Songs of the Movies: The 75 Greatest Movie Songs Ever - Part 5
A celebration of the songs of the movies
RankdownIn part 4, we held Lady Gaga's hand, busted some ghosts, drove it like we stole it, and declared our undying love for Leonardo DiCaprio. Before we dive into the final part of this epic musical countdown, let's recap the criteria for ranking this list:
1. Be a good song. Obviously.
2. Have a legitimate application in the movie. No “Hey, let’s score a hit real quick” end credits nonsense. You have to at least use music from the movie, be inspired by an iconic line, something...
3. Be written for the movie. Many songs have iconic moments in movies, but they weren’t written for the movie or are covers. Those don't count. However, songs from movie musicals adapted from the stage are okay because those are direct adaptations.
4. No “used in a movie but only became famous after someone else covered it decades later or it became a staple of something else” songs.
5. If it’s just kind of tacked on there at the end, even if it’s a great song and accurately depicts the film’s themes, etc. it won’t make it on. It has to feel like it’s truly part of the movie in a more tangible way. Lots of leeway here, but it won’t be ignored, Dan!
Sadly, these criteria mean many great songs had to be left off, and we must pay tribute to them before kicking off the countdown: someone play the “My Heart Will Go On” recorder cover!
“Kiss from a Rose” - Seal, from Batman Forever (1995)
“Shake Ya Tailfeather” - Nelly, Diddy, and Murphy Lee, from Bad Boys II (2003)
“I Will Always Love You” - Whitney Houston, from The Bodyguard (1992)
“The Way You Look Tonight” - Fred Astaire, from Swing Time (1936)
“White Christmas” - Bing Crosby, from Holiday Inn (1942)
“Love Is All Around” - Wet Wet Wet, from Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” - BJ Thomas, from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
“Love Love” - Take That, from X-Men: First Class (2011)
“Masterpiece” - Madonna, from W.E. (2011)
Now, on to part 5!
15. “Take My Breath Away” - Berlin, from Top Gun (1986)
It’s impossible to choose one song to define the 80s, but if one were to choose a song to encapsulate 80s cheese, it would be Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away.” Make no mistake: that’s a good thing. On its own, it’s a fantastic song, but in context, it’s a testament to everything that’s made 80s filmmaking so memorable. Played over a ludicrous car-motorcycle chase that ends with a wooden Kelly McGillis trying to convince herself she’s in love with Tom Cruise and then a smooth transition to a horribly-shot, blue-lit lovemaking scene between the mismatched lovebirds, the merciless synth and epic bellowing make for an unforgettable musical experience.
14. “Gangsta’s Paradise” - Coolio ft. L.V., from Dangerous Minds (1995)
In order to secure the iconic sample from Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise,” Coolio had to promise he wouldn’t use any profanity. It was a far cry from the rapper’s previous work, but it challenged him into writing a song that, although its thematics have perhaps aged poorly, still resonates nearly 30 years later. L.V.’s passionate vocals prove a worthy match for Coolio’s unabashed aggression, lending Dangerous Minds’ group of troubled teens a worthy anthem.
13. “Nobody Does It Better” - Carly Simon, from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
If this had been a best songs list, this would’ve been number one; Radiohead’s Thom Yorke was on the money calling this the “sexiest song ever written.” It’s not just Carly Simon’s sensual delivery, but the simplistic romance of writer Marvin Hamlisch’s to-the-point message about “The Spy Who Loved Me:” nobody does it better. Too many movie songs have meant more to their movie while being strong on their own to warrant placing it any higher, but make no mistake: this is one of the greatest songs ever.
12. “Oom-Pah-Pah” - Shani Wallis and the Bar Crowd, from, Oliver! (1968)
“Oom-Pah-Pah” is about getting plastered and fucking, which is great, because that’s what most songs are about and it’s a topic that never tires. It’s even better considering it’s so upbeat and catchy that you’d gladly sing it while drunk (though maybe not during the other thing). As a devilish Nancy rouses the bar crowd to a raucous performance, little Oliver temporarily escapes the wrath of the evil Sikes. No better song could ever mask a mad dash to freedom.
11. “9 to 5” - Dolly Parton, from 9 to 5 (1980)
You can’t not love Dolly Parton, and she’s likely the only singer who could’ve pulled this off. Yes, anyone could’ve sang it, but Parton’s inherent charisma sells it well beyond the capability of your average singer.
Let’s be honest: this song hits hard. Screw the man. The man sucks. Why won’t he promote us? What’s that about?
But ya know what? We got dreams he can’t take away, and we’re gonna down as much caffeinated ambition as we need to reach them. Those simple ideas somehow really sell you on the lengths to which Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton go to serve some humble pie to their wicked boss… and maybe give us dreams of doing it the same to our own some day.
Thanks, Dolly!
10. “Always Look On the Bright Side of Life” - Eric Idle, from Monty Python: Life of Brian (1979)
Life of Brian’s comic genius is few and far between, but the image of the titular character preparing for crucifixion with a musical ode to finding the bright side is unforgettable. There really isn’t much one can say, to be honest. The song essentially speaks for itself.
9. “Chaiyya Chaiyya” - Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi, from Dil Se (1998)
Lyrically, “Chaiyya Chaiyya” conveys the poetic fanaticism with which executive Amarkant pines for extremist suicide bomber Moina, no doubt. After all, songwriter A.R. Rahman derived the lyrics from a Sufi folk song written by a poet.
