When it comes to Brat Pack movies (starring 1980s young Hollywood staples Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall) one thing fans of those movies should agree upon is the high quality of the music included in those films. Mostly rooted in pop and alternative rock, with plenty of new wave tendencies, the music of the Brat Pack films is worth celebrating. Here's our list of the 20 best songs from those movies.
20. "Natural Love," Sheena Easton ("About Last Night..
.") This 1986 romantic comedy-drama starred Brat Packers Demi Moore and Rob Lowe as twenty-something Chicago singles trying to make more of a one-night stand. The soundtrack is an underrated aspect of the movie, which ranks among the best of Brat Pack offerings.
Easton offers two songs on the soundtrack, and "Natural Love," an undeniable, schlock-filled 1980s pop tune, earns our nod over the equally poppy "So Far, So Good." 19. "Young and Innocent," John Elefante ("St.
Elmo's Fire") Amid the two more popular and lauded musical moments from this 1985 coming-of-age movie (which stars most of the Brat Pack roster) about post-college graduates trying to adapt to adult life, this power-pop ballad is a hidden gem . Elefante, who fronted Kansas in the early 1980s and is a celebrated songwriter and producer who has won four Grammy Awards, steps to the forefront and delivers an underrated track that also got lost during one of the most vulnerable parts of the film for those highly unlikable characters. 18.
"If Anybody Had a Heart," John Waite ("About Last Night...
") John Waite went from a 1970s rocker to adult contemporary star of the '80s. This track is the final number from the About Last Night..
. soundtrack, and plays as Dan (Rob Lowe) leaves his Grant Park softball game to chance down ex-girlfriend Debbie (Demi Moore) in a sappy ending that suggests a potential rekindling of their rushed relationship that seemed only based on sex. Back to the tune — "If Anybody Had a Heart" is a typical Waite ballad of the time that actually remains one of the film's musical highlights.
17. "16 Candles," Stray Cats ("Sixteen Candles") From 1958, and originally performed by doo-woppers the Crests, this Stray Cats version was the title track from the classic 1984 John Hughes comedy that starred Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, thus giving it a Brat Pack distinction. And, of course, this tune had to be included in the movie, There's obvious blues/rockabilly vibe with the Stray Cats' take, but it also offers some retro flare within the movie, and doesn't harm the legacy of the original.
16. "Gloria," Van Morrison ("The Outsiders") This Van Morrison classic, which was originally recorded in 1964, finds its way into the beginning of Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film version (which featured Brat Packers Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe in supporting roles) of the popular S.E.
Hinton book . The movie's stars, though not officially considered members of the Brat Pack, Dallas (Matt Dillon), Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny (Ralph Macchio) make their way to the drive-in, while raising some innocent mischief along the way.
15. "Rudy," Talk Back ("Pretty in Pink") In terms of Brat Pack movie soundtracks, Pretty in Pink (1986) remains the gold standard. It truly shows John Hughes' love for British pop, new wave and alternative rock, as well as some obscure U.
S. artists of the same ilk and even a classic title thrown in for good measure. From the obscure category is Talk Back , a band likely never of heard of before or after the movie.
"Rudy" doesn't even appear on the official soundtrack, but is a catchy number featured during the club scene where Andie (Molly Ringwald) ponders to friends about dating "richie" Blaine (Andrew McCarthy). 14. "Little Bıtch," The Specials ("Sixteen Candles") Writer/director John Hughes was also a fan of British alternative pop and punk.
The Specials, with its own original style, incorporated reggae and some ska into its sound and also caught his fancy. This upbeat, rollicking fun-time track has a memorable Sixteen Candles moment at the high school dance, where Farmer Ted (Anthony Michael Hall) once again tries to win over a disgruntled Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald), only to be confronted by "Big Man on Campus" Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling). 13.
"Wouldn't It Be Good," Danny Hutton Hitters ("Pretty in Pink") Back on the Pretty in Pink train. One of Nik Kershaw's biggest hits (the Englishman performed it at Live Aid), and perhaps his most well-known song, is included on the soundtrack. However, this version of the pop-/synth-rock favorite is performed by Danny Hutton Hitters, a 1980s project that featuring former Three Dog Night vocalist Danny Hutton.
This is a heavier, more polished cover that features plenty of 1980s sheen. 12. "Stay Gold," Stevie Wonder ("The Outsiders") In conjunction with Carmine Coppola, Wonder's "Stay Gold" proved to be the most notable song from The Outsiders .
In many ways, it also introduced Wonder to a new generation of fans who perhaps weren't familiar with his iconic catalog from years past. "Stay Gold," which plays an underlying role in the movie ( from the eyes of Ponyboy and Johnny, who are trying to interpret a Robert Frost poem ), is also one of Wonder's better offerings from the 1980s. 11.
"We Are Not Alone," Karla DeVito ("The Breakfast Club") DeVito, known for her stage work and association with late operatic rock star Meat Loaf, is responsible for the track that allowed these five detention-confined Brat Packers (Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy and Anthony Michael Hall) to let loose and channel their aggression by dancing in an empty high school library. There are plenty of fans of The Breakfast Club (1985) who don't know the name of this underrated soundtrack gem, but now do. You're welcome.
