Cool Runnings

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

Whoever that bought this album must be seriously pissed off after the first listen, and believe me, I'm pissed! Sorry to begin this review with these words but it's the truth. I'm a sucker when it comes to these great scores of Hans Zimmer and the music of Cool Runnings is simply fantastic. It is playful, great, sort of a mambo feeling mixed in between but it remains simply fun to hear. But of course album producers had a great thought, share it with me for a moment: "Hey Hans, we have a decision to make. Or we produce an album with your lovely score or we put 10 songs on the disc of which 7 aren't heard for more then 5 seconds, or even not. Hans, don't be mad, you'll get other times to produce your album. Because THESE songs my friend are hip, if you're a Jamaican. And besides, you get 7 minutes of music from us, isn't that great?" I simply say: "Are these guys not the best! Sorry I have to go the toilet one more time." Yes, once again they decided to put the songs in front of the score's success. But the thing is these songs are simply awful. The first, ninth and the last are somewhat enjoyable because they are heard during the movie but the rest is unbelievably stupid. Sorry if a Jamaican is reading this but mambo jambo crap is something that doesn't listen just as say Queen.

So, 35 minutes of the disc is spend on boogey crap from the warm Caribbean islands. Oh oh and check it out! What impressive names they have? 'Work-a-Girl', whoooohooo, 'Tony Rebel' probably escaped from Star Wars and 'Lock, Stock and Barrel' were obviously drunk when they created that name. Am I negative or what? Not surprisingly, I was listening to these songs when I'm wrote this. But Hans Zimmer's score delivers and saves me from total insanity. A good 7 minutes is spend on the German's score, where there was space for some good 20 minutes or even more. The first track 'Countrylypso' is when the Jamaicans surprise every one on their second try at the finals and is filled with Jamaican instruments, but also with Zimmer's heroic music. This is hugely enjoyable. The second track is nonetheless fantastic. 'The Walk Home' starts with the last ride before all things go wrong, then it shifts to a second but cool theme and finally ends with the impressive walk to the finish line, supported through a glorious finale. Cool Runnings of Hans Zimmer is worth the money and I recommend this to all Zimmer fans. For the songs, ignore it and if you decide to hear them nonetheless, hire a toilet at advance. The movie is hilariously funny and cool and the score succeeds in every way possible, the songs are ...................................., well you fill in the lines.

Cool Runnings "Promo"

Its always amazing how you sound when you don't get what you want. You sound pissed off and yet, there's every reason for you to do so. In the case of Cool Runnings I was having a problem with the use of songs, and with the score material. Of course Walt Disney and their records haven't changed in recent times because the score material hardly gets a second chance. Its however discriminating when you present music that hardly wasn't used in the film (I'm talking about a couple of songs, not all songs) and that Zimmer was under presented in the end. However luckily as always you get your hands on something you never thought would happen. A promo of the real deal. Great quality sound and the score material that honors the movie and Zimmer's play in all this. With 'A Fall Breaks Olympic Dreams' we immediately have the piano theme of the main theme, soon charging to a brief heroic uplifting until the disappointment strikes after the fall. Immediately its clear how easily Zimmer can sound basically Jamaican because he has a natural flair for sounding so European like in whatever field you throw him in. With 'Mr. Irv Blitzer' we hear nothing but fun Jamaican drums and style while 'Bobsled Commercial' is the funny Carl Stalling piece made for wicked trumpet. 'Raise Olympic Money' was used especially behind the song Sanka was singing on screen and uses that melody easily. However how easily a chameleon Zimmer is is overtly clear in 'From Jamaican Sun to Canadian Winter' and you basically shift from Jamaican boogy to Texan violins and mood. Its fun to hear this swing of moods on CD, but it sure sounds perfect when you spot it on screen. 'A Swiss Dream' is the sequence where Derice follows the Swiss Team down the hill and here Zimmer uses a ethereal but very cool piece for piano and electric guitar. Even the vocals sound cool during all of this.

However I always noticed how great Cool Runnings was, not how diverse it actually sounded. 'Go Get Your Palace' is emotional through the guitar, 'A Texan Bar Fight' a basic Texan jiggy and 'We're Back In' is purely heroic when an Olympic fanfare rocks those Jamaican dream back to life. Here the cry for a Zimmer score was more than welcome because it still remains one of Zimmer's most entertaining scores in a long period of time. 'I'm Feeling Olympian Today' is the second time the 4 brave Jamaicans go down the hill and now "Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Ride, Get up There, its Bobsled time" is truly Jamaican style, with a fantastic jiggy of Jamaican drums, piano and rhythm. This track was featured on the commercial album under the name Countrylypso. And with 'The Last Race' you get more heroics because now its more serious but then the score sure sounds that way, great melodic ideas and a more serious nature in the second half making sure that the mixed together piece sounds entertaining and exiting. 'We Have to Finish the Race' is the nice finale where Zimmer makes his main theme swell to the real deal and once more its clear how good a composer Zimmer is. A lot of people will not directly find a Zimmer tone in it, and yet there are similarities, they are just found on the moments that Zimmer isn't scoring the Jamaican style. But that it is one of Zimmer's most entertaining ones that's for sure. Cool Runnings thereby deserved a long release and perhaps 34 minutes is not a lot, but its more then was required in the end. So the easy question was: why couldn't this be done in the first place on the commercial CD? Please ask that to the people who think who know their business and yet I'm telling them now. Zimmer is one of the most influential persons of his time and he sells basically scores through his name. In that time it might not be that big a deal, but now we demand quality. And this movie music is quality rich, because its so easy going fun.

Cool Runnings: *** Score: **** Songs: *
Cool Runnings "Promo": **** Score: ****

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Wild Wild Life: Wailing Souls (3.34)

2. I Can See Clearly Now: Jimmy Cliff (3.15)

3. Stir It Up: Diane King (3.47)

4. Cool Me Down: Tiger (3.48)

5. Picky Picky Head: Wailing Souls (4.07)

6. Jamaican Bobsledding Chant: Work - A - Girl (4.15)

7. Sweet Jamaica: Tony Rebel (3.49)

8. Dolly My Baby: Super Cat (3.30)

9. Love You Want: Wailing Souls (3.58)

10. Countrylypso (2.44) Excellent Track

11. The Walk Home (4.35) Excellent Track

12. Rise Above It: Lock, Stock And Barrel (3.32)

Total Length: 45.23

Cool Runnings "Promo"

1. A Fall Breaks Olympic Dreams (1.50)

2. Mr. Irv Blitzer (3.16)

3. Bobsled Commercial (1.09)

4. I Sure Told Him (0.37)

5. Raise Olympic Money (2.35)

6. From Jamaican Sun To Canadian Winter (2.31)

7. A Swiss Dream (3.41)

8. Go Get Your Palace (0.47)

9. A Texan Bar Fight (2.08)

10. We're Back In (1.51) Excellent Track

11. I'm Feeling Olympian Today (2.56) Excellent Track

12. The Last Race (6.05) Excellent Track

13. We Have To Finish The Race (4.22) Excellent Track

Total Length: 33.48

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: Hans Zimmer ===