Dollar$ (soundtrack)

Dollar$
1972 album cover
Soundtrack album by Quincy Jones with appearances by Little Richard Roberta Flack Doug Kershaw Featuring the Don Elliott Voices
Released	1972[1]
Recorded	1971
Label	Reprise

2001 and 2008 CD cover

Dollar$ is the soundtrack album to the 1971 Richard Brooks movie of the same name, variously known as $, Dollars, Dollar$ or The Heist, starring Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn.

History

The soundtrack, originally issued on Reprise Records, is composed by Quincy Jones, and features performances by Little Richard, Roberta Flack and Doug Kershaw. Throughout the album, the Don Elliott Voices provide harmony vocal background to otherwise instrumental pieces.^[2] Jones, who was at the time under contract to A&M Records, was given permission by A&M Records to become involved with the soundtrack.^[3] Little Richard, Roberta Flack and Doug Kershaw were all artists with the Warner Bros. Records/Reprise group.

The film was released in December 1971, followed by the early 1972 release of the soundtrack album. Jones' "Money Runner", was the promoted single from the album,^[4] released concurrently with the film, in December 1971. "Money Is", written by Jones and sung by Little Richard, was the B-side.^[5][6]

Despite being subject to a degree of mixed critical reception,^[7][8] the soundtrack remains of ongoing interest to later artists. Gang Starr sampled "Snow Creatures",^[9] while Mobb Deep sampled "Kitty With The Bent Frame"^[10] La Mongoose Band, a Spanish funk band, covered "Money Runner".^[11] Acid jazz band Corduroy covered "Money Is" on their 1992 debut album, Dead Man Cat and on their 1994 album Quattro - Live In Japan^[12]

The album was released by Warner Bros. Records on CD in 2001 and then re-released on CD in 2008,^[13] coinciding with the DVD release of the film.^[14]

Track listing

1. Money Is Performed by Little Richard 4:28^[6]
2. Snow Creatures 3:16
3. Rubber Ducky 1:10
4. Redeye Runnin' Train Performed by Doug Kershaw 2:54
5. Shady Lady 1:06
6. Money Runner 3:08 ^[5]
7. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) (End Title) (Shay, Fisher and Goodwin, arr. Jones) Performed by Roberta Flack 1:45^[2]
8. Do It - To It Performed by Little Richard 2:51^[6]
9. Candy Man 3:11
10. Passin' the Buck 1:36
11. Kitty With the Bent Frame 2:13
12. Brook's 50 Cent Tour [Main Title Collage] 9:35

Credits

• Arthur Adams Guitar
• Elek Bacsik Guitar
• Paul Beaver Keyboards
• Ray Brown Bass
• Larry Bunker Percussion
• Don Elliott Voices
• Gene Estes Percussion
• Victor Feldman Percussion
• Clare Fischer Keyboards
• Elliott Fisher Violin
• Roberta Flack Vocals, Performer
• Eric Gale Guitar
• Milt Holland Percussion
• Paul Humphrey Drums
• Tommy Johnson Tuba
• Quincy Jones Piano, Trumpet, Composer, Conductor
• Artie Kane Keyboards
• Doug Kershaw Violin, Performer
• Michael Lang Keyboards
• Little Richard Piano, Vocals, Performer
• Bill Plummer Keyboards, Sitar
• Bobbye Porter Percussion
• Billy Preston Keyboards
• Chuck Rainey Keyboards
• Jerome Richardson Woodwind
• Ron Tutt Drums
• David T. Walker Guitar

References

1. ^ "Money Runner", with "Money Is" as the B-Side, was released as a single in December, 1971, concurrently with the film's release. See Particulars of Little Richard, King of Rock and Roll, The Complete Reprise Recordings (Rhino Handmade, 2005).
2. ^ ^{a b} The "Don Elliott Voices" were generally Don Elliott, a frequent soundtrack collaborator with Quincy Jones, multitracking his voice. An example is the Roberta Flack version of "When You're Smiling", on the Dollar$ soundtrack. Flack is backed by a twenty voice choir, all created through multitracking the vocals of Don Elliott. See Scooter Pirtie, "Don Elliott: He was a gentleman, too" (1994); www.middlehornleader.com.
3. ^ Comments of Bob Knack, July 12, 2004 at "A&M Corner"; www.brasil66.com.
4. ^ Sealed album particulars, including "hype sticker" in relation to "Money Runner"; www.audiophileusa.com.
5. ^ ^{a b} Particulars of "Money Runner" single; www.discogs.com.
6. ^ ^{a b c} Little Richard's performances of "Money Is" and "Do It-To It" were later included in a limited edition collection of Little Richard's recordings for Reprise records, released in 2005 by Rhino Handmade. See Particulars of Little Richard, King of Rock and Roll, The Complete Reprise Recordings; www.rock-n-roll.40s-50s.info.
7. ^ Critic Jason Birchmeier describes it as "...impressive, (though) it's one of (Jones') less interesting projects." Review of Dollar$ Soundtrack; www.allmusic.com.
8. ^ In contrast, Score, Baby!, a website devoted to reviews of "cult soundtracks of the 60s. 70s and beyond" described the Dollar$ soundtrack as "essential", being an "inventive blend of experimental jazz and rhythm & blues". It was further described as being comparable to Jones' score for They Call Me Mr. Tibbs, in terms of being among Jones' "best funky soundtrack work". See Review of Dollar$ Soundtrack; www.scorebaby.com.
9. ^ Particulars of Gang Starr sampling; www.whosampled.com.
10. ^ Particulars of Mobb Deep sampling; www.whosampled.com. See also "Shook Ones (Part II)".
11. ^ La Mongoose Band cover of "Money Runner"; www.youtube.com.
12. ^ Joshua Rosenstock, Review of Corduroy versions of "Money Is" at 'Lectric Diaspora; www.joshuarosenstock.com.
13. ^ Dollar$ Soundtrack release history; www.allmusic.com.
14. ^ Dollar$ DVD release history; www.amazon.com.