Harkit Records have re-released their CD of BARBARELLA, ten years after they first debuted the cult soundtrack, formerly only available on vinyl.
The new release is also very welcome because of a couple of additions, making it the best release of the soundtrack ever made.
One of the lasting impressions from the film, is the music. Without it, so many static scenes, lacking in dialogue, would be pretty mystifying without the music to guide us as to what's going on.
Besides the celebrated, and much covered, opening song ("Barbarella Psychedella") and the closing number 'An Angel Is Love', several songs crop up during the story, even though they're not source music. Only 'Smoke (Viper Vapour)' and 'The Sex Machine' can actually be heard by the characters. Mind you, Barbarella is humming her own theme tune in Pygar's nest, so she must have it playing in her spaceship!
The additional songs, also performed by Bob Crewe and The Glitterhouse, are heard over Barbarella's ride with Mark Hand ('Love, Love Love Brings Me Down'), and a vocal version of 'I Love All The Love In You' - the tune heard when Barbarella meets Pygar.
Besides a remastering of the original soundtrack, there is a previously unheard alternate version of the main theme (track 23), a very different arrangement, but using the same orchestra. It's an instrumental, as opposed to the song used under opening titles. Perhaps this version was intended to be released as a single.
This new release also reinstates the full version of the opening title song (track 1), now 90 seconds longer. The original vinyl soundtrack (and the 2002 CD) used a slightly different arrangement which starts more abruptly and jumps jarringly into the song. While I much prefer this version, I must say that it doesn't sound quite as 'bright' as the original album.
The new CD also correctly breaks up the tracks as they were on the original vinyl. The 2002 CD track running times didn't correspond to the listed durations, and therefore some of the music wasn't under the right track titles. It might have been just my copy, but the 2002 CD also had a four second chunk missing from 'Pygar's Persecution'. This has now been corrected.
In addition to the soundtrack are three original radio adverts. The five cover versions by The Young Lovers that were on the 2002 CD aren't included, but aren't really essential.
Barbarella CD - samples and ordering information from Harkit Records.
Mark Hodgson
A "must have" purchase! Didn't know this existed. Thanks for bringing it to the atention of us Barbarella fans. Thought you'd get a kick out of seeing Barbie as Barbarella here: http://kookoocalifornia.blogspot.com/2011/10/valley-of-barbie-dolls-to-mathmos.html
ReplyDeleteGreat review. Agree with every word. Interestingly, if you listen to the soundtrack of the R2 DVD of the movie and switch to the German soundtrack, there's a subtly different take of the theme song, although it's still in English.
ReplyDeleteAh, I'll have to try that! The versions differ on the two CDs, as the title theme on the first CD had an abrupt edit that cut straight into the song, rather than the longer instrumental intro that's in the film. The latter version is on the new CD.
ReplyDeleteI have the original vinyl LP, the red vinyl re^issue LP (fantastic 180 gr pressing) as well as a CD that I bought on a gold CD from a member of the band which played on this soundtrack, Vinnie Bell guitar master. He had it mastered for him from the original tapes long thought to be missing.
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