Don’t You Forget About These

Don’t You Forget About These is my personal look back at film soundtracks from the 1980s. The emphasis is primarily on under-appreciated songs, ones that have either slipped under the radar or never got the acclaim they deserved. Remember that a bad movie can often have great tunes on its soundtrack album. This project is split into 12 parts (the last two are instrumental) and will unfold at regular intervals throughout 2018.

Part 1 is a like a late night drive around the city. Any city. A mixture of new wave, pop and plenty of soul-searching AOR that’s perfect for cruising alongside the neon signs. Highlights include a moody Cold War starter, the 1-2 punch of the Branigan siblings and a closing gem from a celebrity actor.

01 David Bowie – When The Wind Blows (When The Wind Blows, 1986)
02 INXS – Do Wot You Do (Pretty In Pink, 1986)
03 Max Carl – The Circle (Weird Science, 1985)
04 Amy Holland – Turn Out The Light (Scarface, 1983)
05 Madonna – Gambler (Vision Quest, 1985)
06 Jeff Lynne – Video (Electric Dreams, 1984)
07 Revolver – Lady In Love (Night Of The Comet, 1984)
08 John Waite – If Anybody Had A Heart (About Last Night, 1986)
09 Marc Tanner – Look What You’ve Done To Me (Heavenly Bodies, 1984)
10 Baxter Robertson – Feel The Night (The Karate Kid, 1984)
11 Nick Gilder – Footsteps (Youngblood, 1986)
12 Laura Branigan – Sharpshooter (Body Rock, 1984)
13 Billy Branigan – Hold On (Jumpin’ Jack Flash, 1986)
14 Dwight Twilley – Why You Wanna Break My Heart? (Body Rock, 1984)
15 Lou Gramm – Lost In The Shadows (The Lost Boys, 1987)
16 David Hallyday – Earth And Air (Lady Beware, 1987)
17 Adrenalin – Road Of The Gypsy (Iron Eagle, 1986)
18 Michael J Fox – You Got No Place To Go (Light Of Day, 1987)

Part 2 evokes the spirit of home video marathons in darkened living rooms with just the flickering screen and loads of crisps ‘n’ chocolate. Occasionally the tracking will flare up during certain well-worn passages. There’s snotty Brat Pack tunes weaving their magic throughout as John Hughes’ impeccable choices prove their enduring quality. Plus doom-laden rock for the vampire hunters and some super chunks of energetic synth pop.

01 Ira and The Geeks – Weird Romance (Weird Science, 1985)
02 Alex Brown – Come On Shout (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, 1985)
03 Deborah Harry – Rush Rush (Scarface, 1983)
04 Michael Davidson – Turn It Up (Who’s That Girl, 1987)
05 Berlin – Masquerade (Perfect, 1985)
06 Melissa Manchester – Thief Of Hearts (Thief Of Hearts, 1984)
07 Rainey – I Can Fly (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, 1985)
08 Wang Chung – Fire In The Twilight (The Breakfast Club, 1985)
09 Mark Safan – Win In The End (Teen Wolf, 1985)
10 Paul Engemann – Brain Power (Summer School, 1987)
11 Elizabeth Daily – Waiting (The Breakfast Club, 1985)
12 Ian Hunter – Good Man In A Bad Time (Fright Night, 1985)
13 Sparks – Armies Of The Night (Fright Night, 1985)
14 The System – Rock ‘n’ Roll Me Again (Beverly Hills Cop, 1984)
15 Dave Wakeling – She’s Having A Baby (She’s Having A Baby, 1988)
16 Thom Pace – Virgin In Love (Night Of The Comet, 1984)
17 The Dream Academy – The Edge Of Forever (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986)
18 Book Of Love – Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes) (Planes, Trains And Automobiles, 1987)

Part 3 is all about the beat. Get down to an uplifting mid-80s mix of funk, R&B, hip hop and hot dance grooves with two end of decade selections appearing in the final stretch.

