Original Soundtrack - Dreamgirls [Original Soundtrack]

When Dreamgirls became the most successful musical of the 1981-1982 Broadway season, composer Henry Krieger and lyricist Tom Eyen's score was not the primary reason most observers pointed to, opting instead first for director/choreographer Michael Bennett's imaginative, non-stop staging and second for the talented cast, led by Jennifer Hudson in the role of Effie Melody White. (In the plot's fictionalized retelling of the story of Motown Records and the rise of the Supremes, Effie is the Florence Ballard character, shunted aside by manipulative record company president Curtis Taylor, Jr. (read: Berry Gordy, Jr.) in favor of the bland Deena Jones (read: Diana Ross), who he thinks is more likely to reach a crossover audience.) Krieger and Eyen did succeed in providing a showcase for Holliday in the volcanic torch song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," which topped the r&b charts and made the original Broadway cast album a gold record (a rarity for show music LPs by 1982), but on the whole their score struggled to achieve its twin goals of shadowing actual Motown and other pop music of the '60s and early '70s, while also expressing plot and character points.

Twenty-five years later, the score has been reshaped for a movie version of Dreamgirls. On this 20-track soundtrack album (there is also a 36-track deluxe edition), even less of an attempt has been made at fidelity to the sounds of the '60s; in these new arrangements, the songs, which always had elements of early '80s Adult Contemporary styles, lean even more toward American Idol power ballad territory. Ironically, Dreamgirls, which on-stage was sort of an anti-star vehicle driven by the injustice against Effie and her subsequent revenge, has been partially transformed into a star vehicle for other characters. One of those characters is Deena, here played, even more ironically, by Beyoncé Knowles who is, arguably, the Diana Ross of her times in more ways than one. (Destiny's Child, her former group, also had its share of controversy and personnel changes, with attendant lawsuits.) Not surprisingly, Deena Jones is softened in the movie and given a new solo song, "Listen," co-written by Knowles. That the song is out of character for Deena and defies the logic of the plot doesn't seem to matter; Knowles must have a showcase, and this is it. Similarly, Eddie Murphy, as James Thunder Early, a James Brown-like singer unable to smooth his rough edges sufficiently to cross over, also gets an out-of-character number, "Patience," which improbably bids to transform Early into a kind of Marvin Gaye figure. Again, the plot suffers, but a star is accommodated. (The one other major star in the film, Jamie Foxx, having already won an Academy Award for Ray, doesn't seem to have felt the need to turn Curtis into a good guy with a big solo number. Instead, he revels in his villainy, all but twirling a mustache on occasion.)

