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Songs in the Key of Springfield

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Songs in the Key of Springfield
Soundtrack album by
The Simpsons
ReleasedMarch 18, 1997
RecordedJune 1989 – August 1996
GenreSoundtrack
Length55:27
LabelRhino
Producer
The Simpsons chronology
The Simpsons Sing the Blues
(1990) 		Songs in the Key of Springfield
(1997) 		The Yellow Album
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Songs in the Key of Springfield is a soundtrack/novelty album from The Simpsons compiling many of the musical numbers from the series. The album was released in the United States on March 18, 1997, and in the United Kingdom in June 1997. This was the second album released in association with the Simpsons television series; however, the previous release, The Simpsons Sing the Blues, contained original recordings as opposed to songs featured in episodes of the series.

The album was followed by The Yellow Album, a second album of original songs.

Music

The first track, which is the extended version of the main title theme, notes that it is from the episode "Cape Feare". However, the actual episode does feature the extended opening and the same couch gag (the "chorus line" version), but Lisa's sax solo is different from the version featured on the album. Similarly, syndicated reruns of "Cape Feare" replace the entire opening altogether with the couch gag with the Simpsons finding exact doubles of themselves on the couch. However, the opening sequence that matches the one on the CD was used, complete with the same sax solo and couch gag, on the episodes "Monty Can't Buy Me Love", "Simpson Safari" and "The Bart Wants What It Wants", which aired well after the album's release.

Cultural reference

The title is taken from the Stevie Wonder album Songs in the Key of Life. Another FOX TV show, The X-Files, had a soundtrack album entitled Songs in the Key of X. The Simpsons podcast Pods in the Key of Springfield is named after this album.[2]

Chart performance

Compared to the previous album released in The Simpsons franchise, The Simpsons Sing the Blues, the album failed to match the success of their previous record. It managed to peak at number 18 in the United Kingdom, where it would become the last charting album for the franchise in that country.

The album was less successful in the United States, where it peaked at #103 on the Billboard 200. However, it was successful on Billboard's Top Kid Audio chart, where it peaked at number one, becoming the first number one on that chart for the franchise.

