Swing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Swing is a soundtrack for the 1999 film of the same name, which stars Lisa Stansfield, who also recorded ten songs for the soundtrack and co-wrote four of them. The album was released in Europe on 10 May 1999 and in North America on 13 July 1999. Swing garnered favorable reviews from music critics who called it a "gem" among the soundtracks. The album, full of jazz and swing songs, reached number six on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart. On 2 June 2003, it was remastered and re-released in Europe with an alternative cover art.

Swing
Soundtrack album by
Released10 May 1999 (1999-05-10)
Recorded
Genre
Length40:21
LabelBMG Soundtracks
ProducerIan Devaney
Lisa Stansfield chronology
The Remix Album
(1998)
Swing
(1999)
Face Up
(2001)
Alternative covers
North American cover
Alternative cover
2003 cover

Background

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In 1999, Stansfield starred in the Nick Mead-directed film Swing with actor Hugo Speer, and recorded cover versions of swing songs and a few original songs written in this style for the soundtrack. The film premiered on 7 May 1999, and the soundtrack was released three days later.

Content

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The album contains fifteen jazz and swing songs performed by Stansfield (ten tracks), Georgie Fame (two tracks) and Ian Devaney (three instrumental tracks). Among them, Stansfield co-wrote four new songs: "Gotta Get on This Train", "Why Do We Call It Love", "I Thought That's What You Liked About Me" and "Two Years Too Blue". She has also recorded eight covers: "Ain't What You Do" (from 1939), "Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens" (from 1946), "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" (from 1964), "Our Love Is Here to Stay" (from 1938), "Watch the Birdie" (from 1941), "The Best Is Yet to Come" (from 1959), "Blitzkrieg Baby" (from 1940) and "Mack the Knife" (from 1928).

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]

The album received positive reviews from music critics. According to Mark Allan from AllMusic, Swing is a "gem of a soundtrack. [...] The bright, sassy arrangements are fine showcases for Stansfield's confident, take-charge vocals". Allan also said that "[e]ven if the movie stinks, there's the music to remember".[1]

Commercial reception

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Swing reached number six on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums and number 165 on the UK Albums Chart.

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Ain't What You Do" (Lisa Stansfield)Sy Oliver, Trummy YoungIan Devaney2:43
2."Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens" (Lisa Stansfield)Alex Kramer, Joan Whitney KramerDevaney2:42
3."Baby I Need Your Lovin'" (Lisa Stansfield)Holland–Dozier–HollandDevaney3:38
4."Gotta Get on This Train" (Georgie Fame)Stansfield, Devaney, Richard DarbyshireDevaney2:04
5."Martin's Theme" (Instrumental)DevaneyDevaney1:24
6."Why Do We Call It Love" (Lisa Stansfield)Stansfield, Devaney, DarbyshireDevaney4:54
7."Our Love Is Here to Stay" (Lisa Stansfield)George Gershwin, Ira GershwinDevaney2:43
8."Love Theme" (Instrumental)DevaneyDevaney1:06
9."I Thought That's What You Liked About Me" (Georgie Fame)Stansfield, Devaney, DarbyshireDevaney3:54
10."Watch the Birdie" (Lisa Stansfield)Don Raye, Gene PaulDevaney2:25
11."The Best Is Yet to Come" (Lisa Stansfield)Cy Coleman, Carolyn LeighDevaney2:49
12."Martin's Theme (Reprise)" (Instrumental)DevaneyDevaney0:43
13."Blitzkrieg Baby" (Lisa Stansfield)Fred Fisher, Doris FisherDevaney2:36
14."Two Years Too Blue" (Lisa Stansfield)Stansfield, Devaney, Darbyshire, Nick MeadDevaney3:56
15."Mack the Knife" (Lisa Stansfield)Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Marc BlitzsteinDevaney3:12
Total length:40:21

Charts

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Chart (1999) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[2] 165
US Billboard Top Jazz Albums[3] 6

Credits and personnel

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Credits taken from AllMusic.[4]

  • Tim Baxter - assistant engineer
  • Vicky Brown - violins, additional arrangements
  • Hugh Buckley - guitars
  • Richie Buckley - saxophone
  • Clarence Clemons - saxophone
  • Tony Cousins - mastering
  • Jacquie Darbyshire - personal management
  • John Thirkell - trumpet
  • Snake Davis - saxophone
  • Ian Devaney - producer, arranger, keyboards, guitars
  • Georgie Fame - vocals
  • Geoff Gascoyne - bass
  • Rachel George - personal assistant
  • Carl Geraghty - saxophone
  • Leo Green - saxophone
  • Gavin Harrison - drums
  • Matt Holland - trumpet
  • Tommy Manzi - management
  • Stephen McDonnell - trumpet, additional arrangements
  • Adrian McGovern - recording, mix engineer
  • Nigel Mooney - guitars
  • Martin Rhodes - studio management
  • Karl Ronan - trombone
  • Lisa Stansfield - vocals
  • John Wadham - drums
  • Kevin Whitehead - drums

Release history

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Region Date Label Format Catalog
Europe[5] 10 May 1999 BMG Soundtracks CD 74321 66923 2
North America[6] 13 July 1999 RCA Victor 09026 63541 2
Europe[7] 2 June 2003 BMG Remastered CD 28765 22452 9

References

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  1. ^ a b Allan, Mark. "Swing > Overview > Review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Chart Log UK: 1994–2010". OCC. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Swing (Original Soundtrack)". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Swing > Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Swing (Soundtrack)". Amazon Germany. Amazon Inc. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Swing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Soundtrack)". Amazon US. Amazon Inc. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Swing (Stansfield) Soundtrack". Amazon UK. Amazon Inc. Retrieved 23 April 2013.