MovieChat Forums > Lost Horizon (1973) Discussion > Your favorite and least favorite song(s)...

Your favorite and least favorite song(s) from this movie?

posted 16 years ago by RobTimMor
25 replies | jump to latest

I love this movie and have ever since I first saw it several years ago on Christmas Night. I enjoyed all the songs, in varying degrees. But even the songs I like least, I still like.

My favorite songs in no particular order are Share the Joy; Things I Will Not Miss; and Question Me An Answer. My least favorite songs in no particular order are Living Together Growing Together; Where Knowledge Ends; and Reflections.

Here is the list:

Lost Horizon ;
Share the Joy ;
The World Is a Circle ;
Living Together Growing Together ;
I Might Frighten Her Away ;
Things I Will Not Miss ;
If I Could Go Back ;
Where Knowledge Ends ;
Question Me An Answer ;
I Come To You ;
Reflections.

Now ignore the singing voice(s). Just focus on Burt Bacharach's music and Hal David's lyrics, and tell me:

What is / are your favorite song(s) from this movie, and
What is / are your least favorite song(s) from this movie?

I look forward to hearing from you. Peace! And remember... stay and share the joy!

[–] moonspinner55 16 years ago

Love:
The Things I Will Not Miss
Question Me An Answer
Share the Joy (particularly when it is used as an instrumental interlude)

Pretty much dislike:
Everything else, esp. If I Could Go Back, which was quickly cut from the film after preview performances (somehow I found an expanded version dvd bootleg, and the performance by that singer is truly heinous).

I have an old movie magazine with an interview in it from Ross Hunter. He was asked point-blank why this film was so ridiculed. He answered, "the music was no good. Bacharach and David were on the verge of ending their partnership, and they didn't give enough attention to the songs. We had to go ahead with it knowing full well it was a bum score."

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] moonspinner55 16 years ago

I agree that "I Might Frighten Her Away" is a good love song, though some may argue the arrangement is a bit bubblegummy, closer to The Partridge Family than to classic-era Dionne Warwick. I happen to like that, though.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] moonspinner55 16 years ago

Fascinating!! She only devoted one line to "LH" in her autobiography, and didn't even call the picture by name (writing, "My first American movie was released and no one liked it"). I am very happy to learn she at least liked the music. By the way, she followed "LH" with "The Abdication", co-starring Peter Finch. I wish TCM would show THAT sometime...

[–] ofumalow 16 years ago

They all would have sounded great if sung by Dionne Warwick with typical Bacharach/David orchestrations on an LP. They all sound ludicrous in this fantasy musical context, which was wrong in every way for the composer and lyricist. (Not to mention most of the cast.) Totally embarrassing for all concerned...and yet the tunes are catchy.

[–] sauronbaggins 16 years ago

The Things I Will Not Miss all the way !, am looking for the orchestral music from Lost Horizon but cant find it sadly

[–] moonspinner55 16 years ago

The soundtrack was given a beautiful CD transfer a few years ago on the Razor & Tie label, it's worth finding if your vinyl is showing signs of wear. Also, all the songs were available as sheet music in a Lost Horizon songbook that can sometimes be found on ebay.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cliffcarson-1 16 years ago

Plus, LH was post CABARET. That film, for a long time changed the format of what musicals should be. No longer could a performer burst into song to extend an emotion. The producer, ROSS HUNTER had enjoyed decades of success, just coming off the blockbuster AIRPORT. Burt Bacharach, at that time could do no wrong. In short, the critics were out to get em' BOTH and they did.

Favorite song: I COME TO YOU, SHARE THE JOY

Least favorite: QUESTION ME AN ANSWER (more because of the lyrics than anything else)

Cinematically, the song SHARE THE JOY works the best, but THE THINGS I WILL NOT MISS is the most fun to watch.

[–] moonspinner55 16 years ago

cliffcarson, you nailed it when bringing up "Cabaret". In fact, in her review of "Cabaret" in Feb. 1972, New Yorker critic Pauline Kael said exactly that: "It will be a long time before another filmmaker gets away with having his cast burst into song on top of a mountain." I think she was referring to "The Sound of Music", but neverthless she had to sit through "LH" a year later anyway (which she trashed, of course). I absolutely agree that "Things" is great fun to watch and that "Question Me" is the silliest song. Did you read Michael York's autobiography? He actually quoted a couple of lines from that song as an EXAMPLE of his frustration with this project (which he likened to George's feelings about Shangri-La!). I hope he likes the film better when he sees it now...I know I do, and it's so heartening to see other fans respond to its charms (synthetic or not).

