Music is always a huge part of the films of David O. Russell and increasingly so in recent years. Christian Bale and Melissa Leo sing an old Bee Gees track on screen in “The Fighter,” Stevie Wonder and The White Stripes feature prominently in the dance scenes of “Silver Linings Playbook,” the 1970s-set “American Hustle” was so chockablock with music, a two disc album was released with cuts from Steely Dan, Todd Rundgren, Electric Light Orchestra and more.
For his latest film, “Joy,” a wild story of a family across four generations centered on a woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right, Russell taps into many different musical flavors. As our review notes, there’s an enchanting fairy-tale like quality to the film and that’s represented by Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank & Nancy Sinatra, and more. The film also features all kinds of styles from Latin jazz (to represent Edgar Ramirez’s would-be lounge-singer character) to hard bop to rock and roll (Cream, The Rolling Stones, Alabama Shakes and more).
“There are songs here I have been waiting almost 40 years to use in a movie, from ‘Aguas de Marzo,’ Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘I Want to Be Happy,’ Bee Gees ‘To Love Somebody,’ to the rare Nat King Cole ‘A House With Love In It,’ with his singular spoken radio introduction to the song,” Russell said in a statement. “The privilege of making a simple quiet piano version of Springsteen’s soulful melody ‘Racing In the Street,’ and the singing of collaborators Jennifer and Edgar, these are what make a movie magical to me, and why I love going to the movies and listening to their soundtracks.”
Brittany Howard of The Alabama Shakes does a version of Cream’s “I Feel Free” in the final credits and the soundtrack also features a score by West Dylan Thordson and David Campbell (yep, Beck’s famous arranger father) with additional music by Blake Mills. “A House With Love In It” is performed by Nat King Cole from his groundbreaking 1956-57 NBC television program "The Nat King Cole Show." This rare version has not been generally available in the U.S. for several decades now.
The “Joy” soundtrack also features three cuts sung by the film’s cast members. Edgar Ramirez sings the Randy Newman-penned “Mama Told Me Not To Come” (made famous by Three Dog Night) and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Aguas De Marzo,” (backed by Latin jazz mainstays Ray de la Paz and The Pedrito Martinez Group). And finally, Ramirez duets with the film’s star Jennifer Lawrence on Frank and Nancy Sinatra’s 1967 hit, “Something Stupid.” Music supervisor Susan Jacobs, who also worked with David O. Russell on “American Hustle” and “Silver Linings Playbook,” put together the soundtrack that will be released on ABKCO Records.
"Music From The Motion Picture Joy" hits digital outlets on December 18th and a physical release arrives in the new year on January 8th. “Joy” opens wide Christmas Day. Check out the full track list below.
"Joy" Soundtrack Tracklisting
1) “I Feel Free” – Cream
2) “Joy Romantic Theme” (score)
3) “Aguas de Marzo” – Edgar Ramirez
4) “The Sidewinder” – Lee Morgan
5) “I Want to Be Happy” – Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb and His Orchestra
6) “In the Bleak Mid-Winter" – Thomas Bullard, Choir of King’s College, Benjamin Bayl, and Stephen Cleobury
7) “Notre Pere, Op. 14” – Salzburg Bach Choir/Alois Glasser
8) “Mama Told Me Not to Come” – Edgar Ramirez, Ray de la Paz & The Peditro Martinez Band
9) “Something Stupid” – Jennifer Lawrence & Edgar Ramirez
10) “To Love Somebody” – Bee Gees
11) “I Am in Love” (score)
12) “Mop Drawing” (score)
13) “Racing in the Street” (score
14) “Sleigh Ride” – The Ronettes
15) “Stray Cat Blues” – The Rolling Stones
16) “Texas” (score)
17) “Markham” (score)
18) “A House With Love In It” – Nat King Cole
19) “Joy Theme” (score)
20) “I Feel Free” – Brittany Howard
21) “I Feel Free” (Bonus Track) – Brittany Howard