Amazon.com: For those of us who grew up in the '70s, this drive-in compilation of '50s and '60s rock and doo-wop, complete with Wolfman Jack introductions, was our introduction to this music. There are 41 jukebox hits here, and every one of them is a classic of its time (although two tracks--"At the Hop" and "She's so Fine" are covers by the revival band Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids). In his 1973 movie, director George Lucas used the music (and the presence of mysterious deejay Wolfman) as the AM-radio soundtrack to one night in suburban California, 1962. The idea was to capture and sustain an end-of-summer, end-of-innocence mood that's in the air throughout the picture-- not as a shortcut to establishing a period (as in Robert Zemeckis'Forrest Gump). There's an awful lot of spontaneous energy in these tunes--from Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, to the Platters and the Clovers and the Del-Vikings, to the Crests and the Beach Boys--and also just a hint of melancholy that goes down very nicely with a burger, shake, and fries. --Jim Emerson
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - music
i bought this item for someone else hes had it before. i enjoyed it myself once i had heard it. very good cd, even had wolfman jack.
Rating: - CD SOUNDTRACK -AMERICAN GRAFFITI
Great sounds from the '50's and '60's! CD arrived in good condition in a timely manner. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the oldies.
Rating: - Why does this matter?
The movie used music to move the story but most songs were cut short. The CD is the soundtrack of 1963, the last year American pop music was really American music. One hit wonders, Detroit, surfers, tragedies, ... Read More
Rating: - Fabulous Fifties and Sixties Tunes
What an AWESOME CD! I was prompted to buy this after recently watching the American Graffiti movie. The songs just struck me the right way that I was moved to purchase the soundtrack. I did a search on it and ... Read More
Rating: - HARDCORE CLASSIC GOLDEN OLDIES!!!
As I've said before, I feel like the only 18 year old kid who loves this type of music! The soundtrack to American Graffiti is awesome! It has classics such as Rock Around the Clock, 16 Candles, Runaway, That'll ... Read More
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