Quick Facts
| Film | Moulin Rouge! (2001 film — not the Broadway musical adaptation) |
| Director | Baz Luhrmann |
| Writers | Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce |
| Starring | Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh |
| Release date | June 1, 2001 (US) |
| Distributor | 20th Century Fox |
| Score composer | Craig Armstrong |
| Soundtrack | Mostly cover versions of existing pop songs, plus one original song (“Come What May”) |
Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack: Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 Drama, Musical, and Romance film directed by Baz Luhrmann and penned by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. This page covers the 2001 film and its soundtrack — not the later Broadway stage musical adaptation, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, which opened in 2018 and uses a different, expanded song list.
It stars Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh and more.
It is produced by Fred Baron, Martin Brown, and Baz Luhrmann, with associate producers Steve E. Andrews and Catherine Martin.
Release date: The movie was released on June 1, 2001, in the United States and was distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Who Composed the Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack?
Craig Armstrong is a Scottish composer widely recognized for his work on the Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack.
In addition to this, he is also known for his compositions for various other films, including The Incredible Hulk in 2008, The Great Gatsby in 2013, and Ray in 2004.
He has received numerous awards for his film work, including a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe for his score for Moulin Rouge!, and a Grammy Award for Ray (2004). Earlier versions of this page had those two awards swapped — that’s now corrected.
Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack List
Here is the complete list of the Moulin Rouge! Soundtrack, released in 2001. The soundtrack album includes various tracks performed by different artists — nearly all of them covers of pre-existing pop, rock, and jazz songs, arranged for the film.
Nature Boy: “Nature Boy” is a Jazz pop song by Nat King Cole, released in 1948. It was written by Eden Ahbez as a tribute to a group called “Nature Boys,” of which Ahbez was a member.
Lady Marmalade: “Lady Marmalade” is a soul disco song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan. It was first recorded in 1974 by girl group Labelle.
Because We Can: The song “Because We Can” was performed by Norman Cook, also known as Fatboy Slim. The song was produced with the collaboration of Marius de Vries.
Sparkling Diamonds: “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” is a jazz song from the Broadway musical Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949), reworked for the film as “Sparkling Diamonds.”
Rhythm of the Night: “Rhythm of the Night” is a 1985 dance-pop and R&B song by DeBarge, written by Diane Warren and released under Motown as the first single from their album of the same name.
Your Song: It is a traditional pop and soft rock song written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin. It was John’s first single to reach the international Top 10 charts.
Children of the Revolution: It is a hit song by T. Rex, written by Marc Bolan. It reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1972. It was the first of their singles not to reach No. 1 and was not included in any album release.
One Day I’ll Fly Away: “One Day I’ll Fly Away” is a soul song by Randy Crawford. It was written by Joe Sample and Will Jennings and produced by Sample, Felder, and Hooper.
Diamond Dogs:
“Diamond Dogs” is a Rock, Glam rock, Soul music, Funk, Art rock, and Proto-punk song from David Bowie’s 1974 album.
Elephant Love Medley: It is a 2001 song performed by Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, and Jamie Allen.
Come What May: “Come What May” is the film’s one original song, composed by David Baerwald and Kevin Gilbert. It was originally written for Luhrmann’s earlier film William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet but wasn’t used there; it became the romantic love theme of Moulin Rouge! instead, sung by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman in their roles as Christian and Satine.
El Tango de Roxanne: “Roxanne” is a song by the Police, written by Sting. It was released as a single in April 1978 and included in their debut album Outlandos d’Amour; the film reworks it as a tango.
Complainte de la Butte: It is a 2001 song performed by Rufus Wainwright and lyrics by Georges Van Parys and Jean Renoir with producers Michel Pépin and Wainwright.
Hindi Sad Diamonds: This song was produced by BLAM, de Vries, and Steve Sharples and performed by Nicole Kidman, John Leguizamo, and Alka Yagnik, incorporating the Bollywood track “Chamma Chamma.”
Moulin Rouge! Official Trailer
You can watch the trailer below:
You can listen to the entire album, including all the songs and the score, on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube.
Related reading: Discover more movie soundtracks, browse our TV soundtrack hub, or find where to stream musicals in our streaming guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the score for Moulin Rouge! (2001)?
Scottish composer Craig Armstrong composed the underscore, which won him a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.
Is this the 2001 film or the Broadway musical?
This page is about the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The Broadway stage musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, opened in 2018 and features a different, larger song list built for the theater.
Are the Moulin Rouge! songs original or covers?
Almost all of them are covers or medleys of pre-existing songs, from “Nature Boy” to “Lady Marmalade.” “Come What May” is the one original song written specifically for the film.
Did Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor really sing in the film?
Yes, both actors performed their own vocals for the film’s musical numbers, including “Come What May” and the “Elephant Love Medley.”
Where can I stream the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack?
The soundtrack is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.