Dollars
1972 album cover
Soundtrack album by
Quincy Jones
with appearances by
Little Richard
Roberta Flack
Doug Kershaw
Featuring the Don Elliott Voices
Released1972[1]
Recorded1971
GenreFilm score
LabelReprise
ProducerQuincy Jones
Quincy Jones chronology
They Call Me Mister Tibbs!
(1970) 		Dollars
(1972) 		Smackwater Jack
(1971)
CD cover

Dollars is the soundtrack album to the 1971 movie of the same name, also known as $, Dollar$, $ (Dollars) or The Heist (in the UK), written and directed by Richard Brooks and starring Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn.[2] The soundtrack, originally issued on Reprise Records, is composed and produced by Quincy Jones, and features performances by Little Richard, Roberta Flack and Doug Kershaw. Throughout the album, the Don Elliott Voices provide harmony vocal background to otherwise instrumental pieces.[3]

History

Jones, who was at the time under contract to A&M Records, was given permission by A&M Records to become involved with the soundtrack.[4] Little Richard, Roberta Flack and Doug Kershaw were all artists with the Warner Bros. Records/Reprise group.

The film was released in December 1971, followed by the early 1972 release of the soundtrack album. Jones' "Money Runner", was the promoted single from the album,[5] released concurrently with the film, in December 1971. "Money Is", written by Jones and sung by Little Richard, was the B-side.[6][7] The album was released by Warner Bros. Records on CD in 2001 and then re-released on CD in 2008,[8] coinciding with the DVD release of the film.[9]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]

AllMusic's Jason Birchmeier said "Jones works with well-known vocalists Little Richard and Roberta Flack, which may interest some listeners. But, ultimately, it's Jones' compositions that carry the most weight on this soundtrack and surely the reason to give this soundtrack a listen. It's not worth going out of your way to get, though. Jones released a lot of phenomenal music in his time, and though this is impressive, it's one of his less interesting projects. It'll be best enjoyed by fanatics and completists".[10] In contrast, Score, Baby!, a website devoted to reviews of "cult soundtracks of the 60s. 70s and beyond" described the Dollar$ soundtrack as "essential", being an "inventive blend of experimental jazz and rhythm & blues". It was further described as being comparable to Jones' score for They Call Me Mr. Tibbs, in terms of being among Jones' "best funky soundtrack work".[11] The Vinyl Factory called it "a slightly ramshackle record, rich with sudden soulful moods and slam-dunk funk. With its Rhodes pianos and wacka-wacka guitars, the album oozes smooth ‘70s".[12]

The soundtrack remains of ongoing interest to later artists. Gang Starr sampled "Snow Creatures",[13] while Mobb Deep sampled "Kitty With The Bent Frame"[14] La Mongoose Band, a Spanish funk band, covered "Money Runner".[15] Acid jazz band Corduroy covered "Money Is" on their 1992 debut album, Dad Man Cat and on their 1994 album Quattro - Live In Japan[16]

Track listing

  1. Money Is (Vocal by Little Richard) 4:28[7]
  2. Snow Creatures 3:16
  3. Rubber Ducky 1:10
  4. Redeye Runnin' Train (Solo Violin by Doug Kershaw) 2:54
  5. Shady Lady 1:06
  6. Money Runner 3:08 [6]
  7. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) (End Title) (Shay, Fisher and Goodwin, arr. Jones) (Vocal by Roberta Flack with the Don Elliott Voices) 1:45[3]
  8. Do It - To It (Vocal by Little Richard) 2:51[7]
  9. Candy Man 3:11
  10. Passin' the Buck 1:36
  11. Kitty With the Bent Frame 2:13
  12. Brook's 50 Cent Tour [Main Title Collage] (Vocal by Little Richard) 9:35

Credits

References

  1. ^ "Money Runner", with "Money Is" as the B-Side, was released as a single in December, 1971, concurrently with the film's release. See Particulars of Little Richard, King of Rock and Roll, The Complete Reprise Recordings (Rhino Handmade, 2005).
  2. ^ Soundtrack Collector: album entry, accessed January 31, 2018
  3. ^ a b The "Don Elliott Voices" were generally Don Elliott, a frequent soundtrack collaborator with Quincy Jones, multitracking his voice. An example is the Roberta Flack version of "When You're Smiling", on the Dollar$ soundtrack. Flack is backed by a twenty voice choir, all created through multitracking the vocals of Don Elliott. See Scooter Pirtie, "Don Elliott: He was a gentleman, too" (1994); www.middlehornleader.com.
  4. ^ Comments of Bob Knack, July 12, 2004 at "A&M Corner"; www.brasil66.com.
  5. ^ Sealed album particulars, including "hype sticker" in relation to "Money Runner"; www.audiophileusa.com.
  6. ^ a b Particulars of "Money Runner" single; www.discogs.com.
  7. ^ a b c Little Richard's performances of "Money Is" and "Do It-To It" were later included in a limited edition collection of Little Richard's recordings for Reprise records, released in 2005 by Rhino Handmade. See Particulars of Little Richard, King of Rock and Roll, The Complete Reprise Recordings Archived 2021-01-08 at the Wayback Machine; www.rock-n-roll.40s-50s.info.
  8. ^ Dollar$ Soundtrack release history; www.allmusic.com.
  9. ^ Dollar$ DVD release history; www.amazon.com.
  10. ^ a b Birchmeier, Jason. Dollar$ (Original Soundtrack) – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  11. ^ See Review of Dollar$ Soundtrack Archived June 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine; www.scorebaby.com.
  12. ^ 10 definitive Quincy Jones soundtracks from the ’60s and ’70s, The Vinyl Factory, accessed January 30, 2018
  13. ^ Particulars of Gang Starr sampling; www.whosampled.com.
  14. ^ Particulars of Mobb Deep sampling; www.whosampled.com. See also "Shook Ones (Part II)".
  15. ^ La Mongoose Band cover of "Money Runner"; www.youtube.com.
  16. ^ Joshua Rosenstock, Review of Corduroy versions of "Money Is" at 'Lectric Diaspora; www.joshuarosenstock.com.
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