Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!
Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!

JFH Music Review




Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie - Original Movie Soundtrack
(Various Artists)



Album length: 15 tracks: 36 minutes, 09 seconds
Street Date: August 27th, 2002


Every great cartoon series of our days needs a full length feature film. While a lot don't deserve features (like Pokemon, and almost any current Nikelodeon show), it's series like DuckTales, Transformers, and G.I. Joe from my childhood that earned worthy theatrical treatments. In 2002, the Christian computer animated vegetables for kids, VeggieTales hits the big screen with Jonah, the series' take on the classic Biblical story. The soundtrack for the film releases a little over a month before the film's release, and features a mix of original Veggie songs, artists' inspirations, and selections from the film's score.

The album opens with the infectiously fun and humorous "Billy Joe McGuffrey," a song for the kids that will definitely soon become a favorite. "Bald Bunny" and "Steak and Shrimp" appear to be short song snippets from the film as well as a short rendition of "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," from a previous VeggieTales video. "Message from the Lord" and "It Cannot Be" are solos from the lead character Jonah, and sound a lot like something you might here on a stage play's soundtrack. Anointed offers a fun bluesy Gospel lament in "Second Chances," followed by the peppy and jazzy Veggies tune "Jonah Was a Prophet." The album highlight is actually The Newsboys original song, "In the Belly of the Whale," which is smartly written by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler. The song is traditional Newsboys, even featuring accompanied "raps" by Taylor at the close of the track. Two more album highlights follow, Chris Rice's excellent extended version of "Billy Joe McGuffrey" and Relient K's rousing pop/punk rendition of "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything." The remaining seven songs are excerpts from the film's instrumental score by Kurt Heinecke. Each track begins with a quote from the movie with the remainder of the track being instrumental. It's exciting to hear such a big theatrical score for something as deserving of it as VeggieTales. Following these tracks, the album ends with the nonsense film closer, "Credits Song."

The soundtrack is a great sampler for what we should expect from VeggieTales' debut theatrical release. The only disappointment was after hearing The Newsboys, Rice, and Relient's offerings, I wanted more. It would have been cool to either have more songs by CCM artists on here with the entire score being on a separate album, or for the Veggie tunes to be with the score on this album and a full album of artists' offerings on another. Well, maybe somewhere down the line CCM will put together a VeggieTales tribute project, but until then, there's the Jonah movie soundtrack. Check it out and go see the movie on October 4th! (and once this piece of advice is outdated, buy the movie on video!)

- Review date: 8/25/02, written by John DiBiase



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

Veggie CD

Buy This CD Online


. Record Label: Big Idea Records
. Album length: 15 tracks, 36 minutes and 09 seconds
. Street Date: August 27th, 2002
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Billy Joe McGuffrey
  2. Bald Bunny
  3. Steak and Shrimp
  4. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
  5. Message from the Lord
  6. It Cannot Be
  7. Second Chances - Anointed
  8. Jonah Was a Prophet
  9. In the Belly of the Whale - Newsboys
  10. Billy Joe McGuffrey - Chris Rice
  11. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - Relient K
  12. Opening Titles
  13. The Joppa Market
  14. Jonah Meets the Pirates
  15. The Dream/Cards At Sea
  16. Jonah Meets the Whale
  17. Nineveh
  18. On the Hill
  19. Credits Song
spacer Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Wednesday, July 16, 2025
SINGLES
1K Phew Yet - Single [Reach]

This Friday, July 18, 2025
ALBUMS
Justin Gambino Just Like Jesus - EP [Residence Music]
The Inspirations Up Above The World So High [Horizon]
Mary-Clair Enough [Vere]
MotionPlus Improper Decorum [SoulFeeder, Polished Arrow Music]
The Rocky Valentines Music On The Shelf [Velvet Blue]
Emilie Weiss Come Through (Studio Session) - EP [BEC]

SINGLES
Chris Caro OTW - Single [Syntax]
Melvin Crispell III Reason To Dance - Single [Provident]
Crowder STILL (feat. Zach Williams) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Vic Lucas Holy Ghost (ft. Lady Audri) - Single [Syntax]
Kevi Morse Honest Cvlture ft. STIXX aka Conejo) - Single [Syntax]
Rhymes in Harmony Lift Your Name - Single [Syntax]
Speedy the Artist Reach For Elohim - Single [Syntax]
Zane Walls Think About Me - Single [DREAM]

This Sunday, July 20, 2025
VINYL
King's X Manic Moonlight Vinyl [Girder]

Next Wednesday, July 23, 2025
ALBUMS
Eric Roberson Beautifully All Over The Place (independent)

Next Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images