K SPECIAL - John Hughes: His Greatest Movie Soundtracks - A 40th Anniversary Celebration (2024] (14 x CDs)

K's JOHN HUGHES SPECIAL

John Hughes: His Greatest Movie Soundtracks - A 40th Anniversary Celebration (2024] (14 x CDs)

40 years ago on May 4, 1984, John Hughes made his directorial film debut with the worldwide smash; Sixteen Candles.

Sixteen Candles is a 1984 American coming-of-age comedy film starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, and Anthony Michael Hall. Written and directed by John Hughes in his directorial debut, it was the first in a string of films Hughes would direct, centering on teenage life. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a box-office success, earning $23.6 million against a $6.5 million budget, and launched Ringwald to fame.

John Wilden Hughes Jr. (February 18, 1950 - August 6, 2009) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He began his career in 1970 as an author of humorous essays and stories for the National Lampoon magazine. He went on in Hollywood to write, produce and sometimes direct some of the most successful live-action-comedy films of the 1980s. He directed such films as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, She's Having a Baby, and Uncle Buck; and wrote the films National Lampoon's Vacation, Mr. Mom, Pretty in Pink, The Great Outdoors, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Dutch, and Beethoven.

Most of Hughes' works were set in Chicago. He is best known for his coming-of-age teen comedy films with honest depictions of suburban teenage life. Many of his most enduring characters from these years were written for Molly Ringwald.

1970-1981: Rise to prominence

After dropping out of the University of Arizona, Hughes began selling jokes to well-established performers such as Rodney Dangerfield and Joan Rivers. Hughes used his jokes to get an entry-level job at Needham, Harper & Steers as an advertising copywriter in Chicago in 1970 and later in 1974 at Leo Burnett Worldwide. During this period, he created what became the famous Edge "Credit Card Shaving Test" ad campaign.

Hughes's work on the Virginia Slims accounts frequently took him to the Philip Morris headquarters in New York City, which allowed him to visit the offices of National Lampoon magazine. Soon thereafter, Hughes became a regular contributor; editor P. J. O'Rourke recalled that "John wrote so fast and so well that it was hard for a monthly magazine to keep up with him." One of Hughes's first stories, inspired by his family trips as a child, was "Vacation '58", later to become the basis for the film National Lampoon's Vacation. Among his other contributions to the Lampoon, the April Fools' Day stories "My Penis" and "My Vagina" gave an early indication of Hughes's ear for the particular rhythm of teenspeak, as well as for the various indignities of teenage life in general.

1982-1986: Breakthrough and teen films

His first credited screenplay, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, was written while he was still on staff at the magazine. The resulting film became the second disastrous attempt by the flagship to duplicate the runaway success of National Lampoon's Animal House. Hughes's next screenplay for the imprint, however, National Lampoon's Vacation, would become a major hit in 1983. This, along with the success of another Hughes script that same year, Mr. Mom, earned him a three-film deal with Universal Pictures.

Hughes's directorial debut, Sixteen Candles (1984), won almost unanimous praise when it was released in 1984, due in no small part to its more honest depiction of navigating adolescence and the social dynamics of high school life in stark contrast to the Porky's-inspired comedies made at the time. It was the first in a string of efforts about teenage life set in or around high school, including The Breakfast Club (1985), Weird Science (1985), and Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), all of which he wrote and directed, and Pretty in Pink (1986) and Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), which he wrote and produced.

1987-2008: Beyond teen movies

To avoid being pigeonholed as a maker of only teen movies, Hughes branched out in 1987 by writing, directing, and producing the hit comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy. His later output was not so well received critically, though films like Uncle Buck and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation proved popular. His final film as a director was 1991's Curly Sue. By that time, in 1991, his John Hughes Entertainment production company had signed various deals with 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros.

Actor John Candy created many memorable roles in films written, directed or produced by Hughes, including National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), The Great Outdoors (1988), Uncle Buck (1989), Home Alone (1990), Career Opportunities and Only the Lonely (both 1991). Over the years, Hughes and Candy developed a close friendship. Hughes was greatly shaken by Candy's sudden death from a heart attack in 1994. "He talked a lot about how much he loved Candy - if Candy had lived longer, I think John would have made more films as a director", says Vince Vaughn, a friend of Hughes.

