Posted in: Movies, Music, Pop Culture, Soundtrack, Vinyl | Tagged: Back To School, Craft Recordings, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Varèse Sarabande

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure Soundtrack Returns to Vinyl

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and Back to School are both getting their soundtracks released on a special two-in-one vinyl pressing

Published Thu, 14 May 2026 09:32:15 -0500

by Gavin Sheehan

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Article Summary

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure soundtrack returns to vinyl in a new two-in-one release paired with Danny Elfman’s Back to School score.
Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings are issuing the album with Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure on Side A and Back to School on Side B.
The release features Danny Elfman’s instrumental film scores only, so Oingo Boingo songs like Dead Man’s Party are not included.
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure fans can pre-order the vinyl now in red, green, or Rebel Splatter ahead of the June 28, 2026 release.

Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings announced that they are bringing both Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and the Back to School soundtracks to vinyl. The two soundtracks, both written by Danny Elfman, will be put together on one vinyl release, which you can see here. Side A will feature the Pee-wee film, while the Rodney Dangerfield classic will take up Side B. Both were presented in the best quality possible to reflect the work that Elfman put into making them. To be clear, these are the instrumental tracks, so you're not going to be seeing any of the Oingo Boingo classics appear here. But they are offering them in three different colors of vinyl, as you can pre-order them now in red, green, and "Rebel Splatter," which you can see here. We have more info from the company on the release below, as it will officially drop on June 28, 2026.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure Soundtrack Returns To Vinyl — Credit: Craft Recordings

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure and Back To School Both Return to Vinyl

Actor Paul Reubens created Pee-wee Herman while performing with the Groundlings in the late 1970s, later transforming the character into a stage show and an HBO show in 1981, eventually leading to the 1985 feature film Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Directed by Tim Burton in his feature film debut, the film follows Pee-wee on his wildly eclectic cross-country search for his stolen bike, the Red Rocket. Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman was brought in to compose the score, and a dream pairing between filmmaker (Burton) and composer (Elfman) was born.

Elfman continued his breakout run a year later with 1986's Back to School, starring renowned funnyman Rodney Dangerfield as a rich businessman who goes to college to inspire his disillusioned student son. Oingo Boingo performs their hit "Dead Man's Party" during a fraternity party scene in the film, while Elfman's score perfectly weaves its way through the film's moments of pure jocularity and earnest humanity. The film is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

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