The Transformers: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

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This article is about the soundtrack to the 1986 animated film. For the soundtrack to the 2007 live-action film, see Transformers: The Album. For other uses, see Transformers (disambiguation).

The Transformers: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Various Artists
Released(US) July 24,1986
(JP) 1989
(US Re-release) 1992
Genre
Length37:45
Label(US) Scotti Bros. Records
(JP) Pony Canyon
(US Re-release) Volcano Entertainment
Producer
Singles from The Transformers The Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
  1. "The Touch / Dare to Be Stupid"
    Released: July 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[1]
SputnikmusicStarStarStar[2]

The Transformers: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the 1986 soundtrack from the motion picture The Transformers: The Movie. It was released in the United States ahead of the theatrical release on July 26, 1986 [3] by Scotti Bros. Records on LP and cassette.

“Stan Bush’s ‘The Touch’ was released as a single and issued in the United States as a 45 RPM by Scotti Bros., with Weird Al Yankovic’s ‘Dare to Be Stupid’ on the B-side.” In the United Kingdom, Epic Records also issued the single as a die-cut picture disc featuring toy box art for the G1 Transformer Superion. [4]

In 1992, Scotti Bros. released the album on CD in the US. By 1999, it was subsequently re-issued by eventual successor company Volcano Entertainment,[5] and was re-released in 2007 with updated cover art and four bonus tracks.

In the fall of 2015, the soundtrack was reissued by Sony’s Legacy label as a limited-edition vinyl release for Record Store Day, marking the upcoming 30th anniversary of the film. [6]

The soundtrack was originally released in Japan by Pony Canyon on CD in 1989.

Reception

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The soundtrack received little media attention or commercial radio airplay prior to or during the film’s theatrical release. The single issued from the album, “The Touch", also received minimal airplay in the United States. “The Touch” fared somewhat better on German radio; RTL Luxembourg named it one of its “Records of the Week” for the week of 1986-10-04.[7] It also received airplay on stations in Hamburg and Munchen stations.

Ivan Brunet of British Columbia’s Nanaimo Daily News described the soundtrack as “Basically heavy metal music.” He singled out “Nothin's Gonna Stand in Our Way” by Kick Axe and “Instruments of Destruction” by NRG as standouts, but identified the key track as Stan Bush’s “The Touch,” which he called “a fiery rock tune.” He added, “Uneven as this album is, it will more than likely fare well on the strength of the film.”[8]

In Marianne Meyer’s A/P column “Rock View,” she described it as “A rock soundtrack featuring generally obscure musical acts” and used it as an example of the industry’s “soundtrack mania” at the time, writing that it was released in “an effort to bring older kids in to the theater for this toy-inspired cartoon.”[9]

Track listing

[edit]
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
1."The Touch"
  • Lenny Macaluso
  • Stan Bush
Stan Bush3:57
2."Instruments of Destruction"
  • Ernie Pertangelo
  • Robin Ward
  • Steven Serpa
NRG3:21
3."Death of Optimus Prime"Vince DiColaVince DiCola2:58
4."Dare"
  • Scott Shelly
  • DiCola
Stan Bush4:01
5."Nothing's Gonna Stand in Our Way" (John Farnham cover[10])Randy BishopKick Axe[11]3:38
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
1."The Transformers (Theme)"
  • Anne Bryant
  • Doug Aldrich
  • Ford Kinder
  • Norman Swan
Lion3:35
2."Escape"DiColaVince DiCola4:46
3."Hunger"
  • Brian Gillstrom
  • George Criston
  • Larry Gillstrom
  • Raymond Harvey
  • Spencer Proffer
  • Victor Langen
Kick Axe3:45
4."Autobot/Decepticon Battle"DiColaVince DiCola4:18
5."Dare to Be Stupid"Al Yankovic"Weird Al" Yankovic3:27
2007 bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
11."Unicron Medley"DiColaVince DiCola5:26
12."Moon Base 2 - Shuttle Launch"DiColaVince DiCola2:34
13."Megatron Must Be Stopped - Parts 1 and 2"DiColaVince DiCola6:15
14."The Transformers (Theme)" (Alternate Version)
  • Bryant
  • Aldrich
  • Kinder
  • Swan
Vince DiCola and Stan Bush2:39
Total length:54:40

Legacy

[edit]
[edit]
  • The song "The Touch" is performed by Mark Wahlberg's character Dirk Diggler in the 1997 film Boogie Nights. His performance appears as a hidden track on the soundtrack album to the film.
  • Stan Bush's original version of "The Touch" was used in the 2008 Chuck episode "Chuck Versus Tom Sawyer".[15] The song also appears in the games Shadow Warrior and Saints Row IV, along with an episode of American Dad! and The Goldbergs.
  • The "Passiona High" sketch from cult Australian radio show Get This was based around several songs from the Transformers soundtrack, reworked into the storyline of an underdog nerd winning the eponymous school's annual synthesizer solo contest. The album tracks featured are "The Touch", "Autobot/Decepticon Battle", "Escape" and "Dare".[16]
  • The "Get Psyched Mix" from Barney Stinson and the "Bro Code" in How I Met Your Mother point "The Transformers Theme" as a "Classic Get Psyched Song".
  • The Cybertronic Spree covers much of the album at conventions.
  • "Dare" is featured in The Goldbergs Season 4 episode "Fonzie Scheme" during the scene when Barry is attempting to jump a golf cart off of a mound of dirt.
  • "Dare" is featured in "Live Studio Audience," the seventh episode for the first season of the Netflix series GLOW, during a wrestling training montage between main characters Ruth and Debbie.
  • "Dare" is used during the fight training scene in Goon: Last of the Enforcers.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Fisher, Murrday. "AllMusic review". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Geriak, Christopher. "Soundtrack (Film) - The Transformers The Movie". Sputnikmusic.
  3. ^ Title: Richie at His Best, Daily News, July 22, 1986, p. 36, https://www.newspapers.com/image/492893475/, accessed December 5, 2025.
  4. ^ "Stan Bush / "Weird Al" Yankovic – The Transformers The Movie (The Touch / Dare To Be Stupid)". Discogs. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  5. ^ "Transformers The Movie - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 20th Anniversary Edition". IGN. Archived from the original on February 16, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  6. ^ "Various – Transformers: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Discogs. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  7. ^ "STUDIO REPORT: Records of the Week — RTL Luxembourg names "The Touch" by Stan Bush" (PDF). Music & Media. October 4, 1986. p. 10. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  8. ^ "Music Update," Nanaimo Daily News, 1986/08/27, p. 13, https://www.newspapers.com/image/325939862/ , accessed 2025/12/05.
  9. ^ Title: Rock View, El Paso Times, 1986/07/27, p. 114, https://www.newspapers.com/image/431296548/, accessed 2025/12/05.
  10. ^ Cover of the 1984 original first performed by John Farnham for the Savage Streets soundtrack.
  11. ^ The Canadian band Kick Axe was credited on the soundtrack album under the pseudonym "Spectre General". The film's producers thought the name "Kick Axe" sounded "too threatening," so they listed them as "Spectre General" instead. The band was not notified about the change.
  12. ^ "Area 403". Archived from the original on February 27, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  13. ^ "NESformers". Inverse Phase.
  14. ^ "Facts about Turrican". Archived from the original on August 18, 2003. Retrieved November 7, 2009.
  15. ^ Phil Klemmer (writer), Norman Buckley (director) (October 27, 2008). "Chuck Versus Tom Sawyer". Chuck. Season 2. Episode 5. NBC.
  16. ^ Passiona High on YouTube. Retrieved 2009-11-07.