Ranking the Soundtrack’s Songs

In 2012 the Spin webpage published an article titled Dirty Dancing 25 Years Later: Ranking the Soundtrack’s Songs, written by music essayist David Marchese. The article includes the following passages.

.... [The soundtrack album] Dirty Dancing has been certified 11 times platinum since it came out in 1987. The album spent 18 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard’s Top 200 album chart. It spawned singles: Eric Carmen’s misty “Hungry Eyes” went to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Double-duty star Patrick Swayze’s “She’s Like the Wind,” went to No. 3. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ duet, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life) was a No. 1. The album was, is, a monster.

But no one would argue say that all the album’s songs are deathless classics .... I didn’t have to revisit the soundtrack to know its highs and lows. These songs are forever lurking in my mental substrate. Some for better, some for worse. So, here’s my ranking of the album’s tracks, from favored last dance picks to the tracks that belong, eternally, in a corner:

1. Be My Baby by The Ronettes
Film trivia: Along with Dirty Dancing, what other American cinema classic has an opening scene set to “Be My Baby?” Mean Streets! It’s hard to think of two more temperamentally opposed films, but the Ronettes put the pedal down on both. And it works beautifully both times. Those opening drum blasts and Ronnie Spector’s booming voice have such a sense of promise and possibility to them — it’s the start of summer, it’s the sun coming up, it’s an exemplary lead-off song.

2. Overload Alfie Zappacosta
“Overload” is ridiculous and I love it. Zappacosta sings in a goofy macho belch, like he’s thinking about absolutely crushing some bicep curls as soon as he’s through with the song. It kills me, and the sparse drum beat and guitar wriggles during the chorus are weirdly cool and minimal. If Rambo-era Sylvester Stallone made music, it’d sound like this.

3. Love Is Strange by Mickey and Sylvia
The opening guitar licks are tersely funky and culminate on an awesome broke-note fill. The song’s spoken duet part (“Hey, Sylvia?”) never stops being adorable either. Sylvia’s delivery has an acid sassiness that keeps the song from getting too sweet.

4. Hey! Baby by Bruce Channel
A No. 1 single in 1961, this song — an amiable Buddy Holly-esque lope — features harmonica so bright and playful and carefree the Grinch could get with it.

5. Stay by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
When whichever Zodiac is responsible swoops into his falsetto, it’s impossible not to smile. Even if Williams and Co. intend something lascivious (it’s creepy to convince a girl to hang around by saying her “Mommy” and “Daddy” won’t mind), there’s a buoyancy to the sound that’s irresistible. And the rhythm has a nice lulling Latin lilt.

Marchese continues to list the following songs in order, with a comment about each.

6. Hungry Eyes

7. Time of My Life

8. In the Still of the Night

9. Yes!

10. She's Like the Wind

11. Where Are You Tonight?

12. You Don't Own Me

Read the entire article there.