The music of the Back to the Future franchise comprises soundtrack albums, film scores, compilation albums, and cast recording associated with the feature films and stage musical created by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. Alan Silvestri composed the scores for all three films; the stage musical features music and lyrics by Silvestri and Glen Ballard. The franchise's music also includes pop and rock songs used prominently in the films, including songs by Huey Lewis and the News.
Back to the Future (1985)
Soundtrack
Back to the Future: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album for the film Back to the Future. It was released on July 8, 1985, by MCA Records. The album features two score tracks by Alan Silvestri, two pop songs by Huey Lewis and the News, two performances by the fictional Marvin Berry and the Starlighters, one performance by Marty McFly with the Starlighters, and two brief pop songs heard in the background of the film. AllMusic rated the soundtrack three stars out of five.
"The Power of Love" was issued as the album's lead single in June 1985, becoming Huey Lewis and the News's first US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single. It was certified Gold and received an Academy Award for Best Original Song nomination. The soundtrack spent 19 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 12 in October 1985. Later issues of the album were released by Geffen Records.
Development American rock band Huey Lewis and the News recorded "The Power of Love" and "Back in Time". Huey Lewis was asked to write a theme song for the film. He met with Bob Gale, Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis, who wanted the band to be Marty McFly's favorite band. Although flattered, Lewis initially declined because he did not know how to write film songs and did not want to write a song called "Back to the Future". Zemeckis assured Lewis he could write any song he wanted. Lewis agreed to submit the next song he wrote, which became "The Power of Love". The lyrics do not mention the film's storyline.
Lewis was asked by Zemeckis to write one more song for the film's end credits, which became "Back in Time". Unlike "The Power of Love", the lyrics of "Back in Time" refer to the film's plot. In a 2015 interview with People, Lewis said: "Sean [Hopper], [Chris] Hayes and I put together "Back in Time" – and it turned out that it's actually quite easy to write for film! In a way, it's easier, in that you don't have to invest yourself in it. So that was a lot of fun, actually".
"Johnny B. Goode", written by Chuck Berry, is performed in the film by the characters Marty McFly and the Starlighters. Michael J. Fox lip-syncs to vocals by Mark Campbell, with guitar by Tim May. Campbell and May received a "special thanks" acknowledgment in the film's end credits, while the recording was credited to "Marty McFly with the Starlighters" because the filmmakers wanted to maintain the illusion that Fox was singing. After music supervisor Bones Howe learned of this, he secured Campbell a small percentage of the soundtrack revenue as compensation. Berry withheld permission to use "Johnny B. Goode" until the day before filming, and was paid $50,000 for the rights.
In the film In the film, Marvin Berry, a fictional cousin of Chuck Berry, telephones Chuck and plays him the song, telling him it is "that new sound you're looking for". "Johnny B. Goode" was released in 1958, three years after the scene in which it is played.
Huey Lewis portrays a high-school band audition judge who rejects Marty McFly's band, the "Pinheads", as they perform an instrumental hard rock version of "The Power of Love". Lewis said the character was inspired by a Chrysalis Records executive. "Time Bomb Town", "Heaven Is One Step Away", "The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)" and "Back in Time" are briefly heard as diegetic music in several scenes; "Back in Time" is additionally played in full in the film's end credits.
Track listing
Lead vocals provided by Harry Waters Jr. Lead vocals provided by Mark Campbell Produced by Phil Collins (who also performed backing vocals & percussion.)
Songs that appear as diegetic music in the film but are not included on the soundtrack album: "The Washington Post" – composed by John Philip Sousa "Mr. Sandman" – performed by The Four Aces "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" – performed by Fess Parker "Pledging My Love" – performed by Johnny Ace "Out the Window" – performed by Edward Van Halen
Charts Chart (1985–86) PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report) 36Belgian Albums (Ultratop) 66US Billboard 20012
Certifications
Film score
Back to the Future: Intrada Special Collection was released by Intrada Records on November 24, 2009, and contains Alan Silvestri's complete score for Back to the Future. The two-disc release includes the complete orchestral score and two source cues written by Silvestri on the first disc. The second disc contains alternate versions of much of the score, with a darker, more serious tone. The two-disc set was limited to 10,000 units and had sold nearly 6,000 copies by the end of January 2010.
The score was reissued on October 12, 2015, as a single-disc release titled Back to the Future: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Expanded Edition), commemorating the film's 30th anniversary. This release contains only the music from the first disc of the original limited two-disc set.
Development Alan Silvestri had previously worked with director Robert Zemeckis on Romancing the Stone. Silvestri said Zemeckis's only direction for the score was that "it's got to be big". Silvestri used an orchestral score to contrast the film's small-town setting with its time-travel story, and developed a heroic theme designed to be instantly recognizable from only a few notes.
For scenes in which Silvestri's score was shortened, replaced with source music, or unused, the release presents the full cues as originally recorded. These include the final moments of "Einstein Disintegrated" and "Peabody Barn; Marty Ditches DeLorean", as well as "Town Square" and "Logo".
Themes from the score were later used in the film's sequels, in Back to the Future: The Ride, and as ambient music at Universal Studios theme parks.
