The Care Bears Movie: Original Soundtrack Album is the movie soundtrack to "The Care Bears Movie."
The album was released in 1985. In the United States, it was released on Kid Stuff Records and in the United Kingdom, it was released on Cherry Lane Records.
Album Background[]
The album was produced by Lou Adler, John Sebastian & Walt Woodward. It features artists such as John Sebastian, Carole King, Tower of Power and NRBQ.
Before "The Care Bears Movie," John Sebastian contributed to several other Nelvana specials such as 1978's "The Devil and Daniel Mouse."
When asked to compose three tracks for the film, John learned about the characters since he was unfamiliar with the franchise.
Despite his misgivings on the marketing aspects, in April of 1985, John stated:
"I think their central theme—being candid about your feelings, sharing your feelings—is a very positive message for children."
Actor Harry Dean Stanton (who was the voice of Brave Heart Lion) made a guest appearance on the album on the track "Home is In Your Heart."
The songs were produced by Lou Adler and John Sebastian with additional lyrics and music by Ken Stephenson, Walt Woodward and David Bird. Nelvana crewmember Peter Hudecki prepared the song sequences.
Track listing[]
A-Side
- Care-a-Lot by Carole King (written by Carole King; produced by Lou Adler)
- Nobody Cares Like a Bear by John Sebastian (written & produced by John Sebastian)
- Home is In Your Heart by Carole King, Harry Dean Stanton, Louise Goffin, Robbie Kondor & Levi Larkey (written by Carole King & produced by Lou Adler)
B-Side
- When You Care, You're Not Afraid to Try by John Sebastian & Cast (written & produced by John Sebastian)
- Look Out! He's After You by Walt Woodward, David Bird, Becky Goldstein, Susan Kross, Anne Marie Prunty, Christine Selbert, NRBQ and Tower of Power (written by Walt Woodward, David Bird & Ken Stephenson; produced by Walt Woodward)
- In A Care Bear Family by John Sebastian (written & produced by John Sebastian)
- Care-a-Lot (Reprise) by Carole King (written by Carole King; produced by Lou Adler) (on U.S. album version only)
Personnel[]
- Carole King - vocals, piano
- Louise Goffin - vocals
- Sherry Goffin - background vocals
- Robbie Kondor - background vocals, keyboards
- Levi Larkey - vocals
- Harry Dean Stanton - vocals
- John Sebastian - vocals, guitar
- Donn Adams - trombone
- Terry Adams - keyboards, vocals
- Al Anderson - guitar, vocals
- Tom Arpolino - drums
- Keith Spring - saxophone
- Joey Spampinato - bass, vocals
- Roswell Rudd - trombone
Critical Reception[]
Adele Freedman of Toronto's The Globe and Mail wrote positively about the music in the film, stating:
"A lot of caring has gone into the soundtrack. It doesn't attack the eardrum in the manner of so much current kids' stuff. It supposes that a child's ear can discriminate between good music and aural pollution as well as anybody else's. Carole King (of Tapestry fame) wrote and performed the theme song, "Nobody Cares Like A Bear". [sic] The remaining songs, written by John Sebastian, are likewise entertaining and imaginatively arranged. The music does a lot to make the kingdom of Care-a-lot, where the goody-goody bears hang out on clouds monitoring life below on their Caring Meter, a slightly less irritable place."
Other critics tended to differ.
The Houston Chronicle's Stephen Hunter found that:
"the film integrates its music into the story very clumsily. It's not merely that the numbers are forgettable—they are—it's that they're shoe-horned so obviously into the story that they don't amplify it, they stop it cold."
Likewise, Michael Blowen of The Boston Globe said that "the uninspired songs ... add nothing to the banal plot."