The Rocky Horror Picture Show Original Soundtrack Album

Original 1975 UK pressing with Ode Label and Ode Logo in upper right of front cover. First editions can be identified by Michael White preceding Lou Adler in the yellow box on the top right

Back cover of Canadian Pressing with Epic Records logo in lower right.

Alternate first edition Ode issue Label for US and Canada Release. Canadian issues cite Distributed by CBS while US issues have Manufactured and Distributed by Ode Sounds and Visuals

JEM Soundtrack LP with Biting Lips on the label used on most US pressings and Ode Sounds and Visuals Logo on Back

Because The Rocky Horror Picture Show was initially unsuccessful in the United States, plans for a soundtrack album were dropped before it could be released. It was available for a brief time in the U.K., and had an initial pressing in Canada with artwork based on the U.K. movie poster (though the movie poster boasted "18 Great Songs," while the LP art was altered to reflect 16 songs, as two from the movie were not included on the album). By the end of 1976, the album was out of print and completely scarce. Producer Lou Adler wisely kept the rights to the album, and as the cult grew, released it stateside on his label, Ode Records, via a deal with distributor JEM Records in April 1978. A new campaign was launched ("A Different Set of Jaws. Another Kind Of Rocky") including promotional posters, and a now extremely rare 4-song EP from the album. The result of new distribution and high-profile success saw the LP debut on the charts the week of April 15 at #165, and climbed to #49 on Billboard magazine's top 200 LP chart that summer, and remained there for a total of 58 continuous weeks in its initial release. It charted slightly higher in Australia at #40, and went to #11 in New Zealand that year as well.

Poster announcing the first US LP Release in 1978

RHPS Soundtrack Picture Disc, Side A

RHPS Soundtrack Picture Disc, Side B

A picture disc with a photo of Tim Curry as Dr. Frank N Furter from a Roxy Cast photo session was released in 1979 and though listed as a limited edition, had a second run, making it accessible to collectors. The soundtrack was later issued on CD on Ode, via Rhino, as an individual disc and as part of both The Rocky Horror Picture Show 15th Anniversary Box Set and 20th Anniversary Box Set. Two songs from the film, "The Sword Of Damocles" and "Planet, Schmanet, Janet", were absent from the original release, and were added to the 25th Anniversary edition (called 25 Years of Absolute Pleasure) along with the not-in-the-film Barry Bostwick track "Once In A While". The collection also added movie dialogue to the updated package, which included brand new art. In 2010, following The Rocky Horror Glee Show episode of the television show Glee, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at #55. For the 40th anniversary in 2015, the package was expanded again as The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Absolute Treasures (The Complete Soundtrack From The Original Movie) including the previously omitted "The Sword Of Damocles," "Planet, Schmanet, Janet" and the omitted-from-the-movie "Once In A While." Still to be released in any form is the cut second verse from "Over At The Frankenstein Place", sung by Bostwick.

More than 41 years after the films release, the soundtrack remains essential, and continues to be a consistent seller.

In anticipation of the October, 2016 broadcast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again, The Rocky Horror Picture Show Original Soundtrack Album hit #4 in downloads on the iTunes store, and was #29 on Amazon's soundtrack sales chart. The day after, when the soundtrack to the TV remake was released, original soundtrack was ranked at #32 iTunes—a remarkable feat for a 41 year old album. A week later, the original, classic RHPS LP was still in the iTunes top 100 at #54, while the remake was gone from the top sellers chart. On Amazon, the original remained strong at #20 (in soundtracks) and #196 in CD sales and is outselling the remake (at #22/#207 respectively).

