As a cult classic with a beat you can dance to almost 30 years later, That Thing You Do is iconic for the movie that bears its name and its accompanying soundtrack. Writer/director Tom Hanks crafted a beautifully catchy movie about one-hit wonders, and his team didn’t forget to create some tunes to come along for the ride. If you’re with me so far when it comes to the subject at hand, it’s time to get even more excited, as that collection of songs is finally getting a Wonder-ful update as beautiful as Gina Lollobrigida.
The vinyl release of That Thing You Do’s soundtrack is about to go up for pre-order, courtesy of Mondo Records. Starting at 12 P.M. CT on September 6th, this long-promised album will finally be up for grabs, with an estimated October 2023 shipping date to be determined. Seeing as this is a Mondo release, it’s not your standard reissue without pomp and fanfare.
Those of you who love to scout out special variants to play or horde by choice should check out what the special color splatter edition looks like. See the reveal video the company put on social media below:
So what are you getting for the firm and friendly price of $40, plus shipping and handling? Well, in addition to that one-hit wonder from 1964 that never happened, you’re also getting Wonders songs like “Dance With Me Tonight” and “All My Only Dreams.” Plus, everything from Del Paxton’s “Time to Blow” to Freddy Frederickson’s “Mr. Downtown” is also present and accounted for on this beautiful potential addition to your vinyl collection.
If you’re into bonuses thrown in for fun and collecting purposes, then fear not! A special 45 RPM single of the Academy Award-nominated tune written by the late Adam Schlesinger is part of the package going up for sale. And yes, it includes “All My Only Dreams” as the B-Side, so it’s a screen-accurate replica of the entry in the Playtone galaxy. Just be sure you’re observing the old man’s rules about playing music on the in-store hi-fi when you get your copy.
Those of you in the audience who remember seeing a test pressing of the That Thing You Do vinyl being auctioned off for charity in 2020 are probably ready to fork over your jukebox money about now. I’m right there with you, as the night we learned that Tom Hanks’ pop music comedy was way different than originally written was also the day that I wanted to own this album in the flesh.
A little over three years later, we’re absolutely closer to owning the vinyl soundtrack that celebrates Tom Hanks crushing his directorial debut! It’s worth celebrating by looking at the love and care put into the packaging alone, but trust me when I tell you that even the instrumentals are proper earworms as well. Even people who would try to argue against That Thing You Do as one of the best soundtracks ever have to admit, that this is a pretty sweet deal.
Now if we can get a 4K update of the theatrical version, as well as That Thing You Do's superior extended cut, we'd truly be in business. That said, if you’re looking to get your hands on these smooth sounds, head over to Mondo’s Record Shop at 12 P.M. CT on September 6th. And whatever you do, don’t try to order this record from Tele-Mart, as those cats don’t know squat about service!
