DISQUS

DwDunphy · 4 months ago

Great stuff, Kelly - Did I ever tell you this is one of my favorite Popdose columns? Well, I'm telling you now.

Songs in movies generally have one function and only one, to cross-promote.To have radio and music video constantly making connections back to the product is the goal. To have CDs on the shelves with the movie title is like having a wall of ads up at the Target or Best Buy, and it's just to sell that film.

And even a lot of the music composers for these films hate pop songs because they only serve that function. Interview after interview I've read with orchestral composers grouse about how the "stupid tunes throw focus." What John Hughes, and Wes Anderson after him, does so well is not simply pad the soundtrack, but provide a secret subtext to the movies. Subtext itself is a bad word in Hollywood because it's too deep and leaves less room to think about how pretty the explosions are. Well, nuts to 'em. In those '80s films, Hughes cared about almost every aspect of the work, and it's that devotion to detail I'm truly going to miss.

And one last time: my Saturday just ain't complete without Soundtrack Saturday in it!

EightE1 · 4 months ago

I second Dunphy's comment -- I never miss a Soundtrack Saturday, unless I find myself trapped under a large object and can't reach my computer or my iPhone.

One of your tweets the other day mentioned how hard this one was to write -- I'm glad you stuck with it.

Rob
EightE1

Matt · 4 months ago

I'll fall in line with Eight and DW as a Soundtrack Saturday junkie. It's one of my favorite features. Always a fun read. And this one was no exception!

rob · 4 months ago

Thanks, Kelly – and thanks for including some songs from SKOW, which always gets overlooked as a great John Hughes soundtrack, I rather like the March Violets cover of "Miss Amanda Jones" as well – one of the few times a band was used twice on a JH soundtrack.

Hughes was indeed quoted as saying that he would write the scripts while listening to specific artists or songs – some of whom would make it onto the soundtrack for the film. More often, they would not because of clearance issues or studio pressure.

That's generally contrary to what is happening nowadays. Remember: The release of "Garden State" was held up so that Zach Braff could get all the songs he had been listening to and wanted to include in the movie. I'm pretty sure that makers of "Juno" and "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist" got exactly the songs they wanted. Of course, iTunes and the general acceptance of indy music makes it a completely different ballgame.

As great as they are, I wonder how much better the JH soundtracks would be if he were given complete creative control over the music all the time.

KellyStitzel · 4 months ago

Thanks guys. This one was tough to write, but mostly because I've been suffering from a near-terminal case of writer's block. Also, I think I was a little worried that whatever I wrote wouldn't do justice to Hughes and how much his films have inspired me.

Bob · 4 months ago

Well said, Kelly! I'm approaching 50 and still get the biggest kick out of watching the classic John Hughes films you mentioned.

freemaneric · 4 months ago

I just love this blog. Stumbled across it looking for the Pretty in Pink soundtrack of all things. I was hoping you'd do a Hughes edition and really enjoyed reading this. Keep up the good work!

DavidMedsker · 4 months ago

I love the soundtrack for She's Having a Baby. I still have an original pressing, which was worth quite a bit of money until they re-issued it a few years ago.

Oh, and my wife thanks you for posting "Positively Lost Me." The version I had was a beaten up vinyl rip, so this will surely be an upgrade.

I used to share your sentiment for children. Now I have two, and I can't imagine my life before I had them. :)

zandria1 · 3 months ago

I simply loves this collection of articles. Like so many the music from these films are like the soundtrack to my childhood! Thanks so much.