Musical Media: Top 20 Catchiest Movie Songs - Part 2

You heard the rest, now here are the best...or maybe just the rest...

Greeting everyone, and welcome back to Rave Up Music! I am Barius, and last time, we talked about pirates, snakes, goblins, boxers, burger joint employees, gophers, giant karate fighting reptiles, a girl with superhuman strength, head bangers, and the banning of music and dancing. No, I am not describing my Cousin Shane's bachelor party, but Numbers 11 through 20 of my Top 20 Catchiest Movie Songs. If you did not read the blog last time, then go back and read it, or click on the link here.

Anyway, let us continue this countdown for the dozen of you who actual read this blog. Here are my Top 10 Catchiest Movie Songs!

 

10. “Princes of the Universe” – Queen (from Highlander)

I normally do not do this, but….OH HELL YEAH! This was one of the first songs by Queen I heard as a child and it is still ringing in my head. From the A Cappella opening and downbeat verses, to the high energy choruses, this is the kind of song that just pumps you up. In my youth, I tried really hard to match the singing of Freddy Mercury on this song, but to no avail. Once I became an adult, I tried to sing it, and…my voice decides it wants to be more of a bass/baritone than a tenor. Stupid puberty…

This song is so awesome that when they decided to do a live-action TV series for Highlander, it was only natural to have “Princes of the Universe” be the theme, and they made sure it was the Queen version. I mean, I could not imagine any other band doing this song…

Oh, John Sloman...why?!?

“Princes of the Universe”: the one of many good things that was right with Highlander. The original film, not the sequels…especially Highlander: The Source.

 

9. “Men in Black” – Will Smith (from Men In Black)

There are very few hip hop artists that I enjoy, but no matter how old I get, I will always enjoy the music of Will “The Fresh Prince” Smith, and the theme to the film Men In Black. Sampling from the song “Forget Me Nots” by Patrice Rushen, the song perfectly captures the idea of the Men In Black: a government agency that “Does not exist” as they defend the galaxy from the worse scum out there.

Instrumentally, the driving bass and drums makes you want to not nod your head, and No, I am not talking about the Men In Black II song, “Black Suit Comin’ (Nod Your Head).”

Which brings up my least favorite part of the song, where Smith instructs us in some dance moves, and it is really bad dancing on top of that. Personally, I would rather watch any scene of Smith dancing on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” than this dance scene.

With an excellent beat and catchy lyrics, “Men In Black” is one song you will remember, even if the M.I.B. wants you to forget it.
 

8) “Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra (from Eurotrip)

(NOTE: The Youtube Video labeled the band as Sum 41. This is incorrect; it is Lustra.)

The film Eurotrip is one of those teen comedies that either rubs people the wrong way or people love it so much they cannot get enough of it. However, one thing that people can agree on is that the song “Scotty Doesn’t Know” is one of the catchiest tunes from any film. The song is about our main character, Scotty Thomas, as he finds out that his long-time girlfriend Fiona has been cheating him with the lead singer of the band Lustra, who is portrayed in the film by Matt Damon.

So, we have a woman dating a guy and cheating on him with Matt Damon. Wait, this sounds familiar…

Anyway, the song is very upbeat, and has a chorus that will be stuck in your head for weeks. The lyrics just keeps twisting a knife into the heart of Scotty, as the singer explains all the times he and Fiona had…let say some “fun,” while she was still seeing Scotty. Wow, we cannot get anymore blunt than that, huh?

“Scotty Doesn’t Know”: One of the few songs you will enjoy listening to and feel bad about enjoy it at the same time.

7) “Weird Science” by Oingo Boingo (from Weird Science)

 

I would be a fool not to put this classic John Hughes movie theme on here, especially since I am a big Danny Elfman fan. This features all the quirky sounds that Oingo Boingo is known for: over-the-top orchestrations, synthesizers galore, an excellent horn section, and the bizarre vocals of Elfman himself.

For me, anytime I hear this song, I just have to get up and dance the robot, which to be honest, is not a pretty sight to see. The lyrics are simple, straight to the point, telling about the creation of the perfect woman. Mine would be Emma Stone, but I digress. “Weird Science” makes playing God look very appealing, and makes it worthy of the Number 7 spot. 

6) “Knights of the Round Table” by the Camelot Knights (from Monty Python and the Holy Grail)

 

I freakin’ love this movie! The timing of the jokes, the ridiculous story, and eccentric characters all work in this film. This is most evident in the “Knights of the Round Table” song number. The wackiness of the knights juxtaposed with the seriousness in their singing about their pride of being knight of the Round Table is simply hilarious. The best moment is the prisoner claps along to the music.

