Themes from the Original Score arranged by Artie Butler, conducted by Elmer Bernstein
Label: Capitol Records
Cat.#: ST-263
Country: United States
Format: Vinyl LP
Release Date: 1969
Label: DRG Records
Cat.#: 19067
Country: United States
Format: CD
Release Date: March 7, 1995
UPN: 0-2147-19067-2-1
Notes:
By reviewer Brian Douglas: How excited I was when I received this CD in the mail! How horrified I was when I put it in my CD player and pressed play! Despite all the pictures of John Wayne, Kim Darby, and Glen Campbell on the cover, this is NOT the True Grit soundtrack. It is instead "Elmer Bernstein conducts Themes from his Original Score." The difference: The true movie soundtrack is among the biggest, most booming western music ever recorded. This CD is some of the weakest, cheesiest 60's/70's orchestra music that has survived until now. The grand True Grit themes sound perverse mixed into music that would be more at home in Our Man Flint. The only redeeming quality of this CD is that the last track is the actual recording of the theme song that is used in the movie. If not for that, this album would be a total waste.
By reviewer David Wishart: This album was "never" the original soundtrack recording but a disc of outlandishly "commercial" arrangements of thematic material from the film score. It therefore remains something of an oddity. Those wanting a faithful rendition of Elmer Bernstein's score wil be pleased to note that a recording of the entire score - every note of it - has now been made utilising the original manuscripts - with the original orchestrations by Leo Shuken and Jack Hayes - and is due for release on the Tadlow Music label in June 2006.
By reviewer J. Gower: I saw "True Grit" in the theater when it came out in the late 60s, and loved it - it is still one of my favorite movies. I remember buying this LP back then, and loving it also. The music is beautiful (as was most of Bernstein's music), and at the time it didn't seem as cheesy as it surely will today. I can certainly understand why someone buying this album today might not readily appreciate the beautiful music underneath all of the 60s "pop-fusion" elements of orchestra, sitars, organs, tinny electric guitars, harpsichord, and big-bandish rhythm section. And yes, I can certainly understand why someone today, or then, expecting a faithful recording of the actual soundtrack or score of this film would be disappointed. With that said, I am still today moved by the beautiful music in this album and am quite pleasantly surprised to see that a remastered edition of it has appeared on CD. Yep, this is probably one of those love-it-or-hate-it kinda CDs. I’m one of those who love it!
Track Listings
1. True Grit (02:32) vocal by Glen Campbell
2. Rooster (02:04)
3. Mattie and Little Blackie (02:20)
4. A dastardly deed (03:00)
5. Papa's things (02:58)
6. True Grit (02:58)
7. Chen Lee and The General (02:55)
8. Big Trail (03:15)
9. Cogburn Country (02:02)
10. True Grit (02:00) vocal by Glen Campbell
Total Duration: 00:26:04