Precious: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album that accompanied the 2009 film Precious directed by Lee Daniels, released through Matriarch Records and Geffen Records in association with Lionsgate Records on November 3, 2009. The album featured songs performed by various artists, which is a compilation of original songs and covers. Mary J. Blige co-wrote and performed the original song "I Can See in Color" that was released separately as a single.
| Precious: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |
|---|---|
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| Soundtrack album by various artists | |
| Released | November 3, 2009 |
| Recorded | 2009 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 51:30 |
| Label | |
| Producer | |
| Singles from Precious: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | |
| |
Background
editThe accompanying soundtrack featured songs performed by various artists: LaBelle (Nona Hendryx, Sarah Dash, and Patti LaBelle), Donna Allen, Jean Carn, Sunny Gale, MFSB, Queen Latifah, Mahalia Jackson and Grace Hightower. It is a compilation of covers and original songs written specifically for the album.[1] A critic from People, in his review, noted that the film "mainly had a music supervised soundtrack, but not much of a score, so there were popular songs placed in the movie."[2] Regarding the selection of the artists, Daniels recalled that they "resonate not only in Precious's world, but speak to your soul no matter who you are."[3]
Composer Robin Thicke, then married to the film's costar Paula Patton, wrote and produced "Push", the film's original main theme music.[4] However, the song was eventually replaced with another original song "I Can See in Color", performed by Mary J. Blige who co-wrote it with Raphael Saadiq and LaNeah Menzies; Saadiq also produced the song.[3] Daniels confirmed that the song would be released as a single from the album, which was eventually released on October 13, 2009.[3]
The soundtrack was distributed through Lionsgate Records, in association with Blige's music label Matriarch Records and Geffen Records. It was released digitally on November 3, 2009 and in stores on November 24.[5][6]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Can See in Color" | Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq and LaNeah Menzies | Mary J. Blige | 5:33 |
| 2. | "He Is the Joy" | Marc Pomeroy, Brian Tappert | Donna Allen | 7:45 |
| 3. | "Was That All It Was" | Jerry Butler, John Usry Jr., Linda Conlon | Jean Carn | 3:43 |
| 4. | "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" | Harry Revel, Mack Gordon | Sunny Gale | 2:27 |
| 5. | "Come Into My House" | Dana Owens, Mark James | Queen Latifah | 4:12 |
| 6. | "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" | Traditional | Mahalia Jackson | 1:51 |
| 7. | "Love Is the Message" | Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff | MFSB feat. The Three Degrees | 4:06 |
| 8. | "Now That I Know Who I Am" | Nona Hendryx | Nona Hendryx | 4:17 |
| 9. | "System" | Nona Hendryx | Labelle | 5:33 |
| 10. | "Somethin's Comin' My Way" | Dan Manjovi | Grace Hightower | 4:33 |
| 11. | "It Took a Long Time" | Bob Crewe, Lawrence Russell Brown, Raymond Bloodworth | Labelle | 4:03 |
| 12. | "Letters" | Mario Grigorov | Mario Grigorov | 3:54 |
| Total length: | 51:30 | |||
Reception
editPeter Travers of Rolling Stone praised the album, and described the song, "I Can See In Color" as being "...a knockout song...expressing the goal of Precious to see the world in color."[7] Writing for Allmusic, James Christopher Monger described the album as featuring "solid offerings from both contemporary and classic", crediting the contributions from Latifah, Hightower, Jackson and LaBelle, and stated that the album resulted "in a solid and empowering collection that (in the words of [the film's director Lee] Daniels) "resonate not only in Precious's world, but speak to your soul no matter who you are."[8] Todd Martens and Margaret Wappler of The Seattle Times described it as "an upbeat collection of self-discovery songs, modern-day gospel for the therapy crowd".[9] Sasha Tandlich of Collider wrote "The film's soundtrack is used as a way to blend Precious's imagination with the reality of her terrifying home life, bridging the two aspects together."[10]
Additional music
editThe trailer features the song "Destiny" taken from Blige's 2001 album No More Drama.[11] Leona Lewis's song, "Happy" (from her album Echo) is featured in the film's trailer.[12] A song titled "My Good Lovin' (Back Like That Remix)", featuring Da Brat and Lil' Mo, was featured in the film but exempted from the soundtrack.
Accolades
editAt the 14th Satellite Awards, the song "I Can See in Color" performed by Blige, was nominated for Best Original Song.[13]
References
edit- ^ "Precious Soundtrack is available now!". Interscope. November 3, 2009. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ "Precious Movie Review: Mo'Nique Shines Wickedly, but Characters Fail to Connect; Tiny Roles for Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd". People. November 17, 2009. Archived from the original on November 25, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
- ^ a b c "Blige performs on 'Precious' soundtrack". United Press International. November 9, 2009. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
- ^ Mitchell, Gail (August 29, 2008). "Q&A: Thicke reflects on race, music and "Something Else"". Reuters. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ^ "Matriarch/Geffen Records release soundtrack to Precious". Interscope Records. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
- ^ "Lionsgate Music, in Association With Matriarch/Geffen Records, Announces Release of Soundtrack to Lee Daniels' Highly Anticipated Film Precious: Based On The Novel 'Push' By Sapphire" (Press release). Geffen Records. November 5, 2009. Archived from the original on November 14, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2009 – via Reuters.
- ^ Travers, Peter (November 5, 2009). "Precious Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2009.
- ^ Christopher Monger, James. "Precious – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- ^ Martens, Todd; Wappler, Margaret (January 3, 2010). "Movie soundtracks, from 'Precious' to 'Fantastic'". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ Tandlich, Sasha (April 9, 2010). "PRECIOUS DVD Review". Collider. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
- ^ Gross, William (February 20, 2009). "'Push' Shoved; 'Precious' is the New Title for Sundance Smash". Moviefone. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ^ Roberts, Soraya (November 10, 2009). "Jennifer Hudson and Leona Lewis duet may become theme song for 'Sex and the City 2'". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
- ^ "Nominees and Winners: 2009 14th Annual Satellite Awards". Satellite Awards. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved March 16, 2010.