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

To Live and Die in L.A. soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Wang Chung
Released	September 30, 1985
Recorded	1985
Genre	New wave
Length	38:37
Label	Geffen 24081-2
Producer	John Kalodner and David Massey
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Wang Chung chronology
Points on the Curve (1984) To Live and Die in L.A. Soundtrack (1985) Mosaic (1986) Singles from To Live and Die in L.A. "To Live and Die in L.A." Released: September 25, 1985

The To Live and Die in L.A. soundtrack is Wang Chung's third album and second on Geffen Records. Instead of following up on the success that Points on the Curve landed them, Wang Chung 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. Released in 1985, only the album's title song made it on the Billboard Hot 100 where it peaked at #41 in the U.S.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Wang Chung; all songs produced by Wang Chung, unless noted otherwise.

Geffen Records Cassette: M5G 24081

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"To Live and Die in L.A." (Tony Swain, Steve Jolley)	4:53
2.	"Lullaby"	4:43
3.	"Wake Up, Stop Dreaming" (Wang Chung, David Motion)	4:35
4.	"Wait" (Chris Hughes, Ross Cullum)	4:26
Total length:		18:37

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"City of the Angels"	9:17
2.	"The Red Stare"	3:11
3.	"Black-Blue-White"	2:23
4.	"Every Big City"	5:09
Total length:		20:00

Geffen Records CD: GED 24081

No.	Title	Length
1.	"To Live and Die in L.A." (Tony Swain, Steve Jolley)	4:53
2.	"Lullaby"	4:43
3.	"Wake Up, Stop Dreaming" (Wang Chung, David Motion)	4:35
4.	"Wait" (Chris Hughes, Ross Cullum)	4:26
5.	"City of the Angels"	9:17
6.	"The Red Stare"	3:11
7.	"Black-Blue-White"	2:23
8.	"Every Big City"	5:09
Total length:		38:37

Chart performance

Chart (1985)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200	85

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 one of the songs straight off of the album, "Wait", and used it 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 and "Wait", was 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 was all instrumental.

Credits

• All songs published by Chong Music Ltd., adm. by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. BMI
• Executive Producers: John Kalodner and 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