Permanent Record - Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Permanent Record (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) came out in 1988. This was the first time I saw Keanu Reeves in a movie (where else would I have seen him?), and I thought he was awesome. I thought the movie was awesome. I thought the soundtrack was awesome.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the movie. The last time was in the early ’90s when I was chaperoning a Youth Group sleepover. One of the kids actually brought it to watch. I didn’t object. I thought it was still pretty good. Some of the lustre was missing, but it was still good.

I’ve had the CD on my shelf since it came out and, despite what you are about to read, THIS IS AN AWESOME soundtrack. I don't know why I wanted this on vinyl, other than I wanted this on vinyl. Still, once I get a bee in my bonnet and all that it becomes a thing ... and as you can see, I managed to find a really nice copy. I did notice my disc had more credits which I suppose was par for the course. By the late '80s albums seemed to come with the cheap plastic insert and liner notes were scarce. Well, as fate would have it I still have my CD.

Much of the movie is centred on “Wishing On Another Lucky Star,” a song that should have been a huge hit for J. D. Souther and, in my opinion, is arguably the best song he EVER recorded. I actually thought this song would kick-start his career, and I remember looking for his stuff but his lone studio album in the ’80s was Home by Dawn, an album I bought after seeing the movie. There were a couple of really good songs on it, most notably the title track and “Night,” which was co-written by Waddy Wachtel. That was the last time I remember seeing anything new by him.

From what I’ve read, he did release more material starting with If the World Was You in 2008, with his last album coming out in 2015. J. D. Souther always seemed like the guy who just about had it all...

I bought Permanent Record essentially for one song. I got the song I wanted and a couple of extras I wasn’t expecting.

The record’s first side is dedicated to Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War. I never really got into this side and, while I do think the music worked in the context of the movie, I just never really liked the garage-band style of the songs. This sort of indie alternative stuff may have been cool, but that didn’t mean it was enjoyable. I will say, though, it is more enjoyable now than it was back when I bought it.

The second side, though, is where the goodness was to be found. Starting with The Godfathers’ “’Cause I Said So,” which just melted my brain. Holy shit, this was so good. So good that I went out and bought Birth, School, Work, Death and, a year later, More Songs About Love & Hate.

Then there was the The Kinks cover “All Day and All of the Night” by The Stranglers. Goodness me, I know this is bordering on sacrilege, but to me this is the definitive version. Oddly, it would be years before I picked up anything by them. I settled for getting their greatest hits collection. Turns out most of their stuff I didn’t really like that much. Oh well.

There was a song by BoDeans that was okay but nothing special, and a Lou Reed song, “Something Happened,” that was cool in the movie but kind of meh as a standalone.

For whatever reason, though, if you ask me about this one, I will confidently say this is a great soundtrack. I can’t back it up with numbers or reason. I lean into my emotional response, and “Wishing On Another Lucky Star” is so good that it rights all wrongs. It’s a travesty this song isn’t available for people to hear.

The movie may be more of a footnote now in Keanu Reeves’ resume, but for me it was an important part of the soundtrack of my life at the time.

Life goes on
As sure as the sky
It’s come and gone
In the wink of an eye
You leave your home
On the wings of the night
You will never die.