EVERY WHICH WAY: Style & Technique 4. The Soundtrack

[Matt]

Eastwood hired Country/Western music producer Snuff Garrett to work on the soundtrack for Every Which Way But Loose. Garrett and his writers put together a soundtrack that spawned a Top Ten single for Eddie Rabbitt: the film's title song "Every Which Way But Loose" topped the County/Western charts at #4 for 1979. Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors" was already a megahit that had won him the Country Music Association Awards "Single of the Year" in 1973 and a Grammy award for "Best Country Male Vocal performance in that same year. Another song of Rich's, "I'll Wake You Up When I Get Home," also ran to the top of the Country charts after the soundtrack release, going all the way to #3.

Musically, I think the biggest challenge was coming up with the main title song, having a melody that could integrate through the film yet could stand on its own, and having a song that could become a hit, yet integrate thematically through the score... It was a groundbreaking film for Clint--it was real different. And it was at a time when Country music was very popular. It was a nice musical area to be working in because a lot of films at the time were not doing that. They were either action movies or romantic movies, but there wasn't a real focus on the Country Western thing at the time. We had a very, very big hit record with it, and it was the first movie that I'd ever done, so I look back on it as being my favorite.

(Steve Dorff, quoted in Fuensanta Plaza's Clint Eastwood/Malpaso, p. 96.)

What do you think of the soundtrack for Every Which Way But Loose? How do you think it fits the feel of the film? What are your favorite songs from the film?

[misty71]

I think that "monkey see monkey do" thing was a little overdone.I mean, we do know that theres a monkey in the film, no need to add a monkey song.
 But otherwise, I liked the soundtrack, I think it reflected that light hearted feel about the movie very well.

[Lilly]

Well I'm not ashamed to say that I own the soundtrack LP and enjoy it!  I like the title song; it's catchy and cheerful, and actually seems to be one of the things that people remember when recalling the movie.  I've often thought that the first few lines are very apt, not just for Philo, but for many of the "lonely hero" characters that Clint has played:

I've always been the kind of man
Who doesn't believe in strings
Long term obligations are just unnecessary things

I also like Send Me Down To Tucson, and always laugh at the lyrics to Coca-Cola Cowboy:

You're just a Coca-Cola cowboy
You got a sexy smile and Robert Redford hair
But you walked across my heart like it was Texas...

Monkey See, Monkey Do won't go down in history as a great hit, but it's fun and was a nice accompaniment to Clyde's antics.  

I have to admit that Locke's singing of I Seek The Night wasn't always top-notch, but I think it was very brave of her to attempt something new to her, and the result wasn't bad - I still sing along to it!  

Overall my favourite is the title song; for me it evokes thoughts of the free-roaming truck driver, and I enjoyed playing it on my car stereo when driving around the SW USA.  Actually, this song is linked to my first ever memory of Clint when I was about 10 years old.  For some reason I vividly recall the BBC announcer plugging the start of the movie, and the still of Clint and Clyde that caught my attention.  I had to go to bed so didn't get to see the movie then, but did catch the beginning with Philo driving his truck and the music playing.  I don't know why I remember this so well - guess I must've known I was destined to be a Clint fan!  Perhaps this explains my particular fondness for that track.  

Dig the 70's album cover (taken from Lea St Laurent's excellent Clint Eastwood Domain).



Incidentally, is Lea on this board?

[Matt]

Incidentally, is Lea on this board?

He used to be, but we haven't seen him in a while.  His user name on the old board was "Lea" so if he ever comes back, you'll know him.

Lea, if you're still reading, we would love to have you back.

[eustressor]

This song was a huge hit. I mean, it was everywhere. The tie-in with the movie served to boost sales of both the single and the film. I think this is one of the earliest, and still one of the tightest, movie soundtrack/hit single tie-ins I can remember.

Lots of movies spawn top-selling singles these days, but back then it was much more of a novelty. And how many have the title to the movie actually as the title and chorus of the song? Great marketing, good memories.

Dig the 70's album cover

Gotta love that 70s "liquid" typography.

[mgk]

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[The Schofield Kid]

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