The “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack reached #1 this day in 1987. The soundtrack has become such a legendary relic just like its movie.
Frances “Baby” is a summer away from joining the Peace Corps and is on a vacation with her family. Disappointed, she spends her last summer at a sleepy resort in Catskills with her family. Yet, this vacation only becomes a matter of excitement for her. She comes across dance instructor, Johnny Castle, who needs a dance partner for the final, big dance performance of the season.
Johnny instills the nickname “Baby” to Frances because he first sees her as immature and still a child since she is a bit younger than him. Yet, the duo grows a close bond when they start to practice dancing together. Later, they realize they are madly in love with each other. “Baby” starts to spend a lot of time with Johnny. Her father, who’s a doctor, gets suspicious of her activity.
One of the other dance instructors, Penny, gets into some trouble. She gets pregnant by one of the other dance instructors and proceeds to have a shady procedure done. Johnny tends to her care and asks “Baby” to ask her father for help. Her father tends to Penny then further accuses Johnny of being the perpetrator in the situation and forbids his daughter from seeing Johnny again.
“Baby” still holds on for hope with Johnny and continues to practice dancing with him, growing her love for him. They prepare for the big performance at the end of the season which brings the whole room off their feet and shows Frances’ father that Johnny is a good guy. Johnny shows her father how important Frances is by telling him to never put her down or to “never put Baby in the corner.”
The soundtrack is filled with songs that set each scene perfectly and warms the audience’s hearts. The most popular song from the soundtrack is “I’ve Had The Time Of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. This is the song that Frances and Johnny perform their final dance to. It shows that Frances has had the time of her life this summer with Johnny and shows her father how much she truly loves him. Within the dance, Johnny performs a motion of lifting Frances into the air like there’s no one else in the room. This moment is one that many dream of.
Overall, the “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack has been very influential and has left such a remarkable trail behind it. It truly did deserve #1 for its time. Check it out for yourself!
