Those involved with making movies dream of having that unexpected small-budget movie reap big box office numbers. The rarer feat is when the soundtrack equals the success of the movie, and, in some cases, exceeds it. When one thinks of iconic soundtracks in the 80’s, one of the first to spring to mind is Footloose.
Footloose has all of the ingredients needed to be a successful soundtrack in the 80’s:
- Kenny Loggins – He accounts for 2 of the original 9 tracks, including the title song that has become the one thing Kevin Bacon dreads hearing at parties.
- Pop tunes mixed in with what passed for rock in the 80’s
- Several radio singles – 5 songs were bona fide hits, most notably the title track and Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero”
Footloose also benefits from being one of the few soundtracks that was reissued at least 15 years after its initial release. The reissue added 4 tracks that, while decent, really didn’t do much to add value to this soundtrack.
Here is the track list:
- Footloose (Kenny Loggins) – An infectious party song that still gets people tapping their toes and feeling good about the event they are attending. This is one of a handful of songs that Loggins provided the late 70s and 80s that made him a go-to artist for soundtracks.
- Let’s Hear It For The Boy (Deniece Williams) – An easily forgettable pop song that did well over the summer of its initial release, but not a song that endures.
- Almost Paradise (Mike Reno/Ann Wilson) – The love ballad of the movie powered by the strong vocals of the lead singers from Loverboy and Heart. You could not avoid this song for most of the 80s at weddings and dances.
- Holding Out For A Hero (Bonnie Tyler) – Strong music combined with a raspy, sultry voice, this song became a double-threat. Introduced in Footloose, Hero took on a life of its own by becoming the title song for the TV show, Cover-Up. Even David Copperfield got into it by using it as the music for his levitating over the Grand Canyon trick.
- Dancing In The Streets (Shalimar) – Another pop song that proved a one-hit wonder for its singers graces the list.
- I’m Free (Kenny Loggins) – Loggins’s second contribution to the soundtrack is actually the better song of the two. This was used to help showcase Ren’s gymnastic montage.
- Somebody’s Eyes (Karla Bonoff) – I had to go back and listen to the track to remember this forgettable song. It was most likely used as filler in one of the malt shop scenes.
- The Girl Gets Around (Sammy Hagar) – Used to introduce the wild side of the preacher’s daughter, I enjoy this song whenever it pops up on the old playlist, particularly driving down the road. One cannot forget seeing Ariel riding two trucks down the road like a water skier at Crystal Springs.
- Never (Moving Pictures) – This was also used in the gymnastic montage. While not a bad choice to end the soundtrack on, it definitely is not a song you remember for long.
My advice: Pop this on the next time you are driving or doing housework – the fast nature of most songs will help speed up time while letting you enjoy a trip to the 80’s…