Hughes's greatest commercial success came with Home Alone (1990), a film he wrote and produced about a child accidentally left behind when his family goes away for Christmas, forcing him to protect himself and his house from a pair of inept burglars. Hughes completed the first draft of Home Alone in just 9 days. Home Alone was the top-grossing film of 1990 and remains the most successful live-action family comedy of all time. He followed up with the sequels Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992 and Home Alone 3 in 1997. Some of the subsequent films he wrote and produced during this time also contained elements of the Home Alone formula, including the successful Dennis the Menace (1993) and the box office flop Baby's Day Out (1994).

He also wrote screenplays under the pseudonym Edmond Dantes (or Dantès), after the protagonist of Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo. Screenplays credited to the Dantes nom de plume include Maid in Manhattan, Drillbit Taylor and Beethoven.

Music was central throughout Hughes’s films - usually the kind of British alternative rock that gave a hint of sophistication beyond the usual Hollywood fare. In 1986, five years after its initial release, the Psychedelic Furs’ Pretty in Pink became a worldwide hit after soundtracking the film of the same name; Kate Bush wrote This Woman’s Work specifically for She’s Having a Baby.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/nov/10/the-power-of-music-in-john-hughes-films-when-you-hear-those-songs-you-see-those-moments

So, in celebration of 40 years since John Hughes’ directorial debut here is my selection of his very best film soundtracks.

Four of these are my special expanded 2CD deluxe editions, fully remastered and including all the tracks featured in the films, many of which were not included on the official motion picture soundtrack albums.

John Hughes - The Greatest Songs from his Greatest Movies is my own 2CD compilation of 43 of the very best tracks featured in his films.

01 Sixteen Candles - The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2024, 40th Anniversary Remastered Deluxe Edition) (2CD) (1984)

02 The Breakfast Club - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985)

03 Weird Science - The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2020, 35th Anniversary Remastered Deluxe Edition) (2CD) (1985)

04 Pretty in Pink - The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2021, 35th Anniversary Remastered Deluxe Edition) (2CD) (1986)

05 Ferris Bueller's Day Off - The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2021, 35th Anniversary Remastered Deluxe Edition) (2CD) (1986)

06 Some Kind of Wonderful - Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack (1987)

07 Planes, Trains and Automobiles - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1987)

08 She's Having a Baby - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1988)

09 John Hughes - The Greatest Songs from his Greatest Movies (2CD) (2020)

Enjoy!

