Naturally, when there is more than one household name “grabbing the baton,“ so to speak, reality sets in. There were other ladies, like Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, Deniece Williams, Betty Wright, and Roberta Flack, dominating the airwaves and marking their own legacies.
Sparkle 1976 soundtrack full#
While their versions were recorded and used throughout the musical segues of the film, Mayfield was dissatisfied with them, feeling that they couldn’t carry the full capacity and strength of his musical vision.īy the mid-1970s, Franklin was faced with many changes across the soul landscape, as well as tough competitors. Initially, he planned on utilizing the vocal talents of the film’s cast as the focal counterpart for the film score. When it came time for the next film score endeavor, Mayfield had his sights on taking the reins as the music force for Sparkle, a musical rags-to-riches vehicle that focused on the fortunes and hardships of a 1960s black girl group comprised of sisters from Harlem, trying to break into the music business. Both soundtracks were recognized as fully-realized portraits of gospel-fueled female soul, serving as major milestones for the respective acts in their own right, and not solely as musical counterparts for cult films. Both hailed from the Midwestern region, with Mayfield’s roots deriving from his birthplace in Chicago and Franklin growing up in Detroit.īy 1976 Mayfield had already experienced perhaps the greatest commercial success and critical acclaim of his career with his own ubiquitous soundtrack for the gritty 1972 crime drama Super Fly, which told the story of a Harlem drug kingpin trying to ”get out of the life.“ He also managed to work with Gladys Knight and the Pips for the 1974 Claudine soundtrack and the Staple Singers for the 1975 Let’s Do It Again soundtrack. There were startling similarities between Aretha Franklin and Curtis Mayfield from the very beginning, decades before their collaboration Sparkle was even envisioned. Lastly, "Running" is a similarly bright and energetic Supremes/ Vandellas-style showcase for veteran R&B singer Goapele.“So much love for us to feel. Cee-Lo Green (Black) contributes the rollicking "I'm a Man," seemingly made in the mould of Edwin Starr's 1969 single "25 Miles." Ejogo takes the lead on the bouncy "Yes I Do," one of three songs involving songwriter and producer Andrew Wansel (whose father, Dexter Wansel, was in full flight as a soul artist, songwriter, and producer in 1976). Kelly production, Sparks is joined by Whitney Houston (Sparkle's mother Emma), the latter of whom is showcased on a piano, organ, and choir rendition of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow." Houston sounds as commanding as one can expect from a later recording. Kelly and have his peculiar "old but new" feel - composed with a bygone era in mind but executed with modern means. Sparks also fronts the gospel-tinged ballad "One Wing" and the midtempo "Love Will," both of which were built and helmed by R. Sensibly, there's no effort to out-power them this version has its own light and breathy touch. Both the Franklin original and En Vogue's 1992 version rightly topped the R&B chart.
When it comes to "Something He Can Feel," it would be an understatement to say that the deck is stacked against Sparks and her vocal partners, Carmen Ejogo (Sister) and Tika Sumpter (Delores). Led by Jordin Sparks (who succeeds Irene Cara as Sparkle), the 2012 soundtrack features faithful and decent covers of four songs from the original. The 1976 soundtrack doubled as a fine Aretha Franklin album - one written, arranged, and produced by Curtis Mayfield. The soundtrack for the 2012 remake of 1976's Sparkle is an enjoyable if muddled affair.
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