The Return of the Living Dead (soundtrack)

The Return of the Living Dead is the original soundtrack from the film of the same name, released in 1985 by Enigma Records. The film itself is a horror comedy film written and directed by Dan O'Bannon about a group of teenage punks dealing with a horde of brain-hungry zombies.

The Return of the Living Dead
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released	1985
Genre	Film score punk rock horror punk psychobilly
Length	34:38
Label	Enigma
Producer	The Cramps Michael Wagener Ron Goudie Chris Gray T.S.O.L. Chris D. Duane Aslaksen The Damned Herb Fenstein Tall Boys The Jet Black Berries Jon St. James

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

The soundtrack features classic punk rock, horror punk/death rock, psychobilly songs by groups like the Cramps, 45 Grave, T.S.O.L., the Damned and the Flesh Eaters.

The soundtrack has undergone numerous releases in different countries.

A limited vinyl edition was released in 2016.

Reception

John Leland of Spin wrote, "All of the songs deal with death—though usually not the kind that prevents you from living a normal, active life, The tunes range from the bad to the bad, encompassing all shades of meaning of the word."

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Performer	Length
1.	"Surfin' Dead"	Ivy Rorschach, Lux Interior	The Cramps	4:11
2.	"Partytime (Zombie Version)"	Paul B. Cutler Dinah Cancer Don Bolles	45 Grave	2:48
3.	"Nothing for You"	T.S.O.L.	T.S.O.L.	2:24
4.	"Eyes Without a Face"	Chris Desjardins Don Kirk Robyn Jameson Chris Wahl	The Flesh Eaters	3:12
5.	"Burn the Flames"	Erickson	Roky Erickson	6:00

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Performer	Length
1.	"Dead Beat Dance"	The Damned	The Damned	3:51
2.	"Take a Walk"	Nigel Lewis, Mark Robertson	Tall Boys	2:28
3.	"Love Under Will"	Gary Trainer	Jet Black Berries	2:56
4.	"Tonight (We'll Make Love Until We Die)"	Stacey Swain, Jon St. James	SSQ	3:37
5.	"Trash's Theme"	St. James	SSQ	2:55

Other musical credits

1. Francis Haines, "The Trioxin Theme" (Main title)
2. The F.U.'s, "Young, Fast Iranians" : 1991 Hemdale version and subsequent DVD and Blu-ray Releases, though not on official soundtrack album.
3. 45 Grave, "Partytime (Single Version)": version actually used in the film, though not on official soundtrack album.
4. Norbert Schultze, "Panzer Rollen in Afrika vor": song playing on Ernie's walkman, though not on official soundtrack album.

Personnel

• Cover (Album Cover Design) – Brian Ayuso;
• Mastered By – Eddy Schreyer;
• Producer (Executive Soundtrack Album Production) – Budd Carr;
• Producer (Soundtrack Album Production) – Steve Pross, William Hein;

Releases

• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (LP, Album), Enigma Records, US 1985.
• Le Retour Des Morts Vivants "The Return Of The Living Dead", (LP, Pic, Comp), New Rose Records, France 1985.
• Le Retour Des Morts Vivants (The Return Of The Living Dead), (LP, Comp), New Rose Records, France, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead OST, (Cass, Album), Big Beat Records, UK, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (CD, Album), Big Beat Records, UK, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (CD, Album, Comp), Metal Blade Records, Restless Records, US, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (Cass, Album) Enigma Records US 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (Cass, Album, Comp) Enigma Records New Zealand 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (LP, Album) Big Beat Records 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (LP, Album), Enigma Records, Big Time, New Zealand, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (LP, Comp), Big Beat Records, UK, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (LP, Comp, W/Lbl), Big Beat Records, UK, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (LP, Ltd, Pic), Enigma Records, US, 1985.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Soundtrack), (LP, Album) Enigma Records 2004, Netherlands, 1985.
• Various – Le Retour Des Morts Vivants (The Return Of The Living Dead), (LP, Comp, TP), New Rose Records, France, 1985.
• Battalion / The Return Of The Living Dead - Original Soundtrack, (LP, Album), Victor, Japan 1986.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (LP, Album), Enigma Records, Spain, 1986.
• Battalion / The Return Of The Living Dead - Original Soundtrack, (CD, Album, RM), Victor, Japan, 1987.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), (CD), Enigma Records, US, 1987.
• The Return Of The Living Dead (Original Soundtrack), (LP, Album, Ltd, RE, Bla), Real Gone Music, 2016.

The making of the soundtrack - Blu-ray bonus features (2016)

Blu-ray review: The Return of the Living Dead: Collector's Edition

• "Party Time: The Music of The Return Of The Living Dead" (Expanded Version) (30 minutes), with Music Consultants Budd Carr, Steve Pross and Soundtrack Artists: Dinah Cancer (45 Grave), Chris D (The Flesh Eaters), Roky Erickson, Karl Moet (SSQ), Joe Wood (T.S.O.L.), Mark Robertson (Tall Boys). Also featuring musicians: Greg Hetson (Circle Jerks) and John Sox (The F.U.'s, Straw Dogs) — As mentioned, the soundtrack for the film is a loving ode to 1980s punk rock, and some of its stalwarts look back at the process of getting on the soundtrack.

See also

• Night of the Living Dead (film series)