K

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Track lists

CD01     Sixteen Candles CD1

01 AC/DC - Snowballed 3:23

02 Darlene Love - (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry 2:46

03 Paul Young - Love of the Common People (1982 7" Mix) 3:41

04 Kajagoogoo - Kajagoogoo (Instrumental) 3:12

05 Altered Images - Happy Birthday 2:59

06 The Temple City Kazoo Orchestra - Kazooed on Classics 1:58

07 Ray Anthony and His Orchestra - Dragnet Theme 2:48

08 Bernard Herrman - The Twilight Zone Theme 0:54

09 Night Ranger - Rumours in the Air 4:31

10 Ray Anthony and His Orchestra - Peter Gunn Theme 1:52

11 Spandau Ballet - True 5:32

12 Oingo Boingo - Wild Sex (In the Working Class) 4:16

13 The Specials - Little Bitch 2:33

14 Tim Finn - Growing Pains 3:02

15 Nick Heyward - When It Started to Begin 3:50

16 Stevie Ray Vaughan - Lenny 4:57

CD02     Sixteen Candles CD2

01 Nick Heyward - Whistle Down the Wind 3:40

02 The Divinyls - Ring Me Up 3:10

03 Carlos Savina and Orchestra - Love Theme from 'The Godfather' 2:41

04 The Vapors - Turning Japanese 3:43

05 The Revillos - Rev Up 2:21

06 The Premiers - Farmer John 2:27

07 Annie Golden - Hang Up the Phone 3:00

08 Patti Smith - Gloria 5:55

09 Frank Sinatra - Theme from New York, New York 3:24

10 Wham! - Young Guns (Go for It) 3:41

11 Ira Newborn and the Geeks - Geek Boogie 2:48

12 Billy Idol - Rebel Yell 4:48

13 Bavarian Staatsoper Munich Chorus and Orchestra - Lohengrin (Wedding March) 8:06

14 David Bowie - Young Americans 5:13

15 Thompson Twins - If You Were Here 2:59

16 Stray Cats - Sixteen Candles 2:54

CD03 The Breakfast Club 

01 Simple Minds - Don't You Forget about Me 4:21

02 Elizabeth Daily - Waiting 4:39

03 Wang Chung - Fire in the Twilight 3:52

04 Keith Forsey - I'm the Dude (Instrumental) 2:10

05 Jesse Johnson & Stepanie Spruill - Heart too Hot to Hold 4:25

06 Gary Chang - Dream Montage (Instrumental) 2:38

07 Karla DeVito - We are Not Alone 3:37

08 Keith Forsey - The Reggae (Instrumental) 3:07

09 Joyce Kennedy - Didn't I Tell You 4:47

10 Keith Forsey - Love Theme (Instrumental) 4:28

CD04     Weird Science CD1

01 Oingo Boingo - Weird Science 3:49

02 Cheyne - Private Joy 4:18

03 Max Carl - The Circle 3:49

04 Kim Wilde - Turn It On 4:38

05 Wall of Voodoo - Deep In the Jungle 3:44

06 The Broken Homes - Do Not Disturb (Knock, Knock) 3:38

07 Taxxi - Forever 3:54

08 Wild Men of Wonga - Why Don't Pretty Girls (Look at Me) 3:28

09 The Lords of the New Church - Method to My Madness 3:15

10 Killing Joke - Eighties 3:50

11 Ira and the Geeks - Weird Romance 2:10

CD05     Weird Science CD2

01 Oingo Boingo - Weird Science (Extended Dance Version) 6:31

02 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Tesla Girls 3:36

03 General Public - Tenderness 3:34

04 Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells - Opening Theme 3:17

05 Van Halen - (Oh) Pretty Woman 2:51

06 Los Lobos - Don't Worry Baby 2:45

07 The Del Fuegos - Nervous and Shakey 2:43

08 Ratt - Wanted Man 3:41

09 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - The Magic Flute - Overture 7:20

10 Bill Conti - Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky) 2:48

11 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Tesla Girls (12" Version) 4:31

12 General Public - Tenderness (Dance Mix) 5:59

13 Killing Joke - Eighties (Serious Dance Mix) 8:03

14 Oingo Boingo - Weird Science (Weird Dub Bonus Beats) 5:57

15 Oingo Boingo - Weird Science (Boingo Dance Version) 5:37

CD06    Pretty in Pink CD1

01 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - If You Leave 4:29

02 Suzanne Vega feat. Joe Jackson on piano - Left of Center 3:30

03 Jesse Johnson - Get To Know Ya 3:35

04 INXS - Do Wot You Do 3:16

05 The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink (1986 'Pretty in Pink' Version) 4:38

06 New Order - Shell-Shock (1986 'Pretty in Pink' Original Version) 6:05

07 Belouis Some - Round, Round 4:07

08 Danny Hutton Hitters - Wouldn't It Be Good 3:45

09 Echo & the Bunnymen - Bring On the Dancing Horses 3:55

10 The Rave-Ups - Positively Lost Me 5:17

11 Otis Redding - Try a Little Tenderness 3:45

12 The Association - Cherish 3:27

13 New Order - Thieves Like Us (Instrumental) 6:38

14 Code Blue - Whisper/Touch 2:34

15 The Rave-Ups - Rave-Up/Shut-Up 1:54

16 Barry Manilow - Copacabana (At the Copa) 3:57

17 Talk Back - Rudy 4:04

18 New Order - Elegia 4:55

19 John Lennon - Love 3:24

20 The Smiths - Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want 1:53

CD07    Pretty in Pink CD2

01 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - If You Leave (12" Extended Version) 6:05

02 Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good 4:29

03 The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink (Original 1981 Version) 4:00

04 New Order - Shellshock (12" Extended Version) 9:45

05 Echo & the Bunnymen - Bring On the Dancing Horses (12" Extended Mix) 5:50

06 The Association - Cherish (7" Single Version) 3:15

07 Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good (12" Special Extended Mix) 6:52

