Soundtrack Of The Week: HAROLD AND MAUDE

One of the most memorable elements of Hal Ashby’s 1971 classic cult film, HAROLD AND MAUDE, is its profoundly tuneful soundtrack made up of songs written and performed by Cat Stevens. Stevens (latter rebranded Yusuf Islam), who was a popular British artist with a few hits, and platinum albums under his belt, was suggested by Elton John, the original choice of the filmmakers to compose the soundtrack.

Stevens’ songs were a great addition to the movie that concerned a young man (Bud Cort) who was obsessed with death falling in love with an old lady (Ruth Gordon) who is obsessed with living life to its fullest. Much like Simon and Garfunkel’s score for the 1967 classic, THE GRADUATE, Stevens was the principal performer throughout HAROLD AND MAUDE, although there are snatches of works by classical composers such as Johann Strauss II, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and other bits of incidental music.

But it’s Stevens who dominates and illuminates the movie’s message. Unfortunately the soundtrack wasn’t released in America when the film came out, but A&M put out a version of the material on vinyl in Japan in 1972. It was a flawed collection as it omitted two crucial songs, “Don’t Be Shy” and “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out,” and featured a few Stevens tunes that aren’t in the movie.

The two songs, “Don’t Be Shy” and “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out,” were written specifically for the film, but not released until his 1984 compilation, Footsteps in the Dark: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2. That’s a long time to go without two of Stevens’ best songs without being commercially available except on videocassettes of the film.

Much later, in 2007, a limited edition of the soundtrack was released by Vinyl Films Records. It contained all of the Stevens songs that were in the movie, plus five previously unreleased tracks including banjo, instrumental, and alternate versions of “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out,” and demo, and alternate takes of “Don’t Be Shy.” The icing on the cake is that a 36-page full-color booklet about the making of the film is included. There’s also a picture disc version of the album.

The bad news is that the 2007 release is very pricey as it was a limited edition of only 2,500 copies. The newest edition of the soundtrack was released on Record Store Day (July 17, 2021), and it’s also a limited release, but at 8,000, it’s at least a little bigger of a run.

Dubbed “The Songs From the Original Movie,” the RSD release doesn’t have any of the bonus tracks from the 2007 edition, and at nine tracks, it’s a bit short, but it’s yellow vinyl, and a great listen of the to the songs presented in the order that appeared in the film (the 2007 one does this too, but since that one is out of print and expensive as hell, let’s go with this one).

I was happy to score a copy on RSD, and have been enjoying it since. Of course, by this time, it’s an expensive get – along with every other version of the HAROLD AND MAUDE soundtrack it seems. But if you really want you own copy, you can do what I did decades ago and compile one from the Stevens’ albums, Tea for the Tillerman, Mona Bone Jakon, and Footsteps in the Dark (Greatest Hits, Vol. 2). That’s the best suggestion I have. Otherwise, you can wait for another, more affordable version to come on the scene in the future. Until then, if you want to sing out, sing out.

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Actors You Recognize, But Don't Know Their Names: Walter Olkewicz

During an epic re-watch of Twin Peaks, I noticed an actor I’ve seen in countless TV shows and movies, but never took note of his name. As Walter Olkewicz has appeared in a sick amount of projects, it’s time to right that wrong.

I bet you’ve seen this lovable lug – maybe in such shows as the aforementioned Twin Peaks or possibly The Rockford Files, Taxi, Barney Miller, Alice, Family Ties, The Love Boat, Wizards and Warriors, Cheers, Newhart, The A-Team, Night Court, Matlock, Who’s the Boss, Murder She Wrote, and…let’s just say every program that aired in the ‘80s. Oh yeah, he also was on Dolly Parton’s one season variety series, Dolly! I totally forgot that existed.

In the ‘90s he honed his surly and sarcastic (but still lovable) persona on Seinfeld, was a semi-regular on Grace Under Fire, and appeared on ER, Dharma & Greg, Sliders, Chicago Hope, and voiced a character named Falcone on a couple of episodes of Batman: The Animated Series.