Track listing Disc 1: The Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack "Logo": 0:21 "DeLorean Reveal": 0:48 "Einstein Disintegrated": 1:22 "'85 Twin Pines Mall": 4:44 "Peabody Barn; Marty Ditches DeLorean": 3:09 "'55 Town Square": 1:17 "Lorraine's Bedroom": 0:48 "Retrieve DeLorean": 1:14 "1.21 Jigowatts": 1:37 "The Picture": 1:08 "Picture Fades": 0:18 "Skateboard Chase": 1:40 "Marty's Letter": 1:21 "George to the Rescue – Pt. 1": 0:51 "Marvin Be-Bop": 2:27 "George to the Rescue – Pt. 2": 2:36 "Tension/The Kiss": 1:34 "Goodnight Marty": 1:32 "It's Been Educational/Clocktower": 10:30 "Helicopter": 0:21 "'85 Lone Pine Mall": 3:48 "4x4": 0:41 "Doc Returns": 1:14 "Back to the Future": 3:15
Disc 2: The Creation of a Classic... alternate Early Sessions "DeLorean Reveal" "Einstein Disintegrated" "Peabody Barn" "Marty Ditches DeLorean" "'55 Town Square #1" "'55 Town Square #2" "Retrieve DeLorean" "1.21 Jigowatts" "The Picture" "Skateboard Chase" "George to the Rescue" "Tension; The Kiss" "Clocktower" "'85 Lone Pine Mall" "Doc Returns" "Ling Ting Ring"
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Back to the Future Part II: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the film score album for the 1989 film Back to the Future Part II, the second installment in the Back to the Future trilogy. It was released by MCA Records on November 22, 1989, and features most of the film score, composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri and performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony. AllMusic rated the soundtrack four-and-a-half stars out of five. Unlike the previous soundtrack album, it contains only Silvestri's score and omits the vocal songs featured in the film.
Intrada Records reissued the soundtrack as a two-disc expanded edition on October 12, 2015, to commemorate the first film's 30th anniversary. The release includes the complete score, consisting of 22 tracks, on disc one and alternate cues and source music on disc two.Intrada soundtrack release . store.intrada.com
Track listings Standard edition "Main Title": 2:22 "The Future": 5:24 "Hoverboard Chase": 2:50 "A Flying DeLorean?": 4:31 "My Father!": 2:05 "Alternate 1985": 3:05 "If They Ever Did": 3:58 "Pair O' Docs": 1:28 "The Book": 4:50 "Tunnel Chase": 5:22 "Burn The Book": 2:26 "Western Union": 1:53 "End Title": 4:38
Expanded edition – Disc 1: The Film Score "Back to Back / It's Your Kids" "Main Title (extended version)" "The Future" "Chicken / Hoverboard Chase" "A Flying DeLorean?" "I'm in The Future / Biff Steals DeLorean" "Chicken Needles / Jenn Sees Jenn" "Biff's World / 27th Floor" "My Father!" "Alternate 1985" "Gray's Sports Almanac / If They Ever Did" "Something Inconspicuous" "You'll Never Lose / Old New DeLorean" "Pair O' Docs" "The Book" "Nobody / Tunnel Chase" "Burn The Book" "He's Gone" "Western Union" "I'm Back / End Logo" "The West" "End Title"
Expanded edition – Disc 2: Alternates "Back to Back (alternate)" "Main Title (alternate)" "The Future (alternate)" "Hoverboard Chase (alternate)" "A Flying DeLorean? (alternate)" "Biff's World (alternate)" "If They Ever Did (alternate segment)" "You'll Never Lose (alternate)" "Western Union (alternate #1)" "I'm Back (alternate #1)" "Western Union (alternate #2)" "I'm Back (alternate #2)" "End Logo (alternate)" "The West (alternate)" "End Title (alternate)"
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Back to the Future Part III: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the film score album for the film Back to the Future Part III, the third and final installment in the Back to the Future trilogy. It was released by Varèse Sarabande on May 29, 1990, and features most of the film score by Alan Silvestri. The soundtrack includes the acoustic instrumental version of the song "Doubleback" as performed in the film, but does not include the original ZZ Top version of the song played during the end credits.
Varèse Sarabande reissued the soundtrack as a two-disc expanded edition on October 12, 2015, to commemorate the film's 25th anniversary. The soundtrack includes the complete score in chronological order on the first disc, and alternate cues, source music, and acoustic renditions of traditional folk songs on the second disc.
Track listings Standard edition "Main Title": 3:08 "It's Clara (The Train, Part II)": 4:36 "Hill Valley": 2:21 "The Hanging": 1:45 "At First Sight": 3:18 "Indians": 1:12 "Goodbye Clara": 3:02 "Doc Returns": 2:55 "Point of No Return (The Train, Part III)": 3:49 "The Future Isn't Written": 3:37 "The Showdown": 1:30 "Doc to the Rescue": 0:57 "The Kiss": 1:55 "We're Out of Gas": 1:18 "Wake Up Juice": 1:12 "A Science Experiment (The Train, Part I)": 3:11 "Doubleback (acoustic instrumental version)": 1:20 "End Credits": 4:02
25th Anniversary edition – Disc 1: The Film Score "Back to Back / Court House" "Main Title" "Into the Mine / Tombstone / It's Me" "Warmed Up" "Indians (film version)" "Safe and Sound" "Hill Valley" "The Hanging" "We're Out of Gas" "There is No Bridge / Doc to the Rescue" "At First Sight" "Yellow" "The Kiss" "You Talkin' to Me?" "The Future Isn't Written" "Goodbye Clara" "What's Up Doc / Marty Gallops / To the Future" "Wake Up Juice" "Callin' You Out / Count Off" "The Showdown / The Kick" "A Science Experiment (The Train – Part I)" "It's Clara (The Train – Part II)" "Point of No Return (The Train – Part III)" "It's Destroyed / Back to the Girlfriend / It's Erased" "Doc Returns" "End Credits"
25th Anniversary edition – Disc 2: Alternates "Back to Back / Court House (alternate)" "I'm Back / Main Title (alternate)" "Into the Mine / Tombstone (alternate)" "Warmed Up (alternate)" "Indians (alternate)"