# Bad-ass walkin' music in movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 10, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825 "2005-07-10T05:40:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ex\_Machina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/1 "2005-07-10T05:40:29Z")
This may sound strange but I have a movie fetish. I love what I call “walkin’ music.” It may be my favorite movie device. You’ve probably seen several instances of this, where a character is introduced or is about to do something climactic, and a closeup of his alligator shoes or her stiletto heels just a-walkin’ to some cool boppin’ rhythm. Then a cut of them sauntering down a street or through a crowd… Can you help me remember some so I can add to my collection? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/2 "2005-07-10T05:42:22Z")
Little Green Bag (mis-titled, by the way - in the song he says “little greenback”) by George Baker. From the beginning of Reservoir Dogs (when all the guys are walking out of the diner.) Definitely my favorite walking music of all time. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/3 "2005-07-10T05:42:54Z")
It pains me to say it, but “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees is the one that stands out. John Travolta strutting down the streets of New York… ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/4 "2005-07-10T05:48:04Z")
One more would be “Goin’ Out West” by Tom Waits, used in Fight Club as they show the guys walking down to the basement in Lou’s bar for the first time we actually see the Fight Club in action. The song just screams “badass” with its minor-key twangy guitar lead line and wrong-guy-to-mess-with lyrics: > [@](#): > > I know karate, voodoo too > I’m gonna make myself available to you > I don’t need no makeup, I got real scars > I got hair on my chest, I look good without a shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/5 "2005-07-10T06:11:24Z")
There’s also, of course, the somewhat overused “Bad to the Bone.” ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/6 "2005-07-10T07:05:35Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It pains me to say it, but “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees is the one that stands out. John Travolta strutting down the streets of New York… Truly, this is the scene that _defines_ badass movie-walkin’ music. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/7 "2005-07-10T07:13:19Z")
“Battles Without Honor and Humanity” from _Kill Bill_. The movie isn’t two years old, and already it’s a cliche. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/8 "2005-07-10T07:43:08Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > “Battles Without Honor and Humanity” from _Kill Bill_. The movie isn’t two years old, and already it’s a cliche. Also used in Team America, and some car commercials. It is a cliche, but its also some cool kick ass music. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/9 "2005-07-10T08:25:55Z")
The music wasn’t particularly memorable but the best power walk I’ve ever seen was in the Angel episode “Smile Time.” Angel fans know which one I’m talking about… I don’t know if it’s been used as such but Da Lench Mob’s “Guerillas in tha Mist” would make excellent badass power walk music. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/10 "2005-07-10T08:43:20Z")
Friend of mine started humming a song he liked as we were walking along and I say, “Hey man, that’s some badass music for walking to!” “Wah? Wow, yeah the song’s called _Walk_” “Alrighty then.” 😃 By Pantera ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/11 "2005-07-10T10:04:18Z")
During the closing credits of [The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086856/) (1984), the movie’s heroes are walking in formation around a dry LA aqueduct (the LA River?) to a rather infectious tune, with various closeups on walking feet and nifty moves. According to [IMDB.com](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086856/trivia): > [@](#): > > When it came time to film the end titles sequence, where Buckaroo and pals are walking around a dry LA aqueduct in step to the music, the music wasn’t ready. Composer Michael Boddicker told the film crew to use “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel as a placeholder because it was the exact same tempo. Those scenes were filmed with “Uptown Girl” blaring from a boom box tied to the back of the camera truck. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/12 "2005-07-10T12:54:33Z")
What music did they use for the walking scene in _Napoleon Dynamite_? ---
**Author:** ![gaucho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@gaucho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaucho)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/13 "2005-07-10T14:38:21Z")
My favorite is the Geto Boys’ “Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangster” from _Office Space._ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/14 "2005-07-10T14:47:56Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#): > > Little Green Bag (mis-titled, by the way - in the song he says “little greenback”) by George Baker. From the beginning of Reservoir Dogs (when all the guys are walking out of the diner.) Definitely my favorite walking music of all time. [Are you sure about that?](http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/reservoirdogs/littlegreenbag.htm) (watch out for popups!) ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/15 "2005-07-10T15:10:57Z")
What about the main theme from The Right Stuff. The shot of the seven astronauts walking is a pretty famous one. The sound of the clock striking High Noon. Or Chih chih chih chih Cha cha cha cha You don’t get a much more bad ass walker than Jason. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/16 "2005-07-10T15:45:58Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > The music wasn’t particularly memorable but the best power walk I’ve ever seen was in the Angel episode “Smile Time.” Angel fans know which one I’m talking about… I came in here with that one on my mind, as well as the power walk with the baby stroller. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ex\_Machina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/17 "2005-07-10T16:14:31Z")
There was a movie about a guy(young monk?) named Juvenal who got stigmata. I think Tom Arnold was in the movie. I seem to remember a good ground level shoe-shot walking scene in it. What was that movie? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/18 "2005-07-10T16:29:56Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > What music did they use for the walking scene in _Napoleon Dynamite_? If you mean the montage at the end with Napoleon walking, Kip and Lafawnduh back together, and Pedro with his family it is **The Penguin Cafe Orchestra** ’s _Music For a Found Harmonium_. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/19 "2005-07-10T16:33:27Z")
The “Mongo” music from _Blazing Saddles_ when the big lug is walking down the street and knocks out the horse of the first person to challenge him. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825/20 "2005-07-10T16:36:32Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > Truly, this is the scene that _defines_ badass movie-walkin’ music. Oh, yeah? Check out the opening credits of the original _Shaft_, with Isaac Hayes’s theme music. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-ass-walkin-music-in-movies/311825.md?page=2)