MovieChat Forums > Sparkle (1976) Discussion > Aretha Franklin soundtrack

Aretha Franklin soundtrack

posted 15 years ago by WarpedRecord
15 replies | jump to latest

I'm kind of puzzled about why the soundtrack to this film is an Aretha Franklin album, when her vocals don't appear in the movie. Aretha's "Sparkle" album features the backup vocals from the film, but with Aretha in the lead. As much as I love the singing in this film, Aretha's is even better, but it seems odd to call her album a "soundtrack."

Does anyone know why they didn't release a soundtrack with vocals from the film? Was it strictly an economic decision? Is this the first time this happened?

This is not a knock on Aretha, whom I love – just as I love the songs Curtis Mayfield wrote for this film.

[–] Kelea7 15 years ago

You know, I don't know. I love Aretha too and I'm glad she sung the songs, but it's odd that the original songs were not released in some capacity. I prefer the movie versions, particularly "Look into Your Heart" and I believe the fact that they are not available has something to do with that. I was sure when they released it on DVD they were going to do SOMETHING but seeing that they hardly put anything on the dvds besides the movie itself, I was disappointed. Why in the world are they not available?

I'm going to try to find out if this was the first time. I know that it wasn't uncommon for one artist to sing an entire soundtrack but like you said, their songs are usually heard throughout the film.

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

I suspect it's a matter of music licensing rights, but it's very odd. I wouldn't think the actual music from this rather obscure film would be that expensive.

Honestly, I didn't even know about this film until I had the Aretha album, and I didn't see if for years after that. These days, you have a lot of soundtrack offshoots -- music "inspired by" a film or tributes to a film -- but I've never heard of an artist unrelated to a film being the only source of a "soundtrack" album.

I also would prefer the real soundtrack. Aretha's versions are good, but it's not one of her better albums.

[–] MsLadybird99 15 years ago

Who knows? Maybe Curtis Mayfield promised Aretha the soundtrack. I liked it, but nowhere near as much as I would have with the original soundtrack. My friends and I all came home after this movie doing the moves and singing these songs, even without the record, for a long time. In think it would have sold with the original.

~~
Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man that he didn't already have.

[–] WarpedRecord 15 years ago

I'd love for them to release a deluxe soundtrack with Aretha's version and the original film soundtrack in the same package. I also wonder if Curtis Mayfield recorded any of these songs. Great music!

[–] Ilario1 14 years ago

It's just a guess but I think they wanted to make sure the soundtrack was a hit. I know a lot of people didn't really like the girls singing enough to buy it on record. But they did buy the Aretha version. Yeah I was puzzled when it came out like that.

[–] cameo-kirby 14 years ago

According to a bio of Aretha Franklin (Queen of Soul by Mark Bego) Warner Bros offered the cast a very bad financial deal to use their soundtrack recordings, said Lonette McKee: "I think we would have made about eight dollars after a billion copies had sold." The actors rejected that offer and WB never came back with another one. Mayfield went with Franklin instead. McKee on Mayfield: "The next thing I knew Curtis Mayfield was giving an interview in one of the major black publications, saying how he didn't understand how they could cast unknowns..(Mayfield thought established performers like Diana Ross and Franklin should've been cast)...He didn't want any of us. He made it hard, deliberately setting the keys of the songs in uncomfortable registers for all of us. And I guess his spite, coupled with Warner's lack of faith, brought about the soundtrack arrangement with Aretha. It was seen as a chance to appease everybody, and possibly help the film. I don't think she (Franklin) was aware of the politics."

[–] MsLadybird99 13 years ago

Diana Ross would have been too old (just like she was too old playing 'Dorothy'). I like that they got real actresses that can sing, rather than singers who could possibly act. That's a shame Lonette and all of them got screwed out of the deal.

~~
I can see your dirty pillows.

[–] Ilario1 13 years ago

cameo-kirby

Thanks for that bit of trivia. Very interesting and such a shame.

"What happens to a dream deferred?"

[–] loischantrelle 13 years ago

It is a bit weird. I never thought about it until now. I always assumed the film and soundtrack were connected. When I bought my "Sparkle" DVD it came with Aretha's "Sparkle" CD. I like both versions of the songs. Sadly, I don't think there's any CD version of the songs sang by Lonette McKee and Irene Cara in the film (correct me if I'm wrong). I honestly dont mind watching the film to hear their versions though. Another good film that Curtis Mayfield wrote songs for is "Claudine". Gladys Knight & The Pips did that entire soundtrack and it's sang throughout the film. Soundtrack is awesome.

Bitchy. Bitchy, darling

[–] mojo2004 13 years ago

Does anyone know why they didn't release a soundtrack with vocals from the film? Was it strictly an economic decision? Is this the first time this happened?

This is an old post but no it's not the first time it happened. A studio will do often do a soundtrack with a name to make a lot of money. The cast were a bunch of unknowns. I never bought the soundtrack because Aretha couldn't do the songs as they were in the movie and make it great for me.

I wish I had a kryptonite cross, because then I could keep Dracula & Superman away.

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

Thanks for the reply. What are some earlier "soundtrack" albums that didn't include the real music from the film? It seems like record companies would seize on popular soundtracks in the '80s and beyond with films such as "The Big Chill" and "Dirty Dancing," which would feature songs "inspired by" the films, but off the bat I'm at a loss to name any before "Sparkle."

I had Aretha Franklin's excellent album long before I saw this film. Both stand on their own, in my opinion, but it's just odd that they call Aretha's album a "soundtrack."

[–] b-touch 13 years ago

The only one I can think of was "Porgy & Bess" (1959). Sammy Davis Jr. played "Sportin' Life" in the film, but since he had an exclusive contract with another label, the soundtrack features Cab Calloway (who performed the same part on Broadway) in his place.

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

Thanks for the example. It seems like a relatively rare practice. Occasionally there will be multiple, competing soundtracks from a film, but I'm at a loss to name any other than this that don't have any original versions of songs from the film.

[–] Damarcus 12 years ago

It's time for them to release the soundtrack with Irene and the girls singing. Love Aretha but I think the girls actually sing the songs better than she does.

[–] cerelle81 8 years ago

Another story about this album from David Ritz's Aretha Franklin book:

Curtis Mayfield met up with Aretha's sister Carolyn and played her the songs from the "Sparkle" score. Curtis thought that Irene and Lonette were excellent singers for the movie but he wanted a more experienced R&B vocalist to cut the album. Carolyn was interested.
Ruth Bowen, Aretha's manager, and Cecil, Aretha's brother, had a meeting with Ahmet Ertegun, Atlantic president. Aretha was looking for a new producer and Curtis' name came up. They didn;t know he was working on this project and had talked to Carolyn beforehand. Of course, Aretha heard the songs herself and wanted to do the album when she should have let Carolyn do it. As a result, Aretha had a hit and Carolyn's recording career came to a halt.