Prettier in Pink

There was always something about Pretty in Pink that entranced me. 

I only saw the movie once or twice in the last 40 years before rewatching it again just recently. And yes, I still catch the same feels I first received when watching poor Ducky get mercilessly friend-zoned by Andi for some preppy goof. Or the way by which producer John Hughes and director Howard Deutch sharpened the edges of the wealth gap in American suburbs during the Reagan era in the plot, especially in regards to the politics of the budding romance between Andi and Blaine.

 

VIDEO: The Psychedelic Furs “Pretty in Pink”

I was too much of a dork in middle school to recognize the genius of the film’s soundtrack at the time — I was actually still collecting GI Joes when the movie originally came out on Feb. 28, 1986. I certainly wasn’t hanging out in record stores like Trax in the film, which was inspired by the famed Chicago haunt Wax Trax!, according to John Hughes folklore.

But in my older age, I’ve grown to appreciate the Pretty in Pink soundtrack for the perfect slab of modern pop culture it’s been since originally hitting the racks the same day the film was released. Older and wiser than my 13-year-old self, coupled with a very sentimental ear for mid-80s pop, the original 10-song set now washes over my speakers in a wave of neon nostalgia, anchored by era-defining songs including The Psychedelic Furs’ Top 5 title track “Pretty in Pink,” OMD’s iconic “If You Leave,” The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want,” New Order’s “Shell-Shock” and Echo & The Bunnymen’s sweeping anthem “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” and INXS fan-favorite deep-cut, “Do Wot You Do.”

Listening to Pretty in Pink in the present tense hits different, especially after having listened to countless hours of music since the movie first played in theaters. And the older I get, the more I recognize these 10 songs as the film’s emotional core — as essential as the plot lines they support. These days, I’m especially fond of “Left of Center” by Suzanne Vega, which features piano played by her A&M labelmate at the time Joe Jackson, and “Round, Round” from underrated British singer Belouis Some.  Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night does a version of Nik Kershaw’s “Wouldn’t It Be Good” that deserves some shine as well.

In many ways, listening to the Pretty in Pink soundtrack in 2026 is very much akin to spending 40 minutes inside Trax, browsing through the bins while Annie Potts rolls her eyes at me over my selections when I amble up to the counter. Maybe I’ll pick up a copy of The Time’s Ice Cream Castles on vinyl because of Jesse Johnson’s “Get To Know Ya.”

In honor of the film’s 40th anniversary, UMe has just released a new edition of the soundtrack, pressed on “Pretty in Baby Pink” vinyl in a photo-adorned gatefold jacket and amended by two bonus tracks previously unavailable on the soundtrack: Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” and Talk Back’s “Rudy.” A standard-weight black 1LP featuring the original tracklist will also be available.

Would it have been cooler if UMe expanded the Pretty in Pink soundtrack to make it a double LP to include songs featured in the film from The Rave-Ups, John Lennon, The Association, Barry Manilow and Code Blue? Maybe so, especially for those of you who have this music running through your veins.

But for what it’s worth, the way it stands remains the perfect encapsulation of the knot of emotions that come with growing up, falling in love and reckoning with the truth. It still harnesses the power to literally transport you to that time in your life when the line “you always said we’d still be friends” felt like both a dagger and a hug. 

 

1LP ‘Pretty in Baby Pink’ Color Tracklist:

SIDE A

“If You Leave” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) – 4:24

“Left of Center” – Suzanne Vega (feat. Joe Jackson) – 3:32

“Get to Know Ya” – Jesse Johnson – 3:33

“Do Wot You Do” – INXS – 3:17

“Pretty in Pink” – The Psychedelic Furs – 4:40

“Try A Little Tenderness” – Otis Redding – 3:49

 

SIDE B

“Shell-Shock” – New Order – 6:04

“Round, Round” – Belouis Some – 4:06

“Wouldn’t It Be Good” – Danny Hutton Hitters – 3:43

“Bring on the Dancing Horses” – Echo & The Bunnymen – 3:58

“Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” – The Smiths – 1:50

“Rudy” – Talk Back – 4:17

 

VIDEO: Pretty in Pink trailer

 

VIDEO: OMD “If You Leave”