'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' finally getting an official soundtrack release (tracklist)

John Hughes‘ classic teen comedy Ferris Beuller’s Day Off just celebrated its 30th anniversary a couple weeks ago. Despite many memorable musical moments, it’s the only John Hughes film never to get an official soundtrack release, even though the end credits promise that one is on the way. Well, three decades later, we’re finally getting one via La-La Land Records which specializes in soundtracks reissues.

Salon reports that a deal was struck with Paramount Pictures for an official OST. Whether they’ll get rights to everything — like The Beatles‘ version of “Twist & Shout,” and Wayne Newton‘s “Danke Schoen” might be expensive to license — remains to be seen. There are loads of ’80s obscurities, however, in Ferris that have rarely seen the light of day, like the instrumental version of Dream Academy‘s cover of “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” (used in the museum montage) and The English Beat‘s “March of The Swivelheads” (which soundtracked Ferris’ race home through backyards). There were also two obscurities — Blue Room‘s “I’m Afraid and The Flower Pot Men‘s “Beat City” — that were only released via a 7″ single sent to John Hughes fan club members. Other songs on the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off soundtrack include Yello‘s “Oh Yeah,” Sigue Sigue Sputnik‘s “Love Missile F1-11” and Big Audio Dynamite‘s “BAD.”

The much-belated release will feature liner notes interviews with Hughes’s son James, the film’s music supervisor Tarquin Gotch, composer Ira Newborn (whose score will hopefully be included), and editor Paul Hirsch.

UPDATE: The tracklist has been released. The double-CD (no vinyl?) does feature Ira Newborn’s score, but will unfortunately not contain The English Beat’s “March of the Swivelheads,” General Public’s “Taking the Day Off” or The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout” (all of which are available digitally elsewhere.) And it’s unclear whether that’s the instrumental or the vocal version of The Dream Academy’s “Please Please Please.” You can check out the full tracklist below and it’s out September 13.

While we wait for more concrete details, you can listen to an unofficial Ferris Bueller’s Day Off soundtrack compiled on YouTube, below.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off OST tracklist
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)