On this Day: March 25, 1991

Madonna performs "Sooner Or Later" live from the 63rd Annual Academy Awards. 

 

"Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" is a song recorded by the American pop singer Madonna, and written by the American composer Stephen Sondheim, for the 1990 film, Dick Tracy. Released that same year on Madonna's album I'm Breathless, the song won Sondheim an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1991.
The song's title as listed in the film credits, and in the official Academy Award records, includes the subtitle "(I Always Get My Man);" however, this subtitle is not shown on I'm Breathless.

  

Story context 

 The song is the signature song of nightclub singer Breathless Mahoney (portrayed by Madonna), and primarily performed during a montage just after Dick Tracy has placed a microphone in Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice's boardroom and operator, "Bug" Bailey, in the attic immediately above it while using a police raid of the building as a diversion. With this information source, Tracy begins a wave of arrests much to Big Boy's consternation. However, for all Tracy's success, his girlfriend, Tess Trueheart, has had enough of his apparent valuing his career over their relationship and packs to leave.

Performances

In addition to performing the song live at the 1991 Academy Awards, Madonna also performed this song in a lounge setting on her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. Her performance at the Academy Awards was named by Billboard as the seventh "most awesome Oscar performance."

Cover versions

"Sooner or Later" has been performed by CSO conductor Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Jane Krakowski, and Karen Akers.
Bernadette Peters included the song on her 1997 live album Sondheim, etc.
Karen Ziemba performed the song during the concert "Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall," New York City, in 1992.

Credits and personnel

Madonna – lead vocals, producer Stephen Sondheim – writer Bill Bottrell – producer, engineer Stacy Baird – additional engineering Bio Espinoza – additional engineering John Guerin – drums Bob Magnusson – bass Bill Schneider – piano

Bob Cooper – tenor sax Abe Most – alto sax, clarinet Mahlon Clark – clarinet Tony Terran – trumpet Charlie Loper – trombones Jeremy Lubbock – arrangement Jules Chaiken – music contractor

Credits adapted from I'm Breathless album liner notes, Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records.