01 Q Feel – Dancing In Heaven (Orbital BeBop) (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, 1985)
02 TKA – One Way Love (Modern Girls, 1986)
03 The Jets – Cross My Broken Heart (Beverly Hills Cop II, 1987)
04 New Edition – Once In A Lifetime Groove (Running Scared, 1986)
05 Carol Lynn Townes – Believe In The Beat (Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, 1984)
06 Bonnie Pointer – The Beast In Me (Heavenly Bodies, 1984)
07 Vanity – 7th Heaven (The Last Dragon, 1985)
08 Nona Hendryx – I Sweat (Going Through The Motions) (Perfect, 1985)
09 Sheila E. – Holly Rock (Krush Groove, 1985)
10 Jermaine Jackson – (Closest Thing To) Perfect (Perfect, 1985)
11 3-V – Heart Of The Beat (Breakin’, 1984)
12 Jesse Johnson – Get To Know Ya (Pretty In Pink, 1986)
13 The Willesden Dodgers – Party (No Sheep Is) (The Jewel Of The Nile, 1985)
14 The N – Earth Girls Are Easy (Earth Girls Are Easy, 1989)
15 Doug E Fresh and The Get Fresh Crew – Spirit (Ghostbusters II, 1989)
16 Arthur Baker – Breaker’s Revenge (Beat Street, 1984)

Part 4 is best enjoyed as part of road trip during daylight. There’s a variety of interludes: pop, rock and AOR, all meshing together in a form of darkly intensified subbaculture.

01 Olivia Newton-John – Twist Of Fate (Two Of A Kind, 1983)
02 Cheryl Baines – Love And Passion (American Gigolo, 1980)
03 David Hallyday – Flashback (Lady Beware, 1987)
04 Mick Jagger – Ruthless People (Ruthless People, 1986)
05 Corey Hart – Eurasian Eyes (9 1/2 Weeks, 1986)
06 Ann Wilson and Robin Zander – Surrender To Me (Tequila Sunrise, 1988)
07 John Parr and Marilyn Martin – Love Song From Quicksilver (Through The Night) (Quicksilver, 1986)
08 Nancy Wilson – All For Love (Say Anything, 1989)
09 Stevie Nicks – Battle Of The Dragon (American Anthem, 1986)
10 Urgent – Love Can Make You Cry (Iron Eagle, 1986)
11 Gregg Allman – I’ll Be Holding On (Black Rain, 1989)
12 REO Speedwagon – Wherever You’re Goin’ (It’s Alright) (The Goonies, 1985)
13 The Barbusters – This Means War (Light Of Day, 1987)
14 Steve Jones – With You Or Without You (Something Wild, 1986)
15 Diana DeWitt – Hard Act To Follow (Night Of The Comet, 1984)
16 Chris Isaak – Suspicion Of Love (Married To The Mob, 1988)
17 Glen Danzig and The Power & The Fury Orchestra – You And Me (Less Than Zero, 1987)

1980s teen movies really have the ability to make us feel. They make us want to believe, be inspired, and live vicariously through the stories we see on screen. Our formative years are our most angst-ridden. Part 5 features a selection of tracks from these seminal epics.

