Raising Arizona - Soundtrack

Soundtrack

The score to Raising Arizona is written by Carter Burwell, the second of his collaborations with the Coen brothers. The sounds are a mix of organ, massed choir, banjo, whistling, and yodeling.

Themes are borrowed from the "Goofing Off Suite", originally recorded by Pete Seeger in 1955, which includes an excerpt from the "Chorale" movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Symphony No. 9" and "Russian Folk Themes and Yodel". Musicians credited with playing the music for the film are Ben Freed on banjo, Mieczyslaw Litwinski on Jew's harp and guitar and yodeling by John R. Crowder. Holly Hunter sings a traditional murder ballad, "Down in the Willow Garden", as a lullaby during the film.

Selections from Burwell's score to Raising Arizona were released on an album in 1987, along with selections from the Coens' previous (and first) feature film, Blood Simple. The tracks from Raising Arizona constitute the first ten tracks on a 17-track CD that also features selections from the Blood Simple soundtrack.

1. "Introduction – A Hole in the Ground" – (0:38)
2. "Way Out There (Main Title)" – (1:55)
3. "He Was Horrible" – (1:30)
4. "Just Business" – (1:17)
5. "The Letter" – (2:27)
6. "Hail Lenny" – (2:18)
7. "Raising Ukeleles" – (3:41)
8. "Dream of the Future" – (2:31)
9. "Shopping Arizona" – (2:46)
10. "Return to the Nursery" – (1:35)

Allmusic gave the album a rating of (4.5 out of 5).