Track Listing

1. Everybody's Talkin'
2. Joe Buck Rides Again
3. Famous Myth
4. Fun City
5. He Quit Me Man
6. Jungle Gym At The Zoo
7. Midnight Cowboy
8. Old Man Willow
9. Florida Fantasy
10. Tears And Joys
11. Science Fiction

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30299 in Music
• Released on: 1996-06-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Original language: English, Italian

Amazon.co.uk Review
Though perhaps overshadowed by the pop success of Harry Nilsson's rendition of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" (and overwhelmed on the album by songs from B.J. Thomas, Elephant's Memory, and even early Warren Zevon), John Barry's elegant title track and handful of cues here still rate as some of his best. Their melodies frequently carried by a mournful solo harmonica, Barry's coolly detached music ironically undercuts the grit and grime of John Schlesinger's Oscar-winning classic. Melodically irresistible, Barry's Midnight Cowboy music further cemented Barry's reputation as one of modern film's greatest composers. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Possibly the most gorgeous theme ever and it doesn't end there
John Barry's pedigree as a writer and orchestrator is beyond doubt. Not content with his instantly recognisable work on the James Bond films, his genius is very much in evidence here. Never have strings and harmonica sounded better than the swooning loveliness of the main theme. You can also imagine the bed sliding out of the wall in your space-age batchelor pad to the unashamedly easy listening of 'Fun City'.

I bought this CD when I made my first trip to Miami and had the quirky 'Florida Fantasy' running through my head. I'd seen the film and recalled the music being especially memorable. In particular, I was fascinated by the weird track that plays during the Warhol party scene. The band Broadcast seem to have based their entire career on the hypnotic 'Old Man Willow' by Elephant's Memory. It still sounds as strange as it did when I first heard it in the mid 70s.

Then there's not one but two helpings of 'Everybody's Talking'. The optimism and sunniness of that track is in stark contrast to the grim New York situation the characters find themselves in during the movie - which is probably why it seemed more suited to being bought in Florida.

A wonderful film and a musically diverse album that harks back to a golden period in both genres.

One hell of a stud
Easy-listening maestro John Barry's pieces are Midnight Cowboy's unquestionable highlights, particularly the plaintive Joe Buck Rides Again and the aptly titled Science Fiction. Those who grew up in the '70s-'80s will especially warm to Florida Fantasy, which was used as the theme tune for long-forgotten TV programme Birdwatch.

The non-Barry tracks aren't bad either. Nilsson's version of Fred Neil's Everybody's Talkin' stamps (gently) all over the later Beautiful South version, while you may have heard a version of Elephant's Memory's excellent Jungle Gym At The Zoo on a fairly recent TV ad.

One of the all-time great soundtrack LPs, from an age when 'soundtrack' meant just that (rather than 'tracks inspired by...'). The film itself's not so bad, either.

"A real soundtrack!"
This album goes directly with the film. That is the advantage of older soundtracks. It is a true soundtrack. Harry Nillson's version of "Everybody's Talking" appears just as it was in the film, and it is thrilling. Another classic song on the album is "A Famous Myth". This can put us in fanasy world. With the album going directly with the film, we do hear the darkness of the film, like the creepy "Old Man Willow", the song at the Andy Warhol party. Even though not credited on the CD, Phil Ramone was a major producer of this album. That is even obvious as we get to smile as "Everybody's Talking" reappears at the end of the album to make us smile. You can picture that being the brilliant Phil Ramone's idea.