01 Adrian Zmed – Little Demon (Bachelor Party, 1984)
02 Flowerpot Men – Beat City (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986)
03 The Fleshtones – American Beat ’84 (Bachelor Party, 1984)
04 Ravyns – Raised On The Radio (Fast Times At Ridgemont High, 1982)
05 Oingo Bongo – Not My Slave (Something Wild, 1986)
06 Gary Myrick & The Figures – She Talks In Stereo (Valley Girl, 1983)
07 Cheap Trick – Reach Out (Heavy Metal, 1981)
08 Boys Brigade – Into The Flow (Heavenly Bodies, 1984)
09 Jesse Johnson & Stephanie Spruill – Heart Too Hot To Hold (The Breakfast Club, 1985)
10 Commuter – Young Hearts (The Karate Kid, 1984)
11 Wang Chung – Hypnotize Me (Inner Space, 1987)
12 Elizabeth Daily – Mind Over Matter (Summer School, 1987)
13 Teena Marie – 14K (The Goonies, 1985)
14 Sparks – Angst In My Pants (Valley Girl, 1983)
15 Jerry Harrison – Man With A Gun (Something Wild, 1986)
16 The Apartments – The Shyest Time (Some Kind Of Wonderful, 1987)
17 Gene Loves Jezebel – Desire (Come And Get It) (She’s Having A Baby, 1988)
18 Mummy Calls – Beauty Has Her Way (The Lost Boys, 1987)
19 The Dream Academy – Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental) (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986)

Part 6 is entirely comprised of slow jams stretching from the beginning of the decade right to the end. You can fix it. You can be older. You can be taller. You can be anything.

01 Amy Holland – Shootin’ For The Moon (Teen Wolf, 1985)
02 Danny Peck & Nancy Shanks – I Burn For You (The Secret Of My Success, 1987)
03 Restless Heart – Don’t Ask The Reason Why (The Secret Of My Success, 1987)
04 Boys Club – Time Starts Now (License To Drive, 1988)
05 Bob Seger – Living Inside My Heart (About Last Night, 1986)
06 Chris Farren & Amy Holland – Learn To Love Again (Night Of The Comet, 1984)
07 Toni Childs – Many Rivers To Cross (Lost Angels, 1989)
08 Al Jarreau – Never Explain Love (Do The Right Thing, 1989)
09 Olivia Newton-John – Shaking You (Two Of A Kind, 1983)
10 Ashford & Simpson – Love Goes On (The Golden Child, 1986)
11 Smokey Robinson & Syreeta – First Time On A Ferris Wheel (The Last Dragon, 1985)
12 Keith John – Why Don’t We Try (Do The Right Thing, 1989)
13 David Foster – Love Theme From St Elmo’s Fire (For Just A Moment) (St Elmo’s Fire, 1985)
14 Phil Collins – We Said Hello, Goodbye (Playing For Keeps, 1986)
15 Blue Room – Cry Like This (Some Kind Of Wonderful, 1987)
16 Paul McCrane – Is It OK If I Call You Mine (Fame, 1980)
17 Richie Havens – Still Looking For A Way To Say Goodbye (Wired, 1989)

The main theme running through Part 7 is one of quintessential and timeless rock. Tunes to get you through school, work and teenage life. Only the rules get busted.

01 Billy Joel – Modern Woman (Ruthless People, 1986)
02 Fish and Tony Banks – Shortcut To Somewhere (Quicksilver, 1986)
03 John Taylor – I Do What I Do (9 1/2 Weeks, 1986)
04 Pete Townshend – Life To Life (Playing For Keeps, 1986)
05 Zappacosta – This Overload (Dirty Dancing, 1987)
06 Jimmy Buffett – I Don’t Know (Spicoli’s Theme) (Fast Times At Ridgemont High, 1982)
07 Robert Tepper – No Easy Way Out (Rocky IV, 1985)
08 Etta James featuring David A Stewart – Avenue D (Rooftops, 1989)
09 Ray Davies – Quiet Life (Absolute Beginners, 1986)
10 Stevie Nicks – Sleeping Angel (Fast Times At Ridgemont High, 1982)
11 Red Rider – Lunatic Fringe (Vision Quest, 1985)
12 Don Felder – All Of You (Heavy Metal, 1981)
13 Kenny Loggins – I’m Free (Heaven Helps The Man) (Footloose, 1984)
14 Eric Martin – These Are The Good Times (Iron Eagle, 1986)
15 Tahnee Cain and Tryanglz – Photoplay (The Terminator, 1984)
16 Stan Bush – Dare (Transformers: The Movie, 1986)
17 Taxxi – Forever (Weird Science, 1985)
18 Robbie Robb – In Time (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, 1989)

Longing, belonging and self-discovery. Or how I stopped worrying and learned to love. Assembling the ways – now, today, tomorrow and always. Part 8 takes a look inside.

