Bang The Drum Slowly - 1973

The Robert De Niro movie Bang The Drum Slowly was finishing postproduction in 1973 when Producer Maurice Rosenfield called and asked to hear some of my music. He came to my apartment and I played some tapes and some music on the piano and he hired me to score his movie. He jokingly said that the music for the hospital and airport scenes must make him cry or he wouldn't pay me. He was very happy with this music, which I called "Bruce's Theme." Since the script called for the use of the traditional cowboy song "Streets of Laredo" I incorporated that into my score.

[@goback3spaces]

I just want to give a shout out to everyone who has given me good wishes in my Hodgkin's journey. I'm once again in remission, and more than a year out of my last chemo. I've watched this scene from BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY again, and I want report to all of you that Robert De Niro's portrayal of the disease is accurate. Hodgkin's wastes you away, robs you of your strength. The treatment for Hodgkin's can be excruciatingly painful but the disease itself is not. You simply waste away. But again, it has become one of the most curable types of cancer, and I'm proud to say that I'm a survivor. So thank you again to all who have reached out to me with their good wishes. Your messages have helped me in my time of need.

[@michaelanatole9672]

So happy to hear this. I wish you well.

[@sheilamacdougal4874]

A doctor once told me, every 5 years you survive leukemia, there's a new (and better) drug on the market.

[@tommyjackson1745]

Hell yeah brother. Hope you’re well

[@garrison6863]

What a nice ending, "Send me a scorecard", with the catcher having trouble lifting his bag and the two stewardesses waiting at the top for his ascension. Moriarty was as good as DeNiro I thought.

[@DickWillis1]

Tears me up every time - great movie - “From here on in I rag nobody...”

[@andysimpson6248]

“From here on in I rag nobody...” is one of my favorite closing lines from any movie - and a part of my philosophy of life

[@thediesel4910]

Me too!!

[@petescholls9364]

One of the best movies and a great message for life

[@albertjurczynski5601]

Great final line in the movie. Deeply intense and powerful.

[@aln3973]

If this doesn’t get to you, there’s something wrong

[@Juliaflo]

I had the experience of meeting Michael Moriarty at church many years ago, exchanging a sign of peace with him.

[@bobmarsh8145]

Love that 🙏

[@Bill-uo6cm]

Yes, tears every time.

[@goback3spaces]

I have this disease. Hodgkin's. Advances in chemo mean that it's far from a death sentence now. When I'm finally in remission, I'm going to watch "Bang the Drum Slowly" again. Can't bear it now.

[@billwilson5341]

Hope you're doing well, my friend.

[@goback3spaces]

I'm in remission, Bill. Got the news two weeks ago. 2 1/2 years & two separate chemo regimens. Thanks for your good wishes. From here on in I rag nobody.

[@billwilson5341]

Thank you for the update and the great news. Do you have children? I hope so.

[@pdmarie63]

@@goback3spaces I hope you are still doing well. I first saw this movie when I was 10 (many, many years ago) and understand what you've gone through. So glad for the new advancements in treatment.

[@goback3spaces]

@@pdmarie63 Hey, Paula ... I'm still in remission and am doing okay. Curiously enough, pharmaceutical research saved my life. Thanks for asking, and God bless.

[@santiagoandujar2518]

You cannot watch this movie without your eyes at least tearing up. Such an unappreciated movie. Brilliantly acted.

[@BobMori]

A Wonderful musical score. 🎵🎬

[@mike196212]

Just started reading a biography of DeNiro and it mentions how much research he did to play this role. Fantastic film,criminally underrated. Al Pacino wanted to be a ballplayer and wanted this role.

[@wabisabi7755]

Yeah it's one of the earliest films where the actor employs the modern Method Acting.

[@mike196212]

@@wabisabi7755 Never knew that.

[@wabisabi7755]

@@mike196212 Yup, I learned it just last night. Apparently, the method acting that we know is vastly different from the ones in the early years of Hollywood. De Niro was one of the pioneers of the "act like your character outside the camera" method.

[@mike196212]

@@wabisabi7755 I knew he was one of the method actors but never really thought about it in terms of this film.

