VA - Warner Bros., 75 Years of Film Music [1998] (4 x CDS)

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VA - Warner Bros., 75 Years of Film Music [1998] (4 x CDS)

Released by Rhino Records in 1998, Warner Bros, 75 Years of Film Music is a sweeping 4-CD anthology that chronicles the studio’s cinematic legacy through its most iconic musical moments. Spanning over 300 minutes, the set is housed in a book-style case and sequenced with curatorial precision.

CD1 Scores open with Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Main Title from The Adventures of Robin Hood, followed by Max Steiner’s Now, Voyager Suite and Casablanca’s Paris Montage. The disc moves through dramatic orchestral cues from East of Eden, A Streetcar Named Desire, Dirty Harry, Deliverance, Superman, and Batman, culminating in reflective themes from Driving Miss Daisy and Unforgiven. It’s a masterclass in studio-era scoring, showcasing how music shaped emotional tone across genres.

CD2 Songs from the Movies features vocal performances from Warner Bros musicals and dramas spanning 1927 to 1953. Highlights include Al Jolson’s “My Mammy” (The Jazz Singer), Fanny Brice’s “My Man,” Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell’s “42nd Street,” and Wini Shaw’s “Lullaby of Broadway.” Other standouts include Dooley Wilson’s “As Time Goes By,” Doris Day’s “It’s Magic,” and James Cagney’s rousing “Yankee Doodle Boy.” These selections capture the golden age of Hollywood songcraft, blending theatrical flair with timeless melody.

CD3 offer vocal performances from musicals, dramas, and emerging soul cinema. It opens with Judy Garland’s “The Man That Got Away” and moves through Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, and Gogi Grant. Mid-disc highlights include songs from The Music Man, Camelot, and Finian’s Rainbow. The final stretch features Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly,” Aretha Franklin’s “Something He Can Feel,” and Barbra Streisand’s “Evergreen.” This disc reflects Warner Bros’ shift from theatrical tradition to socially conscious soul, capturing a studio adapting to changing musical landscapes with emotional depth.

CD4 showcasies pop, soul, and adult contemporary songs from the studio’s modern era. Highlights include David Gates’ “The Goodbye Girl,” Seal’s “A Kiss From a Rose,” Tina Turner’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero,” and Coolio’s “The Winner.” Duets from James Ingram & Patti Austin and Rod Stewart reflect Warner Bros’ embrace of heartfelt ballads and chart-topping collaborations. This disc captures the shift toward commercially driven soundtracks, where music became central to a film’s identity. It closes the anthology with emotional resonance, cultural relevance, and a distinctly modern sonic palette.

This compilation isn’t just a celebration; it’s a sonic storyboard of Warner Bros’ history. With verified selections and thoughtful sequencing, it stands as a definitive archival document. For collectors, cinephiles, and music historians, it’s a rare blend of nostalgia and narrative integrity. (B)

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Track lists

CD1

01 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Main Title from The Adventures of Robin Hood 1:30

03 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Kings Row Suite (Main Title / Finale) 2:41

04 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Paris Montage (As Time Goes By / La Marseillaise / Romance / Perfidia / Grazioso / Nazi Spy / Menace) 3:47

05 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - A Streetcar Named Desire Suite (Main Title / Belle Reve) 2:48

06 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Medley (Father / Eden Theme) 2:57

07 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Giant (This Then is Texas) [Main Title] 2:10

08 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Opening / Sylvia / Molly and Johnny Theme 2:31

09 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Prelude [Main Title / Gaby and Her Father] 3:05

10 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Overture (Opening / Everything's Coming Up Roses / Small World / You'll Never Get Away From Me / Rose's Turn / Mr. Goldstone / Finale) 3:55

11 Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs - Foggy Mountain Breakdown 2:11

12 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - The Summer Knows (End Theme From "Summer of '42") 1:47

13 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Dirty Harry Main Title (Opening Sequence) 5:01

14 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Main Title Great Impersonation / Thx 1138 (Main Title) 2:11

15 Wendy Carlos - Title Music From "A Clockwork Orange" 2:21

16 Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell - Dueling Banjos 3:15

17 London Symphony Orchestra - Theme From Superman (Main Title) 4:23

18 Vangelis - Main Titles Chariots of Fire 3:30

19 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Twilight Zone Overture 5:54

20 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Main Title The Color Purple 2:01

21 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Fallen Viking [The Mosquito Coast] 5:58

22 London Voices , Barnet School's Choir & The London Philharmonic Orchestra - On Earth as it is in Heaven (With Incantation/Indian Instrumentation) 3:48

