2016 marks the 40th anniversary of The Man Who Fell to Earth, director Nicolas Roeg’s trippy cult classic starring the late David Bowie as the stranded alien Newton.  Prior to his untimely death earlier this year, Bowie revisited Newton and the milieu of the film in his only musical theatre piece, Lazarus.  With the musical about to open in London, StudioCanal is revisiting the original film in a new four-disc Blu-ray box set due in the United Kingdom on October 24.  (No U.S. plans for the set have been revealed yet.)  Prior to that, on September 9, Universal Music Catalogue (UMC) will premiere the soundtrack of The Man Who Fell to Earth on 2 CDs.  A 2-LP version (with fewer tracks) and a CD/LP deluxe box will arrive on November 18 from the label.

While David Bowie didn’t contribute any music to the film, the soundtrack features the work of John Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas fame (who composed specifically for the film), and Stomu Yamash’ta.  (Just yesterday, The Second Disc broke the news of the upcoming, rarities-packed Ultimate Anthology for Phillips’ legendary band.)  This is the first audio release of the music.  Though an album was promised on Bowie’s then-label RCA in 1976, it never materialized for a variety of reasons.  That story is explored in the 48-page hardcover book that accompanies the deluxe 2-CD release.  Paolo Hewitt and film editor Graeme Clifford provide the liner notes.

The recent discovery of the soundtrack master tapes, once thought lost, has made this release possible.  It contains all of the Stomu Yamash’ta and John Phillips compositions used in The Man Who Fell to Earth, along with many of Papa John’s other pieces that didn’t make the movie’s final version.  John’s then-wife Genevieve Waite is heard on “Love is Coming Back” which was included on her 1974 album Romance is on the Rise.  The CD iteration will also feature recordings by Louis Armstrong, The Kingston Trio, The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and The Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra.  The vinyl edition drops all but the Phillips and Yamash’ta tracks.  (Not included on either version are songs heard in the movie by Jim Reeves, Roy Orbison, Artie Shaw, and Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly.)  The Blu-ray box of the film promises to include a bonus CD of John Phillips’ music, but no track listing has yet been revealed.

You can peruse the tracklisting for The Man Who Fell to Earth: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack below.  The 2-CD set hits stores on September 9, with the 2-LP and 2-CD/2-LP deluxe sets arriving on November 18 from UMC!  We will update with Amazon U.S. links as soon as they are available; meanwhile Amazon U.K. links are active.

The Man Who Fell To Earth: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (UMC, 2016)

2-CD Set: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

2-LP Set: Amazon U.K. / Amazon U.K.

2-CD/2-LP Deluxe Box Set: Amazon U.K.

4-BD Box Set: Amazon U.K.

CD 1

1. Poker Dice by Stomu Yamash’ta
2. Blueberry Hill (Single Version) by Gordon Jenkins Orchestra And Choir and Louis Armstrong
3. Jazz II by John Phillips
4. The Planets, Op. 32 Venus, The Bringer Of Peace by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and George Hurst
5. Boys From The South by John Phillips
6. 33 1/3 by Stomu Yamash’ta
7. Rhumba Boogie by John Phillips
8. Try To Remember by The The Kingston Trio
9. Mandala by Stomu Yamash’ta
10. America by John Phillips
11. Wind Words by Stomu Yamash’ta
12. Jazz by John Phillips

CD 2

1. One Way by Stomu Yamash’ta
2. Space Capsule by John Phillips
3. Bluegrass Breakdown by John Phillips
4. Desert Shack by John Phillips
5. Memory Of Hiroshima by Stomu Yamash’ta
6. Window by John Phillips
7. Alberto by John Phillips
8. The Planets, Op. 32 Mars, The Bringer Of War (Excerpt) by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and George Hurst
9. Liar, Liar by John Phillips
10. Hello Mary Lou by John Phillips
11. Silent Night by Queen’s Hall Light Orchestra & Robert Farnon
12. Love Is Coming Back by Genevieve Waite and John Phillips
13. The Man Who Fell To Earth (Demo) by John Phillips

The vinyl version contains the Stomu Yamash’ta and John Phillips tracks only.