Thoroughly Modern Millie is the original soundtrack of the 1967 musical comedy film of the same name,directed by George Roy Hill and produced by Ross Hunter for Universal Pictures.[1] The soundtrack,released by Decca Records in February 1967,blends 1920s jazz standards with new compositions to capture the spirit of the film's Roaring Twenties setting. Featuring Julie Andrews in her return to recording,alongside Carol Channing and Mary Tyler Moore,the album includes standout tracks like "Thoroughly Modern Millie","Jimmy",and Channing’s lively renditions of "Jazz Baby" and "Do It Again" .
Despite criticism for its short runtime and repeated medleys,the soundtrack was praised for its nostalgic energy,vibrant arrangements by AndréPrevin,and contributions from Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen. It received generally positive reviews,with Cashbox,Variety,and Billboard praising its charm and commercial potential,while AllMusic offered a more critical retrospective. Allen Evans of NME called it a strong follow-up to Andrews’previous successes,awarding it four stars.
Commercially,the album was a hit,reaching No. 16 on the Billboard 200,earning gold certification within a month,and achieving Top 10 success in the UK.
Background
The film Thoroughly Modern Millie set in the 1920s,stars Julie Andrews as the titular Millie Dillmount,alongside Carol Channing,Mary Tyler Moore,and James Fox. The soundtrack,released by Decca Records in February 1967 as the inaugural entry in their "1500 Deluxe Album Series",blends period jazz standards with original compositions,aiming to evoke the exuberant spirit of the Roaring Twenties.[2]
The album marked Julie Andrews' return to recording after her iconic performances in Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965).[3] Notably,Andrews had no exclusive recording contract at the time,making her participation in the soundtrack a significant draw.[2] The LP featured Carol Channing—fresh from her Broadway triumph in Hello,Dolly!—singing two standout numbers,"Jazz Baby" and "Do It Again".[4] The musical team included composer Elmer Bernstein (who won an Academy Award for his film score,though it was excluded from the album),arranger AndréPrevin,and the legendary songwriting duo Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen,who contributed the title track and "The Tapioca".[5]
Promotion
Decca promoted the album aggressively,packaging it with a deluxe color booklet containing behind-the-scenes photos and production notes.[1][6]
The soundtrack received varied but generally positive reviews from critics. Cash Box described the album as "a potpourri of new songs and old favorites",praising its "bouncy,rollicking quality" and predicting it would be a commercial success.[10] The review highlighted AndréPrevin's arrangements and the contributions of Cahn and Van Heusen. Variety focused on the performances of Julie Andrews and Carol Channing,calling the soundtrack "the best part of the production." The review noted Andrews' renditions of standards like "Poor Butterfly" and "Jimmy," as well as Channing's lively performances in "Jazz Baby" and "Do It Again".[4]
Billboard emphasized the album's nostalgic appeal,calling it a return to the "wild,thrilling days of the 1920s". The review suggested that the high-energy performances would drive sales.[9]AllMusic,in a retrospective review by William Ruhlmann,offered a more critical perspective. While praising Andrews' and Channing's performances,Ruhlmann noted that the album was "heavily padded" with repetitions and medleys. He also pointed out the absence of Elmer Bernstein's Academy Award-winning score,which was not included on the soundtrack.[5]
Allen Evans of NME praised the album,calling it a strong follow-up to her previous hits like The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady. He highlighted the mix of nostalgic 1920s tunes ("Baby Face","Poor Butterfly") and new songs ("Thoroughly Modern Millie","Jimmy"),predicting they'd be popular. He also applauded Carol Channing's performances ("Jazz Baby","Do It Again") and the lively orchestral arrangements by AndréPrevin and Elmer Bernstein. Overall,he considers it a "good album" with broad appeal,and rated it four out of four stars.[11]
David Barbour from Cast Album Reviews dismissed the soundtrack as a "bizarre camp exercise" spoofing the 1920s with little coherence. He criticized its disjointed structure—more a "mishmash of old and new numbers" than a proper musical—and noted the album's padding with excessive instrumentals like the overture and exit music. While he admitted the title track was catchy and praised Jay Thompson's ballad "Jimmy",Barbour lambasted Carol Channing's over-the-top "Jazz Baby" ("studied by drag queens," he quipped) and Julie Andrews' inexplicable "Jewish Wedding Song" ("beyond description"). He also pointed out Beatrice Lillie's absence and James Fox's dubbed vocals in "The Tapioca" as further flaws. Ultimately,his review framed the soundtrack as a baffling,poorly executed novelty with few redeeming qualities.[12]
Commercial performance
The Thoroughly Modern Millie soundtrack was a commercial success in 1967. It debuted at No. 155 on the Billboard 200 (April 15)[13] before climbing to No. 16 (3 June)[14] and staying on the chart for 48 weeks.[15][16] Its strong sales earned it a gold certification in under a month,[17][18] for more than a million dollars in sales.[19]
In the UK,the album entered at No. 31 (October 28),peaked at No. 9 (November 18),and remained on the chart for 16 weeks.[20]
1 2 Evans, Allen (7 October 1967). "LPs by Allen Evans"(PDF). NME. p.13. Archived(PDF) from the original on 31 March 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
1 2 Barbour, David (28 August 2015). "Thoroughly Modern Millie". Cast Album Reviews. Archived from the original on 30 January 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
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