Jerry Fielding (June 17, 1922 - February 17, 1980) was an American film com… Read Full Bio ↴Jerry Fielding (June 17, 1922 - February 17, 1980) was an American film composer.
Although best remembered for the bold, evocative film scores he composed for tough-guy filmmakers Sam Peckinpah and Clint Eastwood, Jerry Fielding was also a premier arranger of the swing era, later headlining a series of space age pop LPs as well. Born Joshua Feldman in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Fielding was a child prodigy who claimed among his earliest influences Bernard Herrmann 's pioneering scores for the radio dramas of Orson Welles.
A pupil of theatrical conductor Max Atkins, he was regularly writing arrangements for theatrical pit bands while still in high school, and at 18 was hired by guitar great Alvino Rey. When Rey relocated his musical enterprise from New York City to Los Angeles, he brought Fielding with him and by the mid-'40s he was an in-demand freelance arranger, writing charts for swing icons including Tommy Dorsey, Kay Kyser, and Charlie Barnet. Fielding also wrote extensively for radio, including programs hosted by Hoagy Carmichael, Kate Smith, and The Andrews Sisters, and was eventually named musical director of The Jack Paar Show.
By 1952 Fielding helmed his own jazz orchestra, which was the house band on Groucho Marx's popular television game show You Bet Your Life, but as a self-confessed "loudmouthed crusader" who received death threats for hiring African-American musicians, it was inevitable that he would run afoul of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's anti-Communist witch hunts. Called to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee, Fielding took the Fifth Amendment, and his Hollywood career crumbled. Fielding sought refuge in Las Vegas, where he served as musical director for acts including Abbott & Costello and Debbie Reynolds. He also signed a record contract with Decca, cutting a series of jazz-inspired discs including Sweet with a Beat, Swingin' in Hi-Fi, and Fielding's Formula.
The emergence of stereo technology galvanized Fielding's efforts, and later LPs including Magnificence in Brass and Near East Brass remain favorites of exotica collectors. With McCarthy's reign of terror finally at an end, Fielding returned to Hollywood in 1962, and at the recommendation of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo he was hired to write his first feature score for Otto Preminger's political thriller Advise and Consent. A score rich in atmosphere and melancholy — two emerging signatures of Fielding's work — it was followed by a series of lighthearted television efforts including themes for the series Hogan's Heroes and Run Buddy Run. In 1966, he teamed with two-fisted filmmaker Sam Peckinpah for the telefilm Noon Wine, inaugurating an often contentious creative partnership that won Fielding Academy Award nominations for 1969's The Wild Bunch and 1971's Straw Dogs. Fielding also scored several films for Clint Eastwood, earning a third Oscar nomination for his work on 1976's The Outlaw Josey Wales.
While in Canada scoring the feature Below the Belt, Fielding suffered a fatal heart attack on February 17, 1980. He was just 57 years old.
Although best remembered for the bold, evocative film scores he composed for tough-guy filmmakers Sam Peckinpah and Clint Eastwood, Jerry Fielding was also a premier arranger of the swing era, later headlining a series of space age pop LPs as well. Born Joshua Feldman in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Fielding was a child prodigy who claimed among his earliest influences Bernard Herrmann 's pioneering scores for the radio dramas of Orson Welles.
A pupil of theatrical conductor Max Atkins, he was regularly writing arrangements for theatrical pit bands while still in high school, and at 18 was hired by guitar great Alvino Rey. When Rey relocated his musical enterprise from New York City to Los Angeles, he brought Fielding with him and by the mid-'40s he was an in-demand freelance arranger, writing charts for swing icons including Tommy Dorsey, Kay Kyser, and Charlie Barnet. Fielding also wrote extensively for radio, including programs hosted by Hoagy Carmichael, Kate Smith, and The Andrews Sisters, and was eventually named musical director of The Jack Paar Show.
