favourites. A fun and happy adventure this film is. The great chemistry between Hepburn and Peter O'Toole is grand in the film and this great great great theme by John Williams brings such a happy feeling. It is a lively and adventurous theme and reflects the fun of the film and the great adventure of love and happiness the characters are experiencing in the film. Fantastic music! My only complain is that it is too bad that this is the shortest track on the CD.
Length: (1:47)

8. Robin and Marian: John Bursts In/The End - John Barry --- Robin and Marian brought Hepburn back to the big screen after she left the movie business to raise her children (what a wonderful heart that woman had). The film itself is a romantic drama that has a kind of sad atmosphere. Robin and Marian are not that in love with each other anymore and the flame of their relationship is being softly blown out by the wind. This piece of music, which is played at the end, gives the main theme of the film and the music at the last scene. If you have seen the film, you know what happens. If you haven't, then I won't spoil it for you, but the music speaks for itself. Beautiful theme by John Barry.
Length: (4:35)

9. Two For the Road: Main Theme - Instrumental - Henry Mancini --- Another theme from the great Henry Mancini. The man just kept coming with great themes. This is one of the most beautiful themes I ever heard in a film. It also gets stuck in your head. This theme shows the relation between a married couple whose marriage is weakening. It is tender, emotional and beautiful. One of the greatest tracks on this CD. Simply magnificent.
Length: (2:41)

10. Paris When It Sizzles: Gabrielle - Nelson Riddle --- Another one of those fun romantic comedy films of Audrey Hepburn was Paris When It Sizzles. This relaxing theme is played at the very beginning of the film, when Hepburn's Character Gabrielle arrives at her destination in Paris and the titles are rolling over the screen. True sixties music that is nice and once again, relaxing. Just sit back in that nice big chair with a nice drink in your hand and listen. Relaxing indeed.
Length: (2:46)

11. Moon River - Sung by Audrey Hepburn --- And the great final they have kept to the very end of the CD. The song Moon River sung by Hepburn herself. Hearing the screen legend's singing voice is an absolute joy. Her voice in combination with the beautiful theme of Mancini gives a thrilling musical experience and makes this track the one that is closest connected to Hepburn.
Length: (2:01)

There is a kind of small mini poster from about 24 cm by 24 cm included. This little poster includes a few nice small black and white photos of Audrey in the films. There is also a small picture of a letter Audrey wrote to Henry Mancini, in which she tells him what a great job he has done on the soundtrack of Breakfast of Tiffany's, which is nice to read and cool that it is included between the pictures. There is also an introduction to the CD by Henri Mancini, who tells about his music in the movies and how he got inspired by the lovely Hepburn.

This CD is full with music that gives you the feeling that Hepburn is right with you in the room. The atmosphere this music brings is close to the atmosphere Hepburn brought to the screen. Just listen to this CD, close you eyes, and you will see that lovely Audrey smile in front of you once more. And believe it or not, you will smile only seconds after seeing that lovely sight with this music playing into your ears.

Mancini at His Best.......2006-08-10

This is a great CD. Excellent sound quality and the difficult to find Audrey Hepburn version of "Moon River".

Well-intentioned but a disappointment.......2005-05-20

This posthumous tribute to the ethereal Ms. Hepburn begins with the gloriously cool "Moon River" from 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', sounding resplendant with Henry Mancini and his studio singers. But that proves to be a peak difficult to top. The producers of this CD picked Mancini's opening theme to "Charade" and not the ballad version with the lyrics(big mistake), and none of Hepburn's "Funny Face" vocals are present. They seemed intent on spotlighting just the opening titles music, and this leaves a lot of great vocal music out in the cold. The photos and liner notes almost make this worth having, yet the crowning achievement is Hepburn's movie-track vocal on "Moon River" at the finale. Unavailable any place else, they made sure fans would buy this on the basis of this inclusion alone.

Awesome!!!!.......2002-06-11

This captures all of Audrey's best movies in one album. I haighly recommend it!!!!

In loving Memory of Audrey Hepburn..........2000-11-19

I'm gratefully delighted to find this CD. This collection of sound tracks, music and songs from some of Audrey's best movies served well as remembrance. My fave of course is "Moon River". Touching and significant. Audrey may not had the best vocal but she sang it with her heart and soul. That's touches me. Her version was the only one I love because only she could bring out it's essence. Who can forget "Breakfast at Tiffany's" when she sang it sitting outside her window drying her hair........

With these sound tracks, I can listen to Audrey while driving, in the comfort of an easy chair,lazing in bed and retrospect with it as background. What so great about this CD was that it helped me to visualise those scenes and magical moments from their respective movies. The saddness of "Nun Story" to the upbeat melody from "My Fair Lady". Audrey's Classic movies deserved to be remembered and this CD stored the spirits of them. My only complain is it should be a full extensive movie soundtracks of all of Audrey's films.