West Side Story Soundtrack

[chet_baker]

The West Side Story soundtrack appears twice, once for the Broadway version in 1957 and once for the movie in 1967. I reckon this is a little unfair. The lists which have recognised this music definitely aren't bothered about which version they're listening to. Minor point.

PS this site is great! I have made my own all time list. Is there anywhere I should post it on this site? Any ongoing user contributed section? x

[irreduciblekoan]

This would probably fit better in the "music, music, music" section. Anyway, this is interesting. Is it true that the lists didn't specify a specific version? In that case, how was it determined whether to put it towards the soundtrack vs the cast recording on AM?

Although I love this site to death, my own "complaint" if you can call it that is that the idea of compilations seems inconsistent. Although greatest hits albums aren't included in AM, other comps are, such as Derrick May's Innovator, Bob Marley's African Herbsman and The Smiths Hatful of Hollow. I figure, either make all compilations eligible, or none of them, for the sake of consistency.

A very minor issue though.

[Harold]

Is it true that the lists didn't specify a specific version?

No, it isn't true - if you track down the lists cited in the AM entries for both the Broadway original cast album and the movie soundtrack, the listmakers most definitely specify which version they mean. And, yes, the Grammy Hall of Fame has inducted both. The two albums may contain essentially the same material (although the film made numerous changes, lyrical and otherwise), but they are two very different artifacts, which had very different cultural impacts, and deserve to be treated as such.