Type: Soundtrack, Christmas, Lyrics are included with the album
Genre: Soundtrack
Review
Danny Elfman, who has scored many of Tim Burton's imaginative films (Edward Scissorhands, his two Batman films, etc.), is a perfect musical partner for the somewhat macabre director, and never more so than here, where, in fact, Elfman gets not only to write the music but to play the part of the main character. The Nightmare Before Christmas is an animated movie musical about the abduction of Christmas by the denizens of Halloween land, and Elfman sings the part of Jack, the Pumpkin King. The score is in his usual lush but threatening style (Kurt Weill is his biggest influence), but the highlight is Elfman's singing. Even in his rock band Oingo Boingo (now merely Boingo), Elfman doesn't get to sing like this. Granted, the soundtrack album inevitably lacks the film's outlandish visuals, but it tells the story on its own, and one is better able to appreciate Elfman's outstanding performance. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Mike Piersante (Mixing Assistant), Ken Page (Vocals), Carmen Twillie (?), Marc Mann (Supervisor), Bobby Fernandez (Engineer), Steve Bartek (Orchestra), Ed Ivory (Vocals), Bill Easystone (Mixing Assistant), Shawn Murphy (Mixing), Susan McBride (?), Sherwood Ball (?), Gary Adler (Art Direction), Greg Proops (?), Paul Reubens (Vocals), Joel Franklin (Copyist), Chris Boardman (Conductor), Letitia Rogers (Assistant Music Editor), Bob Badami (Editing), Richard Kraft (Associate Producer), Danny Elfman (Vocals), Glenn Shadix (Vocals), Dave Collins (Digital Editing), Marc Mann (Music Preparation), Bobbi Page (Vocal Contractor), Andy Bass (Mixing Assistant), Catherine O'Hara (Vocals), Danny Elfman (Lyre), Danny Elfman (Composer), Shawn Murphy (Engineer), Bill Jackson (Engineer), J.A.C. Redford (Conductor), Bob Badami (Associate Producer), Randy Crenshaw (?), Kerry Katz (?), Dave Collins (Digital Mastering), Marc Mann (Orchestra), Sharon Rice (Mixing Assistant), Marc Mann (Orchestration), Steve Bartek (Director), Mark McKenzie (Orchestra), Danny Elfman (Producer), Glenn Walters (?)
Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara, the Citizens of Halloween
2:44
19.
"Closing"
Patrick Stewart
1:26
20.
"End Title"
5:05
On some versions of the CD, "End Title" is two tracks (20 and 21) with lengths of 1:10 and 3:55 respectively. In this case, track 21 is considered a "hidden track" but features the same music as the 20-track release, which keeps "End Title" as one track.
The "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" and "This is Halloween" demos are reversed in the tracklisting on the backside of the album cover and in the album booklet.
Mastered by Pat Sullivan at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA
Creative Direction: Steve Gerdes
Album Design: Greg Ross for Orabor
Foreign Language Versions
There are several foreign language versions of the soundtrack, each features tracks sung by vocalists in their native language as well as original score tracks by Danny Elfman.
