1982 Soundtrack – Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Soundtrack - Fast Times At Ridgemont HighFast Times at Ridgemont High is a 1982 American coming-of-age teen comedy film written by Cameron Crowe, adapted from his 1981 book of the same name. As a freelance writer for Rolling Stone magazine, Crowe went undercover at Clairemont High School in San Diego, California, and wrote about his experiences.

The film was directed by Amy Heckerling (in her feature film directorial debut) and chronicles a school year in the lives of sophomores Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Mark Ratner (Brian Backer), and their respective older friends Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates) and Mike Damone (Robert Romanus), both of whom believe themselves wiser in the ways of romance than their younger counterparts. The ensemble cast of characters form two subplots with Jeff Spicoli, (Sean Penn), a senior, carefree stoned surfer, facing off against uptight history teacher Mr. Hand (Ray Walston), and Stacy’s brother, Brad (Judge Reinhold), a senior who works at a series of entry-level jobs in order to pay off his car, and who is pondering easing out of his relationship with his girlfriend, until she herself dumps him.

In addition to Penn, Reinhold, Cates, and Leigh, the film marks early appearances by several actors who later became stars, including Nicolas Cage (then billing himself as Nicolas Coppola), Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, and Anthony Edwards. Among the actors listed, Penn, Cage, and Whitaker would later on in their careers win the Academy Award for Best Actor, with Penn winning twice.

In 2005, Fast Times at Ridgemont High was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Several of the movie’s songs were released as singles, including Jackson Browne’s “Somebody’s Baby”, which reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Other singles were the title track by Sammy Hagar, a cover of The Tymes’ “So Much in Love” by Timothy B. Schmit, “Raised on the Radio” by the Ravyns and “Waffle Stomp” by Joe Walsh. In addition to Schmit and Walsh, the album features solo tracks by two other members of the Eagles, Don Henley and Don Felder. The soundtrack also included “I Don’t Know (Spicoli’s Theme)” by Jimmy Buffett.

Five tracks in the film, but not included on the soundtrack, are: “Moving in Stereo” by the Cars, “American Girl” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “We Got the Beat” by the Go Go’s, which is the movie’s opening theme; Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir”, and “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms. In addition, the live band at the prom dance during the end of the film played two songs also not on the soundtrack: The Eagles’ “Life in the Fast Lane” and Sam the Sham’s “Wooly Bully”.

The Donna Summer track, “Highway Runner”, was initially recorded in 1981 for her double album entitled I’m a Rainbow; however, the album was shelved by Summer’s then-label, Geffen Records, but ultimately released in 1996 by Mercury Records. The album is once again out of print.

Todd Rundgren also recorded the song, “Attitude”, for the film at Crowe’s request. It was not included in the film, but was later released on Rundgren’s Demos and Lost Albums in 2001.

In some countries, the album was (also) released as a single LP with ten tracks.

Heckerling, in the DVD audio commentary, states that the 1970s “classic rock” artists, like the Eagles, were introduced by one of the film’s producers. Coincidentally, Irving Azoff, one of the film’s producers, was the personal manager for the Eagles.

Tracks

Somebody’s Baby (Danny Kortchmar; Jackson Browne) 04:03
2  Waffle Stomp (Joe Walsh) 03:42
3  Love Rules (Danny Kortchmar; Don Henley) 04:07
4  Uptown Boys (Janna Allen; Louise Goffin) 03:04
5  So Much In Love (Billy Jackson; George Williams; Roy Straigis) 02:19
6  Raised On The Radio (David Bell; Kyf Brewer; Lee Townsend) 03:46
7  The Look In Your Eyes (Gerard McMahon) 03:49
8  Speeding (Charlotte Caffey) 02:13
9  Don’t Be Lonely (Jack Charles; Rindy Ross) 03:16
10  Never Surrender (Don Felder; Kenny Loggins) 04:25
11  Fast Times (The Best Years Of Our Lives) (Billy Squier) 03:41
12  Fast Times At Ridgemont High (Sammy Hagar) 03:36
13  I Don’t Know (Spicoli’s Theme) (Jimmy Buffett; Mike Utley) 03:06
14  Love Is The Reason (Graham Nash) 03:28
15  I’ll Leave It Up To You (Rusty Young) 03:04
16  Highway Runner (Donna Summer; Giorgio Moroder) 03:25
17  Sleeping Angel (Steve Nicks) 04:43
18  She’s My Baby (And She’s Outta Control) (David Palmer; Phil Jost) 02:55
19  Goodbye, Goodbye (Danny Elfman) 03:55

Musicians

1 Somebody’s Baby

Bass Bob Glaub
Drums Russ Kunkel
Guitar Rick Vito
Keyboards Craig Doerge
Organ Doug Haywood
Synthesizer Craig Doerge
Background Vocals Doug Haywood


3 Love Rules

Bass Kenny Edwards
Drums Don Henley
Guitar Waddy Wachtel
Guitar Danny Kortchmar
Keyboards David Paich
Percussion Don Henley
Background Vocals Timothy B. Schmit


