MovieChat Forums > The Long Goodbye (1973) Discussion > The Soundtrack, the soundtrack, the soun...

The Soundtrack, the soundtrack, the soundtrack!!!!!!!!

posted 21 years ago by mrriv28
11 replies | jump to latest

I loved the soundtrack to this movie
It was the same song. But so many different interpretations of the song
The opening montage with 4 different versions alone
to the Mariachi version
to the Mexican band playing a funeral march version
to the old time 40's version of the sultry woman signing "Its a long goodbye
and it happens everyday, when some passerby invites your eye to come her way, even as she smiles a kiss hello, you've let her go
you've let the moment fly
John Williams wrote this song
and oversaw its many versions
I think it was something like 16 or 17 different versions of this one song
each one so vastly different
But the one that haunts me is the Woman singing as Phillip Marlowe takes the elevator back up to his pad after drinking with Roger Wade
Great Great Great!!!!

It truly is a shame that this soundtrack is unreleased
I would love to acquire it
John Williams are you listening?????

[–] lovelyludgwigvan 21 years ago

Man! I totally agree that the soundtrack was great.

I was just searching the internet for it and all I found was some Brooks and Dunn recording of "the long goodbye" which is completely irrelevant.

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[–] TigerMann 21 years ago

Actually ... I had the same idea ... search for the song (preferably the Johnny Mercer version). My search yielded the same results ... except for one. A song called "the long goodbye" performed by Procol Harum. Though it isn't the same song ... it's pretty amazing. I would recommend listening, if you like that kind of stuff.

[–] mrriv28 21 years ago

Good tip TigerMann

But I would really like to figure out
how we can acquire this great and unreleased soundtrack?
I want to listen to it in my car Dammit!!!!

[–] TigerMann 21 years ago

Or we certain that the soundtrack was never released? I guess if it were, it would be awfully one-sided ... with pretty much the same song repeated in all its many forms.

But you're right ... it's an awesome soundtrack. I hate it when movie companies do this kind of thing. Even though "The Long Goodbye" isn't quite as famous as "The Big Sleep," there still are fans.

On another note ...
I remember that when the dvd was first announced by mgm ... there were rumors about a possible audio commentary track with Elliott Gould and Robert Altman. That would have been nice, even though the featurette suppliment was very good.

That's my fan-boy comment.

Also ... has anyone listened to Elliott Gould read "The Long Goodbye?" It's available on tape, and you can probably find it on ebay. I think he's recorded all of Chandler's books, but I'm not sure. I also own the tapes of Gould reading "The Big Sleep" and "Farewell My Lovely."

[–] moondog-8 17 years ago

And does anyone know who the "sultry woman" singing is??? I know that Nina vanPallandt used to be a folk singer, and wondered if it was her vocals... It's a great voice, but I can usually recognize the legendary female singers of the 20th century. That one has me stumped.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] heisenberg83 14 years ago

It's on YouTube. Download it off YouTube, convert to MP3 and you're sorted!

I drive round and this music makes me feel like Gould in this movie. Love it.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] faraaj-1 17 years ago

I've got the mp3 version of the song sung by the woman in the beginning of the film. I downloaded it from emule. Personally I preferred the guy singing in the beginning of the film.

Along these mean streets walks a man who is not mean himself - neither tarnished, nor afraid...

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] the_one_eleven 11 years ago

There are actually two options!

This one was released in 2004.
http://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/john_williams/fitzwilly___the_lo ng_goodbye/
I've heard it and it has a pretty good selection on it.

And I just found out, a new one was released in 2012!
http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/john_williams/the_long_goodbye/
http://www.amazon.com/The-Long-Goodbye-limited--CD/dp/B009H6UHGA/
Unfortunately it is limited to 1000 pressings. Weird choice. Still, should be possible to find digitally somewhere. Can't wait to hear it and compare to the one I posted above. It looks to be more complete!