Soundtrack · No. 1
Jonathan Livingston Seagull Songwriting Credits by Neil Diamond
Produced by Tom Catalano · Engineered by Armin Steiner
Holds writing credit on 12 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 12 / 12 documented
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Neil Diamond carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
The authorship story here is unusually simple: Neil Diamond wrote the whole score himself, both music and lyrics, so every song carries his name. The composer column uses his legal name, Neil Leslie Diamond, while the common name Neil Diamond sits in the lyricist column for the vocal songs. The one major collaborator is Lee Holdridge, who did not write the songs but adapted and arranged them for orchestra and conducted the sessions, work that dominates the instrumental cues such as 'Prologue' and 'Flight of the Gull.' Tom Catalano produced and directed the music. The album is built from a small set of Diamond themes, chiefly 'Be,' 'Skybird,' 'Dear Father,' and 'Lonely Looking Sky,' which recur and reprise across both sides.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull is the soundtrack album Neil Diamond wrote for the 1973 film adaptation of Richard Bach's novella, and it was his first release for Columbia Records after leaving Uni/MCA. Diamond composed the entire score himself, writing both the music and the words across a suite of songs and orchestral cues built around the film's themes of flight and self-discovery. Lee Holdridge adapted and arranged the material for orchestra and conducted the sessions, while Tom Catalano produced and served as musical director. The record reached number two on the Billboard 200, topped the chart in Australia, and earned a US double-platinum certification, out-earning the film it accompanied. It won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special, and yielded the singles 'Be' and 'Skybird.'
Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Prologue
|
Not documented | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 2 |
Be
#34
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 3 |
Flight of the Gull
|
Not documented | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 4 |
Dear Father
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 5 |
Skybird
#75
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 6 |
Lonely Looking Sky
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 7 |
The Odyssey: Be / Lonely Looking Sky / Dear Father
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 8 |
Anthem
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 9 |
Be (Reprise)
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 10 |
Skybird (Reprise)
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 11 |
Dear Father (Reprise)
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |
| 12 |
Be (Finale)
|
Neil Diamond | Neil Leslie Diamond | Tom Catalano | Neil Diamond (Vocals)Lee Holdridge (Orchestral Arranger, Conductor) |