Nashville: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

 (26 customer reviews)

At last, here on CD, the soundtrack of one of my favourite films of all time. I still remember the shock I had on seeing "Nashville" for the first time on TV a few years after its initial release - the great performances, magnificent storytelling and innovative style knocked me out. I was able to see the movie again just a few years ago on the big screen and was delighted to see that it hasn't aged. But I couldn't get my hands on the soundtrack. But now here it is, as wonderful as all the rest. The songs stand the test of time as well as the film and there are plenty of jewels here - the magnificent "It Don't Worry Me" in both versions, Keith Carradine's Oscar winner "I'm Easy", Karen Black's cute contributions and Henry Gibson's "200 Years" (interesting to see that another reviewer views this as a patriotic song. Personally, I've always found it brilliantly and satirically funny). But the real stand-out is Ronee Blakely. Her songs and voice are...Read more

Country&Western music plus subtley and irony would seem to be an oxymoron. But these aren't ordinary country tunes, just as "Nashville" is no ordinary movie. Though critical and satiric, the songs, like the movie, manage to be infectious and touching as well. I'd recommend the album not only for fans of the movie but as preparation for younger viewers who may not even have been around at the time of the movie's release. Despite its academy award, I find Carradine's "I'm Easy" to be one of the weaker songs in the collection. The stand-out is Ronee Blakeley's performance of "Dues," in which the pathos and emotional vulnerability equal some of the best moments in the music of Judy Garland and Billy Holiday.

I'll never forget the first time I saw this film in the 70's--my first exposure to Altman, a rare exposure to C&W music. Wow! I still have the vinyl album, and when it came out in CD I snatched it up. Oddly, Keith Carradine's "I'm easy," which won an Academy Award, is nowhere to be found in any of the legal music download sites, and I haven't found Ronee Blakely either. Her "Dues" and "My Idaho Home" are great! Another classic is "It Don't Worry Me." Rent the movie--you'll want this CD after you see it for sure.