5/5 Definitive Hairspray Sheet Muisc-- Fantastic!
  by Sydney Head (Newport Beach, CA USA)
This songbook contains a full 172 pages of sheet music, representing not only every single song on the Hairspray Soundtrack, but every single measure of each song. From what I can tell, there are NO cuts, no trimmed sections, no simplified keys... all of which sets this book apart from other Movie songbooks.

The book is written in Piano/Vocal format, with the piano doubling the melody for most sections of the book. The arrangers made sure, however, to include enough accompaniment so the songs stay true to the cd. There are guitar chords above the staff which are often helpful as well.

Another major feature of the book- all the songs include the relevant harmonies and vocal parts to supplement the melody if you have other singers available as you play the songs.

The arrangements are appropriately challenging at first glance, but seem to be playable enough as you try them a few times.

Even though I already own the great Piano/Vocal Selections of the Broadway Show, I don't mind saying this book is the better and more complete version in my opinion.



5/5 I love the movie and I love this book!
  by Courtney Clark (Denver, Colorado, USA)
Being a musician, I wanted the most thourough piano arrangements I could find for this soundtrack. This book is a complete re-tooling of the broadway selections with several benifits, including EVERY song on the motion picture soundtrack and even EVERY INDIVIDUAL NOTE on the soundtrack CD! I love this is places where it was different from the broadway version, especially the new ending on "You Can't Stop The Beat" and the short extensions made in "Welcome To The 60's."

Most of these arrangements are very advanced, which works for me because they sound wonderful! Many incorporate the melody into the right hand, but it can be easily removed if you're just looking for accompniments to sing with.

Worth it!

5/5 This Is How It Should Be Done!
  by G. Schneider (VA United States)
The vocal selections from HAIRSPRAY is an example of how vocal selections SHOULD be done. In fact, it's more than "selections": it's the whole damn score! (See my review of the vocal selections from LI'L ABNER for the other end of the spectrum.) And what a brilliant score it is, too. It's the finest musical score since the 60s, before rock operas invaded us. No Andrew Lloyd Webber-type one-hit score this: Every song is a gem. I haven't encountered that since GYPSY and WEST SIDE STORY. Some of this is probably too difficult for the average pianist...but it beats those made-easy folios that offer little in the way of flavor. I'm thrilled by the score and by this folio. VERY highly recommended!

4/5 The Most Complete Songbook
  by J. P. Barker
Having now purchased both the Broadway and Movie songbooks for this musical, the movie version is more complete and therefore longer than the stage equivalent. There are still songs missing, however, such as "Big Dolls House". It is an opportunity missed by the publishers to include not only all the new material written for the film but to add in those songs missed out from the Broadway songbook. Here the arrangements are somewhat different and some keys changed. A very good songbook, though, of a terrific musical, and most definately recommended.