 

Best Timed Joke ever…

Even though the song only lasts about one minute and does not have much to do with the film, “Knight of the Round Table” is a nice little distraction for in already funny film.

 

5) “The Touch” by Stan Bush (from Transformers: The Movie)

If you are a fan of the G1 Transformers, you probably sung along out loud to this one. I will admit I have done this a few times. There a lot of good songs from this film, so it was hard to pick one from it. So, why did I pick this one song? Simple: it is playing the background during Optimus Prime’s epic battle with Megatron, where Optimus kicks major ass!

 AWESOME!!!!

 

But then again, this does lead to the saddest moment of the film… 

Screw you, Nostalgia Critic; this is freakin’ depressing…

The song has that awesome 80s rock guitar that is paired well with Bush’s epic vocals. The music video has the band proudly green screened with scenes from the film. The chorus will get stuck in your head, especially how much it pushes the PG rating of the film.

You got the touch
You got the power
When all hell's breakin' loose
You'll be riding the eye of the storm

You got the heart
You got the motion
You know that when things get too tough
You got the touch

Then again, the film itself pushes that rating…

My childhood, ladies and gentlemen...

“The Touch”: Because you will never give up rockin’ to this amazing song.

 

4) “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins (from Top Gun

 

Dang it, Kenny Loggins! This is the third time you have appeared on this countdown! Why must you continue to put out such catchy songs for movies? Why am I yelling at you like you will actually read this blog?

In all seriousness, this song is just one of those songs that really get you pumped up when you are driving down the highway, and feel the need for speed…until the police pulls you over…
 

This song just screams, “cool.” The bass drives this one into your head, and the chorus makes you want sing your lungs out. Near the end of the song, when the saxophone kicks in, you known have experienced one the most epic tunes from one of the most epic movies of all time.

 

3) “The NeverEnding Story” by Limahl (from The NeverEnding Story)

 

If you grew up in the 1980s or 1990s and have never seen this film, please stop reading this blog right now. Go watch the film right now for you had a deprived childhood. Go ahead; I will wait…

…Awesome movie, right?

Anyway, I really do not know much about Limahl, but what I do know is that this is one of his biggest hits, and for good reasons. The vocals from both Limahl and his female singing partner (I could not find her name) will get stuck in your head, and if that was not enough, the catchy beat and strings will get you. This song really captures the movie without really spoiling the story to you, thus giving it an universal appeal. And it is a LOT better than that one music moment in The NeverEnding Story III…

I am insulted as both a NeverEnding Story fan AND a Steppenwolf fan!

 

 

“The NeverEnding Story”: because only someone like Limahl can pull off a hair style like that…except for maybe Mike Score from A Flock of Seagulls.

 

Yep...

 

 

2) “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker, Jr. (from Ghostbusters)

 

Yeah, I would be an idiot if I did not include this song. Ray Parker, Jr. captures the humor and the purpose of the Ghostbusters perfectly. From the driving synth bass guitar, to the chorus of people shouting “Ghostbusters,” this is one of the catchiest movie songs.

When it came time to adapt “Ghostbusters” into a cartoon series, the creators knew to use the theme from the movie, because it is that catchy of a theme song.

“Ghostbusters”: Because busting ghosts and singing about it never felt so good.

 

1) “Back in Time” by Huey Lewis and The News (from Back to the Future)

 

Back in 1991, when I saw Back to the Future for the first time, for weeks I would be singing “Back in Time,” much to the annoyance of my family (I was five; give me a break). Now, over twenty years later, that song still resonates in my head, so it was a natural choice for my Number 1 Catchiest Movie Song.

The song has everything: An excellent beat, verses and choruses that are easy to sing, and a really catchy brass section. Every time this song plays, everyone stops doing whatever it is they are doing, and they have to sing along (well, at least in my own experiences with the song). Like “Ghostbusters,” when it came time to adapt “Back to the Future” into a cartoon, “Back in Time” came with it, for it is that catchy. Heck, for all the Internet reviewers who look at things from our past, this song is our anthem: going back in time and remember all the good and not so good things of our childhood.  

With great beats and melodies that will get stuck in your head for weeks, I can proudly proclaim “Back in Time” as The Catchiest Movie Song.

And those are my Top 20 Catchiest Movie Songs. As always, feel free to post a comment with your own personal Top 10 or 20 Songs, or if you have ideas for future countdowns. Well, that brings us to the end of another review post, but tune in next week and the rest of the month of October, as we enter into that time of horror, suspense, and beyond. Tune in for the start of Halloween Month here at Rave Up Music! Until then, I am Barius, and as always, keep on rockin.'

 

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