The filmmakers chose Los Lobos because:
The original 1987 release contains 12 tracks. Note: The song "Frenzy" (an instrumental) appears near the end.
| # | Song Title | Artist | Notes | |---|------------|--------|-------| | 1 | La Bamba | Los Lobos | Mexican folk song arranged by Valens; became #1 worldwide | | 2 | Come On, Let’s Go | Los Lobos | Originally by Ritchie Valens | | 3 | Ooh! My Head | Los Lobos | Valens' original B-side | | 4 | We Belong Together | Los Lobos | Valens' original (written by Robert & John Carr) | | 5 | Framed | Los Lobos | Leiber & Stoller cover (not a Valens original) | | 6 | Donna | Los Lobos | Valens' #2 hit ballad | | 7 | Lonely Teardrops | Howard Huntsberry | Jackie Wilson cover; performed in film | | 8 | Crying, Waiting, Hoping | Marshall Crenshaw | Buddy Holly cover; Crenshaw played Buddy Holly in film | | 9 | Summertime Blues | Brian Setzer | Eddie Cochran cover; Setzer (Stray Cats) played Eddie Cochran | | 10 | Who Do You Love? | Bo Diddley | Bo Diddley cameo in film | | 11 | Charlena | Los Lobos | Instrumental originally by The Vigilantes | | 12 | Frenzy | Los Lobos | Instrumental originally by Ritchie Valens |
Artist: Various (featuring Los Lobos, Ritchie Valens archive recordings)
Released: June 23, 1987
Label: Slash / Warner Bros.
Genre: Rock & roll, rockabilly, Chicano rock, pop
In One Line:
A loving, high-energy tribute that turned a ’50s teen tragedy into a late-’80s chart-topping cultural phenomenon. La Bamba Original Motion Picture Soundtrack- -F...
Overview
More than just a soundtrack, La Bamba became a bridge between generations. The 1987 film told the story of Ritchie Valens, the 17-year-old rock & roll pioneer who died in the 1959 plane crash that also claimed Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. But it was this album—largely performed by Los Lobos—that brought Valens’ music back to life for a new era.
Key Tracks
Standout Archival Track
“We Belong Together” (Ritchie Valens) – One of two genuine Valens recordings on the album (along with an alternate take of “Donna”). Hearing his original voice is a poignant reminder of the talent lost.
Why It Matters
Final Verdict
The La Bamba soundtrack works as a greatest-hits package for a tragically short career, as a showcase for one of America’s best roots bands, and as a time capsule of 1987’s nostalgia wave. It’s joyful, respectful, and impossible to hear without picturing the film’s final freeze-frame—Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie, arms outstretched, flying toward an ending we already know is coming.
Essential for: Fans of ’80s film soundtracks, rock & roll history, Los Lobos, or anyone who still shouts “Ritchie!” at a wedding reception when that opening guitar riff kicks in.
The most likely completions for your search are:
Based on the most probable intent (the soundtrack's legacy and the band Los Lobos), here is an original article: The filmmakers chose Los Lobos because: The original
The success of the La Bamba soundtrack did two critical things:
When the biopic La Bamba hit theaters in 1987, it did more than tell the tragic, brief story of 1950s rock & roll pioneer Ritchie Valens. It introduced a new generation to the power of a cover song—specifically, the soundtrack’s title track performed by the East L.A. band Los Lobos.
The La Bamba Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is a unique artifact in music history. Unlike modern jukebox musicals that use original recordings, the film’s producers made a bold decision: Los Lobos would re-record Valens’ entire catalog for the film. The result was a phenomenon that no one saw coming.