Soundtrack: Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)

Some Kind of Wonderful is a 1987 film starring Eric Stoltz, Lea Thompson, and Mary Stuart Masterson. It was one of the many successful teen dramas written by John Hughes in the 1980s, although this one was directed by Howard Deutch. The film's title comes from a song by John Ellison (Soul Brothers Six) that was a hit for Grand Funk Railroad; the song itself is not featured in the movie.

Synopsis

The tomboyish Watts (Masterson) has always considered working-class Keith Nelson (Stoltz) her best friend, but when he begins dating the popular Amanda Jones (Thompson), she realizes that she feels something much deeper for him. Hardy Jenns, Amanda's jealous former boyfriend (played by Craig Sheffer), further complicates matters.

Connection to Pretty in Pink

Some Kind of Wonderful is noted for having the same basic premise as Hughes and Deutch's previous film, Pretty in Pink: A quiet blue-collar high-schooler with aspirations of upward mobility (Stoltz in Wonderful and Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink) becomes infatuated with a "popular" classmate (Thompson and Andrew McCarthy), while remaining oblivious to the attraction to them felt by their close friend of the opposite sex (Masterson and Jon Cryer) and avoiding the attention of a spiteful and petty "rich kid" with a connection to the love interest (Sheffer and James Spader). Hughes originally wrote Pretty in Pink ending with Ringwald and Cryer's characters falling in love, but was pressured into changing the story so that Ringwald would end up with McCarthy. Supposedly, Hughes wrote Some Kind of Wonderful in response, with the ending he preferred.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for this movie had a large number of unknown artists for the day, which certainly wasn't the norm for a John Hughes production at that time.

Perhaps ahead of it's time, the soundtrack features artists with typically 80's band names such as Flesh for Lulu, and Lick the Tins, and although there is not one hit amongst any of them, this takes nothing away from what is an excellent soundtrack. Each song complements the scene perfectly.

From the pulsating opening track, to the night club scene, to the kissing lesson scene, to the climatic party scene, and finally, the beautiful cover of I Can't Help Falling In Love during the closing credits, every song appears to have been chosen with meticulous precision.

The soundtrack for Some Kind of Wonderful is available on CD (initially released in 1987 on Cassette and LP), although to the disappointment of many, does not include all the songs present in the movie.

Some Kind Of Wonderful Soundtrack
1987 Soundtrack
VARIOUS ARTISTS

TRACK LISTING

1. Abuse (Instrumental) (3:30) - Propaganda
2. Hardest Walk (3:12) - The Jesus and Mary Chain
3. I Go Crazy (Instrumental) (1:41) - Flesh For Lulu
4. Do Anything (3:42) - Pete Shelley
5. Miss Amanda Jones (3:17) - The March Violets
6. Catch My Fall (Instrumental) (1:16) - Billy Idol
7. Love Themes (Instrumental) (1:08) - Stephen Hague
8. Turn To The Sky (3:58) - The March Violets
9. The Shyest Time (3:35) - The Apartments
10. Mall Revelations (Instrumental) (0:45) - John Musser
11. Cry Like This (Instrumental) (0:57) - Blue Room
12. Hidden Love (Instrumental) (0:50) - Stephen Hague
13. Brilliant Mind (Instrumental) (0:48) - Furniture
14. She Loves Me (3:42) - Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy
15. Miss Amanda Jones (2:41) - The Rolling Stones
16. Turn To The Sky (Instrumental) (0:56) - The March Violets
17. String Quintet In E Major, Op.13, No.5 - Minuet (Instrumental) (3:53) - Luigi Boccherini
18. I Go Crazy (3:53) - Flesh For Lulu
19. Private Showing (Instrumental) (2:11) - Stephan Hague
20. Beat So Lonely (5:14) - Charlie Sexton
21. For The Right Reasons (Instrumental) (2:08) - Stephen Hague and John Musser
22. Can't Help Falling In Love (3:08) - Lick The Tins
23. Dr. Mabuse (Bonus) (10:43) - Propaganda
24. Catch My Fall (Bonus) (3:42) - Billy Idol
25. Cry Like This (Bonus) (4:05) - Blue Room
26. Brilliant Mind (Bonus) (4:12) - Furniture
27. Pretty In Pink (Bonus) (4:41) - The Psychedelic Furs
28. Can't Help Falling In Love (Bonus) (2:57) - Elvis Presley

For those wondering what song appears where in this movie, we have detailed the scenes in which a particular song appears, if the song is present on the soundtrack, and the lyrics.

Due to the obscurity of some of these artists and songs, lyrics to some of the songs are impossible to find on major lyric web sites, or karaoke disks. Therefore we've had to transcribe a large number of them ourselves.

If the song doesn't appear on the soundtrack CD we have given you an alternative album where the song does feature.