Ode Records Catalog Number

SP-77031

LP Track Listing

Side A:
1 "Science Fiction, Double Feature‎‎" - Richard O'Brien
2 "Dammit Janet" - Barry Bostwick & Susan Sarandon
3 "Over At The Frankenstein Place" - Richard O'Brien, Barry Bostwick & Susan Sarandon
4 "The Time Warp" - Richard O'Brien, Little Nell, Patricia Quinn, Charles Gray & The Transylvanians
5 "Sweet Transvestite" - Tim Curry
6 "I Can Make You A Man" - Tim Curry
7 "Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul‎‎" - Meat Loaf
8 "I Can Make You A Man (Reprise)" - Tim Curry

Side B:
1 "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me‎‎" - Susan Sarandon
2 "Eddie's Teddy" (listed as "Eddie")- Jonathan Adams (and Cast)
3 "Rose Tint My World"
a "Floor Show" - Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon, Little Nell & Peter Hinwood
b "Fanfare: Don't Dream It" - Tim Curry
c "Wild And Untamed Thing" - Tim Curry & Richard O'Brien
4 "I'm Going Home" - Tim Curry
5 "Super Heroes" - Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon & Charles Gray
6 "Science Fiction, Double Feature (Reprise)‎‎" - Richard O'Brien

LP Credits

Bass – Dave Wintour
Drums – B.J. Wilson
Guitar – Count Ian Blair
Keyboards – John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Richard Hartley
Saxophone – Phil Kenzie
Rhythm Guitar - Mick Grabham (Uncredited)
Backing Vocals - Martin Briley, Helen Chappelle, Brian Engel, Barry St. John, Liza Strike, Clare Torry (Uncredited)
Conducted and Arranged By – Richard Hartley
Written-By – Richard O'Brien
Producer – Richard Hartley
Remix – Keith Grant, Phil Chapman
Design [Sleeve] – John Pasche
Music from the original soundtrack of the 20th Century Fox presentation of the Lou Adler/Michael White production.
Recorded At Olympic Studios, London.
Designed At – Gull Graphics
Distributed By – Ode Sounds & Visuals
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Ode Records

Cast

Tim Curry - Dr. Frank N Furter
Susan Sarandon - Janet Weiss
Barry Bostwick - Brad Majors
Richard O'Brien - Riff Raff
Patricia Quinn - Magenta
Nell Campbell (as Little Nell) - Columbia
Jonathan Adams - Dr. Everett V. Scott
Peter Hinwood - Rocky
Meat Loaf - Eddie
Charles Gray - The Criminologist

Uncredited: Unknown (the singing voice of Rocky)
Note: In the film version, the voice of Rocky is performed by Trevor White

Variations

Much confusion exists about release dates since most reissues give a 1975 copyright date since updated packaging information was not regularly supplied in the 1970s (or earlier).
The below have verified release years. US variations, except as noted

The Rocky Horror Picture Show ‎- Ode Records - UK, 1975
The Rocky Horror Picture Show ‎- Epic Records - Canada (Dist by CBS), 1975
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - ‎Ode Records - South Africa, 1976
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - ‎Festival Records/Ode Records - Australia, 1977
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - ‎Festival Records/Ode Records - New Zealand, 1977
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - ‎Ode Records (Dist by JEM Records), 1978
The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Selected Selections From The Original Soundtrack From The Original Movie - Ode Records, 1978
The Rocky Horror Picture Show [Limited Edition I] ‎(LP, Album, Ltd, Picture Disc) - Ode Records, US,1979
The Rocky Horror Picture Show [Limited Edition lI] ‎(LP, Album, Ltd, Picture Disc) - Ode Records, US,1981
Say It! The Rocky Horror Picture Show Audience Participation Album - Ode Records, US, 1983
The Rocky Horror Picture Show 15th Anniversary Box Set ‎(4 CD or Cass, Comp + Box and booklet) - Ode Sounds & Visuals, Dist by Rhino, 1990
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Sing It! (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Minus The Lead Vocals) Ode Sounds & Visuals, Dist by Rhino, 1995
The Ultimate & Best of The Rocky Horror Show - Essential Records - UK, 1995 - CD Compilation of various soundtrack versions, primarily from the movie.
The Rocky Horror Collection (4 CD box, reconfigured from 15th Anniversary Set) - Ode Sounds & Visuals, Dist by Rhino, 1997
The Rocky Horror Picture Show 25 Years Of Absolute Pleasure!- Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2000
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Absolute Treasures (The Complete Soundtrack From The Original Movie) ‎- (2xLP Red Vinyl) - Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2015
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - (Red Vinyl) - Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2015
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - (White Vinyl) - Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2015
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - (Pink Vinyl) - Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2018
The Rocky Horror Picture Show - 45th Anniversary Limited Edition Vinyl Picture Disc - Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2020