Swing is the original soundtrack from the 1999 independent film of the same name, Swing, starring as female lead the British singer and - here for the first time - actress Lisa Stansfield, who has written and interpreted most of the new tracks, featuring along with cover versions of evergreens, and previously unreleased instrumental themes. The album includes 15 tracks, 10 of which are sung by Lisa Stansfield, 2 by Georgie Fame, and 3 are instrumental, written and played by Ian Devaney, Stansfield's husband and collaborator, as well as producer and arranger of the record. The soundtrack has reached Number 6 in the U.S. Top Jazz Albums Chart, but did not enter the general Billboard Hot 200, nor other charts in other countries, including the UK albums chart.
Background
The soundtrack album came out in the same year as the film on Lisa's then label, BMG/Arista, which re-released it—remastered and in digipak—in 2003. At the time of re-release, deluxe editions of the Stansfield's whole back catalogue were also issued, represented by her first 5 studio albums. Each album was reissued separately, with the addition of a number of bonus tracks on each, and also in one complete package titled The Complete Collection, which included 15 additional tracks and a bonus disc with more B-sides, rarities and remixes. This multiple collection does not include any of the 15 songs from the original 1999 film soundtrack. Moreover, the soundtrack album is the only remastered re-release of Lisa's long playing works not containing any bonus track.
The only two songs on the album on which Stansfield herself does not sing are "Gotta Get on This Train" and "I Thought That's What You Liked About Me", which are instead interpreted by Georgie Fame. Although she did not sing on either of the two tracks, both were written by her, along with usual collaborators Ian Devaney and Richard Darbyshire. The record also features three instrumental tunes, composed and played by Devaney only (the two "Martin's Theme"s and the "Love Theme"). The style of the album, more than the swing the title refers to, centres around white soul, r'n'b, sentimental ballads and syncopated rhythms in Motown tradition, the record label where the songwriting partnership Holland–Dozier–Holland, composers of track 3, "Baby I Need Your Lovin'", penned a number of chart hits. The soundtrack also includes a cover of George & Ira Gershwin's "Our Love Is Here to Stay".
Billboard Chart:
1999 Swing - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Top Jazz Albums #6