But the true magic of “Chaiyya Chaiyya” is its hypnoticism, from Sapna Awasthi’s booming introduction to the musical abandon with which the remainder of the song plays out atop a train traveling through the Indian countryside. Dil Se is not the movie to show if you want to convince people to get into Bollywood, but “Chaiyya Chaiyya” would go a long way in creating some converts.
8. “Rainbow Connection” - Kermit the Frog, The Muppet Movie (1979)
“Rainbow Connection” is the better version of “Over the Rainbow.” The plucky banjo is the perfect accompaniment to those swelling strings and Kermit the Frog’s innocent delivery of some very Muppet messages: there’s power in belief, keeping faith, staying positive, and holding strong to finding the good in everyone. Kermit’s journey in the movie is driven solely by his desire to make the world a happy place: no song has ever made that clearer for a character than “Rainbow Connection.”
7. “Lose Yourself” - Eminem, from 8 Mile (2002)
Eminem was no stranger to controversy when 2002’s 8 Mile got released; he’d amassed a slew of commercial hits, but it didn’t seem that his talent would ever override his lightning-rod nature and find him critical acclamation and commercial viability.
All that changed with the film’s lead single, “Lose Yourself,” which topped charts worldwide and earned him a Best Original Song Oscar. The lyrics are powerful, and Eminem’s delivery relentless, likely a result of the song’s autobiographical nature. Whatever the inspiration, few hip-hop songs pack such an emotional punch, and few movie songs capture the protagonists’ arc with such firepower.
6. “The Power of Love” - Huey Lewis and the News, from Back to the Future (1985)
Generally, “The Power of Love” has nothing to do with Back to the Future, but in a more specific sense, it has everything to do with it. Back to the Future, perhaps the only perfect movie ever made, relies heavily on the feel and aesthetic of the '80s to contrast Marty McFly’s journey to 1955. If someone can find a more '80s kick-off than McFly being late for school and skateboarding to the blazing synth of Huey Lewis and the freaking News, have at it.
Not only is it one of the greatest songs of all time, but its actual use in the movie, where McFly’s band presents a more hard rock version to the review board for the school dance auditions only to be told they’re “too loud,” is fantastic.
5. “School of Rock” - School of Rock, from School of Rock (2003)
Let’s forget for a moment that “School of Rock” is a genuinely great song, especially one that feels accessible to the kids of the film’s target audience. What’s most endearing about it is that everyone is integral to the final performance. The artistic kids make the music, but the technical kids make the performance, and after all is said and done, Dewey gets the stage dive for which he’s longed all his life.
But the most magical element is that it doesn’t cop out. It’s understandably juvenile, but it truly does sound like a rock song, and is a better one that some of the film’s soundtrack artists produced in their heyday, making the band a product of a true School of Rock.
4. “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” - Randy Newman, from Toy Story (1995)
Arguably, no two movie friendships have left as powerful an impression as those between Woody and Buzz and Woody and Andy. In fact, all the deep bonds between the toys allow the Toy Story movies to resonate… all three of them.
Newman is not a complex lyricist, but his songs exemplify why that doesn’t matter; sometimes the deepest messages need the lightest touch, and “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” is a direct, country-inspired introduction to the heartwarming bond between Andy and his favorite cowboy as well as foreshadowing all the heartfelt displays of friendship and devotion that have made the Toy Story movies classics… all three of them.
3. “Springtime for Hitler” - The Cast of Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp With Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden, from The Producers (1967)
In The Producers, Zero Mostel’s Max and Gene Wilder’s Leo team up to oversell interests in a play doomed to fail. The duo finds their golden goose in a play penned by a deranged ex-Nazi celebrating the rise of the Third Reich.
The opening number, which must sell audiences on the comic validity of this premise, had to be undeniable. We can say, “It’d been 22 years since the end of WWII; who cared?” Well, if someone tried this with Al-Qaeda today, 22 years after 9/11, we can imagine how that would play out.
“Springtime for Hitler” nails the assignment. Not only is it funny (Springtime for Hitler and Germany/Winter for Poland and France) from start to finish, but it’s delivered with the gusto and flamboyance of an all-time musical number, equipped with irresistible kitsch and even a dramatic key change. Never did an ode to the Nazi Party sound so good… literally, never.
2. “Beauty and the Beast” - Angela Lansbury, from Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Angela Lansbury, playing Mrs. Potts, brought the entire studio to tears upon giving her first rendition of Beauty and the Beast’s title song, with good reason. Lansbury’s vocal is what every Disney song should aspire to be: simple, restrained, and moving. The song has a romantic production befitting the colorful ballroom sequence that unites Belle and the Beast in loving harmony, and the lyrics transcend the physical differences between them to speak to a more transformative change happening within. In every way, it’s a flawless, romantic song and well-deserved of its monumental legacy.
1. “That Thing You Do!” - The Wonders, from That Thing You Do! (1996)
Was there ever any doubt? Let’s set aside that it’s a genuinely fantastic song in its own right, its lyrics are gloriously simple in relaying how awesome that special someone is, or the swinging ‘60s vibe that captures the film so flawlessly.
It’s best to discuss that this song had one job: The Wonders are a one-hit wonder, so their one hit has to sound like a classic jam and one-hit wonder.
Historically, one-hit wonders have a specific vibe, this indefinable quality that encapsulates why we knew, in the moment, even if we desperately wanted to believe otherwise, that the artist better soak up their moment in the sun because an endless night would soon come.
“That Thing You Do!” has that something Justice Potter Stewart would love: the thing we cannot define but know when we see (or hear). After all, isn’t that the song, that someone doing that “thing” they do?
Yes, it is, and for all of that, “That Thing You Do!” is the greatest movie song of all time.
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