Amazon.com: For those of us who grew up in the '70s, this drive-in compilation of '50s and '60s rock and doo-wop, complete with Wolfman Jack introductions, was our introduction to this music. There are 41 jukebox hits here, and every one of them is a classic of its time (although two tracks--"At the Hop" and "She's so Fine" are covers by the revival band Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids). In his 1973 movie, director George Lucas used the music (and the presence of mysterious deejay Wolfman) as the AM-radio soundtrack to one night in suburban California, 1962. The idea was to capture and sustain an end-of-summer, end-of-innocence mood that's in the air throughout the picture-- not as a shortcut to establishing a period (as in Robert Zemeckis'Forrest Gump). There's an awful lot of spontaneous energy in these tunes--from Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, to the Platters and the Clovers and the Del-Vikings, to the Crests and the Beach Boys--and also just a hint of melancholy that goes down very nicely with a burger, shake, and fries. --Jim Emerson
Disc 1:
(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley And The Comets
Sixteen Candles - The Crests
Runaway - Del Shannon
Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly
Fanny Mae - Buster Brown
At The Hop - Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids
She's So Fine - Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids
The Stroll - The Diamonds
See You In September - The Tempos
Surfin' Safari - The Beach Boys
He's The Great Imposter - The Fleetwoods
Almost Grown - Chuck Berry
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters
Little Darlin' - The Diamonds
Peperment Twist - Joey Dee & The Starlighters
Barbara Anne - The Regents
Book Of Love - The Monotones
Maybe Baby - Buddy Holly
Ya Ya - Lee Dorsey
The Great Pretender - The Platters
Disc 2:
Ain't That A Shame - Fats Domino
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos
Get A Job - The Silhouettes
To The Aisle - The Five Satins
Do You Wanna Dance - Bobby Freeman
Party Doll - Buddy Knox
Come Go With Me - The Del-Vikings
You're Sixteen-You're Beautiful (And You're Mine) - Johnny Burnette
Why does this matter? The movie used music to move the story but most songs were cut short. The CD is the soundtrack of 1963, the last year American pop music was really American music. One hit wonders, Detroit, surfers, tragedies, it's all here. Within a year it all changed. The Beatles and the Stones became "American" music. The serendipity of one hit wonders was replaced by mass marketing telling us what music we should buy. The "Sixties" began in 1964, 1963 was in many ways the last year of the "Fifties" Enjoy.
Fabulous Fifties and Sixties Tunes What an AWESOME CD! I was prompted to buy this after recently watching the American Graffiti movie. The songs just struck me the right way that I was moved to purchase the soundtrack. I did a search on it and learned of the 41 hits version versus the fewer selected hits CDs. I opted for the former. Amazon's price beat the next closest price I found by a full $10. I have been playing the 2 CD set in my car, on my stereo and also on my CD player in my woodworking shop! For me it is such feel good music that can't help but bring back memories of a younger day. Oh yeah, it even prompted me to finally research and learn the correct lyrics to a line in "At the Hop", in this case, by Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids. The line is "When the records start spinning you Chalypso with the chicken." I never knew they were saying "chalypso". If you enjoy music from the fifties and sixties this is a great CD at a great price.
HARDCORE CLASSIC GOLDEN OLDIES!!! As I've said before, I feel like the only 18 year old kid who loves this type of music! The soundtrack to American Graffiti is awesome! It has classics such as Rock Around the Clock, 16 Candles, Runaway, That'll Be the Day, At the Hop, The Great Pretender, Ain't That a Shame, Johnny B. Goode, Party Doll, Only You, and much more!!! My parents grew up with this music, and they played it when I was a kid, now that I'm older, I still love them! If you love Golden Oldies, you'll love the AMERICAN GRAFFITI SOUNDTRACK!!!
Great Soundtrack My husband and I love old music and old cars. My husband bought me a 1957 Pink T-Bird for Valentines Day and he said it reminded him of the movie American Grafitti. He had made the comment about wanting the movie sometime. When I went to Amazon.Com to purchase the movie, they had the movie and the soundtrack at a good combined price. We listen to it around the house and we are going to have the stereo in the T-Bird modified so we can use this soundtrack when we are out cruisin'. Even my 16 year old daughter loves the soundtrack.
LA in Smiths Grove, KY
41 Original Hits From The Soundtrack Of American Graffiti This is a great soundtrack, my parents have this soundtrack on records. As a kid I use to listen to them constantly. I was excited to get it on CD. The music is great for all occassions and takes you back to a style of music that we do not hear anymore.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