01 Arcadia – Say The Word (Playing For Keeps, 1986)
02 Wang Chung – Wait (To Live And Die In L.A., 1985)
03 Karla Bonoff – Somebody’s Eyes (Footloose, 1984)
04 Elizabeth Daily – Love In The Shadows (Thief Of Hearts, 1984)
05 Floy Joy – Weak In The Presence Of Beauty (Modern Girls, 1986)
06 Culture Club – The Dream (Electric Dreams, 1984)
07 The Dream Academy – Power To Believe (Planes, Trains And Automobiles, 1987)
08 Jennifer Hall – Ice Cream Days (Bright Lights, Big City, 1988)
09 Mick Smiley – Magic (Ghostbusters, 1984)
10 Thompson Twins – If You Were Here (Sixteen Candles, 1984)
11 Vikki Moss – If I Turn You Away (St Elmo’s Fire, 1985)
12 Big Trouble – All I Need Is You (Over The Top, 1987)
13 Madonna – The Look Of Love (Who’s That Girl, 1987)
14 Payola – Eyes Of A Stranger (Valley Girl, 1983)
15 Dr Calculus – Full Of Love (She’s Having A Baby, 1988)
16 Gerard McMann – Cry Little Sister (The Lost Boys, 1987)
17 Brad Fiedel – Come To Me (Fright Night, 1985)
18 Q Lazzarus – Goodbye Stranger (Married To The Mob, 1988)

Part 9 is a further extension of the third instalment. Time to strut your stuff to a mix of soul, R&B, funk and searing dance heat. A disco of biblical proportions.

01 Zapp – Radio People (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986)
02 Carol Lynn Townes – 99 1/2 (Breakin’, 1984)
03 Pointer Sisters – All Systems Go (Perfect, 1985)
04 Stephanie Mills – Bit By Bit (Fletch, 1985)
05 Precious Wilson – The Jewel Of The Nile (The Jewel Of The Nile, 1985)
06 Sister Sledge – Livin’ The Good Life (Coming To America, 1988)
07 Patti LaBelle – Stir It Up (Beverly Hills Cop, 1984)
08 Alessi Brothers – Savin’ The Day (Ghostbusters, 1984)
09 George Black – Concentration Breakdown (Modern Girls, 1986)
10 Klymaxx – Man Size Love (Running Scared, 1986)
11 Bonnie Pointer – Heaven (Heavenly Bodies, 1984)
12 Elisa Fiorillo – Jackie (Summer School, 1987)
13 Mark Scott – I Don’t Wanna Come Down (Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, 1984)
14 Narada Michael Walden – Is It Really Love? (Inner Space, 1987)
15 Howard Huntsberry – Higher And Higher (Ghostbusters II, 1989)
16 Juicy Bananas – Bad Man (Repo Man, 1984)

The last song-based instalment exudes horror, mystery and suspense. You know there’s a problem when the calls are coming from inside the house. All hail Diane Lane.

01 J Geils Band – Fright Night (Fright Night, 1985)
02 Lamont – Flesh To Flesh (Return Of The Living Dead Part II, 1988)
03 Tim Cappello – I Still Believe (The Lost Boys, 1987)
04 Beth Anderson & Joe Esposito – Just Imagine (Way Beyond Fear) (Thief Of Hearts, 1984)
05 Robert Tepper – Restless World (Lady Beware, 1987)
06 Huey Lewis & The News – Back In Time (Back To The Future, 1985)
07 Moving Pictures – Never (Footloose, 1984)
08 John Parr – Two Hearts (American Anthem, 1986)
09 Quarterflash – Make It Shine (Gremlins, 1984)
10 Journey – Only The Young (Vision Quest, 1985)
11 Fee Waybill – Running Scared (Running Scared, 1986)
12 Fiona – Casual Thing (Quicksilver, 1986)
13 Stevie Nicks – Violet And Blue (Against All Odds, 1984)
14 David Hallyday – Lady Beware (Lady Beware, 1987)
15 Cycle V – Blood From A Stone (Metropolis, 1984)
16 Bricklin – Walk Away (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, 1989)
17 Fire Inc – Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young (Streets Of Fire, 1984)