[–] cliffcarson-1 16 years ago

I've spoken to MIchael York on 2 occasions about LH and he seemed very in favor of the movie. Talk to anyone associated with the making of LH and they will tell you they all loved making it.

[–] pm007 15 years ago

Favs.
Share The joy
The World Is A Circle
Living Together....
The Things i Will Not Miss

Bought the Razor & Tie soundtrack cd a while back and played it
today for the first time in ages. Always loved the film since watching it on a school holiday 30 odd years ago. The first film i saw Olivia Hussey in, loved her movies ever since.

[–] shido-san 15 years ago

This changes.. right now my top two are:

I Might Frighten Her Away ;
Things I Will Not Miss

Burt Bacharach is quite experimental in this collection. He seems to be exploring dissonance. The so-called hit: Living together, Growing together is particularly hard to listen to. That said, I appreciate the naturalness of the "singing."

To Be is not to be: it is to exist with confidence in sublimation.

[–] lroy77 14 years ago

It's been so long, I don't remember the soundtrack. Seriously, if I could just get a copy of the movie, I would answer you.

[–] milliefan 13 years ago

The DVD is released by Sony on 4 October AT LAST! This is definite - I have ordered a copy. Favourite songs ... THE THINGS I WILL NOT MISS, SHARE THE JOY and THE WORLD IS A CIRCLE. Least favourite: QUESTION ME AN ANSWER.

[–] bmusic1234 13 years ago

This is by far the most wonderful movie/musical I have ever seen. I was privileged to hear Burt Bacharach perform the newly written movie score at a live concert in Salt Lake City, Utah, with an orchestra before the movie came out. The music was gorgeous. At one point as Mr. Bacharach started playing one of the songs from "Lost Horizon", he stopped abruptly playing the piano and sternly addressed the orchestra with, "You will all start this song over and play it correctly!" You could have heard a pin drop in that grand auditorium filled with thousands of people. They started the song over and from that point on, every song was superbly performed. Since I am a professional pianist who entertains on the piano, I purchased the entire score and I learned every song--each well written and a delight to play. I still perform songs from "Lost Horizon" every time I entertain on the piano. When seeing the movie, it was beautiful, and the music--ahh...the music...so wonderful! I am going to order a copy of this movie as soon as I can. I have heard many people say that it is the closest portrayal of heaven they could possibly imagine in the movies. I agree and wish more movie makers would make movies that transport us to higher and happier plains--our world needs more positive entertainment. I loved this movie because it did all that. Bravo to all who made "Lost Horizon", it will live on and on, as all the great classics have done. Favorite song from the movie - "Question me an answer." When performed in the movie, the young actor danced while teaching young children and he ended up in the water--wonderful scene in the movie. The whole movie is filled with beautiful songs and it's a timeless story.

[–] jkling7440 13 years ago

My mother bought this soundtrack before the movie was released. She LOVED Burt Bacharach music. So, being the young musical sponge I was, I listened to it over and over and over. So, by the time the film was released, I knew the score backwards and forwards. We went to see it and there were 3 songs missing! I remeber "If I Could Go Back" and "Where Knowledge Ends" were gone and that was the big point in Peter Finch's character for deciding to leave or not. So, when he made the decision in the film, it seemed so abrupt. I didn't understand it, my parents didn't understand it. It made no sense. I hope with the DVD, Columbia has restored it.

Anyway, in response to this question - LOVE the duet between Olivia Hussey and Sally Kellerman (who knew the original Hot Lips could sing). Love "The World is a Circle" and "Question Me an Answer."

[–] phillindholm 12 years ago

My favorites-''The Things I will Not Miss'' ''Living Together, Growing Together'' ''Reflections'' ''The World Is A Circle'' (silly lyrics, but great music) and ''Question Me An Answer''. (Same goes for that one). I don't much care for the ''dirges'' Peter Finch is supposed to be singing. And could he have sounded any WORSE than whoever dubbed him?. It boggles the mind...

[–] markedjuan 12 years ago

I'd choose any song in Lost Horizon over any song in Le Miz. I'd sit though Lost Horizon again over sitting though Le Miz again!

[–] gallifreyent 11 years ago

I love this film and all the songs, too...still have the soundtrack on vinyl AND a shirt made from an "official" LH pattern by one of the sewing pattern companies. It's styled like the shirts Liv wore. My mom also liked this film and was happy to make the shirt for me.

My favorites: Lost Horizon for its haunting melody
Things I Will Not Miss: sign me up!

Least favorite: The World Is a Circle (only because it has a catchy hook that makes it a frequent "ear worm")

~If you go through enough doors, sooner or later you're gonna find a dog on the other side.~

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tomfern 10 years ago

"Lost Horizon",sung by Shawn Phillips.