The first three Shrek films have sold more than 4 million copies combined according to TheWrap.com and this one figures to be a big seller on iTunes or at Wal-Mart. In addition to songs with singing and lyrics the soundtrack for the final chapter in Shrek’s saga will feature audio clips from the movie with several skits from the cast including Rumpelstiltskin, Pinocchio, and Puss in Boots. Here’s a look at the sounds of Shrek past and the new album coming out.
The Original
When Shrek debuted in 2001 its soundtrack was as big of a hit as the movie itself. The opening song was All Star by Smash Mouth, and they contributed another hit towards the end of the movie with the Monkees cover I’m a Believer.
My favorite song from the entire movie is a touching ballad called Hallelujah by John Cale. The song plays towards the end when Shrek and Fiona are apart as she prepares for her wedding and as Shrek sits lonely in his swamp after their adventure together.
Shrek 2
The soundtrack for the second movie was just as good as the first as it opens with the Counting Crows‘ Accidentally in Love, one of my wife’s favorite songs. Other classics on this album include Changes, sung in a duet with David Bowie and Funkytown.
My personal favorite happens at the end of the movie when Jennifer Saunders, followed by Frou Frou in the ending credits, belt out wonderful renditions of Holding Out for a Hero. Both are sung wonderfully even though they have different styles.
Shrek the Third
Many modern touches are added to the third film’s soundtrack including Fergie’s rendition of Barracuda as well as the dark Live and Let Die from the Wings. The appropriate song Cat’s in the Cradle is memorable for Puss in Boots for this great soundtrack to an otherwise mediocre movie.
My favorite song on this soundtrack is Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song, a throwback to when I was a kid. My wife and I both like the songs on this soundtrack even if the movie wasn’t up to snuff.
Shrek Forever After
The new movie promises to have an eclectic bunch of tracks. Instead of buying a CD from Wal Mart, this is the first one you can sample from iTunes and download to your computer or iPod.
More great songs are on this album. Hello by Lionel Ritchie is my favorite on this soundtrack. A song of love and longing fits in perfectly with Shrek trying to get back the love of his life who doesn’t know him in an alternate reality. Weezer covers the Monkees I’m a Believer for this album and will surely knock it out of the park as it is very appropriate song to end the franchise. Like with other soundtracks, this one has a lot of voices from the film in it with skits and singing to make it enjoyable for everyone and not just music lovers.
Overall, it will be a fantastic album whether you buy one track or all of them. My wife and I may not see the movie per se but some of the songs on iTunes will probably be on an iPod or two in my house.
