The Last Emperor (album)

The Last Emperor
The Last Emperor
Soundtrack album by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne & Cong Su
Released	December 8, 1987
Studio	Onkio Haus, Kato Studio, Aoyama Studio, and CBS/Sony Roppongi Studios; (Tokyo); Abbey Road Studios, CTS Studios, Odyssey Studios, and Lillie Yard Studio; (London); Electric Lady Studios; (New York City);
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	50:17
Label	Virgin
Producer	Ryuichi Sakamoto; David Byrne;
Ryuichi Sakamoto chronology
David Byrne chronology

ReleasedDecember 8, 1987

Studio

Length50:17

The Last Emperor is the soundtrack album for the film of the same name. It features nine pieces composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, five by David Byrne, one from Cong Su, and a few incidental pieces of source music. The album won the Best Original Score award at the 1987 Academy Awards,^[1] and won the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media award at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989.^[2]

No.	Title	Artist(s)	Length
1.	"First Coronation"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	1:46
2.	"Open the Door"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	2:54
3.	"Where Is Armo?"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	2:26
4.	"Picking Up Brides"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	2:39
5.	"The Last Emperor – Theme Variation 1"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	2:19
6.	"Rain (I Want a Divorce)"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	1:49
7.	"The Baby (Was Born Dead)"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	0:55
8.	"The Last Emperor – Theme Variation 2"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	4:28
9.	"The Last Emperor – Theme"	Ryuichi Sakamoto	5:54
10.	"Main Title Theme (The Last Emperor)"	David Byrne	4:01
11.	"Picking a Bride"	David Byrne	2:00
12.	"Bed"	David Byrne	5:00
13.	"Wind, Rain, and Water"	David Byrne	2:18
14.	"Paper Emperor"	David Byrne	1:49
15.	"Lunch"	Cong Su	4:54
16.	"Red Guard (Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman)"	The Red Guard Accordion Band	1:20
17.	"The Emperor's Waltz"	Berliner Philharmoniker - Herbert von Karajan	3:06
18.	"The Red Guard Dance"	The Girls Red Guard Dancers	0:39

Chart (1988)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[3]	93
US Billboard 200^[4]	152

v t e David Byrne
Awards and nominations Discography
Studio albums	My Life in the Bush of Ghosts Rei Momo Uh-Oh David Byrne Feelings Look into the Eyeball Grown Backwards Everything That Happens Will Happen Today Love This Giant American Utopia Who Is the Sky?
Live albums	David Byrne Live at Union Chapel Live from Austin, TX Live at Carnegie Hall
Soundtrack albums	The Catherine Wheel Music for "The Knee Plays" Sounds from True Stories The Last Emperor The Forest In Spite of Wishing and Wanting Lead Us Not into Temptation Big Love: Hymnal Here Lies Love
Remix albums	The Visible Man
Singles	"The Jezebel Spirit" "Make Believe Mambo" "Forestry" "She's Mad" "Like Humans Do" "Strange Overtones" "David Byrne Does Hard Times"
Featured singles	"Lazy" "Toe Jam"
Concert tours	Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour Love This Giant Tour
Other works	True Stories Playing the Building How Music Works Here Lies Love American Utopia
Related articles	Talking Heads Luaka Bop Ride, Rise, Roar

Personnel