In 2012, the album, along with its successorBack to Titanic (1998), was reissued as part of theCollector's Anniversary Edition set for the 3D re-release of the film. In 2017, La-La Land Records released the20th Anniversary Edition in a limited edition 4-disc release.
In 2022, on the film's 25th anniversary, the album was released on LP in a limited edition of 7,500 copies. The set included 2 LPs in a gatefold sleeve, an 8-page booklet, an XL poster, and a print replica of the historicalNew York Times frontpage.[6]
DirectorJames Cameron originally intendedEnya to compose the music, and in fact put together a rough edit of the film using her music as a temporary soundtrack.[7] After she declined, he approachedJames Horner. Their relationship was strained after their first collaboration inAliens, but thesoundtrack toBraveheart made Cameron overlook it. Horner composed the soundtrack having in mind Enya's style;Norwegian singerSissel Kyrkjebø performed the wordless vocals on the soundtrack.
Horner knew Sissel from the albumInnerst i sjelen and he particularly liked how she sang the song "Eg Veit I Himmerik Ei Borg" ("I Know in Heaven There is a Castle"). Horner had tried 25 or 30 singers and, in the end, he chose Sissel to sing the wordless tune.[8]
Céline Dion sang "My Heart Will Go On", the film'ssignature song composed by James Horner andWill Jennings. At first, Cameron did not want a song sung over the film's ending credits, but Horner disagreed. Without telling Cameron, he went ahead and wrote the song anyway, and recorded Dion singing it. Cameron changed his mind when Horner presented the song to him. "My Heart Will Go On" became a worldwide smash hit, going to the top of the music charts around the world. "My Heart Will Go On" won the 1997Academy Award forBest Original Song as well as theGolden Globe Award forBest Original Song in 1998.
Other artists were invited to submit songs for the movie, including contemporary Christian artistMichael W. Smith. He mentions in the liner notes to the song "In My Arms Again" from his 1998 albumLive the Life;[9] "Inspired and written for the movieTitanic, grateful for the opportunity to send them a song; grateful it landed on this record."
For the choral background of certain tracks, Horner made use of a digital choir instead of a real one; after the orchestral music was recorded, Horner personally performed the synthesized choir over a playback of the recording.[10][11] The idea behind using electronics, rather than a real choir, stemmed from Horner wanting to avoid a 'church'-like sound.[12]
Throughout the film, the composer created themes for particular characters, events, locations, and ideas.[13]
"Hymn to the Sea" – A sorrowful, melancholic theme which expresses the tragic side of theTitanic. It's also featured prominently in "Never An Absolution". This theme containsuilleann pipes and vocals bySissel Kyrkjebø. An alternate version is first heard in the film's opening sequence. Furthermore, the track contains a menacing, descending, four-note motif which signifies the wreck of the ship and is first featured whenTitanic's wreck site comes in view at the beginning of the film.
"Southampton" – Uplifting, adventurous and rather heroic-sounding theme which signifies the spectacle of theTitanic. This melody features an electronic choir andsnare drum clumps.
"Distant Memories" – This leitmotif contains synth choir vocals and an aquatic,chiming tone. This piece is first heard when old Rose is taken aboard the "Keldysh".
"Rose" – The sentimental theme of the film that is associated with the romance between Jack and Rose. Whilst in themajor key for the most parts, this leitmotif's rousing chorus modulates to the relativeminor key. The theme featuresorchestral violin, strings and piano. Electronic choir intrudes at times.Sissel Kyrkjebø performs the wordless vocals of this theme. This theme is first heard when Jack sees Rose for the first time on the deck and it would usually interpose during sequences when other music is playing, such as in "Hard to Starboard" and "Death of the Titanic".
"Hard to Starboard" – This piece contains the ominous leitmotif associated with the iceberg (i.e. "Iceberg Theme"), which is first heard when the iceberg is spotted. It also contains a percussion-heavy, pulsating motif that corresponds to the peril and danger the characters endure during the sinking.Anvils are extensively used in this track.
"Death of Titanic" – This track contains a descending, tumid and foreboding motif that also corresponds to peril and danger. It is played during the scene where the ship slowly starts to submerge into the ocean. To note, the descending cue is also heard in other tracks (i.e. "Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave"), such as when Jack and Rose are chased by Cal, although it sounds slightly altered.
"2 1/2 Miles Down" – Although this track is mostlyincidental,ambient music with droning synth voices and eerie strings,[14] it features the menacing, descending, three-note motif which signifies the wreck of the ship and is first featured whenTitanic's wreck site comes in view at the beginning of the film, which is also heard in "Hymn to the Sea".
Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture became the highest-selling primarily orchestral film score in history, with worldwide sales surpassing 30 million copies. The soundtrack quickly moved up the USBillboard 200, going from number eleven to number one on the chart in January 1998, keeping Shania Twain'sCome On Over and Madonna'sRay of Light from reaching the top spot. It remained at the top for sixteen straight weeks until it was replaced by theDave Matthews Band albumBefore These Crowded Streets. No album would spend at least ten consecutive weeks at number-one untilAdele's21 in the winter of 2012. The soundtrack has been certified 11× Platinum for 11 million copies shipped in the United States,[15] becoming the best-selling album of 1998, and the fastest-certified soundtrack album ever.[16][17]
The soundtrack also hit number-one in at least 14 other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. The soundtrack was certified 5× Platinum by theARIA in Australia for 350,000 copies shipped.[18] It was certified 3× Platinum in the United Kingdom for over 900,000 copies shipped;[19] and was certified diamond by theCRIA in Canada for 1 million copies shipped.[20] The soundtrack is the best-selling non-Chinese CD album inTaiwan, selling 1.1 million copies.
The soundtrack's success led to the release of a second volume, calledBack to Titanic which contained a mixture of previously unreleased soundtrack recordings and newly recorded performances of some of the songs in the film, including one track recorded byClannad singer,Máire Brennan.Back to Titanic was certified platinum by theRIAA.[21]
A two-disc edition comprised the original soundtrack as disc 1, andGentlemen, It Has Been a Privilege Playing with You Tonight as disc 2.
A four-disc edition, released only in certain countries, movedGentlemen to disc 3, withBack to Titanic as disc 2, andPopular Music From the Titanic Era as disc 4.
All tracks onGentlemen, It Has Been a Privilege Playing with You Tonight performed byI Salonisti and produced by John Altman.
Gentlemen, It Has Been a Privilege Playing with You Tonight track listing
^Exclusive ReviewArchived January 20, 2021, at theWayback Machine Titanic Expanded: An Ocean of Discoveries Filmmusic.com, Exclusive review – Titanic by Nick & Jean-Baptiste Martin.
^Antunes, Marcelo (April 8, 1998)."Compacto".O Pioneiro (in Portuguese): 17. RetrievedSeptember 17, 2021.In Brazil, the CD has already reached the considerable mark of 650,000 copies.
^White, Adam (June 20, 1998)."Billboard Vol. 110, No. 25".Billboard. RetrievedMarch 19, 2017.The Sony Classical soundtrack album to the movie is now reported to have sold more than 1 million legitimate copies in the People's Republic of China
^Grassi, Giovanni (May 5, 1998)."Aykroyd: parlo col fantasma di Belushi".Corriere della Sera (in Italian). p. 35.Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. RetrievedApril 29, 2021.la colpa e del titanic asso pigliatutto e delle donne che andavano a vedere soltanto leonardo di caprio se abbiamo incassato meno del previsto (quasi 56 miliardi di lire). però, poi, abbiamo venduto migliaia di videocassette e siamo al top con 800 mila copie della colonna sonora
