Womblingly brilliant, 26 May 2008
I've little to add to the excellent reviews already given for this album. This is a super cd, full of fun brilliantly composed happy songs that will not fail to make you or your little ones smile, or giggle hysterically as you dance around the living room with them. I've yet to find a childrens album that tops it.

Great fun!, 20 Feb 2008
I actually came across some Wombles songs on 'You Tube' so I thought I'd see what was on Amazon and came across this album. Wow! Musically this is brilliant with a variety of styles, humour and basically fantastic fun. I've always had a high regard for Mike Batt and the musicians he surrounds himself with but after this listening to this I regard him even higher. Oddly enough I appreciate this much more at my age (48...) than I did when these songs were originally released. Well worth listening to, well well toe-tapping to and well worth enjoying. Thanks to all responsible for this release, whoever you are.

A THOUSAND ARMOURED TRASH COLLECTORS, 16 Oct 2007
I can't agree more with the first reviewer Sordel's summary of the Wombles band. I'd also like to add that it's rare that you get something so first-rate and quality as the range of music styles, humour, satire and magnitude written for kids these days. Personally, I was first introduced to it in the late seventies as a child when my older brother played it interminably. I grew up with such soundtracks as "The Myths and Legends of King Merton Womble" and "Wombling White Tie and Tails" entwined with my early childhood consciousness and appreciation of music. Largely due to this album, I felt very comfortable with different types of music from a very early age. When I bought it off Amazon recently, I expected a pleasant and humorous trip down memory lane, but I was mistaken. It blew my head off! Quite apart from the childhood connections that opened up again when I listened to the well-remembered tracks, it is an absolute cornucopia of musical variety, written and performed with panache and a huge dose of humour. The epic-sounding "A thousand armoured trash collectors glistening in the sun!" sung across heraldic trumpets really takes some beating!

Very enjoyable, 26 Jun 2007
I'm from the 80s generation who had older friends and cousins with some of the original 70s LPs -- the CD took a couple of listens to worm a way into my head, as I hadn't heard many of the tracks before. It makes great toe-tapping music to work to, and the only tune I'd really like to have seen included that isn't is "Exercise Is Good For You (Laziness Is Not)". Hopefully the out-of-print 2CD Wombles Collection set will be reissued eventually, but in the meantime this disc is a bargain and likely to have most of the songs you remember.

Underground (Overground) Classic, 19 Aug 2006
Erm, okay ...

I'm going to assume that you already know that The Wombles was a novelty band aimed at children that existed about thirty years ago. You probably also know that they were masterminded by Mike Batt, latterly the Svengali of Katie Mellua. When I give it five stars, you can pretty much safely assume that these are not the same five stars that I would give "OK Computer" or "Sgt. Pepper". That said, this is a brilliant album.

Batt used The Wombles as a vehicle to pastiche other musical styles, so we get here, amongst others, parodies of reggae, the blues, barber shop quartets, country 'n' western, Rick Wakeman, and David Bowie. For kids that is great, because it gives them a range of musical styles to understand and appreciate, including classical music in the form of Copland, Mozart and Mussorgsky. All the best Wombles songs are here, and there is a certain amount of filler avoided. On top of which, the orchestrations and session work are absolutely at the top of their game.

If you're sick of playing the Tweenies to your children, this is an excellent alternative that may well also get some serious airtime when the little darlings are not around to hear it. Those old enough to have grown up on The Wombles (guilty as charged!) will need no further recommendation.

Womblingly brilliant, 26 May 2008
I've little to add to the excellent reviews already given for this album. This is a super cd, full of fun brilliantly composed happy songs that will not fail to make you or your little ones smile, or giggle hysterically as you dance around the living room with them. I've yet to find a childrens album that tops it.

Great fun!, 20 Feb 2008
I actually came across some Wombles songs on 'You Tube' so I thought I'd see what was on Amazon and came across this album. Wow! Musically this is brilliant with a variety of styles, humour and basically fantastic fun. I've always had a high regard for Mike Batt and the musicians he surrounds himself with but after this listening to this I regard him even higher. Oddly enough I appreciate this much more at my age (48...) than I did when these songs were originally released. Well worth listening to, well well toe-tapping to and well worth enjoying. Thanks to all responsible for this release, whoever you are.

A THOUSAND ARMOURED TRASH COLLECTORS, 16 Oct 2007
I can't agree more with the first reviewer Sordel's summary of the Wombles band. I'd also like to add that it's rare that you get something so first-rate and quality as the range of music styles, humour, satire and magnitude written for kids these days. Personally, I was first introduced to it in the late seventies as a child when my older brother played it interminably. I grew up with such soundtracks as "The Myths and Legends of King Merton Womble" and "Wombling White Tie and Tails" entwined with my early childhood consciousness and appreciation of music. Largely due to this album, I felt very comfortable with different types of music from a very early age. When I bought it off Amazon recently, I expected a pleasant and humorous trip down memory lane, but I was mistaken. It blew my head off! Quite apart from the childhood connections that opened up again when I listened to the well-remembered tracks, it is an absolute cornucopia of musical variety, written and performed with panache and a huge dose of humour. The epic-sounding "A thousand armoured trash collectors glistening in the sun!" sung across heraldic trumpets really takes some beating!

Very enjoyable, 26 Jun 2007
I'm from the 80s generation who had older friends and cousins with some of the original 70s LPs -- the CD took a couple of listens to worm a way into my head, as I hadn't heard many of the tracks before. It makes great toe-tapping music to work to, and the only tune I'd really like to have seen included that isn't is "Exercise Is Good For You (Laziness Is Not)". Hopefully the out-of-print 2CD Wombles Collection set will be reissued eventually, but in the meantime this disc is a bargain and likely to have most of the songs you remember.

Underground (Overground) Classic, 19 Aug 2006
Erm, okay ...

I'm going to assume that you already know that The Wombles was a novelty band aimed at children that existed about thirty years ago. You probably also know that they were masterminded by Mike Batt, latterly the Svengali of Katie Mellua. When I give it five stars, you can pretty much safely assume that these are not the same five stars that I would give "OK Computer" or "Sgt. Pepper". That said, this is a brilliant album.

Batt used The Wombles as a vehicle to pastiche other musical styles, so we get here, amongst others, parodies of reggae, the blues, barber shop quartets, country 'n' western, Rick Wakeman, and David Bowie. For kids that is great, because it gives them a range of musical styles to understand and appreciate, including classical music in the form of Copland, Mozart and Mussorgsky. All the best Wombles songs are here, and there is a certain amount of filler avoided. On top of which, the orchestrations and session work are absolutely at the top of their game.

If you're sick of playing the Tweenies to your children, this is an excellent alternative that may well also get some serious airtime when the little darlings are not around to hear it. Those old enough to have grown up on The Wombles (guilty as charged!) will need no further recommendation.

new slant to familiar places, 02 Mar 2006
I was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh. I found it hard to disassociate it from the horrible Disneyfication, but when a long car journey loomed, this was the only CD available and ploughing through fog and heavy rain, it amused not only the children, but me as well. Alan Bennett is great and repeated listens are not as irritating as expected. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Womblingly brilliant, 26 May 2008
I've little to add to the excellent reviews already given for this album. This is a super cd, full of fun brilliantly composed happy songs that will not fail to make you or your little ones smile, or giggle hysterically as you dance around the living room with them. I've yet to find a childrens album that tops it.

Great fun!, 20 Feb 2008
I actually came across some Wombles songs on 'You Tube' so I thought I'd see what was on Amazon and came across this album. Wow! Musically this is brilliant with a variety of styles, humour and basically fantastic fun. I've always had a high regard for Mike Batt and the musicians he surrounds himself with but after this listening to this I regard him even higher. Oddly enough I appreciate this much more at my age (48...) than I did when these songs were originally released. Well worth listening to, well well toe-tapping to and well worth enjoying. Thanks to all responsible for this release, whoever you are.

A THOUSAND ARMOURED TRASH COLLECTORS, 16 Oct 2007
I can't agree more with the first reviewer Sordel's summary of the Wombles band. I'd also like to add that it's rare that you get something so first-rate and quality as the range of music styles, humour, satire and magnitude written for kids these days. Personally, I was first introduced to it in the late seventies as a child when my older brother played it interminably. I grew up with such soundtracks as "The Myths and Legends of King Merton Womble" and "Wombling White Tie and Tails" entwined with my early childhood consciousness and appreciation of music. Largely due to this album, I felt very comfortable with different types of music from a very early age. When I bought it off Amazon recently, I expected a pleasant and humorous trip down memory lane, but I was mistaken. It blew my head off! Quite apart from the childhood connections that opened up again when I listened to the well-remembered tracks, it is an absolute cornucopia of musical variety, written and performed with panache and a huge dose of humour. The epic-sounding "A thousand armoured trash collectors glistening in the sun!" sung across heraldic trumpets really takes some beating!

Very enjoyable, 26 Jun 2007
I'm from the 80s generation who had older friends and cousins with some of the original 70s LPs -- the CD took a couple of listens to worm a way into my head, as I hadn't heard many of the tracks before. It makes great toe-tapping music to work to, and the only tune I'd really like to have seen included that isn't is "Exercise Is Good For You (Laziness Is Not)". Hopefully the out-of-print 2CD Wombles Collection set will be reissued eventually, but in the meantime this disc is a bargain and likely to have most of the songs you remember.

