John Hughes' '80s soundtracks collected on new 'Life Moves Pretty Fast' box set

John Hughes‘ ’80s films, in addition to showing a side of teenage life most other comedies didn’t approach, were also a lot of people’s first exposure to bands like New Order, The Smiths, Echo & The Bunnymen, Simple Minds, Oingo Boingo, OMD, The Psychedelic Furs, and more. Some might argue the soundtracks have held up better than the movies themselves.

Life Moves Pretty Fast – The John Hughes Mixtapes is the first-ever official compilation of songs from all of John Hughes’ films, including ones he directed (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Planes Trains & Automobiles, She’s Having A Baby, Uncle Buck) and ones he wrote (Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, National Lampoon’s Vacation). It’s available in a variety of formats, from a double LP to a multi-disc deluxe box set, and it’s out November 11 via Demon Music and you can preorder them in the BV shop.

The two-disc set includes most of the best-known songs from his films, including Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” OMD’s “If You Leave,” Yello’s “Oh Yeah,” Echo & The Bunnymen’s “Bring On The Dancing Horses” and more, plus some sought-after rarities like The Dream Academy‘s instrumental cover of The Smiths’ “Please Please Please” and The Flowerpot Men‘s “Beat City,” which were both from Ferris Bueller (that never got an official soundtrack at the time).

The deluxe CD and LP sets go deep, including songs that were in movies but didn’t make it onto official soundtracks — like The Rave Ups‘ “Positively Lost Me” (from Pretty in Pink), Propaganda’s “Abuse” (from Some Kind of Wonderful), The Revillos‘ “Rev Up!” (from Sixteen Candles) — and comes with a John Hughes mixtape cassette, and a reproduction of the 7″ single of The Flowerpot Men’s “Beat City” / Blue Room “I’m Afraid” that promoted Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and was only sent to members of the John Hughes Fan Club.

Check out our picks for the box set’s best inclusions and most glaring omissions.

The compilation was curated by Hughes Music music supervisor Tarquin Gotch, who says, “Back when we were working on these movie soundtracks, the best way to send music around the world was cassettes by Fedex. We sent John cassettes of newly released music, of demos, of just finished mixes, and in return he would send VHS videos of the scenes that needed music. John said he only made movies so he could choose what music to put in them, so as his success at the Box Office grew, and thus his power with the studios, the number of tracks in his films, by up-and-coming UK bands, steadily grew.” The artwork for Life Moves Pretty Fast features actual mixtapes that John Hughes made.

Life Moves Pretty Fast – The John Hughes Mixtapes is out November 11 via Demon Music and you can preorder the deluxe CD/cassette/7″ edition, the six-red-vinyl-LP edition and the double-LP edition in the BV shop.

Check out the packaging and tracklist for the deluxe box set below.

LIMITED EDITION 74 TRACK 4CD DELUXE SET + BONUS 7” SINGLE & CASSETTE
CD1
1. Kajagoogoo – Kajagoogoo (Instrumental)
2. Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
3. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave
4. Oingo Boingo – Weird Science
5. Furniture – Brilliant Mind
6. Dave Wakeling – She’s Having A Baby
7. The Flowerpot Men – Beat City
8. The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty In Pink
9. Flesh For Lulu – I Go Crazy
10. Dr. Calculus – Full Of Love
11. Lick The Tins – Can’t Help Falling In Love
12. Steve Earle & The Dukes – Six Days On The Road (Album Version)
13. Kirsty MacColl – You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby (Soundtrack Version)
14. Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson – Left Of Center
15. Pete Shelley – Do Anything (Soundtrack Version)
16. Carmel – It’s All In The Game
17. The Dream Academy – Power To Believe (Instrumental)
18. Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work
19. New Order – Elegia

