1984 soundtrack album by various artists
| Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Volumes 1 & 2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Soundtrack album by various artists | |
| Released | 1984 (U.S.) 1984 (Canada, Germany, Italy) |
| Studio | Unique Recording Studios, New York City |
| Genre | Old school rap, boogie, electro, breakdance music |
| Length | 79.28 (total) 40:55, 38:73 |
| Label | Atlantic 80154 (Volume I.) Atlantic 80158 (Volume II.) |
| Producer | Arthur Baker, Harry Belafonte |
Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Volume 1 and Beat Street (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Volume 2 are soundtrack albums for the 1984 drama film of the same name. It was released in 1984 by Atlantic Records. Both albums were produced by Harry Belafonte, a calypso artist best known for his 1956 hit "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", and prolific freestyle music producer and remixer Arthur Baker, who collaborated with music artists including Freeez, Afrika Bambaataa, and New Order.
Both albums even entered the Billboard 200 and R&B Albums charts and stayed there in the same year.
Description
The soundtrack contains music mainly from old-school hip-hop artists including Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five, Jazzy Jay, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic and Treacherous Three featuring beatbox pioneer Doug E. Fresh but also various electro/boogie musicians such as Freeez, and the System and Juicy.
The album was certified gold in the same year.
A third volume was planned, but it was never released. The second volume was never released on CD.
Track listing
Volume 1 (80154)
- A-side
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | "Beat Street Breakdown" | Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious 5 | Melvin Glover, Reggie Griffin | Melle Mel, Sylvia Robinson | 6:48 |
| A2 | "Baptise the Beat" | The System | David Frank, Mic Murphy | David Frank, Michael Murphy | 4:25 |
| A3 | "Strangers in a Strange World" (Love Theme From Beat Street) |
Jenny Burton & Patrick Jude | Jake Holmes | Jake Holmes | 4:25 |
| A4 | "Frantic Situation" | Afrika Bambaataa The Soul Sonic Force, Shango |
Arthur Baker, Leroi Evans, Ray Serrano, Afrika Bambaataa Aasim, William Henderson, Ellis Williams, John Miller, Robert Allen, Wilfred Fowler | Arthur Baker | 5:04 |
- B-side
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | "Beat Street Strut" | Juicy | Milton G. Barnes, Katreese Barnes | Eumir Deodato | 5:00 |
| B2 | "Us Girls" | Sharon Green, Lisa Counts & Debbie D | Debora Hooper, Lisa Counts, Ross Levinson, Sharon Green | Harry Belafonte | 3:52 |
| B3 | "This Could Be the Night" | Cindy Mizelle | Arthur Baker, Carl Sturken, Chris Lord-Alge, Evan Rogers, Tina Baker | Arthur Baker | 4:53 |
| B4 | "Breaker's Revenge" | Arthur Baker | Arthur Baker | Arthur Baker | 4:42 |
| B5 | "Tu Cariño / Carmen's Theme" | Ruben Blades | Carlos Franzetti, Ruben Blades | Harry Belafonte | 3:06 |
Volume 2 (80158)
- A-side
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | "Son of Beat Street" | Jazzy Jay | John Byas, Lenny Underwood | David Belafonte | 4:05 |
| A2 | "Give Me All" | Juicy | Milton G. Barnes, Katreese Barnes | Arthur Baker, Harry Belafonte | 4:25 |
| A3 | "Nothin's Gonna Come Easy" | Tina B | Arthur Baker, Tina Baker | Arthur Baker, Harry Belafonte | 4:19 |
| A4 | "Santa's Rap" | The Treacherous Three | Kevin Keaton, LaMar Hill, Mohandas Dewese | David Belafonte | 6:10 |
- B-side
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | "It's All Right By Me" | Jenny Burton | Peter Link | Peter Link, Webster Lewis | 5:00 |
| B2 | "Battle Cry" | Rockers Revenge | Arthur Baker, Donald Calvin Hawkes, Vincent Dwight Fuller | Arthur Baker | 4:52 |
| B3 | Phony Four MC's – "Wappin' (Bubblehead)" | Ralph Rolle | Earl Deas, Eric Real, Ralph Rolle | Arthur Baker, Harry Belafonte | 6:11 |
| B4 | "Into The Night" | La La | LaForest Cope, Lenny Underwood, Webster Lewis | Webster Lewis | 4:42 |
Credits and personnel
|
|
Charts
Volume 1
| Chart (1984) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 33 |
| US Billboard R&B Albums | 10 |
| US Billboard 200 | 14 |
Volume 2
| Chart (1984) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard R&B Albums | 47 |
| US Billboard 200 | 137 |
Album certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000 |
|
Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- "Photographic image" (JPG). Deejay.de. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- "Beat Street Vol. 1 (Original Soundtrack) credits". Allmusic. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- "Beat Street Vol. 2 (Original Soundtrack) credits". Allmusic. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- Beat Street Volume 1 - chart positions. Billboard & Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-August-09
- Beat Street Volume 2 - Chart positions. Billboard & Allmusic. Retrieved 2011-August-09
- "Beat Street Vol. 1 (Original Soundtrack) credits". Discogs. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- "Vitae of Carl Maultsby - composer". Carl MaultsBy. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- Ira A. Robbins (1985). The Rolling Stone Review — 1985. Edited by Ira A. Robbins. Rolling Stone Press. ISBN 978-0-684-18333-6. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
Although second to arrive, the Beat Street soundtrack went gold, and Beat Street, Vol. II was released later in the year.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Beat Street". Recording Industry Association of America.
