The Wiz (soundtrack)


The Wiz is the original motion picture soundtrack album for the 1978 film adaptation of the Broadway musical The Wiz. Although the film was produced for Universal Pictures by Motown Records' film division, the soundtrack album was issued on MCA Records as a two-LP collection. Chiefly produced by Quincy Jones, The Wiz soundtrack features non-sync cast performances by the stars of the film, including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, and Lena Horne.
Like many musicals of the period, the performances in the soundtrack album are not those used directly in the film, but re-recorded by the same artists at an earlier and/or later date. Several differences are noted including Michael Jackson's line and a Nipsey Russell scat section being dropped in "A Brand New Day" among others. The song "Is This What Feeling Gets?" was not used in the film's final cut, though the tune is used throughout the film.
The track selection is made up of both songs from the original 1975 Broadway musical by Charlie Smalls and Luther Vandross, as well as new songs written for the film by Jones, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, and Anthony Jackson. This soundtrack marks Jones' first collaboration with Michael Jackson; Jones went on to produce Jackson's hit solo albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.
The album, with its hit single "Ease on Down the Road", was more successful than the film itself, which was a commercial and critical failure. It was certified Gold in the US. It also did well in some European territories like the Netherlands, where "A Brand New Day" was a surprise number 1. In 2009, Ross ended each of two sold-out performances at the 34,000-seat Geldredome Stadium with a finale of "A Brand New Day". The soundtrack also sold well in Australia.

Track listing

All songs written by Charlie Smalls, unless otherwise noted.

Original vinyl listing

All songs written by Charlie Smalls, unless otherwise noted.

Record one, side one

  1. "Main Title "
  2. "Overture "
  3. "The Feeling That We Have" - Theresa Merritt and Chorus
  4. "Can I Go On?" - Diana Ross
  5. "Glinda's Theme"
  6. "He's the Wizard" - Thelma Carpenter and Chorus
  7. "Soon as I Get Home"/"Home" - Diana Ross

    Record one, side two

  8. "You Can't Win" - Michael Jackson
  9. "Ease on Down the Road #1" - Diana Ross and Michael Jackson
  10. "What Would I Do If I Could Feel?" - Nipsey Russell
  11. "Slide Some Oil to Me" - Nipsey Russell
  12. "Ease on Down the Road #2" - Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Nipsey Russell
  13. "I'm a Mean Ole Lion" - Ted Ross
  14. "Ease on Down the Road #3" - Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross
  15. "Poppy Girls" -

    Record two, side one

  16. "Be a Lion" - Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross
  17. "End of the Yellow Brick Road"
  18. "Emerald City Sequence" - Chorus
  19. "So You Wanted to See the Wizard" - Richard Pryor
  20. "Is This What Feeling Gets? " - Diana Ross

    Record two, side two

  21. "Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News" - Mabel King and Chorus
  22. "A Brand New Day" - Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, and Chorus
  23. "Believe in Yourself " - Diana Ross
  24. "The Good Witch Glinda"
  25. "Believe in Yourself " - Lena Horne
  26. "Home" - Diana Ross

    Charts

Certifications