1991 Soundtrack – Hudson Hawk

Hudson Hawk is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote both the story and the theme song. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine Toussaint, Frank Stallone, Sandra Bernhard, and Richard E. Grant are also featured.

The live action film makes heavy use of cartoon-style slapstick, including sound effects, which enhances the movie’s signature surreal humour. The plot combines material based on conspiracy theories, secret societies, and historic mysteries, as well as outlandish “clockpunk” technology à la Coburn’s Our Man Flint movies of the 1960s.

A recurring plot device in the film has Hudson and his partner Tommy “Five-Tone” (Aiello) singing songs concurrently but separately, to time and synchronize their exploits. Willis-Aiello duets of Bing Crosby’s “Swinging on a Star” and Paul Anka’s “Side by Side” feature on the film’s soundtrack.

The soundtrack album was released by Varèse Sarabande in 1991, there are eleven tracks in all. The film’s score (represented by tracks 4-9) was composed and conducted by Michael Kamen with Robert Kraft; Kraft also wrote “Hawk Swing” and co-wrote the film’s theme with star Bruce Willis. The Hudson Hawk Theme was arranged by Marty Paich and David Paich. The instrumental version was arranged by Marty Paich.