Elton John Album: “Road to El Dorado [Import Bonus Tracks]”

I believe the above has been stated in at least a couple reviews, but I somehow missed it in perusing the reviews before I purchased this album, and I want it stressed that this album does not contain the actual recordings used in the movie El Dorado. The tunes are the same, some lyrics are different (a minor quibble) but most upsetting is if you're looking for a recapturing of the songs you heard while watching the movie, you're not going to get it here. I LOVE the film version of "It's tough to be a god" with Ken and Kevin singing it, and while the Elton/Randy Newman version also is cute, it just doesn't have the same 'oomph'. The title theme is weak compared to the version heard in the movie, and I was really disappointed that the lively female backing vocals heard in the movie version of "The trail we blaze" are completely missing from this CD and replaced instead by breathy male backup. Compared to the movie, the songs on the CD are of a notably slower tempo and calmer delivery (read: a bit boring). My children are more forgiving than I, and enjoy the CD anyhow, and the additional tracks feature some really great music ("16th century man" is a great catchy upbeat tune if you ignore the somewhat silly lyrics). Just be sure you know what to expect!

This Album is a must have for all collections. I can listen to it over and over again. I first got this Album before I even saw the movie and it was the music that made me want to see the movie....honest truth...the music makes the movie! This album has something for everyone. YES, I am going along with the popular opinion that my favorite song is "Someday Out of the Blue". "Friends Never say Goodbye" is also a sentimental favorite of mine. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SAMPLES THEN ADD THIS ONE TO YOUR COLLECTION!

I have everything Elton has ever recorded and I was so suprised when I listened to El Darado. Elton's vocals are strong, the music is very sound and all in all I think it's the best thing from Elton since Captain Fantastic. I know the lion king tracks sounded great ...but as a body of work this is much better. If your an ELton fan you'll love El Darado, if your not..your really missing something great.

Road to Eldorado was a great movie with great songs that didn't really need to be touched for the soundtrack. Instead, all the songs are given changes and performed by Elton John, minus the three orchestral score pieces in the back. Don't get me wrong! I enjoyed the songs a lot! But even when I heard this wasn't exactly a soundtrack, I didn't exactly expect so many deviations from the originals.

The big let-downs for me were: "The Trail We Blazed." In the movie it was much stronger and had much more energy in the background music. And then of course, "It's Tough to be a God." It was performed so much more humorously in the movie. I just didn't find this version fun at all. See, in the movie, even if you paid no attention to the lyrics and action, the character's voices and emotions displayed through them were funny in themselves. The song was much faster as well. I wanna hear Tulio...

But all in all, good music is here. You really can't go wrong with the composers. I wish they'd just make one more soundtrack though for the movie crowd and those stuck in the middle like me...

EDIT: I made a mistake! How unlike me! (Not... heh ^_^;) I read some other reviews then did a little research. These are pre-songs, rather than post (altered) ones. How silly of me. But that doesn't change the fact that I miss the movie version of "It's Tough to be a God."

I would like to add something else as well. "Panic in Me" and "My Heart Dances" are both really nice dramatic songs with a touch of angst. Highly recommended. I still wish there was more SOUNDTRACK than ALBUM on it. The score was great. But I still don't regret owning this one bit. Elton John and every other talent put in a great effort for this movie and it shows!

Versatility rules in this soundtrack - the conventional Elton John love-ballad sound doesn't adamantly ring away with stiff sentimentality. It's fresh, fun, and a wonderful makeover from his albums of the `70s. From the energetic start in "El Dorado", to heartfelt poignancy in "Friends Never Say Goodbye", to even amusing "The Lion King" rock in "16th Century Man", it's all a package of musical talent and culture (from Spanish to Native American) that's more than you'd have bargained for (after all, only five of the new eleven songs appeared in the movie)!

And there really isn't anything lacking in the jazz remix of the movie's original "It's Tough To Be A God" - Randy Newman still sparks with fervor in his duet with Elton John, and the bluish instrumentation accompanying it gives the track a sensual conclusion. And "Trust Me" turns out as a very unique track, with the odd sound of Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger" sizzling around.

Of course, Hans Zimmer does a great job on the scoring, along with John Powell - I especially enjoyed "The Ball Game" in "Wonders of the New World" with that modern rugby touch to it. With this much in line, anyone can expect - this is worth its weight in heavy-weight gold!