Underground (Overground) Classic, 19 Aug 2006
Erm, okay ...

I'm going to assume that you already know that The Wombles was a novelty band aimed at children that existed about thirty years ago. You probably also know that they were masterminded by Mike Batt, latterly the Svengali of Katie Mellua. When I give it five stars, you can pretty much safely assume that these are not the same five stars that I would give "OK Computer" or "Sgt. Pepper". That said, this is a brilliant album.

Batt used The Wombles as a vehicle to pastiche other musical styles, so we get here, amongst others, parodies of reggae, the blues, barber shop quartets, country 'n' western, Rick Wakeman, and David Bowie. For kids that is great, because it gives them a range of musical styles to understand and appreciate, including classical music in the form of Copland, Mozart and Mussorgsky. All the best Wombles songs are here, and there is a certain amount of filler avoided. On top of which, the orchestrations and session work are absolutely at the top of their game.

If you're sick of playing the Tweenies to your children, this is an excellent alternative that may well also get some serious airtime when the little darlings are not around to hear it. Those old enough to have grown up on The Wombles (guilty as charged!) will need no further recommendation.

new slant to familiar places, 02 Mar 2006
I was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh. I found it hard to disassociate it from the horrible Disneyfication, but when a long car journey loomed, this was the only CD available and ploughing through fog and heavy rain, it amused not only the children, but me as well. Alan Bennett is great and repeated listens are not as irritating as expected. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Another Prince Soundtrack Better than the Film, 22 Oct 2007
The film was pretty good, thoug didn't always work. Nicholson was the star, Basinger just screamed !!!

As for the music well overall it was much better than the film. 'The Future' starts us off, a terrific funk workout pinctuated with snippets from the film and tender strings which really resonate. 'Electric Chair' is an altogether ballsier affair with 'The Joker' confessing he is a bad man and always will be. Then we come to the weakest tracks on the album. 'Partyman' was featured in the film (not all here were). It's a funky jam, definetely toe tapping but not the most memorable, though the scene where 'The Joker' is wrecking the art gallery in which this track features is. 'The Arms of Orion' like its predecessor it was released as a single but is rather underwhelming despite Shenna Easton's presence.

We crank things up again with 'Trust', a pacy funk number that stomps along with gusto, try working out to this one and still have breath left !!! 'Lemon Crush' was written with Prince's dad and is more down beat with several pauses in pace to fit in shrill synth or guitar riffs. Finally we end with the best two track. 'Scandalous' has to rate with the very best Prince ballads, up with 'Adore' in fact, 6 minutes of ecstacy. Finally we have the track that finally convinced me of Prince's genius. This is so full of adacity, changes of pace (three songs on one?), great industrial percussion driving the song and the daddy of guitar solos that Hendrix would have been proud of. On a commercial track? Well prince was really big then and only he coul dhave got away with it. That makes it sound shoddy. No chance, it will lift you off the floor and throw you back there again. What a way to end a very good effort from the Purple one.

One of the Best OSTs ever !!!, 20 Mar 2007
Not to be confused with Danny Elfman's instrumental release for the same movie, this soundtrack for the first Batman, is one of the best movie soundtracks ever released. Prince created a soundtrack that moves with the movie. It is not just a compilation of songs that you hear in the background of a movie, like many soundtracks that are hastily put together. This CD is full of dialogue from the movie and from Prince's imagination. Prince put a lot of heart, soul and funk into this recording.

Songs:
THE FUTURE is the opening song that sets the stage for the dark future that The Joker has in mind for Gothem. It full of techno, synthesized sounds that are held together with Prince's rhythm guitar.
ELECTRIC CHAIR comes out with hard guitar riffs by one of the greatest guitarist in the pop/rock world.
THE ARMS OF ORION - What a pretty song. It is sung as a duet between Bruce Wayne (Prince) and Vicki Vale (Sheena Easton). It is a soft, sad love song that is held together by the beautiful piano and a string section.
PARTYMAN - What more can I say except to quote Jack, "Gentlemen, let's broaden our minds!" Everyone listening to this can picture Jack Nicholson as the Joker strutting thru the museum with his henchmen and a boombox. Very Funky.
VICKI'S WAITING - Another dance track. The song is about Batman wondering if and when he should tell Vicki Vale that he is Bruce Wayne.
TRUST - Another upbeat dance track that was used when the Joker is riding on his float in a parade through downtown Gothem.
LEMON CRUSH - Club tune. The only song I can not envision in the Batman movie. Still a good tune.
SCANDALOUS - Love or Sex? Everyone who is a Prince fan knows this is one of his songs (Insatiable, Damn U, Do Me Baby, The Beautiful Ones, and Adore) that is great for romancing with the one you love. Great Song!
BATDANCE - Great Finale. Prince starts the songs with 3 loud guitar riffs, then the Joker speaks. He weaves Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, and Jack Nicholson into this song that incorporates all aspects of the movie.

This soundtrack has a soul of its own.

Pure Partyman!, 26 Jan 2007
Prior to the release of Tim Burton's dark and stylised interpretation of the Batman concept, Prince had just published the politically controversial Sign O' The Times in 1987 and the fabulously peppy God-enthused Lovesexy in 1988, both of which explored different musical genres and experimented with both established types and some of the newer artistic styles of the decade. Prince has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of musical restrictions, combining a range of different styles of music and it would be fair to say that no one could level the accusation against him that he fails to move and adapt with the times. Batman is a prime example of Prince's ability to blend different genres. Long term Prince fans will recognise some of the production values, but there's plenty of innovative composition to keep even the most disillusioned Prince fan satisfied.

Songs like 'Electric Chair' and 'Partyman' are infectious examples of the type of music typical of the 80's, with great lyrics and an energy charged electric funk guitar riffing over the top and both are pure Prince gold. 'Arms of Orion' is a poignant love ballad, but has a minimalistic score which works extremely well with the subject matter, with good vocal performances from both Prince and Sheena's Easton's on the track which lend a touching quality to the song.

'Lemon Crush' is probably the most ambitious track of the album, as much of the backing vocals are song in an off-key manner, as is the musical arrangement. Oddly, the whole thing works extremely well. Some of this off-key arrangement is used in 'Batdance' and again it works very well. 'Batdance' has some very minor production issues, most notably evident in the splicing of The Joker's trademark laugh near the beginning of the track, but on the whole the song fits together neatly.
The standout track for me has to be 'Vicki Waiting'. As well as some deliciously suggestive lyrics, the song utilised an engaging bass beat and excellent percussion arrangement, which has had me replaying the track again and again on more than one occasion.

Batman is a highly polished piece of work, resembling Lovesexy to some degree with its glossy production and addictive, catchy tunes. Granted, many of the songs are prime examples of the musical fashion prevalent in the mid to late 80's, but, in my opinion, this only lends them an additional clique value and detracts nothing from the genius demonstrated by it's writer, composer and producer. A fabulous album in general and one no self respecting Prince fan should be without.


batman - prince? what a combo!, 14 Jul 2006
Fair do's!
Alright you got me, I am a huge batfan, at the time I was a huge Porince fan also... so imagine my anticipation when the album came out!

I never got around to doing a review for it mind.
It is a brillaint album, most tracks you will hear in the movie, apart from "Orions Arms" which is such a beautiful song, so much song that my wife and I call it "our song"

The only disapointment for me on this cd is the exclusion of 99 baloons, a b side to batdance, which is a fun track.

Its an album worth a look at, if your a prince fan its avery strong album, if your looking for a song , A SONG for your lover, the orions arms will charm :)

A little dated by now, 13 Jan 2006
I bought this on audio cassette way back in the day not long after the film was released. Initially I was disapointed because it wasn't the Danny Elfman score which was what I mainly remembered from seeing the film. But once I go over that initial disapointment I actually rather enjoyed this collection of songs by prince. Having listened to it again recently however I can say that it has dated quite badly, but there are still at least a couple of songs of thought worthy of being put onto my ipod. Worth it if you can pick it up cheap.

Womblingly brilliant, 26 May 2008
I've little to add to the excellent reviews already given for this album. This is a super cd, full of fun brilliantly composed happy songs that will not fail to make you or your little ones smile, or giggle hysterically as you dance around the living room with them. I've yet to find a childrens album that tops it.

Great fun!, 20 Feb 2008
I actually came across some Wombles songs on 'You Tube' so I thought I'd see what was on Amazon and came across this album. Wow! Musically this is brilliant with a variety of styles, humour and basically fantastic fun. I've always had a high regard for Mike Batt and the musicians he surrounds himself with but after this listening to this I regard him even higher. Oddly enough I appreciate this much more at my age (48...) than I did when these songs were originally released. Well worth listening to, well well toe-tapping to and well worth enjoying. Thanks to all responsible for this release, whoever you are.

