"The Big Chill Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – September 1983 US Soundtrack Album on Motown Records, Plus April 1984 Follow-Up Motown Album "More Songs From The Big Chill" Plus 2 Bonus Soundtrack Pieces (all CD1) and CD2 "Bigger Chill – Music Of A Generation" with 19 Further Sixties and Seventies Period Tracks (March 2004 USA Hip-O Select 2CD Deluxe Edition with 26 Bonus Tracks and Suha Gur Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Dancing In The Street..."

 

Universal's Deluxe Edition 2CD Compilations seem to be defunct now in 2023. Once they were such a force – a huge 630-plus releases from 2001 onward to 2017 encompassing all genres of music. Now they are all but forgotten it seems - part of CD Reissue History - a series that had simply outran its course and overstayed its welcome.

 

DE's had that look – initially with the outer DELUXE EDITION plastic slipcase (often with credits printed on the rear, this DE does) that would be later be replaced by a band on the outside of a flimsy card Digipak (Thin Lizzy issues) that cheapened the series to a point where collectors hated them. And it seemed that every huge album issued in the 60ts, 70ts and 80ts had to have a DE. But many titles seemed to be stretching it at times with dubious bonuses and there was never that much of an imagination when it came to what was reissued. 

 

But there were about 10 in my books (Howlin' Wolf "The London Chess Sessions", Whiskeytown's "Strangers Almanac", The Who's "Who's Next", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", the Jimmy Cliff and Various Artists Reggae Soundtrack "The Harder They Come", Bob Marley & The Wailers "Legend: Best Of") that actually sang like a bird and genuinely enhanced the original they were supposed to be complimenting.

 

Originally issued as a humble 10-tracker LP on US Motown in September 1983, "The Big Chill Original Soundtrack" focused on the exuberant "Dancing In The Street" Soul, R&B, Rock and Pop of the Sixties. It proved hugely popular because of its on-the-money track choices. The Lawrence Kasdan directed film about American friends navigating life, marriage, loneliness, kids and success in the burbs starring Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly and Jobeth Williams caught the zeitgeist when it was released into the cinema in late 1983. Hitting the Billboard LP charts in late October 1983 – it rose to No. 17and spent a whopping 161 weeks on the charts. The music in the film was so popular, it spawned a follow-up More album in 1984 that itself peaked at a more modest No. 85 – but was still impressive. Two songs are missing from that second album – The Rolling Stones and The Steve Miller Band due to licensing. This 2CD DE variant of "The Big Chill Soundtrack" just amplifies both of those LPs by adding 21 more cuts. It's a winner I've been meaning to champion for years.

 

You could easily argue that there are so many 60ts compilations that offer more, are easier to get etc. But this is one of those Hip-O Select reissues that so works and with genuinely top-notch Suha Gur Remasters (access to original master tapes) – packs the punch where it counts – audio – and can still be purchased in certain places for under fifteen quid. With its Digipak interior, outer plastic slipcase and its 24-page expanded booklet, it looks the part too. There's a lot to digest, so to the cold sweats...

 

US released 23 March 2004 - "The Big Chill Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Hip-O Select B0001940-02 (Barcode 602498162286) is a 2CD Deluxe Edition Compilation offer Two Albums and Two Previously Unreleased Soundtrack Songs on CD1 with 19 More 'Music Of A Generation' Sixties Tracks on CD2. It plays out as follows (US 45-single details after each title):

 

CD1 (57:03 minutes):

1. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – MARVIN GAYE (October 1968, Tamla T-54176, A-side)

2. My Girl – THE TEMPTATIONS (December 1964, Gordy G-7083, A-side)

3. Good Lovin' – THE RASCALS (February 1966, Atlantic 45-2321, A-side)

4. The Tracks Of My Tears – SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES (June 1965, Tamla T-54118, A-side)

5. Joy To The World – THREE DOG NIGHT (February 1971, Dunhill/ABC Records D-4272, A-side)

6. Ain't Too Proud To Be – THE TEMPTATIONS (May 1966, Gordy G-7054, A-side)

7. A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like) – ARETHA FRANKLIN (September 1967, Atlantic 45-2441, A-side)

8. I Second That Emotion – SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES (October 1967, Tamla T-54159, A-side)

9. A Whiter Shade Of Pale – PROCOL HARUM (June 1967, Deram 45-7507, A-side)

10. Tell Him – THE EXCITERS (October 1962, United Artists UA 544, A-side)

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "The Big Chill Original Soundtrack" – released September 1983 in the USA on Motown 6062 ML. UK release was July 1984 on CD – Motown ZD72347.

 

11. Bad Moon Rising – CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL (April 1969, Fantasy 622, A-side)

12. When A Man Loves A Woman – PERCY SLEDGE (March 1966, Atlantic 45-2326, A-side)

13. In The Midnight Hour – THE RASCALS (cover version of the Wilson Pickett Atlantic Records classic, from their debut album "The Young Rascals" - released March 1966 in the USA on Atlantic 8123 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8123 (Stereo) – Stereo Version used)

14. Gimme Some Lovin' – THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP (December 1966, United Artists UA 50108, A-side, featured vocalist is Steve Winwood)

15. The Weight – THE BAND (August 1968, Capitol 2269, A-side, featured vocalist Robbie Robertson)

16. Wouldn't It Be Nice – THE BEACH BOYS (July 1966, Capitol 5706, A-side)

Tracks 11 to 17 on CD1 and Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4 on CD2 are the album "More Songs From The Original Soundtrack Of The Big Chill" – released April 1984 in the USA on Motown 6094M. Note: the original LP had 11-tracks – the two missing are "You Can’t Always Get What You Want" by The Rolling Stones and "Quicksilver Girl" by The Steve Miller Band due to licensing. Four of these LP tracks were not actually featured in the movie but included on the LP as period pieces – they are separated over to Tracks 1 to 4 on CD2.