Neither "Listen" nor "Patience" is really a bad song, however, and both are competently sung. Both were composed by Krieger with new lyricists, along with a third new song, "Love You I Do." (Eyen has died in the interim.) The real problem is that they take some focus away from the show and film's real star, Effie, here played by Jennifer Hudson. Hudson is an American Idol runner-up, but that should not be held against her. In fact, she's a major talent, and she dominates the musical and dramatic proceedings exactly the way Effie is supposed to, not only on "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," but throughout, from the opening song, "Move," to "Dreamgirls (Finale)," with convincing performances of "Love You I Do," "I Am Changing," and "One Night Only" in between. It is striking that, while Holliday won the Tony Award for Best Actress for Dreamgirls the stage musical, Hudson entered the 2006-2007 movie awards season being touted for Best Supporting Actress nominations for the same part in the film version. But on the soundtrack album, at least, the added attention given to her co-stars is a minor complaint. To work, Dreamgirls requires one major talent, and Jennifer Hudson is it for the screen version, just as Jennifer Holliday was on-stage. (Theater music fans should note that, to make room for the new songs, "Ain't No Party" and "I Miss You Old Friend," which appeared on the cast album, have been deleted, although "I Miss You Old Friend" was in the film and is on the deluxe edition of the soundtrack. On the other hand, "I Want You Baby," which was in the stage production but not on the cast album, is heard here, as is "It's All Over," which is essentially the recitative scene preceding "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going.") ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Name Credits Aaron Renner Mixing, Assistant Engineer Aaron Walk Assistant Engineer Alan Grunfeld Violin Alyssa Park Violin Anatoly Rosinsky Violin Andrew Duckles Viola Andrew Ross Business Consultant Anika Noni Rose Vocals Annette Warren Vocals Anthony Moore Drums Armen Garabedian Violin Berj Garabedian Violin Beyoncé Knowles Vocals, Producer Billy Condon Executive Producer, Arranger Bryan Smith Assistant Engineer Bryan Walk Assistant Engineer Camille Grigsby Vocals Cassandra Grigsby Vocals Chris Spilfogel Mixing, Recording Cynthia Moussas Violin Dabling Harward Recording Damon Intrabartolo Arranger Damon Thomas Keyboards, Producer, Arranger Dan Higgins Saxophone Daniel Smith Cello Daphne Chen Violin Darius Campo Violin Darrell Crooks Guitar David Campbell Arranger David James Jr Photography David Stenske Viola Debbie Reinberg Business Consultant Deborah Lurie Arranger Denyse Buffum Viola Eddie Murphy Vocals Endre Granat Violin Eric D. Jackson Guitar Eric King Vocals Erica L. King Vocals Erwin Gorostiza Art Direction Frederick Fiddmont Saxophone Fusako Chubachi Design, Art Direction Gary Grant Trumpet Gayle Levant Harp Glen Brunman Executive Producer Glendon Campbell Drums Gordon Campbell Drums Greg Phillinganes Piano Haim Shtrum Violin Harvey Mason, Jr. Keyboards, Drums, Percussion, Arranger, Bass Henry Krieger Arranger Hinton Battle Vocals Ivy Skoff Contractor James Johnson Bass Jamie Foxx Vocals Jen Kuhn Cello Jennifer Hudson Vocals Jerry Hey Trumpet, Arranger Jess Sutcliffe Recording John Beasley Piano John Hayhurst Viola John Wittenberg Violin Jolie Jones Levine Contractor Josefina Veraga Violin Julian Hallmark Violin Kalia Rafa Vocals Keith Robinson Vocals Ken Yerke Violin Kevin Mills Assistant Engineer Kevin Randolph Keyboards, Piano Kevin Shannon Vocals Kristin Wilkinson Viola Larry Corbett Cello Larry Greene Vocals Laura Bell Bundy Vocals Lenny Wohl Executive in Charge of Music Manny Marroquin Mixing Mario Diaz de Leon Violin Mark Graham Copyist Mathew Knowles Executive Producer Matt Sullivan Producer, Arranger, Musical Supervision Max Gousse A&R Melissa Bereal Vocals Michael Hart Thompson Guitar Michele Richards Violin Natalie Ganther Vocals Nathan East Bass Nicole Ganther Vocals Nicole Thrash Vocals Paul "Scooby" Smith Assistant Engineer Paul Bogaev Vocal Supervision Paul Rabjohns Music Editor Peter Kent Violin Quincy Jackson Marketing Randy Spendlove Musical Supervision, Arranger, Keyboards, Guitar, Producer Richard Bowers Vocals Richie Jones Remixing, Producer Riley Mackin Assistant Engineer Robert Becker Viola Robert Thrash Vocals Roberto Cani Violin Rory OMalley Vocals Rudolph Stein Cello Sara Parkins Violin Scott Campbell Recording Shalini Vijayan Viola Sharon Jackson Violin Sharon Leal Vocals Sheldon Yellowhair Assistant Engineer Stephen Erdody Cello Stephen Holtman Trombone Susan Chatman Violin Suzie Katayama Cello Tereza Stanislav Violin The Underdogs Arranger, Producer Tim Carmon Arranger, Piano Tom Choi Package Coordinator Troy Halderson Recording Vanessa B. Freebairn Smith Cello Vlado Meller Mastering Wayne Bergeron Trumpet William Reichenbach Trombone