A THOUSAND ARMOURED TRASH COLLECTORS, 16 Oct 2007
I can't agree more with the first reviewer Sordel's summary of the Wombles band. I'd also like to add that it's rare that you get something so first-rate and quality as the range of music styles, humour, satire and magnitude written for kids these days. Personally, I was first introduced to it in the late seventies as a child when my older brother played it interminably. I grew up with such soundtracks as "The Myths and Legends of King Merton Womble" and "Wombling White Tie and Tails" entwined with my early childhood consciousness and appreciation of music. Largely due to this album, I felt very comfortable with different types of music from a very early age. When I bought it off Amazon recently, I expected a pleasant and humorous trip down memory lane, but I was mistaken. It blew my head off! Quite apart from the childhood connections that opened up again when I listened to the well-remembered tracks, it is an absolute cornucopia of musical variety, written and performed with panache and a huge dose of humour. The epic-sounding "A thousand armoured trash collectors glistening in the sun!" sung across heraldic trumpets really takes some beating!

Very enjoyable, 26 Jun 2007
I'm from the 80s generation who had older friends and cousins with some of the original 70s LPs -- the CD took a couple of listens to worm a way into my head, as I hadn't heard many of the tracks before. It makes great toe-tapping music to work to, and the only tune I'd really like to have seen included that isn't is "Exercise Is Good For You (Laziness Is Not)". Hopefully the out-of-print 2CD Wombles Collection set will be reissued eventually, but in the meantime this disc is a bargain and likely to have most of the songs you remember.

Underground (Overground) Classic, 19 Aug 2006
Erm, okay ...

I'm going to assume that you already know that The Wombles was a novelty band aimed at children that existed about thirty years ago. You probably also know that they were masterminded by Mike Batt, latterly the Svengali of Katie Mellua. When I give it five stars, you can pretty much safely assume that these are not the same five stars that I would give "OK Computer" or "Sgt. Pepper". That said, this is a brilliant album.

Batt used The Wombles as a vehicle to pastiche other musical styles, so we get here, amongst others, parodies of reggae, the blues, barber shop quartets, country 'n' western, Rick Wakeman, and David Bowie. For kids that is great, because it gives them a range of musical styles to understand and appreciate, including classical music in the form of Copland, Mozart and Mussorgsky. All the best Wombles songs are here, and there is a certain amount of filler avoided. On top of which, the orchestrations and session work are absolutely at the top of their game.

If you're sick of playing the Tweenies to your children, this is an excellent alternative that may well also get some serious airtime when the little darlings are not around to hear it. Those old enough to have grown up on The Wombles (guilty as charged!) will need no further recommendation.

new slant to familiar places, 02 Mar 2006
I was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh. I found it hard to disassociate it from the horrible Disneyfication, but when a long car journey loomed, this was the only CD available and ploughing through fog and heavy rain, it amused not only the children, but me as well. Alan Bennett is great and repeated listens are not as irritating as expected. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Another Prince Soundtrack Better than the Film, 22 Oct 2007
The film was pretty good, thoug didn't always work. Nicholson was the star, Basinger just screamed !!!

As for the music well overall it was much better than the film. 'The Future' starts us off, a terrific funk workout pinctuated with snippets from the film and tender strings which really resonate. 'Electric Chair' is an altogether ballsier affair with 'The Joker' confessing he is a bad man and always will be. Then we come to the weakest tracks on the album. 'Partyman' was featured in the film (not all here were). It's a funky jam, definetely toe tapping but not the most memorable, though the scene where 'The Joker' is wrecking the art gallery in which this track features is. 'The Arms of Orion' like its predecessor it was released as a single but is rather underwhelming despite Shenna Easton's presence.

We crank things up again with 'Trust', a pacy funk number that stomps along with gusto, try working out to this one and still have breath left !!! 'Lemon Crush' was written with Prince's dad and is more down beat with several pauses in pace to fit in shrill synth or guitar riffs. Finally we end with the best two track. 'Scandalous' has to rate with the very best Prince ballads, up with 'Adore' in fact, 6 minutes of ecstacy. Finally we have the track that finally convinced me of Prince's genius. This is so full of adacity, changes of pace (three songs on one?), great industrial percussion driving the song and the daddy of guitar solos that Hendrix would have been proud of. On a commercial track? Well prince was really big then and only he coul dhave got away with it. That makes it sound shoddy. No chance, it will lift you off the floor and throw you back there again. What a way to end a very good effort from the Purple one.

One of the Best OSTs ever !!!, 20 Mar 2007
Not to be confused with Danny Elfman's instrumental release for the same movie, this soundtrack for the first Batman, is one of the best movie soundtracks ever released. Prince created a soundtrack that moves with the movie. It is not just a compilation of songs that you hear in the background of a movie, like many soundtracks that are hastily put together. This CD is full of dialogue from the movie and from Prince's imagination. Prince put a lot of heart, soul and funk into this recording.

Songs:
THE FUTURE is the opening song that sets the stage for the dark future that The Joker has in mind for Gothem. It full of techno, synthesized sounds that are held together with Prince's rhythm guitar.
ELECTRIC CHAIR comes out with hard guitar riffs by one of the greatest guitarist in the pop/rock world.
THE ARMS OF ORION - What a pretty song. It is sung as a duet between Bruce Wayne (Prince) and Vicki Vale (Sheena Easton). It is a soft, sad love song that is held together by the beautiful piano and a string section.
PARTYMAN - What more can I say except to quote Jack, "Gentlemen, let's broaden our minds!" Everyone listening to this can picture Jack Nicholson as the Joker strutting thru the museum with his henchmen and a boombox. Very Funky.
VICKI'S WAITING - Another dance track. The song is about Batman wondering if and when he should tell Vicki Vale that he is Bruce Wayne.
TRUST - Another upbeat dance track that was used when the Joker is riding on his float in a parade through downtown Gothem.
LEMON CRUSH - Club tune. The only song I can not envision in the Batman movie. Still a good tune.
SCANDALOUS - Love or Sex? Everyone who is a Prince fan knows this is one of his songs (Insatiable, Damn U, Do Me Baby, The Beautiful Ones, and Adore) that is great for romancing with the one you love. Great Song!
BATDANCE - Great Finale. Prince starts the songs with 3 loud guitar riffs, then the Joker speaks. He weaves Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, and Jack Nicholson into this song that incorporates all aspects of the movie.

This soundtrack has a soul of its own.

Pure Partyman!, 26 Jan 2007
Prior to the release of Tim Burton's dark and stylised interpretation of the Batman concept, Prince had just published the politically controversial Sign O' The Times in 1987 and the fabulously peppy God-enthused Lovesexy in 1988, both of which explored different musical genres and experimented with both established types and some of the newer artistic styles of the decade. Prince has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of musical restrictions, combining a range of different styles of music and it would be fair to say that no one could level the accusation against him that he fails to move and adapt with the times. Batman is a prime example of Prince's ability to blend different genres. Long term Prince fans will recognise some of the production values, but there's plenty of innovative composition to keep even the most disillusioned Prince fan satisfied.

Songs like 'Electric Chair' and 'Partyman' are infectious examples of the type of music typical of the 80's, with great lyrics and an energy charged electric funk guitar riffing over the top and both are pure Prince gold. 'Arms of Orion' is a poignant love ballad, but has a minimalistic score which works extremely well with the subject matter, with good vocal performances from both Prince and Sheena's Easton's on the track which lend a touching quality to the song.

'Lemon Crush' is probably the most ambitious track of the album, as much of the backing vocals are song in an off-key manner, as is the musical arrangement. Oddly, the whole thing works extremely well. Some of this off-key arrangement is used in 'Batdance' and again it works very well. 'Batdance' has some very minor production issues, most notably evident in the splicing of The Joker's trademark laugh near the beginning of the track, but on the whole the song fits together neatly.
The standout track for me has to be 'Vicki Waiting'. As well as some deliciously suggestive lyrics, the song utilised an engaging bass beat and excellent percussion arrangement, which has had me replaying the track again and again on more than one occasion.

Batman is a highly polished piece of work, resembling Lovesexy to some degree with its glossy production and addictive, catchy tunes. Granted, many of the songs are prime examples of the musical fashion prevalent in the mid to late 80's, but, in my opinion, this only lends them an additional clique value and detracts nothing from the genius demonstrated by it's writer, composer and producer. A fabulous album in general and one no self respecting Prince fan should be without.


batman - prince? what a combo!, 14 Jul 2006
Fair do's!
Alright you got me, I am a huge batfan, at the time I was a huge Porince fan also... so imagine my anticipation when the album came out!

I never got around to doing a review for it mind.
It is a brillaint album, most tracks you will hear in the movie, apart from "Orions Arms" which is such a beautiful song, so much song that my wife and I call it "our song"

The only disapointment for me on this cd is the exclusion of 99 baloons, a b side to batdance, which is a fun track.

Its an album worth a look at, if your a prince fan its avery strong album, if your looking for a song , A SONG for your lover, the orions arms will charm :)

A little dated by now, 13 Jan 2006
I bought this on audio cassette way back in the day not long after the film was released. Initially I was disapointed because it wasn't the Danny Elfman score which was what I mainly remembered from seeing the film. But once I go over that initial disapointment I actually rather enjoyed this collection of songs by prince. Having listened to it again recently however I can say that it has dated quite badly, but there are still at least a couple of songs of thought worthy of being put onto my ipod. Worth it if you can pick it up cheap.

