It may be 30 years late, but audiences will finally get a chance to purchase the soundtrack to one of the most influential films of the ’80s, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” It’s almost impossible to imagine that a film with so many classic musical moments never had an official soundtrack, but it’s true. Now, decades after the film’s release, La-La Land Records is ready to release the soundtrack.
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The soundtrack will be a limited edition, with only 5000 copies, but it’ll be well worth it. Not only will people have the chance to hear the original score, but the record will also feature songs from the movie, as well as source cues and alternate score cues.
For those who are wondering why this classic film has never had an original soundtrack released over the last 30 years, there’s only one person to blame – John Hughes. The director has gone on record saying that he was begged to do a soundtrack, but he never understood why anyone would want it.
“The only official soundtrack that Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ever had was for the mailing list. A&M was very angry with me over that; they begged me to put one out, but I thought ‘who’d want all of these songs?’ I mean, would kids want ‘Danke Schoen’ and ‘Oh Yeah’ on the same record? They probably already had ‘Twist and Shout,’ or their parents did, and to put all of those together with the more contemporary stuff, like the [English] Beat—I just didn’t think anybody would like it,” he told Lollipop magazine. “But I did put together a seven-inch of the two songs I owned the rights to—’Beat City’ on one side, and… I forget, one of the other English bands on the soundtrack… and sent that to the mailing list. By ’86, ’87, it was costing us $30 a piece to mail out 100,000 packages. But it was a labor of love.”
Those lucky enough to pick up one of the 5000 copies will be able to make the final determination on whether it’s worth it on September 13th, when the soundtrack is officially released. Though it should be noted, only the marching band version of “Twist And Shout” is on the disc. [Film Music Reporter]
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” Soundtrack
1. Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix) – Sigue Sigue Sputnik (6:58)
2. Oh Yeah – Yello (3:07)
3. Beat City – The Flowerpot Men (3:37)
4. B.A.D. – Big Audio Dynamite (5:47)
5. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Dream Academy (3:09)
6. Danke Schoen – Wayne Newton (2:35)
7. Radio People – Zapp (5:40)
8. I’m Afraid – Blue Room (4:51)
9. The Edge of Forever – The Dream Academy (4:21)
Original Score by Ira Newborn
10. Ferris in Bed (0:57)
11. Cameron in Bed/Ferris Goes Hawaiian (1:44)
12. I’ll Go (unused) (1:02)
13. Nurse (0:11)
14. Ferris on Line 2 (0:43)
15. Bueller, Ferris Bueller (0:08
16. Mom Checks on Ferris (1:40)
17. Jeannie Turns Ugly (0:34)
18. Rooney on Patrol (1:26)
19. Save It, Ferris (unused) (0:40)
20. Rooney Sneaks Around/Star Wars (Main Title) (2:25)
21. Going to Take a Stand (unused) (3:30)
22. Cameron Takes the Heat (0:55)
23. Oh Shauna Jeannie (0:46)
24. He’s Gonna Marry Me (unused) (1:22)
25. Dog Food Rooney/Ferris Goes to Bed (0:59)
26. Mom, Dad and Ferris (1:34)
Alternate Score Cues:
27. Ferris on Line 2 (alternate) (0:41)
28. Theme From Star Trek (unused) (0:30)
29. Cameron Takes the Heat (alternate) (0:57)
Source Cues:
30. Coughlin Bros. Mortuary (0:27)
31. Celebrated Minuet (1:37)
32. Ballpark Baloney (1:10)
33. Polka Medley (3:18)
Bonus Tracks:
34. I’m Afraid (instrumental film version) – Blue Room (4:51)
35. Twist and Shout (marching band overlay) (2:35)