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

1  Somebody\’s Baby – Jackson Browne 4:03
2  Waffle Stomp – Joe Walsh 3:42
3  Love Rules – Don Henley 4:07
4  Uptown Boys – Louise Goffin 3:04
5  So Much In Love – Timothy B. Schmit 2:19
6  Raised On The Radio – Ravyns 3:46
7  The Look In Your Eyes – Gerard McMahon 3:49
8  Speeding – Go-Go\’s 2:13
9  Don\’t Be Lonely – Quarterflash 3:16
10  Never Surrender – Don Felder 4:25
11  Fast Times (The Best Years Of Our Lives) – Billy Squier 3:41
12  Fast Times At Ridgemont High – Sammy Hagar 3:36
13  I Don\’t Know (Spicoli\’s Theme) – Jimmy Buffett 3:06
14  Love Is The Reason – Graham Nash 3:28
15  I\’ll Leave It Up To You Poco 3:04
16  Highway Runner – Donna Summer 3:25
17  Sleeping Angel – Stevie Nicks 4:43
18  She\’s My Baby (And She\’s Outta Control) – Palmer-Jost 2:55
19  Goodbye, Goodbye – Oingo Boingo 3:55

Media

Musicians

1 Somebody\’s Baby

BassBob Glaub
DrumsRuss Kunkel
GuitarRick Vito
KeyboardsCraig Doerge
OrganDoug Haywood
SynthesizerCraig Doerge
Background VocalsDoug Haywood


3 Love Rules

BassKenny Edwards
DrumsDon Henley
GuitarWaddy Wachtel
GuitarDanny Kortchmar
KeyboardsDavid Paich
PercussionDon Henley
Background VocalsTimothy B. Schmit


4 Uptown Boys

BassBob Glaub
DrumsJody Cortez
GuitarDanny Kortchmar
GuitarBill Ovis
GuitarLouise Goffin
SynthesizerBill Ovis
Background VocalsDanny Kortchmar
Background VocalsJody Cortez
Background VocalsSherry Goffin


5 So Much In Love

BassTimothy B. Schmit
DrumsJR Robinson


6 Raised On The Radio

BassLee Townsend
DrumsTim Steele
GuitarDavid Bell
GuitarRob Fahey
KeyboardsKyf Brewer
VocalsRob Fahey


8 Speeding

BassKathy Valentine
DrumsGina Schock
GuitarCharlotte Caffey
GuitarKathy Valentine
GuitarJane Wiedlin
KeyboardsCharlotte Caffey
VocalsBelinda Carlisle

 

9 Don\’t Be Lonely

BassRich Gooch
DrumsBrian David Willis
GuitarMarv Ross
KeyboardsRick DiGiallonardo
GuitarJack Charles
SaxRindy Ross
VocalsRindy Ross


10 Never Surrender

BassGeorge Hawkins
DrumsTris Imboden
GuitarDon Felder
KeyboardsDon Felder
SynthesizerDon Felder
PercussionJoe Lala
Background VocalsKenny Loggins
Background VocalsDave Mason


12 Fast Times At Ridgemont High

BassBill Church
DrumsDavid Lauser
GuitarSammy Hagar
KeyboardsGary Pihl
SynthesizerPatrick Gleason


13 I Don\’t Know (Spicoli\’s Theme)

BassDavid Jackson
DrumsMatt Betton Jr
GuitarJimmy Buffett
GuitarJosh Leo
PianoMike Utley
SynthesizerDavid Wolinski


15 I\’ll Leave It Up To You

BassCharlie Harrison
DrumsSteve Chapman
GuitarPaul Cotton
GuitarRusty Young
KeyboardsKim Bullard
PercussionSteve Forman
SaxPhil Kenzie
VocalsRusty Young


17 Sleeping Angel

BassDavid White
DrumsStan Lynch
GuitarMike Campbell
Acoustic GuitarDavid Johnston
OrganBenmont Tench
PianoBenmont Tench
Background VocalsLori Perry
Background VocalsSharon Celani


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

DrumsDavid Crockett
GuitarPhil Jost
GuitarTodd Sharp
SynthesizerPhil Jost
VocalsDavid 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 (Logo) – Rod Dyer
Photography By – Jim Shea

Glass Mastered At – Specialty Records Corporation
Pressed By – Allied Record Company