Sixteen Candles is among my favorite films of all time, for many reasons. One of them is the music. It’s a splash of the best sound from an era of innocence, combining pop with synth and dance. But there’s always a stand-out song that, when you hear it, immediately makes you yearn, the way sophomore Samantha Baker did, for senior Jake Ryan as she watches him slow dance with his girlfriend Caroline. The velvet sound of lead singer Tony Hadley’s sincere vocals makes True, by Spandau Ballet, an all-time favorite. This song is played on the radio as often today as it was in 1984 when that classic John Hughes film popularized it. There’s not much more you can say about it: it’s just a great song that stands the test of time. It’s a great love ballad and an all-around easy listen on the ear.
From the historical writing archive. Original date: November 24, 2016. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.