The closing pair of mixes are wholly instrumental. In the first, love themes abound along with other electronic scores. It’s a life so outrageous, it takes two women to live it.

01 Tony Banks – Quicksilver Suite I (Quicksilver, 1986)
02 Giorgio Moroder – The Legend Of Babel (Metropolis, 1984)
03 Harold Faltermeyer – Love Theme From Thief Of Hearts (Thief Of Hearts, 1984)
04 Giorgio Moroder – Gina And Elvira’s Theme (Scarface, 1983)
05 Helen St John – Love Theme From Flashdance (Flashdance, 1983)
06 Keith Forsey – Love Theme (The Breakfast Club, 1985)
07 Giorgio Moroder – Tony’s Theme (Scarface, 1983)
08 Hollywood Symphony Orchestra – Cameron Takes The Heat (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986)
09 Thomas Newman – Port Authority By Night (Desperately Seeking Susan, 1985)
10 Thomas Newman – Jail / Port Authority By Day (Desperately Seeking Susan, 1985)
11 Thomas Newman – New York City By Day (Desperately Seeking Susan, 1985)
12 Harold Faltermeyer – Running From Love (Instrumental) (Fletch, 1985)
13 Harold Faltermeyer & Steve Stevens – Top Gun Theme (Top Gun, 1986)
14 William Orbit – Opening Score (Youngblood, 1986)
15 Harold Faltermeyer – Stolen Secrets (Thief Of Hearts, 1984)
16 Giorgio Moroder – Machines (Metropolis, 1984)
17 Harold Faltermeyer – Fletch Theme (Fletch, 1985)
18 Robbie Buchanan – The Chosen One (The Golden Child, 1986)
19 Vince DiCola – Training Montage (Rocky IV, 1985)

The final part of my soundtrack trip is a more sedate instrumental mix. I’ll be back.

01 New Order – Salvation Theme (Salvation, 1987)
02 Rick Cox, Chas Smith, Jon C Clark & Michael Boddicker – Elegy (Light Of Day, 1987)
03 Jack Nietzche – Love Theme (The Jewel Of The Nile, 1985)
04 Lee Ritenour – Love Theme From An Officer And A Gentleman (An Officer And A Gentleman, 1982)
05 Brad Fiedel – Love Scene (The Terminator, 1984)
06 Brad Fiedel – Future Remembered (The Terminator, 1984)
07 Craig Safan – Lady Beware Theme (Lady Beware, 1987)
08 David Foster – Water Fountain (The Secret Of My Success, 1987)
09 David Foster – 3 Themes (The Secret Of My Success, 1987)
10 Miles Goldman – Boof (Teen Wolf, 1985)
11 Thomas Newman – Love Music (Jumpin’ Jack Flash, 1986)
12 Carly Simon – In Love (Working Girl, 1988)
13 David Foster – Gazebo (The Secret Of My Success, 1987)
14 David Foster – Love Theme From St Elmo’s Fire (Instrumental) (St Elmo’s Fire, 1985)
15 Dave Grusin featuring Lee Ritenour – Jo Ann’s Song (Tequila Sunrise, 1988)
16 Thomas Newman – Breaking The Code (Jumpin’ Jack Flash, 1986)
17 David Foster – Night Music (Two Of A Kind, 1983)
18 Vince DiCola – Death Of Optimus Prime (Transformers: The Movie, 1986)