Beat Street (soundtrack)

Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
– Volumes 1 & 2
Cover of the "Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Volume 1".
Soundtrack album by
various artists
Released1984 (U.S.)
1984 (Canada, Germany, Italy)
StudioUnique Recording Studios, New York City[1]
GenreOld school rap, boogie, electro, breakdance music
Length79.28 (total)
40:55, 38:73
LabelAtlantic 80154 (Volume I.)
Atlantic 80158 (Volume II.)
ProducerArthur Baker, Harry Belafonte

Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Volume 1 and Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Volume 2 are soundtrack albums for the 1984 drama film of the same name. It was released in 1984 by Atlantic Records. Both albums were produced by Harry Belafonte, a calypso artist best known for his 1956 hit "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", and prolific freestyle music producer and remixer Arthur Baker, who collaborated with music artists including Freeez, Afrika Bambaataa, and New Order.[2][3]

Both albums even entered the Billboard 200 and R&B Albums charts and stayed there in the same year.[4][5]

Description

The soundtrack contains music mainly from old-school hip-hop artists including Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five, Jazzy Jay, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic and Treacherous Three featuring beatbox pioneer Doug E. Fresh but also various electro/boogie musicians such as Freeez, and the System and Juicy.[6]

The album was certified gold in the same year.[7][8]

A third volume was planned, but it was never released. The second volume was never released on CD.

Track listing

Volume 1 (80154)

A-side
# Title Artist(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
A1 "Beat Street Breakdown" Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious 5 Melvin Glover, Reggie Griffin Melle Mel, Sylvia Robinson 6:48
A2 "Baptise the Beat" The System David Frank, Mic Murphy David Frank, Michael Murphy 4:25
A3 "Strangers in a Strange World"
(Love Theme From Beat Street) 		Jenny Burton & Patrick Jude Jake Holmes Jake Holmes 4:25
A4 "Frantic Situation" Afrika Bambaataa
The Soul Sonic Force, Shango 		Arthur Baker, Leroi Evans, Ray Serrano, Afrika Bambaataa Aasim, William Henderson, Ellis Williams, John Miller, Robert Allen, Wilfred Fowler Arthur Baker 5:04
B-side
# Title Artist(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
B1 "Beat Street Strut" Juicy Milton G. Barnes, Katreese Barnes Eumir Deodato 5:00
B2 "Us Girls" Sharon Green, Lisa Counts & Debbie D Debora Hooper, Lisa Counts, Ross Levinson, Sharon Green Harry Belafonte 3:52
B3 "This Could Be the Night" Cindy Mizelle Arthur Baker, Carl Sturken, Chris Lord-Alge, Evan Rogers, Tina Baker Arthur Baker 4:53
B4 "Breaker's Revenge" Arthur Baker Arthur Baker Arthur Baker 4:42
B5 "Tu Cariño / Carmen's Theme" Ruben Blades Carlos Franzetti, Ruben Blades Harry Belafonte 3:06

Volume 2 (80158)

A-side
# Title Artist(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
A1 "Son of Beat Street" Jazzy Jay John Byas, Lenny Underwood David Belafonte 4:05
A2 "Give Me All" Juicy Milton G. Barnes, Katreese Barnes Arthur Baker, Harry Belafonte 4:25
A3 "Nothin's Gonna Come Easy" Tina B Arthur Baker, Tina Baker Arthur Baker, Harry Belafonte 4:19
A4 "Santa's Rap" The Treacherous Three Kevin Keaton, LaMar Hill, Mohandas Dewese David Belafonte 6:10
B-side
# Title Artist(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
B1 "It's All Right By Me" Jenny Burton Peter Link Peter Link, Webster Lewis 5:00
B2 "Battle Cry" Rockers Revenge Arthur Baker, Donald Calvin Hawkes, Vincent Dwight Fuller Arthur Baker 4:52
B3 Phony Four MC's – "Wappin' (Bubblehead)" Ralph Rolle Earl Deas, Eric Real, Ralph Rolle Arthur Baker, Harry Belafonte 6:11
B4 "Into The Night" La La LaForest Cope, Lenny Underwood, Webster Lewis Webster Lewis 4:42

Credits and personnel

Charts

Volume 1

Chart (1984) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 33
US Billboard R&B Albums 10
US Billboard 200 14

Volume 2

Chart (1984) Position
US Billboard R&B Albums 47
US Billboard 200 137

Album certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Deejay.de. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  2. ^ "Beat Street Vol. 1 (Original Soundtrack) credits". Allmusic. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  3. ^ "Beat Street Vol. 2 (Original Soundtrack) credits". Allmusic. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  4. ^ Beat Street Volume 1 - chart positions. Billboard & Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-August-09
  5. ^ Beat Street Volume 2 - Chart positions. Billboard & Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-August-09
  6. ^ "Beat Street Vol. 1 (Original Soundtrack) credits". Discogs. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  7. ^ "Vitae of Carl Maultsby - composer". Carl MaultsBy. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  8. ^ Ira A. Robbins (1985). The Rolling Stone Review — 1985. Edited by Ira A. Robbins. Rolling Stone Press. ISBN 978-0-684-18333-6. Retrieved August 21, 2011. Although second to arrive, the Beat Street soundtrack went gold, and Beat Street, Vol. II was released later in the year.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Beat Street". Recording Industry Association of America.