[@madthemartian6298]

Brings me to tears every time

[@stephenlawrence9874]

That's exactly what the producer asked me for!

[@gerryvanderzeypen1214]

BRIAN'S SONG was another great movie also....True story unfortunately.

[@shelleyneidich8385]

Not just one of my favorite baseball films but one of my favorite films. Everything about the film is understated, including the beautiful soundtrack. So heartfelt.

[@bobmarsh8145]

Stephen Lawrence wrote this beautiful soundtrack. He passed away recently. He wrote over 300 songs for Sesame Street. He validated me as a composer. Rest easy my friend.

[@davidwasserman7716]

What an underrated gem Fabulous

[@daveprisci1187]

If only more people saw this movie & would heed it's message.

[@daveprisci1187]

"From here on in, I rag nobody."

[@rrock2025]

Its

[@c.rothschild260]

both the best and saddest film ever.

[@guyfletcher45]

What a beautiful piece of music.

[@alankumpula9168]

Best Baseball movie ever..top 3 movies ever for me.. saw it in 1973.. I watch it once a year at least just to remind myself that from now on I rag on nobody..

[@madthemartian6298]

"we breezed through the playoffs and wrapped up the series on a Sunday my win" One of the greatest lines ever

[@BOKO20101]

said without emotion..perfectly by Arthur.

[@nancyjanemahler9555]

I made sure my kids watched this, at the beginning of each year of high school. Don't need to say anything, just watch....

[@davidwasserman7716]

Michael Moriarty deserved an Oscar.

[@brucehilton1662]

Absolutely. He underplayed the role which was exactly what was wanted. A bunch of dramatics would have ruined it. Pay the audience some credit for intelligence and feelings. Riveting performance, imo.

[@tinydancer62]

@@brucehilton1662 I agree.

[@SECRETARIATguy224]

With ya all the way.

[@BOKO20101]

Agreed. He was spectacular, displayed what the audience felt.

[@BOKO20101]

He played the role of a crushed friend perfectly. Both Bruce & Arthur are truly dying, and it showed. One emotionally, one physically.

[@DonB.-Mulefivefive]

Thank you. Those words and that one phrase will never go out of style or grace.

[@7777srd]

It's words to live by in the end.

[@janislauer4730]

Tears flowing......

[@ceocoachrobinson]

Best baseball movie ever. Totally underrated. Sad. Funny. Whacky TEGWAR card game. Watch it and appreciate some amazing acting also

[@jerramaurice7836]

It was so sad that Bobby was dying of cancer from this film & that we lost Danny Aiello a few years ago

[@stephenlawrence9874]

Music from Bang The Drum Slowly. Composed and conducted by Stephen Lawrence.

[@elainesnow326]

Stephen Lawrence absolutely exquisite stuff, sir.

[@thomdude9168]

Cant find the music on spotify or youtube am I missing something?

[@Andy-ty2ni]

one of my favorite films...I rag nobody either!

[@abramsmm1]

I was a 12 year old die hard Yankee fan when I saw this with my parents. I was never one to show emotion, but I couldn't hold it together. In 2009, I began a battle with the slightly different non-Hodgkin's. This has been motivational over the past decade especially.

[@stephenlawrence9874]

I'm glad it helps!

[@pdmarie63]

I was 10 when I saw this movie and balled my eyes out. Eleven years later my oldest brother would die from Hodgkin's at 24 yrs old. So sad..And I am so glad for the advances in treatment. Like @goback3spaces who commented above, I am certain he'd be in remission too.

[@tinydancer62]

JGG11 I hope you are doing well.

[@poetcomic1]

"From here on in I rag nobody." They did a poll of the greatest endings of ANY American novels ever and this was in the top 100. The book is very well worth a read.

[@jamesdoyle7650]

So is “The Southpaw”, the “prequel."

[@brianhughes3312]

Thank you, Mr. Lawrence. Thank you so much for giving this to the world.

[@OldWorkingMan]

You did a great job. The score is one of the reasons I consider it the best baseball movie ever made.

