AT FIRST, detractors told Eric Ng, the executive producer behind the 881 movie soundtrack, that it would sell only a couple of hundred copies at most.

After all, the CD of 14 songs is a tribute to getai, and though some tracks are glammed-up versions of the originals, the Hungry Ghost Festival genre was not seen as having mass appeal, sales-wise.

So Ng, who also wrote two numbers on the CD, cautiously put in an initial 1,000 CD order - the minimum required.

But since it went on sale on Aug 8, it has taken off, just like the getai movie directed by Royston Tan and which stars Mindee Ong, Yeo Yann Yann and Qi Yuwu.

A recent report said the $1 million film, which is still screening, has grossed $1.25 million.

As for the CD, Ng says: 'After the initial 1,000 copies sold out, I ordered another 2,000. And when these sold out too, I made an extra two orders of 2,000 each.'

That's 7,000 copies now sold and the man, who runs independent record label Funkie Monkies Productions, has since had another 3,000 copies pressed.

'Yes, it is making money,' says Ng, who estimates the production cost at $100,000.

One song tells the story of a cancer patient, whose sad lyrics moved financial controller May Tan to buy the CD after watching the movie.

'The soundtrack has nice, uptempo songs but there are several sad ones which make you realise how we take things for granted,' she says.

Business has been so good that Ng is now sorting out details for a second soundtrack, this time with slots for Tan and Qi to flex their vocal cords.

The current soundtrack of 14 songs includes five original numbers, and the vocal duties in Hokkien and Mandarin are shared by getai performers such as the Ming Zhu Sisters, Xiao Xin, Liu Ling Ling and Karen Lim, among others.

'We've also included a DVD because the uncles and aunties complained that it was hard to watch the music videos on the computer,' says Ng, who adds that no effort has been spared to promote the CD.

He and those associated with the movie have appeared in three getais to plug the songs.

Looking ahead, he says that he is excited that Tan has been signed on to direct a movie featuring the life and times of 1950s stripper Rose Chan.

'I have always wanted to do a porn-movie soundtrack, but one featuring a stripper is fine with me too,' he says with a laugh.