Movie-wise, he’s acted in 1941, JIMMY THE KID, MAKING THE GRADE, THE CLIENT, STUART SAVES HIS FAMILY, THE BIG PICTURE, LAST DAYS (not the quasi Kurt Cobain flick), MEETING DADDY, and…okay, so his filmography isn’t as impressive as his television work, but it’s still pretty extensive.

This entry also sadly also serves as an obituary as Olkewicz passed away last April at the age of 72. He left behind quite a legacy that will live on as long as there are reruns that make folks remark “Hey, it’s that guy.” I doubt most people will learn his name, but, hey, I’ve done my part.

Stay tuned for more in the Actors You Recognize But Don’t Know Their Names series.

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Soundtrack Of The Week: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

I’ve long been amused by this record. Obviously it’s the soundtrack for the 1978 rock biopic, THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, but what I find funny is that it completely consists of the film’s star, Gary Busey taking the vocal duties on for a platter of Buddy Holly classics. Around a dozen of ‘em. Sung by Busey. You read me right.

Now it’s not like this is that rare. Many actors and actresses have done their own singing in biopics. Sissy Spacek performs as Loretta Lynn on the COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER soundtrack, and Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix do the same as June and Johnny Cash for WALK THE LINE.

It’s reported that Val Kilmer did many of Jim Morrison’s vocals in THE DOORS, but I’m not so sure. I’ve heard that his and the lizard king’s voices were mixed together at times, but the bulk of the songs used in the movie are the originals. This is confirmed by the credits for the soundtrack, which has no mention of Kilmer. It’s similar to GET ON UP, in which Chadwick Boseman contributed some singing, but probably realized early on that there’s no way he could top the Godfather of Soul.

Anyway back to the Buse! I haven’t seen Steve Rash’s THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY in a long time, but remember it pretty well. The longer ago it gets, the casting of Busey as Holly grows weirder and weirder in my psyche. He was 34 when he got the part – the lanky Holly was 22 when he died – and he had a much larger frame, so this looked like it would be the miscasting spectacular of the decade!

But Busey, against all odds, pulled it off. It helps that he’s younger, and less edgier, and not the abrasive assholish lunatic that we all know and love now. The film itself has all kinds of issues, especially with all of its inaccuracies, but Busey makes it feel like like it’s a notch above the typical TV biopic. Or half a notch because it’s still is in made-for-TV terrain. Busey even got an Oscar nomination (he lost to Jon Voight for COMING HOME), and much critical acclaim, but record reviewers largely ignored the soundtrack, and it didn’t get much chart action either.

I can totally understand that. I mean, if you want to purchase a Holly album why go for an album in which Busey takes the lead? It’s like wanting to buy a Beatles record, and picking up Beatlemania: The Album, in which clones play the music of the Fab Four note by f-in’ note on Broadway.

To up the ante, the actors who play Holly’s bandmates, The Crickets - Don Stroud, who plays Jesse Charles, and Charles Martin Smith portrays Ray Bob Simmons - are actually Busey’s band here contributing drums and bass respectively.

Most of the album was recorded live, with a loud audience, sounding like they cut a number of tracks between shots during the roller rink scenes, and the Apollo gig. Busey sings a song, “I’m Gonna Love You Too,” in acappella, and it’s actually not embarrassing.

The band admirably churns through a medley of Holly’s hits such as ”That’ll Be The Day”/ ”Oh Boy!”/ “Peggy Sue” / “Maybe Baby” and you can feel the fun in the air. Though I must say that its sounds better if you’re in another room from the stereo. Otherwise my mind keeps picking apart which nuances work and which ones fall flat.

Just last year, a Deluxe Edition of THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released that featured 10 bonus tracks. That brings the tally of Busey does Holly tunes up to 22. Maybe by the next re-issue, they’ll have amassed enough of Busey’s material to equal Holly’s entire oeuvre.

I’ll leave you now with this clip of the fake Buddy Holly and the Crickets playing the Apollo (they were the first white act to play at the iconic venue btw):

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