By 1952 Fielding helmed his own jazz orchestra, which was the house band on Groucho Marx's popular television game show You Bet Your Life, but as a self-confessed "loudmouthed crusader" who received death threats for hiring African-American musicians, it was inevitable that he would run afoul of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's anti-Communist witch hunts. Called to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee, Fielding took the Fifth Amendment, and his Hollywood career crumbled. Fielding sought refuge in Las Vegas, where he served as musical director for acts including Abbott & Costello and Debbie Reynolds. He also signed a record contract with Decca, cutting a series of jazz-inspired discs including Sweet with a Beat, Swingin' in Hi-Fi, and Fielding's Formula.
The emergence of stereo technology galvanized Fielding's efforts, and later LPs including Magnificence in Brass and Near East Brass remain favorites of exotica collectors. With McCarthy's reign of terror finally at an end, Fielding returned to Hollywood in 1962, and at the recommendation of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo he was hired to write his first feature score for Otto Preminger's political thriller Advise and Consent. A score rich in atmosphere and melancholy — two emerging signatures of Fielding's work — it was followed by a series of lighthearted television efforts including themes for the series Hogan's Heroes and Run Buddy Run. In 1966, he teamed with two-fisted filmmaker Sam Peckinpah for the telefilm Noon Wine, inaugurating an often contentious creative partnership that won Fielding Academy Award nominations for 1969's The Wild Bunch and 1971's Straw Dogs. Fielding also scored several films for Clint Eastwood, earning a third Oscar nomination for his work on 1976's The Outlaw Josey Wales.
While in Canada scoring the feature Below the Belt, Fielding suffered a fatal heart attack on February 17, 1980. He was just 57 years old.
Song from "The Wild Bunch"
Jerry Fielding Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Jerry Fielding:
Main Title I'm wearing second hand shoes Second hand hose All the gir…
Prologue I'm wearing second hand shoes Second hand hose All the gir…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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David A
This is a joy to listen to as a piece of music. But coupled with the film, it has to be one of the top 10 best film scores ever written. Wonderful composing.
David A
@keith wood Good for you Keith, it was a very wise purchase. Thanks for replying. David A.
keith wood
Got the original vinyl version that I get out from time to time
TIOMKIN1
They will never ever make a great western and outstanding music score by Jerry Fielding again.This is my favorite of all the scores he has written and he has written a lot. Thanks Fred for the upload. Out.
Soundtrack Fred
Jerry Fielding was one of Hollywood’s well known Avantgarde composers, following a more rhythmical way of composing, instead of traditionalism, featuring a big symphony orchestra, pulling sweeping love themes from it, for example. However, his style fit perfectly to certain movies, like “The Enforcer”, a sequel to Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry series.
In 2013 the well-known soundtrack label Film Score Monthly (FSM) presented their very last release “The Wild Bunch” as ‘end of the line edition’, featuring the entire film score with bonuses and the original soundtrack album tracks.
Several of you wished the music to this superb film to be heard here and what else can I say as…enjoy!
U tube fun
@David A Wow, you still have a lot to enjoy! I think he really was one of the greatest, if not THE greatest unknown founder of Progressive Jazz Rock/Fusion, he and John Coltrane and Miles Davis.Jerry Goldsmith's soundtrack for "Planet of the Apes" is also a great one!
David A
@U tube fun Have seen The Wild Bunch and Straw Dogs many times, but The Mechanic and The Night Comers no. Will check them out. Thank you.
U tube fun
@David A You have to see the movie to hear the most progressive jazzy parts!Straw Dogs, The Mechanic, The Night Comers unbelievable!
David A
You are absolutely correct, in hindsight, it's a pity politics got mixed up with it all. Your upload is sooo good. I'm a lover of classical music but think my knowledge of music is sufficient enough to say that Fielding's writing here is a tad more than exceptional.
U tube fun
The most progressive jazzy parts are left out in this upload.Straw Dogs, The Mechanic and The Night Comers, that's where its at!!!Jerry Fielding the best!