Given that Alan Bennett's play +The History Boys focuses on a group of English grammar-school students in the early '80s, it makes sense that the soundtrack to the film version should reflect the same time period. Smartly, while the stage version featured mainstream hits by bands like Duran Duran, Madness, and Dire Straits, director Nicholas Hynter's film soundtrack goes a step further, utilizing cuts by bands he believes the characters in the story would probably have actually preferred. To these ends, listeners get cuts by such iconic '80s "college rock" bands as New Order, the Smiths, Echo the Bunnymen, and others. Similarly, as one of the teachers in the play loves the nostalgic standards of the '30s and '40s the soundtrack also includes versions of such classic tracks as Bye Bye Blackbird as well as English soprano Gracie Fields' iconic recording of Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye). Also included is a superb version of the American Popular Songbook standard Bewitched, sung by Rufus Wainwright and a must-hear for fans of the singular pianist/vocalist. Admittedly, some of this stylistic jumping about could be off-putting to listeners only interested in hearing the rock-oriented cuts, but as an organic and thoughtful representation of the story and characters, #The History Boys soundtrack should be an endearing and evocative listen for fans of Bennett's work. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi

1		Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye)
2		Blue Monday
3		This Charming Man [New York Vocal
4		L 'Accordéoniste
5		Mustapha Dance
6		Bewitched
7		Never Stop [Discotheque Version]
8		A Forest
9		Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag [12" Remix]
10		Bye Bye Blackbird
11		Bewitched
12		Can't Get Used to Losing You
13		Walk Out to Winter
14		2000 Miles