Local Hero (soundtrack)
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Local Hero is the debut soundtrack album by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Knopfler, released in March 1983 by Vertigo Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. It contains music composed for the 1983 film Local Hero, produced by David Puttnam and both written and directed by Bill Forsyth.[1] In 1984, the album received a BAFTA award nomination for Best Score for a Film.[2]
Background
Following a string of three multi-platinum albums with Dire Straits—Dire Straits (1978), Communiqué (1979), and Making Movies (1980)—Knopfler, the group's lead singer, guitarist, songwriter, and producer, began to look for new musical challenges and opportunities. In early 1982, his manager wrote to several film directors indicating that Knopfler was interested in writing film music. Producer David Puttnam responded, and after reviewing the Local Hero project, Knopfler accepted the job.[3] Following the completion of Dire Straits' fourth album, Love Over Gold, recorded from 8 March to 11 June 1982, Knopfler began work on the film's music. He invited Gerry Rafferty to be the lead vocalist on the song, "The Way It Always Starts". In 2000, Rafferty invited Knopfler to provide rhythm guitar and lead fills on what would be his final studio album, Another World.
Recording
The Local Hero album was recorded in 1982 at The Power Station in New York, and Eden Studios in London.[4] The Ceilidh scenes were recorded at Hilton Women's Royal Institute Hall near Banff, Scotland on 19 June 1982.[5]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Rolling Stone |  [6] |
In his retrospective review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann gave the album four and a half out of five stars, noting that Knopfler's "intricate, introspective finger-picked guitar stylings make a perfect musical complement to the wistful tone of Bill Forsyth's comedy film."[1] Ruhlmann continued, "The low-key music picks up traces of Scottish music, but most of it just sounds like Dire Straits doing instrumentals, especially the recurring theme, one of Knopfler's more memorable melodies."[1]
Rolling Stone magazine's contemporary review called Knopfler's film music debut an "insinuating LP of charming, cosmopolitan soundtrack music—a record that can make movies in your mind."[6]
For his Local Hero soundtrack, Knopfler received a BAFTA award nomination for Best Score for a Film.[2]
The song is played at Newcastle United F.C. and Aberdeen F.C. home games as the football players run out onto the pitch, as well as at the end of games at other clubs such as Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Also in ice hockey, the Fife Flyers play "Going Home (Theme of the Local Hero)" at the beginning of every home match.
The song was also played at the end of Dire Straits concerts, after all of the encores, with the lights up, so fans knew it was time to go home.
Track listing
All music and lyrics were written by Mark Knopfler, except where indicated.[5]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Rocks and the Water" | 3:30 |
| 2. | "Wild Theme" | 3:38 |
| 3. | "Freeway Flyer" | 1:47 |
| 4. | "Boomtown (variation Louis' Favourite)" | 4:06 |
| 5. | "The Way It Always Starts" (Featuring Gerry Rafferty) | 4:00 |
| 6. | "The Rocks and the Thunder" | 0:45 |
| 7. | "The Ceilidh and the Northern Lights" | 3:57 |
| 8. | "The Mist Covered Mountains" (Traditional, arrangement by Mark Knopfler) | 5:13 |
| 9. | "The Ceilidh: Louis' Favourite, Billy's Tune" | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Whistle Theme" | 0:51 |
| 11. | "Smooching" | 4:58 |
| 12. | "Stargazer" | 1:31 |
| 13. | "The Rocks and the Thunder" | 0:40 |
| 14. | "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" | 4:55 |
| Total length: | 43:48 | |
Personnel
- Music
- Mark Knopfler – guitars, synthesizers, percussion, LinnDrum
- Alan Clark – synthesizers, piano, Hammond organ
- Hal Lindes – rhythm guitar (3)
- Mike Brecker – saxophone (4,11,14)
- Mike Mainieri – vibes (4,11)
- Gerry Rafferty – vocals (5)
- Neil Jason – bass (4,5)
- Tony Levin – bass (11,14)
- John Illsley – bass (3)
- Eddie Gomez – bass (8)
- Steve Jordan – drums (4,5)
- Terry Williams – drums (3,11,14)
- The Acetones[Note 1]
- Production
- Mark Knopfler – producer
- Neil Dorfsman – engineer
- Josh Abbey – assistant engineer
- Tim Palmer – assistant engineer
- Phil Vinall – assistant engineer
- Bob Ludwig – mastering at Masterdisk
- Denis Waugh – cover photo
- Frank Griffin – back cover photo[5]
Certifications
| Organisation | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| BPI – UK | Silver | 17 May 1984 |
References
- Notes
- ^ The Acetones are a group that perform in the Ceilidh scenes in the film Local Hero. The Acetones are Alan Clark (piano), Alan Darby (guitar), Roddy Murray (guitar), Jimmy Yuill (whistle), Mark Winchester (violin), Dale Winchester (accordion), Brian Rowan (bass), and Ed Bicknell (drums).
- Citations
- ^ a b c d Ruhlmann, William. "Local Hero". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
- ^ a b "Awards Database 1983". BAFTA. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ Hunter, Alan; Astaire, Mark (1983). Local Hero: The Making of the Film. Edinburgh: Polygon Books. p. 39. ISBN 978-0904919677.
- ^ Making of Local Hero Soundtrack (Television). Scotland: AMIT TV. 1983.
- ^ a b c Local Hero (booklet). Mark Knopfler. Burbank, California: Warner Bros. Records. 1983. pp. 2–4. 23827-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|titlelink=(help)CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b "Local Hero Album Review". Rolling Stone. No. 396. 25 May 1983.