Footloose: Original Soundtrack, by various artists

As strange as it may seem, the Footloose soundtrack is one of the most successful soundtracks of all time, distinctive as one of only a handful of albums to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 during 1984, which was a year dominated by massive albums like Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The USA, and Huey Lewis & The News’ Sports. Besides being a big seller on the album charts, seven songs out of the nine songs off of the soundtrack were released as singles and had at least some success on the Billboard charts. Two of the songs–the title track from Kenny Loggins and “Let’s Hear It For The Boy,” by noted balladeer Deneice Williams (who took the chance on an upbeat song to avoid being typecast as such)–hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and were both nominated for Academy Awards for best song from a film, though neither song won. Another song from the album, “Almost Paradise,” a duet between Loverboy’s Mike Reno and Heart’s Ann Wilson, hit the top ten. Three other songs hit the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, Shalamar’s “Dancing In The Sheets,” Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For Hero,” and another Kenny Loggins number, “I’m Free (Heaven Helps The Man).” A seventh song, “Somebody’s Eyes” by Karla Bonhoff, was successful on Adult Contemporary radio. Only two songs from the album–not coincidentally the last two–were not released as singles. But how does the soundtrack hang together as an album, especially considering that all of the songs on the soundtrack were co-written by the writer of the film’s screenplay? Let’s find out.

The soundtrack opens with the title track, which even after decades over overplay is still a compelling and peppy number that encourages people, even those in rural Oklahoma, to kick off their shoes and dance. Kenny Loggins has rarely sounded more energetic than here. This is followed by another energetic number, “Let’s Hear It For The Boy,” which for me has always stood out as its own song, and is not one that I tend to associate with the film, whatever the reason, even though it’s funny to hear the modest praise of the song being directed towards Kevin Bacon’s character. “Almost Paradise” is a sweet duet that contains a hint of melancholy along with its obvious beauty and the vocal chemistry of the singers. “Holding Out For A Hero” gives all of the bombast that you would want from a Bonnie Tyler song and it is not surprising that this song has been well-remembered despite not being a very big hit at the time. “Dancing In The Sheets,” by Shalamar, is a pretty forgotten minor hit, but it hints at the connection between dancing and fornication that leads dancing to be viewed by some with a great deal of moral suspicion. “I’m Free (Heaven Helps The Man),” a second hit from Kenny Loggins from this album, is not nearly as catchy as the title track, but it’s still a lovely song with a message about freedom and responsibility and the question of the context in which one can expect divine providence, which is a surprisingly poignant question for a mainstream pop single to ask. “Somebody’s Eyes” reflects a rather pointed view of a dysfunctional love triangle where someone seeks to profit from a rebound relationship where the ex is still interested and jealous. “The Girl Gets Around,” a driving rocker from Sammy Hagar, is another song that more than hints at the leading actress’ sexual experience, further driving home the connection between dancing, teenage rebellion, and fornication, if it needed to be pointed out further. Moving Pictures closes the soundtrack with “Never,” a pleasant enough sax and synth driven song about needing to overcome one’s past, a song that could easily have been released as a single.

One of the advantages of having a soundtrack that is co-written by a movie’s screenwriter is that the songs really match the theme of the movie. And these songs, when put together, tell an interesting and complicated tale. While many people look at Footloose and think of the triumph of young people over restrictions meant to hem them in, this album reminds us that the rebellion of youth carries with it a certain cost. There is a good reason why the wayward preacher’s daughter is drawn to the rebellious outsider, and that is because of her own history, which makes her less desirable to the decent people of her own town. If Footloose as a movie has received mixed reviews for its teen melodrama approach, the soundtrack itself is pretty stellar and has definitely stood the test of time. Even the album cuts–both of them–are songs that very easily could have been top 40 hits had they been released and gotten promotion. Not only are the songs on this album pretty catchy, but they also deal with questions of the relationship between dance and sexuality as well as the nature of heroism and what it is that God rewards in human character and behavior. If the answers that the movie provides are not necessarily the best answers, the questions are still worthy of being asked.