Is your favorite movie song on the list?
Greetings everyone, and welcome to another installment of
“Rave Up Music!” As always, I am Barius, and today, we are going to talk about
a certain aspect of Musical Media: movie songs!
Let me clarify one thing: a music score or cue is not a
song. If you say the “Imperial March” from Star
Wars is a great song, you would be incorrect. That would be a music score/cue
from a film soundtrack. The same thing can be said about a symphony by
Beethoven, even if it has a choir in it, a la “Ode to Joy.” A song is defined
as, “a short poem or other set of words set to music or meant to be sung.” For
the purpose of this blog, I will go with this definition, otherwise it will get
as confusion as the last few seasons of Lost
(Yes, I am making a reference to a TV show that has been off the air for 3
years. Would you expect any less from me?).
Anyway, much like a film’s music score, the songs selected
or written for a film play an important part in shaping the film’s identity. The
songs can help set the mood/theme of the movie and can help advance the story
along. Or they can be a simple cash-in for movie studios and record companies
to shell out songs from an artist that would not even show up on the B side of
a single.
The Addams Family mixed with Hip-Hop and R&B...why?!?
Regardless of the song’s purpose on the movie’s soundtrack,
that piece of music becomes synonymous with that film. I mean, how can you not
hear “Do-Re-Mi” and not think The Sound
of Music, or hear “Over the Rainbow” and not think The Wizard of Oz? Heck how can you not hear Celine Dion’s “My Hear
Will Go On,” and not associate it with Titanic?
Well, granted no one should have listened to “My Heart Will Go On,” but I
digress…
So for today’s edition of “Musical Media,” we are focusing
on the songs from movies that are just plain catchy. You know, the ones that
when you are stuck in traffic, minding your own business, and suddenly, they
just pop in your head. Instantly, have to start singing them at the top of your
lungs, rocking out to it, dancing in your seat. Meanwhile, the people in the
car next to you stare at you in bewilderment by your actions, and then you realize
that they are looking at you, and you stop singing, completely embarrassed by
your behavior.
Not like that has ever happened to me….except for once every
week…*AHEM*…
Anyway, today I am counting down my Top 20 Catchiest Movie
Songs. Now, with this list, I have established a few ground rules for which
songs get on this list:
- No songs from movies that are intentional a musical movie. For example, no songs from West Side Story, The Sound of Music, or the majority of the Walt Disney Animated Features canon. There is sort of musical movie song on the list, but we will get to that when we get there.
- One song per movie soundtrack. If I did not have this rule, half the songs from the Back to the Future soundtrack would be on this list. This brings as to the next rule…
- One song per movie franchise. For example, I can put on “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky III, or “Hearts on Fire” from Rocky IV, but not both. I want to spread the wealth around to other great movie songs.
- There is a limit of 3 songs per musical artist, otherwise a certain singer would be dominating list.
With the criteria set in place, here are the Top 20
Catchiest Movie Songs!
20. “Wayne’s World Theme” – Wayne and Garth (from Wayne’s World)
The Dudes from Aurora, Illinois start this countdown off with the full theme song to the most excellent movie. If you have never see Wayne’s World, I recommend it for those of you who love heavy metal or just enjoy a good comedy. Any, this song has everything associated with Wayne and Garth: hard rock music, catchphrases, and sung by Wayne and Garth’s actors, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, respectively. It has that perfect drumbeat and distorted guitar riffs that is just perfect for headbanging while laughing your butt off at all the references, including some near the end that references some of the duo’s other Saturday Night Live characters. I guarantee that after listen to this song, you will be humming the chorus in your sleep. The “Wayne’s World Theme” is great way to start off this countdown.
19. “I’m Alright” –
Kenny Loggins (from Caddyshack)
Kenny Loggins brings us this ridiculous infectious theme
from the classic 1980s comedy by Harold Ramis. Being a guy who has a soft spot
for 80s music cannot help but love everything about this song. I love the
overarching theme of just doing your own thing, and letting people just be who
they are. Musically, I am a sucker for the “oohs” vocals in the background of
verses, as well as that low bass singer vocalizing the bass guitar part (Dip,
dip, dip, dip, dip, dip, dip, dip). Plus, let us be honest, if you have seen the
movie, it is all about that lovable gopher dancing to the song.
I can sit and watch this all day long…
As always, with a great beat and catchy melody, Loggins has
given us one of the catchiest themes from the 1980s. And this will not be the
last time we will see of Mr. Loggins on this list…
18. “Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)” – Cobra Starship (from
Snakes on a Plane)
There is nothing
like a cheesy theme song for an even cheesier movie. Although I am not the
biggest fan of Cobra Starship, they manage to capture the magnificently
ridiculous concept of the movie. Every part of this song will get that earworm
playing it on repeat. The guitar riffs, the vocals, even the rap is just great.