[@stephenlawrence9874]

Thanks, Dan.

[@tinydancer62]

Amen, Dan.

[@kidmarine7329]

The score is incredible.

[@CompoundNihilist]

Many of us wish this wonderful score were available on CD or as a download. There's such inherent nobility in the music, pitch perfect all the way through... and not a dollop of treacle or overselling the emotion.

[@WithoutFeathers99]

Beautiful music. Thank you for such a lovely gem.

[@MsShirleyD]

Very good Robert De Niro movie.

[@guyfletcher2868]

I've posted on this thread before, but this song is one of the sweetest pieces of music I've ever heard, evocative without being maudlin. I love how it starts with the piano, harp and woodwinds ... and the horns come in later. Perfect.

[@stephenlawrence9874]

Thanks. I'm glad you like it!

[@dennismccafferty3133]

"Evocative but not maudlin" describes why the entire movie is a wonderful, underappreciated gem.

[@travistyy]

I watched Bang The Drum Slowly only a few days ago, and your music struck a cord and has stuck with me. This scene & song in particular had me sobbing like a baby. It's beautiful. Really captures the whole emotion and feel of the movie perfectly.

[@hesh.hesh.2051]

Nobody thought that baseball guy would be a face of mob movies years later...

[@sheilamacdougal4874]

He's been a lot of faces.

[@Philar72]

This is my favorite baseball movie, and baseball is my favorite sport. I think Roger Ebert called it not a movie about baseball, but a movie about life. And so your music brings that out, and compliments, really blends with the theme of this movie. Well done and thank you!

[@tinydancer62]

Mr. Lawrence, your music was the soundtrack to my life, starting with "Sesame Street" and "Free to Be You and Me". I own 3 copies of the soundtrack to "Bang the Drum Slowly" and yes, I still listen to it as I have 4 turntables. It is not only my favorite soundtrack, it is one of my favorite albums, period. Thank you for this and for all the beautiful music you have created over the years. You are an amazing talent.

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Transfer it to MP3 and upload.

[@Juliaflo]

Thank you for composing such beautiful music.

[@dennismccafferty3133]

Stephen, your score has always been one of my favorites. Very beautiful and moving. This has always been my favorite sports movie.

[@stephenlawrence9874]

Manny thanks, Dennis.

[@BOKO20101]

@@stephenlawrence9874 It was the perfect music. If the movie or music does not leave you with an empty feeling, you are soulless.

[@Bantamhead]

Wonderful score for a terrific film. Your music added significantly to the movie, which is one of my personal favorites.

[@Marshall-uy2dv]

If that ending scene doesn't get to you nothing will. The other ending scene that gets me as good as this one is in Billy Jack when they're taking him away and all of the kids are holding up their fists. Yeah that one is a tearjerker as well😢

[@emilychaveriat8706]

love, love, love it all........

[@chiplandry334]

I still have the soundtrack LP for Bang The Drum Slowly & have always loved your score for this film. I'm really looking forward to your Alice, Sweet Alice soundtrack LP that Waxworks Records will be putting out in 2021.

[@adamcortright3445]

The last movie De Niro made before hitting it big with 'Mean Streets'...

[@Juliaflo]

....And became a muse for Martin Scorcese, right?

[@death2pc]

"From here on in...................... I rag nobody."

[@daveprisci1187]

If only more people saw this movie & understood it's message.

[@elainesnow326]

He quit pitching too in the book & original tv production that starred a young, beautiful Paul Newman.

[@LostTheBear]

My kid actually has a tattoo saying"From here on in, I rag nobody."

[@keithm.7335]

"Probably everybody be nice to you if they knew you were dying," he said. "Everybody knows everybody is dying," I said. " That is why people are nice. You all die soon enough, so why not be nice to each other." -Mark Harris, Bang the Drum Slowly

[@nicksflicks9592]

Congrats, Stephen. Beautiful work.

[@SuperOlds88]

50 years ago.

[@tracygatewood7387]

What a sad movie , the man dies at the end from some type of cancer.

