Since biopics of singers became popular with “Bohemian Rhapsody,” music has played a fundamental role in these productions. The featured songs can lead to great success at the box office or, in the worst case, result in being canceled by the fans of the portrayed stars.
When the Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” was announced, press inquiries focused on this issue. Would Marisa Abela, the actress portraying Amy, only lip-sync to the Grammy-winning voice as Rami Malek did with Freddie Mercury? Or would she adopt the full Taron Egerton style with Elton John and record her voice over the artist’s tracks?
The answer both frustrated some and pleasantly surprised others. So far, the film has received mixed reviews, making it difficult to gauge a general opinion, and it has yet to premiere in the United States. So, if you can’t wait for the release date on May 17 and want to know what songs are on the soundtrack of “Back to Black,” here they are.
Did Marisa Abela sing in Back to Black?
The most controversial question regarding “Back to Black” was whether the songs would be performed by Amy’s recorded voice or covered by Marisa Abela. In an interview with Radio Times, she revealed that she did all the singing in the movie, even though she found it very difficult:
“It’s an incredibly distinctive sound, so just nailing that sound was difficult. Because I think that one of the incredible things about Amy was that she never performed the same song the same way twice. So in those moments that are specific interviews or specific performances, it kind of has to be right, because that’s the only time it ever sounded like that.”
Although fans of Amy weren’t happy with this decision, it seems that the original band of the singer was more than satisfied with Marisa’s vocal performance. In a word that director Sam Taylor-Johnson had with Empire, he stated that the musicians who worked with the jazz singer on her best-selling albums got back together to make the music of the picture and were positively impressed by the actress.
Back to Black Movie Soundtrack | All the songs
The soundtrack of “Back to Black” was released on April 12. It came in two editions: the first with 12 tracks and an extended version comprising 26 songs. The score, on the other hand, was composed by Warren Ellis and Nick Cave.
The Amy Winehouse biopic not only showcases her music but also features some of her biggest influences. Billie Holiday, Tony Bennett, and Donny Hathaway are just a few of the iconic voices of jazz and soul that can be heard in the film.
Here, check out the complete soundtrack of “Back to Black”:
- Straight No Chaser by Thelonious Monk
- What Is It About Men by Amy Winehouse
- Stronger Than Me by Amy Winehouse
- I Heard Love Is Blind by Amy Winehouse
- Ghost Town by The Specials
- Know You Now Amy Winehouse
- I’m on the Outside (Looking In) by Little Anthony and the Imperials
- Leader of the Pack by The Shangri-Las
- All of Me by Billie Holiday
- Dressed in Black by The Shangri-Las
- I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know by Donny Hathaway
- Don’t Look Back into the Sun by The Libertines
- F*ck Me Pumps by Amy Winehouse
- Body and Soul by Tony Bennett
- Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
- Valerie (Live At BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, London) by Amy Winehouse
- Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton
- That’s Life by Willie Nelson
- Mad About the Boy by Dinah Washington
- (There Is) No Greater Love by Amy Winehouse
- Me and Mr Jones by Amy Winehouse
- Love Is a Losing Game by Amy Winehouse
- Rehab by Amy Winehouse
- Embraceable You by Sarah Vaughan
- Tears Dry On Their Own by Amy Winehouse
- Song for Amy by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
