The Jazz Singer (soundtrack) 1980 soundtrack album by Neil Diamond
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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 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 from which it came (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
Side one Title Writer(s) 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
Side two Title Writer(s) 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
Charts
Certifications
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
Notes
^ The Jazz Singer at AllMusic
^ "The Jazz Singer" .
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6 .
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0287" . RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved June 14, 2023.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Soundtrack / Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Soundtrack / Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts . Retrieved June 14, 2023.
^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment . 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9 .
^ "Charts.nz – Soundtrack / Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer" . Hung Medien. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
^ "Neil Diamond | Artist | Official Charts" . UK Albums Chart . Retrieved June 14, 2023.
^ "Neil Diamond Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved June 14, 2023.
^ "Austrian album certifications – Neil Diamond – Jazz Singer" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved November 27, 2023 .
^ "Canadian album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer" . Music Canada . Retrieved August 23, 2023 .
^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1981" . IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved March 8, 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 March 8, 2019 .
^ "American album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer (Soundtrack)" . Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved March 8, 2019 .
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