The Jazz Singer (soundtrack)

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The Jazz Singer
TheJazzSingerNeilDiamondalbumcover.png
Soundtrack album by
Neil Diamond
ReleasedNovember 10, 1980
Recorded1980
GenrePop, rock
Length40:11
LabelCapitol (original and 2014 reissue)
Columbia (1996 reissue)
ProducerBob Gaudio
Neil Diamond chronology
September Morn
(1979) 		The Jazz Singer
(1980) 		On the Way to the Sky
(1981)
Singles from The Jazz Singer soundtrack
  1. "Love on the Rocks"
    Released: October 1980
  2. "Hello Again"
    Released: January 1981
  3. "America"
    Released: April 1981
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic3/5 stars[1]

The Jazz Singer is an album by Neil Diamond from 1980, which served as the soundtrack album to the 1980 remake of the film The Jazz Singer. The soundtrack was released in November 1980 originally on Capitol Records, instead of his then-usual Columbia Records, because the film was produced by EMI Films, owned by the parent company of the label for which the soundtrack was released. The soundtrack was re-released in February 1996 on Columbia Records in the United States and Sony elsewhere. After Diamond signed with Capitol Records, this album was reissued by Capitol globally in 2014.[2]

The film's reviews were negative, earning Diamond the first Razzie for Worst Actor at the 1st Golden Raspberry Awards, but made a modest profit at the box office, grossing almost double its budget. However, its soundtrack was a huge success and became Neil Diamond's biggest selling album in the United States, selling over 5 million copies there and reaching #3 on the pop albums chart. This would mark the second time a Neil Diamond soundtrack outperformed the movie it came from (after Jonathan Livingston Seagull). Three songs from the album became top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Love on the Rocks", "Hello Again" and "America" reaching Nos. 2, 6, and 8, respectively.

Track listing[edit]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."America"Neil Diamond4:18
2."Adon Olom"Traditional0:32
3."You Baby"Neil Diamond3:01
4."Love on the Rocks"Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud3:40
5."Amazed and Confused"Neil Diamond, Richard Bennett2:53
6."On the Robert E. Lee"Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud2:03
7."Summerlove"Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud3:17
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hello Again"Neil Diamond, Alan Lindgren4:04
2."Acapulco"Neil Diamond, Doug Rhone2:48
3."Hey Louise"Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud3:00
4."Songs of Life"Neil Diamond, Gilbert Bécaud3:32
5."Jerusalem"Neil Diamond3:03
6."Kol Nidre/My Name Is Yussel"Traditional; adapted by Neil Diamond, Uri Frenkel/Neil Diamond1:38
7."America (Reprise)"Neil Diamond2:22

Charts[edit]

Chart (1980/81) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 10

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[4] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[5] Gold 10,000*
South Africa[6] 2× Platinum 100,000 
United Kingdom (BPI)[7] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[8] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^

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

Personnel[edit]

  • Neil Diamond – guitar, lead vocals
  • Richard Bennett – acoustic and electric guitars
  • Doug Rhone – guitar, backing vocals
  • Alan Lindgren – synthesizers, pianos, orchestra arrangements and conductor (1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11)
  • Tom Hensley – keyboards, pianos, orchestra arrangements and conductor (5, 7, 12)
  • Reinie Press – bass
  • Dennis St. John – drums, music director
  • Vince Charles – percussion
  • King Errisson – percussion
  • Assa Drori – concertmaster
  • Jimmy Getzoff – concertmaster
  • Sid Sharp – concertmaster
  • John Rosenberg – orchestra contractor
  • Bob Gaudio – vocal arrangements
  • Donny Gerard – backing vocals
  • Marilyn O'Brien – backing vocals
  • Linda Press – backing vocals, vocal arrangements
  • H.L. Voelker – backing vocals
  • Luther Waters – backing vocals
  • Oren Waters – backing vocals
  • Choir – Timothy Allan Bullara, Jeremy C. Lipton, Dale D. Morich, Yoav Steven Paskowitz, Boyd H. Schlaefer, Mark H. Stevens, David Teisher and James Gregory Wilburn

Production[edit]

  • Producer – Bob Gaudio
  • Production Coordination – Beatrice E. Marks and Alison Zanetos
  • Production Assistant – Rita Zak
  • Recording Engineer – Andy Bloch
  • Assistant Engineers – Bill Benton, David Bianco, Jack Crymes, Brad Gilderman, Mark Eshelman, Larry Rebhun and Rick Ruggieri.
  • Recorded at Arch Angel Studios and Record Plant (Los Angeles, CA); Sunset Sound Recorders and Cherokee Studios (Hollywood, CA); Dawnbreaker Studios (San Fernando, CA).
  • Mixed by Ron Hitchcock
  • Mastered by Mike Reese, Doug Sax and Lois Walker at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
  • Art Direction and Design – David Kirschner
  • Contributing Artwork – Michael Donaldson, David Kirschner, Ron Larson, John Squire and Jan Weinberg.
  • Photography – Larry Barbier
  • Equipment – Ed Lever / Canyon Recorders

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The Jazz Singer at AllMusic
  2. ^ http://www.oldies.com/product-view/70668O.html
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  5. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1981". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Diamond And Precious Metals" (PDF). Cash Box. April 11, 1981. p. 33 – via American Radio History.
  7. ^ "British album certifications – Neil Diamond – The jazz Singer ost". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 March 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type The jazz Singer ost in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  8. ^ "American album certifications – Neil Diamond – The Jazz Singer (soundtrack)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 8 March 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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