10. "Happy Birthday," Altered Images ("Sixteen Candles") Scotland's Altered Images earned some decent success in the United Kingdom with this peppy, infectious new wave tune from 1981 , which found relevance in the States thanks to John Hughes. It's also one of the most contagious songs included in Sixteen Candles .
Singer Clare Grogan's uniquely animated vocal stylings are rather unforgettable as the tune plays while Samantha works on a very private note during independent study . 9. "Living Inside My Heart," Bob Seger ("About Last Night.
..") The great Bob Seger is a rocker at heart, but he's had no problem showing off his softer side.
"Living Inside My Heart" is an unheralded effort from Seger's catalog that is showcased during About Last Night ...
, when the aforementioned Danny and Debbie hit their first real stumbling block within their relationship. When it comes to love songs, Seger's approach and gritty voice can hold their own with anybody else within the light-rock universe. 8.
"Young Americans," David Bowie ("Sixteen Candles") From David Bowie's 1975 album of the same name, "Young Americans" has a certain new wave sheen that nicely complements other tracks found within the Sixteen Candles universe. It's a movie about teenagers trying to navigate the social aspects of high school, and the quirkiness of the track fits in well with the goofiness of these characters. It's also a tune with plenty of soul that showed how expansive John Hughes' musical palate was, and how well he placed these songs in his movies.
7. "If You Were Here," Thompson Twins ("Sixteen Candles") A hit in the United Kingdom for the Thompson Twins, the prominence of "If You Were Here" in America can directly be attributed to its inclusion in Sixteen Candles . It's the eerie pop ballad that played while Jake and Samantha finally shared a special moment, and kissed over her birthday cake to conclude the film .
It's one of the most iconic moments in any Brat Pack movie, and helped showcase the underrated musical stylings of Thompson Twins, behind "Doctor! Doctor!," "Hold Me Now," "Lies" and "King for a Day." 6. "St.
Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)," John Parr ("St. Elmo's Fire") This is truly one of the most tolerable aspects of S t. Elmo's Fire .
Yes, the characters are highly flawed and downright loathsome when it comes to likability, but the most notable song from the movie (at least in terms of mainstream pop tastes), topped the Billboard Hot 100 and still has a decent shelf life. "Man in Motion" made English musician and song co-writer John Parr a household name for a fair portion of the 1980s, and even earned him a Grammy Award nomination. 5.
"Try a Little Tenderness," Otis Redding ("Pretty in Pink") One of the most memorable scenes from not just Pretty in Pink, but in any 1980s film of this genre, features this classic. With Brat Packer-by-association Jon Cryer, in his lovable role as the love-torn Duckie, delivering a playfully intense and charismatic lip sync number in the record store owned by Iona (Annie Potts), where Andie (Molly Ringwald) works. The song is not included on the official movie soundtrack, but totally unforgettable to love who love P retty in Pink .
4. "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire (Instrumental)," David Foster ("St.
Elmo's Fire") This instrumental version of the St. Elmo's Fire love theme remains one of the most poignant and beautiful pieces of music from any mainstream movie of the 1980s. The legendary Foster, who co-wrote the aforementioned "St.
Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)," hits it out of the park with this work. T he song added some credibility to a picture , as we've noted on this list, features a lot of pretty people living less than desirable lives that we wouldn't wife upon our enemies. The track cracked the top 20 on Billboard 's Hot 100 and remains a soft rock/smooth jazz staple.
3. "Pretty in Pink," The Psychedelic Furs ("Pretty in Pink") As legend goes, this classic from The Psychedelic Furs was at least partially responsible for inspiring the movie. It ended up being the opening song to the film, though re-recorded and polished up from the rawer original version that made the band a prominent fixture on the synth-/pop-rock/new wave scene of the early 1980s.
This version just missed cracking the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it remains one of the most iconic songs of the 1980s and forever associated with Duckie, Andie and Blaine. 2. "If You Leave," OMD ("Pretty in Pink") There's a very good chance that American moviegoers and a good portion of 1980s pop music fans never heard of England's Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, aka OMD.
Then came the finale prom scene to Pretty in Pink , with this synth-pop tune playing in the background that captivated audiences as much as Blaine finally proclaiming his love for heartbroken Andie — or the ridiculous wig Andrew McCarthy was wearing at the time. The song turned into a global smash, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the music video, featuring scenes from the movie, received regular play from MTV.
Though the Pretty in Pink title cut is unforgettable, the movie will forever be linked to "If You Leave" and OMD. 1. "Don't You (Forget About Me)," Simple Minds ("The Breakfast Club") Scotland's Simple Minds had enjoyed some solid success in the United Kingdom by the time "Don't You (Forget About Me)" was featured in The Breakfast Club .
From there, however, the pop-rock tune became a major hit in the United States, reaching all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and increasing the band's international popularity. However, it also became an anthem of sorts for a slacker generation, and is arguably the song most associated with John Hughes and his beloved teenage movies of the 1980s.
A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for parts of four decades. He was an integral member of award-winning sports sections at The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster, Ind.) and Champaign (Ill.
) News-Gazette, where he covered the NFL, PGA, LPGA, NCAA basketball, football and golf, Olympics and high school athletics. Jeff most recently spent 12 years in the editorial department at STATSPerform, where he also oversaw coverage of the English Premier League. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Jeff's work has also appeared on such sites at Yahoo!, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and NBA.
com. However, if Jeff could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High School and Grand Lakes University.
