The Ferris Bueller Soundtrack Has Never Been Released — Until Now
It sounds hard to believe, but in the 30 years since its opening weekend, there’s never been an official soundtrack release for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. John Hughes himself stood in the way, believing such a disc to be unprofitable. “I mean, would kids want “Danke Schöen” and “Oh Yeah” on the same record?” he told the website Lollipop in 1999. “They probably already had ‘Twist And Shout,’ or their parents did.”
We can say at last that it’s finally coming. The CD contains the full original score by Ira Newborn, including some tracks that weren’t used in the final picture, as well as various licensed music like Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen” and the indispensable “Oh Yeah” by Yello. If you’re trying to decide if CDs are still a thing you want to buy, you’d better make up your mind quick — the publisher, La-La Land Records, is only pressing 5,000 copies.
Worse yet, this isn’t a complete set of songs. “Big City” isn’t in it (which is a dealbreaker for me) because it was one of two songs from the film that Hughes held the rights to (no idea who has it now). And “March of the Swivelheads” is also missing, more widely known as “the ditty that plays while Ferris and Jeannie are racing each other home.” These two holes are going to be noticed.
The full list was published on filmmusicreporter.com, and is reproduced below. The line for the CD opens at this website September 13th, starting at noon Pacific.
1. Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix) – Sigue Sigue Sputnik (6:58)
2. Oh Yeah – Yello (3:07)
3. Beat City – The Flowerpot Men (3:37)
4. B.A.D. – Big Audio Dynamite (5:47)
5. Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Dream Academy (3:09)
6. Danke Schoen – Wayne Newton (2:35)
7. Radio People – Zapp (5:40)
8. I’m Afraid – Blue Room (4:51)
9. The Edge of Forever – The Dream Academy (4:21)
Original Score by Ira Newborn
10. Ferris in Bed (0:57)
11. Cameron in Bed/Ferris Goes Hawaiian (1:44)
12. I’ll Go (unused) (1:02)
13. Nurse (0:11)
14. Ferris on Line 2 (0:43)
15. Bueller, Ferris Bueller (0:08
16. Mom Checks on Ferris (1:40)
17. Jeannie Turns Ugly (0:34)
18. Rooney on Patrol (1:26)
19. Save It, Ferris (unused) (0:40)
20. Rooney Sneaks Around/Star Wars (Main Title) (2:25)
21. Going to Take a Stand (unused) (3:30)
22. Cameron Takes the Heat (0:55)
23. Oh Shauna Jeannie (0:46)
24. He’s Gonna Marry Me (unused) (1:22)
25. Dog Food Rooney/Ferris Goes to Bed (0:59)
26. Mom, Dad and Ferris (1:34)
Alternate Score Cues:
27. Ferris on Line 2 (alternate) (0:41)
28. Theme From Star Trek (unused) (0:30)
29. Cameron Takes the Heat (alternate) (0:57)
Source Cues:
30. Coughlin Bros. Mortuary (0:27)
31. Celebrated Minuet (1:37)
32. Ballpark Baloney (1:10)
33. Polka Medley (3:18)
Bonus Tracks:
34. I’m Afraid (instrumental film version) – Blue Room (4:51)
35. Twist and Shout (marching band overlay) (2:35)