This track also comes from "The Very Best Of John Barry" and is the main titles from the soundtrack of the film "Follow Me" starring Mia Farrow, Topol and Michael Jayston and directed by Carol Reed in 1971. The soundtrack has only been offically released in Japan for some reason but a version can be found on the Polydor CD "The Very Best of John Barry" which in itself is a compilation of two John Barry Polydor albums released in the 70s (one of which is the fantastic "The Concert John Barry"). The track is a lush string led theme in a minor key with the Polydor version including a mandolin leading the main melody along. The film I saw many years ago and my memory of it is very vague, but I do remember enjoying it and the music really stuck with me (being directed by Carol Reed who gave us "The Third Man" means it must have had something going for it!). The soundtrack is also available as a 500 limited edition bootleg (Dark Son Records DSRJB71-01A) and includes the vocal version heard at the end credits. Like a lot of Barry's 60s output the soundtrack consists of the main theme repeated in various different styles with the exception of one or two tracks (like "The Knack" and "The Ipcress File").
from The Very Best Of John Barry (Polydor 849 095 - 2), available on CD
This song comes from the stellar soundtrack to 1968 film "The Lion in Winter," my first outing w/J. Barry. Wow. The whole album edged out all rock music at parties. This song has a lovely rocking boat-on-water undercurrent to it (Queen Eleanor is being rowed upriver in a barge), with soaring turns-taking female /male voices singing in Latin. It has a little, quiet horn bridge to it, but then the waves of sound come back and die out. Gorgeous. Defintely a winter-feel album (the story takes place at Christmas, too).
I love John Barry's work, he always seam to be able to score anything with excellent results. This song is no exception, taken from the movie 'Seance on a Wet Afternoon' from 1964. Haven't seen the movie my self so I can't really say what the premise of it is, but IMDB says it's a crime-drama about a self-styled psychic in London. Groovy eh?
This song is however great, Barry relies heavily on haunting flutes and trombones to create a some what eeire feeling, and it really works. Just listening to this song makes me think of a rainy gloomy dark afternoon in London. Now if I only could get a hold of a copy of the movie...
available on CD - Ultra Lounge: Vol 16 - Mondo Hollywood
I didn't know anything about 'The Lion In Winter' from 1968 until a few days ago. I had the TV on in the background when my attention was grabbed by one particular song in the movie. "That must be John Barry's work", I thought to my self. His use of strings and trumpets are unmisstakable -- and surely I was correct!
'Chinon / Eleanor's Arrival' has the same type of sound as Barry's later soundtracks such as 'Moonraker', 'High Road to China' and 'Out of Africa'. In fact, I first thought I was listening to a passage from 'Moonraker' when I heard this song the first time. The arrangement is brilliant, the lush rich strings, trumpet and female- male choir really makes this song stand out. It has a very majestic, grand feeling to it and it really fits the scene it is used for in the movie.
from The Lion In Winter available on CD - The Lion In Winter OST (Silva)
26 May 09 ·FlyingDutchman1971: I agree... a magical moment in soundtrack history. I have a German pressing of the album, it is titled, "Asphalt Cowboy". I guess the creators didn't think the connotation of "Midnight" would translate well...
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tracks composed by John Barry