CD2
1. The Beat – March Of The Swivelheads
(Rotating Heads – Dub Version)
2. Nick Heyward – When It Started To Begin
3. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Tesla Girls
4. Big Audio Dynamite – BAD
5. Killing Joke – Eighties
6. The Specials – Little Bitch
7. Gene Loves Jezebel – Desire (Come and Get It) (US Club Mix)
8. Flesh For Lulu – Slide
9. Love And Rockets – Haunted When The Minutes Drag
10. Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix)
11. Lords Of The New Church – Method To My Madness
12. The Jesus And Mary Chain – The Hardest Walk (Single Version)
13. Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses
14. General Public – Tenderness
15. The Blue Room – I’m Afraid
16. Belouis Some – Round, Round
17. Thompson Twins – If You Were Here
18. The Dream Academy – Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental) 3.07

CD3
1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Book Of Love – Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)
3. Otis Redding – Try A Little Tenderness
4. Patti Smith – Gloria: In Excelsis Deo
5. Westworld – Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo
6. Divinyls – Ring Me Up
7. Topper Headon – Drummin’ Man
8. Billy Idol – Catch My Fall
9. The Association – Cherish
10. Penguin Cafe Orchestra – Music For A Found Harmonium
11. Zapp – Radio People
12. The Blue Room – Cry Like This
13. Ray Charles – Mess Around
14. Joe Turner – Lipstick, Powder and Paint
15. Darlene Love – (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
16. Marvin Gaye – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
17. Perry Como With Mitchell Ayres And His Orchestra And The Ray Charles Singers – Juke Box Baby
18. The Chordettes – Mr. Sandman
19. Ray Anthony And His Orchestra – The Peter Gunn Theme

CD4
1. Lindsey Buckingham – Holiday Road
2. Emmylou Harris – Back in Baby’s Arms
3. Hugh Harris – Rhythm Of Life
4. Spandau Ballet – True
5. Propaganda – Abuse – Here
6. The Dream Academy – The Edge of Forever
7. Yello – Lost Again (Album Version)
8. Bryan Ferry – Crazy Love
9. The Rave-Ups – Positively Lost Me
10. Los Lobos – Don’t Worry Baby
11. Steve Earle – Continental Trailways Blues (Album Version)
12. The Revillos – Rev Up!
13. Boston – More Than A Feeling
14. Balaam And The Angel – I’ll Show You Something Special
15. The Rave-Ups – Rave Up/Shut Up
16. Pop Will Eat Itself – Beaver Patrol
17. The Vapors – Turning Japanese
18. Silicon Teens – Red River Rock

CASSETTE
Side A
1. Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
2. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave
3. Oingo Boingo – Weird Science
4. Yello – Oh Yeah
5. Dave Wakeling – She’s Having A Baby
6. Lick The Tins – Can’t Help Falling In Love
7. The Flowerpot Men – Beat City
8. Steve Earle & The Dukes – Six Days On The Road
– Album Version
9. Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work

Side B
1. The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty In Pink
2. Furniture – Brilliant Mind
3. Killing Joke – Eighties
4. Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix)
5. Flesh For Lulu – I Go Crazy
6. Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses
7. General Public – Tenderness
8. Kirsty MacColl – You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby
9. The Dream Academy – Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental)

7” SINGLE
Side A
1. The Flowerpot Men – Beat City
Side B
1. The Blue Room – I’m Afraid

LIMITED EDITION 73 TRACK RED VINYL 6LP SET
Side A
1. Kajagoogoo – Kajagoogoo (Instrumental)
2. Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
3. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave
4. Oingo Boingo – Weird Science
5. Furniture – Brilliant Mind
6. Dave Wakeling – She’s Having A Baby

Side B
1. The Flowerpot Men – Beat City
2. The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty In Pink
3. Flesh For Lulu – I Go Crazy
4. Dr. Calculus – Full Of Love
5. Lick The Tins – Can’t Help Falling In Love
6. Steve Earle & The Dukes – Six Days On The Road (Album Version)