Opening Credits Abuse(aka Dr Mabuse) Performed by Propaganda From the albums A Secret Wish and Wishful Thinking. Why does it hurt when my heart misses the beat The man without shadow promises you the world Tell him your dreams, and fanatical needs He's buying them all, with cash Sell him your soul, sell him your soul, sell him your soul Never look back, never look back Sell him your soul, sell him your soul Never look back Never look back Never look back Sell him your soul He's devoted to the devil, fascinated by crime Glamorous death is his destination, eternal passion his gain Sell him your soul, sell him your soul, sell him your soul Never look back, never look back Sell him your soul, sell him your soul Never look back Never look back Sell him your soul, sell him your soul Never look back Why does it hurt, why why does it hurt He's a satanic gambler, but you just the fool And you've already lost the chance of your lifetime So don't be a fool, don't be a fool Kein Zurueck fuer dich, there's no way back Sell him your soul (played backwards) Warum schmerzt es Warum schmerzt es Wenn mein Herz den Schlag verpasst Don't be a fool Never look back Never look back

Laura looking for that song The Hardest Walk Performed by The Jesus and Mary Chain This song is present on the soundtrack CD. I never thought that this day would ever come When your words and your touch just struck me numb Oh and it's plain to see that it's dead The thing swims in blood and it's cold stoney dead It's so hard not to feel ashamed Of the loving living games we play Each day And I'm stuck in a shack Down the back of the sea Oh and I'm alive and I'm alone Inside a sick sick dream Oh is it me Is it me that feels so weak I cannot deceive but I find it hard to speak The hardest walk you could ever take Is the walk you take from a to b to c I walk Oh honey I talk Don't want you to want me Don't want you to need me Don't want you to need me Don't want you to need me And I walk

Watts drives Keith to school Friday night Playing on Shayne's car radio Driving from the Restaurant to the Art Museum

I Go Crazy Performed by Flesh for Lulu This song is present on the soundtrack CD. (spoken) Oh, I go crazy, I go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you What have I done today just sat and watched the jets fly over A car goes by and the sun goes down we talk about the town This city's mad in the head and sick in the soul All the stars flew away a long time ago Isn't that nice like Miami Vice I go crazy when I'm without you I go crazy when I'm without you Well your life is like an infants dream it's like everything's on TV You see your face in the mirror could it be your place in the mirror And so we turn on the TV one more time And we see that everything is fine But what have I done today i go crazy What have I done today i go crazy when I'm without you I go crazy, I go crazy I I I go crazy when I'm without you Go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you What have I done today, What have I done today Sue-Ellen looks so upset this isn't the first time And it won't be the last things going on behind her back Oh they give you a heart attack I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you But what have I done today I go crazy I go crazy, I go crazy, I go crazy But what have I done today, I go crazy But what have I done today I go crazy when I'm without you I go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you, go crazy I go crazy when I'm without you But what have I done today I go crazy I go crazy, I go crazy, I go crazy

Garage scene		Do Anything Performed by Pete Shelley This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to Do Anything by Pete Shelley
Amanda skips gym class		Miss Amanda Jones Performed by The March Violets This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to Miss Amanda Jones by The March Violets
Keith gives himself detention Duncan's welcome at the Art Museum		Catch My Fall Performed by Billy Idol This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on his Greatest Hits album. Lyrics to Catch My Fall by Billy Idol
Playing on Hardy's car radio Club scene with The March Violets Arriving at Amanda's house for the date Driving to the Restaurant		Turn To The Sky Performed by The March Violets This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to Turn To The Sky by The March Violets
Hardy invites Keith to the party Amanda is ignored by her friends		Brilliant Mind Performed by Furniture This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to Brilliant Mind by Furniture
Playing at the mall		The Shyest Time Performed by The Apartments This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to The Shyest Time by The Apartments
Keith visits Watts with his problem		Cry Like This Performed by Blue Room This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to Cry Like This by Blue Room
Kissing lesson		She Loves Me Performed by Stephen Duffy This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to She Loves Me by Stephen Duffy
Getting ready for the date		Miss Amanda Jones Performed by The Rolling Stones This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on their album Between The Buttons. Lyrics to Miss Amanda Jones by The Rolling Stones
Hardy's party		Beat's So Lonely Performed by Charlie Sexton This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on his album Pictures For Pleasure. Lyrics to Beat's So Lonely by Charlie Sexton
Closing credits		I Can't Help Falling In Love Performed by Lick The Tins This song is present on the soundtrack CD. Lyrics to I Can't Help Falling In Love by Lick The Tins
Credits		Pretty In Pink Performed by Psychedelic Furs This song is not present on the soundtrack CD, but can be found on their album Talk Talk Talk. Lyrics to Pretty In Pink by Psychedelic Furs