O Brother, Where Art Thou? was an American film starring
George Clooney. Set in the rural South of the
United States in the early
20th century, three friends escape from a prison
chain gang[?] and search for fortune and love. The adventure is based on
Homer's
Odyssey.
The setting for O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the United States rural south during the Great Depression. The soundtrack uses American roots music: music appropriate to that time and place, a marked break from the current Hollywood practice. The score, produced by T-Bone Burnett, prominently features bluegrass, gospel, blues and country music from such artists as John Hartford, Gillian Welch[?], Ralph Stanley[?], Alison Krauss[?], The Fairfield Four[?] and Norman Blake[?]. Contrary to the Hollywood "common wisdom" that non-contemporary music alienates audiences, the soundtrack CD became a best seller.
Track listing
- Po Lazarus performed by James Carter - 4:31
- Big Rock Candy Mountain performed by Harry McClintock - 2:16
- You Are My Sunshine performed by Norman Blake - 4:26
- Down in the River to Pray performed by Alison Krauss - 2:55
- Man of Constant Sorrow performed by Soggy Bottom Boys/Dan Tyminski - 4:16
- Hard Time Killing Floor Blues performed by King, Chris Thomas - 2:42
- Man of Constant Sorrow performed by Norman Blake - 4:28
- Keep on the Sunny Side performed by Whites - 3:33
- I'll Fly Away performed by Alison Krauss/Gillian Welch - 3:57
- Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby performed by Emmylou Harris/Alison Krauss/Gillian Welch - 1:57
- In the Highways performed by Leah Peasall/Sarah Peasall/Hannah Peasall - 1:35
- I Am Weary, Let Me Rest performed by Cox Family - 3:13
- Man of Constant Sorrow performed by John Hartford - 2:34
- O Death performed by Ralph Stanley - 3:19
- In the Jailhouse Now performed by Soggy Bottom Boys/Tim Nelson - 3:34
- Man of Constant Sorrow [alternatetake] performed by Soggy Bottom Boys/Dan Tyminski - 4:16
- Indian War Whoop performed by John Hartford - 1:30
- Lonesome Valley performed by Fairfield Four - 4:07
- Angel Band performed by Stanley Brothers - 2:15
Personnel
- Norman Blake - Performer
- Jerry Douglas - Dobro
- Alison Krauss[?] - Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- The Stanley Brothers - Performer
- Ralph Stanley - Performer
- Sam Bush - Mandolin
- Emmylou Harris - Performer
- John Hartford - Fiddle, Vocals
- The Fairfield Four - Performer
- Buck White - Mandolin, Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- Ed Haley - Arranger
- The Whites - Performer
- Mike Compton[?] - Guitar, Mandolin
- Alan Lomax - Arranger
- The Cox Family - Performer
- Harley Allen - Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- Barry Bales - Bass
- Ron Block - Banjo
- Curtis Burch - Dobro
- T-Bone Burnett - Arranger, Producer
- Evelyn Cox - Guitar
- Sidney Cox - Banjo, Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- Suzanne Cox - Mandolin, Vocals
- Willard Cox - Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- Stuart Duncan - Fiddle
- Pat Enright - Vocals, Harmony Vocals, Yodeling
- Isaac Freeman - Bass, Vocals, Lead
- James Hill - Vocals
- Harry McClintock - Performer
- Tim O'Brien - Vocals
- Maura O'Connell - Vocals
- Carter Stanley - Arranger
- Dan Tyminski - Guitar, Vocals
- Wilson Waters - Sax (Tenor), Vocals
- Cheryl White - Bass, Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- Sharon White - Guitar, Vocals
- Robert K. Oermann - Liner Notes
- Sam Phillips - Vocals
- Gillian Welch - Arranger, Vocals
- Dub Cornett - Vocals
- Chris Thomas King - Guitar, Vocals
- Norman Blake - Guitar, Vocals
- David Rawlings - Vocals
- Gavin Lurssen - Mastering
- Mike Piersante - Mixing
- First Baptist Church of Norfolk Choir - Vocals
- Chris Sharp - Guitar
- Nathaniel Best - Lead
- Robert Hamlett - Vocals
- Joseph Rice - Vocals
- Sarah Peasall - Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- Soggy Bottom Boys - Performer
- Tim Blake Nelson - Vocals, Performer
- Hannah Peasall - Vocals
- Leah Peasall - Vocals, Harmony Vocals
- James Carter And The Prisoners - Performer
U.S. album chart success
Billboard[?]:
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Billboard 200 No. 1
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Country Albums No. 1
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Internet Album No. 40
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Soundtracks No. 1
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Billboard 200 No. 1
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Country Albums No. 1
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Internet Albums No. 38
2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Soundtracks No. 1
2002 O Brother, Where Art Thou? The Billboard 200 No. 1
2002 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Canadian Albums No. 3
2002 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Country Albums No. 1
2002 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Internet Albums No. 40
2002 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Soundtracks No. 1
2002 O Brother, Where Art Thou? Top Internet Albums No. 38
The only single to chart was "Man of Constant Sorrow", which peaked at #38 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
All Wikipedia text
is available under the
terms of the GNU Free Documentation License