Prompted by a Twitter from Chris Thilk, last week I set out to solve a long-burning conundrum, once and for all: of the two songs Huey Lewis wrote and performed on the Back to the Future soundtrack, which is better: Back in Time, or The Power of Love?

I was so enamored with the first BttF film as a child that I actually owned the soundtrack–on cassette!–but I haven’t listened to either song divorced from the film as an adult. I intended to give this matter the utmost serious consideration. But then I actually listened to the songs all the way through…and they both pretty much made me want to throw myself in front of the Delorean (the pre-Mr. Fusion, non-flying Delorean). The best analysis I can offer? Time’s awkward shoehorning of references to the movie (”Get back, Marty!”) aside, they’re kind of the same song. Love is, marginally, more enjoyable, if only because it’s blissfully free of Time’s gratuitous saxophone. But that guitar solo … ouch.

I’ve embedded two Back to the Future fan tributes: one set to The Power of Love above, one set to Back in Time below the jump. Watch them if you dare, and if there’s some kind of essential greatness to one or the other that I missed, let me know.

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