Mr Monro really seemed to shine in these shows - maybe because they were under his name. I would particularly liked to have heard 'Bye Bye Blackbird, 'Swanee' and June is Busting out All Over'. Nevertheless, I think we have been very well served considering the age of the recordings!
Those three are all only about a minute long and are duets with guests. They are OK, but nothing special. The further episodes in the series would have been very interesting to find, particularly the Cyril Stapleton edition where Matt was re-united with members of the BBC Show Band.
It would be good to hear entire programmes with all the banter and links, not to mention other acts that might have guested though I am obviously glad of what we have.
None of the shows are 100% complete. All miss the start & end - which is why there was a certain amount of wariness to confirm these as definitely being from Matts Kind of Music for a while.
Is Matt at The Movies the best place to go for the 'Born Free' soundtrack version? It sounds the same as the single version only duller!
That's because it is the same and probably not from a 1st gen source. I think I was the first person in years to pull the original mixdown reel! Two soundtrack versions of songs have never been issued on CD or anything other than the soundtrack of the film it's self. It's funny you should mention this as I've just made audio copies of both of these tonight for my reference files. The two unique songs are: Born Free and On Days Like These (Italian Job). Both are completely different recordings made by the film companies (and therefore tied up with different companies and not Warner or Universal) Both are also only 1/2 to 3/4 length. Most of Matt's movie themes are the same version on single and soundtrack. There are a few exceptions. "Southern Star", "Pretty Polly" and "Two People" (Satan's Harvest) are all different. Polly & Star were issued on soundtrack albums and People on Matt Uncovered. "Two People" wasn't issued at all on record until "Matt Monro sings Don Black", It's only ever release. I have remastered the full length version, but the album it was done for "The Definitive" was never released.
'Matt Monro sings Don Black' CD is currently available on Amazon UK from 4 sellers - cheapest price is £49.84 plus shipping!!! Best Wishes, David
I hadn't realised that "Southern Star" was a different version to the single. I don't think I've ever seen the movie. What was the alternate version of "Southern Star"? Just an alternate take or intended for an album maybe?
OK I've just double checked my notes. The Film version IS the single version, sorry for the confusion. The same version was dubbed into Spanish and French. The LP version is a completely different recording made in Stereo for the soundtrack album a couple of months later. Exactly why isn't known, perhaps it was a contractual thing as the album was going to be on RCA. nobody knows exactly. The LP version is on Matt at the Movies
I acquired Film Score Monthly's Born Free Soundtrack album (2004) for what I believe is the soundtrack version. However, I now understand that John Barry re-recorded much if not all of the score as he was dissatisfied with the original film soundtrack. I don't know where that leaves me! The soundtrack version of On Days Like These and it's reprise sound OK on the Soundtrack album released in 2000 on Geffen. Just to be clear, the versions of Pretty Polly and Two People on Matt Uncovered are the Soundtrack versions as I assumed from their titles though the latter is abridged? Is there anything else of interest on Matt Monro sings Don Black? ...btw you keep tantalising us with The Definitive, Richard!
Did EMI not support the album? There seem to be very few available anywhere in the second-hand market. Given Don Black's popularity and his exposure to several different types of market, including the David Jacobs Radio 2 fan-base, I'd have thought it would be more likely to have been picked up by fans beyond the core Matt fan-base. Or have I misjudged Don Black's appeal? Best Wishes, David
Is the soundtrack album version of “On Days Like These” the same as the movie version, or is that another re-recorded track?
Don Black should have some fans from his James Bond work too. I saw the CD on eBay a few months back for £14.
Are you sure it's the soundtrack version on there? The original album included the single version. The Singles Collection was taken directly from the Album master as it was best quality and the fade was a very small fraction longer than other masters, probably pointing to it being the original mixdown master. As far as I am aware the soundtrack version has never been issued on album or CD - Two people (Short version) is exactly what is used in Satan's Harvest. Pretty Polly matches the Soundtrack Album and it's the same as the film. Only rare song is "Two People" on Don Black The Definitive was supposed to be a Warner/Universal collaboration put together a few years ago. It was mastered, notes written, artwork completed etc. But for reasons never explained, it never appeared. Nobody at Warner seems to know anything about it now! It's nothing too exciting, just a hits comp with a couple of less obvious tracks - Matt Monro - CD of the Month
I can't say as this was way before i started working with the Monro's. All I can say is that there is no love lost between the Monro Family and Mr Black so it's unlikely ever to be re-issued!
The fade on the Singles Collection properly fades to nothing unlike the version on The Soundtrack Album so I suppose the latter isn't the 'proper' version. Thanks
So is it only that 90 second version over the end titles the only occurrence? It is not on my album sadly. Good music though!
Yep, just that. Lucky to be there at all. It was originally cut (Matt and John Barry only finding out when watching it!) and only reinstated after John Barry went ballistic with the producers!
So the 'proper' soundtrack version of 'On Days Like These' is unavailable? I am getting a bit confused by all these different versions now...
I will try and sum up Born Free & On Days Like These - Film Versions Unavailable on CD Southern Star - The Film version is the same as the Single version Pretty Polly - The Film Version is on Matt Uncovered Two People - The Short Film Version is on Matt Uncovered but the Full Length is on Matt Monro Sings Don Black All other film songs are issued on The Complete Singles and subsequent releases. Is that the situation?
