Okay, so I am a LITTLE late for breakfast… What can you do?
Welcome to the ’80s… I could spend a lot of time here… A lot!
The Breakfast Club: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Is this the best High School movie of all time??? It very well might be… I am also partial to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (had a crush on Mia Sara), Lucas (Yup, had a crush on Kerri Green) and Can’t Buy Me Love, starring the future McDreamy Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson (Come on… of course I had a HUGE crush on her). If push comes to shove, I would put The Breakfast Club on top!
This is the second soundtrack I ever owned and one that was literally worn out. I was at Northwestern when this came out, so it was especially cool dwelling in Chicago and the Chi Town burbs while watching John Hughes films… He was the master and so loyal to his home turf, and he is sadly missed. I just learned that he shot this and Ferris Bueller back-to-back!
This one came out in 1985 and really hit home for me. That was the gift of John Hughes… he saw things as they were… and found great stories and humor in teenage life. As you will see… I am partial to the great lines of John Bender…
Bender: “Eat… my… shorts.”
Bender: “You know how you said before, how your parents use you to get back at each other? Wouldn’t I be outstanding in that capacity?”
Bender: “Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?”
Andrew: “We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all. ”
Brian: “Chicks cannot hold their smoke, dat’s what it is.” (The way Anthony Michael Hall does this in the movie makes it my favorite line.)
Here’s some cool trivia courtesy of Wikipedia:
“Emilio Estevez originally auditioned for the role of John Bender. However, when John Hughes was unable to find someone to play Andrew Clark, Estevez was recast… Bender was the last role to be cast, and it was between John Cusack and Judd Nelson. Hughes eventually cast Cusack to play John Bender, but Hughes decided to replace Cusack with Nelson before shooting began because Cusack didn’t look threatening enough for the role… Rick Moranis was originally cast as the janitor; he left due to creative differences and was replaced by John Kapelos… John Hughes nearly fired Judd Nelson because he was constantly bullying co-star Molly Ringwald off camera. Eventually Paul Gleason stood up for Nelson because he was trying to stay in character.”
“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” – Simple Minds… This was an anthem for me… and for teenagers everywhere… Still is. Actually, it’s an anthem for all of us. This was my introduction to this great band, but please go deeper into their catalog. You will be richly rewarded!
“Waiting” – E.G. Daily… Yeah okay… I had a crush on her, too… and I think she is in EVERY SINGLE ’80s teen movie… Seriously… Valley Girl, Better Off Dead, Summer School, Loverboy… and of course, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure!
“Fire in the Twilight” – Wang Chung… I dig this band… just do. In fact, I saw them warm up for The Cars back in the ’80s… and as much as I love The Cars, they are horrible live… and people were actually cheering for Wang Chung to come back on!!!
“I’m the Dude” (instrumental) – Keith Forsey… The music cues, score and incidental music are equally great and really make the film.
“Heart Too Hot to Hold” – Jesse Johnson, Stephanie Spruill
“Dream Montage” (instrumental) – Gary Chang
“We Are Not Alone” – Karla DeVito… She is amazing… Grew up in Illinois, studied at Second City… sigh… sang back up for Meatloaf and Blue Öyster Cult and is married to Robby Benson!
“Reggae” (instrumental) – Keith Forsey
“Didn’t I Tell You?” – Joyce Kennedy
“Love Theme” (instrumental) – Keith Forsey
This movie and soundtrack take me way back. Life just seemed easier then… and it was… at least it seems that way now. I know back in my teens there were life crises… moments of pain and anguish… unrequited love… But man… I love being in my ’80s.
Marc's Muse 