My one year old loves this CD, 15 Jan 2001
This CD has made many car trips bearable for both my daughter and me . The songs are fun and silly and in no time at all you will all be singing along . This was a gift from good friends and I am pleased to return the favor for their new baby

Womblingly brilliant, 26 May 2008
I've little to add to the excellent reviews already given for this album. This is a super cd, full of fun brilliantly composed happy songs that will not fail to make you or your little ones smile, or giggle hysterically as you dance around the living room with them. I've yet to find a childrens album that tops it.

Great fun!, 20 Feb 2008
I actually came across some Wombles songs on 'You Tube' so I thought I'd see what was on Amazon and came across this album. Wow! Musically this is brilliant with a variety of styles, humour and basically fantastic fun. I've always had a high regard for Mike Batt and the musicians he surrounds himself with but after this listening to this I regard him even higher. Oddly enough I appreciate this much more at my age (48...) than I did when these songs were originally released. Well worth listening to, well well toe-tapping to and well worth enjoying. Thanks to all responsible for this release, whoever you are.

A THOUSAND ARMOURED TRASH COLLECTORS, 16 Oct 2007
I can't agree more with the first reviewer Sordel's summary of the Wombles band. I'd also like to add that it's rare that you get something so first-rate and quality as the range of music styles, humour, satire and magnitude written for kids these days. Personally, I was first introduced to it in the late seventies as a child when my older brother played it interminably. I grew up with such soundtracks as "The Myths and Legends of King Merton Womble" and "Wombling White Tie and Tails" entwined with my early childhood consciousness and appreciation of music. Largely due to this album, I felt very comfortable with different types of music from a very early age. When I bought it off Amazon recently, I expected a pleasant and humorous trip down memory lane, but I was mistaken. It blew my head off! Quite apart from the childhood connections that opened up again when I listened to the well-remembered tracks, it is an absolute cornucopia of musical variety, written and performed with panache and a huge dose of humour. The epic-sounding "A thousand armoured trash collectors glistening in the sun!" sung across heraldic trumpets really takes some beating!

Very enjoyable, 26 Jun 2007
I'm from the 80s generation who had older friends and cousins with some of the original 70s LPs -- the CD took a couple of listens to worm a way into my head, as I hadn't heard many of the tracks before. It makes great toe-tapping music to work to, and the only tune I'd really like to have seen included that isn't is "Exercise Is Good For You (Laziness Is Not)". Hopefully the out-of-print 2CD Wombles Collection set will be reissued eventually, but in the meantime this disc is a bargain and likely to have most of the songs you remember.

Underground (Overground) Classic, 19 Aug 2006
Erm, okay ...

I'm going to assume that you already know that The Wombles was a novelty band aimed at children that existed about thirty years ago. You probably also know that they were masterminded by Mike Batt, latterly the Svengali of Katie Mellua. When I give it five stars, you can pretty much safely assume that these are not the same five stars that I would give "OK Computer" or "Sgt. Pepper". That said, this is a brilliant album.

Batt used The Wombles as a vehicle to pastiche other musical styles, so we get here, amongst others, parodies of reggae, the blues, barber shop quartets, country 'n' western, Rick Wakeman, and David Bowie. For kids that is great, because it gives them a range of musical styles to understand and appreciate, including classical music in the form of Copland, Mozart and Mussorgsky. All the best Wombles songs are here, and there is a certain amount of filler avoided. On top of which, the orchestrations and session work are absolutely at the top of their game.

If you're sick of playing the Tweenies to your children, this is an excellent alternative that may well also get some serious airtime when the little darlings are not around to hear it. Those old enough to have grown up on The Wombles (guilty as charged!) will need no further recommendation.

new slant to familiar places, 02 Mar 2006
I was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh. I found it hard to disassociate it from the horrible Disneyfication, but when a long car journey loomed, this was the only CD available and ploughing through fog and heavy rain, it amused not only the children, but me as well. Alan Bennett is great and repeated listens are not as irritating as expected. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Another Prince Soundtrack Better than the Film, 22 Oct 2007
The film was pretty good, thoug didn't always work. Nicholson was the star, Basinger just screamed !!!

As for the music well overall it was much better than the film. 'The Future' starts us off, a terrific funk workout pinctuated with snippets from the film and tender strings which really resonate. 'Electric Chair' is an altogether ballsier affair with 'The Joker' confessing he is a bad man and always will be. Then we come to the weakest tracks on the album. 'Partyman' was featured in the film (not all here were). It's a funky jam, definetely toe tapping but not the most memorable, though the scene where 'The Joker' is wrecking the art gallery in which this track features is. 'The Arms of Orion' like its predecessor it was released as a single but is rather underwhelming despite Shenna Easton's presence.

We crank things up again with 'Trust', a pacy funk number that stomps along with gusto, try working out to this one and still have breath left !!! 'Lemon Crush' was written with Prince's dad and is more down beat with several pauses in pace to fit in shrill synth or guitar riffs. Finally we end with the best two track. 'Scandalous' has to rate with the very best Prince ballads, up with 'Adore' in fact, 6 minutes of ecstacy. Finally we have the track that finally convinced me of Prince's genius. This is so full of adacity, changes of pace (three songs on one?), great industrial percussion driving the song and the daddy of guitar solos that Hendrix would have been proud of. On a commercial track? Well prince was really big then and only he coul dhave got away with it. That makes it sound shoddy. No chance, it will lift you off the floor and throw you back there again. What a way to end a very good effort from the Purple one.

One of the Best OSTs ever !!!, 20 Mar 2007
Not to be confused with Danny Elfman's instrumental release for the same movie, this soundtrack for the first Batman, is one of the best movie soundtracks ever released. Prince created a soundtrack that moves with the movie. It is not just a compilation of songs that you hear in the background of a movie, like many soundtracks that are hastily put together. This CD is full of dialogue from the movie and from Prince's imagination. Prince put a lot of heart, soul and funk into this recording.

Songs:
THE FUTURE is the opening song that sets the stage for the dark future that The Joker has in mind for Gothem. It full of techno, synthesized sounds that are held together with Prince's rhythm guitar.
ELECTRIC CHAIR comes out with hard guitar riffs by one of the greatest guitarist in the pop/rock world.
THE ARMS OF ORION - What a pretty song. It is sung as a duet between Bruce Wayne (Prince) and Vicki Vale (Sheena Easton). It is a soft, sad love song that is held together by the beautiful piano and a string section.
PARTYMAN - What more can I say except to quote Jack, "Gentlemen, let's broaden our minds!" Everyone listening to this can picture Jack Nicholson as the Joker strutting thru the museum with his henchmen and a boombox. Very Funky.
VICKI'S WAITING - Another dance track. The song is about Batman wondering if and when he should tell Vicki Vale that he is Bruce Wayne.
TRUST - Another upbeat dance track that was used when the Joker is riding on his float in a parade through downtown Gothem.
LEMON CRUSH - Club tune. The only song I can not envision in the Batman movie. Still a good tune.
SCANDALOUS - Love or Sex? Everyone who is a Prince fan knows this is one of his songs (Insatiable, Damn U, Do Me Baby, The Beautiful Ones, and Adore) that is great for romancing with the one you love. Great Song!
BATDANCE - Great Finale. Prince starts the songs with 3 loud guitar riffs, then the Joker speaks. He weaves Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, and Jack Nicholson into this song that incorporates all aspects of the movie.

This soundtrack has a soul of its own.

Pure Partyman!, 26 Jan 2007
Prior to the release of Tim Burton's dark and stylised interpretation of the Batman concept, Prince had just published the politically controversial Sign O' The Times in 1987 and the fabulously peppy God-enthused Lovesexy in 1988, both of which explored different musical genres and experimented with both established types and some of the newer artistic styles of the decade. Prince has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of musical restrictions, combining a range of different styles of music and it would be fair to say that no one could level the accusation against him that he fails to move and adapt with the times. Batman is a prime example of Prince's ability to blend different genres. Long term Prince fans will recognise some of the production values, but there's plenty of innovative composition to keep even the most disillusioned Prince fan satisfied.

Songs like 'Electric Chair' and 'Partyman' are infectious examples of the type of music typical of the 80's, with great lyrics and an energy charged electric funk guitar riffing over the top and both are pure Prince gold. 'Arms of Orion' is a poignant love ballad, but has a minimalistic score which works extremely well with the subject matter, with good vocal performances from both Prince and Sheena's Easton's on the track which lend a touching quality to the song.

'Lemon Crush' is probably the most ambitious track of the album, as much of the backing vocals are song in an off-key manner, as is the musical arrangement. Oddly, the whole thing works extremely well. Some of this off-key arrangement is used in 'Batdance' and again it works very well. 'Batdance' has some very minor production issues, most notably evident in the splicing of The Joker's trademark laugh near the beginning of the track, but on the whole the song fits together neatly.
The standout track for me has to be 'Vicki Waiting'. As well as some deliciously suggestive lyrics, the song utilised an engaging bass beat and excellent percussion arrangement, which has had me replaying the track again and again on more than one occasion.

