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The "To Sir, With Love" motion picture soundtrack is a rare find. I was lucky to capture it using my American Express Rewards points so it didn't cost me a dime!! I absolutely love the music which uses the harpsichord in many of the songs. Lulu's title hit brings tears to my eyes almost every time I hear it. And the Mindbenders are a big treat. Baby, I'm Off and I'm Runnin' (!) to go play it again now!!
The price for the CD soundtrack "To Sir With Love" seemed to be an expensive collector's item. If you are a fan of Lulu, this is the only way to get the two other (one slow) versions of "To Sir With Love". Awhile ago, EMI released Lulu's "Complete Mickie Most Recordings". That compilation is missing "Stealing My Love From Me" which is on the soundtrack and is worth adding to your 60s music collection.
It's time EMI re-release this AND with the original mono hit version of "To Sir With love".
Oh, "To Sir With Love"!!! This is such a great movie!!! Whenever I'm down, and I've lost my way, I can go to this movie to right my ship. You can read the reviews of the DVD/movie, but it is one of the truly great portrayals of relationships set to film. The story of a teacher who falls into the profession by fate. The challenges of teaching unteachable kids. And, finally, the kids and teacher teach each other how to find their way in life. Very powerful stuff.
At long last I have the soundtrack to keep the good vibrations going when I need a quick pick-me-up!!! You have to like the title song because it is repeated in various forms throughout the disk. Lulu, the British pop idol of the 60s, does an amazing job with the vocal. It sounds, as she was, young and kind of sweet – but not too sugary. Then, I assume, Ron Grainer takes the main song's motif and carries it through the different scenarios of the movie. I particularly like the version, "A Classical Lesson". You recognize the melody but it is quite different than the main theme.
Ron Grainer's other melodies are nice too but the other show stoppers are The Mindbenders tunes!!! I was lucky enough, as a small child, to bag the 45 rpm, (record for the youngsters out there), of "Off and Running" and "It's Getting Harder all the Time". Those two songs are outstanding 60s British Invasion classics that just smoke!!! That 45 has always been one of my favorites!!! I'm not sure about the rest of The Mindbenders' catalog but they will forever be a standout group just on the merits of these two songs. Lulu also adds an additional pop song, "Stealing My Love from Me". It's nice and catchy too.
Overall, if you like the movie this is a great way to relive the story, the era of the 60s and enjoy great music. Now, the Amazon sellers selling it for $90 plus? It's probably VERY rare but, there's no way it's worth dropping that kind of cash. It's a great disk but I couldn't do it. You will have to be like me, and scour the used vinyl at garage sales to score yourself a copy. Transfer it onto cd and think of Mark Thackeray, and his kids, finding their way into their new lives. When you're down it will help you find your way too.
I have this CD, which I spent years trying to get, and I love it. It has not only the great pop tracks by Lulu and by the Mindbenders that perfectly capture the spirit of the time, but also has the music cues that instantly recall dramatic moments in the film, and different versions of the title track that fans of the film will remember so well.
Beyond that, the producers of the CD version went to the trouble of augmenting the original liner notes with a booklet featuring memories of the production of the soundtrack by people involved, like Lulu and Don Black, who wrote the lyrics for the theme song.
From what I can tell, legal wrangling and rights issues several of the performers on the pop tracks have prevented additional pressings of this disc, so if you see a copy on the market, grab it! You won't be disappointed.
Excellent soundtrack to an excellent film. The several variations on the title theme are each interesting and the other pop numbers (including the Mindbenders, who are quite good) very entertaining. The rest of the disc comprises mainly musical cues and the film's percussive score is evocative of the film. Recommended. Collectors' note : half of the future Led Zeppelin play on this disk....
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2000
'To Sir With Love' is probably my favourite film from the Sixties and in my top ten of all time. Surprisingly the movie was directed and screen written by James Clavell, better known for novels like 'Shogun'. Sidney Poitier was cast as the black teacher who gets his first teaching job in a run down East End school. He faces an out of control class of 15 yr olds, all from deprived backgrounds. The movie focuses on Poitier's relationship with the kids, and his eventual winning them over. Using actual London locations and featuring Sixties icons like Lulu and Suzy Kendall,'To Sir with Love' is just perfect for all those nostalgia freaks who long for a return to those heady times. The cd soundtrack has excellent sleeve notes with stills from the film.The music itself is superb. Don Blacks lyrics to the title track still bring a tear to my eye. There are several versions of the song too, including the original movie orchestrated and best example. The Mindbenders (featured as the 'school prom' band) also feature on the album. I have waited along time to get hold of this soundtrack. It was worth the wait!
The soundtrack to "To Sir, With Love" took a long time in coming, but it was well worth the wait. Every track on the CD took me back to when I first saw the film at a drive-in back in the '60's. To me, the best track is the "Museum" version of the theme song, which includes a verse that is not on any LP or 45. Although this CD is not all that long, I have no complaints with it. If you liked the movie, you will love the CD. Only five stars? Why not make it ten?
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