Let's Revisit the 'Dirty Dancing' Soundtrack

Today marks the 26th anniversary of Dirty Dancing, the best movie ever made — or, as you might see it, that random movie from the '80s some people like. It's hard to believe that the film that launched Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, and low-rise jeans into fame is 26 years old, but it's true. (If it makes you feel any better, Dirty Dancing is younger than Lindsay Lohan.) I've written before about my undying love for the movie, and while I could easily gush about how great lines like "I carried a watermelon" and scenes like the "Lover Boy" one are, I'm going to focus on a different aspect of the movie this time: its soundtrack.

The Dirty Dancing soundtrack is THE BEST, and I'm not the only one who thinks so — it's sold 32 million copies since it was released back in 1987. Each one of the album's twelve songs is amazing on its own, but together, they make for one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time. Let's take a look at some of the most memorable tracks:

1. "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" — Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

"Time of My Life" is the ultimate Dirty Dancing song. It's fun, sweet, and symbolic of the life-changing experience Baby had at the Kellerman resort. This song is so good that it won an OSCAR. Seriously, there is no better '80s song than "Time of My Life." If you don't believe me/only know it as that song Trouty Mouth sang on Glee , a re-watch the movie's climatic final scene should change your mind.

2. "She's Like the Wind" — Patrick Swayze

This song, written and performed by Patrick Swayze, begins playing during the scene in the movie where Baby and Johnny say goodbye to each other. It continues to play as Johnny drives away, Baby sulks in her room, and her obnoxious sister Lisa comforts her. The sequence would be depressing enough without the added emotional impact of Patrick Swayze singing lyrics like, "she leads me through moonlight only to burn me with the sun." It's just too much.

3. "Hungry Eyes" — Eric Carmen

"Hungry Eyes" plays during the montage sequence of Johnny teaching Baby to dance, and it basically sums up Baby's game-plan for the first half of the movie. She wants him, she tells him she wants him, he's surprised when he finds out, but he totally wants her, too. It's a sexy song that symbolizes the movie's theme of desire. Now, it's used in a commercial for Pretzel M&Ms. How times have changed.

4. "Kellerman's Anthem" — The Emile Bergtein Chorale

This song's only featured in the 20th anniversary edition of the soundtrack, and it's really just the tune of alma-matter regular "Annie Lisle" with different lyrics, but it still counts. It's the build-up to the movie's epic finale, and features an epic solo by the always-amusing Lisa.

5. "Love is Strange" — Mickey & Sylvia

I know I said I wasn't going to talk about "Loverboy," but ... sorry. This famous scene, where Baby and Johnny lip-sync the words to "Love is Strange" while dancing with/seducing each other, is iconic for a reason. It's sexy, funny, and romantic. In other words, it sums up everything we love about Dirty Dancing.