Gli Intoccabili ［2LP+CD］

Morricone's soundtrack to the 1969 film Gil Intoccabili was, like numerous other Morricone soundtracks of the era, a mix of rather bland background music with more eccentric, ear-prickling pieces. The sole vocal number is "La Ballata Di Hank McCain," sung by Jackie Lynton in one of those voices (and lyrics) peculiar to many Italian movies of the time, sounding almost as if the song was translated to English with a dictionary and sung phonetically. Like many such Italian soundtrack vocals it has its histrionic charm, but you'd better be ready to hear it over and over, as the CD of this soundtrack has no less than five versions (one instrumental, one the original single version). Otherwise the pieces vary from soft-lights orchestral easy listening to tense cacophony on the title track (must have been for a chase or horror scene), swinging Mediterranean go-go, a wagon-train Hollywood version of the title number, and a "party version" of that same title number. Four of the tracks on the CD version were previously unissued, including the aforementioned instrumental/original single versions of "La Ballata Di Hank McCain," and the aforementioned party and "wagon-train" versions of "Gil Intoccabili." ~ Richie Unterberger