To Live and Die in L.A. (soundtrack)

Updated on Oct 07, 2024

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Released 30 September 1985 Length 38:37 To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) Mosaic (1986) Release date 30 September 1985 Genre New wave		Recorded 1985 Label Geffen 24081-2 Artist Wang Chung Movie To Live and Die in L.A.

Producers John Kalodner, David Massey Similar Points on the Curve, The Warmer Side of C, Everybody Wang Chung To, 20th Century Masters, Tazer Up!

To Live and Die in L.A. is a soundtrack album by Wang Chung, recorded for the 1985 film of the same name. It is the band's third album and second on Geffen Records. Instead of following up the success that Points on the Curve landed them, the band switched gears to produce an original motion picture soundtrack. The switch allowed for them to experiment with different styles of music from the conventional pop music on their previous album. The album's title song, peaked at #41 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the second single "Wake Up, Stop Dreaming" failed to chart.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Wang Chung; all songs produced by Wang Chung, except where noted.

Background

According to William Friedkin, director of the film To Live and Die in L.A., the main reason he chose Wang Chung to compose the soundtrack was because the band "stands out from the rest of contemporary music... What they finally recorded has not only enhanced the film, it has given it a deeper, more powerful dimension." [1] This, of course, was his response after listening to the band’s previous album, Points on the Curve. In fact, he loved the album so much, that he took two of the songs straight off of the album, "Wait", and Dance Hall Days and used them as part of the soundtrack. "Wait" plays at the end credits of the movie, and is the only song to appear on two different non-compilation albums.

Every song on the soundtrack, excluding the title song, "Dance Hall Days" and "Wait", were written and recorded within a two-week period. Only after Wang Chung saw a rough draft of the film did they produce the title song. [2]

On the original vinyl release, side one was all vocal tracks, side two all instrumental.

Credits

All songs published by Chong Music Ltd., adm. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. BMI.

Executive producers: John Kalodner, David Massey

Arranged by William Friedkin

Music supervision: John Kalodner

Production supervisor: Bob Weiner

"Lullaby" engineered by Brad Davis

Mastered by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan Sound Recorders, Los Angeles

Art director/design: Steve Gerdes

Graphic design: Pablo Ferro

Thanks to William Friedkin, Bud Smith and all at Todd A.O., Maggie Abbott and all at Triad, Bob Weiner, Ed Rosenblatt and Elaine Black.

Management: David Massey at Domino Directions, Ltd., London

Songs

1To Live And Die In LA4:53
2Lullaby4:40
3Wake Up - Stop Dreaming4:35

References

To Live and Die in L.A. (soundtrack) Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Contents

Track listing

Background

Credits

Songs

References