Multiple unofficial versions of the soundtrack from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off circulated for years – especially in the late 1990s and early 2000s as file-sharing and burned CDs were commonplace among just about anyone with a computer and an internet connection. It wasn’t until 2016 – thirty years after the film’s initial release – that FBDO fans were given an official soundtrack release.
On September 20, 2016, La La Land Records released Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Music From the Motion Picture) with a run of CDs limited to only 5,000 copies. The release was a comprehensive collection of the popular songs heard throughout FBDO as well as the many original works composed by Ira Newborn for the film’s score.
 |
| Image: The Ferris File |
So where are each of these songs actually found in the film? Below you will find an complete and exhaustive list of every song featured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (including a few titles not featured on the official soundtrack), where in the film you can hear each song, links to play each track (and download/purchase songs if you’re interested in compiling your own complete soundtrack) and a few side notes here and there.
If you weren’t fortunate enough to pick up a copy of the La La Land release back in 2016, copies still show up for sale online. Expect to pay a good penny, but keep your eye on eBay and Amazon and you may get lucky!
The Ferris File participates in the Amazon Associates program and the eBay Partner Network -- affiliate advertising opportunities which provides the possibility to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon and eBay.
. . .
WLS Jingle
Courtesy of JAM Creative Productions
Hear it in the film: Opening seconds of the film (00:00:16)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Notes: One of many station identification bumpers for WLS, 890 AM radio in Chicago. The photo below shows the WLS on-air staff in 1986 including Fred Winston (far left). It is believed that Mr. Winston’s voice is the one heard following the WLS jingle as FBDO begins.
 |
| Image: WLS-AM 890 |
Ferris in Bed
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Mr. and Mrs. Bueller leave Ferris for the day (00:02:19)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
MTV Promo
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Cut to TV screen as Ferris declares, "They bought it." (00:03:15)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Notes: While the guitar-heavy clip heard in the film is very similar to what was used in the MTV station identification bumpers around this time, it is believed that this is a unique and ever-so-slightly-different audio segment made for FBDO.
Love Missile F1-11
Performed by: Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Written by: Tony James, Neil Whitmore & Martin Degville
Hear it in the film: Ferris opens his curtains and prepares for the day (00:03:25)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Official Video: YouTube
Notes: The name of the band is misspelled in the FBDO credits as “Sigue Sigue Sputnick.”
 |
| Image: Paramount Pictures |
Danke Schoen
Performed by: Wayne Newton (originally), Matthew Broderick (in this scene)
Written by: Bert Kaempfert, Kurt Schwabach & Milt Gabler
Hear it in the film: Ferris sings in the shower (00:05:07)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: This song is heard several other times throughout the film.
Cameron in Bed / Ferris Goes Hawaiian
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Ferris talks on the phone with Cameron (00:06:39)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Jeannie (Theme From “I Dream of Jeannie”)
Written by: Hugo Montenegro
Hear it in the film: Ferris dances across his bedroom (00:11:58)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Official Video: YouTube
Blue Danube Waltz
Written by: Johann Strauss
Hear it in the film: Played by Ferris on his keyboard using a variety of pre-programmed bodily sounds (00:13:50)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
 |
| Image: Paramount Pictures |
Nurse
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as the school nurse, Florence Sparrow, walks down the hall to Sloane's classroom (00:18:04)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Ferris on Line 2
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Grace informs Mr. Rooney that Ferris is on the other phone line (00:21:13)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Bueller, Ferris Bueller
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score after Cameron instructs Mr. Rooney to "mind [his] P's and Q's" and "remember who [he's] dealing with." (00:22:52)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Oh Yeah
Performed by: Yello
Written by: Boris Blank & Dieter Meier
Hear it in the film: Cameron and Ferris open the garage to reveal the Ferrari (00:26:14)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Official Video: YouTube
Notes: The track most often associated with FBDO, this song is also used during the closing credits of the film. Oh Yeah was released on both 7” and 12” vinyl – both noted as being “featured in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
 |
| Image: The Ferris File |
Beat City
Performed by: The Flowerpot Men
Written by: Ben Watkins & Adam Peters
Hear it in the film: Driving into the city after picking up Sloane at school (00:30:56)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: This song was released as a 7” promotional vinyl backed with I’m Afraid by Blue Room (a track also featured on the FBDO soundtrack).
 |
| Image: The Ferris File |
Coughlin Brothers Mortuary
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Answering machine message when Mr. Rooney attempts to call the Petersons (00:33:41)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Notes: According to the FBDO script, it is Cameron’s voice heard on this answering machine message. Although it has not been confirmed that it is Alan Ruck’s voice used in the film, it certainly sounds like that could be the case.
