Today is the Karate Kid’s birthday: actor Ralph Macchio is turning 52.
At first glance, that seems almost impossible to me. I remember seeing him on Eight Is Enough when i was a kid. I remember all the covers of Teen Beat and Sixteen (hey, I had a little sister). And of course, we all remember The Karate Kid. How could Macchio be in his fifties?
And then I realize that I am 46, and I feel like I’ve been crane-kicked in the privates. Get me a body bag.
In honor of Ralph’s birthday, the Analog Kid is proud to present the original soundtrack to The Karate Kid. I ripped it from my original vinyl copy this very morning. Like most ’80s soundtracks, it has some spectacular moments and some painful ones. It also has “The Best Around,” which somehow manages to be both painful and spectacular at the same time.
So happy birthday, Ralph. Both you and Elisabeth Shue never seem to get the respect you deserve.
I just looked it up: Elisabeth Shue turned 50 last month.
Paint the fence. Sand the floor. Kick the nuts.
The Karate Kid: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Casablanca Records, 1984
1. Survivor: “The Moment Of Truth” (Conti/Lambert/Beckett)
2. The Flirts With Jan & Dean: “(Bop Bop) On The Beach” (Love)
3. Broken Edge: “No Shelter” (Mark/Fenton)
4. Commuter: “Young Hearts” (Merenda)
5. Paul Davis: “(It Takes) Two To Tango” (Lambert/Beckett)
6. Shandi: “Tough Love” (Shandi/Stern)
7. St. Regis: “Rhythm Man” (St. Regis/St. Regis/Peters/Adams/Flashman/Hutt/Challen)
8. Baxter Robertson: “Feel The Night” (Conti/Robertson)
9. Gang Of Four: “Desire” (Gill/King)
10. Joe “Bean” Esposito: “You’re The Best” (Conti/Willis)
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Bonus Tracks!
This wasn’t on the soundtrack, but of course you remember it from the beach scene. Damn, those Kobra Kais were complete and total dicks, weren’t they?
Bananarama: “Cruel Summer” (Swain/Jolley/Woodward/Dallin/Fahey)
From the album Bananarama
London records, 1983
The Analog Kid 
Would movie montages even be possible without the work of Joe “Bean” Esposito (formerly of the Planotones!)?
…and tomorrow’s Analog Kid blog entry practically writes itself…