Bridget Jones's Diary [Bonus Tracks]

1	Out of Reach / Gabrielle 3:16
2	Respect / Aretha Franklin 2:22
3	It's Raining Men / Geri Halliwell 4:11
4	Have You Met Miss Jones? / Robbie Williams 2:31
5	I'm Every Woman / Chaka Khan 4:04
6	Don't Get Me Wrong / The Pretenders 3:46
7	Kiss That Girl / Sheryl Crow 3:13
8	Killin' Kind / Shelby Lynne 4:36
9	Someone Like You / Dina Carroll 3:22
10	Not of This Earth / Robbie Willams 4:41
11	Can't Take My Eyes off You / Andy Williams 3:11
12	Love / Rosey 3:38
13	Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) / Marvin Gaye 2:50
14	Dreamsome / Shelby Lynne 4:12
15	It's Only a Diary / Patrick Doyle 4:24
16	Pretender Got My Heart / Alisha's Attic 4:06
17	All by Myself / Jamie O'Neal 4:35
18	Woman Trouble / The Artful Dodger 3:58
19	Ring, Ring, Ring / Aaron Soul 3:55

Barnes & Noble

When she published Bridget Jones's Diary in the mid-'90s, budding British writer Helen Fielding not only stumbled on a blockbuster of a novel, she also created a thirtysomething every woman character whose obsessions with men, her weight, and her various inadequacies touched a real nerve with female folks all over the globe. So it's no surprise to finding this engaging story up on the big screen (with Renée Zellweger as Bridget), accompanied by a punchy, ladies-only soundtrack -- the exception being Brit pop star Robbie Williams, who offers a rousing, big-band style take on the Sinatra classic "Have You Met Miss Jones" and the lightly romantic original "Not of This Earth." The rest of the tracks focus on some of today's most commanding female singers, including Grammy winner Shelby Lynne (the booming new "Killin' Kind" and the previously released "Dreamsome"), Sheryl Crow (the rousing new track "Kiss That Girl"), and Tracy Bonham, whose "Just Perfect" has an Aimee Mann-like lilt. Elsewhere, onetime Spice Girl Geri Halliwell shakes her groove thang on a cover of the Weathergirls' hit "It's Raining Men" and Australian-born singer Jamie O'Neal sheds her country leanings on a version of Eric Carmen's '70s power ballad "All By Myself." Rounding out this addictive disc are a couple of vintage tracks from the '70s -- Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye's soulful duet "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" and Chaka Khan's insanely appropriate disco tune "I'm Every Woman" -- and one track's worth of score material from Scottish composer/actor Patrick Doyle. And to up the Bridgetness quotient, the disc is also enhanced to include a "Bridget-o-Meter" (a self-graded quiz); half of the first chapter of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason; and links to a web site that includes an author biography, photos from the film, and notes on the artists. Lydia Vanderloo

All Music Guide

Based on the comic best-seller, Bridget Jones's Diary documents a year in the life of an unmarried 30-something publisher. She searches for love, self-confidence, and a slimmer waistline in a struggle to become the "perfect modern woman." The resulting soundtrack assembles a cavalry of strong female artists. Chaka Khan's dance anthem "I'm Every Woman" feels like the centerpiece for this collection that includes new music from Sheryl Crow, Shelby Lynn, and Tracy Bonham. Aside from score composer Patrick Doyle, the only boys invited to play here are British heartthrob Robbie Williams and Marvin Gaye, who shares his space with Diana Ross on their Motown classic, "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)." Williams appears twice and offers one of the many remakes on the album, a charming version of Frank Sinatra's "Have You Met Miss Jones?" Other covers include a just-as-sappy rendition of Eric Carmen's "All By Myself" and a smooth R&B take on Van Morrison's "Someone Like You." Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell contributes a catchy but slightly painful version of "It's Raining Men," while some of the album's more interesting tracks come from its lesser-known artists. Popular U.K. acts Gabrielle and Alisha's Attic deliver distinctive ballads, and promising New Yorker Rosey brands her own form of bluesy pop/rock on "Love." Despite several edgy performers, the collection has an easy listening feel. It lacks the feel-good hits common to successful soundtracks and may have been well served to trade in some of the sentiment for a little more fun. However, each selection feels right for the film. The album is nostalgic while still in vogue, full of both kitsch and ardor, just like any romantic comedy should be. [A special edition was released at the same time with four bonus tracks: Alisha's Attic's "Pretender Got My Heart," Jamie O'Neal's "All by Myself," Robbie Craig and the Artful Dodger's "Woman Trouble," and Aaron Soul's "Ring, Ring, Ring"] ~ Brad Kohlenstein, All Music Guide