23 Sinfonia of London - Batman Theme (Main Title) 2:37

24 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Driving Miss Daisy 1:34

25 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Claudia's Theme / Main Title 0:59

CD2

01 Al Jolson - My Mammy 2:04

02 Fanny Brice - My Man 2:14

03 Ruby Keeler , Dick Powell (2) & Co. - 42nd Street 5:47

04 Wini Shaw , Dick Powell (2) & Co. - Lullaby of Broadway 7:39

05 Dick Powell (2) & The Mills Brothers - Lulu's Back in Town 3:47

06 Dick Powell (2) , Frances Langford , Johnny "Scat" Davis , Gene Krupa & Benny Goodman and His Orchestra - Hooray for Hollywood (Extended Version) 4:24

07 Louis Armstrong - Jeepers Creepers 2:06

08 Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra - Blues in The Night (Outtake) 1:48

09 James Cagney - Yankee Doodle Boy (Includes "Give My Regards to Broadway") 7:36

10 Dooley Wilson With Elliot Carpenter , Pianist , and Co. - As Time Goes By (Complete Vocal By Dooley Wilson) 2:44

11 Hattie Mcdaniel , Willie Best & Co. - Ice-Cold Katie 4:57

12 Bette Davis - They're Either Too Young Or Too Old 4:44

13 Andrews Sisters - Hollywood Canteen Main Theme [Main Title] (Includes Sweet Dreams, Sweetheart / Trade Winds) 2:58

14 Al Jolson - Swanee 1:56

15 Mary Martin - My Heart Belongs to Daddy 2:50

16 Cary Grant & Ginny Simms - You're The Top 1:39

17 Doris Day - It's Magic 3:05

18 Eddie Cantor - Makin' Whoopee 2:44

19 Doris Day - Secret Love 3:39

20 Warner Bros. Studio Orchestra - Looney Tunes Theme (The Merry Go Round Broke Down) 7:43

CD3

01 Judy Garland - The Man That Got Away 4:22

02 Peggy Lee - He Needs Me / Sugar (That Sugar Baby O' Mine) 3:28

03 Ella Fitzgerald - Pete Kelly's Blues 2:13

04 Gogi Grant - Why Was I Born? 2:26

05 Robert Preston (3) & Company - Ya Got Trouble 3:54

06 Shirley Jones - Till There Was You 2:56

07 Bette Davis & Debbie Burton With Bobby Heller and His Orchestra - What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? 2:45

08 Henry Mancini and His Orchestra and Chorus - Days of Wine and Roses 2:07

09 Judy Garland - Paris is A Lonely Town 4:12

10 Rex Harrison - I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face 4:53

11 Don Knotts With Thurl Ravenscroft and Chorus - I Wish I Were A Fish 2:19

12 Richard Harris - How to Handle A Woman 4:15

13 Petula Clark & Don Francks - Old Devil Moon 4:05

14 Coven - One Tin Soldier 3:22

15 Curtis Mayfield - Superfly 3:52

16 Madeline Kahn With Mel Brooks & CO. - I'm Tired 5:04

17 Lucille Ball & Beatrice Arthur - Bosom Buddies 4:07

18 Aretha Franklin - Something He Can Feel 6:17

19 Barbra Streisand - Evergreen (Love Theme From "A Star is Born")) 3:05

CD4

01 David Gates - The Goodbye Girl 2:45

02 Eddie Rabbitt - Every Which Way But Loose 2:49

03 Maureen McGovern - Can You Read My Mind 3:21

04 Paul Simon - Late in The Evening 3:59

05 Bette Midler & The Harlettes - Stay With Me 6:17

06 Willie Nelson - On The Road Again 2:31

07 Christopher Cross - Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) 3:51

08 James Ingram & Patti Austin - How Do You Keep The Music Playing? 4:14

09 Rod Stewart - That's What Friends Are For 3:53

10 Tina Turner - We Don't Need Another Hero 4:14

11 Force M.D.s - Tender Love 3:58

12 Rick Moranis & Ellen Greene , With Michelle Weeks , Tichina Arnold & Tisha Campbell - Suddenly, Seymour 3:26

13 Madonna - Who's That Girl? 3:58

14 Sting With Eric Clapton - It's Probably Me 6:20

15 John Michael Montgomery - Dream on Texas Ladies 3:09

16 Seal - A Kiss From A Rose 3:37

17 Johnny Hartman - I See Your Face Before Me 4:39

18 Coolio - The Winner 4:01

19 Paul McCartney - The World Tonight 4:03

20 Johnny Mercer - Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive 1:54

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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