Bad
Performed by: Big Audio Dynamite
Written by: Mick Jones & Don Letts
Hear it in the film: Playing at the parking garage as Ferris arrives to park the Ferrari (00:34:19)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Mom Checks on Ferris
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Mrs. Bueller comes home to check on Ferris (00:36:57)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Celebrated Minuet
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score at Chez Quis (00:40:35)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Jeanie Turns Ugly
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Jeanie stands at the end of the school hallway (00:44:18)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Rooney On Patrol
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Mr. Rooney arrives at the pizza joint (00:47:34)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Ballpark Baloney
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score playing quietly behind the crowd noise at the baseball game (00:50:23)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Danke Schoen
Performed by: Wayne Newton (originally), Jeffrey Jones (in this scene)
Written by: Bert Kaempfer, Kurt Schwabach & Milt Gabler
Hear it in the film: Mr. Rooney hums after ringing the doorbell at the Bueller house (00:51:30)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: This song is heard several other times throughout the film.
Rooney Sneaks Around
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Mr. Rooney snoops outside the Bueller house (00:52:54)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Star Wars (Main Title)
Performed by: John Williams
Written by: John Williams
Hear it in the film: Parking attendants in slow motion as they take air in the Ferrari (00:54:38)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: The title is misspelled in the FBDO credits as “Stars Wars.”
 |
| Image: Paramount Pictures |
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Performed by: The Dream Academy
Written by: Steven Morrisey & Johnny Marr
Hear it in the film: Ferris, Cameron and Sloane visit the art museum (00:56:07)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Official Video: YouTube
Notes: This song was originally recorded by The Smiths. In some deleted scenes and promotional materials for FBDO, a poster for the Smiths album Meat is Murder can be seen hanging in Ferris’s bedroom.
 |
| Image: Paramount Pictures |
Polka Medley
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Music performed by the marching band at the parade (00:58:02)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Notes: The portion used in this scene starts at approximately 01:57 through the track
Danke Schoen
Performed by: Wayne Newton (lip synced by Matthew Broderick)
Written by: Bert Kaempfer, Kurt Schwabach & Milt Gabler
Hear it in the film: Ferris "sings" at the parade (01:01:07)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: This song is heard several other times throughout the film.
Twist and Shout
Performed by: The Beatles (lip synced by Matthew Broderick)
Written by: Bert Russell & Phil Mansfield
Hear it in the film: Ferris "sings" at the parade (01:02:52)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Polka Medley
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Playing quietly at the garage as Ferris returns for the Ferrari (01:08:34)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Radio People
Performed by: Zapp
Written by: Larry Troutman & Zapp Troutman
Hear it in the film: After leaving the parking garage, Ferris notices the mileage on the Ferrari (01:11:20)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
I’m Afraid
Performed by: Blue Room
Written by: David Joyner & Paul Mansfield
Hear it in the film: Cameron is catatonic at the beach as Ferris talks to the camera (01:13:06)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Notes: This song was released as a 7” promotional vinyl backed with Beat City by The Flowerpot Men (a track also featured on the FBDO soundtrack).
Taking the Day Off
Performed by: General Public
Written by: David Wakeling
Hear it in the film: Cameron sits on the diving board while Ferris and Sloane sit in the hot tub (01:14:49)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: General Public singer-songwriter Dave Wakeling can be seen briefly during the FBDO scene shot at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Wakeling and Ranking Roger, both members of General Public, were previously part of The (English) Beat – another band with a track on the FBDO soundtrack.
Oh Shauna Jeanie
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Jeanie tells Garth her name at the police station (01:28:49)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Cameron Takes the Heat
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Background score as Cameron decides to stand up to his father (01:26:56)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Danke Schoen
Performed by: Wayne Newton (originally), Jennifer Grey (in this scene)
Written by: Bert Kaempfer, Kurt Schwabach & Milt Gabler
Hear it in the film: Jeanie sings as she exits the police station (01:29:19)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: This song is heard several other times throughout the film.
The Edge of Forever
Performed by: The Dream Academy
Written by: Nick Laird-Clowes & Gilbert Gabriel
Hear it in the film: Ferris says goodbye to Sloane for the day (01:29:26)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
March of the Swivelheads
Performed by: The (English) Beat
Written by: The (English) Beat
Hear it in the film: The race home (01:31:02)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Notes: Singer/guitarist for The (English) Beat, Dave Wakeling, can be seen briefly during the FBDO scene shot at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. Two members of The Beat, Wakeling and Ranking Roger, went on to form General Public – another band with a track on the FBDO soundtrack.
Dog Food Rooney / Ferris Goes To Bed
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Jeanie confronts Mr. Rooney and Ferris rushes to his bedroom (01:36:12)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
Mom, Dad and Ferris
Written by: Ira Newborn
Hear it in the film: Mr. and Mrs. Bueller enter Ferris's bedroom at the end of the day (01:37:49)
Stream/Purchase: YouTube
 |
| Image: Paramount Pictures |
Oh Yeah
Performed by: Yello
Written by: Boris Blank & Dieter Meier
Hear it in the film: Closing credits (01:38:49)
Stream/Purchase: Amazon | YouTube
Official Video: YouTube
Notes: This track is also featured earlier in the film as Cameron’s father’s Ferrari is revealed for the first time.
. . .
The Ferris File participates in the Amazon Associates program and the eBay Partner Network -- affiliate advertising opportunities which provides the possibility to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon and eBay.