4 Uptown Boys

Bass Bob Glaub
Drums Jody Cortez
Guitar Danny Kortchmar
Guitar Bill Ovis
Guitar Louise Goffin
Synthesizer Bill Ovis
Background Vocals Danny Kortchmar
Background Vocals Jody Cortez
Background Vocals Sherry Goffin


5 So Much In Love

Bass Timothy B. Schmit
Drums JR Robinson


6 Raised On The Radio

Bass Lee Townsend
Drums Tim Steele
Guitar David Bell
Guitar Rob Fahey
Keyboards Kyf Brewer
Vocals Rob Fahey


8 Speeding

Bass Kathy Valentine
Drums Gina Schock
Guitar Charlotte Caffey
Guitar Kathy Valentine
Guitar Jane Wiedlin
Keyboards Charlotte Caffey
Vocals Belinda Carlisle


9 Don’t Be Lonely

Bass Rich Gooch
Drums Brian David Willis
Guitar Marv Ross
Keyboards Rick DiGiallonardo
Guitar Jack Charles
Sax Rindy Ross
Vocals Rindy Ross


10 Never Surrender

Bass George Hawkins
Drums Tris Imboden
Guitar Don Felder
Keyboards Don Felder
Synthesizer Don Felder
Percussion Joe Lala
Background Vocals Kenny Loggins
Background Vocals Dave Mason


12 Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Bass Bill Church
Drums David Lauser
Guitar Sammy Hagar
Keyboards Gary Pihl
Synthesizer Patrick Gleason


13 I Don’t Know (Spicoli’s Theme)

Bass David Jackson
Drums Matt Betton Jr
Guitar Jimmy Buffett
Guitar Josh Leo
Piano Mike Utley
Synthesizer David Wolinski


15 I’ll Leave It Up To You

Bass Charlie Harrison
Drums Steve Chapman
Guitar Paul Cotton
Guitar Rusty Young
Keyboards Kim Bullard
Percussion Steve Forman
Sax Phil Kenzie
Vocals Rusty Young


17 Sleeping Angel

Bass David White
Drums Stan Lynch
Guitar Mike Campbell
Acoustic Guitar David Johnston
Organ Benmont Tench
Piano Benmont Tench
Background Vocals Lori Perry
Background Vocals Sharon Celani


18 She’s My Baby (And She’s Outta Control)

Drums David Crockett
Guitar Phil Jost
Guitar Todd Sharp
Synthesizer Phil Jost
Vocals David Palmer

Liner Notes

Producer – Jackson Browne (Track 1)
Producer – Joe Walsh (Track 2)
Producer – Danny Kortchmar, Don Henley, Greg Ladanyi (Tracks 3, 4)
Producer – Russ Titelman (Track 5)
Producer – Allan Blazek, Bob Destocki (Track 6)
Producer – Gerard McMahon, Michael Ostin (Track 7)
Producer – Richard Gottehrer (Track 8)
Producer – John Boylan (Track 9)
Producer – Don Felder (Track 10)
Producer – Billy Squier, Mack (Track 11)
Producer – Roy Thomas Baker (Track 12)
Producer – Jimmy Buffett, Michael Utley (Track 13)
Producer – Graham Nash, Stanley Johnston, Steve Gursky (Track 14)
Producer – John Mills, Poco (Track 15))
Producer – Giorgio Moroder (Track 16)
Producer – Jimmy Iovine (Track 17)
Producer – Phil Jost (Track 18)
Producer – Joe Chiccarelli, Oingo Boingo (Track 19)
Producer (Executive) – Irving Azoff
Engineer – Dennis Kirk (Track 1)
Engineer – Greg Ladanyi (Tracks 3, 4)
Engineer – Mark Linett (Track 5)
Engineer – Allan Blazek (Track 6)
Engineer – Joel Soyffer (Track 7)
Engineer – Thom Panunzio (Track 8)
Engineer – Paul Grupp (Track 9)
Engineer – Joel Moss (Track 10)
Engineer – Steve Dewey (Track 12)
Engineer – Kyle Lehning (Track 13)
Engineer – Stanley Johnston, Steve Gursky (Track 14)
Engineer – John Mills (Track 15)
Engineer – Brian Reeves (Track 16)
Engineer – Shelly Yakus (Track 17)
Engineer – Phil Jost (Track 18)
Engineer – Joe Chiccarelli (Track 19)
Engineer (Assistant) – James Getty (Track 1)
Engineer (Assistant) – Wayne Tanouye (Tracks 3, 4)
Engineer (Assistant) – Ray Blair (Track 6)
Engineer (Assistant) – Doug Breidenbach (Track 10)
Engineer (Assistant) – David Marquette (Track 15)
Engineer (Assistant) – Bruce Jost, Norman Perbil (Track 18)
Engineer (Assistant) – David Marquette, Mitch Gibson (Track 19)
Engineer (Re-mix) – David Leonard (Track 1)
Engineer (Re-mix) – Dennis Kirk (Track 1)
Engineer – Jim Nipar (Track 2)
Mastered By – Wally Traugott

Art Direction – Jeff Adamoff
Design – Rod Dyer
Photography – Jim Shea

Phonographic Copyright Elektra Entertainment
Copyright Elektra Entertainment