Batman is a highly polished piece of work, resembling Lovesexy to some degree with its glossy production and addictive, catchy tunes. Granted, many of the songs are prime examples of the musical fashion prevalent in the mid to late 80's, but, in my opinion, this only lends them an additional clique value and detracts nothing from the genius demonstrated by it's writer, composer and producer. A fabulous album in general and one no self respecting Prince fan should be without.


batman - prince? what a combo!, 14 Jul 2006
Fair do's!
Alright you got me, I am a huge batfan, at the time I was a huge Porince fan also... so imagine my anticipation when the album came out!

I never got around to doing a review for it mind.
It is a brillaint album, most tracks you will hear in the movie, apart from "Orions Arms" which is such a beautiful song, so much song that my wife and I call it "our song"

The only disapointment for me on this cd is the exclusion of 99 baloons, a b side to batdance, which is a fun track.

Its an album worth a look at, if your a prince fan its avery strong album, if your looking for a song , A SONG for your lover, the orions arms will charm :)

A little dated by now, 13 Jan 2006
I bought this on audio cassette way back in the day not long after the film was released. Initially I was disapointed because it wasn't the Danny Elfman score which was what I mainly remembered from seeing the film. But once I go over that initial disapointment I actually rather enjoyed this collection of songs by prince. Having listened to it again recently however I can say that it has dated quite badly, but there are still at least a couple of songs of thought worthy of being put onto my ipod. Worth it if you can pick it up cheap.

My one year old loves this CD, 15 Jan 2001
This CD has made many car trips bearable for both my daughter and me . The songs are fun and silly and in no time at all you will all be singing along . This was a gift from good friends and I am pleased to return the favor for their new baby

Many Songs of Winnie the Pooh, 02 Nov 2002
Its great to get a CD with music that you were brought up with. I bought this CD for my niece and found myself (along with everyone else) getting more enjoyment from the CD than she did! Its great to have something to play that won't drive you nuts!
My first concern in buying the CD was the songs were recorded with different voices and instruments to the films. However, the CD contains tracks that are identical to the songs that are heard on the Disney films, so the CD is everything you would expect. Recommended for young children (and adults that do not want to be driven mad by daft tunes).

Brilliant and a bargain,what more can you ask for??, 07 Nov 2001
Believe me this is a bargain... My 2 year old nephew loves winnie the pooh, and after watching the videos we always have to sit through the titles three or four more times so he can attempt to sing along and dance,yes its cute but very tiresome.He loves it now all of the songs from many of the videos that he already has and when there that young they find it easier to listen than to concentrate on the screen anyway so this is perfect. If you or your child is a fan of the ledgendary pooh bear then this is definitley the perfect gift and just intime for christmas too!

Kids love it!, 08 Jan 2001
My kids love Winnie the Pooh, so I bought this CD for them, and that is allthat ever plays on our CD player now! They love singing along an dancing to his songs!

Womblingly brilliant, 26 May 2008
I've little to add to the excellent reviews already given for this album. This is a super cd, full of fun brilliantly composed happy songs that will not fail to make you or your little ones smile, or giggle hysterically as you dance around the living room with them. I've yet to find a childrens album that tops it.

Great fun!, 20 Feb 2008
I actually came across some Wombles songs on 'You Tube' so I thought I'd see what was on Amazon and came across this album. Wow! Musically this is brilliant with a variety of styles, humour and basically fantastic fun. I've always had a high regard for Mike Batt and the musicians he surrounds himself with but after this listening to this I regard him even higher. Oddly enough I appreciate this much more at my age (48...) than I did when these songs were originally released. Well worth listening to, well well toe-tapping to and well worth enjoying. Thanks to all responsible for this release, whoever you are.

A THOUSAND ARMOURED TRASH COLLECTORS, 16 Oct 2007
I can't agree more with the first reviewer Sordel's summary of the Wombles band. I'd also like to add that it's rare that you get something so first-rate and quality as the range of music styles, humour, satire and magnitude written for kids these days. Personally, I was first introduced to it in the late seventies as a child when my older brother played it interminably. I grew up with such soundtracks as "The Myths and Legends of King Merton Womble" and "Wombling White Tie and Tails" entwined with my early childhood consciousness and appreciation of music. Largely due to this album, I felt very comfortable with different types of music from a very early age. When I bought it off Amazon recently, I expected a pleasant and humorous trip down memory lane, but I was mistaken. It blew my head off! Quite apart from the childhood connections that opened up again when I listened to the well-remembered tracks, it is an absolute cornucopia of musical variety, written and performed with panache and a huge dose of humour. The epic-sounding "A thousand armoured trash collectors glistening in the sun!" sung across heraldic trumpets really takes some beating!

Very enjoyable, 26 Jun 2007
I'm from the 80s generation who had older friends and cousins with some of the original 70s LPs -- the CD took a couple of listens to worm a way into my head, as I hadn't heard many of the tracks before. It makes great toe-tapping music to work to, and the only tune I'd really like to have seen included that isn't is "Exercise Is Good For You (Laziness Is Not)". Hopefully the out-of-print 2CD Wombles Collection set will be reissued eventually, but in the meantime this disc is a bargain and likely to have most of the songs you remember.

Underground (Overground) Classic, 19 Aug 2006
Erm, okay ...

I'm going to assume that you already know that The Wombles was a novelty band aimed at children that existed about thirty years ago. You probably also know that they were masterminded by Mike Batt, latterly the Svengali of Katie Mellua. When I give it five stars, you can pretty much safely assume that these are not the same five stars that I would give "OK Computer" or "Sgt. Pepper". That said, this is a brilliant album.

Batt used The Wombles as a vehicle to pastiche other musical styles, so we get here, amongst others, parodies of reggae, the blues, barber shop quartets, country 'n' western, Rick Wakeman, and David Bowie. For kids that is great, because it gives them a range of musical styles to understand and appreciate, including classical music in the form of Copland, Mozart and Mussorgsky. All the best Wombles songs are here, and there is a certain amount of filler avoided. On top of which, the orchestrations and session work are absolutely at the top of their game.

If you're sick of playing the Tweenies to your children, this is an excellent alternative that may well also get some serious airtime when the little darlings are not around to hear it. Those old enough to have grown up on The Wombles (guilty as charged!) will need no further recommendation.

new slant to familiar places, 02 Mar 2006
I was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh. I found it hard to disassociate it from the horrible Disneyfication, but when a long car journey loomed, this was the only CD available and ploughing through fog and heavy rain, it amused not only the children, but me as well. Alan Bennett is great and repeated listens are not as irritating as expected. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Another Prince Soundtrack Better than the Film, 22 Oct 2007
The film was pretty good, thoug didn't always work. Nicholson was the star, Basinger just screamed !!!

As for the music well overall it was much better than the film. 'The Future' starts us off, a terrific funk workout pinctuated with snippets from the film and tender strings which really resonate. 'Electric Chair' is an altogether ballsier affair with 'The Joker' confessing he is a bad man and always will be. Then we come to the weakest tracks on the album. 'Partyman' was featured in the film (not all here were). It's a funky jam, definetely toe tapping but not the most memorable, though the scene where 'The Joker' is wrecking the art gallery in which this track features is. 'The Arms of Orion' like its predecessor it was released as a single but is rather underwhelming despite Shenna Easton's presence.

We crank things up again with 'Trust', a pacy funk number that stomps along with gusto, try working out to this one and still have breath left !!! 'Lemon Crush' was written with Prince's dad and is more down beat with several pauses in pace to fit in shrill synth or guitar riffs. Finally we end with the best two track. 'Scandalous' has to rate with the very best Prince ballads, up with 'Adore' in fact, 6 minutes of ecstacy. Finally we have the track that finally convinced me of Prince's genius. This is so full of adacity, changes of pace (three songs on one?), great industrial percussion driving the song and the daddy of guitar solos that Hendrix would have been proud of. On a commercial track? Well prince was really big then and only he coul dhave got away with it. That makes it sound shoddy. No chance, it will lift you off the floor and throw you back there again. What a way to end a very good effort from the Purple one.

One of the Best OSTs ever !!!, 20 Mar 2007
Not to be confused with Danny Elfman's instrumental release for the same movie, this soundtrack for the first Batman, is one of the best movie soundtracks ever released. Prince created a soundtrack that moves with the movie. It is not just a compilation of songs that you hear in the background of a movie, like many soundtracks that are hastily put together. This CD is full of dialogue from the movie and from Prince's imagination. Prince put a lot of heart, soul and funk into this recording.

Songs:
THE FUTURE is the opening song that sets the stage for the dark future that The Joker has in mind for Gothem. It full of techno, synthesized sounds that are held together with Prince's rhythm guitar.
ELECTRIC CHAIR comes out with hard guitar riffs by one of the greatest guitarist in the pop/rock world.
THE ARMS OF ORION - What a pretty song. It is sung as a duet between Bruce Wayne (Prince) and Vicki Vale (Sheena Easton). It is a soft, sad love song that is held together by the beautiful piano and a string section.
PARTYMAN - What more can I say except to quote Jack, "Gentlemen, let's broaden our minds!" Everyone listening to this can picture Jack Nicholson as the Joker strutting thru the museum with his henchmen and a boombox. Very Funky.
VICKI'S WAITING - Another dance track. The song is about Batman wondering if and when he should tell Vicki Vale that he is Bruce Wayne.
TRUST - Another upbeat dance track that was used when the Joker is riding on his float in a parade through downtown Gothem.
LEMON CRUSH - Club tune. The only song I can not envision in the Batman movie. Still a good tune.
SCANDALOUS - Love or Sex? Everyone who is a Prince fan knows this is one of his songs (Insatiable, Damn U, Do Me Baby, The Beautiful Ones, and Adore) that is great for romancing with the one you love. Great Song!
BATDANCE - Great Finale. Prince starts the songs with 3 loud guitar riffs, then the Joker speaks. He weaves Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, and Jack Nicholson into this song that incorporates all aspects of the movie.

