Monday, May 4, 2009

Soundtrack: Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)

Some Kind of Wonderful is a 1987 film starring Eric Stoltz, Lea Thompson, and Mary Stuart Masterson. It was one of the many successful teen dramas written by John Hughes in the 1980s, although this one was directed by Howard Deutch. The film's title comes from a song by John Ellison (Soul Brothers Six) that was a hit for Grand Funk Railroad; the song itself is not featured in the movie.

Synopsis

The tomboyish Watts (Masterson) has always considered working-class Keith Nelson (Stoltz) her best friend, but when he begins dating the popular Amanda Jones (Thompson), she realizes that she feels something much deeper for him. Hardy Jenns, Amanda's jealous former boyfriend (played by Craig Sheffer), further complicates matters.

Connection to Pretty in Pink

Some Kind of Wonderful is noted for having the same basic premise as Hughes and Deutch's previous film, Pretty in Pink: A quiet blue-collar high-schooler with aspirations of upward mobility (Stoltz in Wonderful and Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink) becomes infatuated with a "popular" classmate (Thompson and Andrew McCarthy), while remaining oblivious to the attraction to them felt by their close friend of the opposite sex (Masterson and Jon Cryer) and avoiding the attention of a spiteful and petty "rich kid" with a connection to the love interest (Sheffer and James Spader). Hughes originally wrote Pretty in Pink ending with Ringwald and Cryer's characters falling in love, but was pressured into changing the story so that Ringwald would end up with McCarthy. Supposedly, Hughes wrote Some Kind of Wonderful in response, with the ending he preferred.

Soundtrack


The soundtrack for this movie had a large number of unknown artists for the day, which certainly wasn't the norm for a John Hughes production at that time.

Perhaps ahead of it's time, the soundtrack features artists with typically 80's band names such as Flesh for Lulu, and Lick the Tins, and although there is not one hit amongst any of them, this takes nothing away from what is an excellent soundtrack. Each song complements the scene perfectly.

From the pulsating opening track, to the night club scene, to the kissing lesson scene, to the climatic party scene, and finally, the beautiful cover of I Can't Help Falling In Love during the closing credits, every song appears to have been chosen with meticulous precision.

The soundtrack for Some Kind of Wonderful is available on CD (initially released in 1987 on Cassette and LP), although to the disappointment of many, does not include all the songs present in the movie.

Some Kind Of Wonderful Soundtrack
1987 Soundtrack
VARIOUS ARTISTS

TRACK LISTING

1. Abuse (Instrumental) (3:30) - Propaganda
2. Hardest Walk (3:12) - The Jesus and Mary Chain
3. I Go Crazy (Instrumental) (1:41) - Flesh For Lulu
4. Do Anything (3:42) - Pete Shelley
5. Miss Amanda Jones (3:17) - The March Violets
6. Catch My Fall (Instrumental) (1:16) - Billy Idol
7. Love Themes (Instrumental) (1:08) - Stephen Hague
8. Turn To The Sky (3:58) - The March Violets
9. The Shyest Time (3:35) - The Apartments
10. Mall Revelations (Instrumental) (0:45) - John Musser
11. Cry Like This (Instrumental) (0:57) - Blue Room
12. Hidden Love (Instrumental) (0:50) - Stephen Hague
13. Brilliant Mind (Instrumental) (0:48) - Furniture
14. She Loves Me (3:42) - Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy
15. Miss Amanda Jones (2:41) - The Rolling Stones
16. Turn To The Sky (Instrumental) (0:56) - The March Violets
17. String Quintet In E Major, Op.13, No.5 - Minuet (Instrumental) (3:53) - Luigi Boccherini
18. I Go Crazy (3:53) - Flesh For Lulu
19. Private Showing (Instrumental) (2:11) - Stephan Hague
20. Beat So Lonely (5:14) - Charlie Sexton
21. For The Right Reasons (Instrumental) (2:08) - Stephen Hague and John Musser
22. Can't Help Falling In Love (3:08) - Lick The Tins
23. Dr. Mabuse (Bonus) (10:43) - Propaganda
24. Catch My Fall (Bonus) (3:42) - Billy Idol
25. Cry Like This (Bonus) (4:05) - Blue Room
26. Brilliant Mind (Bonus) (4:12) - Furniture
27. Pretty In Pink (Bonus) (4:41) - The Psychedelic Furs
28. Can't Help Falling In Love (Bonus) (2:57) - Elvis Presley

For those wondering what song appears where in this movie, we have detailed the scenes in which a particular song appears, if the song is present on the soundtrack, and the lyrics.

Due to the obscurity of some of these artists and songs, lyrics to some of the songs are impossible to find on major lyric web sites, or karaoke disks. Therefore we've had to transcribe a large number of them ourselves.

If the song doesn't appear on the soundtrack CD we have given you an alternative album where the song does feature.

Opening Credits

Abuse(aka Dr Mabuse)

Performed by Propaganda
From the albums A Secret Wish and Wishful Thinking.


