The Color Purple: Music From the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album to the 1985 film of the same name. The soundtrack was produced by Quincy Jones Productions and released in 1985 by Qwest Records.
The score of the film combines elements of classical and period jazz, blues, and gospel, and features popular songs of the 1920s."Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)" by Táta Vega, which was released as a single, was composed in a blues/ragtime style.
For the stage musical, and the 2023 musical film of the same name, an entirely new soundtrack was produced, one which bears little resemblance to the original.
Critical reception and accolades
The soundtrack to the Color Purple garnered positive reviews from music critics. It was praised for its production and Táta Vega's vocal performance. The song, "Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)", is sung by the character Shug Avery, played by Margaret Avery in the film but whose singing voice is dubbed by Vega.
Music from the film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Original Score and Best Original Song. The soundtrack peaked at number 55 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.
Track List Disc One # Title Writer/s Length Conductor Notes 1 "Overture" Quincy Jones 7:56 Tom Bahler Medley* 2 "Main Title" Q. Jones, Jeremy Lubbock, Joel Rosenbaum, Rod Temperton 2:00 Joel Rosenbaum 3 "Celie Leaves With Mr." Jack Hayes, Q. Jones 3:22 Jack Hayes 4 "Corrine and Olivia" Q. Jones, J. Rosenbaum 3:06Joel Rosenbaum 5 "Nettie Teaches Celie" J. Hayes, Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, R. Temperton 4:20Jack Hayes 6 "The Separation" Jorge Calandrelli, Q. Jones,J. Lubbock, R. Temperton 2:53Richard Hazard 7 "Celie and Harpo Grow Up/Mr. Dresses To See Shug" J. Hayes, Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, R. Temperton 2:43Richard Hazard 8 "Careless Love" Traditional 0:56Sammy Nestico Vocals: Táta Vega9 "Sophia Leaves Harpo" Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, R. Temperton 2:39Nathan Scott 10 "Celie Cooks Shug Breakfast" Q. Jones, Fred Steiner 1:24Fred Steiner 11 "Junk Bucket Blues" Porter Grainger 1:48 Recorded in 1925 by the Get Happy Band12 "The Dirty Dozens" Rufus Perryman, J. Mayo Williams 3:13Quincy Jones Vocals: Táta Vega13 "Miss Celie's Blues" Q. Jones, Lionel Richie, R. Temperton 2:29Quincy Jones Vocals: Táta Vega14 "Don't Make Me No Never Mind" Roy Gaines, James Ingram, Q. Jones 3:05Quincy Jones Vocals: John Lee Hooker15 "My Heart (Will Always Lead Me Back To You)" Lil Hardin Armstrong, Louis Armstrong 1:37 Recorded in 1925 by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five16 "Three On The Road" Q. Jones, L. Richie, R. Temperton 0:25Quincy Jones 17 "Bus Pulls Out" Q. Jones, L. Richie, R. Temperton 0:48Jerry Hey
The Overture is a medley of: "Miss Celie's Blues", "Celie Leaves with Mr.", "Celie Cooks Shug Breakfast", "Nettie Teaches Celie", "Sophia's Walk", "Makidada", "Champagne Train", "Mailbox", and "Proud Theme" . "Sophia's Walk" was composed by Jerry Hey, Quincy Jones and Randy Kerber. "Makidada" was composed by Quincy Jones, Menno Meyjes and Rod Temperton. "Mailbox" was composed by Quincy Jones.
Disc 2 # Title Writer/s Length Conductor Notes 1 "The First Letter" J. Calandrelli, Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, J. Rosenbaum, R. Temperton 5:04 Richard Hazard 2 "Letter Search" Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, J. Rosenbaum, R. Temperton 3:08 Joel Rosenbaum 3 "Nettie's Letters" Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, J. Rosenbaum, R. Temperton 0:59 Joel Rosenbaum 4 "High Life/Proud Theme " Traditional 1:08 Joel Rosenbaum 5 "J.B. King " Traditional 0:38 Joel Rosenbaum 6 "Heaven Belongs to You" Andraé Crouch, Sandra Crouch 1:02 Andraé Crouch 7 "Katutoka Corrine" Caiphus Semenya 1:01 Caiphus Semenya Vocals: Letta Mbulu & The Christ Memorial Church Choir 8 "Celie Shaves Mr./Scarification Ceremony" Caiphus Semenya 3:13 Caiphus Semenya Vocals: The Christ Memorial Church Choir 9 "I'm Here" Chris Boardman, Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, R. Temperton 1:51 Chris Boardman 10 "Champagne Train" C. Boardman, Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, R. Temperton 2:36 Chris Boardman 11 "Celie's New House" Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, J. Rosenbaum, R. Temperton 2:03 Richard Hazard Vocals: The Christ Memorial Church Choir 12 "Body and Soul" Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour 2:10 Recorded in 1939 by Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra 13 "Maybe God Is Tryin' to Tell You Somethin'" A. Crouch, David Del Sesto, Q. Jones, Bill Maxwell 4:38 Vocals: Jacqueline Farris, Táta Vega, The Christ Memorial Church Choir 14 "Reunion/Finale" J. Hayes, Q. Jones, J. Lubbock, R. Temperton 4:37 Jack Hayes