If you watch the music video for the song, the cheesiness is furthered
displayed, including a cameo from the star of the film, Nick Fury himself,
Samuel L. Jackson.
God bless that man…
“Snakes on a Plane”:
I think the title of the song says it all…
17. “We’re All Dudes” – Less than Jake
featuring Ed (from Good Burger)
Another catchy tune sung by a character from the film. Ed,
portrayed by comedian Kel Mitchell, sings about good times and just being
ourselves, a.k.a. “dudes.” Plus, getting Less Than Jake to back him up with
their catchy ska punk horn sections really helps set the joyful feeling of the
song. And, I got to give Kel Mitchell some credit. For a guy know for rapping
more than singing, he does a pretty decent job, even having to sing in Ed’s
voice. And if you want my honest opinion about the film Good Burger, it is a guilty pleasure film of mine. Yes,
I await your hate mail/comments…
Anyway, with that good feeling you get from listening to ska
music, “Were All Dudes” is that good pick-me-up when life gets you down. Oh, and
of course…
16. “Pippi Longstocking is Coming into Your Town” – Margie Nelson and the International
Children's Choir (from The New Adventures
of Pippi Longstocking)
Being the only song from a somewhat intended musical, it is
one of those catchy tunes that once it is in your head, it takes a long time to
get it out of there. For those not familiar with her, Pippi Longstocking, or Pippi Långstrump, is the main character of a
Swedish children book series by Astrid Lindgren. Pippi is a girl who lives for adventure, lives with a
horse and a monkey named Mr. Nilsson, and even when she gets into trouble, she
always finds a way to make everything better. Sounds like every teacher’s worst
nightmare student…
In all honesty, The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
is not really a good movie. Some of the acting is forced, the jokes are kind of
weak, and despite the title stating it was the new adventures of Pippi, it was
really a retelling of the original 1948 story. The only thing that saves this
film is the music, especially this song. The song captures the spirit of Pippi
Longstocking, from the upbeat, driving bass guitar riffs to the use of a
children’s choir. All of that adds the child-like nature of Pippi to the song.
Even the lyrics summarize Pippi Longstocking perfectly:
Freedom calls, and
Pippi runs
The girl who never heard she couldn't do something
Watch out world, ‘cause here she comes
And she’s bound to teach you more then one thing
Pippi Longstocking is comin' into your town
The one no one can keep down
No No No No
The one who's fun to be around
Whoa! Whoa!
Pippi Longstocking is comin' into your world
A freckled faced red haired girl you ought to know
She'll throw your life into her world
The girl who never heard she couldn't do something
Watch out world, ‘cause here she comes
And she’s bound to teach you more then one thing
Pippi Longstocking is comin' into your town
The one no one can keep down
No No No No
The one who's fun to be around
Whoa! Whoa!
Pippi Longstocking is comin' into your world
A freckled faced red haired girl you ought to know
She'll throw your life into her world
You know, as a side note, I wonder
what ever happened to Tami Erin, the girl who played Pippi in this 1988
adaptation. Let’s see…
Um...moving on...
15. “Ninja Rap” – Vanilla Ice (from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret of the Ooze)
The Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles and Vanilla Ice: Two things that should not go together and yet…it
barely works. I definitely have no love for Mr. Van Winkle here, but “Ninja
Rap” definitely one of the catchiest rap songs associated with the those
pizza-eating reptiles. It is definitely leagues above “Wrap Rap” from We Wish You a Turtle Christmas.
Just...*groan*....
Well, with “Ninja
Rap,” it has that beat makes you bop your head, and has the chorus that you
cannot help but sing with:
Go Ninja, Go, Ninja, GO!
Go Ninja, Go, Ninja, GO!
Go Ninja, Go, Ninja, GO!
Go Ninja, Go, Ninja, GO!
GO! GO! GO! GO!
And seriously, what TMNT fan did not try to do the dance Vanilla Ice
does in the movie?
Okay, maybe it was
just me...
If I had to give
some criticism to this song, besides it being Vanilla Ice, is that when Ice
here fills in the lyrics, it is not about the Ninja Turtles, but about himself,
just like EVERY VANILLA ICE SONG EVER WRITTEN! Regardless, “Ninja Rap” is
another guilty pleasure of mine, and really captures the Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles (and Ice…) perfectly.