 

FILM INSTRUMENTALS

17. Strangers In The Night – BERT KAEMPFERT (April 1966, Decca 31945, A-side – also on "More Songs From The Original Soundtrack Of The Big Chill" LP from 1984 – see Tracks 11 to 16 above)

18. You Can't Always Get What You Want – CHURCH VERSION (Previously Unreleased, 1983 Soundtrack Version used at the beginning of the movie)

 

CD2 "Bigger Chill: Music Of A Generation" (60:20 minutes):

1. It's The Same Old Song – THE FOUR TOPS (July 1965, Motown M 1081, A-side)

2. Dancing In The Street – MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS (July 1964, Gordy G-7033, A-side)

3. What's Going On – MARVIN GAYE (January 1971, Tamla T 54201, A-side)

4. Too Many Fish In The Sea – THE MARVELETTES (October 1964, Tamla T-54105, A-side)

Tracks 1 to 4 do not appear in the film but were included on the follow-up LP "More Songs From The Original Soundtrack Of The Big Chill" in April 1984

 

5. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing – MARVIN GAYE & TAMMI TERRELL (March 1968, Tamla T-54163, A-side)

6. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted – JIMMY RUFFIN (June 1966, Soul S-35022, A-side)

7. Shotgun – Jr. WALKER & THE ALL STARS (January 1965, Soul S 35008, A-side)

8. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) – ISLEY BROTHERS (March 1968, Tamla T-54164, A-side)

9. Ask Any Girl – THE SUPREMES (September 1964, Motown M-1066, B-side to "Baby Love")

10. You Don't Own Me – LESLEY GORE (December 1963, Mercury 72206, A-side)

11. Like To Get To Know You – SPANKY & OUR GANG (April 1968, Mercury 72795, A-side)

12. Monday, Monday – THE MAMAS and THE PAPAS (March 1966, Dunhill D-4026, A-side)

13. Nights In White Satin – MOODY BLUES (January 1968, Deram 45-85023, A-side)

14. Feelin' Alright – JOE COCKER (May 1969, A&M 1063, A-side)

15. Game Of Love – WAYNE FONTANA & THE MINDBENDERS (February 1965, Fontana F-1503, A-side)

16. I Got You (I Feel Good) – JAMES BROWN and THE FAMOUS FLAMES (October 1965, King 45-6015, A-side)

17. (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet – BLUES MAGOOS (October 1966, Mercury 72622, A-side)

18. Time Of The Season – THE ZOMBIES (October 1968, Date 2-1628, A-side)

19. Get It While You Can – HOWARD TATE (March 1967, Verve VK 10496, A-side)

 

The four-way foldout card digipak provides stills from the movie on the inner flaps (William Hurt and Meg Tilly – Jeff Goldblum and Tom Berenger) – there's nothing underneath the see-through CD trays, but the oversized 24-page booklet has a new and very cool essay from KEVIN FILIPSKI called The Pulse Of A Generation – he being the first cool one to review the film in his 1983 college newspaper. For instance – Filipski points out that the hugely overplayed (and a tune I personally hate) "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" by Procol Harum was first used in this 1983 film and to clever visual story-telling effect. Since then, Shade has been in every 60ts-based movie under the sun as an easy theme touch. Abutting the text are pictures of both album sleeves from 1983 and 1984, basic track details (no catalogue numbers or dates, I have provided that above) and two other photos of actors Kevin Kline, William Hurt and Meg Tilly.

 

But all of that is whomped by the fantastically alive Audio – remastered by a man who has had a hand in huge numbers of Motown and Hip-O Select reissues – SUHA GUR. Like Ellen Fitton or Erick Labson or Gavin Lurssen – Suha Gur is a Remastering Engineer I seek out. I've reviewed his Allman Brothers, Four Tops, Cream, Kansas, Fairport Convention, Joe Cocker Remasters - many on Deluxe Editions - and all are exceptionally good. Take a trio like the rarely heard B-side "Ask Any Girl" by The Supremes nestling as Track 9 on CD2 followed by Lesley Gore doing "You Don't Own Me" as Track 10 and again the lesser-celebrated "Like To Get To Know You" by Spanky & Our Gang as Track 11 (dig that fantastic Mamas & Papas layered vocal passage that plays the song out) – you may to turn the stereo down such is the clarity – fabulous stuff.

 

The 1983 Motown album and its 1984 follow-up followed the same musical formula - mostly 60ts Soul, R 'n' B, Pop and Rock with a smattering of early Seventies - Marvin Gaye's utterly stupendous "What's Going On" and Three Dog Night's fab cover of the Hoyt Axton tune "Joy To The World" - Jeremiah Bullfrog sounding like the decade before anyway. You might look at titles like "Dancing In The Street" by Martha & The Vandellas, "Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin or even "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by The Temptations- and think - I've heard these perennials too many times before. But you haven't heard them in this clarity which has endowed each with a freshness that's revelatory - and on more than a few occasions I cried because they capture youth. Throw in nuggets like Joe Cocker's utter belter "Feelin' Alright" or even the innocence in The Marvelettes and their girly "Too Many Fish In The Sea" or or the blistering Motownesque "Gimme Some Lovin'" by The Spencer Davis group fronted by the astonishing young pipes of Steve Winwood. Hell, I even dig that Church Version of The Stones' "Let It Bleed" classic "You Can't Always Get What You Want" that Kasdan used at the beginning of the movie when you slowly begin to realize why someone is being dressed...

And on it goes - "The Big Chill Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition" is that rarity in reissues - the kind of release that upped the original to a point where a compilation is remembered with such affection 40-years after its initial charm. Check online too in 2023 as price vary. Buy and enjoy...