From the opening strum of Kermit the frogs banjo on "The Rainbow Connection" (a 1979 Oscar¨ nominee for Best Original Song) to the dazzling Hollywood sound stage finale featuring the entire Muppet cast singing "The Magic Store," the songs of "The Muppet Movie" make up the most memorable movie score ever written for a frog, pig, dog and whatever The Great Gonzo is.

As Williams writes in his liner notes, Henson set out to not make a children's film but rather one "for the child in all of us." The Muppets creator gave Williams and Ascher total freedom to write songs they felt suited the story and characters. That they did with tunes like Kermit's touching and world renowned "Rainbow Connection," Miss Piggy's dulcet "Never Before, Never Again" (the sweetest pig-frog love song ever) and the rockin' "Can You Picture That" by the legendary band, The Electric Mayhem, featuring Animal on drums.

The film takes Kermit on the ultimate road trip, as he travels from his home in the swamp to Hollywood in search of his dream to entertain. Along the way he makes new friends, from Fozzie Bear and Gonzo to the sultry femme fatale, Miss Piggy. Unfortunately the evil frogs-leg restaurant magnate Doc Hopper (played by the late Charles Durning) keeps trying to kidnap and fricassee Kermit's legs at every turn. All's well that ends well, when the gang finally makes it to Hollywood, where a studio chief (played by a glowering Orson Welles) issues them "the standard rich and famous contract."

Many celebrities made memorable cameo appearances in the film, including James Coburn, Milton Berle, Madeline Kahn, Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Bob Hope, Richard Pryor, Cloris Leachman and Elliot Gould. The real stars are the Muppets themselves, who went and made seven more feature films. "The Muppet Movie" was added to the National Film Registry in 2009 for being "culturally, historically and aesthetically" significant.

Multi-Grammy®, Golden Globe and Oscar®-winning composer Paul Williams is best known for writing hits such as "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays" and the Oscar-winning "Evergreen," and having worked with stars such as Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson and Jason Mraz. He writes in his liner notes that working on "The Muppet Movie" was "a high point of my career," adding "To me the film suggests that we are all capable of more than we'd imagined; that the key ingredients are kindness and belief in ourselves."

Songs featured on The Muppet Movie soundtrack are:

ABOUT THE MUPPETS

For more than 55 years, the Muppets have entertained film and television audiences with their blend of heart and humor. The creation of the late visionary, Jim Henson, the Muppets are among the world's most recognized and beloved characters, led by the world's most famous amphibian, Kermit the Frog. Since The Muppets Studio joined The Walt Disney Company in 2004, the Muppets have starred in a series of award-winning viral music videos, multiple television specials, attractions and appearances at Disney Parks, and have an array of Muppets merchandise.

The Muppet Movie soundtrack will be available wherever music is sold on August 13.

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CONTACT INFORMATION:

Maria Kleinman -- Walt Disney Records/ Disney Music Group Publicity

818.560.5867/[email protected]/Disney

SOURCE Walt Disney Records