08 New Order - Elegia (Full Version) 17:29

09 The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink (1986 7" Single Version) 3:52

10 New Order - Shellshock (7" Single Edit) 4:24

11 The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink (Berlin Mix) 6:50

12 New Order - Thieves Like Us (Original 12" Mix) 6:38

CD08    Ferris Bueller's Day Off CD1

01 Dialogue - They Bought It 0:29

02 Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix) 6:55

03 Dialogue - Roll Call 0:30

04 Hugo Montenegro - Theme from 'I Dream of Jeannie' 0:47

05 Dialogue - Let My Cameron Go 0:21

06 Dialogue - The 1961 Ferrari 250GT California 0:26

07 Yello - Oh Yeah 3:07

08 Dialogue - What Aren't We Going To Do Today 0:18

09 The Flowerpot Men - Beat City 3:37

10 Dialogue - Bueller, Ferris Bueller 0:11

11 Big Audio Dynamite - BAD 5:44

12 John Williams - Star Wars Main Title / Rebel Blockade Runner 2:14

13 The Dream Academy - Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental) 3:08

14 Dialogue - The Parade 0:19

15 Wayne Newton - Danke Schoen 2:33

16 The Beatles - Twist and Shout 2:35

17 Zapp - Radio People 5:39

18 Blue Room - I'm Afraid 4:51

19 Dialogue - Righteous Dude 0:14

20 Luigi Boccherini - The String Quintet in E major, Op. 11, No. 5 3:36

21 General Public - Taking the Day Off 3:56

22 Dialogue - I Heard That You Were Feeling Ill 0:15

23 The Dream Academy - The Edge of Forever 4:22

24 The English Beat - March of the Swivel Heads (Extended) 5:14

25 Dialogue - Life Moves Pretty Fast 0:17

26 Yello - Oh Yeah (Dance Mix) 6:26

27 The Dream Academy - Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want 3:08

28 The English Beat - Rotating Head 3:24

29 Yello - Oh Yeah (Save Ferris Remix) 3:05

30 Dialogue - You're Still Here 0:15

CD09    Ferris Bueller's Day Off CD2

01 Ira Newborn - Ferris In Bed 0:57

02 Ira Newborn - Cameron in Bed / Ferris Goes Hawaiian 1:43

03 Ira Newborn - I'll Go (Unused) 1:02

04 Ira Newborn - Nurse 0:10

05 Ira Newborn - Ferris on Line 2 0:42

06 Ira Newborn - Bueller, Ferris Bueller 0:08

07 Ira Newborn - Mom Checks on Ferris 1:40

08 Ira Newborn - Jeannie Turns Ugly 0:34

09 Ira Newborn - Rooney on Patrol 1:25

10 Ira Newborn - Save It, Ferris (Unused) 0:39

11 Ira Newborn - Rooney Sneaks Around / Star Wars (Main Title) 2:25

12 Ira Newborn - Going to Take a Stand (Unused) 3:30

13 Ira Newborn - Cameron Takes the Heat 0:55

14 Ira Newborn - Oh Shauna Jeannie 0:46

15 Ira Newborn - He's Gonna Marry Me (Unused) 1:22

16 Ira Newborn - Dog Food Rooney / Ferris Goes to Bed 0:59

17 Ira Newborn - Mom, Dad and Ferris 1:33

18 Ira Newborn - Ferris on Line 2 (Alternate) 0:41

19 Ira Newborn - Theme from Star Trek (Unused) 0:29

20 Ira Newborn - Cameron Takes the Heat (Alternate) 0:56

21 Ira Newborn - Coughlin Bros. Mortuary 0:26

22 Ira Newborn - Celebrated Minuet 1:36

23 Ira Newborn - Ballpark Baloney 1:10

24 Ira Newborn - Polka Medly 3:17

25 Blue Room - I'm Afraid (Instrumental Film Version) 4:50

26 Ira Newborn - Twist and Shout (Marching Band Overlay) 2:34

CD10    Some Kind of Wonderful

01 Pete Shelley - Do Anything 3:44

02 Furniture - Brilliant Mind 4:13

03 Blue Room - Cry Like This 4:07

04 Flesh For Lulu - I Go Crazy 3:55

05 Stephen Duffy - She Loves Me 3:42

06 The Jesus And Mary Chain - The Hardest Walk 3:12

07 The Apartments - The Shyest Time 3:35

08 The March Violets - Miss Amanda Jones 3:18

