cover art for The Golden Child

The Golden Child

1986

LP: Capitol SJ-12544
CD: Capitol CDP 7 46658 2

  1. The Best Man in the World (cowritten with Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson and S. Ennis)
  2. Wisdom of the Ages

CD: La-la Land LLLCD1177

    Disc 1 (Barry's rejected score)

  1. The Child Is Taken 5:55
  2. The Best Man in the World (performed by Ann Wilson) 3:21
  3. Strange Symbols 1:45
  4. Looking Around 2:11
  5. Chandler and Kee Nang 3:36
  6. Tin Can Man (includes “Puttin’ on the Ritz”) :53
  7. Follow That Bird 2:54
  8. Best Man 2:03
  9. Yellow Dragons :58
  10. "We Sold Her" 1:12
  11. Fight at Tommy Tong’s 1:51
  12. Sardo Gets His Orders 2:34
  13. Chandler’s Dream 6:18
  14. Yak Loin :50
  15. Love Theme 2:21
  16. To Tibet :35
  17. Kathmandu 6:13
  18. “Stay on the Path” 2:32
  19. Bottomless Pit 4:51
  20. Wisdom of the Ages 3:50
  21. Malibu House 2:19
  22. Kee Nang Gets the Arrow 2:58
  23. Butterflies 3:04
  24. The Final Act 10:23
  25. Happy Ending 1:04

    Disc 2 is Michael Colombier's score

    Disc 3 includes alternate and additional music by Barry

  1. The Best Man in the World (instrumental) 3:39
  2. Looking Around 1:21
  3. Happy Ending 1:04
  4. Coffee Shop Source 1:53
  5. Dance a Little Closer (performed by Randy Edelman) 4:19
Golden Child - 2cd set

2026

CD: La-la Land LLLCD1690

    Disc 1

  1. The Child Is Taken 5:59
  2. The Best Man in the World (perf. Ann Wilson) 3:25
  3. Strange Symbols 1:46
  4. Looking Around 2:11
  5. Chandler and Kee Nang 3:37
  6. Tin Can Man 0:53
  7. Follow That Bird 2:56
  8. Best Man 2:05
  9. Yellow Dragons 0:59
  10. “We Sold Her” 1:12
  11. Fight at Tommy Tong’s 1:53
  12. Sardo Gets His Orders 2:35
  13. Chandler’s Dream 6:19
  14. Yak Loin 0:50
  15. Love Theme 2:21
  16. To Tibet 0:35
  17. Kathmandu 6:13

    Disc 2

  1. “Stay on the Path” 2:33
  2. Bottomless Pit 4:51
  3. Wisdom of the Ages 3:53
  4. Malibu House 2:21
  5. Kee Nang Gets the Arrow 3:01
  6. Butterflies 3:04
  7. The Final Act 10:26
  8. Happy Ending 1:04

    9. Additional music

  9. The Best Man in the World (instrumental) 3:39
  10. Looking Around (Alternate) 1:23
  11. Happy Ending (Alternate) 1:08
  12. Coffee Shop (Source Cue) 1:57
  13. Dance a Little Closer (performed by Randy Edelman) 4:25

The Movie

This was the movie that derailed Eddie Murphy's career, the way Cable Guy shook Jim Carey's. Up to that point Murphy had done some incredible work--he almost single-handedly carried Saturday Night Live through the dark ages, then came the movies--48 Hours, Trading Places and the blockbuster Beverly Hills Cop, and a successful comedy album. So when people sat down for this movie, they were expecting gold.

And instead they got lead. In theory it was a decent idea--another version of Beverly Hills Cop: Eddie Murphy as the street-smart, fast-talking, fast-thinking, funny and charming detective who specializes in abducted children, as the fish-out-of-water as he looks for a buddist mystic, "the golden child." Charlotte Lewis was the beautiful but icy girl, Charles Dance as the bad guy who wants the child for his own evil aims.

But it just didn't work. At times it was close--Eddie has some good lines, Charlotte Lewis was beautiful and remote, Charles Dance looked evil. I still don't know what the problem was--Eddie wasn't as funny as Beverly Hills Cop, he didn't seem right in the role, and the special effects-laden ending fell flat, as they often do. It wasn't a bad movie, it was just disappointing. Murphy would have another big hit with Coming to America, but he'd follow that with a string of turkeys. It wouldn't be until 1996's The Nutty Professor that he would have another real hit, and things have been shaky since.

The Music

The old story about throwing out the score when the movie is bad gets told here again. Barry's score was mostly rejected and rescored. His song, "The Best Man in the World," co-written with with Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson and S. Ennis, and "Wisdom of the Ages" are the only bits that made it onto the original soundtrack album. I don't have a worthwhile opinion on the music based on the two tracks they gave us.

In 2011 and again in 2026, La-La Land records released mutli-CD editions of Barry's rejected score, so it is available in full now. I have not heard it so I have nothing useful to say about it.

I'm still dithering on whether to buy this 2-CD edition. I missed the 2011 release entirely so I really don't know what the score sounds like. La-La Land's page for this release (link may be gone by the time you read this) allows sampling of selected tracks so you can at least hear some of what to expect.

Release Notes

The original LP and CD came out around the time of the movie. For a long time the album was in every used record store in the world, but has since mostly dried up and beaome collectable.

In 2011 La-La Land records issued a 3-disc set with both Barry's rejected music and Michael Colombier's accepted score and the detritus of unrelated songs that appeared on the official OST.

In 2026 La-La Land records issued a 2-disc set that only has Barry's music. If you only care about Barry's contribution, get this one. If you want everything in a bucket with eggs on top, try to find the 3-disc set instead.

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