REVIEW: Soundtrack, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- Ernie Longmire
(The Greatest CD That Never Was)
Director John Hughes refused to release a soundtrack album for his film Ferris Bueller's Day Off because he didn't think that the diverse collection of songs in the movie would "work" together. People have been looking in vain for that album ever since. The closest thing that exists is a promotional single featuring tracks from the film; the single was distributed through the mail and at sneak previews around the time of the film's release, but at this time it is not clear what songs it featured.
This listing will help you find the albums and singles where the songs used in the film originally appeared. The songs are listed below, accoupanied by the scenes in which they were used and the releases on which they are most readily available in the U.S. CDs are listed where possible, but some tracks are difficult to find in any format. Scene: Opening of the film, after Ferris fools his parents Song: Sigue Sigue Sputnik: "Love Missile F1-11 (dance mix)" [edit for movie] On: "Love Missile F1-11" (US 12": EMI-Manhattan V-56021) Scene: Ferris trying to convince Cameron to come over Song: "Theme From I DREAM OF JEANNIE" On: Television's Greatest Hits Volume II (U.S. CD: Tee Vee Toons...) Scene: "The 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California" Song: Yello: "Oh Yeah" On: "Oh Yeah" (single, all fmts), Stella (album), One Second (US album) Scene: Aerial shots entering Chicago Song: The Flowerpot Men (Ben Watkins/Adam Peters): "Beat City" On: The Janice Long Sessions (UK 12": Strange Fruit SFNT 007) Scene: Leaving the Ferrari with the Garage Psychos (heard on the radio) Song: Big Audio Dynamite: "B.A.D." On: This Is Big Audio Dynamite (US: Columbia 40220) Scene: Rooney tracks Ferris to the arcade -- or so he thinks Song: Unknown Scene: Garage Psychos in the Ferrari Song: "Theme from STAR WARS" On: Star Wars: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (US CD: Col. 800 096-2) Scene: Ferris, Sloane, and Cameron in the Art Museum Song: Dream Academy: "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (inst.)" On: "Please Please Please..." (UK 12": Blanco Y Negro NEG 20T) On: The Dream Academy (US Laserdisc: Pioneer Artists CLD86-003)
[This song has never been issued as a sound recording in the States.] Scene: Ferris sings at the parade Song: Wayne Newton: "Danke Schoen" On: Assorted Wayne Newton compilations Scene: The Parade Song: The Beatles: "Twist And Shout" On: Please Please Me (US CD: Capitol 46435-2) Scene: Returning from Chicago Song: Zapp: "Radio People" On: The New Zapp IV U (US CD: Warner Bros. 26327-2) Scene: At the beach? Song: Blue Room: "I'm Afraid" On: Unknown Scene: At the pool Song: General Public: "Taking The Day Off" On: Hand To Mouth [IRS Vintage Years edition] (US CD: IRS X2-13179) Scene: Ferris says goodbye to Sloane Song: Dream Academy: "The Edge Of Forever" On: The Dream Academy (US CD: Warner Bros. 25265-2) Scene: Ferris beats feet for home Song: The (English) Beat: "March Of The Swivel Heads" On: "Jeanette" (UK 12": Go-Feet Records FEET 1215) On: "I Confess" (US 7": IRS Records) Scene: Closing credits, Rooney on the bus Song: Yello: "Oh Yeah (dance mix)" On: "Oh Yeah" 12" single
