Muppets Most Wanted: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack is a soundtrack album released by Walt Disney Records on March 18, 2014, for the musical comedy film Muppets Most Wanted. The soundtrack features six original songs, two re-recordings of popular Muppet songs ("The Muppet Show Theme" and "Together Again"), three cover versions of existing songs (Allen Toussaint's "Working in the Coal Mine", Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera's "Moves Like Jagger", and Los del Río's "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)"), an orchestral suite by Christophe Beck, five demos by Bret McKenzie, and eight dialogue tracks.[3]
| Muppets Most Wanted (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | March 18, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | 2013 | |||
| Studio | Air Lyndhurst Studios | |||
| Genre | Musical theatre, popular music | |||
| Length | 51:36 | |||
| Label | Walt Disney | |||
| Producer | Kaylin Frank, Mitchell Leib, Bret McKenzie | |||
| The Muppets chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Empire | [2] |
Songs not included in the album, but featured in the film include "Long Train Runnin'" by The Doobie Brothers, "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men and Marvin Hamlisch's "I Hope I Get It" (from A Chorus Line).[4]
Overview
editIn November 2012, it was announced that Bret McKenzie would be returning to write songs for Muppets Most Wanted following the success of its 2011 predecessor, The Muppets.[5] As opposed to the previous film, McKenzie wrote all of the original songs for Muppets Most Wanted; his songwriting influences for the film include the Sherman Brothers, Irving Berlin, Paul Williams, and Harry Nilsson.[6] With song ideas originating from short descriptions in the film's screenplay,[7] McKenzie developed numerous songs and performed demo versions of each by doing impressions of various Muppets. "I'm usually just on piano, with me singing and doing my now quite extensive catalog of Muppet impressions," said McKenzie. "I play a rough version then we get together and work out the best. James [Bobin] often has an idea that's visual that he needs to change the lyric to suit the visual and then we record it with the Muppets."[8]
A music video of McKenzie performing "I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu)" was released on March 19, 2014, on Funny or Die.[9]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "They've Ordered a Sequel" (Dialogue) | Walter and Statler and Waldorf | 0:12 | |
| 2. | "We're Doing a Sequel" | Bret McKenzie | The Muppets with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett | 4:16 |
| 3. | "My Name First, Your Name" (Dialogue) | Constantine and Ricky Gervais | 0:20 | |
| 4. | "I'm Number One" | McKenzie | Constantine and Ricky Gervais | 2:29 |
| 5. | "The Casa Grande" (Dialogue) | Kermit, Tina Fey, Jemaine Clement, Danny Trejo, and Ray Liotta | 0:12 | |
| 6. | "The Big House" | McKenzie | Tina Fey and Josh Groban | 2:24 |
| 7. | "Stick with Me" (Dialogue) | Constantine and Miss Piggy | 0:03 | |
| 8. | "I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu)" | McKenzie | Constantine | 2:46 |
| 9. | "The Muppet Show Theme (Spanish Version)" | Sam Pottle, Jim Henson | Los Muppets | 2:56 |
| 10. | "Answer Some Questions" (Dialogue) | Ty Burrell | 0:06 | |
| 11. | "Interrogation Song" | McKenzie, Paul Roemen | Ty Burrell, Sam Eagle, and The Muppets | 3:21 |
| 12. | "Oh Foo Foo, It's Always Been a Fight" (Dialogue) | Miss Piggy and Foo Foo | 0:05 | |
| 13. | "Something So Right" | McKenzie | Miss Piggy, Kermit, Celine Dion, and The Muppets | 3:44 |
| 14. | "We're Goin' Underground" (Dialogue) | Kermit | 0:04 | |
| 15. | "Working in the Coal Mine" | Allen Toussaint | Jemaine Clement | 1:56 |
| 16. | "The Gulag Finale" (Dialogue) | Kermit | 0:04 | |
| 17. | "Together Again" | Jeff Moss | The Muppets and Josh Groban | 3:44 |
| 18. | "Moves Like Jagger" (featuring Pepe the King Prawn) | Adam Levine, Benny Blanco, Ammar Malik, Shellback | Scooter and The Penguins | 5:44 |
| 19. | "Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)" | Antonio Romero, Rafael Ruiz, Labou Lutz | Miss Piggy, Manolo Flamingo, and Carlo Flamingo | 3:33 |
| 20. | "Muppets Most Wanted Score Suite" | Christophe Beck | Christophe Beck | 3:07 |
| 21. | "We're Doing a Sequel (Demo)" | McKenzie | Bret McKenzie | 4:32 |
| 22. | "The Big House (Demo)" | McKenzie | Bret McKenzie | 2:23 |
| 23. | "What You Want (Outtake)" | McKenzie | Bret McKenzie | 2:31 |
| 24. | "I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu) (Demo)" | McKenzie | Bret McKenzie | 2:32 |
| 25. | "Something So Right (Demo)" | McKenzie | Bret McKenzie | 4:09 |
| Total length: | 51:36 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26. | "My Heart Will Go On" | James Horner, Will Jennings | Miss Piggy (Eric Jacobson) | 3:05 |
| 27. | "The Muppet Show Theme (German Version)" | Sam Pottle, Jim Henson | Die Muppets | 1:00 |
| Total length: | 55:41 | |||
Personnel