This soundtrack has a soul of its own.

Pure Partyman!, 26 Jan 2007
Prior to the release of Tim Burton's dark and stylised interpretation of the Batman concept, Prince had just published the politically controversial Sign O' The Times in 1987 and the fabulously peppy God-enthused Lovesexy in 1988, both of which explored different musical genres and experimented with both established types and some of the newer artistic styles of the decade. Prince has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of musical restrictions, combining a range of different styles of music and it would be fair to say that no one could level the accusation against him that he fails to move and adapt with the times. Batman is a prime example of Prince's ability to blend different genres. Long term Prince fans will recognise some of the production values, but there's plenty of innovative composition to keep even the most disillusioned Prince fan satisfied.

Songs like 'Electric Chair' and 'Partyman' are infectious examples of the type of music typical of the 80's, with great lyrics and an energy charged electric funk guitar riffing over the top and both are pure Prince gold. 'Arms of Orion' is a poignant love ballad, but has a minimalistic score which works extremely well with the subject matter, with good vocal performances from both Prince and Sheena's Easton's on the track which lend a touching quality to the song.

'Lemon Crush' is probably the most ambitious track of the album, as much of the backing vocals are song in an off-key manner, as is the musical arrangement. Oddly, the whole thing works extremely well. Some of this off-key arrangement is used in 'Batdance' and again it works very well. 'Batdance' has some very minor production issues, most notably evident in the splicing of The Joker's trademark laugh near the beginning of the track, but on the whole the song fits together neatly.
The standout track for me has to be 'Vicki Waiting'. As well as some deliciously suggestive lyrics, the song utilised an engaging bass beat and excellent percussion arrangement, which has had me replaying the track again and again on more than one occasion.

Batman is a highly polished piece of work, resembling Lovesexy to some degree with its glossy production and addictive, catchy tunes. Granted, many of the songs are prime examples of the musical fashion prevalent in the mid to late 80's, but, in my opinion, this only lends them an additional clique value and detracts nothing from the genius demonstrated by it's writer, composer and producer. A fabulous album in general and one no self respecting Prince fan should be without.


batman - prince? what a combo!, 14 Jul 2006
Fair do's!
Alright you got me, I am a huge batfan, at the time I was a huge Porince fan also... so imagine my anticipation when the album came out!

I never got around to doing a review for it mind.
It is a brillaint album, most tracks you will hear in the movie, apart from "Orions Arms" which is such a beautiful song, so much song that my wife and I call it "our song"

The only disapointment for me on this cd is the exclusion of 99 baloons, a b side to batdance, which is a fun track.

Its an album worth a look at, if your a prince fan its avery strong album, if your looking for a song , A SONG for your lover, the orions arms will charm :)

A little dated by now, 13 Jan 2006
I bought this on audio cassette way back in the day not long after the film was released. Initially I was disapointed because it wasn't the Danny Elfman score which was what I mainly remembered from seeing the film. But once I go over that initial disapointment I actually rather enjoyed this collection of songs by prince. Having listened to it again recently however I can say that it has dated quite badly, but there are still at least a couple of songs of thought worthy of being put onto my ipod. Worth it if you can pick it up cheap.

My one year old loves this CD, 15 Jan 2001
This CD has made many car trips bearable for both my daughter and me . The songs are fun and silly and in no time at all you will all be singing along . This was a gift from good friends and I am pleased to return the favor for their new baby

Many Songs of Winnie the Pooh, 02 Nov 2002
Its great to get a CD with music that you were brought up with. I bought this CD for my niece and found myself (along with everyone else) getting more enjoyment from the CD than she did! Its great to have something to play that won't drive you nuts!
My first concern in buying the CD was the songs were recorded with different voices and instruments to the films. However, the CD contains tracks that are identical to the songs that are heard on the Disney films, so the CD is everything you would expect. Recommended for young children (and adults that do not want to be driven mad by daft tunes).

Brilliant and a bargain,what more can you ask for??, 07 Nov 2001
Believe me this is a bargain... My 2 year old nephew loves winnie the pooh, and after watching the videos we always have to sit through the titles three or four more times so he can attempt to sing along and dance,yes its cute but very tiresome.He loves it now all of the songs from many of the videos that he already has and when there that young they find it easier to listen than to concentrate on the screen anyway so this is perfect. If you or your child is a fan of the ledgendary pooh bear then this is definitley the perfect gift and just intime for christmas too!

Kids love it!, 08 Jan 2001
My kids love Winnie the Pooh, so I bought this CD for them, and that is allthat ever plays on our CD player now! They love singing along an dancing to his songs!

Brilliant score, 01 Jan 2008
This is a score for all fans of the comic book movie genre. Escpially those who like the darker-toned/more adult themed ones just like the Blade trilogy and of course Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns (which has another great score).

The music is brooding and really makes you feel like you want to go around your town/city dressed up (not that I would) in a bat costume going around sorting out crimes in a super car (one of the most memorable tracks of the CD is the charge of the Batmobile) and the Joker's music is great too because it's comical and camp but in a dark and twisted way if you know what I mean and, like Batman's themes, describes the character well. The final 6 tracks are outstanding and really make you root for the hero.

Get it. It's memorable. It's literally as good as the Superman score especially the opening track. Sadly though Prince's 'Trust' 'Partyman' and 'Scandalous' songs are not on this, they're on Batman the album.

Timeless, 02 Nov 2005
This trend-setting score has stood the test of time and sounds just as impressive now as it did fifteen years ago. Elfman's gothic style of scoring became almost a template for subsequent superhero movies and a revisit to this CD will demonstrate why. The Batman theme is fantastic: no matter how often Elfman uses this dark march (Main Theme, Batman to the Rescue, Attack of the Batwing), it never tires and never fails to excite. Things turn silly when it comes to the Joker and tracks like 'Face Off' and 'Waltz to the Death' are Tchaikovsky-like waltzes that compliment the action and the use of 'Beautiful Dreamer' borders on farce for Joker's infatuation with Vicki. As for Vicki Vale, there is a brief (and slightly tedious) theme for her relationship with Bruce that is based on Prince's 'Scandalous' but the connection is too disguised to spot easily.

What sets this score high above others is the soundscape that is established. Tracks like the mysterious 'Childhood Remembered' and gothic 'Up the Cathedral' really ground you into this fantasy world and the pulsing 'Descent into Mystery' is a career highlight that is always on replay on my stereo. The quality of the disc is good, showing off the size of the orchestra (it's big) and most of the score is on the CD without skipping too much out. This should, without a doubt, be in your soundtrack collection.

Timeless, 31 Oct 2005
This trend-setting score has stood the test of time and sounds just as impressive now as it did fifteen years ago. Elfman’s gothic style of scoring became almost a template for subsequent superhero movies and a revisit to this CD will demonstrate why. The Batman theme is fantastic: no matter how often Elfman uses this dark march (Main Theme, Batman to the Rescue, Attack of the Batwing), it never tires and never fails to excite. Things turn silly when it comes to the Joker and tracks like ‘Face Off’ and ‘Waltz to the Death’ are Tchaikovsky-like waltzes that compliment the action and the use of ‘Beautiful Dreamer’ borders on farce for Joker’s infatuation with Vicki. As for Vicki Vale, there is a brief (and slightly tedious) theme for her relationship with Bruce that is allegedly based on Prince’s ‘Scandalous’ but the connection is too disguised to spot easily.

What sets this score high above others is the soundscape that is established. Tracks like the mysterious ‘Childhood Remembered’ and gothic ‘Up the Cathedral’ really ground you into this fantasy world and the pulsing ‘Descent into Mystery’ is a career highlight that is always on replay on my stereo. The quality of the disc is good, showing off the size of the orchestra (it’s big) and most of the score is on the CD without skipping too much out. This should, without a doubt, be in your soundtrack collection.

Timeless, 27 Oct 2005
This trend-setting score has stood the test of time and sounds just as impressive now as it did fifteen years ago. Elfman's gothic style of scoring became almost a template for subsequent superhero movies and a revisit to this CD will demonstrate why. The Batman theme is fantastic: no matter how often Elfman uses this dark march (Main Theme, Batman to the Rescue, Attack of the Batwing), it never tires and never fails to excite. Things turn silly when it comes to the Joker and tracks like 'Face Off' and 'Waltz to the Death' are Tchaikovsky-like waltzes that compliment the action and the use of 'Beautiful Dreamer' borders on farce for Joker's infatuation with Vicki. As for Vicki Vale, there is a brief (and slightly tedious) theme for her relationship with Bruce that is allegedly based on Prince's 'Scandalous' but the connection is too disguised to spot easily.

