Track Listing

1. Old Alabama (performed by B.B. And Group)
2. Monstrous Big
3. Two Dead Girls
4. Mouse On The Mile
5. Foolishment
6. Billy- Be-Frigged
7. Coffey's Hands
8. Cheek To Cheek
9. Condemned Man
10. Limp Noodle
11. Scared Of The Dark
12. Wild Bill
13. Cigar Box
14. Circus Mouse
15. Bad Death Of Eduard Delacroix
16. Boy's Eye
17. Two Run-Throughs
18. Red Over Green
19. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (performed by Billie Holiday)
20. That's The Deal
21. L'Homme Mauvais
22. Offense To The Heart
23. Morphine And Cola
24. Night Journey
25. Danger Of Hell
26. Done Tom Turkey
27. Did You Ever See A Dream Walking (perfomed by Gene Aust in)
28. Trapingus Parish
29. Boogeyman
30. Shine My Knob
31. Briar Ridge
32. Coffey On The Mile
33. Punishment
34. Charmaine (performed by Guy Lombardo And His Royal Cana dians)
35. Now Long Gone
36. No Exceptions
37. Green Mile

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18883 in Music
• Released on: 2000-03-06
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Original language: English, French

Customer Reviews

A sombre approach to a magnificent movie
The reputation of Thomas Newman for creating scores of epic locality is very high. His touch for capturing the essence of a setting is his strongest talent. He engages this touch in many of his recent scores, and The Green Mile is yet another example of such talent at work. With an impressive array of local percussion representing the southern part of the United States, there are many elements in this score that could remind the listener of Fried Green Tomatoes. It is the use of these unique solos that provides an allure for this album.

The film has been criticized for trying too hard. But if you're comparing Newman's score for The Green Mile with his related score for The Shawshank Redemption, then one might deduce the Newman was not trying hard enough this time. With the mass of percussion and use of genre songs, Newman does his expected superb job of capturing the area of the film's setting once again. But beyond these elements, the score for The Green Mile lacks that which elevated Fried Green Tomatoes: spirit. There simply is no identifiable musical soul for either of the film's main characters. Perhaps Newman's non-thematic writing style contributes to the absence of personality in this music. Perhaps the missing link appears because the album is too long without any coherent center to hold the music in place. Like the score in its entirety, the final title track simply slows to a halt... without theme or announcement, fading into nothingness.

In the end, the lack of genuine spirit leaves the score as merely an average listening experience. When an excellent composer produces highly functional, yet ultimately uninteresting music, I begin to wonder why such a thing would happen... especially for a dramatic powerhouse of a film like The Green Mile. With The Shawshank Redemption, Newman provided a sense of awe... a wondrous orchestral delight. There is nothing awe-inspiring about The Green Mile, however, for it simply plays at its meandering and unsure pace for the entire 75 minutes of the album. Like any score, though, there are individual tracks that stand out; specifically, the two gruesome tracks 3 and 15, which could catch anyone's attention, and the cute mouse theme that debuts in track 4. But are these really captivating cues? Or are they simply noisy interludes surrounded by soft string wanderings? The songs on the album are a difficult experience, and for me, an immediate skip. The album on the whole is a pleasant background listen, but don't purchase it expecting a grand release.

an immensely emotional soundtrack
thomas newman (who also scored "american beauty") has written some very emotional and thought provoking music in this cd. it compliments the images of the film perfectly, and it is perfect to listen to as a work in it's own right.
a notable peak is the track "night journey" and the recurring theme for coffey's miracle. a fantastic cd.

One of a kind
The book is always better than they film they always say, not in the case of "The Green Mile". The film is always better than the soundtrack they say, not in "The Green Mile". This album is one of the must buy film soundtrack albums in circulation. It's mix of exciting theme music and soft 30s ballds makes this a vital asset in annoyone's cd collection. This cd was originally meant as a gift for my mother yet it has been enjoyed by all in the family and close friends since it was bought. More of the same please!