editCredits adopted from AllMusic:[11]
- Muppet performers
- Steve Whitmire – Kermit the Frog, Beaker, Statler, Rizzo the Rat, Link Hogthrob, Lips, Foo-Foo
- Eric Jacobson – Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam Eagle, Animal
- Dave Goelz – The Great Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Waldorf
- Bill Barretta – Rowlf the Dog, Pepé the King Prawn, Dr. Teeth, The Swedish Chef, Carlo Flamingo
- David Rudman – Scooter, Janice, Bobby Benson
- Matt Vogel – Constantine, Floyd Pepper, Lew Zealand, Camilla the Chicken
- Peter Linz – Walter, Manolo Flamingo
|
|
Charts
edit| Chart (2014) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Top Soundtracks[12] | 4 |
| US Billboard 200[12] | 68 |
Muppets Most Wanted: Original Score
edit| Muppets Most Wanted (Original Score) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film score by | ||||
| Released | April 15, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | 2013 | |||
| Studio | Sony Scoring Stage, Culver City, California | |||
| Label | Walt Disney / Intrada | |||
| Producer | Mitchell Leib | |||
| Christophe Beck chronology | ||||
| ||||
Christophe Beck was officially announced to score the film in August 2013.[13] The score was recorded during the latter half of 2013 at the Sony Scoring Stage in Culver City, California. With the use of an 82-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony,[14] Beck drew his inspiration from various cross-cultural styles. "With characters spread across the world," said Beck, "there was opportunity after opportunity to explore many musical styles and settings."[3]
A separate album entirely containing Beck's score was released by Walt Disney Records and Intrada Records on April 15, 2014.[15] The album features music from both Muppets Most Wanted and The Muppets, also scored by Beck.[14]
All tracks are written by Christophe Beck
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The World's Most Dangerous Frog" | 1:43 |
| 2. | "Let's Do It" | 1:01 |
| 3. | "Hole In The Wall Club" | 0:34 |
| 4. | "Dominic Badguy" | 1:17 |
| 5. | "Froggy Canal" | 3:02 |
| 6. | "Sam Meets Jean" | 0:35 |
| 7. | "Secret Lemon Juice Writing" | 1:11 |
| 8. | "Back at the Gulag" | 1:58 |
| 9. | "Colonel Blood's Key" | 0:52 |
| 10. | "Travel by Map" | 1:43 |
| 11. | "Goodnight Danny Trejo" | 1:12 |
| 12. | "Following Dominic" | 1:23 |
| 13. | "Discovered" | 1:40 |
| 14. | "My Amphibian Prince" | 0:21 |
| 15. | "You Complete Me" | 0:49 |
| 16. | "The Proposal" | 0:52 |
| 17. | "Without Kermit" | 0:39 |
| 18. | "No One Noticed" | 1:33 |
| 19. | "Babies" | 1:05 |
| 20. | "Wedding Interruptus" | 1:27 |
| 21. | "What an Action Sequence!" | 3:46 |
| 22. | "Piggy Smooch" | 0:38 |
| 23. | "We're Sorry Kermit" | 2:51 |
| 24. | "End Credits" | 2:18 |
References
edit- ^ Monger, James Christopher (March 18, 2014). "Muppets Most Wanted [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
- ^ Freer, Ian. "Muppets Most Wanted". Empire. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
- ^ a b ""Muppets Most Wanted" Soundtrack To Make Mayhem March 18". PR Newswire. February 28, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ "Muppets Most Wanted: Press Kit" (PDF). The Walt Disney Studios. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ Rodriguez, Cain (November 6, 2012). "Bret McKenzie Returns To Write New Songs For 'The Muppets 2,' Filming Starts In January". Indiewire. Snagfilms. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ Amos, Joel D. (March 24, 2014). "Muppets Most Wanted Exclusive: Bret McKenzie on Following Oscar Win". Movie Fanatic. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ Chitwood, Adam (August 10, 2013). "Bret McKenzie Talks MUPPETS MOST WANTED; Says There Are Six or Seven Songs and Reveals That Ricky Gervais Sings with Kermit". Collider.com. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ Houx, Damon (March 20, 2014). "Interview: Director James Bobin, Oscar Winner Bret McKenzie Talk ' Muppets Most Wanted'". Screen Crave. uCrave. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ "I'll Get You What You Want with Bret McKenzie". Funny or Die. March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ "iTunes - Music - Muppets Most Wanted (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists". iTunes Store. January 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
- ^ "Muppets Most Wanted – Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ a b Ayers, Mike (1 April 2014). "Bret McKenzie Talks Muppets, Ricky Gervais, 'Flight of the Conchords' Film". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
- ^ "Christophe Beck Scores Muppets Most Wanted". SESAC. August 13, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ a b Goldwasser, Dan (April 9, 2014). "Christophe Beck scores Disney's Muppets Most Wanted". ScoringSessions.com. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
- ^ "'Muppets Most Wanted' Score Album Details". FilmMusicReporter.com. April 3, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2014.