NewsBernard Hermann / Taxi Driver score issued on limited edition yellow vinyl
Bernard Hermann‘s beautiful and atmospheric score to Martin Scorcese’s classic 1976 film Taxi Driver is being issued on limited edition yellow vinyl in March.
In the film (written by Paul Schrader) Robert De Niro memorably plays Travis Bickle, the frustrated Vietnam veteran, who takes a job as a taxi driver to battle his insomnia.
Taxi Driver would be the composer’s last film soundtrack. The music (comprised primarily of a brass section mixing with a saxophone theme) effortlessly incorporates key elements of dialogue from the film (“all the animals come out at night” etc.)
Taxi Driver is available via Music On Vinyl as a limited edition of 2.500 numbered copies on yellow vinyl, with just 600 allocated for the UK. It will be released on 8 March 2019. You can pre-order via the SDE shop using this link or the button below.
SIDE A
1. Theme From Taxi Driver
2. I Work The Whole City
3. Betsy In A White Dress
4. The Days Do Not End
5. Reprise: Theme From Taxi Driver
SIDE B
1. Diary Of A Taxi Driver Voice – Robert De
Niro
2. Theme From Taxi Driver
3. The .44 Magnum Is A Monster
4. Sport And Iris
5. God’s Lonely Man
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I have to say I am so confused as to whether this is legit or not or cover versions or what was in the film or not that I’ll pass.
Just got it! Thanks Paul Sinclair guy. It sure is expensive as shit sending across the Great Pond! Does it cum with armed guards? A lady for the night? Couldn’t she at least cook me dinner?! Sigh. Fine.
No, but I’ll throw in a free T-shirt since you’re a regular customer :) Tell me what size you are.
I read Paul’s name as Paul Schrader and was shocked but then reread it lol
This looks cool. Perfect colour for the vinyl .
“Thanks Paul Sinclair guy” love it.
Um, it makes MY dick hard so I’m getting it. Wtf look expression that I don’t know how to do on my computer. I love the jazz shit, so, uh, yeah. I do obsess with being able to correctly identify things so it will interesting to learn the differences in this releases and what is the actual movie score. Rock on.
I bought the soundtrack on vinyl when the movie came out. Superb! Darken the room and play it.
I would say this release is a little confusing as I bought the double yellow vinyl last year??
Taxi Driver (Original Soundtrack Recording)
Label:
Waxwork Records – WW015
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, Yellow, 180 gram
Country: US
Released: 03 Aug 2018
Genre: Soundtrack, Score
Tracklist
A1 Main Title (Taxi Driver) 2:17
A2 Thank God For The Rain 1:38
A3 Cleaning The Cab 1:05
A4 I Still Can’t Sleep / They Cannot Touch Her (Betsy’s Theme) 4:31
A5 Phone Call / I Realize How Much She Is Like The Others / A Strange Customer / Watching Palantine On TV / You’re Gonna Die In Hell / Betsy’s Theme / Hitting The Girl 6:10
A6 The .44 Magnum Is A Monster 3:23
B1 Getting Into Shape / Listen You Screwheads / Gun Play / Dear Father & Mother / The Card / Soap Opera 5:25
B2 Sport & Iris 2:17
B3 The $20 Bill / Target Practice 2:33
B4 Assassination Attempt / After The Carnage 5:04
B5 A Reluctant Hero / Betsy / End Credits 4:40
C1 Theme From Taxi Driver 4:06
C2 I Work The Whole City 2:24
C3 Betsy In A White Dress 2:13
C4 The Days Do Not End 4:05
C5 Theme From Taxi Driver (Reprise) 2:25
D1 Diary Of A Taxi Driver 4:28
D2 Theme From “Taxi Driver” 3:35
D3 The .44 Magnum Is A Monster 3:23
D4 Sport & Iris 2:17
D5 God’s Lonely Man (Album Version, With Alternate Ending) 1:52
D6 Diary Of A Taxi Driver (Without Narration) 4:35
You don’t need this new release then. You have all the tracks on it PLUS the original cues from the film on that Waxworks release.
This is a slightly dubious release, as the jazzy cover versions LP is completely outmoded now.
I don’t agree that it’s “dubious”… this version is the soundtrack version that everyone knew for decades. Just because *eventually* they ended up putting out the original score I don’t think it renders this redundant at all. As I say this was the defacto soundtrack and I’d argue more people know this version that the ‘real’ score.
These overpriced colored vinyl reissues have lost any attraction, appeal, because its being done on so many albums. And they are just another way to get people to buy the dame album but with a mark up. Instead of offering something new. They never sell out except the occasional one. They are very much novelty items. I am happy that ive been turned off them so much i have zero interest in them. Give me black any day. Hapoy wallet.
PARTY POOPER!!! You poor thing! Will you be o.k.? Is it the colored discs or that you don’t have the money for everything that you want? LOL! I think it is great! No one is making you buy anything that you don’t need!
The track listing very much suggests that this is the older soundtrack release, which is actually a total cover version and sounds very little like the actual soundtrack. And which I would not recommend.
Certainly the tracklisting is much abbreviated from the full CD version. And that video you posted is not the film soundtrack performance.
That YouTube link was rubbish… sorry I’ve updated. But this soundtrack is the original as conducted by Hermann. It’s not a ‘total cover version’. Also the track listing is as per the original soundtrack… you are referring to CD releases which added extra stuff, this is as per the original.
The original soundtrack LP was a cover version: new performances of different arrangements of the cues. It was never the ‘original soundtrack’, very much like the Blade Runner LP that was issued in 1982 wasn’t the actual Vangelis score..
So if anyone ordering this wants the actual cues used in the film, this is not them. This is quite ‘easy listening’ jazz reworkings. It’s an important point.
That’s weird. I had the CD from the 1990s and it always sounded *very* like the film to me. Oh well… thanks for the clarification. I’ve amended the text as appropriate.
Yeah – the LP version was the only one available for decades. The link you’ve put up is the actual movie theme, this is the LP version –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAGSoti_ejA
Cheers. MM
Cool… I’ve updated that video as well. Thanks for your input.
It’s the same as Lalo Schifrin’s Bullitt soundtrack. The LP released featured re-recordings with a more commercial sound. Film Score Monthly released an excellent CD a few years ago featuring the original release alongside the music and cues that were actually used in the film. Limited to 3,000 copies, it’s worth a few quid now!
Thank you so much for pointing this out – it is a very important difference and you have saved me £20!!
How different is this re-issue to the version Waxwork records out out a couple of years ago?
Great stuff, thanks Paul, all ordered.
Whilst here, does anybody have any news of a possible similar vinyl release for Morricone’s score of Once Upon A Time In America?
Also whither Scritti vinyl re-releases?
My all time favourite film!! Thanks Paul. Just ordered a copy.