Why does it hurt when my heart misses the beat
The man without shadow promises you the world
Tell him your dreams, and fanatical needs
He's buying them all, with cash

Sell him your soul, sell him your soul, sell him your soul
Never look back, never look back
Sell him your soul, sell him your soul
Never look back
Never look back
Never look back
Sell him your soul

He's devoted to the devil, fascinated by crime
Glamorous death is his destination, eternal passion his gain

Sell him your soul, sell him your soul, sell him your soul
Never look back, never look back
Sell him your soul, sell him your soul
Never look back
Never look back
Sell him your soul, sell him your soul
Never look back

Why does it hurt, why why does it hurt

He's a satanic gambler, but you just the fool
And you've already lost the chance of your lifetime
So don't be a fool, don't be a fool
Kein Zurueck fuer dich, there's no way back
Sell him your soul

(played backwards)
Warum schmerzt es
Warum schmerzt es
Wenn mein Herz den Schlag verpasst

Don't be a fool
Never look back
Never look back

 
Laura looking for that song
Laura looking for that song

The Hardest Walk

Performed by The Jesus and Mary Chain
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.

I never thought that this day would ever come
When your words and your touch just struck me numb
Oh and it's plain to see that it's dead
The thing swims in blood and it's cold stoney dead
It's so hard not to feel ashamed
Of the loving living games we play
Each day

And I'm stuck in a shack
Down the back of the sea
Oh and I'm alive and I'm alone
Inside a sick sick dream
Oh is it me
Is it me that feels so weak
I cannot deceive but I find it hard to speak

The hardest walk you could ever take
Is the walk you take from a to b to c

I walk
Oh honey I talk
Don't want you to want me
Don't want you to need me
Don't want you to need me
Don't want you to need me

And I walk
Watts drives Keith to school
Watts drives Keith to school
Friday night
Friday night
Playing on Shayne's car radio
Playing on Shayne's car radio
Driving from the Restaurant to the Art Museum
Driving from the Restaurant to the Art Museum

I Go Crazy

Performed by Flesh for Lulu
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.

(spoken) Oh, I go crazy, I go crazy
I go crazy when I'm without you

What have I done today just sat and watched the jets fly over
A car goes by and the sun goes down we talk about the town

This city's mad in the head and sick in the soul
All the stars flew away a long time ago
Isn't that nice like Miami Vice

I go crazy when I'm without you
I go crazy when I'm without you

Well your life is like an infants dream it's like everything's on TV
You see your face in the mirror could it be your place in the mirror
And so we turn on the TV one more time
And we see that everything is fine

But what have I done today i go crazy
What have I done today i go crazy when I'm without you

I go crazy, I go crazy
I I I go crazy when I'm without you
Go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you

What have I done today, What have I done today

Sue-Ellen looks so upset this isn't the first time
And it won't be the last things going on behind her back
Oh they give you a heart attack

I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy
I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy
I go crazy when I'm without you
But what have I done today I go crazy

I go crazy, I go crazy, I go crazy

But what have I done today, I go crazy
But what have I done today
I go crazy when I'm without you

I go crazy
I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy
I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy
I go crazy when I'm without you
But what have I done today I go crazy

I go crazy, I go crazy, I go crazy

Garage scene
Garage scene

Do Anything
Performed by Pete Shelley
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to Do Anything by Pete Shelley



Amanda skips gym class
Amanda skips gym class

Miss Amanda Jones
Performed by The March Violets
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to Miss Amanda Jones by The March Violets



Keith gives himself detention
Keith gives himself detention

Duncan's welcome at the Art Museum
Duncan's welcome at the Art Museum

Catch My Fall
Performed by Billy Idol
This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on his Greatest Hits album.
Lyrics to Catch My Fall by Billy Idol



Playing on Hardy's car radio
Playing on Hardy's car radio

Club scene with The March Violets
Club scene with The March Violets

Arriving at Amanda's house for the date
Arriving at Amanda's house for the date

Driving to the Restaurant
Driving to the Restaurant

Turn To The Sky
Performed by The March Violets
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to Turn To The Sky by The March Violets



Hardy invites Keith to the party
Hardy invites Keith to the party

Amanda is ignored by her friends
Amanda is ignored by her friends

Brilliant Mind
Performed by Furniture
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to Brilliant Mind by Furniture



Playing at the mall
Playing at the mall

The Shyest Time
Performed by The Apartments
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to The Shyest Time by The Apartments



Keith visits Watts with his problem
Keith visits Watts with his problem

Cry Like This
Performed by Blue Room
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to Cry Like This by Blue Room



Kissing lesson
Kissing lesson

She Loves Me
Performed by Stephen Duffy
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to She Loves Me by Stephen Duffy



Getting ready for the date
Getting ready for the date

Miss Amanda Jones
Performed by The Rolling Stones
This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on their album Between The Buttons.
Lyrics to Miss Amanda Jones by The Rolling Stones



Hardy's party
Hardy's party

Beat's So Lonely
Performed by Charlie Sexton
This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on his album Pictures For Pleasure.
Lyrics to Beat's So Lonely by Charlie Sexton



Closing credits
Closing credits

I Can't Help Falling In Love
Performed by Lick The Tins
This song is present on the soundtrack CD.
Lyrics to I Can't Help Falling In Love by Lick The Tins



Unknown
Credits

Pretty In Pink
Performed by Psychedelic Furs
This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on their album Talk Talk Talk.
Lyrics to Pretty In Pink by Psychedelic Furs

1 comment:

  1. excellent post! - myu-jikku of http://vinylicious-myujikku.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

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