The John Williams Web Pages: Because They're Young

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		Because They're Young
Because They're Young The Film \| The Music Audio \| Video \| Sheet Music References \| Links Compositions: Films Previous: Daddy-O Next: I Passed for White Chronological filmography Alphabetical filmography Television films Miscellanea		The Film Release date: April 1, 1960 Studio: Columbia Pictures Running time: 97 minutes Director: Paul Wendkos Cast: Dick Clark, Michael Callan, Tuesday Weld, Victoria Shaw, Roberta Shore, Warren Berlinger, Doug McClure, Linda Watkins, Chris Robinson, Rudy Bond, Wendell Holmes, Philip Coolidge, Bart Patton, Stephen Talbot, Kathryn Card, Paul Genge, Susan Odin, Frances Karath, James Darren, Duane Eddy and the Rebels, Bobby Rydell Technical information: mono, black and white
		Dick Clark, in his feature film debut, plays a high school history teacher who takes an interest in his students' personal problems. Clark's own Drexel Productions produced the film for Columbia Pictures; James Gunn's screenplay was adapted from John Farris' novel Harrison High.
Because They're Young The Film \| The Music Audio \| Video \| Sheet Music References \| Links		The Music Music by: Johnny Williams Given Clark's background as host of American Bandstand, it's not surprising that a number of rock and roll songs make an appearance on the soundtrack, performed on screen by various "guest stars." James Darren sings the title song (not penned by Williams), Duane Eddy and the Rebels perform "Shazam", and Bobby Rydell adds "Swingin' School". Williams had served as a contract player in the Columbia Studios Orchestra; this was his first assignment as composer on a studio film. "[Morris] Stoloff asked me to do the entire score. And when the day came to record, he was ill, so he also asked me to conduct. Suddenly, I was conducting my own composition." Recalling the experience two decades later, Williams told the Boston Globe's Richard Dyer: There was a budget of about $3.50 for the music, and I took it on. I remember that what I wrote was jazzy — there was a fight sequence with bongo drums and things like that. The important thing about that picture is not that it was my first but that it was Tuesday Weld's. She's a terrific person and a wonderful performer whose career hasn't gone where it should have because of bad management. In its review of the film, Variety noted that, "Technical credits provide good backing, including…Johnny Williams' music score."
Because They're Young The Film \| The Music Audio \| Video \| Sheet Music References \| Links		Audio No recording of any of Williams' music from Because They're Young has ever been released. An instrumental version of the title song appeared on a compilation LP (Carlton 12/126), and Duane Eddy's rendition of the title song is available on CD.
		Video The film is not available on video, although it used to appear with some regularity on American Movie Classics.
		Sheet Music A piano/vocal version of the title song (composed not by Williams, but by Don Costa, with lyrics by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold) was issued at the time of the film's release. This sheet music is long out of print.
Because They're Young The Film \| The Music Audio \| Video \| Sheet Music References \| Links		References Harrison High, John Farris New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1959 "Film Reviews: Because They're Young," Whit. Variety, Mar 16 1960 "Where is John Williams coming from?" Richard Dyer Boston Globe, Jun 29 1980, MAG "John Williams and the Minnesota Orchestra," Bob Protzman St. Paul Pioneer Press, Feb 24 1995, E, 1
Because They're Young The Film \| The Music Audio \| Video \| Sheet Music References \| Links		Links Internet Movie Database entry for Because They're Young Cinebooks Database entry for Because They're Young All Movie Guide entry for Because They're Young Photos from and the complete plot of Because They're Young

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