The Color Purple (Music From the Motion Picture) is the soundtrack album for the 1985 film The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel by Alice Walker. The film tells the story of Celie, a poor African American woman who struggles with racism, sexism, and abuse in the early 20th century. The soundtrack album was released in November 1986 by Qwest Records and features an original score composed by Quincy Jones and original songs performed by various artists. The score of the film combines elements of classical and period jazz, blues, and gospel, and features several popular songs of the 1880s.
Background[]
The soundtrack album received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its production and Táta Vega's vocal performance. Vega sang four songs on the album, including "Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)", which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The soundtrack also includes performances by Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, The Get Happy Band, and others. The soundtrack peaked at number 55 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.
Track listing[]
Disc 1[]
- "Overture" - 7:56
- "Celie Leaves With Mr." - 3:22
- "Corrine and Olivia" - 3:06
- "Nettie Teaches Celie" - 4:22
- "The Separation" - 2:53
- "Celie and Harpo Grow Up"- 2:43
- "Careless Love" - 0:56
- "Sophia Leaves Harpo" - 2:39
- "Celie Cooks Shug Breakfast" - 1:24
- "Junk Bucket Blues" (78 RPM) - 1:48
- "The Dirty Dozens" - 3:13
- "Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)" - 2:29
- "Don't Make Me No Never Mi" -3:05
- "My Heart (Will Always Lea) - 1:38
- "Three On the Road" - 0:25
- "Bus Pulls Out" - 0:51
Disc 2 (Score Album)[]
- "The First Letter" - 5:04
- "Letter Search" - 3:08
- "Nettie's Letters" - 0:59
- "High Life" / "Proud Theme" - 1:08
- "J.B. King" - 0:38
- "Heaven Belongs to You" - 1:02
- "Katutoka Corrine" - 1:01
- "Celie Shaves Mr." / "Scarif" - 3:13
- "I'm Here" - 1:51
- "Champagne Train" - 2:36
- "Celie's New House" / "Body" - 4:13
- "Maybe God Is Tryin' to Tell You Something" - 4:38
- "Reunion" / "Finale" - 4:37