Even though Mike Myers' new movie, "The Love Guru," has been panned by film reviewers, I've been enjoying the soundtrack. The comedy concerns the American born, raised in India, Guru Pitka, (Myers) who returns to America to provide spiritual help and advice in matters of the heart.
Myers has given the songs a Bollywood (that's the nickname for the Indian film industry) flair with fun, bouncy tunes, interesting covers, and hip-hop and pop stars. The first song, the instrumental "Morning Meditation" features Andrew Mendelsohn on sitar and sets the musical theme of the soundtrack.
I liked Myers' cover tunes. You don't expect to hear Dolly Parton' s "9-5" with sitars. The band Extreme's hit "More Than Words" is given an acoustic treatment by Myers and Manu Narayan. Myers also covers Steve Miller's "The Joker," singing in an Indian accent.
The soundtrack also includes original pop artists. Singer and actress Telma Hopkins (of Tony Orlando and Dawn fame) and TC3 (Toronto Children's Concert Choir) wow with the gospel tune "Lead Me to Your Rock." B.A.S.K.O. sings the hip-hop song "Big Boi."
It's okay, I'm not a big hip-hop fan. Robbie Nevil's 1986 dance pop hit "C"est La Vie" is also featured. Even pop diva Celine Dion is here, with her techno-sounding dance track, "I Drove All Night." And the group Cornershop, featuring Tejinder Singh Nurpuri, sings their lively hit "Brimful of Asha,".
George S. Clinton's instrumental "Guru Vindaloo" is upbeat with midi programming and sitars. Another instrumental on the CD, "Mathar" by Danny Saber, is not in the film. There are also a few short dialog tracks from the movie on the CD.
I think the best track of the CD, the 1970 "Mere Mitwa Mere Meet Re," features two of India's best-loved Bollywood singers, Lata Mangeshkar and the late Mohd. Rafi. It has a great beat and makes you want to dance and celebrate.
"Guru Ritka Chant" by the Guru Pitka's Ashram Band is a good ending to this soundtrack.
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