Great oldies on here. A nice surprise is Etta James singing about gravy! Of course, that's a metaphor but don't tell the "sisters" that.

If you loved the movie, you will definitely love the soundtrack.


You just wish there was more of these singing nuns singing   June 25, 2005
 11 out of 14 found this review helpful

I have to believe the chief reason for picking up this album is to get the songs that the nuns sing in "Sister Act." The appeal here is what I think of as the Joe Piscopo approach to singing songs when he played Frank Sinatra on "Saturday Night Love." Piscopo would either take a regular Frank Sinatra hit (e.g., "Witchcraft") and turn it into a heavy metal/rock song, or he would take a popular rock song (e.g., Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run") and do it in Sinatra's classic saloon style. That is essentially what we have here when the nuns led by Sister Delores take a "traditional" church song such as "Hail Holy Queen" and do it R&B style or when they take a song like "I Will Follow Him" and turn the opening into a hymn of devotion. In case you do not read the notes, Andrea Robinson is the soloist who does the power solos in grand Marni Nixon style for Sister Mary Robert (Wendy Makkena).

The bad news is that they cannot fill up a complete album of such songs, even if you throw the songs from "Sister Act 2" into the mix as well, so there are two additional components to this soundtrack. First there are original classic R&B songs from the likes of Etta James ("Roll With Me Henry"), Fontella Bass ("Rescue Me"), and Dee Dee Sharp ("Gravy"). Then there are a couple of instrumental tracks written by Marc Shaiman which are really around just to fill up the album. The best of that bunch is "Getting into the Habit," but even that one is not going to stand up against even the weakest of the singing tracks (which would be "My God," which is cute lyrically but not as much fun as the other "covers" in terms of the harmonious singing raising the rafters).

The goal here is to be able to listen to the songs without having to watch the movie, so that you can sing along with the ladies in the car or while doing work around the house. These are infectious versions of these songs and the idea of investing secular pop songs with religious fervor is rather appealing. Besides, not only do you have Whoopi Goldberg and Kathy Najimy singing, but also the late great Mary Wickes. For the record, the other ladies of the choir are Ellen Albertini Dow, Carmen Zapata, Pat Crawford Brown, Prudence Wright Holmes, Georgia Creighton, Susan Johnson, Ruth Kobart, Susan Browning, Darlene Koldenhoven, Sheri Izzard, Edith Diaz and Beth Fowler (yes, the one you see signing in the movie are the ones actually doing the singing on the soundtrack, which I also think is pretty neat).


SOMEBODY NEEDS TO CALM DOWN...   March 18, 2003
 9 out of 23 found this review helpful

oK THAT GUY jONATHON WHO SAID THIS CD IS A CRIME AGAINST SUPERHUMANITY(WHATEVER THAT MEANS) NEEDS TO LIGHTEN UP BIG TIME FOR REAL. iT'S JUST A SOUNDTRACK TO A MOVIE. nO NEED TO GO ALL BALLISTIC OVER A CD WHICH HAS ON THE CONTRARY VERY FUN AND UPLIFTING SONGS. SECOND OF ALL I THINK THAT WAS TOTALLY IGNORANT WHAT HE SAID ABOUT BELIEVING IN SUPERIOR DNA INSTEAD OF GOD. WELL GOOD FOR YOU JOHNNY BOY BUT SOME OF US DO BELIEVE IN GOD SO TAKE YOUR HATA-RATION SOMEWHERE ELSE AND LET THE REST OF US ENJOY THE SOUNDTRACK THANK YOU.


great songs, just as it was a great movie   December 14, 1999
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

I recommend this soundtrack for anyone who liked the movie, as it will not disappoint you. It has the classics like "My Guy/God", "Heatwave", etc. It will put catchy songs in your head all day long and make you remember this great movie and want to go rent it and watch it again!


It'll get you in church!   April 20, 2001
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

A lot of soundtracks I own, have some of the songs missing that were in the film which is very annoying, however this soundtrack doesn't. All the songs will remind you of parts of the film, & just totally make you smile. I love the song 'If my sisters in trouble', I also like 'I will follow him'- They all have great voices. I would just love to go to a gospel church like that!