O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack)

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

1. Po Lazarus performed by James Carter - 4:31
2. Big Rock Candy Mountain performed by Harry McClintock - 2:16
3. You Are My Sunshine performed by Norman Blake - 4:26
4. Down in the River to Pray performed by Alison Krauss - 2:55
5. Man of Constant Sorrow performed by Soggy Bottom Boys/Dan Tyminski - 4:16
6. Hard Time Killing Floor Blues performed by King, Chris Thomas - 2:42
7. Man of Constant Sorrow performed by Norman Blake - 4:28
8. Keep on the Sunny Side performed by Whites - 3:33
9. I'll Fly Away performed by Alison Krauss/Gillian Welch - 3:57
10. Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby performed by Emmylou Harris/Alison Krauss/Gillian Welch - 1:57
11. In the Highways performed by Leah Peasall/Sarah Peasall/Hannah Peasall - 1:35
12. I Am Weary, Let Me Rest performed by Cox Family - 3:13
13. Man of Constant Sorrow performed by John Hartford - 2:34
14. O Death performed by Ralph Stanley - 3:19
15. In the Jailhouse Now performed by Soggy Bottom Boys/Tim Nelson - 3:34
16. Man of Constant Sorrow [alternatetake] performed by Soggy Bottom Boys/Dan Tyminski - 4:16
17. Indian War Whoop performed by John Hartford - 1:30
18. Lonesome Valley performed by Fairfield Four - 4:07
19. 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.