Universal Music China has released the soundtrack to the Chinese period war film The Eight Hundred to coincide with the film’s international cinematic release. A limited-edition vinyl of the soundtrack is also available exclusively in China.

Stream The Eight Hundred (Original Soundtrack)

The Eight Hundred is based on a true story, taking place during Sino-Japanese war in Shanghai, China, in 1937. Four hundred Chinese soldiers – known as “The Eight Hundred Heroes” – fought for four days and nights waves of invading Japanese soldiers to protect the Si Hang Warehouse by the Suzhou River. 

Director of The Eight Hundred Guan Hu hoped that this movie would help teach the world, “what China has been through … and [will] never forget”.

Find The Eight Hundred at a cinema near you

Soundtrack by Rupert Gregson-Williams and Andrew Kawczynski 

The soundtrack album for “The Eight Hundred”, which features 20 tracks, was composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams (Hacksaw Ridge) and Andrew Kawczynski (Dunkirk) with film music producer Yu Fei. It involved more than 200 musicians, including the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. The film score was recorded, mixed and mastered over a year in Los Angeles, Sofia, London and Beijing, and combines modern Hollywood cinematic scoring techniques with traditional Chinese influences.

Andrea Bocelli, Na Ying – Remembering – 苏州河（无字幕）

The film’s closing track ‘Remembering’ is performed by internationally-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli and Chinese pop singer Na Ying. 

‘Remembering’ was adapted from the traditional Irish folk song ‘Londonderry Air’ (the original inspiration for the well-known ‘Danny Boy’). The film’s music producer Yu Fei felt that this sentimental melody would provide a poignant way to close the epic war film, offering a moment of reflection.

The single was produced by Bocelli’s long-time collaborator Bob Ezrin, together with film music producer Yu Fei and lyricists Yin Yue and Zhang Cheng.