GROUNDHOG DAY
Rating: 
Original Review: Groundhog Day turned out to be one of the most funny and romantic movies of 1993, but George Fenton's music is much more of a mixed bag. The score itself, of which there are just nine cues, encompasses lots of widely differing styles which, although they do highlight Fenton's talent for composing different types of music, never really gel together to make a wholly satisfying score. 'Clouds' is a light and jolly march for brasses and woodwind; 'Drunks' is an exciting contemporary, upbeat cue with a jazz beat which makes great use of electric guitar riffs; 'Phil Getz The Girl' features a lovely sax solo by Dan Higgins; and the cue 'You Like Boats But Not The Ocean' introduces the main romantic theme, a gentle and lyrical piece played on flutes and a tender-sounding piano, which also appears in the cues 'Sometimes People Just Die' and 'The Ice Sculpture'. As well as the score, Fenton has composed two original songs for the album: the fun and catchy 'Weatherman', which is performed by Delbert McClinton; and 'Take Me Round Again', performed by Susie Stevens, which shows Fenton's hitherto undiscovered talent for country and western. Groundhog Day is undemanding music - a combination of easy listening with occasional orchestral flourishes, but I must admit I was expecting more.
Track Listing:
- Weatherman (written by George Fenton and Harold Ramis, performed by Delbert McClinton) (4:18)
- Clouds (1:10)
- I Got You Babe (written by Sonny Bono, performed by Sonny & Cher) (3:12)
- Quarter No. 1 in D - The Groundhog (2:08)
- Take Me Round Again (written by George Fenton, performed by Susie Stevens) (3:06)
- Drunks (2:17)
- Pennsylvania Polka (written by Lester Lee and Zeke Manners, performed by Frankie Yankovic) (2:24)
- You Like Boats But Not The Ocean (1:41)
- Phil Getz the Girl (3:31)
- Phil Steals the Money (1:21)
- You Don't Know Me (written by Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker, performed by Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra) (4:12)
- The Kidnap and the Quarry (2:50)
- Sometimes People Just Die (1:39)
- 18th Variation from Rapsodie on a Theme of Paganini (written by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by Elizabeth Buccheri) (3:34)
- Medley: Phil's Piano Solo/18th Variation from Rapsodie on a Theme of Paganini (written by Terry Fryer and Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by Terry Fryer) (1:49)
- The Ice Sculpture (2:05)
- A New Day (1:26)
- Almost Like Being In Love (written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, performed by Nat King Cole) (1:52)
Running Time: 44 minutes 35 seconds
Epic Soundtrax (1993)
Music composed and conducted by George Fenton. Orchestrations by Jeff Atmajian. Saxophone solos performed by Dan Higgins. Recorded and mixed by John Richards. Edited by Sally Boldt. Album produced by George Fenton.
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These web pages were designed and maintained by Jonathan Broxton copyright 1997. All opinions and views expressed on these pages are my own and are in no way intended to reflect those of my employer, the Trent Institute for Health Services Research, or those of the University of Sheffield.