Track listing

  1. "The Simpsons Theme" (by Danny Elfman)
  2. "We Do" (The Stonecutters' Song) - from the episode "Homer the Great"
    Marge & Homer introduction
    The Stonecutters
  3. "Dancin' Homer" (Medley) - from the episode "Dancin' Homer"
    • Crosstown Bridge - The Simpsons – 0:10
    • Capitol City
    The Simpsons
    Tony Bennett
  4. "Homer & Apu" (Medley) - from the episode "Homer and Apu"
    Lisa introduction
    The Simpsons
    Apu
    • Who Needs the Kwik-E-Mart? (Reprise)
    Homer & Marge introduction
    Homer
    Apu
  5. "Round Springfield" (Medley) - from the episode "'Round Springfield"
    • Bleeding Gums Blues
    Lisa & DJ introduction
    Bleeding Gums Murphy
    Lisa
    Alto saxophone solo by Dan Higgins
    • A Four-Headed King
    Bleeding Gums Murphy
    Lisa
    Cast
    • There She Sits, Brokenhearted
    Bleeding Gums Murphy
    Lisa
    Bleeding Gums Murphy
    Lisa
    Alto saxophone solo by Dan Higgins
    Baritone saxophone solo by Terry Harrington
  6. "Oh, Streetcar!" (The Musical) - from the episode "A Streetcar Named Marge"
    • White-Hot Grease Fires (Prologue)
    Director (Jon Lovitz)
    Cast
    • Long Before the Superdome
    Chief Wiggum
    • New Orleans
    Cast
    Marge & Cast introduction
    Marge
    Apu
    • I Am Just a Simple Paper Boy
    Apu
    • Stella
    Ned Flanders
    • She Flies
    (instrumental)
    • The Kindness of Strangers
    Marge
    Cast
  7. "Jingle Bells" (by James Pierpont) - from the episode "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)"
    Robert Goulet
    Bart
    Smithers
    Mr. Burns
    Nelson
  8. "$pringfield" (Medley) - from the episode "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)"
    • The Simpsons End Credits Theme ("Big Band Vegas" Version)
    • Gracie Films Logo (Vegas version with slot machine sound at the end)
  9. "Itchy & Scratchy Main Title Theme" (by Robert Israel & Sam Simon) - from the episode "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge"
  10. "Itchy & Scratchy End Credits Theme" - from The Episode "The Front"
  11. "The Day the Violence Died" (Medley) - from the episode "The Day the Violence Died"
    • Not Jazz Chor, but Sad Chor"
    Krusty the Clown
    Jack Sheldon with Kid
    Bart
    Lisa
    Cast
  12. "Señor Burns" - from the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"
    Tito Puente & His Latin Jazz Ensemble
  13. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Afro-Cuban" Version) - from the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" (Part Two)
    Tito Puente & His Latin Jazz Ensemble – 0:47
  14. "Your Wife Don't Understand You" - from the episode "Colonel Homer"
    Announcer & Cast introduction
    Lurleen (Beverly D'Angelo)
    Homer
  15. "Kamp Krusty" (Medley) - from the episode "Kamp Krusty"
    Bart & Krusty introduction
    Gene Merlino
    • Gracie Films Logo (Mexican version with "Ole!" at the end)
  16. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Australian" Version) - from the episode "Bart vs. Australia"
  17. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Hill Street Blues" Version) - from the episode "The Springfield Connection"
  18. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" Version) - from the episode "Homer the Vigilante"
  19. "Treehouse of Horror V" (Medley) - from the episode "Treehouse of Horror V"
    • Controlling the Transmission (Prologue)
    Bart
    Homer
    • The Simpsons Halloween Special Main Title Theme
  20. "Honey Roasted Peanuts" - from the episode "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood"
    Homer
    Marge
  21. "Boy Scoutz N the Hood" (Medley) - from the episode "Boy-Scoutz N The Hood"
    • Saved by the Bell
    Apu
    Milhouse
    Bart
    • Jackpot
    Milhouse
    Bart
    • Springfield, Springfield (Parts 1 & 2)
    Bart
    Milhouse
    Cast
    • Remember This?
    Bart
    Lisa
    • Another Edwardian Morning
    Bart
    Marge
    Homer
  22. "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds" (Medley) - from the episode "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds"
    • The Pick of the Litter
    Mr. Burns
    Lisa
    • See My Vest
    Smithers introduction
    Mr. Burns
    Maid
    Lisa
    Bart
  23. "Eye on Springfield" Theme - from the episode "Flaming Moe's"
    Kent Brockman introduction
    Homer
  24. "Flaming Moe's" - from the episode "Flaming Moe's"
    Kipp Lennon
    Cast
  25. "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (Medley) - from the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet"
    Principal Skinner
    Apu
    The Be Sharps
    Cast
  26. "TV Sucks!" - a dialogue sequence from the episode "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie"
    Homer
    Bart
  27. "A Fish Called Selma" (Medley) - from the episode "A Fish Called Selma"
    • Troy Chic
    Agent MacArthur Parker (Jeff Goldblum)
    Troy McClure
    • Stop the Planet of the Apes
    • Dr. Zaius
    Troy McClure
    Bart
    Homer
    Cast
    • Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z
    Troy McClure
    Cast
  28. Send in the Clowns (by Stephen Sondheim) - from the episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled"
    Announcer introduction
    Krusty the Clown
    Sideshow Mel
  29. "The Monorail Song" - from the episode "Marge vs. the Monorail"
    Lyle Lanley
    Cast
  30. "In Search of an Out of Body Vibe" - a dialogue sequence from the episode "Lady Bouvier's Lover"
    Grampa
    Mrs. Bouvier
  31. "Cool" - from the episode "Lady Bouvier's Lover"
    Homer
    Grampa
  32. "Bagged Me a Homer" (by Beverly D'Angelo) - from the episode "Colonel Homer"
    Lurleen (Beverly D'Angelo)
    Recording Studio Guy
    Homer
    Marge
    Baritone saxophone solo by Terry Harrington
    Harmonica solo by Tommy Morgan
  33. "It Was a Very Good Beer" (by Ervin Drake) - from the episode "Duffless"
    Homer
  34. "Bart Sells His Soul" (Medley) - from the episode "Bart Sells His Soul"
    • From God's Brain to Your Mouth
    Bart
    Reverend Lovejoy
    Bart
    Milhouse
    Homer
    Cast
  35. "Happy Birthday, Lisa" (by Michael Jackson, credited to W. A. Mozart, due to contractual obligations) - from the episode "Stark Raving Dad"
    Lisa & Bart introduction
    Leon Kompowski (Kipp Lennon)
    Bart
    Lisa
  36. "The Simpsons Halloween Special End Credits Theme" ("The Addams Family" Version) - from the episode "Treehouse of Horror IV"
  37. "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" (Part One) (Medley) - from the episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" (Part One)
    • Who Dunnit?
    • The Simpsons End Credits Theme ("JFK" Version)
  38. "Lisa's Wedding" (Medley) - from the episode "Lisa's Wedding"
    • The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Renaissance" Version)
    • Gracie Films Logo ("Renaissance" Version)
  39. "The Simpsons End Credits Theme" ("Dragnet" Version) - from the episode "Marge on the Lam"

Chart positions

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[3] 26
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[4] 19

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[5] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[6] Silver 60,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ link
  2. ^ Development, PodBean. "Pods in the Key of Springfield: A Simpsons Podcast". podsinthekeyofspringfield.podbean.com.
  3. ^ "Australiancharts.com – The Simpsons – Songs In The Key Of Springfield". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  4. ^ "Ultratop.be – The Simpsons – Songs In The Key Of Springfield" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  5. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Various artists – Songs in the key of Springfield". Music Canada.
  6. ^ "British album certifications – Various artists – Songs in the key of Springfield". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Songs in the key of Springfield in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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