'Footloose' at 40! Every song on the soundtrack, ranked (including that Kenny Loggins gem)
From the iconic shoe-filled opening to Kevin Bacon angrily doing gymnastics in a warehouse, “Footloose” is an all-timer of a movie that explores youthful enthusiasm vs. repressive morality – and boy, does it sound really great, too.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary Feb. 17, the rousing musical drama centers on Ren McCormack (Bacon), a Chicago teen with cool moves sent to live in a conservative small town where dancing has been outlawed. (Suffice to say, they wouldn't have loved TikTok.) Ren gets a bestie in cowboy Willard (Chris Penn), butts heads with powerful town preacher Reverend Moore (John Lithgow) and takes a liking to his rebellious daughter Ariel (Lori Singer).
“Footloose” (which has a new 4K/Blu-ray edition out this week) has made a considerable imprint on pop culture over the years, being turned into a jukebox musical, enjoying a running “greatest movie in history” bit in the Marvel movies and even getting remade (with mixed results) in 2015. Just as classic is its soundtrack, one of the best of the 1980s with No. 1 hits, a variety of artists and double the Kenny Loggins.
So let’s kick off the Sunday shoes and rank every song on the original ’84 “Footloose” soundtrack:
9. Moving Pictures, ‘Never’
If you're ticked off at the world and need to dance out a whole bunch of angst in an empty warehouse, you could do worse than the Aussie pop-rockers' pulsating, emotional jam, which lays it on thick with the synths and sax. (Fun fact: The Baconator didn't even get to do his own high bar routine! That was a stunt double.)
8. Karla Bonoff, ‘Somebody’s Eyes’
Bonoff has been primarily known as a songwriter in her career with songs like "All My Life," a Grammy-winning duet for Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville. She sings it herself on "Somebody's Eyes," a pretty straightforward soft-rock love song that boasts a nice, hooky chorus.
7. Sammy Hagar, 'The Girl Gets Around'
A tune from Hagar's pre-Van Halen days, "Girl" is the most '80s rocker on the album – and another track that wouldn't have been very welcome in the religious town of Bomont. "I'm starting to think there's a devil there inside," Hagar growls about a girl with innocent looks but who "knows what she likes." (An exorcist won't help you with that situation.)
6. Shalamar, 'Dancing in the Sheets'
Lithgow's holy man wasn't a big fan of dancing (or kids being kids at all, really), so he probably wouldn't have dug this song, about smooth moves in the bedroom, as much as the rest of us. Shalamar delivers a groovetastic R&B number that's not exactly subtle with lyrics like "Your hands are cold/So maybe we could make some heat."
5. Mike Reno and Ann Wilson, ‘Almost Paradise’
Hop in a time-traveling DeLorean and you'll probably witness all sorts of 1980s school dances playing the love theme from "Footloose" (and likely most of the kids being wallflowers like in the movie). A passionate team-up of Loverboy frontman Reno, Heart lead singer Wilson and songwriter Eric Carmen (whom we can hold responsible for "All by Myself").
4. Kenny Loggins, ‘I’m Free (Heaven Helps the Man)’
Like "Top Gun," this soundtrack benefited from two Loggins songs. This one's definitely a different vibe from the title track: The stirring and fist-pumping rocker acts as a victory number of sorts in the movie, as Ren, Ariel and the youngsters are able to have a prom over the county line and get down with party decorations.
3. Deniece Williams, ‘Let’s Hear It for the Boy’
Armed with an ear-worming instrumental opening riff, the peppy single was the R&B singer's second No. 1 hit – after the 1978 duet "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" with Johnny Mathis – and a perfect tune for the joyful montage where Ren teaches the rhythmically deficient Willard how to dance like a champ.
2. Bonnie Tyler, ‘Holding Out for a Hero’
The Welsh singer's anthemic ode to "a white knight upon a fiery steed" is arguably the one "Footloose" tune that's had the most life outside the movie over four decades, even appearing in "Shrek 2." Why? Because it rules, obviously. It's hard to fathom listening to the Jim Steinman-penned festival of power-chord bombast and not be compelled to play a deadly game of chicken with tractors.
1. Kenny Loggins, ‘Footloose’
Come on now. You might not have a pulse if this Oscar-nominated Loggins jam doesn't get you toe-tappin' and boot-scootin'. Sure, it doesn't make a lick of sense that all the kids in a town where dancing has been banned most of their lives suddenly know intricate group choreography for the big prom finale, but when our pied piper of cheesy greatness orders everybody to "cut footloose," your head's bobbing too much to care.