The Bridges Of Madison County: Music From The Motion Picture

"The Bridges of Madison County" Soundtrack CD.....

It is not neccessary to have seen the film to appreciate what this music is about.It opens with the wonderfully romantic orchestral love theme "Doe Eyes". Composed by Clint Eastwood(yet another great talent of his revealed), and conducted by Lennie Niehaus, the music fills the room with the soothing sounds, and already you are under the spell!

Then ,like love letters put to music,Dinah Washington's feminine and soulful tones and Johnny Hartman's deep but docile voice exchange stories of love and romance through song. Dinah sings "I'll Close My Eyes", she says"through those moments, were apart, I'll close my eyes and see you with my heart".Johnny returns with "Easy Living" and expresses that"people say you rule me with one wave of your hand...Darling it's grand.."These are followed by "Blue Gardenia"(Washington), "I see Your Face Before Me"(Hartman) and...Read more

One of the many reasons the film version of Robert Waller's pallid and common novel surpassed expectations and became one of the few films to improve its original source is due in no small part to director Clint Eastwood's impeccable taste and selection of the soundtrack. Choosing vocal work from the elegant Dinah Washington and the cool, smokey eroticism of Johnny Hartman as well as composing the vivid and drifting "Doe Eyes", Eastwood created a film that breathed autumnal, ephemeral romance.

This is a soundtrack album that stands on its own as excellent listening. Besides the simply gorgeous aforementioned "Doe Eyes" (Eastwood has developed into quite a deft and sensitive composer), higlights include Hartman's brilliant rendering of "For All We Know", "Easy Living" and "It Was Almost Like A Song" along with Washington's "I'll Close My Eyes".

I used selections from this as part of a soundtrack for a stage version William...Read more

The Dinah Washington tracks speak for themselves, as do the John Hartmans. . .but how I wish that, once he's done with films, Clint Eastwood would be recognized for his senstive musical gift. "Doe Eyes" alone makes the listener hopeful and breaks their heart without so much as one word of lyric, or without ever having to know the story of Francesca & Robert. Mr. Eastwood's directorial efforts have been appropriately rewarded. I only wish he had been duly cited for this beautiful composition. Someday. .