The Jazz Singer (soundtrack)
The Jazz Singer is an album by Neil Diamond from 1980, which served as the soundtrack album to the 1980 remake of the film The Jazz Singer. The soundtrack was released in November 1980 originally on Capitol Records, instead of his then-usual Columbia Records, because the film was produced by EMI Films, owned by the parent company of the label for which the soundtrack was released. The soundtrack was re-released in February 1996 on Columbia Records in the United States and Sony elsewhere. After Diamond signed with Capitol Records, this album was reissued by Capitol globally in 2014.[2]
The Jazz Singer | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | November 10, 1980 | |||
Recorded | 1980 | |||
Genre | Pop, rock | |||
Length | 40:11 | |||
Label | Capitol (original and 2014 reissue) Columbia (1996 reissue) | |||
Producer | Bob Gaudio | |||
Neil Diamond chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Jazz Singer soundtrack | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic |
The film's reviews were negative, earning Diamond the first Razzie for Worst Actor at the 1st Golden Raspberry Awards, but made a modest profit at the box office, grossing almost double its budget. However, its soundtrack was a huge success and became Neil Diamond's biggest selling album in the United States, selling over 5 million copies there and reaching #3 on the pop albums chart. This would mark the second time a Neil Diamond soundtrack outperformed the movie it came from (after Jonathan Livingston Seagull). Three songs from the album became top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Love on the Rocks", "Hello Again" and "America" reaching Nos. 2, 6, and 8, respectively.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "America" | Neil Diamond | 4:18 |
2. | "Adon Olom" | Traditional | 0:32 |
3. | "You Baby" | Neil Diamond | 3:01 |
4. | "Love on the Rocks" | Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud | 3:40 |
5. | "Amazed and Confused" | Neil Diamond, Richard Bennett | 2:53 |
6. | "On the Robert E. Lee" | Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud | 2:03 |
7. | "Summerlove" | Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud | 3:17 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Hello Again" | Neil Diamond, Alan Lindgren | 4:04 |
2. | "Acapulco" | Neil Diamond, Doug Rhone | 2:48 |
3. | "Hey Louise" | Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud | 3:00 |
4. | "Songs of Life" | Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud | 3:32 |
5. | "Jerusalem" | Neil Diamond | 3:03 |
6. | "Kol Nidre/My Name Is Yussel" | Traditional; adapted by Neil Diamond, Uri Frenkel/Neil Diamond | 1:38 |
7. | "America (Reprise)" | Neil Diamond | 2:22 |
Personnel
- Neil Diamond – guitar, lead vocals
- Richard Bennett – acoustic and electric guitars
- Doug Rhone – guitar, backing vocals
- Alan Lindgren – synthesizers, pianos, orchestra arrangements and conductor (1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11)
- Tom Hensley – keyboards, pianos, orchestra arrangements and conductor (5, 7, 12)
- Reinie Press – bass
- Dennis St. John – drums, music director
- Vince Charles – percussion
- King Errisson – percussion
- Assa Drori – concertmaster
- Jimmy Getzoff – concertmaster
- Sid Sharp – concertmaster
- John Rosenberg – orchestra contractor
- Bob Gaudio – vocal arrangements
- Donny Gerard – backing vocals
- Marilyn O'Brien – backing vocals
- Linda Press – backing vocals, vocal arrangements
- H.L. Voelker – backing vocals
- Luther Waters – backing vocals
- Oren Waters – backing vocals
- Choir – Timothy Allan Bullara, Jeremy C. Lipton, Dale D. Morich, Yoav Steven Paskowitz, Boyd H. Schlaefer, Mark H. Stevens, David Teisher and James Gregory Wilburn
Production
- Producer – Bob Gaudio
- Production Coordination – Beatrice E. Marks and Alison Zanetos
- Production Assistant – Rita Zak
- Recording Engineer – Andy Bloch
- Assistant Engineers – Bill Benton, David Bianco, Jack Crymes, Brad Gilderman, Mark Eshelman, Larry Rebhun and Rick Ruggieri.
- Recorded at Arch Angel Studios and Record Plant (Los Angeles, CA); Sunset Sound Recorders and Cherokee Studios (Hollywood, CA); Dawnbreaker Studios (San Fernando, CA).
- Mixed by Ron Hitchcock
- Mastered by Mike Reese, Doug Sax and Lois Walker at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
- Art Direction and Design – David Kirschner
- Contributing Artwork – Michael Donaldson, David Kirschner, Ron Larson, John Squire and Jan Weinberg.
- Photography – Larry Barbier
- Equipment – Ed Lever / Canyon Recorders
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[3] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[4] | Gold | 10,000* |
South Africa[5] | 2× Platinum | 100,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI)[6] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[7] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
Notes
- The Jazz Singer at AllMusic
- http://www.oldies.com/product-view/70668O.html
- "Canadian album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1981". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- "Diamond And Precious Metals" (PDF). Cash Box. April 11, 1981. p. 33 – via American Radio History.
- "British album certifications – Neil Diamond – The jazz Singer ost". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 March 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type The jazz Singer ost in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer (soundtrack)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 8 March 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.