[@yG65gT6]

*Stephen Lawrence -- Liebermeister!* *Thank you so much for the music you wrote for this movie. Wow! Wow!* Sitting here, thinking, racking my brain ... I'm afraid I've given up trying to come up with a word that describes how beautiful, how moving your music is in this movie. (And I don't give up easily when it comes to describing something.) ... It's just a wonderful, wonderful marriage of film and music. ... I'm sure everyone associated with making the movie agrees with me and is in your debt for making the movie what it is. I love your adding in the notes that the producer jokingly said to you that he wouldn't pay you unless the hospital and airport scenes made him cry. I think it can safely be said that he got his money's worth. And a lot, lot more. ... It reminds me of the story about Babe Ruth which, I don't know, may be apocryphal, but it's where he promises a dying child that he would hit a homer run for him. Except in your case, you, in fact, did hit a home run, it ISN'T an apocryphal story -- you did it! As you may know, the philosopher Arthur Schopenaur "ranked" the art forms -- music, painting, sculpting, dance, writing, etc. And he not only ranked music as #1, he put music in a category all by itself -- so superior did he believe music to be to the rest of the arts. ... As he put it, "God whispers in the ear of the musician, and the musician plays." ... Now, mind you, I'm an agnostic, but when I hear a piece of music that moves me, that makes me happy to be alive, such as your music in "Bang the Drum Slowly," I think to myself, "You know, St. Thomas offered 5 reasons for the existence of God -- but he forgot to include music! Just that one word is all that he needed to make his list complete: 6. MUSIC We'd all know what he meant. Thanks again, Chris

[@stephenlawrence9874]

Thanks for your kind words. My score for Bang The Drum Slowly includes some of my favorite of my music.

[@tinydancer62]

Excellent post.

[@PhoenixProdLLC]

Sounds like you hit the bullseye with this :)

[@bobmarsh8145]

RIP Stephen who viewed me as a fellow songwriter

[@reijiminato8762]

BTDS: The ultimate Baseball Bromance movie

[@madthemartian6298]

Love the horns

[@joetrapp9187]

When this movie came out in 1973 it coincided with the leukemia diagnosis for Danny Thompson, shortstop for the Twins. Thompson played a few more years and died a few months after his last game.

[@santiagoandujar2518]

The 1st VHS cassette movie that I ever bought

[@DixiePokerAce]

I believe this was one of Robert DeNiro's first major roles. I am not sure but I think this came after Mean Streets.

[@MrSteviedan]

Beautiful piece. Stephen, can I ask: what's that great turnaround chord, first heard at 0:44?

[@jonahfalcon1970]

Michael Moriarty doing a great Christopher Walken impression.

[@LostTheBear]

Moriarty's grandfather was a major league umpire.

[@anight6881]

The saddest music i ever heard 😢

[@victorugbodaga754]

Moriarty reminds of John Voight here.

[@ger-franslzr7765]

eres mi amigo fiel

[@liketocriticize2210]

I knew Orville Stoeber's younger brother.

[@Meza427_]

Who else looked up on Google “Robert De Niro’s first movie”

[@Juliaflo]

Mr. DeNiro appeared in movies before this one--particularly, 'The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight'.

[@kingchrisl89]

No Paramount logo!?

[@fantasticbbq]

From here on in I rag on nobody

[@antonboludo8886]

I have a close friend who has learned he only has 4 months to live.

[@tinydancer62]

I'm sorry to hear this.

[@MarkGormlyIsHung]

They should remake this but recast the drum with margot robbie

[@debgib007]

I am falling asleep.

[@patriciafeehan7732]

Spoiler Alert

[@BuckyBrown-lt4ry]

RD overrated. Sounds the same in every film. That's not a mark of a great actor. See Larry O for great acting.

[@dennismccafferty3133]

That certainly wouldn't describe him in this movie. He plays a Southern hayseed catcher, very convincingly. I agree he's been on autopilot of sorts over the last decade or so. But not so for his early and mid-career work.

[@Gma00001]

What a Clueless comment by a Trumptard. Lmao

[@bobmarsh3446]

RIP My friend en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_J._Lawrence

[@SECRETARIATguy224]

Amen