Side C
1. Kirsty MacColl – You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby (Soundtrack Version)
2. Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson – Left Of Center
3. Pete Shelley – Do Anything (Soundtrack Version)
4. Carmel – It’s All In The Game
5. The Dream Academy – Power To Believe (Instrumental)
6. Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work

Side D
1. The Beat – March Of The Swivelheads (Rotating Heads – Dub Version)
2. Nick Heyward – When It Started To Begin
3. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Tesla Girls
4. Big Audio Dynamite – BAD
5. Killing Joke – Eighties
6. The Specials – Little Bitch

Side E
1. Gene Loves Jezebel – Desire (Come and Get It) (US Club Mix)
2. Flesh For Lulu – Slide From The 1989 Movie
3. Love And Rockets – Haunted When The Minutes Drag
4. Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix)
5. Lords Of The New Church – Method To My Madness

Side F
1. The Jesus And Mary Chain – The Hardest Walk (Single Version)
From The 1987 Movie
2. Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses
3. General Public – Tenderness
4. The Blue Room – I’m Afraid
5. Belouis Some – Round, Round
6. Thompson Twins – If You Were Here
7. The Dream Academy – Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental) 3.07

Side G
1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Book Of Love – Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes) 3. Otis Redding – Try A Little Tenderness
4. Patti Smith – Gloria: In Excelsis Deo
5. Westworld – Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo
6. Divinyls – Ring Me Up
7. Topper Headon – Drummin’ Man

Side H
1. Billy Idol – Catch My Fall
2. The Association – Cherish
3. Penguin Cafe Orchestra – Music For A Found Harmonium
4. Zapp – Radio People
5. The Blue Room – Cry Like This

Side I
1. Ray Charles – Mess Around
2. Joe Turner – Lipstick, Powder and Paint
3. Darlene Love – (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
4. Marvin Gaye – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
5. Perry Como With Mitchell Ayres And His Orchestra And The Ray Charles Singers – Juke Box Baby
6. The Chordettes – Mr. Sandman From The 1989 Movie Uncle Buck
7. Ray Anthony And His Orchestra – The Peter Gunn Theme

Side J
1. Lindsey Buckingham – Holiday Road
2. Emmylou Harris – Back in Baby’s Arms
3. Hugh Harris – Rhythm Of Life
4. Spandau Ballet – True
5. Propaganda – Abuse – Here
6. The Dream Academy – The Edge of Forever

Side K
1. Yello – Lost Again (Album Version)
2. Bryan Ferry – Crazy Love
3. The Rave-Ups – Positively Lost Me
4. Los Lobos – Don’t Worry Baby
5. Steve Earle – Continental Trailways Blues (Album Version)
From The 1987 Movie Planes, Trains And Automobiles
6. The Revillos – Rev Up! From The 1984 Movie Sixteen Candles

Side L
1. Boston – More Than A Feeling
2. Balaam And The Angel – I’ll Show You Something Special
3. The Rave-Ups – Rave Up/Shut Up
4. Pop Will Eat Itself – Beaver Patrol
5. The Vapors – Turning Japanese
6. Silicon Teens – Red River Rock

25 TRACK BLACK VINYL 2LP SET
Side A
1. Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
2. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave
3. Oingo Boingo – Weird Science
4. Yello – Oh Yeah
5. Thompson Twins – If You Were Here
6. Lick The Tins – Can’t Help Falling In Love
7. Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work

Side B
1. The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty In Pink
2. Furniture – Brilliant Mind
3. Big Audio Dynamite – BAD
4. Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses
5. General Public – Tenderness
6. The Dream Academy – Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental)

Side C
1. Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson – Left Of Center
2. Dave Wakeling – She’s Having A Baby
3. Dr. Calculus – Full Of Love
4. Killing Joke – Eighties
5. Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix)
6. Flesh For Lulu – I Go Crazy