Personnel Disc 1 Guitar: Dennis Budimir, Roy Gaines, Paul Jackson Jr., Mandolin: Ry Cooder Keyboards: Greg Phillinganes, Bobby Scott Drums: Harvey Mason Percussion: Roy Gaines, Steven Spielberg Saxophone – Jerome Richardson Clarinet: Marshal Royal Harmonica: Sonny Terry Trombone: George Bohanon Trumpet: Snooky Young Double Bass: Red Callender The Get Happy Band: Piano: Porter Granger, Mike Jackson. Banjo: Elmer Snowden, Sam Speed. Saxophone: Sidney Bechet, Bob Fuller. Trombone: Tricky Sam Nanton. Cornet: Thomas Morris. Trumpet: Johnny Dunn Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five: Piano: Lil Hardin Armstrong. Banjo: Johnny St. Cyr. Clarinet: Johnny Dodds. Trombone: Kid Ory. Cornet: Louis Armstong
Disc 2 Guitar: Tony Phillips Drums: Bill Maxwell Percussion: Harvey Mason, Bill Maxwell, Bill Summers Saxophone: Benny Golson Clarinet: Ernie Watts Trombone: Al Grey Trumpet: Snooky Young Double Bass: David Stone Violin: William Howard Armstrong Coleman Hawkins And His Orchestra: Piano: Gene Rodgers. Drums: Arthur Herbert. Saxophone: Jackie Fields, Coleman Hawkins, Eustis Moore. Trombone: Earl Hardy. Trumpet: Joe Guy, Tommy Lindsay . Double Bass: William Oscar Smith
Orchestra Guitar: George Doering, John Goux, Dan Sawyer Keyboards: Ralph Grierson, Craig Huxley, Mike Lang, Lincoln Mayorga, Alan Pasqua, Randy Waldman Percussion: Larry Bunker, Paulinho Da Costa, Alan Estes, Victor Feldman, Peter Limonick, Joe Porcaro, Tom Raney, Emil Richards, Dave Shank, Nyle Steiner Harmonica: Tommy Morgan Saxophone: Jack Nimitz Clarinet: Roy D'Antonio, Dominick Fera, Jim Kanter, David Sherr, Julian Spear, Ralph Williams Flute: Louise DiTullio, Paul Freid, Hubert Laws, Sarah Orme, Gerry Rotell, David Shostac, Sheridon Stokes, Jim Walker Bassoon: Jack Marsh, Ken Munday, Michael O'Donovan, Dave Riddles, John Steinmetz, Bob Tricarico Oboe: Tom Boyd, Gene Cipriano, Earl Dumler, Arnold Koblentz, Jan Winter French Horn: Jim Atkinson, Vincent DeRosa, Dave Duke, Steven Durnin, Marni Johnson, Art Maebe, Diane Muller, Richard Perissi, Henry Sigismonti, James Thatcher, Richard Todd, Brad Warnaar Trumpet: Oscar Brashear, Mario Guarneri Trombone: Alan Kaplan, Bill Reichenbach Jr., Phil Teele Tuba: Roger Bobo, Thomas Johnson, Jim Self Double Bass: Ann Atkinson, Jimmy Bond, Drew Dembowski, Chuck Domanico, Steve La Fever, Edward Meares, Bruce Morgenthaler, Buell Neidlinger, Sue Raney Cello: Bob Adock, Ron Cooper, Marie Fera, Barbara Hunter, Armand Kaproff, Anne Karam, Ray Kelley, Armen Ksajikian, Dane Little, Earl Madison, Miguel Martinez, Becky Reese, Daniel Rothmuller, Frederick Seykora, Tina Soule, Nancy Stein Harp: Catherine Gotthoffer, Gayle Levant, Dorothy Remsen, Ann Stockton Viola: Denyse Buffum, Ken Burward-Hoy, Rollice Dale, Alan de Veritch, Pam Goldsmith, Allan Harshman, Janet Kakatos, Roland Kato, Myra Kestenbaum, Carrie Holzman Little, Linda Lipsett, Virginia Majewski, Donald McInnes, Carole Mukogawa, Robert Ostrowsky, Kazi Pitelki, Dave Schwartz, Linn Subotnick, Milton Thomas, Ray Tischer, Herschel Wise, Larry Woods Violin: Israel Baker, Thelma Beach, Arnold Belnick, Dixie Blackstone, Mari Botnick, Al Bruenig, Darius Campo, Stuart Canin, Norm Carr, Oscar Chausow, Ron Clark, Herman Clebanoff, Bonnie Douglas, Assa Drori, Bruce Dukov, David Frisina, Rick Gerding, James Getzoff, Harry Goldman, Ed Green, Clayton Haslop, Bill Hybel, William Hymanson, Davida Jackson, Karen Jones, Anatol Kaminsky, Kathi Lenski, Brian Leonard, Jay Lyle, Mike Markman, Betty Moore, Ralph Morrison, Irma Neumann, Don Palmer, Barbara Porter, Debbie Price, Jay Rosen, Sheldon Sanov, Haim Shtrum, Paul Shure, Jerry Vinci
References