09 Lick The Tins - Can't Help Falling In Love 3:09

10 The March Violets - Turn To The Sky 4:00

CD11    Planes, Trains and Automobiles

01 E.T.A. feat. Steve Martin & John Candy - I Can Take Anything 3:50

02 Westworld - Na-Na-Bam-Boo 3:00

03 Balaam & The Angel - I'll Show You Something Special 3:29

04 Book Of Love - Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes) 3:54

05 The Dream Academy - Power To Believe 5:13

06 Steve Earle & The Dukes - Six Days On The Road 3:08

07 Dave Edmunds - Gonna Move 3:35

08 Emmylou Harris - Back In Baby's Arms 2:03

09 Silicon Teens - Red River Rock 3:28

10 Stars Of Heaven - Wheels 3:10

11 Ray Charles - Mess Around 2:40

CD12    She's Having a Baby

01 Dave Wakeling - She's Having a Baby 3:50

02 Love And Rockets - Haunted When the Minutes Drag 4:32

03 Gene Loves Jezebel - Desire (Come and Get It) 3:20

04 XTC - Happy Families 2:41

05 Bryan Ferry - Crazy Love 4:33

06 Kristy MacColl - You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby 3:47

07 Everything But The Girl - Apron Strings 2:49

08 Kate Bush - This Woman's Work 3:34

09 Carmel - It's All in the Game 3:54

10 Dr. Calculus - Full of Love 4:26

CD13    John Hughes - The Greatest Songs from his Greatest Movies CD1

01 Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) 4:20

02 General Public - Tenderness 3:34

03 Suzanne Vega feat. Joe Jackson on piano - Left of Center 3:30

04 Paul Young - Every Time You Go Away 4:29

05 New Order - Shell-Shock (1986 'Pretty in Pink' Original Version) 6:05

06 Echo & the Bunnymen - Bring On the Dancing Horses 3:55

07 The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink (1986 'Pretty in Pink' Version) 4:38

08 Otis Redding - Try a Little Tenderness 3:45

09 Yello - Oh Yeah 3:07

10 Oingo Boingo - Weird Science 3:49

11 The Power Station - Some Like It Hot 3:46

12 Ray Anthony & His Orchestra - Thunderbird 2:29

13 The Beatles - Twist and Shout 2:35

14 The Jam - Town Called Malice 2:54

15 Madness - Our House 3:23

16 Spandau Ballet - True 5:32

17 Altered Images - Happy Birthday 2:59

18 Annie Golden - Hang Up the Phone 3:00

19 The Pointer Sisters - I'm So Excited 3:54

20 Emmylou Harris - Back In Baby's Arms 2:03

21 Everything but the Girl - Apron Strings 3:06

22 The Smiths - Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want 1:53

CD14    John Hughes - The Greatest Songs from his Greatest Movies CD2

01 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - If You Leave 4:29

02 Propaganda - Abuse 3:29

03 Killing Joke - Eighties 3:50

04 Billy Idol - Rebel Yell 4:48

05 Nick Heyward - Whistle Down the Wind 3:40

06 The Vapors - Turning Japanese 3:43

07 Furniture - Brilliant Mind 3:41

08 Book of Love - Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes) 4:01

09 Wilson Pickett - Land of 1000 Dances 2:26

10 Wham! - Young Guns (Go for It) 3:41

11 Thompson Twins - If You Were Here 2:59

12 The Dream Academy - The Edge of Forever 4:22

13 Lindsey Buckingham - Holiday Road 2:11

14 Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop 2:12

15 Gene Loves Jezebel - Desire (Come and Get It) 3:20

16 Flesh for Lulu - I Go Crazy 3:51

17 Ray Charles - Mess Around 2:40

18 David Bowie - Young Americans 5:13

19 Cheyne - Private Joy 4:18

20 New Order - Thieves Like Us (Instrumental) 6:38

21 Kate Bush - This Woman's Work 3:38

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