"Pretty in Pink" Soundtrack

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

The album: Classic new wave or bad 80's synthpop cheese?
Title song re-recorded for the movie: Improvement?
Furs, Smiths, and Bunnymen, all in one convenient package: Totally awesome or not?

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Sunday, 8 June 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

totally classic, even suzanne vega sounds great on this record. one of th erecords that changed my listening habits permanently.

― keith (keithmcl), Sunday, 8 June 2003 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

All of those songs immediately cause a rush of memories that inevitably include the movie. Hence, absolutely classic.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Sunday, 8 June 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

With the exception of The Smiths, who I loathe, classic, just coz the film makes me all nostalgic...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Sunday, 8 June 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

The title track singularly sucked-dry any remaining cool/cache the Furs had left. After that came Midnight to Midnight and the swift decline.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 8 June 2003 16:32 (twenty-two years ago)

The re-recorded title track summed up everything I didn't like about the over-produced pap that new wave was turning into - Keith bastard Forsey to blame mostly. That dreadful sax "solo" ! The pumping percussion ! Oh, dear. Not exactly "President Gas", was it.

As for the others, mmm, luvly. Smiths, Bunnymen, yada timeless yada classic yada nostalgia yada we know already. Mind you, I can't see how "If You Leave" by OMD managed to be a flop in the UK. It reached #48 whereas if my memory serves me correctly it was top 5 in the states I think. Possibly the best post-Dazzle Ships, 'fuck, better write a hit !' OMD single and with a killer last chorus.

― darren (darren), Sunday, 8 June 2003 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Now, Alex, the Furs did come back ca. their All of This and Nothing best-of with "All That Money Wants", which IIRC should place the track after Midnight to Midnight, which shows that not everything Chris Kimsey touches turns into ear candy (though I do have to take back my previous anti-Kimsey sentiments for the work he did on your band's Night Time and the Stones' Steel Wheels). But I do agree on the remake of "Pretty in Pink". It just sounds too polished, too "'80s teen movie theme tune". The original was such a great classic that this is a huge letdown.

But overall, the soundtrack was pretty good. Almost better than the one for The Breakfast Club. I wouldn't say it was a dud, but I also wouldn't say it was a classic, either. Not yet. Oh, and I agree that Suzanne Vega's song sounded very good. 'Tis one of my favorite '80s songs, really and her best song IMHO.

― Dee the Lurker (Dee the Lurker), Sunday, 8 June 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh! The first sentence! Running on!

See, boys and girls, what happens when you post under the influence of NyQuil?

― Dee the Lurker (Dee the Lurker), Sunday, 8 June 2003 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

First place I ever heard Echo though I didn't realize it. Good for that. Never was into the movie.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 8 June 2003 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

As far as the Furs go, Midnight to Midnight was really the only slip of their career. They bounced right back with Book of Days a couple years later.

― Paul Cox (paul cox), Sunday, 8 June 2003 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I forgot about "All that Money Wants," but that was a brief jolt upwards in an otherwise quicksand-fueled descent. After that, I gave up completely on them. Still, they were untouchable through Mirror Moves.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 8 June 2003 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

never really saw the flick.

FOOKIN' HATED the re-recording of the song, and the vid was just as bad. The original versions of both vid & song rool the skool.

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Sunday, 8 June 2003 21:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the cover of "P.I.P." is OK, as far as mall New Wave went. The band even kind of sounds like the Psychedelic Furs.

The OMD song is one of my favorite late-New Wave singles, all achey and teen-heartbreaky. I didn't have a girlfriend at the time, much less one who was about to leave me, but I imagined that if I did, that's exactly what it would feel like. (A notion I was later disabused of, naturally. The real thing wasn't nearly as romantic.)

Good late Echo, too. Never did figure out who the dancing horses were or what they did, but they sounded kind of spooky. I guess the whole album has a retrospective feel about it -- New Wave's death disguised as its ascendance.

― JesseFox (JesseFox), Sunday, 8 June 2003 22:20 (twenty-two years ago)

ok soundtrack, Donny Darko is the better fix

― kephm, Sunday, 8 June 2003 22:26 (twenty-two years ago)

bring on the dancing horses!

― Tad (llamasfur), Sunday, 8 June 2003 23:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic, I think I like the soundtrack better than the movie.

― hstencil, Sunday, 8 June 2003 23:25 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, it doesn't get any more classic than Danny Hutton Hitters, Belouis Some, and Jesse Johnson.

― scott seward, Sunday, 8 June 2003 23:49 (twenty-two years ago)

why the hell isn't "Try A Little Tenderness" on it?

― Al (sitcom), Monday, 9 June 2003 00:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I loved it at the time, though I've not heard it in years. There was a time when I would have said that that soundtrack + the Repo Man soundtrack *defined* the 80s. Or at least, *my* 80s.

― kate (kate), Monday, 9 June 2003 08:10 (twenty-two years ago)

whatever happened to belouis some, anyway? is he hanging out with the "love and pride" guy or something?

