Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 100 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time, representing a varied cross-section of films and musical genres. Click “Next Soundtrack” below to explore each soundtrack in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & soundtrack index here.
The Big Chill
Uni/Motown (1983)
Selected by Justin Chadwick
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. Bonnie Raitt’s The Glow. The Big Chill soundtrack. These are the three albums that most immediately come to mind when I recall my early childhood back in the late ‘70s into the early ‘80s. Staples of my parents’ record collection, all three commanded heavy rotation on the family turntable and tape deck. Though I didn’t actually watch The Big Chill until about fifteen years after its arrival in 1983, the vibrant, soul-affirming music contained therein—and particularly the classic Motown fare supplied by Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles—left a permanent imprint on my fledgling ears.
The film is enjoyable enough, but I’ve seldom, if ever, felt the need to return to it after my initial viewing. The soundtrack is an entirely different story though, as I’ve revisited it time and time again, partly to bask in its flawless track listing and partly to summon my sweetest recollections of my younger, more innocent days.
LISTEN & WATCH:
