Despicable Me 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | July 2, 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2012 | |||
Venue | ||||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | Film soundtrack | |||
Length | 1:01:25 | |||
Label | Back Lot Music | |||
Producer | ||||
Heitor Pereira chronology | ||||
| ||||
Despicable Me chronology | ||||
| ||||
Pharrell Williams chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Despicable Me 2:Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
|
Despicable Me 2:Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album for the 2013 film Despicable Me 2 ;the sequel to Despicable Me (2010). The album was released on July 2,2013,through Back Lot Music. [2] [3] The original music was composed by Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams,whom previously scored for Despicable Me. [4] The soundtrack to the film featured 24 tracks –eight songs and the remainder of the album,consists of original score tracks. Out of the eight songs,three original tracks,written by Williams,were featured in the album as well as the tracks "Another Irish Drinking Song","I Swear" and "Y.M.C.A." were incorporated into the album. Besides that,two tracks from Despicable Me:"Fun,Fun,Fun" and the titular track is also featured in the soundtrack. [4]
The track "Happy" served as the only single from the album released on November 21,2013,by Back Lot Music,and was also part of Williams' second studio album Girl (2014). [5] A visual presentation of the track,being advertised as "the world's first 24-hour music video" coincided the single,featuring Williams and directed by We Are from LA,and went viral upon release. Besides,topping the charts in over 19 countries,it was the best-selling song of 2014 in the United States and United Kingdom. [6] [7] The song also received an Academy Award-nomination for Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards,but lost the award to "Let It Go" from Frozen . [8] Eight years after the single release,the track "Just a Cloud Away" was released in March 2022. [9]
The co-director of Despicable Me 2,Chris Renaud had recalled the "distinctive music of the first film" that born out of the collaboration between Pereira and Williams,leading them to work for its sequel. [10] Pereira attributed that for El Macho,being a Mexican wrestler and the main antagonist,had to implement "full choir with a latin flair to emphasize his presence". [10] Pereira also created new themes for the characters,including for the minions,whose themes needed to be "more threatening and menacing". [11] Williams and Pereira discussed about several main themes for the album,and went ahead with the overarching theme,which was not about the characters but much about the air of the film. He added that the "continuity was honestly based on lifting people up emotionally". [12] [13]
Williams wrote three original songs,including the popular track "Happy" that was released as a single on November 21,2013,to wider commercial success. [14] [15] In a 2014 interview to The New York Times ,Williams recalled that the song was rejected nine times,by the producer Chris Meledandri,before finally being approved. [14] [16] While writing the track,did not write the melodic portions,but only just the chorus part of the film. He finished writing the song within 20 minutes. [17] [18] The song was initially intended to be written for CeeLo Green (who earlier sang another track "Scream"), [19] but due to conflicts with CeeLo's record company Elektra Records,as he was on the verge of releasing his 2013 Christmas album, [20] [21] Williams himself sang the track,instead. [22] [23]
Speaking on the integration of the film songs into the score,Pereira said "Unless there is a reason in the story,you don't want it to be a surprise,so you have to tease the ears with what is going to come in the song before it begins". [11]
As a part of promotions,Williams came up with a website 24hoursofhappy.com, [24] launched to coincide with the single release, [25] featuring a visual presentation of "Happy" advertised as being "the world's first 24-hour music video",directed by the French directing team We Are from LA. [26] The video went viral upon its premiere,and attributed to the massive success of the song. [17] The four-minute video edit of the song released on YouTube on November 21,and as of March 2018,it crossed over 1 billion views. [27] Eight years after the film's release,Williams released the lyrical song "Just a Cloud Away" on March 25,2022,to wider commercial response. [28]
All music is composed by Heitor Pereira
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Scream" | Pharrell Williams | Cee Lo Green | 3:41 |
2. | "Another Irish Drinking Song" | Paul and Storm | Pierre Coffin | 0:39 |
3. | "Just a Cloud Away" | Williams | Williams | 2:56 |
4. | "Happy" | Williams | Williams | 3:53 |
5. | "I Swear" (John Michael Montgomery) | Gary Baker, Frank J. Myers | Coffin | 1:38 |
6. | "Y.M.C.A." (Village People) | Henri Belolo, Jacques Morali, Victor Willis | Coffin | 2:55 |
7. | "Fun, Fun, Fun" | Williams | Williams | 3:26 |
8. | "Despicable Me" | Williams | Williams | 4:14 |
9. | "PX-41 Labs" | 2:06 | ||
10. | "The Fairy Party" | 1:27 | ||
11. | "Lucy and the AVL" | 5:39 | ||
12. | "Goodbye Nefario" | 1:27 | ||
13. | "Time for Bed" | 1:27 | ||
14. | "Break-In" | 3:00 | ||
15. | "Stalking Floyd Eaglesan" | 1:35 | ||
16. | "Moving to Australia" | 3:09 | ||
17. | "Going to Save the World" | 1:25 | ||
18. | "El Macho" | 1:27 | ||
19. | "Jillian" | 0:47 | ||
20. | "Take Her Home" | 1:29 | ||
21. | "El Macho's Lair" | 3:32 | ||
22. | "Home Invasion" | 1:57 | ||
23. | "The Big Battle" | 7:23 | ||
24. | "Ba Do Bleep" | Johannes Brahms | Chris Renaud | 0:04 |
Total length: | 1:01:12 |
"Happy" topped the musical charts in over 19 countries. It topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending March 8, 2014, and the following week, [29] and also topped the Hot 100 Airplay chart. [30] It holds the record for the second-highest audience peak for a week on the Hot 100 Airplay, with 225.9 million impressions, only behind Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines". [31] It also topped the New Zealand Singles Chart holding the first position for 12 consecutive weeks, since January 2014, [32] and broke the 36-year-long record for most weeks spent at #1, which was previously held by Boney M.'s 1970 single "Rivers of Babylon". It also became the best-selling single of UK and US in 2014, with 1.5 and 6.45 million copies sold for the year, respectively. [6] [7]
The soundtrack consecutively listed in the first 10 positions of the UK Soundtracks Chart by the Official Charts Company. [33] It also topped the 86th position in Billboard 200, and further listed in number 19 in the Independent Albums chart and in the top-third of Billboard soundtracks chart, since 2014. [34]
Chart (2013–14) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [35] | 163 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [36] | 160 |
UK Compilation Albums (OCC) [37] | 48 |
UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC) [33] | 9 |
US Billboard 200 [38] | 86 |
US Independent Albums ( Billboard ) [38] | 19 |
US Top Soundtracks ( Billboard ) [38] | 3 |
At the 86th Academy Awards held on March 2, 2014, Williams' song "Happy" was nominated for Best Original Song, but lost to "Let It Go" from Frozen . [39] When GQ magazine asked Williams "how badly" he wanted the Oscar, he responded: "When they read the results, my face was...frozen. But then I thought about it, and I just decided just to... let it go." [40]
The music video for "Happy" was nominated for Best Male Video and Video of the Year at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. [41] [42] It also won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, and in the same ceremony, a live rendition of the song, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance. [43] However, the song failed to shortlist at the Best Song Written for Visual Media category. [44]
Credits adapted from CD liner notes: [59] [60]
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, often known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American record producer, singer, songwriter, rapper, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, he first became known as one half of the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes, which he formed in 1992 with fellow musician Chad Hugo. Collectively, they have produced 15 singles which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100—including four songs that peaked atop the chart—as Williams gained initial recognition as a frequent backing vocalist for the duo's productions. He also formed the alternative band N.E.R.D. with Hugo and drummer Shay Haley in 1999, for which Williams serves as lead vocalist. He has been widely considered as one of the most influential music producers of the 21st century, and is credited with impact on various genres of modern popular music.
"Boys" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her self-titled third studio album (2001). It was written and produced by Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. A version of the song titled "The Co-Ed Remix" and featuring guest vocals from Williams was released as the fifth single from Britney on June 24, 2002. The new version also served as the second single from the soundtrack of Austin Powers in Goldmember. "Boys" is a pop, R&B and hip hop song, including funk influences. The remix carries a slower tempo than the album version, and both versions were noted by critics to be reminiscent of music by American artist Janet Jackson. Some critics praised Spears and Williams' chemistry, as well as the production on the track, while others did not think the song worked well.
Heitor Teixeira Pereira, or Heitor TP, is a Brazilian composer, songwriter, musician, arranger, and record producer. In his career, Pereira has recorded with the band Simply Red and several famous musicians, such as Elton John, Rod Stewart, k.d. lang, Milton Nascimento, and Jack Johnson; and currently works as a film score composer, as well as a musician at Hans Zimmer's studio, he is best known for being the composer of the Despicable Me franchise. Although primarily a guitarist, he also provided backing vocals live for the Simply Red song "Thrill Me".
The discography of Pharrell Williams, an American recording artist and record producer, consists of two studio albums, two extended plays (EPs), three mixtapes, 22 singles.
Despicable Me 2 is a 2013 American animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to Despicable Me (2010), it was directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin, produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and written by the writing team of Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. It stars the voices of Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand, and Ken Jeong. The film follows retired supervillain Gru as he is recruited by secret agent Lucy Wilde to investigate the theft of a powerful mutagen by El Macho, a supervillain who seeks to achieve world domination.
Despicable Me: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the film of the same name, and it was released on July 6, 2010. It features new songs from the film written, performed, produced and/or composed by Pharrell Williams, and performances by Destinee & Paris, The Sylvers, Robin Thicke, The Bee Gees, and David Bisbal. A soundtrack album including the many other songs that appear in the film has been unofficially unreleased.
"Blurred Lines" is a song by American singer Robin Thicke featuring fellow American musicians T.I. and Pharrell Williams from Thicke's sixth studio album, Blurred Lines (2013). Solely produced by Williams, it was released as the album's lead single in 2013, through Star Trak Recordings and Interscope Records. For the lyrics, Thicke said the song is about his then-wife Paula Patton. Musically, "Blurred Lines" is an R&B and pop track with instrumentation consisting of bass guitar, drums, and percussion.
"Get Lucky" is a song written and performed by French electronic music duo Daft Punk featuring American singer Pharrell Williams and American guitarist Nile Rodgers. Daft Punk released the song as the lead single from their fourth and final studio album, Random Access Memories, on 19 April 2013. Before its release as a single, "Get Lucky" was featured in television advertisements broadcast during Saturday Night Live, after which Rodgers and Williams announced their involvement in the track. "Get Lucky" is a house-inspired disco, funk, and pop track with lyrics that, according to Williams, are about the good fortune of connecting with someone, as well as sexual chemistry. "Get Lucky" has since received acclaim from critics, with a number of them praising Williams's vocals and Rodgers's guitar riffs.
"Happy" is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams, released as the only single from the soundtrack album for the film Despicable Me 2 (2013). The song was first released on November 21, 2013, alongside a long-form music video. The song was reissued on December 16, 2013, by Back Lot Music under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music. The song also served as the lead single from Williams's second studio album, Girl (2014).
Girl is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams. The album was released on March 3, 2014, by Williams' label I Am Other and Columbia Records. Girl was Williams' first studio album since his 2006 debut, In My Mind. It contains appearances by Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Daft Punk, JoJo, and Alicia Keys.
"Come Get It Bae" is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams, with guest vocals from Miley Cyrus, from the former's second studio album Girl (2014). "Come Get It Bae" was released on March 6, 2014, through Columbia Records as the third single from the album.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the official soundtrack from the 2014 film of the same name composed by Hans Zimmer and a supergroup called The Magnificent Six, consisting of Pharrell Williams, Mike Einziger, Junkie XL, Johnny Marr, Andrew Kawczynski, and Steve Mazzaro. It was released on April 18, 2014, through Columbia Records and Madison Gate Records.
"Shine" is a song written and recorded by American singer Gwen Stefani featuring fellow American musician Pharrell Williams, who solely produced the song. Originally intended for Stefani's band No Doubt, it is a reggae pop and ska song that is featured in the 2014 animated film Paddington. The lyrics revolve around the lead character Paddington Bear's journey to London and his identity crisis. Stefani initially disagreed with Williams' choice to use direct references to Paddington in the lyrics, but praised this decision after watching the film with her children. She reported that her involvement with the recording was inspired by her then-husband Gavin Rossdale and her children's connection to England.
"Freedom" is a song by Pharrell Williams which was released for streaming on Apple Music and played by Zane Lowe on his show on Beats 1 on its launch date of June 30, 2015. Part of the song was made available as a teaser on Williams' Twitter page and was also used in a promotional video for Apple Music. Its music video was nominated for Best Music Video at the 58th Grammy Awards.
Minions: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 2015 film Minions, a spin-off/prequel and the third installment overall in the Despicable Me franchise, directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, the latter in his feature directorial debut. The original music is composed by Heitor Pereira who previously worked on Despicable Me (2010) and Despicable Me 2 (2013), where he composed the score with Pharrell Williams. Minions, however is the first film in the franchise, without the involvement of Williams and Pereira taking over the sole credit as the composer. The soundtrack for the film was released, alongside the film, on July 10, 2015, by Back Lot Music.
"Show Me Your Soul" is a song recorded by P. Diddy, Lenny Kravitz, Pharrell Williams, and Loon. The song was released by Bad Boy and Universal as the fourth single from the soundtrack album for the 2003 film Bad Boys II, an action comedy movie directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. All instrumental parts were performed by Lenny Kravitz and Pharrell Williams. The song was aired on Soul Train on November 15, 2003. Chris Robinson directed the music video. The song "Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera was referenced in the lyrics.
Despicable Me 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2017 film Despicable Me 3, the fourth instalment in the Despicable Me franchise and the sequel to Despicable Me 2 (2013). Pharrell Williams produced the soundtrack album, and also contributed five original songs for the film. The other tracks consisted of several pop singles from the 1980s performed by Michael Jackson, Madonna, Nena, A-ha and few songs and themes from the previous installments. The soundtrack for Despicable Me 3 was released on June 23, 2017, featuring sixteen tracks, and was led by two singles – "Yellow Light" and "There's Something Special" – which was made available through digital download and streaming on June 8 and 13, prior to the album release. Heitor Pereira, who worked on the previous installments, had composed the film's music. Despicable Me 3 (Original Motion Picture Score), which featured Pereira's original score of 38 tracks, was released by Back Lot Music on June 30.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the soundtrack to the 2022 film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a sequel to Puss in Boots (2011). The album was released on December 16, 2022, by Back Lot Music, and featured musical score composed by Heitor Pereira, who replaced Henry Jackman, the composer of the first film. It featured five songs performed by Antonio Banderas, Dan Navarro, Gaby Moreno and Pereira, with his score accompanying the remainder of the album.
{{cite magazine}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)