Movie Music: You Can't Stop the Beat

Today, Movie Dearest kicks off a weeklong countdown to the new movie musical of John Waters' cult classic Hairspray, which opens nationwide this Friday.

The groovin' new Hairspray soundtrack is on sale now, and I can't get enough of it. Fans of the original Broadway show won't be disappointed, even if they did cut "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" from the movie. That song is heard on the soundtrack though, sung by the three actresses who have played Tracy Turnblad: Ricki Lake, the original Tracy (who actually sounds pretty good - who knew from her trashy talk show?), Marissa Jaret Winokur (winner of the Tony Award for originating the role on Broadway) and Nikki Blonsky, the unknown cast in the new film who is sure to be a gay fave for the rest of her life. I was never a big fan of Winokur's voice on the cast album; her "hiccups" got annoying on repeat listens. Thankfully, Blonsky's voice is smoother and less affected.

Actually, everyone sounds great on the album. Former hip hop diva Queen Latifah continues to amaze with her legit singing, particularly on "I Know Where I've Been". And who knew James Marsden could sing so well? Even Zac Efron proves he's got the pipes, considering he didn't in High School Musical. The jury is still out on John Travolta's casting as Edna, the mother of all mothers. I'll wait to see the movie before I comment on his performance, but I will say that I like his Danny Zuko-like grooves during the show-stopping finale, "You Can't Stop the Beat" (just try sitting still during that one).

Other songs cut for the movie include "The Big Dollhouse" (good riddance), "The Madison" and "Cooties" (which does get a modern house-style mix on the album), replaced by one song ("The New Girl in Town"), which was written for but cut from the Broadway show, and two brand new numbers written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (the two new songs will be eligible for the "Best Original Song" Oscar). "Ladies' Choice" is an Elvis style ditty for Link Larkin (Efron) and "Come So Far (Got So Far to Go)" is performed by Latifah, Blonsky, Efron and Elijah Kelly (who plays Seaweed) over the end credits. When I first heard the title of the latter, it sounded like it would be similar to "I Know Where I've Been"; far from it, it is an upbeat toe-tapper that will have you dancing out of the movie theater come this weekend.

Click here to buy the Hairspray soundtrack albumfrom Amazon.com.