This site was conceived as a side project by a "tekkie" friend of mine who suggested I use my journalistic experience to write about something I love. We bandied about some ideas before settling on this one - largely because I had collected movie soundtracks for much of my life and thought I could write about them. We wanted the site to be user friendly, well-written and reliable.
Over time, I hope to attract other writers keen to contribute to the site, who don't mind foregoing the financial benefits they may be used to in the short-term for something that may, or may not, be profitable further down the line.
The gradual demise of the cd format, re-emergence of vinyl, along with the expansion of blu-ray dvd and downloads translate to an ever-changing market place; despite this, most of us still buy cd's and dvd's and I hope that you will use the Amazon links on this site to buy online.
We have also included mini YouTube video links that accompany the reviews, so that you can listen to your favourite theme music while watching a related trailer or clip from the movie; because film is a visual medium, there seems no better way of presenting it.
Finally, a note on the type of soundtracks featured. Though purists generally view albums such as "Top Gun", "Flashdance" and others like them, as unworthy of coverage on a film soundtrack site, preferring instead to focus on orchestral scores, we have taken the view that these albums have earned their place based on their continued saleability and affection with a large section of cinema-goers. We wanted to reach as broad an audience as possible and have developed the site with this in mind, without forgetting those fans for whom composers such as Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith, among many others, are considered on a par with the master composers. We hope you can find your best movie soundtracks on this site.
American Graffiti.
1973, Universal.
Various.
MCA, MCLDD 19150 Rating:
Coming of age story set in 1962 small-town America, following a group of graduates celebrating their last night of summer freedom before going their separate ways. Diners, hotrods and even hotter girls populate the scenery as the likes of Happy Days’ Ron Howard hang-out and DJ Wolfman Jack hollers out over the radio waves. Probably the best soundtrack of its type, American Graffiti contains over forty of the best tracks from the golden age of the fifties and early sixties, including classics by Bill Haley (‘Rock Around The Clock’), Buddy Holly (’Maybe Baby’) and Chuck Berry (‘Johnny B. Goode’). The definitive fifties soundtrack. American Graffiti Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. We’re Gonna Rock Around The Clock (Bill Haley & The Comets)
2. Sixteen Candles (Crests)
3. Runaway (Del Shannon)
4. Why Do Fools Fall In Love (Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers)
5. That’ll Be The Day (Buddy Holly & The Crickets)
6. Maybe Baby (Buddy Holly & The Crickets)
7. Fannie Mae (Buster Brown)
8. At The Hop (Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids)
9. She’s So Fine (Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids)
10. Goodnight Well It’s Time To Go (Spaniels)
11. See You In September (Tempos)
12. Surfin’ Safari (Beach Boys)
13. All Summer Long (Beach Boys)
14. He’s The Great Imposter (Fleetwoods)
15. Almost Grown (Chuck Berry)
16. Johnny B Goode (Chuck Berry)
17. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Platters)
18. Only You (Platters)
19. Great Pretender (Platters)
20. Little Darlin’ (Diamonds)
21. Stroll (Diamonds)
22. Peppermint Twist - Joey Dee & The Starlighters
23. Ya Ya (Lee Dorsey)
24. Ain’t That A Shame (Fats Domino)
25. I Only Have Eyes For You (Flamingos)
26. Get A Job (Silhouettes)
27. To The Aisle (Five Satins)
28. Do You Wanna Dance (Bobby Freeman)
29. Party Doll (Buddy Knox)
30. Come Go With Me (Del-Vikings)
31. You’re Sixteen (Johnny Burnette Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio)
32. Love Potion No 9 (Clovers)
33. Since I Don’t Have You (Skyliners)
34. Chantilly Lace (Big Bopper)
35. Teen Angel (Mark Dinning)
36. Crying In The Chapel (Sonny Till & The Orioles)
37. Thousand Miles Away (Heartbeats)
38. Heart And Soul (Cleftones)
39. Green Onions (Booker T & The MG’s)
40. Barbara Ann (Regents)
41. Book Of Love (Monotones)
The Wanderers.
1979, Film Finance Group.
Various Artists.
Castle/Cinephile CD, 2000, CIN CD 029 Rating:
Along with American Graffiti, released in 1983, The Wanderers boasts one of the best soundtracks featuring American pop and rock n’ roll music ever released. While Graffiti focussed on teenage High School students however, The Wanderers takes to the streets. Set in the Bronx, New York, 1963, rock n’ roll is giving way to pure pop and Kennedy has been assassinated. Tensions, divisions and the popularity of the navy signal that times they are a changin’. Packed with hits from the period by artists such as The Four Seasons, The Shirelles, The Contours and Dion, the Wanderers is a great reminder of the film’s spirit. While not being as substantial as the soundtrack for Graffiti with its double disc offering, The Wanderers, provides a slightly more rebellious, edgy play list, that discards the letterman sweaters and slips on the leather. The Warriors Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray.
Track Listing:
1. Walk Like A Man (Four Seasons)
2. Ya Ya (Lee Dorsey)
3. Big Girls Don’t Cry (Four Seasons)
4. My Boyfriend’s Back (The Angels)
5. Sherry (Four Seasons)
6. Baby It’s You (The Shirelles)
7. Pipeline (Chantays)
8. You Really Got A Hold On Me (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)
9. Wipeout (The Surfaris)
10. Soldier Boy (The Shirelles)
11. Stand By Me (Ben E. King)
12. Shout (The Isley Brothers)
13. Do You Love Me (The Contours)
14. Runaround Sue (Dion)
15. Tequila (The Champs)
16. I Love You (The Volumes)
17. The Wanderer (Dion)
Stand By Me.
1986, Columbia/Tristar.
Various Artists.
Atlantic CD, 1986, 7567-816772-2 Rating:
Based on a short story by horror writer Stephen King entitled ‘The Body’, Stand By Me, is something of a departure from his usual fare, though some of the themes of friendship resonate in novels such as IT and Salem’s Lot. The soundtrack is a lively evocation of American popular music in the 1950s, featuring the likes of Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Ben E. King performing that classic title track. Running at a meagre twenty five minutes, the length is disappointing, as is the lack of liner notes and extras though the songs are so good that this seems less of an issue. Stand By Me Movie Soundtrack. Review: Tim Mowbray
Track Listing:
1. Everyday (Buddy Holly)
2. Let The Good Times Roll (Shirley & Lee)
3. Come Go With Me (The Del Vikings)
4. Whispering Bells (The Del Vikings)
5. Get A Job (The Silhouettes)
6. Lollipop (The Chordettes)
7. Yakety Yak (The Coasters)
8. Great Balls Of Fire (Jerry Lee Lewis)
9. Mr. Lee (The Bobbettes)
10. Stand By Me (Ben E. King)
