NEWS 02 Jul 2009

Universal Pictures' Funny People - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Due July 28th from Concord Records - Features rare outtakes from John Lennon and Neil Diamond and exclusive new live recordings from James Taylor and Wilco featuring Andrew Bird.

Concord Records Release of Soundtrack to New Comedy From Judd Apatow Also Includes Tracks From Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Robert Plant, Warren Zevon among others

LOS ANGELES, July 2nd, 2009-A rare John Lennon acoustic demo of "Watching the Wheels," the 1981 single released after his death, is one of the highlights of the original motion picture soundtrack to Universal Pictures' highly anticipated Funny People, writer/director Judd Apatow's (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) new feature comedy. The soundtrack, from Concord Records, will be available July 28 and features two exclusive new live tracks: James Taylor's on-camera performance of "Carolina in My Mind" in the film, and Wilco's "Jesus, etc.," featuring Andrew Bird on violin recorded during their Summer 2008 tour. Funny People hits theaters nation-wide on Friday, July 31st.

"Choosing music is my favorite part of the process, said Apatow. "I am thrilled that I was able to include so many of my musical heroes on this soundtrack. When I look at who is on it I am startled. If the movie is half as good as the music, I am in great shape."

Funny People stars Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann in the story of a famous comedian who has a near-death experience and what happens when the other side isn't at all what you expect. Eric Bana, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman co-star.

Concord's release of the Funny People - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which was executive produced by Apatow with album producer/music supervisor Jonathan Karp, continues a relationship established by the 2007 release of the soundtrack to the director's previous film, Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired by the film Knocked Up, which featured original songs by Loudon Wainwright III.

Funny People - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features songs from three of the Beatles, including Lennon's acoustic version of "Watching the Wheels," Paul McCartney's "Great Day" (from his 1997 album Flaming Pie) and Ringo Starr's "Photograph" (co-written with George Harrison for the 1973 Ringo album). The film's theme of mortality runs through several of the selections, including a pair of tracks from Warren Zevon, "Keep Me In Your Heart" and "Numb as a Statue," from his 2003 album The Wind, which came out just two weeks before his own death from cancer. Lennon's "Watching the Wheels," from his 1980 Grammy-winning Album of the Year, Double Fantasy with Yoko Ono, came out several months after his tragic murder.

Funny People star Adam Sandler contributes a pair of songs, including a cover of a 1977 John Lennon song, "Real Love," which was ultimately released as the "last official Beatles song," when the three surviving band members finished and released it as the lead track on Anthology 2 in 1996; he also recorded the humorous "George Simmons Soon Must Be Gone." Jason Schwartzman's band, Coconut Records, is also represented with a pair of psychedelic British Invasion-inspired songs in "Wires" and "I Am Young," while Judd's daughter Maude, who also appeared in Knocked Up, offers an impressive performance of "Memory" from Cats.

The album is rounded out with an early Neil Diamond take on "We," from his 2005, Rick Rubin-produced 12 Songs album, and Robert Plant and the Strange Sensations' "All The King's Horses," from the 2005 Mighty ReArranger album.