Proper Records, in collaboration with Universal Music Recordings, are delighted to make again available Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, the soundtrack to the box-office smash film, written and directed by Guy Ritchie. Originally released on Island Records in September 1998, it quickly became a must-own album, and is frequently cited as one of the best movie soundtracks of all time.
Released in August 1998, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels redefined the British gangster film and established Guy Ritchie as one of the greatest directing and writing talents of his generation. Using a frenetic mixture of filmic styles, humour, violence, breakdown of the fourth wall, narration, and vast amounts of swearing, it is hard to imagine a time when this film and its influence was not around. It made a star of the-then unknown Jason Statham, and, amazingly, hard man footballer Vinnie Jones, who as Big Chris, had several scene-stealing moments.
Taking his cue from Quentin Tarantino, who had been meticulously curating his film soundtracks since the early 90s, Ritchie made the music to his film tell its own story, complete with memorable snatches of dialogue between many of the tracks. It offers a beautifully eclectic selection of songs from the preceding three decades, plus then-current artists providing some of their best material, such as Hundred Mile High City by Ocean Colour Scene or E-Z Rollers drumnbass masterpiece Walk This Land. Of the heritage tracks, Dusty Springfield sings her sultry take on Spooky; James Brown appears twice with The Boss and The Payback; The Stooges with I Wanna Be Your Dog, and two versions of Pete Wingfields masterful one-hit-wonder 18 With A Bullet; in its 1975 original and a contemporary cover by Lewis Taylor and Carleen Anderson. And this is only half of it.
Tracks:
Side A
1. Ocean Colour Scene Hundred Mile High City
2. It’s A Deal, It’s A Steal
3. James Brown The Boss
4. Skanga Truly, Madly, Deeply
5. Hortif**kinculturist
6. Junior Murvin Police And Thieves
Side B
1. Lewis Taylor & Carleen Anderson 18 With A Bullet
2. Dusty Springfield Spooky
3. John Murphy & David Hughes The Game
4. Muppets
5. Robbie Williams Man Machine
6. E-Z Rollers Walk This Land
Side C
1. Blaspheming Barry
2. The Stooges I Wanna Be Your Dog
3. It’s Kosher
4. The Castaways Liar Liar
5. I’ve Been Shot
6. Stretch Why Did You Do It
7. Guns 4 Show Knives 4 A Pro
8. Evil Superstars Oh Girl
9. John Murphy & David Hughes If The Milk Turns Sour
10. John Murphy & David Hughes Zorba The Greek
Side D
1. John Murphy & David Hughes I’ll Kill Ya
2. James Brown The Payback
3. The Stone Roses Fools Gold
4. It’s Been Emotional
5. Pete Wingfield 18 With A Bullet
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