Side D
1. Kirsty MacColl – You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby
2. Pete Shelley – Do Anything
3. The Flowerpot Men – Beat City
4. Bryan Ferry – Crazy Love
5. The Rave-Ups – Positively Lost Me
6. Steve Earle & The Dukes – Six Days On The Road – Album Version

74 TRACK 4CD SET
CD1
1. Kajagoogoo – Kajagoogoo (Instrumental)
2. Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)
3. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave
4. Oingo Boingo – Weird Science
5. Furniture – Brilliant Mind
6. Dave Wakeling – She’s Having A Baby
7. The Flowerpot Men – Beat City
8. The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty In Pink
9. Flesh For Lulu – I Go Crazy
10. Dr. Calculus – Full Of Love
11. Lick The Tins – Can’t Help Falling In Love
12. Steve Earle & The Dukes – Six Days On The Road (Album Version)
13. Kirsty MacColl – You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby (Soundtrack Version)
14. Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson – Left Of Center
15. Pete Shelley – Do Anything (Soundtrack Version)
16. Carmel – It’s All In The Game
17. The Dream Academy – Power To Believe (Instrumental)
18. Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work
19. New Order – Elegia

CD2
1. The Beat – March Of The Swivelheads (Rotating Heads – Dub Version)
2. Nick Heyward – When It Started To Begin
3. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Tesla Girls
4. Big Audio Dynamite – BAD
5. Killing Joke – Eighties
6. The Specials – Little Bitch
7. Gene Loves Jezebel – Desire (Come and Get It) (US Club Mix)
8. Flesh For Lulu – Slide
9. Love And Rockets – Haunted When The Minutes Drag
10. Sigue Sigue Sputnik – Love Missile F1-11 (Ultraviolence Mix)
11. Lords Of The New Church – Method To My Madness
12. The Jesus And Mary Chain – The Hardest Walk (Single Version)
13. Echo & The Bunnymen – Bring On The Dancing Horses
14. General Public – Tenderness
15. The Blue Room – I’m Afraid
16. Belouis Some – Round, Round
17. Thompson Twins – If You Were Here
18. The Dream Academy – Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (Instrumental) 3.07

CD3
1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Book Of Love – Modigliani (Lost In Your Eyes)
3. Otis Redding – Try A Little Tenderness
4. Patti Smith – Gloria: In Excelsis Deo
5. Westworld – Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo
6. Divinyls – Ring Me Up
7. Topper Headon – Drummin’ Man
8. Billy Idol – Catch My Fall
9. The Association – Cherish
10. Penguin Cafe Orchestra – Music For A Found Harmonium
11. Zapp – Radio People
12. The Blue Room – Cry Like This
13. Ray Charles – Mess Around
14. Joe Turner – Lipstick, Powder and Paint
15. Darlene Love – (Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry
16. Marvin Gaye – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
17. Perry Como With Mitchell Ayres And His Orchestra And The Ray Charles Singers – Juke Box Baby
18. The Chordettes – Mr. Sandman
19. Ray Anthony And His Orchestra – The Peter Gunn Theme

CD4
1. Lindsey Buckingham – Holiday Road
2. Emmylou Harris – Back in Baby’s Arms
3. Hugh Harris – Rhythm Of Life
4. Spandau Ballet – True
5. Propaganda – Abuse – Here
6. The Dream Academy – The Edge of Forever
7. Yello – Lost Again (Album Version)
8. Bryan Ferry – Crazy Love
9. The Rave-Ups – Positively Lost Me
10. Los Lobos – Don’t Worry Baby
11. Steve Earle – Continental Trailways Blues (Album Version)
12. The Revillos – Rev Up!
13. Boston – More Than A Feeling
14. Balaam And The Angel – I’ll Show You Something Special
15. The Rave-Ups – Rave Up/Shut Up
16. Pop Will Eat Itself – Beaver Patrol
17. The Vapors – Turning Japanese
18. Silicon Teens – Red River Rock