What sets this score high above others is the soundscape that is established. Tracks like the mysterious 'Childhood Remembered' and gothic 'Up the Cathedral' really ground you into this fantasy world and the pulsing 'Descent into Mystery' is a career highlight that is always on replay on my stereo. The quality of the disc is good, showing off the size of the orchestra (it's big) and most of the score is on the CD without skipping too much out. This should, without a doubt, be in your soundtrack collection.

Never bettered, 30 Dec 2003
This is the soundtrack that defined a genre and a composer (it's so good that Elfman copied bits of it when writing his Spider-Man score).
Since there are so many Batman themes, I'll just say that "the one on the original cartoon? The one from the original movies with Burton and Keaton? and Jack Nicholson? This is the one".
Never has music so suited a character, the sweeping, Wagner-esque Batman theme is so fitting for the Dark Knight's brooding persona that is has become the natural association whenever people think of Batman (aside from a fat Adam West).
But not content with one main theme for a character, Elfman also has a few tracks devoted to the Joker's zany and insane character including an eeriely cheerful waltz towards the finale.
This is powerful music (3 minutes into track 16, tell me you can't feel the power of revenge) and it builds to a climax from haunting around the first half to full blown action in the second yet never losing it's pacing or going too over the top.
This is a worthy addition to your CD collection and if you want to make it even better, listen to it after the turgid "Batman and Robin" soundtrack

Between Batmans, Danny Elfman scored the marvellous Edward Scissorhands, and its sugar-plum effect on all his subsequent scores has been clear. "Birth Of A Penguin" opens this disc with a wonderfully cheesy organ blare, and then becomes a tinkling choral Christmas for the Cobblepots. The "ooh" of the choir continues to pop up at unexpected junctures, even deconstructing the formally martial Batman theme for the titles. The Penguin's theme is hardly recognisable in this prologue, but makes a grand entrance at "The Cemetery". The three-pointed portrait of schizophrenia is then completed by what's in essence a rather predictable Catwoman theme that nevertheless dazzles in the way its meowing strings bend and sexily glide. As before, poor Bruce Wayne/Bats hardly gets a look-in for screen time. But whereas the first score regurgitated one theme in a million brilliant variations, this sequel pares right back in favour of the new. "Batman vs. The Circus" is more about the composer's love for carnival standards than action scoring. The "End Credits" suite encapsulates everything in what could easily have come first as an overture. And for once the song included ("Face To Face" by Elfman and Siouxsie & the Banshees) is an integral part of movie and score. --Paul Tonks

Womblingly brilliant, 26 May 2008
I've little to add to the excellent reviews already given for this album. This is a super cd, full of fun brilliantly composed happy songs that will not fail to make you or your little ones smile, or giggle hysterically as you dance around the living room with them. I've yet to find a childrens album that tops it.

Great fun!, 20 Feb 2008
I actually came across some Wombles songs on 'You Tube' so I thought I'd see what was on Amazon and came across this album. Wow! Musically this is brilliant with a variety of styles, humour and basically fantastic fun. I've always had a high regard for Mike Batt and the musicians he surrounds himself with but after this listening to this I regard him even higher. Oddly enough I appreciate this much more at my age (48...) than I did when these songs were originally released. Well worth listening to, well well toe-tapping to and well worth enjoying. Thanks to all responsible for this release, whoever you are.

A THOUSAND ARMOURED TRASH COLLECTORS, 16 Oct 2007
I can't agree more with the first reviewer Sordel's summary of the Wombles band. I'd also like to add that it's rare that you get something so first-rate and quality as the range of music styles, humour, satire and magnitude written for kids these days. Personally, I was first introduced to it in the late seventies as a child when my older brother played it interminably. I grew up with such soundtracks as "The Myths and Legends of King Merton Womble" and "Wombling White Tie and Tails" entwined with my early childhood consciousness and appreciation of music. Largely due to this album, I felt very comfortable with different types of music from a very early age. When I bought it off Amazon recently, I expected a pleasant and humorous trip down memory lane, but I was mistaken. It blew my head off! Quite apart from the childhood connections that opened up again when I listened to the well-remembered tracks, it is an absolute cornucopia of musical variety, written and performed with panache and a huge dose of humour. The epic-sounding "A thousand armoured trash collectors glistening in the sun!" sung across heraldic trumpets really takes some beating!

Very enjoyable, 26 Jun 2007
I'm from the 80s generation who had older friends and cousins with some of the original 70s LPs -- the CD took a couple of listens to worm a way into my head, as I hadn't heard many of the tracks before. It makes great toe-tapping music to work to, and the only tune I'd really like to have seen included that isn't is "Exercise Is Good For You (Laziness Is Not)". Hopefully the out-of-print 2CD Wombles Collection set will be reissued eventually, but in the meantime this disc is a bargain and likely to have most of the songs you remember.

Underground (Overground) Classic, 19 Aug 2006
Erm, okay ...

I'm going to assume that you already know that The Wombles was a novelty band aimed at children that existed about thirty years ago. You probably also know that they were masterminded by Mike Batt, latterly the Svengali of Katie Mellua. When I give it five stars, you can pretty much safely assume that these are not the same five stars that I would give "OK Computer" or "Sgt. Pepper". That said, this is a brilliant album.

Batt used The Wombles as a vehicle to pastiche other musical styles, so we get here, amongst others, parodies of reggae, the blues, barber shop quartets, country 'n' western, Rick Wakeman, and David Bowie. For kids that is great, because it gives them a range of musical styles to understand and appreciate, including classical music in the form of Copland, Mozart and Mussorgsky. All the best Wombles songs are here, and there is a certain amount of filler avoided. On top of which, the orchestrations and session work are absolutely at the top of their game.

If you're sick of playing the Tweenies to your children, this is an excellent alternative that may well also get some serious airtime when the little darlings are not around to hear it. Those old enough to have grown up on The Wombles (guilty as charged!) will need no further recommendation.

new slant to familiar places, 02 Mar 2006
I was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh. I found it hard to disassociate it from the horrible Disneyfication, but when a long car journey loomed, this was the only CD available and ploughing through fog and heavy rain, it amused not only the children, but me as well. Alan Bennett is great and repeated listens are not as irritating as expected. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.

Another Prince Soundtrack Better than the Film, 22 Oct 2007
The film was pretty good, thoug didn't always work. Nicholson was the star, Basinger just screamed !!!

As for the music well overall it was much better than the film. 'The Future' starts us off, a terrific funk workout pinctuated with snippets from the film and tender strings which really resonate. 'Electric Chair' is an altogether ballsier affair with 'The Joker' confessing he is a bad man and always will be. Then we come to the weakest tracks on the album. 'Partyman' was featured in the film (not all here were). It's a funky jam, definetely toe tapping but not the most memorable, though the scene where 'The Joker' is wrecking the art gallery in which this track features is. 'The Arms of Orion' like its predecessor it was released as a single but is rather underwhelming despite Shenna Easton's presence.

We crank things up again with 'Trust', a pacy funk number that stomps along with gusto, try working out to this one and still have breath left !!! 'Lemon Crush' was written with Prince's dad and is more down beat with several pauses in pace to fit in shrill synth or guitar riffs. Finally we end with the best two track. 'Scandalous' has to rate with the very best Prince ballads, up with 'Adore' in fact, 6 minutes of ecstacy. Finally we have the track that finally convinced me of Prince's genius. This is so full of adacity, changes of pace (three songs on one?), great industrial percussion driving the song and the daddy of guitar solos that Hendrix would have been proud of. On a commercial track? Well prince was really big then and only he coul dhave got away with it. That makes it sound shoddy. No chance, it will lift you off the floor and throw you back there again. What a way to end a very good effort from the Purple one.

One of the Best OSTs ever !!!, 20 Mar 2007
Not to be confused with Danny Elfman's instrumental release for the same movie, this soundtrack for the first Batman, is one of the best movie soundtracks ever released. Prince created a soundtrack that moves with the movie. It is not just a compilation of songs that you hear in the background of a movie, like many soundtracks that are hastily put together. This CD is full of dialogue from the movie and from Prince's imagination. Prince put a lot of heart, soul and funk into this recording.

Songs:
THE FUTURE is the opening song that sets the stage for the dark future that The Joker has in mind for Gothem. It full of techno, synthesized sounds that are held together with Prince's rhythm guitar.
ELECTRIC CHAIR comes out with hard guitar riffs by one of the greatest guitarist in the pop/rock world.
THE ARMS OF ORION - What a pretty song. It is sung as a duet between Bruce Wayne (Prince) and Vicki Vale (Sheena Easton). It is a soft, sad love song that is held together by the beautiful piano and a string section.
PARTYMAN - What more can I say except to quote Jack, "Gentlemen, let's broaden our minds!" Everyone listening to this can picture Jack Nicholson as the Joker strutting thru the museum with his henchmen and a boombox. Very Funky.
VICKI'S WAITING - Another dance track. The song is about Batman wondering if and when he should tell Vicki Vale that he is Bruce Wayne.
TRUST - Another upbeat dance track that was used when the Joker is riding on his float in a parade through downtown Gothem.
LEMON CRUSH - Club tune. The only song I can not envision in the Batman movie. Still a good tune.
SCANDALOUS - Love or Sex? Everyone who is a Prince fan knows this is one of his songs (Insatiable, Damn U, Do Me Baby, The Beautiful Ones, and Adore) that is great for romancing with the one you love. Great Song!
BATDANCE - Great Finale. Prince starts the songs with 3 loud guitar riffs, then the Joker speaks. He weaves Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, and Jack Nicholson into this song that incorporates all aspects of the movie.

