Retro Spins: Fast Times At Ridgemont High

I've been watching a lot of 80's movies these past couple years for the first time in an effort to catch up on the classics I missed. Sadly, Fast Times At Ridgemont High is not one that I've had a chance to see yet. Mainly because it hasn't been available on any of the various streaming networks I have at my disposal.

Based on the humorous best-selling novel, Fast Times at Ridgemont High details the individual struggles of teenagers as they deal with independence, success, sexuality, money, maturity, school , and particularly with just making it through the formative years.

Fast Times was directed by newcomer Amy Heckerling in what New York Magazine calls "an auspicious debut." - Back of the original VHS

As I scanned the track list, I told myself, "With a whopping nineteen tracks on the soundtrack, there's no way on Earth this album can't have something to offer." With a click of the mouse and the first song kicking in, Jackson's Browne's Somebody's Baby, my hopes were immediately geared up for something great.

With the Eagles breaking up in 1980, it's somewhat fun to see the majority of them on this soundtrack contributing to solo tracks. Joe Walsh delivers Waffle Stomp and Tim Schmit offers So Much In Love. Additionally, Don Henley sings the ballad, Love Rules, while Don Felder hits with, Never Surrender. All of these songs are okay, but I can't help but wonder how they would have been if they worked together.

I've never heard of the Ravyns, but was wonderfully surprised by their fantastic track, Raised On Radio. Of course I also love that Oingo Boingo has a spot on the album with the track Goodbye, Goodbye, which was written strictly for the movie / soundtrack.

Overall, I didn't hate this album. I found a few tracks which made their way to my iTunes and iPod mixes, and sprinkled in among them were decent, but not amazing, tracks. But, I didn't hear anything that I found myself saying, "This is awful." Not once. I could definitely see myself listening to this album again in the near future.

It's amazing that for having so many songs on the album that there were a handful which didn't get included. Additionally, there are even more songs by major bands, such as Heart, which were recorded at the request of the producer, but never used in the film or on the soundtrack. How much bigger and better could this album have been?

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