Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (Music from the Motion Picture) is the soundtrack album to the 2012 film Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, the third installment in the Madagascar franchise. The album was released on June 5, 2012 by Interscope Records, and featured original songs and score, produced by Hans Zimmer, who worked on the franchise's previous installments. The album featured popular dance singles, accompanying few original songs written specially for the film.
Album information In some variations of the soundtrack, "Cool Jerk" is featured in replacement of "We No Speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP. "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO was only used in the theatrical trailer, and not included on the soundtrack and was replaced by "Firework" by Katy Perry for the circus. "Any Way You Want It" by Journey and the instrumental "Watermark" from the album of the same name by Enya were also used, but are not included on the soundtrack. "Land of Hope and Glory" by Edward Elgar appears in the track "Fur Power". The "Afro Circus" tune is from "Entrance of the Gladiators", by the Czech composer Julius Fučík.
Track listing
Reception The Joy of Movies wrote "this soundtrack is all in good fun and makes for a quite enjoyable ride." James Southall of Movie Wave gave a mixed review to the album, saying "Quite who the rest of the album's meant to appeal to – its curious mix of awful versions of decent songs, decent original recordings of songs and score which spends much of its time referencing other music just doesn't work." James Christopher Monger of AllMusic wrote "Five of the thirteen tracks are Zimmer instrumentals, and while they may not be as memorable as anything from the Lion King, each piece dutifully projects the composer's mastery of the genre." Filmtracks.com wrote "like Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, a much larger share of score material needed to be included on the commercial album for Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. The third score may not be as cohesive as the second, but it also deserves better treatment despite its questionable Holkenborg contributions."
Chart performance The track "Afro Circus/I Like to Move It" peaked at 7 on the ARIA Hitseekers Singles chart on the week commencing October 15, 2012. Chart (2012)PeakpositionUK Compilation Albums (OCC)52UK Digital Albums (OCC)33UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC)26US Billboard 20058US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard)11
Accolades AwardCategoryNominatedResultASCAP AwardTop Box Office FilmsHans Zimmer Satellite AwardBest Original Song"Love Always Comes as a Surprise" – Peter Asher & Dave Stewart
Personnel Credits adapted from Allmusic.
Slamm Andrews – mixing, music editor Laurence Anslow – assistant engineer Max Aruj – technical assistance Peter Asher – composer, music consultant, producer, soundtrack producer Bob Badami – soundtrack producer Lorne Balfe – additional music Chris Barnett – assistant engineer Victoria Beckham – composer Charles Brown – composer Melanie Brown – composer Emma Bunton – composer Julie Butchko – music clearance Dan Butler – music business affairs Renato Carosone – composer Lori Castro – mixing assistant Melanie Chisholm – composer Chuck Choi – technical consultant Paul Clarvis – percussion Robert Clivillés – composer Rupert Coulson – engineer DCUP – primary artist Ester Dean – composer Charles Dumont – composer Matt Dunkley – score reader Mikkel Storleer Eriksen – composer Tom Farnon – score reader Geoff Foster – engineer Bruce Fowler – supervising orchestrator Walt Fowler – orchestration Rick Giovinazzo – orchestration Gavin Greenaway – score conductor Will Greig – technical assistance Geri Halliwell – composer Matthew Handley – arranger Cornell Haynes – composer Tor Erik Hermansen – composer Stephen Hilton – arranger, producer Aleksey Igudesman – soloist Danny Jacobs – primary artist Kevin Kaska – orchestration Andrew Kawczynski – technical assistance Gary Kettel – percussion Jasha Klebe – arranger Daniel Kresco – engineer, mixing Duncan Maclennan – arranger Frances McDormand – primary artist Ladd McIntosh – orchestration Liz McNicoll – music business affairs Metro Voices – choir/chorus Adam Miller – assistant engineer Perry Montague-Mason – orchestra leader Nils Montan – mixing assistant Yvonne S. Moriarty – orchestration Erick Morillo – composer Ed Neumeister – orchestration Katy Perry – composer, primary artist Mark Quashie – composer Frank Ricotti – percussion Chris Rock – composer, primary artist Matthew Rowbottom – composer Czarina Russell – studio manager Nicola Salerno – composer Jennifer Schiller – music business affairs Sheila E. – soloist Andrew Stanley – arranger Richard "Biff" Stannard – composer Dave Stewart – composer, primary artist Jill Streater – librarian Pat Sullivan – Mastering Ian Thomas – percussion Michel Vaucaire – composer Jessica Weiss – assistant music editor, backing vocals Christian Wenger – assistant engineer Lucy Whalley – assistant contractor Booker T. White – score preparation Sandy Wilhelm – composer Freedom Williams – composer Pharrell Williams – composer Yolanda Be Cool – primary artist Andrew Zack – score coordinator Hans Zimmer – composer, primary artist, producer, soundtrack producer
References