This soundtrack has a soul of its own.

Pure Partyman!, 26 Jan 2007
Prior to the release of Tim Burton's dark and stylised interpretation of the Batman concept, Prince had just published the politically controversial Sign O' The Times in 1987 and the fabulously peppy God-enthused Lovesexy in 1988, both of which explored different musical genres and experimented with both established types and some of the newer artistic styles of the decade. Prince has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of musical restrictions, combining a range of different styles of music and it would be fair to say that no one could level the accusation against him that he fails to move and adapt with the times. Batman is a prime example of Prince's ability to blend different genres. Long term Prince fans will recognise some of the production values, but there's plenty of innovative composition to keep even the most disillusioned Prince fan satisfied.

Songs like 'Electric Chair' and 'Partyman' are infectious examples of the type of music typical of the 80's, with great lyrics and an energy charged electric funk guitar riffing over the top and both are pure Prince gold. 'Arms of Orion' is a poignant love ballad, but has a minimalistic score which works extremely well with the subject matter, with good vocal performances from both Prince and Sheena's Easton's on the track which lend a touching quality to the song.

'Lemon Crush' is probably the most ambitious track of the album, as much of the backing vocals are song in an off-key manner, as is the musical arrangement. Oddly, the whole thing works extremely well. Some of this off-key arrangement is used in 'Batdance' and again it works very well. 'Batdance' has some very minor production issues, most notably evident in the splicing of The Joker's trademark laugh near the beginning of the track, but on the whole the song fits together neatly.
The standout track for me has to be 'Vicki Waiting'. As well as some deliciously suggestive lyrics, the song utilised an engaging bass beat and excellent percussion arrangement, which has had me replaying the track again and again on more than one occasion.

Batman is a highly polished piece of work, resembling Lovesexy to some degree with its glossy production and addictive, catchy tunes. Granted, many of the songs are prime examples of the musical fashion prevalent in the mid to late 80's, but, in my opinion, this only lends them an additional clique value and detracts nothing from the genius demonstrated by it's writer, composer and producer. A fabulous album in general and one no self respecting Prince fan should be without.


batman - prince? what a combo!, 14 Jul 2006
Fair do's!
Alright you got me, I am a huge batfan, at the time I was a huge Porince fan also... so imagine my anticipation when the album came out!

I never got around to doing a review for it mind.
It is a brillaint album, most tracks you will hear in the movie, apart from "Orions Arms" which is such a beautiful song, so much song that my wife and I call it "our song"

The only disapointment for me on this cd is the exclusion of 99 baloons, a b side to batdance, which is a fun track.

Its an album worth a look at, if your a prince fan its avery strong album, if your looking for a song , A SONG for your lover, the orions arms will charm :)

A little dated by now, 13 Jan 2006
I bought this on audio cassette way back in the day not long after the film was released. Initially I was disapointed because it wasn't the Danny Elfman score which was what I mainly remembered from seeing the film. But once I go over that initial disapointment I actually rather enjoyed this collection of songs by prince. Having listened to it again recently however I can say that it has dated quite badly, but there are still at least a couple of songs of thought worthy of being put onto my ipod. Worth it if you can pick it up cheap.

My one year old loves this CD, 15 Jan 2001
This CD has made many car trips bearable for both my daughter and me . The songs are fun and silly and in no time at all you will all be singing along . This was a gift from good friends and I am pleased to return the favor for their new baby

Many Songs of Winnie the Pooh, 02 Nov 2002
Its great to get a CD with music that you were brought up with. I bought this CD for my niece and found myself (along with everyone else) getting more enjoyment from the CD than she did! Its great to have something to play that won't drive you nuts!
My first concern in buying the CD was the songs were recorded with different voices and instruments to the films. However, the CD contains tracks that are identical to the songs that are heard on the Disney films, so the CD is everything you would expect. Recommended for young children (and adults that do not want to be driven mad by daft tunes).

Brilliant and a bargain,what more can you ask for??, 07 Nov 2001
Believe me this is a bargain... My 2 year old nephew loves winnie the pooh, and after watching the videos we always have to sit through the titles three or four more times so he can attempt to sing along and dance,yes its cute but very tiresome.He loves it now all of the songs from many of the videos that he already has and when there that young they find it easier to listen than to concentrate on the screen anyway so this is perfect. If you or your child is a fan of the ledgendary pooh bear then this is definitley the perfect gift and just intime for christmas too!

Kids love it!, 08 Jan 2001
My kids love Winnie the Pooh, so I bought this CD for them, and that is allthat ever plays on our CD player now! They love singing along an dancing to his songs!

Brilliant score, 01 Jan 2008
This is a score for all fans of the comic book movie genre. Escpially those who like the darker-toned/more adult themed ones just like the Blade trilogy and of course Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns (which has another great score).

The music is brooding and really makes you feel like you want to go around your town/city dressed up (not that I would) in a bat costume going around sorting out crimes in a super car (one of the most memorable tracks of the CD is the charge of the Batmobile) and the Joker's music is great too because it's comical and camp but in a dark and twisted way if you know what I mean and, like Batman's themes, describes the character well. The final 6 tracks are outstanding and really make you root for the hero.

Get it. It's memorable. It's literally as good as the Superman score especially the opening track. Sadly though Prince's 'Trust' 'Partyman' and 'Scandalous' songs are not on this, they're on Batman the album.

Timeless, 02 Nov 2005
This trend-setting score has stood the test of time and sounds just as impressive now as it did fifteen years ago. Elfman's gothic style of scoring became almost a template for subsequent superhero movies and a revisit to this CD will demonstrate why. The Batman theme is fantastic: no matter how often Elfman uses this dark march (Main Theme, Batman to the Rescue, Attack of the Batwing), it never tires and never fails to excite. Things turn silly when it comes to the Joker and tracks like 'Face Off' and 'Waltz to the Death' are Tchaikovsky-like waltzes that compliment the action and the use of 'Beautiful Dreamer' borders on farce for Joker's infatuation with Vicki. As for Vicki Vale, there is a brief (and slightly tedious) theme for her relationship with Bruce that is based on Prince's 'Scandalous' but the connection is too disguised to spot easily.

What sets this score high above others is the soundscape that is established. Tracks like the mysterious 'Childhood Remembered' and gothic 'Up the Cathedral' really ground you into this fantasy world and the pulsing 'Descent into Mystery' is a career highlight that is always on replay on my stereo. The quality of the disc is good, showing off the size of the orchestra (it's big) and most of the score is on the CD without skipping too much out. This should, without a doubt, be in your soundtrack collection.

Timeless, 31 Oct 2005
This trend-setting score has stood the test of time and sounds just as impressive now as it did fifteen years ago. Elfman’s gothic style of scoring became almost a template for subsequent superhero movies and a revisit to this CD will demonstrate why. The Batman theme is fantastic: no matter how often Elfman uses this dark march (Main Theme, Batman to the Rescue, Attack of the Batwing), it never tires and never fails to excite. Things turn silly when it comes to the Joker and tracks like ‘Face Off’ and ‘Waltz to the Death’ are Tchaikovsky-like waltzes that compliment the action and the use of ‘Beautiful Dreamer’ borders on farce for Joker’s infatuation with Vicki. As for Vicki Vale, there is a brief (and slightly tedious) theme for her relationship with Bruce that is allegedly based on Prince’s ‘Scandalous’ but the connection is too disguised to spot easily.

What sets this score high above others is the soundscape that is established. Tracks like the mysterious ‘Childhood Remembered’ and gothic ‘Up the Cathedral’ really ground you into this fantasy world and the pulsing ‘Descent into Mystery’ is a career highlight that is always on replay on my stereo. The quality of the disc is good, showing off the size of the orchestra (it’s big) and most of the score is on the CD without skipping too much out. This should, without a doubt, be in your soundtrack collection.

Timeless, 27 Oct 2005
This trend-setting score has stood the test of time and sounds just as impressive now as it did fifteen years ago. Elfman's gothic style of scoring became almost a template for subsequent superhero movies and a revisit to this CD will demonstrate why. The Batman theme is fantastic: no matter how often Elfman uses this dark march (Main Theme, Batman to the Rescue, Attack of the Batwing), it never tires and never fails to excite. Things turn silly when it comes to the Joker and tracks like 'Face Off' and 'Waltz to the Death' are Tchaikovsky-like waltzes that compliment the action and the use of 'Beautiful Dreamer' borders on farce for Joker's infatuation with Vicki. As for Vicki Vale, there is a brief (and slightly tedious) theme for her relationship with Bruce that is allegedly based on Prince's 'Scandalous' but the connection is too disguised to spot easily.

What sets this score high above others is the soundscape that is established. Tracks like the mysterious 'Childhood Remembered' and gothic 'Up the Cathedral' really ground you into this fantasy world and the pulsing 'Descent into Mystery' is a career highlight that is always on replay on my stereo. The quality of the disc is good, showing off the size of the orchestra (it's big) and most of the score is on the CD without skipping too much out. This