14. “Dance Magic” – David
Bowie (from Labyrinth)
I swear, whenever I
am at a convention or other big group gathering with my fellow nerds and geeks,
the minute someone shouts, “You remind me of the babe,” there will always be a
dozen people who will go back and forth reciting lyrics from this song. And for
good reason: this is simply one of David Bowie’s best songs! It encapsulates
everything 80s pop, even if the film is set in a fantasy world, with glorious
cheesy synthesizers, electronic drumbeat, and vocals that anyone can sing along
with. Plus, it has David Bowie singing and dancing with goblins! What else do I
need to say?!?
“Dance Magic”:
Nothing like an upbeat song to get your mind off the fact that David Bowie
kidnapped a baby. Wait…
13. “The Goonies
R Good Enough” – Cyndi Lauper (from The
Goonies)
Part 1And once again, Ms. Lauper appears in this blog, and it just so happens to be the theme song from one of my favorite movies. Oddly enough, Cyndi Lauper actually hated this song, and would not include it in concert performances until as late of 2004. Originally, it was just entitled “Good Enough,” a song about just saying everything is good. When Steven Spielberg made Lauper the music director for The Goonies soundtrack, the song was added and renamed “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough.” And the rest is history.
Every time I heard this song, I will admit I immediately get
a bit nostalgic, as The Goonies was a
film I watched all the time growing up. As an adult, the film has held up, and
so has this song. It has that great 80s pop I just cannot get enough of, with
sounds and musical ideas that create the pirate adventure our main heroes face.
Yes, Lauper’s unique vocal ideas and squeals are there, but they are not as
grating on the ears as other Lauper songs.
I highly recommend the music videos (yes, plural) for this
song. It has a storyline that incorporates the continuity for both Cyndi
Lauper’s music videos and The Goonies
film, plus it has cameos from a bunch of 1980s World Wrestling Federation
Superstars, including Rowdy Roddy Piper and the Iron Sheik. Plus, it gave us
this image of Andre the Giant.
Still one the best wrestlers ever…
“The Goonies R Good Enough”: The perfect song to do the
Truffle Shuffle to…
It’s funny because he’s fat…
12. “Eye of the
Tiger” – Survivor (from Rocky III)
From the moment that guitar riff hits you right in the face, you just know this song is going to be hard to get out of your head. The theme to Rocky III is one of those themes that perfectly capture the story arc that Rocky Balboa goes through in the film. Rocky is the reigning champion, but fame is going to his head as he prepares to take on “Clubber” Lang, portrayed by Mr. T in the film. Naturally, Lang is a better fighter, and easily defeats Rocky for the title. Rocky, ashamed by his lost and for getting too cocky, trains to be a better fighter and beat Lang for the title. Than again, if I was Rocky, I would not dare mess with Mr. T.
Survivor’s song has that hard rock edge that gives to you an
adrenaline rush that only a Rocky
film can give. The lyrics of rising up to glory are not only well-written, but
inspirational. However, it is the song’s chorus that we all remember:
It's the eye of the
tiger
It's the thrill of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge
Of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he's watching us all with the
Eye of the tiger
It's the thrill of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge
Of our rival
And the last known survivor
Stalks his prey in the night
And he's watching us all with the
Eye of the tiger
For some added fun, I recommend checking out “Weird Al”
Yankovic’s parody of the song, “The Rye or the Kaiser” which perfectly makes fun
at the Rocky franchise.
With its downbeat, hard rock edge and encouraging lyrics, “The
Eye of the Tiger” easily secures a spot on this list.
11. “Footloose” –
Kenny Loggins (from Footloose)
Let me make one thing clear: I DO NOT LIKE the film Footloose.
Whether it is the original or the 2000s remake, I find both movies to be
bad. I know it is based loosely on real life events of a small Oklahoma town that
banned dancing and rock music, which, in my opinion as a music reviewer, is
really a not well thought out idea, and violates a lot of Constitutional rights.
Then again, I grew up in a town that “banned” sex, but I digress. I really
never liked the overall story of the film, and I especially despised the
actions of all the characters, including Kevin Bacon’s character. There really
are not a lot of characters that I neither like nor relate to in the film.
What saves this film from having me absolutely hate it is
the soundtrack, particularly the title theme song by Kenny Loggins. That is two
for Mr. Loggins now. The song is really upbeat, and really gives you the urge
to get up and dance, and really “cut loose.” Yes, a pun based off the lyrics; I
am allowed those every once in a way…stop judging me…
The movie may be terrible, but the theme to Footloose remains a permanent part of
pop culture, and will during for many decades to come.
Well, that was a lot I wrote about in this post. I think I
need a break. Tune in next time and we countdown the remaining Top 10 Catchiest
Movie Songs. As always, I am Barius, and do not forget to cut
loose…footloose…Okay, I will shut up…for now…Keep on rockin’.
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