Various Artists – American Graffiti (41 Original Hits From the Soundtrack)

Double vinyl LP pressing. 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. 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.

Disc 1

1. Bill Haley and the Comets* (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock 2:08
2. Crests, the Sixteen Candles 2:48
3. Del Shannon Runaway 2:18
4. Frankie Lymon ; the Teenagers Why Do Fools Fall in Love 2:14
5. Buddy Holly That'll Be the Day 2:14
6. Buster Brown Fanny Mae 2:52
7. Flash Cadillac ; the Continental Kids at the Hop 2:25
8. Flash Cadillac ; the Continental Kids She's So Fine 2:18
9. Diamonds, the the Stroll 2:26
10. Tempos, the See You in September 2:03

Disc 2

1. Beach Boys, the Surfin' Safari 2:05
2. Fleetwoods - the He's the Great Imposter 1:33
3. Chuck Berry - Almost Grown 2:09
4. Platters - the Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 2:37
5. Diamonds - the Little Darlin' 2:04
6. Joey Dee ; the Starlighters* - Peppermint Twist 1:58
7. Regents - the (2) Barbara Anne 2:14
8. Monotones - the Book of Love 2:17
9. Buddy Holly - Maybe Baby 2:01
10. Lee Dorsey - Ya Ya 2:22
11. Platters - the the Great Pretenders 2:35

Disc 3

1. Fats Domino - Ain't That a Shame 2:31
2. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode 2:38
3. Flamingos - the I Only Have Eyes for You 3:09
4. Silhouettes - the Get a Job 2:37
5. Five Satins - the to the Aisle 2:44
6. Bobby Freeman - Do You Wanna Dance 2:35
7. Buddy Knox - Party Doll 1:54
8. Del-Vikings - The* Come Go with Me 2:37
9. Johnny Burnette You're Sixteen - You're Beautiful (And You're Mine) 1:56
10. Clovers - the Love Potion No.9 1:53

Disc 4

1. Skyliners - the Since I Don't Have You 2:35
2. Big Bopper - The* Chantilly Lace 2:21
3. Mark Dinning - Teen Angel 2:35
4. Sonny Till* ; Orioles - the Crying in the Chapel 3:04
5. Heartbeats - the a Thousand Miles Away 2:25
6. Cleftones - the Heart and Soul 1:49
7. Booker T ; the MG's - Green Onions 2:25
8. Platters - the Only You (And You Alone) 2:35
9. Spaniels - the Goodnight, Well It's Time to Go 2:43
10. Beach Boys - the All Summer Long 2:05

Label: Geffen Records

Catalog: 002292801

Genre: Soundtrack