― Tad (llamasfur), Monday, 9 June 2003 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

why the hell isn't "Try A Little Tenderness" on it?

Very, VERY good fuckin' question! That one scene made me totally fall for Duckie *and* our Molly, all at once.

The soundtrack has stood the test of time much better than the film has: I saw it for the first time in years, about a month ago, and marvelled at its naffness. I *never* liked it ironically, always purely and with passion, but suddenly it's just terrible.

I think I'm getting old. And the Smiths bit is splendid, so ner.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 9 June 2003 10:56 (twenty-two years ago)

is it controversial to say that
'some kind of wonderful'
is way better ?

'hardest walk' - jamc,
'i can't help falling in love with you' - lick the tins
'dr mabuse' - propaganda
etc.

― piscesboy, Monday, 9 June 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I like it a lot.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 10 June 2003 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm with Kate in regards to the Repo Man/PIP soundtrack combo. I do think the movie was terrifically great, but it has that horrible tacked on ending. The we've-gotta-get-the-poor-chick-to-end-up-with-the-rich-guy-even-though-it-makes-no-sense-for-her-to-be-with-anyone-other-than-Duckie ending is painful. The fact that they shot it after the whole project was done makes for zippo continuity--especially where hair cuts are concerned. The movie needs to be turned off the moment Molly Ringwald and Jon Cryer walk into the prom. Thankfully Jon Hughes made up for it with Some Kind of Wonderful--that has the proper ending and a good soundtrack to boot.

― cybele (cybele), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

that's a *wig* andrew m wears at the end.
an actual wig. can't believe i've not noticed.
he had to shave his head and lose weight
for another part and then they were all
re-called to re-shoot. d'oh !

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 11 June 2003 16:04 (twenty-two years ago)

The soundtrack to "Repo Man" was a brilliant artefact independent of the film which it accompanies (which, I should add, is also completely brilliant -- and if you disagree with me on that point, all you're ultimately doing is wallowing naked like a lobotomized piglet in a giant, sickly puddle of WRONG!).

Speaking of soundtracks -- in what may be a giant puncturing of the bubble of credibility that conceivably looms over any message I post here, I just picked up the official score to Walt Disney's "Dumbo" (as a pricey Japanese import, no less). I know that makes me sound like I've completely misplaced my marbles, but trust me -- it's fucking hilarious and, once again, brilliant. "The Clown Song"? "Pink Elephants On Parade"? "When I See an Elephant Fly?" (which is one of the most strikingly racist bits of minstrel show shenanigans I've ever layed ears on), "Baby Mine"? It's a fuckin' classic.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 19:51 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

i haven't the slightest clue why this song has been in my head all morning

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 3 February 2005 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Did you perhaps look at the Pretty in Pink thread on ile yesterday?

― Leon the Fatboy (Ex Leon), Thursday, 3 February 2005 16:57 (twenty-one years ago)

i must have noticed it subliminally! because before you posted that, i couldn't have told you there was even a thread!

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:27 (twenty-one years ago)

such a good song. hughes' soundtracks are really patchy, though.. nick kershaw? breakfast club instrumentals? ew. for every great track, there are several turkeys.

i wonder if alex in nyc would be a serial killer or something if he couldn't get his aggressions out here.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the cover of "P.I.P." is OK, as far as mall New Wave went. The band even kind of sounds like the Psychedelic Furs.

was this a joke or a geniune misunderstanding?

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a funny joke - unlike the Furs at the time, which were rather a sad one.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:44 (twenty-one years ago)

aren't there two versions of this song? i seem to recall liking the "movie remake" better, or something like that.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, there are. the movie one is way more "produced".

jeez. i have michael, row the boat ashore in my head which is way more inexplicable than pretty in pink!

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 3 February 2005 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

The Pretty In Pink soundtrack is pretty much flawless; the only thing that could improve it would be to add more songs from the movie ("Thieves Like Us"!).

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

lauren did your parents have weavers lps in the house when you were growing up?

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

http://lucinda.smugmug.com/photos/3539419-S.jpg

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 3 February 2005 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

five months pass...

no-one ever answered my question re: whatever became of belouis some?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 18:18 (twenty years ago)

That picture scares me.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

such a dud. Badly structured ("If You Leave" as the OPENER?!??!), weakass INXS track, no "Thieves Like Us" or "Elegia," no "Cherish," no "Try a Little Tenderness"...total fucking misrepresentation of one of the best music movies of all time.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

but it's all about "bring on the dancing horses," dude!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

I already own Songs to Learn and Sing.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

one of the best music movies of all time?

uhh....no.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 18:56 (twenty years ago)

three New Order songs, Smiths, Psych. Furs, The Association, "Wouldn't it Be Good," Otis Redding, Suzanne Vega, OMD, and all brilliantly used? How not?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.

"Pretty in Pink" Soundtrack - Classic or Dud?